Springs News
Springs Studio for Academic Excellence, November Edition
A note from Executive Principal, Mr. Knoche
Impact Aid Program Survey Forms
The Impact Aid forms will be sent home with students the week of October 29th. Please make sure to fill out the survey, sign/date and return to the school no later than Friday, November 16th.
Every year the Federal Government recognizes a need to reimburse school districts to make up for a reduction in real property tax revenue. The authorization for reimbursement is Public Law 107-110 (Impact Aid), first passed in 1950 under President Truman. A student, who has a parent or guardian living or working on federal property, or an active Military service member, is termed a "federally-connected student" for accounting purposes. Each year the federal government sets aside a fixed amount of money to allocate to districts that qualify for this aid. It is important that District 49 apply for its share of this revenue. In order to receive all the revenue due, we must ask parents and guardians to complete the Impact Aid survey forms (one for each child) and return to SSAE.
Day Light Savings
Campus Life - Class Happenings
Electives
Engineering
Intro to Engineering students are developing their 3D modeling skills in Autodesk Inventor. They started by learning the basics of making 2D sketches. The next steps are to make their designs into 3D assemblies and animations.
Principles of Engineering has just completed a challenging unit on statics. This topic, which includes solving for things like beam deflection and missing forces, features extremely challenging math that students have done a great job at solving. We are now beginning our Truss Design Challenge, where students will build basswood trusses and test their load capacity in a destructive and exciting test.
Art
October Elementary ART- Blood Moon Coffee Filter Paintings, Circle Weaving's, Mondrian Animals, Crazy Fish
October Middle School ART- Watercolor Paradise Paintings, Q-Tip Pointillism Paintings, Desert Landscapes, Cartoon Characters
October High School ART- Realistic Graphite Animal Drawings, Acrylic Landscapes, Sculptures, Line Arts to Vectors, Logos
Elementary School
Wax Museum
Our 3-5 students did an amazing job of demonstrating their learning during our Wax Museum. Students dressed as famous figures and created poster displays. When their “button” was pressed, our wax figures came alive and shared a biographical presentation. Parents and other students attended the interactive event, and it was a great success!
Gavin Malo as Elvis Presley
Aaronia Ruybalid as Harriet Tubman
Zion Pearson as Nikola Tesla
Creepy & Crawly!
Students had a chance to engage with the creepy and crawly side of Math this week when Mrs. Krump brought in some “friends” to help with Math class! Add a little prediction, problem solving and student written story problems and we had a class to remember!
Science - High School
Physical Science: After students learned how to balance chemical equations, they were tasked with identifying different types of chemical reactions. Given only the names of the chemicals they are using, they were required to predict the products and identify the type of reaction they witnessed. The combustion reaction was a class favorite.
Chemistry: After learning how to balance chemical equations, the chemistry class will have the opportunity to put that knowledge to use. Next week they will use that knowledge to predict how much of a substance a reaction should produce, compared to the actual amount of the substance that they produce in the lab.
Science - Middle School
Consistently creative is the perfect description of our students when they collaborate to design science projects. After an interesting class discussion about Sir Isaac Newton, the 8th graders were inspired to prove or disprove, the first two laws of Newton’s Laws of Motion. The students eagerly accepted the challenge to design an experiment based on their knowledge of these two laws. The energy in the science room is contagious, and it has been exciting to watch as they discuss, debate and design! Not to be left out of the creative category, the 7th graders building models of the various land forms and are preparing to discuss how the land forms impact the economy in various locations.
Math - High School
Math Students and teachers enjoyed our two week Break while some determined students worked their tails off OVER Break getting caught up in ALEKS hours! We were really impressed with the effort made by the students! Please remember that the next “in building” ALEKS test is December 11th and 60% “Mastery” is required to complete all math classes for the first semester!
In Algebra we began looking at functions and the relationships involved. As we move forward, we will be looking specifically at linear functions and begin the process of solving linear systems. This is often a difficult topic for students so please encourage your students to attend class! Hopefully, we will be able to demonstrate “when am I ever going to use this”!
