Friday, February 14

• Early Dismissal (11:55am), No Lunch Served
• Staff Development Day

  Please note: Friday is scheduled as a half-day/early dismissal for students and a half-day of staff development. In the event of a late opening (on Friday), however, we will extend the school day to regular dismissal time and eliminate the staff development program in the afternoon. Friday's dismissal times  -- only in the case of a late opening -- would be 2:45 PM for high schools, 3:05 PM for middle schools and 3:35 PM for elementary schools.  Our normal times.  

Monday, February 17

• School Closed - Presidents Day 
• Administrative Offices Closed 

Tuesday, February 18

• Parent/Teacher Conferences (6-8pm).  If you had an evening conference scheduled for February 6th, your conference will be held at the same time on February 18.

Thursday, February 20

• 5th to 6th Grade Transition Meeting for Parents (AUD) 9 am & 6 pm
• Meeting for Parents of Prospective Grade 6 Special Education Students (AUD) 10 am & 7 pm 

Friday, February 21 

• HSA Fun Friday  (more details below) 

The Principal Advisory Committee is looking for a parent volunteer to replace an outgoing member who served as a representative on behalf of parents of children who are new to the district (e.g. their child student did not attend a LMSD elementary school). Principal Advisory Committee members will meet monthly with Mr. Hall and a group of faculty representatives from 3:15-4:15pm. If you are interested, please contact Mary Ann Fusaro at fusarom@lmsd.org by Friday, February 21st. 

 

The Welsh Valley Middle School Technology Student Association (TSA) team competed at the 2014 PATSA Region 5 Conference on Saturday, February 8, 2014.  55 students built robots, flew wooden airplanes, raced dragster cars, presented solutions to technological problems, developed websites, designed video games, wrote essays on biomedical issues, conceptualized in 3D design, performed engineering calculations, analyzed geospatial technologies, studied alternative energies, experimented in structural design and the list could go on and on.

The students efforts since the beginning of the school year paid off as the team earned 67 qualifying positions including a team record 36 "Top Three' finishes.  The team will next get to display their STEM skills in April at the Pennsylvania TSA State Conference in Champion, PA.

The Welsh Valley qualifiers were:

Agriculture & Biotechnology - Melanie Metz, Johanna Doherty, Sindu Soundararajan, Emma Anisman, Sophia Sassoli - 2nd
Biomedical Essay - Ariana Bhatia - 1st
Biomedical Essay - Ezra Frank - 3rd
CAD Design - Asher Johnson - 2nd
CAD Design - Ben Abt - 3rd
CAD Design - Zach Masterman - 4th
Calculator Robots - Filip Barun - 2nd
Career Prep - Josie Blumencwejg - 2nd
Challenging Technology Issues - Shaina Ginsberg, Orion Jusef - 1st
Chapter Team Written - Ryan Kreiser - 1st
Chapter Team Written - Shaina Ginsberg - 3rd
Chapter Team Written - Ben Abt - 7th
Chapter Team Written - Josie Blumencwejg - 9th
Communications - Josie Blumencwejg - 2nd
Communications - Samarth Gowda - 3rd
Delta Dart - Kareem Majid - 6th
Digital Photography - Josie Blumencwejg - 1st
Digital Photography - Ariadne Marg-Bracken - 2nd
Digital Photography - Emily Wright - 5th
Electrical Applications - Ryan Kreiser - 3rd
Electrical Applications - Ben Siderowf - 4th
Engineering Math - Francis Chalissery - 2nd
Engineering Math - Sharzad Shojaian - 8th
Environmental Focus - Samarth Gowda, Ishan Bhatia, Ben Abt, Gena Blumencwejg, Shaina Ginsberg, Sophie Rebbeck - 4th
Exhibition Problem Solving - Ariadne Marg-Bracken, Alex Ahn, Zane Fishbein, Emma Smith, Sindu Soundararajan - 4th
Exhibition Problem Solving - Mira Ghosh, Orion Jusef, Julian Miazga, Amit Nafshi - 6th
Flight Challenge - Ryan Kreiser - 3rd
Flight Challenge - Emma Anisman - 4th
Flight Challenge - Francis Chalissery - 5th
Flight Challenge - Andrew Aspesi - 10th
Geospatial Technology - Sarah Hertzfeld, Yoshiro Inoue, Milan Masoudnia - 2nd
Go Green Manufacturing - Ishan Bhatia, Samarth Gowda, Anna Swider, Sophie Rebbeck, Emma Anisman, Zeke Millrood - 2nd
Junior Solar Sprint - Andrew Aspesi, Jonathan Levit, Kareem Majid, Zane Fishbein - 4th
Junior Solar Sprint - Ben Abt, Ishan Bhatia, Octavio Kim, Maxwell Leis, Yoshiro Inoue - 5th
Junior Solar Sprint - Elizabeth Wong, Rowan Hassman, Ariadne Marg-Bracken, Julian Miazga - 6th
Leadership - Melanie Metz, Johanna Doherty, Sharzad Shojaian - 1st
Leadership - Ariana Bhatia, Katie Lee, Sarah Xi - 6th
Medical Technology Issues - Sindu Soundararajan, Anna Swider, Sophie Rebbeck, Emma Anisman, Johanna Doherty - 2nd
Medical Technology Issues - Francis Chalissery, Elizabeth Wong, Sharzad Shojaian - 4th
Prepared Speech - Anna Swider - 1st
Prepared Speech - Melanie Metz - 6th
Problem Solving - Filip Barun, Sean Yoon - 5th
Promotional Design - Melanie Metz - 1st
Promotional Design - Anna Swider - 2nd
Promotional Design - Johanna Doherty - 4th
Robotics - Ben Abt, Sophia Sassoli, Octavio Kim, Andrew Aspesi - 3rd
Safety Illustration - Portia Maidment - 1st
Safety Illustration - Jonas Schlicter - 6th
Snapshot Photography - Melanie Metz - 1st
Snapshot Photography - Sindu Soundararajan - 2nd
Snapshot Photography - Anna Swider - 3rd
Snapshot Photography - Katie Lee - 4th
Snapshot Photography - Sophie Rebbeck - 7th
Structural Model - Ezra Frank, Filip Barun - 3rd
Structural Model - Liam Rodgers, Yasmine Meziani - 4th
Structural Model - Elizabeth Wong, Emma Smith - 7th
Tech Bowl Written - Kareem Majid - 1st
Tech Bowl Written - Ryan Kreiser - 2nd
Tech Bowl Written - Graham Dixon - 3rd
Tech Bowl Written - Ben Siderowf - 4th
Video Game Design - Portia Maidment, Jonas Schlicter, Zach Masterman, Sarah Hertzfeld, Orion Jusef - 1st
Video Game Design - Sarah Xi, Maxwell Leis, Zane Fishbein, Amit Nafshi, Samuel Catania, Nimai Shukla - 3rd
Video Game Design - Ben Siderowf, Asher Johnson, Graham Dixon, Zach Manlin, Yoshiro Inoue - 4th
Water Infrastructure - Francis Chalissery, Ryan Kreiser, Julian Miazga, Amit Nafshi, Zeke Millrood, Ron Nafshi - 1st
Water Infrastructure - Matthew Pearl, Jonathan Levit, Octavio Kim, Andrew Aspesi, Samarth Gowda - 4th
Website Design - Sophia Sassoli, Katie Lee, Gena Blumencwejg, Shaina Ginsberg - 5th
Website Design - Nimai Shukla, Samuel Catania, Orion Jusef, Emily Wright - 6th

