Freshman Day will be Friday, June 13th at Lenape Valley Swim Club. There will be a Hawaiian theme. The 9th graders have activities at school in the morning (spring sports awards and a talent show). They will travel by bus to the swim club at around 10:30am, have lunch, take a bus back to Unami, and then return home. They should return to the swim club in the evening for an informal luau via parent drop-off and pick-up. There are activities available for every interest, and the heated pool will be open. The day will be a real celebration of the students’ three years of middle school. The rain date is Monday, June 16th.

Finals count as 20% of the marking period grade (in other words, they are very important!). Finals will be taken during regular class periods.

The Top 10% Academic Achievement ceremony will be held June 4th from 7-8pm in the courtyard. This takes place in recognition of the top 10% of students in each grade level through the 3rd marking period. There will be a reception in the cafeteria afterwards. Qualifying students should have received a letter in the mail.

A "Concert Under the Stars" will be held on Thursday, June 12th at 7pm. Bring blankets and chairs and enjoy an evening of wonderful music. If it’s raining, the concert will be held indoors. Poetry Night has been cancelled.

On the last day of school (June 20th) a Final Awards Assembly will be held in the morning. Students (primarily 9th graders) are recognized for their academic achievement, as well as for civic involvement. All students with a 4.0 GPA for the year will be acknowledged.

Joy Doneson reported that there is $2634.26 left in the budget. There was a request from the school nurse for funding for a Health & Fitness Expo for 9th grade. The nurse received a state grant of $1000, and asked for a matching grant from Parent Council. That was approved, along with $100 for CERT team literature purchases. $300 was set aside for Unami’s 40th Anniversary celebration, with the intention of setting aside a like amount over the next few years. $1200 was approved for the purchase of tables/benches for the courtyard. Mill Creek Elementary donated $500 to Unami; that money was given directly to the library.

Next year’s schedules can be picked up in the main office at Unami during the day on August 19th and 20th. Any schedules not picked up by August 21st will be mailed. Mr. Fuller estimated that next year’s enrollment would be 930 students.

Parent Council meetings will continue to be held on the 3rd Friday of the month at 9am, with evening meetings held in November and March on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. The first meeting will be Friday, September 19th at 9am.

Unami Parent Council meeting minutes are courtesy of Jill Shaner

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Unami Parent Council meeting minutes are courtesy of Jill Shaner

There was no March meeting of the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2nd. If you have any district-level concerns you wish brought up at the meeting, contact Sue Conrad at 215-340-0616.

Joy Doneson reported that the current balance in the treasury, after accounting for budgeted items, is $2284.26. $500 has been set aside for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, which will take place in early May. If you are willing to help out with the luncheon (cooking, baking, setting up, serving, cleaning up), please contact Marjorie McClain at 215-345-6544.

Program planning at every grade level is nearing completion, and course requests are being entered into the computer database. Class totals should be available in a few weeks, after which teams will be determined. Staffing needs will be considered in late April.

Ninth Grade Assessment: The students have divided into their groups, chosen their topics, and met with their mentors. Presentations will be on April 16th, which is a day set aside for student exhibitions.

Unami students were well represented at the Bucks County Science Fair March 10th-12th. Fifteen students won first place awards. The Science Olympiad team also performed well at their competition on March 13 th. Next year brings an adjustment to the science curriculum due to changes in state standards. There will be less emphasis on research presentations. 9th graders who would like to participate in science fairs next year should do so through the after-school Science Club; 8th graders in Honors Science will participate as part of the curriculum.

Shelter In Place/CAN: Mr. Fuller shared an informative video about Buck County’s emergency management plan. In the event of flooding, fire, industrial accident, severe weather, a missing child, chemical spill, or other emergency, the Community Alert Network (CAN) will be put into effect. This system uses a telecommunications network to notify neighborhood specific areas in the event of an emergency. Specially trained teams decide whether to activate CAN. You will receive a call and be informed to tune in to a specific radio frequency for more information (WKYW 1060 AM, WBCB 1490 AM, and WBUX 1570 AM). If you have an unlisted telephone number, you should inform the emergency management team at your local township building, or call 215-340-8700.

