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
November 20, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Friday, everyone! I hope that you are all doing well and that you are excited for the weekend. We are winding down the last few days before the Thanksgiving break. Today was our first day of Friday at-home learning for all students. The revised Friday schedule will be in place through the end of January, at least. Next week is also a very short week of school for the students - school is in session on Monday only. Students will be off from school for the rest of the week due to parent-teacher conferences and the Thanksgiving holiday.
In what has become a standard practice at Springton Lake, teachers will not be assigning any work, assignments, or extended projects for the students to complete over the holiday break. More than ever, we can all use a break and some time away from the computer screen. Schoolwork can wait - and it will be there once we are back in session on November 30th. Likewise, I am insisting that our teachers take a break over the holidays, too. I am asking for them to be away from their email, lesson plans, and grading. If you have any questions or concerns for any member of our staff, I ask that you wait to reach out once we are back from the break.
While Thanksgiving this year may look and feel a bit different - and our family gatherings may be a bit smaller and less celebratory - this is still a time to be grateful and thankful for all that we do have in our lives. For me, I feel blessed to lead our incredible school and to have so many wonderful connections with students, staff, and families. I am also thankful to have our school open and to have many of our students attending in-person instruction. Finally, I am hopeful. I am hopeful that we can remain healthy, remain strong as a community, and that the time when we are able to have all students back in-person is getting closer.
This newsletter will not be published next week and will resume again on December 4th.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Parent-Teacher Conference Appointments
With the first marking period now complete, we are preparing for Parent-Teacher Conferences that will be held on Monday, November 23rd and Tuesday, November 24th. Conferences will be held virtually via Zoom. Each appointment will be 15 minutes in length. While we very much enjoy meeting with parents, conferences at the middle school level are not required. Each team will have about 40 slots - while they teach well over 100 students. Please consider if there is a concern or issue that needs to be addressed. If so, please schedule a conference. If your child is thriving and they have had a successful first marking period, we ask that you consider leaving this slot open for another family. In order to schedule an appointment with your child's TEAM of teachers - use the links below. If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, a world language teacher, or special area teacher, please reach out to those teachers directly VIA E-MAIL. The teachers will work with you to coordinate a mutually convenient time to meet. Please keep in mind that spots typically fill very quickly. If you would like an appointment, but all spots are filled, please reach out to your child's school counselor.
SIGN-UP GENIUS LINKS WILL CLOSE AT 8am on MONDAY, 11/23.
If you scheduled a conference, the teacher will send you the Zoom link to attend.
School Counselor - Ms. McKenna
November Spartan Students of the Month
Congratulations to our November Spartan Students of the Month. The following students were selected by their teachers for consistently demonstrating our core values of Ready, Respectful,. Responsible, & Resilient. While we traditionally honor students at a monthly breakfast celebration that is attended by family members and teachers, we are unable to continue with that tradition at this time. Instead, our Administrative Team has started visiting students’ classes to personally congratulate them and to provide them with a certificate and token of appreciation. Soon, we'll be visiting the homes of our fully-virtual recipients.
6th Grade - Katherine McGuire, Emmett Hagan, Mason Coutts, Maya Le, John Ryan, & Briella Wachter
7th Grade - Jack Janovsky, Aurora Munro, Natalie Cacciola, Yamu Xi, Samantha Atkins, & Shane Wolff
8th Grade - Grace Sanford, Shawn Welsh, Reese Bigler, Anthony Rossi, Evan Menta, & Ruby Schwelm
School Store & Spirit Wear
The School Store is now open during the student lunch periods, Monday thru Thursday. Thank you to the students and teachers from our Life Skills program and the Penncrest High School Linking Learning to Life programs for staffing the store. Students are encouraged to visit the School Store to check out school supplies and other fun items. Spirit wear is also available in limited quantities.
The PTG is also providing contactless payment and pick-up of spirit wear items just in time for the holiday season. This week and next week, the featured items are sweatshirts in red, grey, black, and white ($30) and sweatpants in red and black ($25). Parents may Venmo @Lisa-teplica-1 and include student's name, item size/color, and parent cell phone. The PTG will text you when the order is available. For more information, please contact Lisa Teplica at LTeplica1@gmail.com.
