MES Weekly Update
Hello Media Elementary Families!
I cannot even express how wonderful our first week of school was with everyone back in the building! 💙🤍 Thank you to our PTG for the welcoming messages on our sidewalks! I am so proud of the students for being ready, respectful, responsible and resilient!
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Back to School Night is Wednesday, September 9. Please see flyer below.
SPIRIT WEAR! Our Media Elementary Spirit Store is open. Order your MES gear today!
CLUBS: Registration for Garden Club, AM Activity and PM Sports clubs are now open. See flyers below.
Friendly reminder: Please remember to label your child's items (clothing, water bottles, hats, lunchboxes, etc...).
As we are preparing for another fun year of student, family and teacher events, our PTG is seeking parent volunteers to chair, co-chair or just lend a hand to our events. If you're looking to become more involved in our school community, please fill out our 2026-2027 PTG Chair/Co-Chairs & Volunteers Interest Survey.
This is a reminder that there is no school on Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th for Labor Day weekend.
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Stoddard at lstoddard@rtmsd.org or 610-627-6800.
Mustang Pride!
Mrs. Stoddard
August 31: First Day of School for Students (arrival begins at 8:40 AM; school day begins at 8:50 AM)
September 3: Kindergarten Fun Run at Penncrest High School 7:00 PM (more info below)
September 4: No School
September 7: No School
September 8: PTG General Membership Meeting via Zoom 7:00-8:00 PM
September 9:
- Picture Day (see memo from Active Image below)
- Back to School Night (see flyer below)
September 13: MES Spirit Wear Store Closes
September 15: August Birthday Lunches
September 21: No School
September 25: PTG Back to School Block Party/Harvest Fair on Barrall Field 5:00-7:00 PM
September 28: September Birthday Lunches
PICTURE DAY: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Active Image will be at Media Elementary on Wednesday, September 9 to capture all the smiles!
Shortly before picture day you will receive an email from Active Image Media with your child's personal link to pre-order school pictures. Pre-ordering offers the best value since all pre-orders are collected and the photos are returned to school to be distributed.
Each student will receive their OWN link (via email) specifically assigned to place your orders online.
If you do not receive this email, please check your junk mail before notifying Active Image at support@activeimagemedia.com.
Please read the attached letter below for more information.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
You are invited to our Back to School Night to learn more about child's school day and the wonderful year they will have at Media Elementary!
You only need to attend one session for your child's homeroom.
Come on out to Edgmont St & Barrall Field for our annual PTG Back to School Block Party & Harvest Fair on Friday, September 25 from 5:00-7:00 PM. Get ready for dancing, games & food trucks!
Hope to see you there!
1st DAY OF SCHOOL
MES GARDEN CLUB
The Media Elementary Garden Club will be starting soon. This club is open to all grades and siblings are welcome. This Fall we will be doing a lot of seed saving, weeding, and harvesting.
Complete this form to register for the club. Students should dress appropriately for the weather and wear clothes and shoes that can get some dirt on them. The Garden Club will be outdoors as much as possible, with a back-up indoor plan for rainy days. The Garden Club will meet FRIDAY mornings at 7:40 AM meeting at the Front Street entrance of Media Elementary from Sep. 11 - Nov. 6th.
Please sign up by using this GARDEN CLUB REGISTRATION link.
Mrs. Worrilow is looking for library volunteers! Sign up by using this volunteer link.
FALL BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS
September, 2026
Dear Families,
Rose Tree Media students in grades Kindergarten through fifth will once again participate in beginning of year growth assessments. These tests help to determine a child’s instructional level and measure academic growth throughout the school year. They provide teachers with additional information on student progress toward proficiency and mastery of academic skills. The test scores let teachers know where a student’s strengths are and if support might be needed in any specific area. Teachers use this information to help guide individual and group instruction in the classroom. As well, to promote student achievement in all our schools, the district uses these results to continue to improve teaching and learning. These assessments will be administered by members of the MTSS team in each elementary school as part of the regularly scheduled instructional day.
The following tests will be given September 8 - October 2, 2026
In grades kindergarten through 5th, DIBELS 8 (Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills), a series of short measures for assessing the acquisition and growth of literacy skills.
In grades Kindergarten through first, Acadience Math will be administered which is an assessment used to measure the development of early numeracy skills.
In grades 2nd through 5th, the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is used. MAP is an adaptive computerized test administered to assess growth in the areas of reading and math.
If you have any questions prior to testing, please reach out to your building’s MTSS teacher for support.
Sincerely,
Christa A. Consadene
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Ann Squires, MTSS at Glenwood Elementary
Katie Sandiford, MTSS at Indian Lane Elementary
Erin Schievert, MTSS at Media Elementary
Amanda Spinogatti, MTSS at Rose Tree Elementary
2026-2027 PTG EXECUTIVE BOARD
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.
2026-2027 PRINCIPAL ADVISORY BOARD (P.A.B.)
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.
MES 2026-2027 PTG VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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!
MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT
Here are a few reminders from, Mrs. Lauren Porter, our new school nurse:
The RTMSD Contact and Nurse Form is now available online. Please complete the form by August 31, 2026. Completing it is essential so our nursing staff can provide appropriate care for your child and the school has current contact information in case of an emergency.
Please carefully review all phone numbers. A primary phone number is now required for every contact.
How to Complete the Form
Choose one of the following options:
- Option 1: Use your personalized snapcode link. You will be asked to sign in to an Enrollment Online account. If you have not previously created one, you will need to create an account using your email address or cell phone number.
- Option 2: Access the form through HAC - A Home Access Center (HAC) account is required. Newly enrolled students will receive HAC credentials during the first week of school.
Log in to your HAC account.
Select the Registration icon from the menu.
Select the Update Enrollment tab.
Click Start next to the Contact and Nurse Form.
Verify date of birth to access the form.
MEDICATIONS: If your child has any prescribed emergency medication (Epinephrine, Albuterol inhaler, seizure medication), please ask your child’s primary care provider to complete the blank action plan that went home from school on the last day with your child’s emergency medication.
ATTENTION 3rd grade families: The Pennsylvania School Health Regulations require that all 3rd grade students receive a dental examination. Thank you to all the families who have already returned their child’s dental examination form. If you have an upcoming exam, please ask the dentist to complete this Family Dental Report. Examinations must have been performed after September 1, 2025 and can be sent to Mrs. Porter via US mail or dropped off at MES by Friday, September 11, 2026.
Contact Mrs. Porter 610-627-6805 or lporter@rtmsd.org with any questions.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lauren Porter
FOOD SERVICE
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.
VOLUNTEERING AT MES
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.
LEADING EDGE
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.
SCHOOL HOURS
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