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
February 5, 2021
Wait - The Week's Over Already??!!??
Happy Friday, everyone!
Well, the first week of February was a quick one at The Lake! We hope that everyone enjoyed the two snow days on Monday and Tuesday. From the pictures that families shared on social media, it appeared that the kids enjoyed some time outdoors in the snow. I even ended up being treated with some Italian Pizzelles courtesy of one of our 8th grade students - thanks, Anthony!
Alas, we have exhausted all of the snow days that were incorporated into this year's school calendar. Moving forward, in the event of inclement weather that forces the cancellation of in-person instruction, the Rose Tree Media School District will implement our FID plan - Flexible Instructional Delivery. I expect that more details will be forthcoming from the Superintendent's Office. An FID day WILL count as a day of school and students will be assigned lessons and activities to complete. However, as the name suggests, the day will provide for flexibility for students and families and will be largely asynchronous. Students will still need to check-in for attendance, assignment completion will be expected, and teachers will be available at designated times for support and assistance. Again, please look for more information coming soon. Any need to implement this plan will also be accompanied by direct communication from me.
REMINDER - There is NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, 2/12 (teacher professional development) or Monday, 2/15 (President's Day holiday).
Thank you for taking the time to read this week's newsletter. I hope that you all have an enjoyable weekend - stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the Super Bowl!
8th to 9th Grade Transition
The process of transitioning our current 8th grade students to Penncrest High School for next year is now underway! As part of today's at-home learning schedule, all 8th grade students had an opportunity to participate in a series of sessions hosted by the Penncrest High School administration and staff. Students learned about student life, course offerings, and activities. Please take a few minutes this weekend to ask your child about today's sessions and to see what piqued their interest. Penncrest will also be hosting an informational meeting for parents on Thursday, February 11th at 7:00 PM. The program will be virtual and a link will be available on the Penncrest website calendar an hour before. The evening will begin with an introduction to the materials available online and directions for families who may have questions during the course selection process. Selection of courses for next year will take place during the month of February. Parents should also be on the lookout for more information from the 8th grade school counselor, Mrs. Gilroy. For more information, please visit the course selection page on the Penncrest website. Also, take a few moments to watch this special greeting from Mr. Harrison, the Penncrest High School Principal.
Springton Lake Celebrates Black History Month
Throughout the month of February, Springton Lake Middle School will recognize and celebrate Black History Month. While Black history is taught throughout the year and diverse resources are consistently utilized in our classrooms, Black History Month provides an opportunity to shine an additional spotlight on important events and individuals who have made a significant impact on our country. Our teachers will be incorporating lessons, activities, and resources in their classes to support this goal. We will also be using our social media channel and The Spartan Scoop, our daily video broadcast, to share information and reflections from students and staff.
Student Council - Spartan Spirit Week
Student Council is sponsoring Spartan Spirit Week - February 8th thru 11th. Students are encouraged to get involved in the daily themes and activities:
Monday - Pajama Day and trivia on the morning announcements
Tuesday - Decades Day and Name that Tune on the morning announcements
Wednesday - Spartan Spirit Gear and virtual Bingo from 3pm to 4pm
Thursday - Color Day: 6th grade/yellow, 7th grade/red, 8th grade/black
Student Council will also be providing a special ice cream treat to all students at lunch on Wednesday and Thursday.
Please view the Friday edition of The Spartan Scoop for all of the details!
School Photo Re-Takes Have Arrived
School photos from our January re-takes have arrived and will be distributed to students next week. We have a large quantity of photo packages from re-takes (and the Fall) that still need to be picked-up. If your child is in the fully-virtual cohort and you ordered a photo package, please stop by the Main Office. The office is open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily.
Attendance Expectations - In-Person Cohorts
Students who are enrolled in one of the in-person cohorts are expected to attend in-person on a consistent basis unless there is an approved reason to be at home - i.e. exposure to COVID, quarantine due to travel, etc. Students without an approved reason who do not attend in-person when expected on a consistent basis will be asked to switch to the fully-virtual cohort. The lack of predictability and consistency is very difficult for our students and for our teachers.
If you have an approved reason for your child to work from home on a day that they are expected in-person, PLEASE complete the daily symptom screener so that we have this documented.
If you are concerned for any reason with your child's program - either in-person or fully-virtual and need to discuss a change, please email me directly with your request and I will be back in touch.
LAST CHANCE - Limited Edition Spartan Strong Hoodies
Show your Spartan Pride with a LIMITED EDITION Spartan Strong hoodie. We have a few hoodies left and available for immediate purchase. - first come, first served! The cost is $35. Once this supply sells out, the design will not be available again. If you are interested, contact Mrs. McCormick via email with your requested size.
