IB Campus Family Newsletter

📝Message From the Principal

Dear IB Campus Families,

As the days grow shorter and the festive lights begin to twinkle, we turn our calendars to December, a time often filled with anticipation, reflection, and the warmth of the approaching winter holidays.

This season offers us a natural pause to appreciate the rich mix of cultures and traditions that make up our diverse school community. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or simply enjoy the break with your loved ones, I hope this time brings you opportunities for rest, joy, and connection. This is an important time for our students to embody the IB Learner Profile attributes of Reflective and Balanced, stepping away from the rigors of the classroom to rejuvenate their spirits and minds.

We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication our students have shown so far this year. As we look ahead to the final weeks before the holiday break, let's encourage our students to maintain their focus, finishing out this month strong.

Our faculty and staff are committed to making these last weeks of 2025 productive and engaging. We appreciate your continued partnership and support.

From all of us at School Lane, we wish you and your families a safe, peaceful, and joyous holiday season. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the New Year, ready for new learning and growth!

All the best,

Jim Munizza

Deputy CEO

12/1- School Resumes

12/2-12/9- Trimester 2 Club Sign Ups

12/4- FAFSA Completion Workshop- 4:00-7:00 PM @ 3340 Tillman Drive Bensalem, PA 19020

12/5- First Friday Dress Down Day

12/10- Community Meetings

12/16- IB Campus Winter Concert- 6:30 PM @ 2400 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA 19020

12/18- Board of Trustees Meeting- 7:00 PM

12/24-1/4- School Closed- Winter Break

1/5- School Resumes

December 2025 - IB Campus Calendar

2025-2026 School Year Calendar

Afterschool cubs for Trimester 2 run from January 5th through March 5th. These are a great opportunity for students to get involved and try something new. Club sign ups will be available to families on December 2nd through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Applications must be completed by Tuesday December 9th at 4:00 PM.

Students MUST be picked up promptly at 4:20 PM at the main office at 3350 Tillman Drive.

Any student that is picked up late 3 times will be automatically dropped from the extra curricular they are attending. Missing 3 consecutive club dates will result in removal from the extra curricular activity.

With the winter weather months upon us, we wanted to send you a reminder regarding our Flexible Instruction Day plan in the event of a school closure due to bad weather or an emergency.

School Lane Charter School has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to use up to five Flexible Instruction Days (FIDs) each school year. These days can be counted as a day of school if in-person learning is canceled due to bad weather or an emergency. When a Flexible Instructional Day is declared, we will notify the community using our mass communication system (email, phone call, and text message). Posts will also be made on our school website and social media feeds.

Each student was given a green "FID Folder" in September. Please ensure that folder is kept in a safe place throughout the school year. Flexible Instructional Days will be "asynchronous," meaning students can complete their work anytime during the day.

Grades K-2: Students receive green "FID Folders" containing paper assignments to cover five days. There are no digital components to FID expectations.
Grades 3-6: Student assignments are delivered through Google Classroom. As a backup for online work, students in these grades also receive a set of "unplugged" paper assignments in their "FID Folder" in case of technology problems.
Grades 7-12: Student assignments are delivered through ManageBac. As a backup for online work, students in these grades also receive a set of "unplugged" paper assignments in their "FID Folder" in case of technology problems.

If a FID is anticipated, students in Grades 3 through 6 will be sent home with devices. Students in Grades 7-12 will use their assigned Chromebooks. If a student cannot access a School Lane device, they can use any internet-connected device to access materials. If that's not possible, they can submit an "unplugged" assignment instead.

On FID days, each teacher will be available for two hours of "Office Hours" using Google Meet to meet with students.

To be marked present for the day, students must submit their work (online or paper copies) to their teachers by the first day they return from a FID. Failure to do so will result in an absence recorded on the student's attendance record. If a parent or guardian submits an excuse note that meets the conditions for an excused absence, the absence will be updated accordingly.

Information about Flexible Instruction Days is available on our school website at www.schoollane.org/page/fid. There, you will find directions for accessing systems, copies of "unplugged" assignments, links to teachers' "Office Hours" and their schedules, and information on how to access support via phone, email, or a support ticket.

