The Bobcat Bulletin

We had so much fun this week celebrating our Read Across America themes at Indian Lane.

We also recognize that two spirit weeks in a row can be a lot for families. Our Read Across America activities were planned here at Indian Lane, and we are excited to participate in the district-wide Inclusion Week that was announced last week. The celebration begins Monday with Super Hero Day. We look forward to a great week recognizing kindness and acceptance!

If you visited Indian Lane last week, you may have noticed that some ceiling tiles were removed as part of the HVAC project, which began last week as part of the district-wide plan to install new HVAC systems in our elementary schools. Please review the letter that was sent last week and is attached to this bulletin for additional details about the project.

We also had a great first week of Polar Pop. Thank you to everyone who has already participated and supported this fun event. Please continue to check the bulletin for your homeroom's submission and air date.

The PTG is also reminding all families to RSVP for the March 27 event as soon as possible. Please see the details from the PTG below. Tickets are going fast and the event is already about halfway to capacity. Register as soon as possible to secure a spot. Ticket sales close on Friday, March 20th at 5:00 PM.

Finally, we are excited to celebrate World Storytelling Day on March 20th. This international celebration takes place each year on the spring equinox and highlights the power of storytelling to share traditions, culture, and experiences from around the world. As part of our Stories Around the World event, students will hear stories and folktales shared by parent and grandparent volunteers, as well as Penncrest students, helping bring different cultures and traditions to life for our students.

-Michelle Britton

Monday March 16th: Super Hero Be a hero for inclusion

Tuesday March 17th: Bright Colors The future is bright when everyone is included

Wednesday March 18th: Sports Jersey Everyone does better when they are part of a team

Thursday March 19th: Pajama Day Be comfortable with inclusion

Friday March 20th: Rock Your Socks Wear your school spirit and rock your socks for inclusion

Come out and support Penncrest Boys Lacrosse on Thursday March 19th at 6 pm for their "All in for Inclusion" game vs. . Players from both teams will be rocking their inclusive socks for the game!

MARCH

• 15 | Book orders due for Mari Mancusi Author Visit
• 18 | Fifth Grade Class Picture, 9:00 a.m.
• 20 | World Story Telling Day School Event, 9:25-11:05 a.m.
• 25 | Mari Mancusi Author Visit (4th & 5th grades), 2:00 p.m.
• 26 | Fifth Grade Career Showcase, 9:15 a.m.
• 26 | Reading Olympics Competition at SLMS, 6:00 p.m.
• 27 | March Birthday Bash

Three Weeks. One School. One Incredible Cause.

Polar Pop 2026 is here, and we are ready for three weeks of energy, creativity, and friendly competition in support of the Special Olympics.

• Every class gets its moment
• Every student can participate
• Every effort makes a difference

Homerooms have been organized into groups to keep the competition fair and exciting. Each class participates one time during its assigned week. When it is your week, it is your time to shine.

HOW IT WORKS

There are two ways to earn points during your homeroom’s week.

Fundraising Power in Numbers

• All homerooms in the group combine their fundraising totals
• The group that raises the most money that week earns 1 point
• Every homeroom in that winning group receives the point
• If there is a tie, both groups receive the point

This is a team effort that builds pride and impact.

Participation Show Up and Stand Out

Homerooms compete within their group based on percentage of students participating.

• The homeroom with the highest participation percentage earns 1 point
• If there is a tie, both homerooms receive the point
• Participation is based on percentage, not total number of videos

Why Percentage

Using percentages keeps the competition fair for classes of different sizes.

Example:

• 18 out of 20 students participate = 90 percent
• 20 out of 25 students participate = 80 percent
• 90 percent earns the point

Participation is about showing up, not class size.

WHAT THAT MEANS

During its assigned week, a homeroom can earn:

• 2 points if the group wins fundraising and the homeroom wins participation
• 1 point
• 0 points

Points add up across all three weeks.

At the end of Polar Pop, the homeroom with the most total points will be recognized as the overall winner. If there is a tie, co winners will be celebrated.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Polar Pop brings our school community together
• It promotes compassion, teamwork, and school spirit
• It supports the Special Olympics and our unified programs

When your group raises funds, you make an impact.
When your class participates, you show your pride.

Let’s bring the energy.
Let’s bring the creativity.
Let’s make Polar Pop 2026 one to remember.