Geometry students have been looking at the relationships formed when parallel lines are cut by transversals and how these relationships affect measurement. We also continue to spiral through Algebra concepts to prepare students for Algebra 2 and Spring state testing!
In Algebra 2 we have been factoring, working with imaginary numbers and quadratics. In the next four weeks, we will tackle polynomial operations including synthetic division, finding complex roots and graphing polynomials. For the 2nd semester, 11th grade students will be moved into a SAT Math Prep Course in Aleks unless they are on a “STEM pathway.” In that case, students will complete the second semester of Algebra 2.
Trig/PreCalc is moving right along. We have been using trig ratios to solve real-world problems. We took a mini field trip outside to find the heights of objects using similar figures and the angles of the sun. The next four weeks we will gear up for graphs of the trig functions and begin the Trig identities. After Thanksgiving, we will investigate Polar coordinates and prepare for the precalculus portion of the course.
Math - Middle School
English - High School
October in the high school English classes has seen an amazing about of writing as well as finishing up some classic literature! We plan on continuing to have students reflect on their learning as well as developing a success plan moving forward with the rest of the semester.
Gothic Literature students have finished up Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and analyzing the author’s purpose for writing the way she did and connections to the story of Prometheus.
We can all agree it is vitally important for journalists to be protected in their reporting. Also, it is equally as important for a journalist’s sources to be protected. This month Journalism students have been reviewing these topics and reinforcing the importance on keeping their sources secret and safe.
English - Middle School
Social Studies - High School
High School History
United States History students are currently working in groups to write articles for a magazine revolving around the different aspects of the Spanish-American War with the goal of determining if its nickname, "The splendid little war," is justified, and how this one war, changed American diplomacy forever.
World History students are wrapping up working in groups to market an invention from the Industrial Revolution time period. They created posters, brochures, commercials, and will present in class.
World History students' posters for the invention they are marketing.
Social Studies - Middle School
Counselors Corner
Seniors:
*If you were not able to attend the Senior Information Meeting please review important information and dates in the presentation at this link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KFPE2wMlzR8tR1s2YQ0pL5rYpDzRh7AlNqui
*Herff Jones will be at SSAE on November 8th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. to collect graduation cap and gowns orders and deliver items previously ordered. It is highly suggested that you place your order before Thanksgiving. You can also order online at www.yourgrad.com. If you need an ordering packet, you can stop by the counseling office to pick one up. Orders not turned in on November 8th will need to be mailed directly to Herff Jones.
*Transcripts: If you need to request an official transcript, please complete this form: SSAE Transcript Request Form
This information will be sent directly to our Registrar, Cyndi Hardman, who will ensure the transcript is delivered. If you have questions, please email her at chardman@d49.org.
Middle School:
The Middle School Kindness campaign is underway! All middle school students will participate in various kindness/gratitude assignments and projects over the course of the year. Students will be given kindness Bingo cards to work on and turn in once completed; each card lists different random acts of kindness that the students should complete. This is a fun way for the kids to get started looking at doing nice things and showing gratitude for others. We are hopeful this will grow into something larger and motivate all students to take it upon themselves to find ways to share their gratitude, always be kind to others, and go out of their way to make others feel welcome and accepted. Please help us by encouraging and guiding your student on this journey.
8th grade students will be taking the PSAT 8/9 test on December 12th. Traditionally, this is an assessment that was given only to 9th and 10th graders, but we have decided it would be advantageous to also give the assessment to our 8th graders as well. This allows the student free additional practice for the SAT assessment, which they will take as Juniors in high school. It also gives educators an accurate way to predict performance on the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT, and an opportunity to intervene early, if necessary.
High School:
All high school students will be participating in YouScience during the month of November. This is a great tool to help guide students with career exploration and future career decisions. Through the completion of a series of interactive “brain-games,” students will learn more about their own natural abilities, strengths, and interests and will be matched with approximately 500 potential matching careers based upon their results. Each student will receive a comprehensive report with specific details about themselves, which can be helpful to them with school, career, and social aspects of their lives. We are excited to launch this with the students and know they will be excited as well. There will be a parent information night about YouScience and the student expectations on Wednesday, November 7th at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you all there!
