The Bobcat Bulletin

Dear Bobcat Families,

We are excited to begin our Library Mural Project with Carrie from Promisedland Art! This is a special opportunity for students to help create a lasting piece of art in our library and leave their mark on a space our entire school community enjoys.

Sign-ups open Monday, October 12 at 7:00 PM, and space is limited, so families are encouraged to sign up early. If a session fills, please join the waitlist. We are committed to finding a way for every student who wants to help to have an opportunity to participate, including by exploring an additional mural opportunity in the spring.

We also have an important need for classroom photographers with current clearances. These volunteers make it possible for us to capture the learning, celebrations, special events, and everyday moments that tell the story of each class throughout the year. Their photos are essential to ensuring that our yearbook represents every student, classroom, and grade level.

If a homeroom does not have a classroom photographer volunteer, the homeroom parents will need to take photos for that class. Please consider volunteering if you have current clearances so that this responsibility can be shared and every classroom has the coverage it needs.

Classroom Photographer

Thank you for helping us preserve these special memories for our students and families.

-Michelle Britton

I also wanted to share an important update about Membership Toolkit. Some families emailed to let me know that they were already signed up. A few shared a helpful detail that may explain the confusion: their accounts still listed their children’s grade and homeroom teacher from last year. Thank you to the families who brought this to my attention!

Even if you already have an account, please log in and confirm that each child’s grade and homeroom teacher are updated for this school year.

Visit Membership Toolkit and follow the steps below.

New families:

1. Create your account.

2. Verify your email address. This is an important step!

3. Add your guardian and student information, selecting each child’s current grade and homeroom teacher.

4. Choose your directory publishing preferences. Your email address must be published so homeroom parents can contact you.

Returning families:

1. Log in to your existing account.

2. Review and update your guardian contact information.

3. Update each child’s grade and homeroom teacher for this school year.

4. Review your directory publishing preferences. Your email address must be published so homeroom parents can contact you.

Keeping this information current helps our PTG and homeroom parents share classroom event information, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming activities, including our fall parties.

If you need assistance, please email ilptgtreasurer@gmail.com.

Thank you for helping us keep our Indian Lane families connected!

OCTOBER

• 14 | PTG Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Library
• 15 | Anne Lambelet Author Visit for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grades
• 15 | Club Interest Forms Due for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd graders
• 16 | Early Dismissal for 1st-5th grades; No PM Kindergarten
• 19 | Principal Advisory Board Meeting, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• 21 | Kindergarten Field Trip
• 22 | Bobcat Trunk or Treat, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
• 27 | Picture Retakes 📸
• 29 | October Bobcat Birthday Glow Bash, During Lunches
• 30 | Halloween Parade, 10:00 a.m. Students may participate in a fall activity instead of the Halloween parade. Please complete this form if your child prefers the fall activity instead of the parade and/or party. Details about classroom parties will be shared directly by homeroom parents via Membership Toolkit.

The spooky season is officially here, and we’re getting ready for an evening of costumes, candy, creativity, and family fun!

Want to decorate a trunk and join the fun? Now’s your chance! Whether you’re planning a spooktacular masterpiece or wanting to help out in another way, we’d love to have you join us!

Sign-ups are officially open. Please sign up through the link below.

As we welcome the fall season, Indian Lane Elementary looks forward to a fun day for our students. Families who celebrate Halloween may choose to have their children participate in our costume parade and classroom celebrations.

We are excited to offer a special fall activity so that every student can enjoy the day in a way that feels right for them. If your family would prefer this option in place of the parade or Halloween-related activities, please complete the attached form.

Costume Guidelines

For students who choose to wear a costume:

• Costumes must be nonviolent, school-appropriate, and respectful of all members of our community.

• Play weapons and look-alike weapons, including swords, lightsabers, staffs, pitchforks, Nerf guns, or similar items, are not permitted.

• Costumes resembling horror characters are not permitted.

• Please limit face makeup, as we have limited time to assist students.

• We discourage inflatable costumes because they can be difficult to manage on stairs and in hallways. If a student chooses to wear one, it must be put on and removed in the gym for the parade only.

• Students should not share costume accessories, such as hats or tiaras, with classmates.

• Please talk with your child about safe handling of costume items while getting on and off the bus or walking home.

Please send costumes to school in a bag, with students wearing as much of the costume as possible. Parents will not be in classrooms to assist with dressing. If an item is forgotten, it may be dropped off in the vestibule and we will make sure it reaches your child.

Parade Information

• Families attending the parade should head directly to the back playground area and gather on the grass around the track.

• There is no need to sign in for the parade. Staff members will be available to help guide families.

• Please do not remove your child from their teacher’s supervision before, during, or after the parade.

Parking

Parking details will be shared closer to the event. We often use Middletown Presbyterian Church for parking, though availability may vary. Please watch for an additional communication.

Classroom Celebrations

Classroom celebrations will reflect the fall season and will follow the district Wellness Policy. Foods offered should support student health and meet Pennsylvania Department of Education nutritional standards, including fresh fruits or vegetables, water, 100% fruit juice, or milk.