Indian Lane Student Council

Schedule

Week of March 16 (3 groups)

Group 3

• 1-Parkinson

• 1-Sammaciccia

• 1-Herman

Group 4

• 2-Ford

• 2-Ferdon

• 2-Amoroso

Group 5

• 2-Pinto

• 3-Davis

• 3-Coelho

📹 Videos due: Tuesday, March 17
🎬 Featured: Friday, March 20

Week of March 23 (3 groups)

Group 6

• 3-Defoor

• 3-Hausladen

• 4-Johnston

Group 7

• 4-Arbutina

• 4-Iovonnoni

• 4-Cancelosi

Group 8

• 5-Siciliano

• 5-Speir

• 5-Bianchi

• 5-Michaels

📹 Videos due: Tuesday, March 24
🎬 Featured: Friday, March 27

A great author and a great read – we’re thrilled that acclaimed, best-selling author Mari Mancusi is coming to Indian Lane with her newest middle-grade novel, DAWN OF THE DRAGONS. A prequel to her award-winning and gripping NEW DRAGON CITY but also readable as a stand-alone, DAWN OF THE DRAGONS addresses the bonds of family, friendship, and bridging divides amid a looming apocalypse. This book is awesome for fourth and fifth graders.

Order a personalized and signed copy for your child today. Available in hardcover or paperback.

The Bobcats T-shirts are available for purchase online. Families can order by selecting the “Buy Bobcats Maroon T-Shirt” link and choosing their preferred size and quantity on the order form.

Entries into the Bookmark Contest are due on Wednesday, March 18th. Drop them off to Mrs. Hatton by the end of the day on Wednesday. A minimum of 5 winners will be announced. All winners will have their bookmark printed on cardstock and available in the library for students.

Students found very creative ways to show the facts they learned from non-fiction books. One second grade class even got to share their facts on Friday's News On the Lane.

We are excited to announce that the 16th Annual Poem in Your Pocket (PIYP) will take place Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 in celebration of National Poetry Month. This community event is organized each April by our teacher-librarians.

PIYP gives students and community members the opportunity to share a short poem at participating local businesses in exchange for a small treat generously provided by those businesses. The event is inclusive and flexible—students choose their own poem, practice it, and decide which businesses they would like to visit.

More details and a list of participating businesses will be available soon.

Poetry Café is an opportunity for students to practice important speaking and listening skills in a fun and positive way. Students are also exposed to an appreciation of poetry and creativity. We hope you can make it to our Poetry Café to hear the children read their favorite published poems and/or original poems in our wonderful library. It's a café, so there will be snacks, too. Guests are encouraged to bring poems to share. The kids absolutely love this part! Email Mrs. Hatton at thatton@rtmsd.org with any questions.

Students do not have to be a runner to join this club! We’ll start slow and work to increase our movement and laps each week, with an optional goal of completing the Run The Lane 5k the first Saturday in June.

MEETING DATES: April 7th, April 14th, April 21st, April 28th, May 5th, May 12th, May 26th, June 2nd. Members are encouraged to join us Saturday June 6th for Run the Lane 5k. (There is no school for students on May 19th, so the club will not meet. On May 12th 5th graders should attend the Spring Concert instead, but 4th graders can still meet.)

DUE TO THE HIGH INTEREST, we will use a lottery system for 4th and 5th grade participation in mILES Intramural Running Club again this year. Please complete the interest form below before Monday, March 30th to receive further communication.

Any Questions, please contact Club Sponsor: Becka Cancelosi, bcancelosi@rtmsd.org

Please see the letter below for an important facilities update regarding the HVAC project at Indian Lane Elementary School. Thank you for your continued support.

Indian Lane Elementary will conduct a school bus evacuation drill on Thursday, March 26, 2026. All Indian Lane buses will participate in the drill on the side of the school. The P.M. Midday Kindergarten buses will complete their drill when buses arrive in the afternoon. This required safety drill helps ensure that students understand proper procedures and can safely exit the bus in the event of an emergency.

Uncertain about if your student is well enough to come to school? Please review the district's guidance on When to Keep Your Child at Home.

If you still are unsure, please call the nurse's office at 610-627-7104 to speak with Mrs. LaRose

Sandy Wright and Alison Marshaleck, the PTG parents organizing the Indian Lane 2025–2026 Yearbook, have created a Google folder for the 5th Grade Bobcat Memories Page.

They are collecting photos of the current 5th grade class from school events throughout their years at Indian Lane. Photos should include only current 5th graders (no students from other grades or family members).

Suggested submissions include:

• Class party group photos from any year

• Field trips

• Field Day

• Photos with teachers

• Special events such as 100 Days of School, Friendship Feast, and other school activities

Families are encouraged to look back through their photos and share special memories as we celebrate our 5th graders and their time at IL. Please upload folders to this link

Just like the popular Family Fun Night at Oasis, the PTG is hosting another family night event. In recent weeks, they gauged interest through a survey before finalizing plans.

