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
October 29, 2021
Happy Friday & Happy Halloween!
Happy Friday, everyone! I hope that you are all doing well.
Spirit Week + Red Ribbon Week + Halloween = LOTS (and LOTS) of energy in a middle school. There was definitely a lot going on this week as we held our first spirit week of the year in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week. Students had an opportunity to participate in daily spirit themes and Student Council provided messaging about healthy decision-making and the importance of living a drug-free lifestyle. Many students also arrived to school today wearing their Halloween finest!
Our pumpkin-decorating activity in advisory on Monday got the week off on a positive and fun note. Advisory groups collaborated to create and execute a design theme for their pumpkins. The finished products were then on display in the hallways throughout the week. Students had a chance to vote today for their favorite pumpkins. Winning advisories will receive a treat next week during advisory. A special thank you to Wolff's Apple House for helping us to secure the pumpkins for the activity!
There is NO SCHOOL for students on Monday and Tuesday of next week - 11/1 & 11/2 - due to teacher professional development. The 1st marking period ends on Friday, 11/5. Due to the short week, we will not publish this newsletter next Friday. The next edition will come out on Friday, 11/12.
Please take a few minutes to review the important information in this week's newsletter. Thank you for all of your support. Have a wonderful weekend - and Happy Halloween!
1st MARKING PERIOD ENDING
The 1st marking period ends on Friday, November 5th. I have been encouraging students to review their grades in Home Access Center (HAC) and to address any "Z" grades as soon as possible. If you have not done so recently, I would encourage you to sit with your child for a few minutes and ask them to pull up their grades in HAC. This will be a great opportunity to either celebrate academic success thus far or to make a plan for what needs to happen in the coming days and weeks. We want to be sure that everyone is off to a great academic start for the year. Students who still have outstanding work to complete should take advantage of the 4-day weekend.
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES - COMING SOON
With the first marking period nearly complete, we are preparing for Parent-Teacher Conferences that will be held on Monday, November 22nd and Tuesday, November 23rd. Conferences will be held virtually via Zoom. On Friday, 11/12, I will provide in the weekly newsletter the links for you to be able to request a conference appointment with your child's team of teachers. World Language and Special Area teachers will have their own conference slots to meet with parents. 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. Please check back here in two weeks for more details about scheduling a parent-teacher conference.
PICTURE RE-TAKE DAY - MONDAY, 11/8
School picture re-takes will take place on Monday, November 8th. This is an opportunity for students who need to have their photos re-done OR for those students who were absent on the original School Picture Day on 09/30. All students need to be photographed. 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. Any student who purchased a photo package and would like a re-take must bring the original photo package with them to school on 11/8.
Yearbooks Now On Sale
Yearbooks are now on sale and all students and parents are invited to share photos for possible use in this year's book!
To purchase a yearbook:
Pre-order for $25 through December 31, 2021. The cost increases to $30 as of January 1, 2022. Go to www.jostens.com to place your order. The only way to guarantee a copy of the yearbook is to pre-order.
To upload pictures:
User ID: 417955951
Be sure to include grade level, any names, and description of the photo. The deadline to submit photos is February 28, 2022.
Youth Truth Survey
As you probably know from previous communication that was sent to families, the Rose Tree Media School District will be administering the Youth Truth Survey to students, parents, and staff during the month of November. Students at Springton Lake will complete the survey during the week of November 8th. The District has partnered with the national nonprofit, YouthTruth, to help us gather feedback about what we are doing well, and how we can improve.
For more information...
Opt-Out Letter (will still be accepted)
The Turkey Trot is Back!
After taking a one-year break due to COVID-19, a longstanding tradition is returning to Springton Lake Middle School. That's right - the annual Turkey Trot is back for 2021. The Turkey Trot is a pre-Thanksgiving cross-country run across the Springton Lake campus that is open to all students. Students run with a partner - each doing a 1/2-mile leg of the race. This year's Turkey Trot will be held on Wednesday, November 17th from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. Students will be provided with more information in the coming weeks and sign-ups will begin on Friday, November 12th. For now, interested students may begin identifying a running partner in the same grade level. And, yes, parents are welcome to attend this outdoor event to cheer on our students!
FARE - FAMILY ALLIANCE FOR RESPECT & EQUITY
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. The next FARE meeting will take place on November 10th. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.
PARENT-TEACHER GROUP
Membership & Dues - The PTG's budget is directly linked to our collection of dues from each family. Dues for this year are $15. Thank you to everyone who has already submitted dues. If you have not done so already, it's not too late. You may either pay using PayPal or you may send a check to school in an envelope marked PTG. You may also use the envelope that was included in the August Back-to-School mailing.
NEXT PTG Meeting - Monday, November 15th @ 7:00 PM. The meeting will be held in-person in the Library.
FAIR TRADE
October is National Fair Trade Month. Did you know that Springton Lake Middle School has been designated as a Fair Trade School? Take a few moments to learn more about Fair Trade and to get involved in Fair Trade efforts.
FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
With the onset of cold and flu season, we are seeing an increase in students on the absence list and those coming to school with COVID-like symptoms. Based on the Pennsylvania Department of Health current exclusion criteria, please keep your child home from school and get a COVID test if your child has:
ONE or more of the following:
- New cough, lack of smell or taste (without congestion), shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing,
OR TWO or more of the following:
- Fever (oral greater than 100 or temporal greater than 99.5), sore throat, chills, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
If your child has these symptoms, please keep them home and get a COVID test. If a student comes to the nurse’s office and meets the above criteria, they will be sent home and will require a COVID test to return to school. Please have a plan on how to pick your child up from school immediately if you receive a call from the school nurse.
Please note, if a student has a pending COVID test, they may not attend school until all results are back and negative. The exception to this is students who are fully vaccinated with a known exposure and who do not have symptoms. They may attend school while fully masked pending the results of their test. Home tests are not acceptable.
Additional Resources:
All District COVID-Related Procedures
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions khartner@rtmsd.org
Spartan Scoop - Week of October 25th
Advisory Fun!
One of the winning pumpkin entries courtesy of Mr. Booth's advisory.
Halloween Fun
Some of our teachers dress as Dr. Sal's FAVORITE video game!
Friday Coffee Cart
It's always great when the coffee cart stops by!