Welcome to the Back to School Edition of the Tawanka Times! We hope that you are enjoying the last of your summer break! The new school year is just around the corner....

The Times is a bi-weekly newsletter that will give you a sneak peek into the classrooms at Tawanka to see what students are learning. It is also a valuable source of information and will include important reminders, PTO upcoming events, and much more!

Supply lists have been available all summer on our website. There is one supply list per grade level.

As you get ready for the new school year, please remember it is important to label your child's belongings, especially: lunch boxes, water bottles, hoodies and jackets as these are frequently lost items. A sharpie works great on tags inside garments, and we always check there first. Even initials help us return belongings to the rightful owner!

Click on this link for supply lists if you still need to complete your shopping: https://www.neshaminy.org/domain/2430

Kindergarten and New Student Orientation will be held Tuesday, August 30th. Doors will open at 9:30 am. Come see the classroom, meet your child's teacher and drop off supplies! There will be a presentation for parents at 10 am in the cafetorium. Kindergarten students will also have the opportunity to take a short bus ride!

For students in grades 1 - 4, there is an open house from 1:30 - 2:30 pm for supply drop-off only.

Attendance is encouraged for new students but is not mandatory.

The first day of school for Kindergarten students is Wednesday, August 31st. Students in all grade levels report to school on Thursday, September 1st.

Teacher assignment and transportation information is available in Home Access Center if you did not log in to to view this information yet.

HAC Login Info: Parents of new students to the district were sent an email from registrar@neshaminy.org with instructions on how to register for Home Access Center. Please check your junk/spam folder if it did not come to your inbox. If your child is returning to Tawanka and you do not know your login information, please contact the main office at 215-809-6310

Neshaminy has a bus-tracking app called "Here Comes the Bus" (HCTB). This app allows parents to see the location of their child's bus in real time. The app works on both iOS and Android operating systems. For more information:

Neshaminy HCTB Page - https://www.neshaminy.org/Page/43477

HCTB Support - https://help.herecomesthebus.com/en/support/home

The contact person within Neshaminy for this app can be reached at HCTBCoordinator@neshaminy.org.

For car riders, please follow these important safety procedures:

Morning Drop-off - Our drop-off line backs up quickly so we ask that everyone practices these rules to help ensure the line goes as quick as possible and everyone remains safe:

• Pull up as far as you can in the drop-off line
• Make sure your child is ready to immediately exit on the sidewalk in front of the school. Parents must stay in their car. Students must exit from the passenger side onto the sidewalk. Students exiting from the driver's side is not permitted as it requires the child to cross in between cars.
• If your child is having a difficult morning and is not ready to exit, you will be asked to pull around to park and walk your child up to the door.
• Staff will direct traffic and help younger students exit your vehicle from the passenger side.

Afternoon Pick-up: Parents park in the pick up lanes in front of the cafeteria or in the parking lot and walk down to retrieve their student. Students will NOT be permitted to walk into the parking lot without a guardian for safety reasons. Kindergarten students exit from the main entrance. All other grade levels exit from the cafeteria doors. Parents are not permitted in the building; please wait outside. Dismissal begins promptly at 3:35 pm.

**For both drop-off and pick-up, please follow instructions from staff directing traffic.**

The federal subsidy that provided free meals for all students during the pandemic has expired. For elementary, the daily cost for breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $2.80 for this school year. Payments for school meals can be made with cash, check, or through our online payment service, School Cafe (www.schoolcafe.com).

Applications for the Free & Reduced Meal Program at Neshaminy should also be completed on the School Cafe website or on their mobile app (available for iOS and Android). We strongly encourage families who want to apply for this program to do so well before the start of the school year to avoid any gaps in coverage. Families must fill out a new application every school year to maintain eligibility.

Please click here for more information: https://www.neshaminy.org/Page/27732

Please take a few minutes to read through the Parent/Student Handbook. It is posted on the Tawanka website. Please click here: https://www.neshaminy.org/domain/2268

Neshaminy School District does not carry medical/dental insurance for students. However, you do have the opportunity to purchase low cost student accident group insurance.

All applications will need to be completed online. Registration does not open until August 31st. For more information, please click here: https://www.neshaminy.org/domain/71

The district requires all volunteers to have current clearances on file for the safety of our students. Clearances are good for 5 years from their issue date. For more information including links to apply for your clearances, please click below.

Neshaminy School District has engaged Eagle Industrial Hygiene Assoc., Inc., to fulfill the requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E. This law requires that each Local Education Authority (LEA) engage EPA accredited individuals to initially inspect and subsequently reinspect every three years all student and staff accessed areas for the presence of both friable and non-friable asbestos containing materials (ACM) and to develop an Asbestos Management Plan from the information developed from the building inspections. All areas of our facilities were inspected for asbestos containing

materials.

The Management Plan provides a description of the amount, type, location and condition of all ACM found in these areas. The Plan also contains a detailed schedule of responses and activities for handling the ACM. The Management Plan is available for review by interested parents, faculty and staff in all school offices during business hours.

Donald B. Irwin, Jr.

Business Administrator

This year's executive board members are as follows:

President: Erin Finney

1st VP: Michelle Green

2nd VP: Lisa Luff

Treasurer: Angela Liddell

Recording Secretary: Amanda Deeble

Corresponding Secretary: Erin Ward

The PTO plans and organizes fundraisers and activities for the school which help to foster a bond between home and school. As a Tawanka parent, you are already part of the PTO. The Executive Board welcomes your ideas and involvement to help make a successful year for all!

You may reach out to the PTO at any time via email at: tawankapto@gmail.com

Please join us for our regularly scheduled PTO meetings! All parents are welcome and we hope to see many more faces at these meetings!

• Wednesday, October 12th – 7:00 PM
• Wednesday, November 2nd – 7:00 PM
• Wednesday, January 4th – 10:00 AM
• Wednesday, February 1st – 10:00 AM
• Wednesday, March 1st – 10:00 AM
• Wednesday, April 12th - 7:00 PM
• Wednesday, May 3rd – 7:00 PM

**There are no PTO meetings held in September, December or June.

Come join us on Facebook! It is a private group for Tawanka families only. We post reminders for fundraisers and events, and it is a great place to post questions for answers from the PTO. Search "Tawanka Elementary PTO" or join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/584602675072595

There are some easy ways that you can support the PTO while you shop!

Market Day - Market Day sells premium quality frozen foods created and sold exclusively by Market Day. Each purchase you make earns us 10%! Orders ship directly to your home via FedEx and are packed with dry ice in a cooler to ensure all food is delivered safely. Click here for more info or to place an order: https://www.marketdaylocal.com/

Box Tops - This is an easy way to help earn money for the PTO! Download the app today! For more information, visit https://www.boxtops4education.com/

ShopRite for My School Program: Register your ShopRite Price Plus card at http://shopriteformyschool.com and designate Tawanka Elementary to receive your earned eBoxTops. When you buy participating products and swipe your Price Plus Card, eBoxTops are credited to Tawanka, adding to the check we receive from Box Tops for Education.

The PTO will also be hosting many additional fundraisers throughout the year and will send flyers and information home. We thank you in advance for your support!

Monday, September 12th will be the first Dine & Donate of the year at Mama Russo's Pizzeria! Dine in or take out from 4-9 pm. Flyers will come home when it gets closer to the event.