LAST CHANCE - Let's Get Together Fundraiser
The PTG, in conjunction with the Circle of Giving, is sponsoring a unique fundraising program just in time for the holidays. While the pandemic has made it a bit more challenging to be together this year, the Let's Get Together campaign offers a fun, unique solution. Order a photo cut-out of you and your family members to share with loved ones and friends. These cut-out are being produced by the same company that created the cut-outs that were in the stands at Citizens Bank Park during the recent Phillies baseball season. Access the flyer for more details on placing an order!
DEADLINE TO ORDER IS TONIGHT, Friday, 11/20.
Springton Lake Night at Pappone's Pizza - December 2nd
The PTG is sponsoring a Springton Lake Night at Pappone's Pizza on Baltimore Pike. The event will be held on Wednesday, December 2nd from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Pappone's - a local, family-owned business, has generously agreed to donate a portion of their sales that evening to the Springton Lake Middle School PTG. Mention our school when you place your order. Valid on take-out and delivery orders. See the flyer for more details - and spread the word to family and friends!
Holiday Gift Drives - TWO Opportunities to Help Our Community
With the holiday season quickly approaching, we are preparing to help families in need. There will be TWO different opportunities to help if you are interested and able. First, our Student Council will again be sponsoring our Spartan Giving Tree program that will begin in late November. Students will be able to take a snowflake from our tree in the main lobby in order to purchase a gift for a child. Stay tuned for more details about this program in the coming weeks. In addition. the Circle of Giving is sponsoring a similar program. Gift and monetary donations will be accepted. For more information about the Circle of Giving program, please reference this flyer.
HELP! Career Day - Parent Volunteers Still Needed
The Guidance Department is planning to host a virtual Career Day for our students on Friday, December 18th from 8am to 10am. We are in need of parent volunteers who would be willing to present to our students. Volunteers will have the option to pre-record a presentation or present LIVE to students via Zoom. The success of our Career Day program is directly related to our ability to secure presenters from a broad range of careers and occupations. If you are able to help, please complete this very brief survey form. One of our school counselors will then be in touch with more specific information. Thank you for your consideration and assistance!
Without additional parent volunteers, we will need to postpone Career Day to a later date.
Yearbook Information - Never Too Soon...
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 through December 31st is $25. After that, the cost will be $30. Go to www.jostens.com and click on Yearbooks ---> Buy Your Yearbook and search for our school.
8th Grade Baby Pictures will be $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.
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 10pm, and on Sunday evenings from 4pm to 10pm.
IMPORTANT REMINDER - Daily Student Symptom Screening
Parents & Guardians are required to complete an electronic symptom screening for each student. The screening will only be required for days that students are scheduled to attend school in-person. On these days, parents should look for an early morning email (check SPAM) from Rose Tree Media School District. While our overall completion rate is improving, I want to stress the IMPORTANCE of completing the daily screener BEFORE your child leaves for school.
Please make note of the following important items:
1. Please have handy your child's student ID # (lunch code) as this will be required in order to complete the screening.
2. For hybrid students, please complete the symptom screening on the days that your child should be attending in-person EVEN if they will be absent or have a need to work virtually on that day.
3. Please complete the screening PRIOR to 7:30am. A report is run at that time and students who have not submitted the screening are removed from the classroom until the response is received. I know that it is stressful and uncomfortable for students to be pulled from class.
The symptom screening is just one more way that we are working to keep students safe at school.
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.
Upcoming Calendar Notes
Monday, November 23rd - Parent-Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, November 24th - Parent-Teacher Conferences, NO SCHOOL for Students
Wednesday, November 25th - NO SCHOOL for Students
Thursday, November 26th & Friday, November 27th - Thanksgiving Holiday, NO SCHOOL for Students
Wednesday, December 2nd - Springton Lake Night at Pappone's Pizza, 5pm to 9pm
The Spartan Scoop - Week of November 16th
Check our this week's editions of The Spartan Scoop.