"Shelter In Place" takes effect in the event of a chemical spill or airborne hazardous substance. Sheltering in place can reduce your exposure to a hazardous substance by 75%. The Bucks County emergency management team advises closing and locking all windows and doors, placing wet towels at the bottom of all doors leading outside, staying in an inside room without windows, and staying off the phone so lines remain clear.

Schools will keep the students in place until the agent dissipates. Unami’s plan is to keep kids in the classroom and turn off the water and ventilation systems. Teachers are being asked to supply their rooms with a flashlight, water, and sealed snacks. Sodexho (the cafeteria food service provider) will have food and water supplies for 24 hours, and the school nurse is asking parents to bring in a 24-hour supply of any medications your child regularly takes.

Parents need to trust that the schools are going to keep the children safe. A great deal of emergency preparedness information is available at the school district web site. Go to CBSD.org and click on the Emergency Preparedness link. There are links for a disaster supply kit list and more.

All Central Bucks schools are getting new phone numbers. Unami’s will take effect March 19th. They will be: main number, 267-893-3400; guidance, 267-893-3410; attendance, 267-893-3420; nurse’s office, 267-893-3440. You will get a list of menu options. Each teacher will have a voice mailbox. The old phone number will work until mid-summer. Parents should have received a magnet with the new main number on it in a recent mailing.

The next Parent Council meetings will be held at 9a.m. on Friday, April 11th, and Friday, May 16th.

Unami Parent Council meeting minutes are courtesy of Jill Shaner

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The next Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council meeting will be February 5th. If you have any district-wide concerns you wish brought up at the meeting, contact Sue Conrad at 215-340-0616.

Joy Doneson reported that the current balance in the treasury is $4897.56. $2000 was deposited from the magazine sale. Funding for assignment books, freshmen day activities, and a teacher appreciation luncheon have already been set aside. Partial funding was provided last month for the 8th grade career planning program (approved in October) and $200 in matching funds were sent to the 3rd grade Mississippi class adopted by the 9th grade social studies PEN students (approved in December).

There were two requests for funding. John Crea, 7th grade English teacher, is directing Unami’s musical/comedy, "Lucky Dollar, Private Eye," this year. Mr. Crea requested compensation for the staff members involved with the production. They include Mrs. Leonardo, Mr s. Yetto, Miss Boom, Mr. Kesilman, and Mr. Crea. They are each devoting many hours to the success of this production, in which 45 students were cast. Other students will be involved with set design, stage crew and pit band. The parent group voted to award stipends totaling $2250, to be divided among the teachers according to the number of hours they are volunteering. The group also approved spending $300 on an assembly for 8th graders about bullying and harassment, and $80 for booklets on those topics. The assembly will take place Wednesday, February 12th at 8:40 a.m. As always, parents are welcome to attend the assembly.

Program planning time will be taking place for each grade level within the next two months. Current 9th graders should be bringing home a course selection guide soon.
Important dates for 9th grade include:

Jan. 22: Grade 9 Open House at Central Bucks West, 7 p.m.

Jan. 23: Middle Bucks Institute of Technology Open House, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30: Dance Marathon, 3-10 p.m. So far about 100 kids are signed up to participate. Radio station Q102 will be doing a live broadcast. All proceeds benefit Doylestown Hospital’s Neonatal unit.

Feb. 3: Ninth Grade Assessment Kickoff, assembly during school. This assessment involves a group of four stu dents collaborating on a research project in which they "Take A Stand" on a local, national, or international issue. The group is assessed based on: management of time and tasks; collaboration; information processing; content and analysis; and delivery. This project comprises one half of one credit required for graduation.

Feb. 21: Ellis Island Day

Other important dates include:

Jan. 27: Moyer Road construction begins, for six weeks (estimated).

Feb. 5: 8th Grade to 9th Grade Parents’ Planning meeting, 7 p.m.

Feb. 6: National Junior Honor Society Induction, 7 p.m. About 100 students will be inducted.