At-Home Learning Fridays to Continue
On Fridays, students will continue to participate in at-home learning. We will follow the same modified schedule on Fridays that has been in place since mid-November. Students are due in homeroom at 9:30am, they attend three class periods on a rotating basis, and there is time for teachers to schedule individual and small-group sessions to work with students. The rotation of the periods through the end of April is included here for your reference. Students have been reminded that this IS a day of school and that attendance to all class periods, including appointments with their teachers, is required.
Want to Share Something about Your Family's Culture?
Springton Lake Middle School is committed to providing an environment in our school that is inclusive and intentionally designed to foster a sense of belonging by honoring the dignity of each and every person. The Community Outreach subcommittee of our school's Equity Team is asking for your help in our efforts to showcase customs, traditions, celebrations, and cultural information from our diverse community of families.
We are seeking short, student/family-made video vignettes that we will be able to use periodically as part of our video morning announcements. The videos should be short - 2 to 4 minutes in length, highlight something fun or interesting about your family's culture, and be appropriate to show to all students. Ideally, the video should be narrated/presented by the Springton Lake student. Assistance with video editing may be available, if needed. Based upon the response that we receive, we will begin using the videos starting in February. We reserve the right to edit the videos, as needed. Completed videos may be sent to Mrs. Ronni Miller.
We are excited to provide this opportunity for our students and families to share about themselves and for us all to learn from one another. Remember, we are #SpartanStrong because of you!
Pre-order Your 2020-2021 Yearbook Now
June may seem a long way off, but production of this year's yearbook is already underway. Students and parents are invited to share photos of what life looks like for you - what learning looks like at home and how you are spending time together as a family. Eighth grade students will also have the opportunity to have a baby picture and personalized message included in this year's yearbook. Here are all of the important details...
Purchase this year's yearbook NOW - the pre-order cost is $30. Go to www.jostens.com and click on Yearbooks ---> Buy Your Yearbook and search for our school.
8th Grade Baby Pictures - DEADLINE EXTENDED through 02/11. Online ordering will re-open on Sunday, 01/10. Cost is $10. Each section will be 1/8 of a page. You will be able to choose the format of your "ad" and include a photo and personalized message for your graduate. Again, go to www.jostens.com and search for Springton Lake Middle School. Click on Yearbook Recognition Ads. You'll then need to sign-in or create a new account. Follow the prompts to submit your ad. Please include your child's homeroom teacher's name.
To share photos for possible inclusion in the yearbook, click here. The user ID is 415963949. Be sure to include the grade level, names of students depicted, and a description of the photo. Submissions will be accepted through February 21, 2021.
Want a FREE Meal? You've Come to the Right Place!
Don't forget that the Rose Tree Media School District has been approved to provide FREE meals - breakfast and lunch - to ALL students!
- ALL students under the age of 18 are eligible for the program.
- Participation in the free meal program helps to sustain the Food Services Department (and staff) in the Rose Tree Media School District.
- Participating in this program does not take away from any other family's ability to also participate.
- The USDA will reimburse the Rose Tree Media School District for the meals provided from monies that were not used last year.
- For more information, please contact Becky Smith in our Food Services Department.
Planning to Travel Outside of PA? Here's What You Need to Know...
On November 25th, the PA Department of Health amended an Order on travel restrictions that they had issued on November 17th. The amended Order requires that travelers over the age of 11 entering Pennsylvania from locations outside the Commonwealth, as well as Pennsylvanians who are returning home from locations outside the Commonwealth, produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering, unless they receive a negative test result during the 14-day travel quarantine period.
The amended Order requires that students either quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania OR take a COVID-19 test and receive a negative test result. Students can test upon entering PA (the previous Order required a student to get a test 72 hours prior to entering PA). Students must remain home while awaiting test results. A rapid antigen test or a diagnostic PCR test may be used to meet the testing requirement. Upon receipt of a negative test result, the student can begin attending school. Parents who elect to not have their child tested must keep their child out of school for the full 14-day quarantine period which begins the day they returned to PA. Individuals who are returning to the Commonwealth after traveling outside the Commonwealth for less than 24 hours are exempt from this testing/quarantine requirement.
COVID-19 Questions & Assistance
Parents & guardians who have COVID-related questions during the school day should contact our School Nurse, Ms. Hartner by email or phone - 610-627-6512. For COVID-related questions after school hours, you can reach a school district nurse. Contact information is located on the RTMSD website under District Reopening, After Hours-Covid Questions and Answers. There is a nurse available in the mornings before school from 5am to 7am, in the evenings during the week from 4pm to 9pm, on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm and on Sunday evenings from 4pm to 10pm.
Technology Resources
Need to submit a HELP DESK ticket? Let our Technology Team help!
Need assistance with HAC or Schoology? Contact Mrs. Kelly in the Guidance Department.
The Spartan Scoop - Week of February 1st
Check our this week's editions of The Spartan Scoop.
Monday, February 1, 2021 - SNOW DAY
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 - SNOW DAY