Homeroom parents and teachers will share classroom-specific plans directly with families. All volunteers must have current clearances on file in order to attend. Families who have not yet joined Membership Toolkit will not receive emails from homeroom parents.

We are excited to invite students and families to take part in our Library Mural Project with Carrie from Promisedland Art! Check out this preview of Carrie’s beautiful artwork. We cannot wait to see what she creates in our library space.

The sign-up sheet will open on Monday, October 12 at 7:00 PM. Space is limited, so we encourage families to sign up early. If all time slots are filled, please add your name to the waitlist. We will reach out if an opening becomes available.

We know many students may want to participate, and we are committed to finding a way to make sure everyone who would like to help has an opportunity to be part of this special project. We are exploring an additional mural opportunity in the spring and will share more information as plans come together.

We cannot wait to see our community leave its mark on the library!

*Photo credit: Promiseland Public School Murals, via Facebook.

Our kindergarten students had a special visit from the Middletown Volunteer Fire Company during Fire Prevention Week! Students learned important fire safety tips, explored firefighting equipment, and even got to climb aboard a fire truck!

The visit helped bring fire safety lessons to life as students learned how firefighters respond to emergencies, why smoke alarms are important, and what to do if they ever encounter a fire. It was an engaging and memorable experience that reinforced valuable safety skills they can use at home and at school.

A big thank-you to our local firefighters for taking the time to teach our Bobcats about fire safety and for all you do to keep our community safe! We are grateful for your service and your commitment to helping our students learn and grow.

Dear Parent/Guardian:

We are conducting surveys of all students in third through twelfth grade in order to gain a better understanding as to the students thoughts and feelings about their school. There are two surveys that seek to find information focusing on Academic Challenge and School Culture. For each student there is one survey that is specific to their level (Elementary/Middle/High) and a second survey that is applicable to all students. While we will collect basic demographic information from students as part of the survey, we will not be able to link survey results to individual students. To reiterate, survey respondents will remain completely anonymous. Students will take the surveys in school on Friday October 16th and they should take only a few minutes. This information is for our internal use as we develop our district's strategic plan and work on continuous improvement in both academics and school culture.

We are committed to maintaining and enhancing an affirming and supportive learning environment for all members of the Rose Tree Media School District. The information collected from the students will be helpful in this endeavor.

Opt Out Option:

However, if you would prefer your child not to participate in this survey please let us know by completing this link.

Included is a link to a copy of the survey for you to preview

Elementary School

All-Student Survey

As we prepare for our Principal Advisory Board (PAB) meeting on October 19, we invite parents and guardians to share topics for discussion. Whether you would like to highlight something working well at Indian Lane, share a challenge, or offer a suggestion, we welcome your input.

Please use the form below to submit your ideas:

PAB DISCUSSION TOPICS INPUT FORM

PAB discussions focus on Indian Lane Elementary. For topics related to the district as a whole, please share your talking points with our Superintendent Advisory Board (SAB) representative, Genna Hart.

PAB Grade-Level Representatives

• Kindergarten: Kelly Boland

• Grade 1: Tyler Spindel

• Grade 2: Katie Bobek / Rosanna Makin

• Grade 3: Rebecca Swanson

• Grade 4: Grant Bulter

• Grade 5: Beth Rundle

Our second graders have been busy building communities! After learning that communities are places where people live, work, learn, and play, students worked together to create their own. They designed buildings, added streets, and some even named their towns! What a fun way to bring social studies to life! As they worked, students thought about the people and places that help a community run smoothly, including schools, homes, parks, stores, and community helpers. Their creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills were on full display. Great job, second graders, on building communities that show what it means to work and grow together!

First, second, and third grade students received an Interest Form for clubs available this week. If your child would like to participate, please return the interest form by next Wednesday, October 15th. Permission forms with exact meeting dates will be sent home once club sponsors have the dates set.

Additional clubs and Intramurals permission forms will be distributed to fourth and fifth grade students as they are available.

Our music classroom is getting ready to make some noise, and we need your help! Mr. Fisher is seeking to add exciting "bucket drumming" lessons into our music classes to reinforce reading rhythms, perform together, and encourage musical creativity.

If you have any clean, gently used 5-gallon buckets (like the Home Depot or Lowe's buckets) taking up space in your garage, we would love to give them a second life in the music room.

How to donate: Please drop off and stack bucket donations in the front office vestibule at your earliest convenience! Thank you for helping us add this fun element to our music room!

Impetigo is a common contagious skin rash that is more common in younger children but can also be found in school age students. It typically presents as honey-colored crusts and scabs or sometimes blisters that open and leave moist red sores followed by dry crusts.

Impetigo needs to be treated with antibiotics, either orally, applied to the sores, or both. If you suspect your child could have impetigo, call your pediatrician so that you can start treatment right away.

PA Department of Health Fact Sheet

Any questions, please reach out to Mrs. LaRose in the nurse's office.

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 2026-2027 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 - 8:30 am.

Anne Lambelet is a talented young artist who has illustrated over ten picture books, nearly half of which are both written and illustrated by her. Her titles have received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and others. She is also the illustrator of books in several of the Margaret Peterson Haddix middle grade fiction series. Her style is very recognizable. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two young sons.

