Bulldog Bulletin

• Message From the Principal
• Important Dates
• Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
• Open Gym at Springer
• Public Feedback for Springer's Budget
• Meet our School Social Worker Ms. Parks!
• String O Ween
• Springer Performing Arts Merchandise Sale
• Fall Sports Updates
• Mum Sale
• Fall Dance
• Letter from Our New Librarian
• The Internet is a Distract-OH LOOK A KITTEN!
• SWIPE System and ID Required for Pick Up
• 4 or Less = Success
• SAFE-DE
• Transportation: WheresTheBus App
• Supplemental Accidental Insurance Policy
• Volunteering at Springer Middle School

Springer Families,

I wanted to thank everyone who came out for our Open House Nights at Springer Middle School. I hope you had a wonderful time and got to learn more about your student’s teachers, the content, and the school. Each teacher had their commitment statements posted and possibly shared them with you. As a staff we worked on our commitments in August with the intent of growing professionally and intentionally in at least one area. Using Dr. Heidi Reeder’s work on Commit to Win: How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals, “any goal, regardless of how much it’s cherished or how earnestly it’s developed, will make little progress unless it is supported by commitment” truly spoke to our staff. Our Springer educators selected areas they want to improve in and goals they want to hit. As a staff, this will drive our work throughout the year. I have walked around and read each and every teacher’s commitments and have been impressed with the thoughtful and inspiring things our teachers developed.

You have had the opportunity to learn more about your children’s teachers and classes, but with Fall parent/teacher conferences coming up you have the opportunity to learn more about your child’s performance in classes. We will have Fall conferences on October 24th and 25th. On Thursday, October 24th we will have an extended day where conferences will be set up from 8:00am to 7:30pm in order to accommodate our working parents. On Friday, October 25th we will have a shortened day from 8:00am to 11:30am. Please be on the lookout for a phone call or email to sign up for these conferences where parents will meet with their children’s teachers.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need additional information please do not hesitate to contact me or one of my administrators. We are eager to help.

All The Best,

Dr. Sterling H. Seemans

Principal

2024-2025 Middle School Daily Rotation Schedule

BSD School Calendar

• 10/3/24: Schools Closed-Rosh Hashanah
• 10/7/24: Marking Period 1 Interims Distributed
• 10/10/24: SFA Meeting 6:30pm in the Library
• 10/14-10/18/24: Springer Spirit Week
• 10/18/24: Fall Dance 6:30pm-8:00pm
• 10/24/24: Schools Closed Pre-K through Grade 8-Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 10/25/24: Schools Closed Pre-K through Grade 12-Parent/Teacher Conferences
• 11/15/24: Picture Day Make Ups

This week marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States. From now to October 15th, we honor the achievements and vibrant traditions of people from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Let’s take this opportunity to embrace the diversity that makes our school and community stronger.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Last Friday we held our first Open Gym at Springer Middle School! Students could use PBIS points to purchase tickets to participate in games and activities in the gym. Students with no referrals were eligible and we sold out in 30 minutes! Staff members including Dr. Seemans participated and engaged with students in various activities. This is just one of the many ways we will recognize and celebrate our students who come in and do exactly what we ask of them each and every day! Our next Open Gym will be on Thursday, October 10.

School Social Worker:

Carrie Parks is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) passionate about supporting children who are navigating challenges in life, experiencing or recovering from trauma and teaching skills to improve insight and coping. She feels honored to walk along side students in their journey towards improved mental wellness. Prior to her role as School Social Worker, Carrie worked with children in private practice as well as in a school and clinic settings. Carrie shares that she is drawn towards working in a school environment due to the complexity of needs and the multitude of collaboration with others. She thrives as a contributing member of a team.

Carrie utilizes a client centered, strengths-based approach; incorporating problem solving, cognitive behavioral work and creative expression. Carrie is interested in the factors that lead to improved resilience in clients and uses this as a roadmap to refer to throughout her work. Self-described as a playful and compassionate therapist, Carrie appreciates the use of humor and identifies her greatest strength as her ability to foster mutual respect and trust; believing that the best work grows organically from there.

SERVICES TO STUDENTS:

· Providing crisis intervention.

· Developing intervention strategies to increase academic success.

· Assisting with conflict resolution and anger management.

· Individual therapy support and connection with outside services as needed

· Assisting the child in understanding and accepting self and others.

· Advocate for student throughout the school.

SERVICES TO PARENT/FAMILIES:

· Working with parents to facilitate their support in their children's school adjustment.

· Alleviating family stress to enable the child to function more effectively in school &community.

· Assisting parents to access programs available to students with special needs.

· Assisting parents in accessing and utilizing school and community resources.

· Providing education around mental health diagnoses and supports.

· Providing case management for students and families requiring multiple resources.

RELATED SERVICES:

· Participating in Individual Educational Planning Meetings

· Working with those problems in a child's living situation that affect the child’s adjustment in school. (home, school, and community)

· Counseling (group, individual and/or family)

· Mobilizing family, school, and community resources

· Assisting in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies.

· Support in identifying barriers to attendance and finding solutions.