Message from the PTG:

To reserve your tickets, please click the Google Form linked below or in the image above. Please note that there is a maximum capacity of 400 attendees, and tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

🔗 Reserve Your Tickets Here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv20Wpu7DGy1sqndNO6XCRP0BGJ9HjR2PJ3o1tdz6H5udQeA/viewform?usp=publish-editor

We look forward to celebrating this special night with our students and their special guests!

If you have any questions, please contact Kara Cron, PTG Co-President, at kara.jessel@gmail.com.

Springton Lake Middle School has shared several important dates to help 5th grade students and families prepare for the transition to 6th grade. Upcoming events include a 5th Grade Parent Meeting on Tuesday, April 7th at 7:00 PM, followed by the 5th Grade Visitation on Tuesday, May 26th from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

In August, students will have opportunities to become familiar with the school through 6th Grade Transition Camp on Tuesday, August 11th or Tuesday, August 18th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Families are also invited to the Schedule Release Party on Thursday, August 13th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The Springton Lake Open House for all grades will be held Thursday, August 27th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, and the first day of school for 6th grade students will be Monday, August 31st from 7:55 AM to 3:00 PM.

These events are designed to help students feel comfortable and confident as they begin their journey at Springton Lake.

Dear Fifth Grade Parents,

We are excited to announce the annual 5th Grade Yearbook Cover Contest. Each year, fifth grade students are invited to submit original artwork for a chance to have their design featured on the front cover of our school yearbook. Participation in the contest is completely optional.

Please review the submission guidelines carefully:

Submission Requirements:

1. Artwork must be original student work.
   Digital submissions are not permitted, as image quality may not reproduce well in print.

2. Designs must be completed in color.

3. Artwork must be created on 8.5" x 11" white paper in portrait (vertical) orientation.

4. Students must sign their first and last name in pencil on the back of the submission.

5. All entries are due by Friday, April 10, 2026, the Friday we return from Spring Break.

Entries will be reviewed, and the selected design will be featured on this year’s yearbook cover.

We look forward to seeing the creativity and talent of our fifth grade students. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Ms. Devine

Every child at Indian Lane is a BOBCAT & we want to celebrate with each of you. Families are invited to sign up to attend ONE Bobcat Pride Breakfast during the 2025-2026 school year. Younger siblings are welcome to attend, but please only sign up for the IL student(s) on the sheet. Each student should take one spot on the sign up sheet. The Breakfast are held from 8:00 - 8:40 a.m. in the Indian Lane cafeteria.

1. Go to: https://indianlaneptg.membershiptoolkit.com/

2. Create your account. Select Create Account and fill in your name, email, and password.

3. Verify your email. Click verify my email and then check your inbox for the link.

   • The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive it, check your spam or junk folders.

4. Log back in. Once your email is verified, return to the site and complete your registration.

5. Enter your information. Fill in the Parent/Family and Student details.

6. Update your child’s information. Make sure you select the correct grade and homeroom teacher so you receive classroom party and volunteer communications.

   • If your child has a special education teacher, please do not select that teacher unless your child’s homeroom is physically in that classroom.

7. Set your preferences. Complete the Directory/Publish section to choose what information is visible to others.

8. Finish up. Once these steps are complete, you will have full access to the directory.

📌 Tip: Once the Primary Account is set up, you can invite another parent or guardian by email so they can create their own login while still being connected to your family account.

Apple users: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/membership-toolkit/id912169276?platform=iphone

A few quick links to keep handy:

• Our school website: Indian Lane
• If your student is sick please submit Absence Form
• For an educational trip: Pre-Planned Absence Request
• Breakfast and Lunch Menus - Nutrislice / to check your student's account: MySchoolBucks
• You may follow the bus routes and check for transportation updates at MyRide360

Sunday March 22, 2026 in Penncrest Auditorium

Show starts at 2 pm (doors open at 1 pm)

$5 for students

$15 in advance

$20 at the door

VENMO @penncrestamprom

Grades 1st - 5th 8:50 am - 3:30 pm

AM Kindergarten 8:50 am - 11:25 am

PM Kindergarten 12:55 pm - 3:30 pm

Email: mbritton@rtmsd.org
Website: https://www.rtmsd.org/Domain/9
Location: 309 South Old Middletown Road, Media, PA, USA
Phone: 610-627-7100