MES Weekly Update

Hello Media Elementary Families!

What a fun and productive week at MES! Students and staff showed their school spirit during Eagles and Phillies Spirit Day, our successful evacuation drill helped us practice important safety routines, and our 5th Grade Ambassadors began taking on their special leadership responsibilities. Fifth graders also enjoyed an exciting field trip to Tyler Arboretum, while staff added a little extra fun with Tattoo Day! Because of your generosity for our Tattoo-a-Teacher fundraiser, we raised $525 which will support our student Snack Fund! Thank you!!!!

Did you know each morning our cafeteria serves breakfast? Breakfast is free for all students to enjoy before they start their day. When students arrive at school, they should go directly to the cafeteria to eat their breakfast. If students arrive late, they can still go to the cafeteria to get a breakfast to go.

Friendly reminder: Please remember to label your child's items (clothing, water bottles, hats, lunchboxes, etc...).

If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Stoddard at lstoddard@rtmsd.org or 610-627-6800.

Mustang Pride!

Mrs. Stoddard

October 6: PTG Meeting via Zoom 7:00 PM

October 9: Grandparents/Special Friends' Day

• AMK, Grades 1-2...9:15-10:15 AM
• PMK, Grades 3-5...1:45-2:45 PM

October 13: Principal Advisory Board (PAB) in the MES Conference Room 8:30-9:30 AM - PARENT INPUT FORM

October 16: Early Dismissal for Teacher In-Service

• AM Kindergarten dismisses regular time at 11:25 AM
• Grades 1-5 dismissed at 12:20 PM
• No PM Kindergarten

October 20: PTG Goodies, Grown-Up & Kids in the MES Cafeteria 8:00-8:40 AM

• All families with the last name beginning A-I are welcome to join us for light refreshments.

October 21: Picture Make-Up Day 9:00-11:00 AM

October 26:

• October Birthday Lunches with Mrs. Stoddard
• Superintendent's Advisory Board at the Ed Center 7:00-9:00 PM

October 26-30: Red Ribbon Week - Theme: "Make a Difference. Be a Hero!"

October 30:

• Halloween Parade & Classroom Festivities
• MES PTG Trunk or Treat (see flyer below)

In anticipation of the Principal Advisory Board (PAB) meeting that will be taking place on October 13th, we would like to invite our parents and guardians to submit agenda items to be discussed at the meeting. If you'd like to let us know what you think has been working well at Media Elementary, share a challenge, or simply make a suggestion, please consider submitting a survey response. Our PAB discussions are focused on Media Elementary.

If you have a topic that is specific to RTMSD, consider submitting a talking point to our Superintendent Advisory Board representatives.

PAB DISCUSSION TOPICS INPUT FORM

PAB Representatives for each grade level:

Kindergarten: Allison Porter

Grade 1: Brittany Leight

Grade 2: Ivan Carter

Grade 3: Jen Reinert (also SAB rep)

Grade 4: Emily Link

Grade 5: Lydia Jeffress (also SAB rep)

Teacher Representatives - Kristin Connell and Gemma Amoroso

Join us for a spook-tacular evening of fun at our Media Elementary School Trunk or Treat! On Friday, October 30th from 5:30 to 7pm, families are invited to the Media Elementary faculty parking lot for a safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating event. We are encouraging families with a K-2nd grader to come at 5:30 and those with 3rd-5th graders to come closer to 6:15 to stagger the trick-or-treating!

Families are invited to sign up, decorate their car trunks in creative Halloween themes, and hand out candy to our little trick-or-treaters! Our goal is to get 40 TRUNKS this year - so reserve your spot today and help make this event a hauntingly good time for everyone while supporting our school for this PTG sponsored fundraising event.

We'll be awarding prizes for BEST COSTUME and BEST DECORATED CAR, so bring your A-game and your Halloween spirit!

This year we are looking for Candy Donations - please send a bag or 2 to school starting October 19th to help us have enough for all the trunk-or-treaters!

Admittance is $3 per kid with a $5 per family maximum at the door in cash or venmo. For those bringing your decorated car, the child attendee fee will be waived. Please sign up here Trunk or Treat Sign Up! For questions, please email evp@mesptg.org.

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

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

Elementary School

All-Student Survey

Media Elementary yearbooks are on sale now! Get your early bird sale price through October.

Yearbook prices increase after October 31.

ORDER HERE

Does anything on this table look familiar? Mrs. Stoddard's goal this year is to keep our Lost & Found table to ONE table. You can help by labeling your child's items - sweatshirts, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, water bottles, lunch boxes.