We are already in the thick of enrollment activities for the 2026-2027 school year! Upon enrolling new students, we typically ask families how they heard about School Lane. The most common response is word of mouth positive accounts from current School Lane families. We can’t thank you enough for that support in ensuring our enrollment remains strong!

Families wishing to enroll new students at SLCS for next year should apply as soon as possible as our waiting lists are dictated by the date and time completed applications are received. In person applications are now being accepted during school hours will be available through Thursday, January 29th.

To complete an application, applicants must bring the following items with them:

Proof of Age – Ex: Student’s State issued birth certificate or Passport, etc.
Two proofs of residency (two more will be required once the sibling is accepted)

One (1) must be proof of home ownership or lease agreement (agreement of sale/lease, mortgage statement, property deed, statement of homeowner’s insurance)
One (1) additional proof of residency may be: another utility bill, pay stub, driver's license, vehicle registration card or car insurance.

All proofs of residency must include the parent/guardian’s current address.

Please note that if you live in a multiple occupancy situation, please email admissions@schoollane.org for a copy of the Multiple Occupancy form which must be completed and notarized in order for your application to be finalized.

The online application will open on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 10:00 am. Please note that submission of the online application will put the student on the waiting list after all completed in person applications from November 15, 2025 through January 29, 2026.

Kindergarten Applications

Student enrollment for kindergarten is by lottery. Students must be 5 years old by September 1 the year they are enrolling in kindergarten to be eligible for application and enrollment. You must submit an application prior to December 19, 2025 to be considered part of the lottery for the school year beginning the following August. Children’s names are placed on the waitlist via randomized lottery at a public meeting via Zoom held at 6:00pm. After the Kindergarten lottery any additional new applicants will be placed at the bottom of the list by order of time and date of the submitted application.

Sibling Applications

Beginning on Monday, December 1st, sibling applications will be accepted in person each school day between the hours of 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM at both campuses. Families interested in enrolling a sibling of a current School Lane student for the 2026-2027 school year in Grades K-12 should apply at this time. Siblings of current students are given first priority for any openings. A sibling is defined as one of two or more individuals having at least one common parent.

If you have any questions please email admissions@schoollane.org

Bread Basketball

SGA's Bread Basketball food drive brought in 723 items to donate CARES Cupboard to help families right here in Bucks County. 8th Grade led the way with 287 items donated!

Last week, 8th Graders stayed after school to take on the faculty in a fun game of basketball. A great time was had by all!

December Events

We're finalizing details on our annual Door Decorating Contest, Candy Grams, and our "Sip-o-Cocoa" event. Stay tuned for that information in the coming days!

The IB Campus' Annual College and Career Fair will be held on Friday, March 27th. Please consider volunteering your time letting our students know about your career path or place of employment. We would also appreciate you sharing this opportunity with family and friends. If you are interested in participating, please respond via this link so we can get in touch with you.

Transportation

Car Riders

For morning drop-off, families enter the parking lot behind the 3340 building (4th entrance) and drive around to the front entrance. For afternoon pick-up, families will enter the 3340 back parking lot (4th entrance) starting at 3:00pm and wait for dismissal at 3:10pm. Please follow the directions of school staff while on and around our campus.

For student safety, please do not pick up students on Tillman Drive, at Carrabbas, at Extended Stay America, or on Street Road. Students may not be dropped off in front of 3350 between 7:30-8:15 am. This poses a major safety concern. We need your cooperation with our school policies for arrival and dismissal to keep all students safe.

Yellow Bus

All school districts other than Philadelphia receive transportation from the sending school district. The Code of Conduct does extend to yellow busses and students can face school and transportation consequences for infractions that occur on the school bus and at bus stops.

SEPTA

Students riding SEPTA buses catch the bus routes that stop at Street Rd. and Tillman Dr. Students who are eligible for SEPTA will receive a yearly TransPass through the School District of Philadelphia at the front desk.

Attendance

Families must contact our Attendance Office via email (attendanceib@schoollane.org) for providing verification (notes or documentation) for each day absent within three (3) days of the student returning to school. An email message with a simple form to complete for the documentation is sent for any student who is absent. A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative excused absences verified by parental notification shall be permitted during a school year. Students in grades 9-12 must attend school for 990 hours per school year as per state policy to receive course credit. Students who are absent in excess of 19 days (10% of the school year) during one school year are considered at risk for retention.