Khan Academy test prep is a great tool for Juniors to prepare for their SAT tests in April. Not only can students take full-length practice tests and get extra help in certain subject areas, but they can also receive individualized study material set up just for them. Using a unique code found on your students PSAT score sheet from last year, you can create an account with Khan Academy that will individualize your students study material to meet his/her needs based off of their PSAT scores. Research shows increased scores on SAT assessment when students utilize this official SAT test prep. The website is khanacademy.org/sat.
Harvest of Love Campaign
At Springs Studio we have a close relationship with our neighbors at Care and Share. To support their mission, we are collecting non-perishable food items and taking cash donations for the annual Harvest of Love Food Drive, which goes until November 16. Each $1 donated counts as 10 lbs of food and helps Care and Share provide eight meals.
As is a tradition at Springs Studio, we will have Spirit Month. High school starts with dress-up days on October 30. We will have a pumpkin carving contest to help us kick off this exciting month. Then, students will get a chance to really stick it to Miss Conway and duck tape her to a wall! To conclude the festivities and fund-raising, several teachers - Mr. Mogensen for example - have agreed to get hit in the face with a pie for charity! Middle school will start with Spirit Week November 5th-9th. See below with all the details for both middle and high school.
Also supporting our Harvest of Love Food Drive efforts will be the HarvestMania event on November 9. We will serve a Thanksgiving Dinner and have carnival games for families and students at this event which starts at 4 and ends at 7.
Harvest of Love - Spirit Month - Middle School
Harvest of Love - Spirit Month - High School
Each day you dress up, you get to add your name to a prize drawing! We will have a drawing for each day, and a second chance drawing at the end of Spirit Month!
Bring a cash donation or a perishable item each day to get an extra entry into prize drawings!
Tuesday, October 30th - Goodnight to Hunger - Pajama Day!
Thursday, November 1st - Costume Catastrophe - Halloween Costumes! (No Masks)
Tuesday, November 6th - Meme Day - Dress Up as your favorite(appropriate) Meme!
Thursday, November 8th - Class Colors Day! -
Seniors - Green
Juniors - Blue
Sophomores - Orange
Freshman - Purple
Tuesday, November 13th - Decades Day! - The 50's? Disco? Back to the 80's?
Thursday, November 15th - Sports Jersey Day! - Support your favorite team or one of Springs Studio's student athletes! Support a Springs Studio's athlete or team and get an extra prize entry!
Fundraisers
Tuesday, October 30th - Pumpkin Carving Contest
Enter as a group or on your own. During your open period or lunch, take a 30 minute challenge to carve the most creative pumpkin. The winners will be judged at the end of the day (yes you can take your pumpkin home!)
Entry - $10 donation per team
Tuesday, November 6th- Stuck for a Buck
Duck tape Miss Conway to a wall!
$1 Donation gets you an arm's length of duck tape
$10 Donation to BYOT (bring your own tape)
$20 Donation gets you a whole roll of duck tape!
Thursday, November 13th - Spooktacular Dance Off
During lunch, we will have a dance contest for you to show off your most thrilling moves...or scary ones...Any donation gets you in!
Thursday, November 15th - Pie in the Face!
A rare opportunity to hit Mr. Mogensen in the face with a pie! Other teachers will be volunteering as well! $10 donation gets you one pie tossed!
HarvestMania
Family Engagement Council
Our Family Engagement Council is responsible for making recommendations to their principal concerning priorities for; spending school funds, making recommendations concerning the preparation of the school’s performance, improvement, priority improvement or turnaround plan (whichever is applicable), and meeting at least quarterly to discuss implementation of the school’s plan and other progress pertinent to the school’s accreditation contract with the local school board. The Educator Evaluation and Support Bill of 2010 (S.B. 10-191) also authorized School Accountability Committees to provide input and recommendations to District Accountability Committees and district administration concerning principal development plans and principal evaluations. To become a member, please fill out the FEC Nomination Form.
