

Thrill on the Hill
February 2024

February 2024
Silly Groundhog...spring is in the air...
Hello SGE Families,
Welcome to the February edition of the “Thrill on the Hill” our Spring Grove Elementary newsletter! We hope this finds you well and settling into the rhythm of the new semester. Please read below to gather the latest and greatest news and updates from your friends at SGE.
As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
March 5
Spring picture day is scheduled for March 5th. This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to capture memories of this school year. Please use the link below and enter the code EVT7B7S7F if you would like to pre-order your pictures.
SGE in Me...
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the SGE in Me Program. The series focuses on the SGE 3: Respect, Responsibility, and Safety. We'll be offering a variety of discussions designed to develop our 4th grade students' leadership position within their community here at SGE. The program will culminate with a system to incentivize those leadership expectations with our students. We are piloting this program with our 4th grade students this spring as they are the “senior” students and de facto leaders of our building. The future plan is to slowly roll this program out to all grade levels to develop the positive culture/climate we desire focused around core expectations for all students...the SGE 3.
High School Musical
We are very appreciative of the invitation to see excerpts from the HS Musical...Frozen. SGE will be attending the screenings on Friday. These experiences to visit the high school or middle school permit all students to see the various opportunities that are available to them as they matriculate through their school years. Thank you high school students and staff...break a leg!
If you are interested in seeing the entire show please use the link below for details.
Reminder...Kindergarten Registration
STEM Night 2024
The high school is happily hosting STEM Night again this spring. Please see flyer below for details...
PSSA Dates...
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) testing dates have been finalized for this academic year. Please mark your calendars for the following dates:
- English Language Arts: April 22-24
- Mathematics: April 29-30
- Science (4th Grade only): May 1-2
It's crucial that students are present and prepared for these assessments, as they provide valuable insights into their academic progress and help us tailor our instruction to better meet their needs.
Library Reminders
The children have been finding lots of great books to check out. A few reminders to help the process run smoothly.
Please help your child find a safe spot for their library books at home – a shelf, in their bookbags, etc. Younger siblings and pets like books too, but often damage them.
Water bottles – PLEASE teach your child to keep their water bottle on the outside of their bookbag. If the books get damp or wet, they will most likely mold and your family will have to be billed. A large Ziploc bag or a plastic grocery bag could add some protection.
Please be aware that when you receive a bill for a lost or damaged library book, your child cannot check out 2 books again until the bill is paid. If you find the exact book cheaper online, please feel free to replace the book in this manner (if it was a hard cover book, it must be a hard cover replacement). Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
We are enjoying spreading our love of stories, informational text, and reading to your child. Please feel free to email me or call my extension if you have any questions or concerns.
Melissa Sneeringer sneerinm@sgasd.org 717-225-4731 x2085
LIBRARY ENRICHMENT/STEM LESSONS:
The children are VERY excited to become scientists during library enrichment. We read stories and then use the Engineering Design Process (Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Revise, and Improve) to create. Some projects students will bring home, but other projects will be taken apart to reuse/recycle/repurpose. Please ask your children about what they have created so far:
1st Grade - Balancing Challenge – ask your son or daughter how he/she balanced a square block, large popsicle sticks, and small paper cups.
2nd Grade – Then Vs Now Inventions class research and design – ask your son or daughter about the inventions they explored and what invention we are improving, creating a futuristic version or brand-new creation as a class.
3rd Grade – We are in the middle of our Architectural Design unit. Ask your son or daughter what designs, architect, or time period they like best.
4th Grade - Inventions Research and Design unit – students are getting ready to match their Career Interest Survey top category with an invention to research and then
Music News
Save the Date!
All students in grades 1-4 are invited to join their music teachers and classmates for a short performance on the evening of Wednesday, March 20. The concert will be in the Spring Grove Area High School auditorium. Please use the link below to access additional information.
We hope to see you there!
--Mrs. Tackett, Mr. Brenner, and Mrs. Gross
Physical Education News
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Kids Heart Challenge has begun! This event is for students in Grades 1-4. This program is a part
of our Physical Education and Wellness classes. Last year, SGE raised $11,434.26. . .our highest ever!
WOW, this really showed how much our school community cares about heart health!
