Message from Administration

Dear Families,

They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but in a middle school, it usually just feels like one long, high-energy sprint! With the changing of the seasons, we are seeing a renewed sense of energy in our hallways. We are officially in the "home stretch" of the school year, and this is often where the most significant academic and social growth happens.

Focus for the Month: Resilience

This month, our social-emotional focus is resilience. Middle school is a series of "firsts"—first heavy workloads, first complex social dynamics, and first big responsibilities. We are encouraging our students to view challenges not as walls, but as hurdles they are becoming stronger enough to jump over.

Staying On Track

As the weather warms up, it’s easy for "Spring Fever" to set in. You can help your student stay focused by:

Checking the Portal: Take five minutes on Fridays to review grades and upcoming assignments together.
Encouraging Routine: Even as extracurriculars ramp up, consistent sleep and study schedules make a world of difference.
Open Dialogue: Ask them about their favorite part of the day—sometimes the best insights come from the smallest moments.

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." – William Butler Yeats
Things happening this month at the Middle School:
CDT Testing: March 3-5
8-ACE Team & Science Olympiad Team Competitions
Club Days return for the spring
Intramurals (afterschool) returned for the spring months
Marking Period 3 Ends March 30th

We are so proud of the sparks we see in our students every day. Thank you for your continued partnership and for being such a vital part of our school community.

Have a great month!

LAMS Admin

Trout in the Classroom

Students received 125 rainbow trout fry along with 86 trout eggs from Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Students have created an ideal habitat for the trout to live in with proper filtration and water circulation. They have been monitoring water temperature, water quality through chemical testing. Our program partner- Hockendaqua Trout Unlimited Club and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Biologists have been working with students to learn about Aquatic Ecology, Current and Historical Treats to Water Resources, and management/conservation practices of local fisheries.

What's So Cool with Manufacturing?

Our gifted students have submitted their pre final video for "What's so cool about manufacturing?". Students had an opportunity to tour Ampal Inc.- a local aluminum powder manufacturer in Palmerton, PA. This year-long project includes developing an outreach plan and video that represents this local business. They had an amazing experience getting to interview Senator David Argall about what manufacturing means to our local community. Get ready to vote for our video March 17- 19. We will send an alert reminder and link it on the Middle School website to vote. We appreciate voting daily!

Science Olympiad Jr.

Lehighton Middle School Science Olympiad team competed in their first invitational competition. The Eagle Invitational competition took place at Mountain View Middle School, in Mechanicsburg, PA. Our team was one of 35 teams competing in 23 science competitions including 5 building events. This experience was crucial for our upcoming regional competition March 11th at Penn State Wilkes Barre.

2026 Winter Olympics

The LAMS 2026 Winter Olympics were in full swing at the middle school last month. Students competed in various activities such as Floor Hockey, Curling, Mattress Luge, Speed Skating and Display Board for their country. Our students competed in the Finals held during our Winter Pep Rally on Friday, February 13th. Also on Friday, the judging was conducted on the Display Boards, where students have been busy researching the history of the country they are representing in the Olympics while including original artwork, the country’s flag, map of the country, famous landmarks and facts about current or former athletes.

Celebrating Distinguished Honors for Marking Period 2

This week the Middle School recognized students for earning Distinguished Honors for the second marking period this school year. Distinguished Honors is achieved when a student has no grade lower than a 95 GPA with no marking period final grade lower than a 90. Each student received a letter from the Principal acknowledging their achievement and a PJ Day Coupon. Congratulations to these hard working students for achieving this honor.

LASD communicates severe weather delays and school closures in numerous ways. These include email, text and phone. Local news stations also post updates too! If you are not receiving these notifications, please call the school office to update your contact information!

Please note: On 2 hr delays- breakfast is NOT served.

Are you signed up for text messages?

It’s almost incomprehensible that winter is right around the corner. But ready or not, here it comes! You can prepare yourself a bit more for the wintry weather and the interruptions it causes to school by signing up for text messages when school is closed, delayed, or dismissing early.