PRESIDENT: Nader Ali-Hassan

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: Megan Moore

SECRETARY: Kortney Hyslop

TREASURER: Josh Young

Our Parent Teacher Group (PTG) is an integral part of our school made up of parent volunteers who support our students, staff and families. We meet each month to discuss upcoming events, fundraisers, and school happenings. All families are invited to attend to learn more about volunteer opportunities, better understand how the PTG supports MES and have open discussions.

KINDERGARTEN: Allison Porter

GRADE 1: Brittany Leight

GRADE 2: Ivan Carter

GRADE 3: Jen Reinert (also SAB rep)

GRADE 4: Emily Link

GRADE 5: Lydia Jeffress (also SAB rep)

TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES: Mrs. Connell & Mrs. Amoroso

Our P.A.B. is made up of seven parent volunteers and two teachers who meet four times a year with Mrs. Stoddard to discuss topics brought up by parents on how to support and improve Media Elementary. Prior to each meeting, a parent input survey will be shared in the MES Weekly Update for parents add agenda items for discussion.

We, the PTG, are looking for volunteers to chair, co-chair or volunteer for events at Media Elementary. This is a great way to get more involved with events and activities happening at MES! These events happen all year long which require different levels of commitments. We need your help in order to make this year a success. Take a look at this form to volunteer for one or more opportunities to become involved with your child's school!

MES 2026-2027 PTG VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS & VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES

Hello Families,

As children continue to spend time outdoors, parents and caregivers are reminded to check children for ticks after outdoor play, especially around the hairline, behind the ears, under the arms, around the waist, behind the knees, and between the legs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers helpful information on preventing tick bites, safely removing ticks, and symptoms to watch for following a tick bite.

If a tick is found on your child during the school day, it will be removed and sent home along with an informational sheet for your reference.

Please feel free to contact the nurse’s office with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Porter

610-627-6805

lporter@rtmsd.org

School Meals Information – 2026–2027

• Breakfast: Free for all elementary students (begins Monday, August 31, 2026)

• Lunch: $3.55 per meal

• Free/Reduced Meals: Families may apply online through the district website. Students receiving Direct Certification do not need to apply.

• Menus: Available on the district homepage under the Meals tab

• Meal Accounts: Funds can be added through MySchoolBucks.com, or by sending cash/checks to school (change is added back to the student’s account).

For complete details, please see the attached letter from Food Service Supervisor Jenni Lee.

In order to volunteer at any school events, all volunteers at MES must have clearances on file with the district. All clearances must be updated every 5 years. Once you receive all three clearances, copies can be dropped off at the main office.

• PA Criminal Background Clearance
• PDE FBI Clearance
• Child Abuse Clearance

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Boyer at 610-627-6802 or email dboyer@rtmsd.org.

GUEST AND VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE INFORMATION

Leading Edge provides before and after school care for the students of the Rose Tree Media school District. Media Elementary's Leading Edge program is located in our cafeteria.

More information can be found on this Leading Edge Kids page.

What is PBIS?

• PBIS is our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports system to promote our school wide expectations.
• We use direct instruction to explicitly teach students the expectations in all areas of the school.
• Happy Horseshoes are given to students who exhibit our 3 R's (Ready, Respectful and Responsible). AND this year we are practicing a 4th R - RESILIENT!
• Golden Horseshoes are given for our monthly focus areas.
• Each grade works toward a goal of earning a specific number of Happy Horseshoes which leads to our school earning a whole school reward. Grade levels vote on their grade reward when they reach their goal. The whole school votes on a school wide reward when we reach our school goal.
• Media Elementary PBIS Matrix - review this document to learn more about our school expectations.

Grades 1-5

Student Arrival: 8:40 - 8:50 AM (**Any student arriving after 8:50 must enter through Front Street doors and will be considered tardy.)

Student Dismissal: 3:30 PM

AM Kindergarten

Student Arrival: 8:40 - 8:50 AM (**Any student arriving after 8:50 must enter through Front Street doors and will be considered tardy.)

Student Dismissal: 11:25 AM

PM Kindergarten

Student arrival: 12:55 PM

Student Dismissal: 3:30 PM

Media Elementary School

Principal: Mrs. Lisa Stoddard

Email: lstoddard@rtmsd.org

Website: Media Elementary School

Address: 120 E. Front Street Media, PA 19063

Phone: 610-627-6800