Thank you for supporting our students and our school in this heart healthy program. Our goal is to show how physical and emotional heart-healthy habits will be beneficial to our student’s NOW and will provide the foundation for a healthy and successful future! Not only will you be helping to fight heart disease and stroke (the No. 1 and No. 2 killers worldwide), but participants can earn fun thank-you gifts AND earn PE equipment for their school!
Please use this link for all the information....Kids Heart Challenge!
Reading News
From our SGE Reading Team:
New Title I reading groups have started, and we are excited to work with our blooming readers. We look forward to meeting with the families of our reading students at conferences in March. Please use the following QR codes for activities and ideas to support your child.
Reading with Your Child
Storyline with Your Child
Grade Level News
First Grade News
As the cold winter days pass and we get closer to spring, we see changes all around us—including the changes we see in our first graders! Thinking back to September; we have certainly watched our students grow. The kids are putting all kinds of skills and strategies together to become capable readers, writers, and thinkers. If anything needs to be specifically discussed, parent conferences will be scheduled.
All that time spent with addition and subtraction facts is paying off as students are becoming very quick at their facts! Students will soon be learning their 2 and 3 dimensional shapes and their attributes.
Second Grade News
Second grade students celebrated the holidays by rotating to different classrooms for hands- on activities. They drew, sang, and crafted their way to winter break!
Upon returning from break, second graders read and discussed a biography of Helen Keller. They had the opportunity to further discuss Braille and sign language.
Thank you for helping students with their math addition and subtraction facts! In class, students are excitedly learning their multiplication strategies.
Third Grade News
Third graders have been working on reading different genres of stories to get ready for our upcoming PSSA tests. We have been focusing on finding point of view, central message, and author's purpose. Whenever we read, we always look for evidence to support our answers. In the upcoming cycles, we will focus on the five different text structures (cause/effect, compare/contrast, sequential, problem/solution, and description. Some of the reading material we will use for text structure include The American Civil War, Bees vs Ants, How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Scientific Ideas.
Starting soon, we will begin our poetry and literal/nonliteral language cycle. Third grade will discuss and share poetry authors, books, and songs. During this cycle we will discuss the difference between a simile and a metaphor. Students will even write their own simile and metaphor.
In math, we are working on measurement, with both customary units and the metric system. We are also practicing measuring to the nearest ¼ inch. What can you measure around your house? Ask your third grader to use measurement to help make dinner together. We are going to be soon working on money and time. Give your third grader opportunities to count money, make change, and use an analog clock any chance they can!
4th Grade News
As we wrap up February, our fourth grade SGE students will be wrapping up another unit in math. The students have enjoyed the geometry unit as it asked them to draw and classify various shapes based on their unique characteristics. Students also learned how to measure and draw angles using a protractor. This has proven to be a new and exciting experience for most of our students. As we head into March, students will be exploring our last fourth grade math unit, Data and Measurement. Students will be representing and interpreting data on various types of graphs and solving problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Encourage your child to keep practicing key fourth grade skills on the following apps: IXL (all math skills) and REFLEX (math facts).
In ELA, students are continuing to recognize, identify and explain fiction and nonfiction text elements. In addition, students provide evidence to support their responses both in writing and in class discussions. They are exploring their creative side by drafting an opinion piece this trimester, next trimester students will be focusing on research writing. Small group novel studies are a part of our daily routine as well. During these independent reading times, students are utilizing Signposts and the 3 Big Questions (note taking strategies that promote the application of their knowledge of text elements). Signposts and the 3 Big Questions help students stop and think about what they are reading as well as enhance both our small and whole group discussions.
In social studies, we are continuing our road trip across the United States as we move further west. In social studies, we focus on the areas of civics and government, economics, geography and history as we explore each region across the United States.
In science this year, students are reviewing key science content from previous years and also exploring the new science standards for Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability that was recently adopted by the state. Our current science unit with these new standards focuses on Processes that Shape Earth. In one of our lessons, students created a model structure to withstand the forces similar to those experienced during an earthquake.
Counselor's Corner
SGE Counselors
Who are we, and what do we do?
Mrs. Rachel Myers
Mrs. Myers is the counselor for Kindergarten (Claycomb, Delair, Godman) and students in grades 3rd and 4th.