If you are interested in supporting the Springer Performing Arts program, consider purchasing some gear! A small amount of the cost will go to support our program!

Orders can be placed until 9/30 and will be delivered around mid October.

Springer Performing Arts (starschooluniforms.com)

Boys Soccer

Boys soccer opened up the season on Friday with a tough loss to caravel 1-2. Regardless of the score, it was a thrilling game. Both teams generated scoring opportunities and both teams came up with big plays to save more goals. Defensively the bulldogs were led by captain Colin Reed. Cooper Richardson had the save of the game with a bicycle kick on the goal line to stop the ball from going in for caravel. Peter Ng also had a diving effort to stop a caravel goal. Offensively the bulldogs were led by Nikolas Vasko, Mason Waters, Will Mulvena and Tyler Overly. Niko was shredding Caravel defenders to set up for a shot, but caravel was able to recover and allowed no second chance scoring opportunities. Renauto Paredes had the bulldogs lone goal of the game and it was a great strike.

The first Springer sportsmanship award winners were starting varsity goalkeeper TJ Morley and JV captain Matthew Stoklosa. These players were recognized by the opposing teams coaches for their respect to both teams and the game of soccer. Great job fellas!

Varsity

The varsity team defeated Newark charter 8-2 yesterday. Everyone played well. Renato Paredes got the scoring started again for the bulldogs. Will Mulvena had 3 goals and Niko Vasko, Tyler Overly, Peter Ng and Phillip Obrien all scored great goals. Colin Reed led the bulldogs defensively!

The boys JV Soccer team improved their record to 2-0 with 5-0 win against Newark Charter. Emilio Mammi started the scoring and Matthew Stoklosa and Zach Wheeler each scored two goals. Cullen Northey and Landon Williams played outstanding defense and Matthew Keller recorded the shutout in goal. The team looks forward to a tough game against Friends next Tuesday.

Field Hockey

Springer Field Hockey started off their season yesterday with a bang in a decisive 8-1 victory over Newark Charter. The offense was unstoppable with Emma Young started the scoring frenzy with 2 goals. Jenna Grimes added an additional goal and 2 assists. Emma Burkhart added two goals and Scarlett Walther not only added a hat trick and 4 assists of her own and also earned the first Sportsmanship award of the season. Midfield and Defense worked tirelessly to keep it up the field, especially Hailey Mullenix who held down the midfield. Delaney Williams and Brynnley Waters also did a great job in their first game in goal. Great job Field Hockey!

Cross Country

The Springer Bulldogs XC Team competed today in their first meet XC Meet hosted by Newark Charter School at White Clay Creek State Park. MOT Charter along with Newark Charter School were the opposing teams. The official scores have not yet been received, however here are the highlights. 7th Grader Ryan Caswell led the Springer Boys with a time of 13.58 on the 2-mile course. He was followed by his teammates 7th Grader Ayden Colson (15.06) and 7th Grader Jackson Kohr (15.22). The Springer Girls were represented by 6th Grader Corrine Dorman (21.59) and 6th Grader Anajah Hickman(23.06). Go Bulldogs!!!

Volleyball

The Volleyball team lost a tough match to Newark Charter yesterday 2 games to 1. Springer won the first game behind the strong play of Emmie Haley, Isabel Oberly, and Elin Murray. After trailing by as many as 11 points in the second game, the lady bulldogs came back behind the play of Mae Heggan, Kylie Cook, and Maya Goldstein, but fell short losing 25-22.

The JV volleyball team won 2 games to 0. The first game was led by the great serving of Caitlyn Smith and Kendall Jones, while the second game was anchored by the great play of Jaylene Medina-Torres and Sophia Biondy. Great job ladies.

The Springer Music Department is having a Mums Sale for the Fall. We have an order form by the Sign In in the Main Office.

Each Mum is $10.00 and are 9” mums. Colors available are Orange, Purple, Yellow, Red, and White.

Mums will be available for Pick Up on October 9th.

Money raised will go towards are Performing Arts program here at Springer.

Our Fall dance is scheduled for Friday, October 18 from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Students will be eligible for the dance if they have no more than 2 referrals from September 11 through October 18. The dance will cost $2 and we will be donating the proceeds of the dance to a charity that students voted on earlier this week! The dance will be the finale to our spirit week which will kick off on Monday, October 14. Stay tuned for more information on our Spirit Week themes and make sure to meet our BARK expectations so that you can go to the dance!

Hello Springer Families,

I will be your new School Librarian starting September 30th. I am excited to join the Springer family and provide our students with enriching opportunities to read and research in the Library/Media Center. Research shows that students who read frequently, even if the texts are below their reading level, make significant gains in reading ability. A love of reading is so important to student success, and fostering that love of reading is my passion. I have over 15 years of library experience, and the majority of that experience was spent working with middle school aged students. I am excited to get to know Springer families and to partner with all of you to make the school library a welcoming space for all students.