Advisors - Chris Weaver, Tim Brockman, Matt Birch, Katy Morris

Great News!  You can still buy a Singing Valentine for you child!  We are extending sales until next week!  Singing Valentines are $3 for one and $5 for three.  You can send cash in or make a check payable to Welsh Valley Middle School.  This is a fundraiser for the 8th Grade Advanced Chorus.  Fill out the Valentine form and make sure you put your child's name and homeroom teacher/homeroom number on the outside of the envelope.  If your child does not receive your Valentine, please email Mrs. Vaughan and let her know by Thursday, Feb. 20.

Hurry! Time is running out to save money on the best bargain of the New Year. You can only order the Welsh Valley Yearbook at a discount price until February 15, 2014. After that, you will have to purchase the book in June for full price.
To place an order online:
1.) Go to www.legacyphoto.com
2.) Click "Pre Order Yearbook"
3.) Select the Correct school and enter password LMASD
4.) Enter student information
5.) Enter Credit card information

Arts Club is an after school club that is open to any 6th, 7th or 8th grade student who has an interest in art. Ability level does not matter! The Arts Club meets every Tuesday after school in E-204, from 3:15 to 4:15. Students must sign up to attend outside of room E-204 or A-104 before 1:30 pm on the day of club.
Sponsors - Ms. Cassidy, Ms. Rendler & Mr. Vaughan

WVMS is striving to help students deal with the increase in stress that our students are facing today as well as ways in which to improve and build their character; hear how at the HSA general meeting on February 24th from 7-8pm in the WV auditorium. Our School counselors, Social Worker and mental health specialists will talk about the supports and programs that are in place for our students and answer your questions.

Hi Everyone!  For those of you interested in putting in an ad for the school play (even if your child is not in the play), feel free to do so.   Click here to view detailed information about the ads for the program.
Should you have any questions, please contact Ms. Cassidy, Welsh Valley Art Teacher in room E204.
Thank you!
Lachele Vaughan and Megan Hunt

Once on this Island Costume Attire is due Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at rehearsal for approval. 

This year, Mrs. Eichman and Mrs. Keeney will be in charge of costumes. There will also be a student crew that will be designing, sewing, and helping out with costumes.

The reason why we have a deadline for costumes is so you can look your best on stage. In addition, for those of you who may need some help, you may let us know BEFORE this date. If you do not have these items we can not guarantee that you will be able to perform on stage. So, again, you either will need to get these items by Wed. Feb. 19th or let us know by Wed. Feb. 5th if you are having any issues obtaining these items.

Please read Once On This Island Costume Attire letter here.  

Click here for Once on This Island T-shirt order form. T-shirt order forms are due Wednesday, February 5th. 