Are you looking for a special way to celebrate your child’s birthday? If so, please consider joining Indian Lane Library’s Birthday Book Club. This year, the money raised will be used to purchase both physical books for the library, eBooks, audiobooks, and digital resources for all of our students to use. Your donation can help build our library collection to support our students and their love of reading. If interested, please complete the form and return it to school. Mrs. Hatton is still accepting forms.

Click below for more information. Thanks for your consideration. Email Mrs. Hatton with any questions at thatton@rtmsd.org.

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us keep our schools safe. As part of our updated visitor-entry procedures, all visitors must have their ID scanned before entering the building. Please plan to remain in the vestibule while security verifies the purpose of your visit with the main office.

These procedures apply to early dismissals, pickups from the nurse’s office, and scheduled meetings. Once your visit has been verified, security will provide direction about entering the building or meeting your child. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we consistently implement these important safety procedures.

For more information, visit the Elementary Progress Report page on our RTMSD district webpage.

As we transition to our new elementary progress reports, you will notice some changes in how your child’s math assessments are scored and shared with you.

Topic Tickets are used throughout a module to help me understand what students know, identify skills that are still developing, and make decisions about instruction. Individual questions will be marked correct, partially correct, or incorrect. The purpose of a Topic Ticket is to provide information about learning while it is still taking place, so it will not receive an overall score.

A Parent Summary Slip will accompany each Topic Ticket. The slip identifies the specific skills your child is learning and shows which assessment questions provide evidence of each skill. Together, Topic Tickets and Parent Summary Slips can help us have more specific conversations about your child’s strengths, developing skills, and next steps for learning.

Module Assessments are given at the conclusion of a module and provide another opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding. The skills assessed will be reported using our new 3, 2, 1 Learning Indicators. These results, along with other evidence of your child’s learning, will help inform the Learning Indicators reported on the three progress reports in November, March, and June.

Our goal is to move the focus from “What percentage did my child earn?” to “What does my child understand, what is still developing, and what should they work on next?”

For more information about our new elementary progress reports and Learning Indicators, please visit the Elementary Progress Reports page on the RTMSD website.

Parents, teachers, students, and administrators came together to learn about and discuss the cultural holidays and events observed throughout the school year. Together, they developed the list of holidays and events our schools will recognize, teach about, or celebrate. The selections featured in this newsletter reflect the voices and input of our community.

By learning about the cultures, traditions, and experiences represented in our community, we build greater understanding and acceptance of one another. This shared learning strengthens relationships and enhances each person’s sense of belonging in our schools.

Please select the “Resources” links to learn more.

Please email Ralph Harrison if you have any suggestions or ideas about our monthly events and holidays. We honor dignity by taking the time to learn about the cultures of all of our community members. The events/holidays are listed in the order they occur during the month. For more details, please click on the "Resources" links.

The state of Pennsylvania requires three clearances for all volunteers, chaperones or employees.

A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CLEARANCE

Website: https://epatch.pa.gov/home

Click on the button that says "New Volunteer Record Check". The cost for volunteers is waived.
Follow the instructions for filling out the application.

DHS FBI CLEARANCE - IDEMIA - 1-844-321-2101
Register online or by phone.
Online: https://uenroll.identogo.com/

For employment: enter service code 1KG6XN
For volunteers: enter service code 1KG6ZJ

Click on "Schedule or Manage an appointment"
For employment the screen should read "1KG6XN Pennsylvania PDE-School Districts"
For volunteers the screen should read "1KG6ZJ Pennsylvania DHS-Volunteer"

Fill in the information on the page and click next. Follow through completing all of the pages.
On the last page, you will schedule your fingerprint appointment.
Payment in the amount of $25.25 will be made at the fingerprint site by credit card, money order or check.
Be sure to bring your ID with you to the fingerprint site.

The volunteer clearance is now done through Pennsylvania DHS-Volunteer. The original FBI clearance must be shown at the school before anyone can volunteer.

CHILD ABUSE CLEARANCE

The application for the Child Abuse Clearance must be completed online at the following link:

https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS/Public/Home

You will need to create a log-in before applying. The cost of the clearance is $13.00. For volunteers, the cost will be waived. After you apply for the child abuse clearance, you will receive an email confirming your application. You will be able to print out your child abuse clearance when it is ready, you do not need to wait for it to come in the mail.

Mark your calendars, plan ahead, and stay prepared for all that is happening at Indian Lane.

Please click on the link to access the Indian Lane Calendar of Events.

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

Thursday November 5, 2026

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Delaware County Intermediate Unit

200 Yale Ave. Morton, PA 19070

Join the Delaware County Right to Education Local Task Force for this unique event for families and students with special needs. Community organizations providing recreation and leisure opportunities for students with special needs will be present to share information about their organization and how families can get their children involved in a variety of activities outside the school setting. Special Olympics, Flyers Power Hockey, Cheer Teams, along with other organizations will be present! Please join us to see what opportunities are available to your child!

Please use the link below to register for this event by Monday November 2 at 4:00 p.m. Questions about this event please contact Nora Connell nconnell@dciu.org.

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