To sign up, text the letter "Y" to 67587.

(If you are currently receiving texts from LASD, there is no need to do anything more.)

Breakfast & Lunch Menus can be accessed via our school website: https://lehighton.nutrislice.com/menu/lehighton-middle

All students can receive FREE breakfast and lunch daily.

After-school meals began Monday, September 8th. (This is great for the athletes who have practice or game after school, and even for students who would like something to eat before going home.) Please note that if your child takes Bus Transportation home, they can't eat on the bus.

March PRIDE Attendance Madness!

Dear Families,

We are excited to announce our March schoolwide attendance initiative, PRIDE Attendance Madness!

Throughout the month of March, our students will participate in a positive, SWPBIS-aligned challenge designed to promote strong attendance habits while reinforcing our schoolwide expectations: Protect, Respect, Individual Responsibility, Determination, and Excellence (PRIDE).

Attendance plays a critical role in student success. When students are present and on time, they protect valuable learning time, show respect for their teachers and classmates, take individual responsibility for their education, demonstrate determination, and strive for excellence.

Each week, we will focus on one PRIDE value and celebrate students and homerooms who exemplify it. Throughout the month, students and homerooms will earn recognition and incentives by demonstrating PRIDE through consistent daily attendance and arriving at school and class on time. Students may also be recognized for improved attendance from previous months, completing makeup work promptly after absences, and demonstrating positive engagement in class

Here’s how you can help:

Encourage consistent bedtime and morning routines.
Schedule appointments outside of school hours when possible.
Communicate with the school if your student must be absent.
Reinforce the importance of showing up every day ready to learn.

We understand that illnesses and emergencies happen. Our goal is not perfection, but growth, responsibility, and teamwork. Even small improvements in attendance make a big difference in student achievement.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s success. When we work together, we help our students build habits that will serve them well beyond middle school. If you have any questions or need support regarding attendance, please contact Ms. Kenny, School Social Worker at ckenny@lehighton.org or 610-377-6535 ext. 3107.

March is National Nutrition Month, which highlights the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Key tips include filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choosing whole grains, staying hydrated, cooking at home, reading food labels for sodium/sugar, and practicing mindful eating.

Returning student information for the upcoming school year is now available! This process replaces the Student Emergency Forms sent home at the beginning of each school year. You will use Power school Parent Portal to access Power school registration. Visit https://powerschool.lehighton.org. For more information please see your email from LASD on 8/26/25.
Please review our student handbook and keep handy throughout the school year.
Check your email frequently for communication from the school or your child's teachers.
If you have questions about a specific class, please email or contact the specific teacher. Homeroom teachers are great for general info, but won't know class specific answers.

Drop Off & Pick Up Reminders

Attention families: Please review our drop off and pick up procedures

Drop off: 8th grade or breakfast students can be dropped off in the main lot. Please watch for staff crossing to enter the building. 6 & 7th grade students are to be dropped off in the north lot. Doors open at 7:15 AM and close at 7:26 am.

Pick up : Families picking up their child should get them from the south lot. Please get in line to pick them. Parking in the lot and asking your child to cross to your car is a safety concern. No parent should pick up their student in the main lot when walkers are called.

We appreciate your attention to these procedures to ensure safety for all students and staff!

Free Hotline for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Now Available

In September, the Department of Aging announced the expansion of a free legal service and referral resource to support grandparents raising grandchildren across the Commonwealth. The PA Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Legal Line is a first-of-its-kind phone service staffed by attorneys at SeniorLAW Center who will offer legal information, advice and referrals as well as services for older caregivers who need support in custody or other legal areas involving kinship care.

By calling SeniorLAW Center at 1-877-727-7529, older caregivers can receive free advice and counsel on a variety of civil matters, including custody and dependency; support in representing themselves in family court, such as help with preparing necessary documents; information on kinship caregivers, support groups, and other resources. A grant from the Department of Aging has enabled this service to expand from serving the Philadelphia region, to now serving all 67 counties in the Commonwealth.