Full Cast- Mondays & Wednesday until 5:15
Full Cast-Tuesday & Thursday intil 4:15
Leads- Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays till 5:15 (or when dismissed by directors)
Dancers- Thursdays till 5:15 (or when dismissed by directors)

We have various school events that need volunteers.  Please go to www.SignUpGenius.Com to signup to help.

We are pleased to recognize our Dragon Pride Commendation award winners. The following students were recognized by our staff for demonstrating Random Acts of Kindness or Contributing to the Welsh Valley Community. We encourage all students to do the right thing for the sake of it being the right thing to do.  We want to recognize students for good deeds, sometimes with a smile or thank you, other times with a commendation.  But our overall goal is for our staff with the commendation program is to acknowledge students for doing the right thing in the most genuine sense.  The Character and Citizenship Committee and WVMS faculty would like to thank these students for helping make Welsh Valley a better place.

Congratulations to the following students for receiving a "DRAGON PRIDE" commendation for the week of February 3rd:  

 

8th Grade

Neeshay Dixson

Sarah Desplaces

Maddie Dougherty

Kimiya Mortazavi 

Jack Danz

Ben Siderowf

 

7th Grade

Will Silverman

Pierce Hagg

Gabby Tepper

 

6th Grade

Tiffany Lee

Olivia Conrad

Maddie Henderson

David Redpath

Winter sports include Boys & Girls 7th and 8th grade basketball and Boys wrestling.

Please review the Transportation Policy for home and away games and practices. Please contact Megan Kiczek, athletic director, if you have further questions.  

 

DigitalSports.com Guide   

 

Athletic Director:  Megan Kiczek   KiczekM@lmsd.org  

 

Link to WV Athletics

 

On Tuesday, March 11th from 9:30AM to 11 AM at the Academy Building (adjacent to BCMS), the ISC is inviting all parents and guardians to be part of the district's long range planning process and to help define LMSD's future. Dr. Wagner Marseille, Assistant Superintendent, will be presenting various issues and objectives of the district and soliciting feedback from all who attend. Topics to be discussed will include:

- What will the high schools look like in 10 years?

- What new technology is coming to the classroom?

- What is fundamental to our district's culture and what should we change?

If you have any questions about this program, please contact ISC Co Presidents Amy Norr (norrmetz@verizon.net) or Deb Rocco (DRocco@roccolaw.com).

The Interschool Council and Lower Merion School District invite you to attend "Sleep and the Teenage Brain" on Monday, 3/31 from 7 - 9 pm at Lower Merion High School.
- Why do teenagers have such trouble getting up in the morning?
- How can we use our knowledge of teenagers' unique sleep patterns to help our teens be healthier?
- How much sleep do teenagers need? How much do they actually get?
- How is sleep related to physical/mental health as well as academic success?
- Is starting high school later the way to go? What are other communities doing in this regard?
Sleep expert Dr. Judith Owens will address these and other important questions during the program.
Judith Owens, MD, MPH, is an internationally recognized authority on children and sleep. She is the Director of Sleep Medicine at Children's National Medical Center and Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Owens is co-author of "Take Charge of Your Child's Sleep: The All-in-One Resource for Solving Sleep Problems in Kids and Teens."  Small group discussions led by LMSD administrators will follow the presentation. All parents/guardians are invited to attend.
View the flyer for this event. 

The District has revised the 2013-14 academic calendar due to multiple, weather-related school cancellations this winter. For details, see Superintendent Christopher McGinley's 2/7 letter to families.  Watch for further updates as the year progresses.

There are four open positions on the ISC Executive Committee for the upcoming year. Nominations are being accepted through 2/28/14. For more information about the mission of the ISC, its role and activities, and the open positions, please go to ISC pages of the LMSD website found under "Community -- Parent Organizations" tab. 

Show off your stuff! If you are a LM resident or LM library card holder enter your art work, photography and crafts at the Gladwyne Library. This is open to Adults and children and youths. Call 610-527-1819 for more informaton or email annesfoote@yahoo.com.  Click here to view flyer.

The new Wolf High program for rising 9th-12th graders offers 4 weeks of focused actor training led by one of Wolf PAC's expert teaching artists. Performers will spend their afternoons in workshops and rehearsals in Harriton High School's Black Box Theatre.

Click here to view flyer.

Lower Merion Little League Spring registration now open for Baseball & Softball. For Ages 5-16 years old. Visit www.lmll.org to register and for more information. Limited spots available. All players must be residents of LM Township, the Borough of Narberth or attend school in the Township. Season runs from early April to mid-June.
Link to flyer

The Ashbee Lacrosse Club is for boys in 1st-8th grades residing in Lower Merion Township. For more information go to www.ashbeelax.org 

Link to fllyer

Dragonbites is published every Thursday during the school year.  New submissions should be emailed by noon on Tuesday to  WVDragobites@gmail.com  in order to be included in Thursday's email edition.  Dragonbites is intended to publish news and announcements related to Welsh Valley Middle School and the Lower Merion School District.

An Archive of past Dragonbites is available by using the link in the Resource section of this issue or go to the WV page of the LMSD website under Parents/HSA.

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