Springton Lake Middle School
Every Student. Every Day. No Matter What.
Springton Lake Middle School
Email: RSalladino@rtmsd.org
Website: https://www.rtmsd.org/2/home
Location: 1900 North Providence Road, Media, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 627-6500
Twitter: @SpringtonLakeMS
September 10, 2021
A Short, but Productive Week!
The second week of school was a short one - just three days - but nonetheless a productive one as students continue the transition to the new school year. As of today, we have made it one time through our 7-day cycle of classes and we return to a Day #1 on Monday. With today being a Day #7, our music ensembles gathered for the first time as combined groups and students also met with their advisory groups for the first time. On Wednesday and Thursday, our Administrative Team held grade level meetings to welcome each grade level back to school and to review our hopes and expectations for the school year. Our sports teams in 7th and 8th grade held their organizational meetings this week in anticipation of the start of practices next week. Whew! We packed A LOT into three days, for sure!
Looking ahead to next week - there is NO SCHOOL on Thursday, September 16th in observance of the Yom Kippur holiday.
Have an enjoyable weekend - and stay safe!
Grade Level Meetings with Students
Earlier this week, our Administrative Team met with each grade level for short assembly programs. This was our opportunity to provide an official welcome back to school and to talk about the year ahead. We also used this as an opportunity to review expectations in an effort to set students up for success. We discussed the current health and safety plan and stressed each student's role in helping to maintain a safe environment this year as we continue to battle the pandemic. Of particular emphasis was the appropriate way to wear a face covering - over the mouth and nose. We talked about the importance of how students treat and talk to one another, as we strive to create an environment in our school where everyone feels valued, respected, and cared for. We stressed that derogatory and hurtful comments directed towards someone's race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, and/or physical appearance will not be tolerated in our school. We explained the importance of arriving to school on-time (in homeroom by 7:55 AM), keeping cell phones off and away during the school day, and taking good care of the Chromebook. With each topic, we framed our expectations in terms of the 4Rs of Springton Lake - Ready, Respectful, Responsible, & Resilient. We hope that this proactive approach will pave the way for students to experience success this school year!
School Picture Day - Thursday, September 30th
Our annual School Picture Day will be held on Thursday, September 30th. All students will be photographed on Picture Day. We use these photos for student identification cards, official school records, and for inclusion in the annual yearbook. Families also have the option to purchase their own photo packages. Lifetouch is the official photographer for our school. To order and pay for a photo package online, go to mylifetouch.com and use our school's Picture Day ID# - EVTQVR74Q.
Student Assessments
Ongoing student assessment is an important part of our process to monitor student learning and to determine those students who may be in need of additional academic support. One of the main assessments that we use in Rose Tree Media is the MAP assessment. MAP is administered in grades 3 thru 9. Currently, most of our students are involved in completing the MAP assessment as part of their mathematics and language arts classes. We ask students to give their best effort on these assessments so that the data gained is accurate. For those students who took the PSSA last Spring, we have received preliminary scores and are in the early stages of analyzing that data. We have yet to receive the formal parent reports that are sent home each year. Once they are received - probably not until much later this Fall - we will mail them home.
By Popular Request - SLMS Car Magnets NOW AVAILABLE!
Show your family's Spartan Pride wherever you travel around DELCO. Pick-up the new Springton Lake car magnet in the Main Office for just $5.
Reminder for Drop-off & Pick-up
Student drop-off and pick-up occurs in the lane directly in front of the building. Parents may not drop off or pick up in the parking lot area. It is unsafe for students to cross the lane of traffic to get to the lot. In order to keep traffic flowing on the campus, students should plan to exit the car at any point along the sidewalk area in the front of the building. By doing so, several cars will be able to unload at one time. With the large number of parents dropping-off and picking-up, it is simply not feasible for this to occur one at a time at the main entrance. We also ask for your patience and understanding, as the campus does become very busy and congested in the morning between 7:45 AM and 7:55 AM. Please note – morning drop-off is permitted beginning at 7:40 AM.
Gym T-Shirts
Students needing to purchase a gym uniform t-shirt may stop by the Main Office next week to do so. The cost is $7.00. Size SMALL shirts are now BACK IN STOCK! Once the School Store is ready to open, students will be able to purchase t-shirts, as well as other items, during their lunch periods.
Get Involved - FARE & PTG
Parental support and involvement are a large part of what makes our school a great place for kids. We invite you to get involved throughout the school year and to be a part of our two, formal parent groups - FARE & PTG.
The Family Alliance for Respect and Equity - FARE - is a parent group that is open to any caregiver who has a current student enrolled at Springton Lake. FARE strives to encourage diversity awareness, build relationships and support unity. If you would like to learn more, please attend the first FARE meeting of the school year on September 21st from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A zoom link will be included in this newsletter the Friday before the meeting.
The Parent-Teacher Group - PTG - supports school-wide activities and events and coordinates volunteer opportunities. Information about volunteer opportunities and payment of the annual PTG dues is located on the website. The first PTG meeting of the school year will be held on Tuesday, October 12th at 7:00 PM. More details will follow.
Health & Safety Information
Keeping our students healthy, safe, and learning will be a top priority for us this school year. Previously, I shared the Health & Safety Plan that was approved by the Board of School Directors. If you have not already done so, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with this information. As we begin the school year, face coverings will be required for all students and staff. Students may remove their face coverings when eating, when outdoors for lunch, physical education, or recess, and during designated mask breaks. Please be sure that your child comes to school with a face covering and we strongly encourage that they keep a spare in their backpack. Our classrooms have also been configured to provide at least 3 feet of spacing between students - and more, when possible.
All district information related to the impact of COVID-19 will be posted to the RTMSD website. Dr. DiMarino-Linnen's most recent update regarding the masking order from the Acting Secretary of Health is included here.
Spartan Scoop - Week of September 6th
Monday, September 6, 2021 - HOLIDAY
Tuesday, September 7, 2021 - HOLIDAY