Springton Lake Middle School
Email: RSalladino@rtmsd.org
Website: https://www.rtmsd.org/Domain/12
Location: 1900 North Providence Road, Media, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 627-6500
Twitter: @SpringtonLakeMS
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Happy Friday!
With our first full, five-day week of school in the books, we continue to have a strong, positive, and successful start to the school year. Students are engaged and appear happy to be back to school. We continue to teach, model, and reinforce the expectations that we believe will support a great school year for everyone. Our schedule this week provided students with an opportunity to spend time in their advisories. As a reminder, advisories are smaller, cross-grade groups that meet each cycle. In advisory, students build relationships, engage in team-building activities, focus on social and emotional learning, and have time to discuss other topics that are important for middle school students.
Fall sports for 7th and 8th grade students are also up and running. We have over 400 students who are registered to play on one of our teams. Next week, we will be hosting our annual Club & Activity Fair to allow students to learn more about other fun ways to get involved here at Springton Lake. We will also be revealing the name of the show that was selected this year for our all-school musical! It should be an exciting week.
Thank you for taking the time to review this week's update. We hope that you will find important and useful information. Have an awesome weekend!
PTG ONLINE SPIRIT STORE
The PTG is happy to offer an online store for all of your school spirit needs. The order deadline is September 26th, and items will arrive about three weeks later. A variety of items is available, including hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, flannel pajama bottoms, and more!
Student Handbook & Dress Code
All students were provided with a Student Handbook on the first day of school. The handbook also includes a planner that students may elect to use to track assignments, due, dates, etc. Parents and guardians acknowledged receipt of the Student Handbook in the online registration that was completed prior to the start of the school year. While the opening weeks have included several opportunities for us to teach, explain, and reinforce expectations, I have encouraged students to take some time to review the handbook with their families. In particular, I called attention to our dress code that has been revised for the 2022-2023 school year. Because the handbook is sent to the printer before the end of June, there was one additional change to the dress code that is not reflected in the published book. That additional bullet point indicates:
Planned theme or spirit days shall be the only days that students are permitted to wear costumes or parts of costumes.
Thank you for taking some time to review the Student Handbook with your middle school student.
SLMS Students Attending Penncrest High School Football Games
If your middle school student will be attending one of the upcoming Penncrest High School home football games, please take a moment to review this important message from Mr. Ed Roth, the Penncrest Principal:
Hello, RTMSD Families:
We love the support that our high school football team, cheerleaders and band get from K-8 students on Friday nights. We encourage our future Lions to continue coming to games, but we do need parental support to ensure your children have a safe and enjoyable experience. If your child is going to attend a Friday night game at Penncrest, we respectfully ask that an adult stays and supervises any child that is not yet of high school age. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you and your children at Penncrest High School.
FOOD SERVICES UPDATE
As I shared with you last week, effective October 1st, ALL students will be eligible to receive a free breakfast at school each morning. The Breakfast Cart is available in the Main Lobby each morning from 7:35 AM to 7:55 AM. This program is being made available to students across Pennsylvania through the end of the current school year.
Lunch remains unchanged from my prior communications this year. Rose Tree Media School District is returning to the National School Lunch Program for the 2022-2023 school year. The cost for lunch will be $3.50, and additional a la carte snack items will also be available for purchase. All Parents/Guardians who wish to receive Free and Reduced Lunch benefits and qualify are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application available on the district website.
Need to add funds to your child's lunch account?
What's for lunch?
UPDATE FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
We are still very aware of COVID and the need to stay home and get tested if your student has symptoms. Home tests are acceptable. For your reference, here is a link to the latest District Health and Safety Plan/What Should I do? Please contact Ms. Hartner at 610-627-6512 with any concerns and to report positive cases.
State mandated health screenings will begin next week. All students will have their height, weight, and vision screened. In addition, students in the 7th grade will have scoliosis and hearing screened. Please contact the school nurse with any questions.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
The school calendar is posted on the website for your review. We kindly ask that you keep the school schedule in mind as you make plans for your family throughout the school year. Holidays, early dismissals, and other days off for students are indicated. Also, be sure to access the calendar of events specific to our school so that you don't miss out on any of the fun that we have planned!
INDEPENDENT READING BOOKS
Students are always expected to have an independent book that they are reading. Students are encouraged to make nightly reading a habit as part of their homework routine. The independent reading book also serves as a great resource throughout the school day. We strongly value our school’s partnership with parents and families. We encourage you to discuss with your child the books they are reading or interested in reading to help them make choices they will enjoy. Please take a moment to review this important communication from our librarian and the language arts team.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
If your child is going to be absent from school:
Call the school attendance hotline at 610-627-6500, ext. 2, to report your child’s absence each day of absence. You must send in a pink absentee card or a signed note with your child upon his/her return to school within three days. Absence notes may also be submitted electronically using the quick and convenient form that can be found on our school’s website. You may access the form using the Absences button on our homepage.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All families will receive an automated EMAIL WHENEVER a student is marked absent in homeroom. The email will be sent regardless if you have called the attendance hotline. This is an enhanced safety procedure that we are pleased to be able to implement this school year.
PTG - Parent Teacher Group
The Springton Lake Middle School Parent Teacher Group (PTG) is a volunteer organization open to all parents and guardians and teachers who work together to provide educational enrichment, a sense of community, and school support in the spirit of cooperation and fun.
The PTG asks that each family consider making a donation to support the group's work during the year. The average donation is $10, but larger donations are also greatly appreciated. Donations (cash of check payable to SLMS PTG) may be sent to the Main Office or families may donate online via PayPal.
The PTG will meet from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Library on the following dates: 10/18, 11/15, 01/17, 03/14, & 05/23. Everyone is invited to attend.
CHAPERONES & VOLUNTEERS
We are excited to welcome back chaperones for our school trips throughout the year, and parent volunteers for various events and activities. If you anticipate wanting to chaperone or volunteer, please keep in mind that you are required to have valid clearances on file with the Rose Tree Media School District. More information on this process can be found in the Parent Portal.
Would you be willing to share with our students about your family's heritage, culture, and traditions? Would you be interested in sharing about your career or work experience? We are eager to assemble a database of parents that we can tap for their expertise throughout the year. Please take a moment to complete this short survey.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter - @SpringtonLakeMS. This is the ONLY official social media channel for our school. In addition to receiving timely updates about our school, we always share photos of the cool things that happen in our school each day! Many of our teachers are also on Twitter and you will want to give them a follow, too!
Spartan Scoop
Be sure to check out our daily broadcast messages.