Checkout Policy

-Students may checkout two books at a time for two weeks

-There are NO OVERDUE FINES, but students cannot checkout any new books if they have books overdue

-Students will be charged for lost or damaged materials, but please contact me if this will be a hardship for your family or there are other extenuating circumstances

Library Access

-Students can checkout books prior to the start of the school day and at designated times during class periods

-I will do my best to schedule ELA classes for regular checkout opportunities

-Students can access the library during lunch blocks when I do not have a scheduled class. Passes will be available in the lunch room on those days

Library Collection Information

It is important that every student sees themselves in the books they read so they can connect with the characters. Therefore, our library collection is as diverse as our student population! While some tough topics are often covered, in middle grade books they are always handled with care. Maturity levels also vary greatly between 6th and 8th grade. We do have titles that are labeled “YA,” meaning young adult, and are geared towards a teen audience. I encourage parents and families to be involved in their child’s reading choices and fostering their interests. If you have any concerns about content, please feel free to reach out to me and utilize resources to help you get a feel for a book before your child reads it.

One of the sources I frequently use to help me in my book selection is Common Sense Media, a website where both parents and kids can rate books and give specific details about sensitive topics. I highly recommend you check it out if you're interested! It is a great source of info for parents who want to be in the know.

Librarians follow a process when developing a collection using a variety of criteria to support the students we serve, but we also know books that are highly reviewed might not be right for every student or family. I believe it is important for us to work together to help your student have the best experience in the library. In that discussion for your student, I can make a note in your student’s account to support your wishes. I want my library to be a safe place of choice for all students while also including parents in this process and recognizing your critical role in choosing what’s right for your family.

If you have any questions, feel free to call or email me at caroline.barlow@bsd.k12.de.us or (302) 479-1621.

Parent Volunteer Opportunity

If you are interested in helping out with our Spring Book Fair, please reach out to me at the contact info listed above!

Sincerely,

Caroline Barlow

Springer Middle School Librarian

35 6th, 7th, and 8th graders came out last week and auditioned for our very first Fall Play titled, "The Internet is a Distract - OH LOOK A KITTEN!". "Micah only has twenty minutes to finish her paper on The Great Gatsby. She just needs to check a few facts on the internet first. Unfortunately, the web is a nefariously wacky place where boxing cats, Facebook lurkers, and pig-throwing games threaten to take over Micah's schoolwork, or worse. Will she finish her paper and escape with her life before the school bell rings? A high-octane comedy that explores the rabbit hole of distraction we all go down everytime we go online." (Synopsis from Playscripts.com) Please join the Springer Performing Arts Department in congratulating the following students who were cast in the show!

Abby Baron

Amira Zogheib

Emma Melican

Maggie Ernst

Quinn Bowes

Michael Porter Jr

Mahidul Islam

Mia Catts

Madilyn Merillo

Katelyn Fleming

Edwin Lucas

Molly Schock

Luke Russell

Miriana Mazzella

Angelica Heyward

Haniyah Jenkins

Autumn Isabella

Kendall Barth

Hannah Brownie

All visitors who will be going beyond the front portion of our main office during the school day will be required to enter their drivers license and wear a visitor sticker on their person. There is a new computer system that is located on our front counter that visitors will be required to use. Additionally, any adult who is picking a student up for early dismissal will have to present an ID every time. Both of these actions are intended to protect students and staff as safety is our number one priority.

Welcome to the new school year--it's an exciting time for everyone! We're excited for a great year of learning and growth for all of our students!

This school year, the Brandywine School District is adopting the 4 Or Less = Success school attendance campaign to promote good student attendance. Good attendance means coming to school on time and staying all day, every day, which is key to every child’s success. After all, students must be present to learn!

All absences, whether excused or not, add up. Chronically absent students are more likely to read below grade level, have lower math and reading test scores, repeat a grade, and drop out of high school.

What you can do:

• Talk to your child about how going to school every day will help them do well in school and achieve their hopes and dreams.
• Keep an attendance chart at home to track absences.
• Recognize your child for attending school every day.
• Find a relative, friend, or neighbor who can take your child to and from school if you can’t.
• Set up medical appointments for weekdays after school.
• Make attending school every day a priority unless your child is truly sick

For more information and resources, visit www.brandywineschools.org/4orLess

The Brandywine School District wants all children to attend school each day so they can be successful in the future! We will be sending more information, materials, and tips about attendance throughout this school year. Please join us in making school attendance a priority so that we can help all of our children learn, achieve, and succeed.

Families, you are encouraged to visit the following link on the BSD website to find out more information about Transportation. For your convenience, we have Where is the Bus app and a brand new bus scanner to help you see when your child(ren) are boarding the bus. Students will either enter their school IDs or lunch numbers. You will receive information in the upcoming weeks on when students will receive their school IDs. Happy Riding!! https://www.brandywineschools.org/families/transportation/bus-scanners

If you are interested in supplemental insurance should your child get hurt in after school sports or PE class, please check out the available policy information below.

Springer Middle School relies on the generosity of time from our great families within the community. We welcome those who want to help be apart of our village and have a plethora of opportunities for volunteers to engage with our students and staff to better the middle school experience of our youth.

Parents who are interested in volunteering at Springer Middle School will need to follow the Brandywine School District's policy for background checks. Please follow this link: Volunteering at BSD to be properly cleared to work with our students. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact the main office.

Background checks are good for 1 calendar year