Mr. Pat Moore
Mr. Moore is the counselor for Kindergarten (Clancy, Mann, Miller) and students in grades 1st and 2nd.
Some of the supports that our counselor's offer:
· Individual counseling
· Small group counseling
· Collaboration with staff, parents, and outside agencies
· 504 Case management
· Emergency Response within the school
· Career Education
· Help with referrals to outside agencies
We invite you to use our contact information above to reach out to us at any point throughout the school year. We look forward to working with our SGE students and families this year!
Student Assistance Program (SAP)
SAP is a systematic team process used to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning. It is designed to assist in identifying issues which pose a barrier to a student’s success. The primary goal is to help students overcome these barriers so they can learn unencumbered. While SAP is a great program it is not the answer for all student needs and issues, but it can be a great starting point. Please use the link below for additional information.
Teacher Request
As we navigate through the spring semester many begin planning for next school year. Teacher requests becomes a focus area for many parents. We utilize a process that considers various academic and social criteria to roster students so that they can grow to their fullest potential. Unless there are extenuating circumstances placement decisions utilizing the above mentioned process will be final. For this reason, please understand that teacher requests are not guaranteed.
Attendance
If your child is going to be absent. or has been absent, from school please fill out an excuse card in your Sapphire Portal. If you do not have access to a computer please contact our main office for assistance. Our school doors open every morning at 8:25 with homeroom starting at 8:55. If your child arrives after 8:55 they will need to report to the office.
If your child arrives between 10:26-12:14 or leaves between 12:15-1:44 they will be considered absent for 1/2 school day. If they arrive after or leave before 12:15 this will be considered a full day absence.
SGE Upcoming Events and Activities
SGE PTO Meeting
Thursday, Mar 7, 2024, 06:00 PM
Spring Grove Elementary School, Roths Church Rd, Spring Grove, PA, USA
SGE Music Concert
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024, 06:00 PM
Spring Grove Area High School, Roths Church Rd, Spring Grove, PA, USA
STEM Night 2024
Friday, Apr 5, 2024, 06:00 PM
Spring Grove Area High School, Roths Church Rd, Spring Grove, PA, USA
Important Reminders
Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival: 8:25 – 8:55 AM
Arrival time for students is 8:25 AM. Please be aware that students are NOT permitted to enter the building prior to 8:25. All AM car riders are to follow the car line around the back of the school. Students will enter the building through door #3 by the cafeteria. Students arriving by bus/van will enter the building through the main entrance. Students must be in their classroom by 8:55 AM. They are considered “tardy” at 8:56 AM.
Dismissal: 3:10 PM
- Occasional Car Rider - If you choose to pick up your child at dismissal on any given day, it is extremely important that you notify the school office by email (whites@sgasd.org), sending a note to school with your child, OR by calling the office by 2:00 PM. The occasional car rider will be dismissed from the ART ROOM. (Please see attached map) When writing notes, please be sure to include child’s first and last name, date, and teacher. Please notify the district transportation office, ext. 3024, with any transportation changes. ALWAYS use the cross walk when crossing from the parking lot to/from the car rider door. Please DO NOT cross in between the vans/buses, or permit children to run freely to the parking lot.
- Rocket Rider - If you plan on transporting your child at dismissal each and every day, please contact the school office to make arrangements to pick up your “ROCKET RIDER” tags before the start of school. Rocket Riders get dismissed from door #3 by the cafeteria. (See attached map) You must have a NEW Rocket Rider tag in order to pick up through the line. You may not use signs from previous years.
- Bus Transportation – Transportation information can be found in your Sapphire Parent Portal.
Student Forms
Student Emergency Form - Please review and make additions or corrections to your child's emergency form in your Sapphire Parent Portal. Use the link below to access the Sapphire Parent Portal. If you need to create an account please use this link "Apply for a Sapphire Community Portal account."
Late Arrival/Early Dismissal
School Visitors
ALL volunteers must complete the volunteer registration process before volunteering in any district school. You may find more information on the volunteer process by visiting Volunteer Services on our district website.
SGE Communication
School Meal Prices
Starting with the 23-24 school year, students will no longer be receiving free breakfast/lunch. A student school breakfast is free for all students, and a school lunch is $2.45. Please go onto the district website & apply for the free/reduced lunch program. You may access your child’s lunch account through myschoolbucks.com.