Family Engagement Council Meetings are held at SSAE from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm on:
November 27th
February 12
April 30
June 4th
Springs Studio Clubs
Community Service Club - Mrs. Olson (jolson@d49.org)
First and Third Tuesday each month
3:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Students are pretty excited to make a difference in our community! Our first meeting was held prior to Break and 12 students eagerly joined! (Students may join at any time so if anyone missed the meeting and is interested - please see Mrs. Olson!) Students were asked to brainstorm before the next meeting to come up with a cause for which they have a passion. Our first community service event is Santa’s Toy Express and six students will be helping our district bus drivers with their annual fundraiser in December!
Recycling Club - Mrs. McClain (smcclain@d49.org) and Mrs. Aubain (jaubain@d49.org)
1st meeting Thursday, October 25th at lunchtime
Meetings 1st and 3rd Thursday's
Lunchtime
We will have our first meeting this Thursday, October 25, at lunch. We will discuss our mission and future activities.
ACE Maker's (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Club - Mr. Wixom (jwixom@d49.org)
Tuesday/Thursday
3:15 to 4:30
HS Student Council - Mr. Wixom (jwixom@d49.org)
Meeting Thursday's
Ongoing
MS Student Council - Mrs. Mooney (cmooney@d49.org)
Meeting every Wednesday
11:20 am - 12:10 pm
National Honors Society - Mr. Mogensen (kmogensen@d49.org)
Meeting Monthly at Lunch
11:45 am - 12:30 pm
President - Haley Edwards
Vice-President - Hunter Edwards
Secretary - Cameron Fajardo
National Juniors Honor Society - Mr. Guest (mguest@d49.org)
Meeting dates/times - TBD
President - Jazz myn McKenzieVice-President - Daniel Leon
Treasurer - Toban Mallo
National Art Honor Society - Mrs. Wichman (kwichman@d49.org)
Meet Quarterly - September 25th
Time: 11:45 am
Members were picked at the end of last school year for this year. In April, there will be emails and announcements about joining for next year.
Butter Braids
National Honors Society Clothing Drive
"Pull for the House"
from now until April 15th.
Why pop tabs? The tab is made of pure, high-grade aluminum. Don't forget about the tabs from soup cans, broth cans, pet food cans, and even tennis/racquetball balls!
Recycling these pop tabs helps families of critically ill children. Proceeds raised will support programs that last year served over 3,000 area children and their families.
Box Tops
Springs Studio Inclement Weather Information
If D49 issues a 2-hour delay or closure SSAE students will work virtually from home. Teachers will be available online for student support.
If you are unsure of a closure or delay:
- D49 website - The D49 website will include weather information on the home page in the District Updates section. Also, you can look for a banner at the top of the home page that will provide a brief statement such as "delayed," "Delayed Monitoring, or "Closed."
- Local TV stations - When winter weather hits, tune into any local TV station's newscast to view their weather delays/closure information.
- Social Media - Stay connected regarding delays and closures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow District 49 on each of these platforms to see current information.
- Email/Text Messages - Be sure you have current contact information in our Student Information System to receive emails or text messages. Check with your child's school to ensure they have up-to-date information. If you do not receive an email or text when the weather is questionable, be sure to check other resources.
Upcoming Events
October 22nd-November 14th - Harvest of Love Food Drive
November 2nd - Electives Class Field Trip - Space Foundation
November 5th - Middle School Turkey Gram Sales
November 7th - You Science Career Info Parent Night (Grades 8th-12th)
November 8th - Seniors, turn in orders with Herff Jones from 3 pm-4 pm
November 9th - HarvestMania
November 12th - Hearing and Vision Testing (Grades 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th)
November 13th - Hearing and Vision Testing (All 9th Grade)
November 19th-23rd - Thanksgiving Break
November 27th - Family Engagement Council