Feb. 24-26: Parent Conferences, 3-5:30 p.m. Unami’s conferences will not be held on the dates indicated on the Central Bucks calendar. Instead, 9th grade assessments will be presented on April 16. Plus, February conferences are more meaningful in that there is still time for remediation if needed. Parents will be contacted if they need to have a conference, but parents can also call to request a team or individual conference.

March 6&7: Unami School musical

March 11: Students will be carrying home their Interim Progress Reports and the "Unami Update" newsletter. This is part of an effort to save mailing costs.

The bulk of the meeting concerned standardized testing. In order to help students improve their math skills, " Math Across the Curriculum" will take place this February and March. Students will review basic computations on Mondays and Thursdays during resource periods. Math skills will also be highlighted in other classes.

Students must perform at a "Proficient" or "Advanced" level on Terra Nova and PSSA tests. Skills classes are offered for those who do not meet this level. Students not testing at a "Proficient" level as high school seniors must demonstrate via their 7th-12th grade portfolios that they are proficient. (A student’s portfolio has become a verification of standards achieved on a daily work basis.)

7th graders will take the Terra Nova test March 24-26 & 28. 8th graders will be taking the PSSA between March 31 and April 16. On the PSSA testing days Unami’s schedule will run as it would if there were a one-hour delay, with classes compacted. During that first 60-80 minutes of the day, 7th graders will be taking part in special instruction time, and 9th graders will be working on their assessment projects.

Advice for students:

Get a good night’s sleep.

Eat a good breakfast.

Schedule any appointments for the afternoon.

The next Parent Council meeting is February 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Unami Parent Council meeting minutes are courtesy of Jill Shaner

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• The new Superintendent’s Advisory Council representative is Sue Conrad. Topics discussed at this month’s meeting were: the district’s class rank; dress codes their enforcement; and the new elementary school report cards. Minutes from the meetings are posted on the district web site, usually by the second Wednesday of the month. The next meeting will be February 5th. If you have any concerns you wish brought up at the meeting, contact Sue at 215-340-0616.
• Joy Doneson reported that the current balance in the treasury, after accounting for budgeted items, is $3093.01. All anticipated "big items" for the year, such as funding for assignment books, freshmen day activities, and a teacher appreciation luncheon, have been set aside.
• There was one request for funding, from students Becky Heyman and Ben Butler. Ben and Becky represented PEN social studies students doing a study on poverty during their "Reconstruction" unit. The students, sponsored by Mr. Michael and Mrs. Esris, have adopted a 3rd grade class in an impoverished school district in Mississippi. The 3rd graders lacked even basic school supplies. Each of the Unami students contributed money amounting to approximately $200, with which they purchased supplies in bulk. The Parent Council agreed to match these funds so the Unami students could send some additional gifts to their adopted class.
• Mr. Cottman provided some details regarding the PIAA Eligibility requirements for students involved in extra-curricular activities. The PIAA governs athletic bodies in public schools, and requires students to have a C average or better, as well as good citizenship. Students may become ineligible to participate in their sport or activity if their grades or behavior are not up to standard. Mr. Cottman works with the teachers, students, and parents if a student is struggling. Ineligibility may be given on a two-week basis, and if the student shows improvement, it can be revoked. This is not meant to be punitive; it is meant to emphasize that academics come first. If problems continue; however, a student can become ineligible for an entire season.
• Mr. Cottman asked that it be publicized that students coming in late to school (after 7:35am) must have a note explaining the reason for their tardiness.
• The winter book fair, fall reading clubs, and each of the grade level holiday concerts, were successful.
• The district is experiencing a major budget crunch, which will likely last at least two years. This is due to construction costs, pension funding, and rising electric and transportation costs. Ways to save are being studied. Taking advantage of the Internet will cut communication costs. Soon, newsletters will be available on-line, with a minimal number of copies available in the office for parents to pick up. Students will bring home interim report cards. Next summer, schedules will be available for pick up at school.
• The next Parent Council meeting will be Friday, January 17th at 9:00am.

Unami Parent Council meeting minutes are courtesy of Jill Shaner