• Message from the Principal
• Important Dates
• New Cell Phone Policy for MP4
• New Cell Phone Policy FAQ
• Spring Performance: Finding Nemo Jr.
• Penny Wars for California Wild Fire Relief!
• AVID Night at Springer
• School Social Worker Week
• Wings Lacrosse
• Naamans Little League
• Homework Club
• SFA Dine Out Night at Simple Greek
• Schoology Access for Parents
• SAFE-DE
• Transportation: WheresTheBus App
• Volunteering at Springer Middle School

Springer Families,

On Thursday evening I hosted a town hall style meeting to discuss the changes to our cell phone policy which will take place on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Springer will be transitioning from a cell phone limited environment to a cell phone free environment for students. The meeting went well with parents sharing their resounding support, but bringing forward concerns we feel like we can address in preparation of this policy change. The decision to do this was done with forethought, collaboration with stakeholders, and consideration of current data and scientific research. As a school, our team feels that cell phones have continued to negatively impact the learning environment, as well as the social and emotional well-being of our students. With our neighbors and friends next door at Talley Middle School having piloted this process there with great success we felt it was time to implement it at Springer.

I know that this change will be difficult for some of our students. For many, having direct and immediate access to parents, family members, and friends is a comfort. However, research is clear that the immediacy students have through their phones can also be detrimental to their growth and development. Over the next weeks we will deliver lessons and prepare students for this change. We will be cognizant of the initial support some students with higher levels of anxiety will need and our tremendous student support team will be available to assist. Our hope is that through this increased level of support and a more focused and distraction free environment, our students will improve their learning and become more successful students from both an academic and social-emotional perspective.

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

Athletics Calendar

• 3/14/25: Spring Performance- Finding Nemo Jr. 7pm
• 3/15/25: Spring Performance- Finding Nemo Jr. 2pm & 7pm
• 3/27/25: Last Day of Marking Period 3
• 3/28/25: SCHOOLS CLOSED Professional Responsibilities Day
• 3/31/25: SCHOOLS Closed Eid al-Fitr
• 4/1/25: First Day of Marking Period 4 and New Cell Phone Policy

Starting in the 4th marking period Springer Middle School will be implementing a 1-to-1 cell phone pouch system for all students every day. Students will be required to place cell phones and smart watches into a pouch each morning. Students will be responsible for the pouch each day and will return it before dismissal. If staff see any cell phones during the school day they will be required to turn their phone into the main office and repeat offenders will require having a parent or guardian come pick the phone up at Springer. Students will be permitted to use their phones on the busses, after school, and will not need pouches when they head to sporting events or field trips.

Our focus should be learning each day. We have seen an increase in cell phone related offenses. Additionally, we feel strongly that their is significant learning loss and undesirable behaviors occurring, which can be directly linked to the access students have to their cell phones. Our staff feel implementing this strategy, which has been done at schools across the state and country to rave results, will have a positive impact on the educational, social, and emotional experience our students will have at Springer Middle School.

Any questions or concerns regarding this new policy can be directed to Dr. Seemans at sterling.seemans@bsd.k12.de.us.

• Does my child/student have to take a pouch each day they walk into school?

Students will be required to place their cell phones in a pouch upon arrival each school day. Students will receive a pouch, place their phone and smartwatch in the pouch, and then head to the next staff member to show them the pouch has been locked. Students are responsible for each pouch and are strongly encouraged to place their pouches with their cell phones in their locker with a lock. We sell locks at our school door for 50 PBIS points.

• What happens when my child/student leaves at dismissal?

At dismissal, students will unlock their pouches on wall mounted and handheld magnets and return the pouch for inspection. Students will take their belongings out and proceed with dismissal.

• What happens if my child/student does not have a cell phone?

Students without cell phones will not be required to take a pouch.

• What happens if I need to get a hold of my child/student or they need to get a hold of me?

Parents are welcome to call the school. Phone calls can be transferred to classrooms. Students may also request to come down to the main office to call parents.

• What happens if my child/student loses or damages a pouch?

Students who lose or damage cell phone pouches will be responsible for the replacement cost, which is around $60.

• What happens if a child/student is caught by a staff member with a phone?

Students will have their device confiscated by an administrator immediately. Parents/guardian or adult designee will be required to come to Springer to pick up the offending student’s device. The student will receive a consequence which could include after school detention, placement in our In-School Suspension room, or more. Consequences for violation of our cell phone policy will be progressive in nature. Students who refuse to place their cell phones in pouches will also receive consequences as this is a violation of the cell phone policy.

• When can my child/student use their phone?

Students can use their phones before school, on the bus, and after school when students are dismissed. Students cannot use their phones at lunch.

• Can my child/student have a pouch that they take home each day?

Our team will be exploring an option for students to take a pouch home. If and when this becomes an option, students and their parents will have to sign an agreement that the pouch will be returned in good working order. Failure to return the pouch or if there is any damage to the pouch will result in a charge of the full cost of a replacement pouch which is around $60.

• Will pouches be cleaned?

Our YONDR cell phone pouches are machine washable and will be cleaned periodically.

• What if my child/student needs their phone for medical reasons (e.g., diabetes, etc.)?

Students with a written verified medical diagnosis from a doctor will be granted a pouch with a velcro top which allows them easier access to their phones.

• What happens if my child/student has an early dismissal, dismissal for sports, or is on a field trip?

Students who leave the building for any reason will have their pouches unlocked at the main office.

• What happens in the case of an emergency or lockdown situation?

Experts are unanimous that in the case of an emergency inside the building, students should not be on their phones. Students should be focusing on what adults are saying, as well as what they are seeing or hearing themselves. Students should be thinking about what to do and whether to evacuate, barricade, or counter (last resort). If the building evacuates, many staff are trained to bring safety bags with them which will have devices on them to unlock phones when students are in a safe and secure location.

We are excited to announce the start of our Springer reading challenge! Students will get rewarded with prizes for each book they read. The more books they read the better the prizes will be! Students will win snack line coupons, outside lunches, chances to win gift cards and more! Parents will need to fill out the google form below for every book they read. The google form will collect email addresses, which will be verified in the system. Students are encouraged to head to our library to check out a book. We will be tracking both individual progress and progress by grade level. The reading challenge will go on from Monday, March 10 through Thursday, April 17. Larger prize awards and a celebration of our overall winners will take place the week after Spring Break.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSci7l50f-ZTSmvuOS-hlmkySpQQDYG7Y7Fo4zqnpz9AqYBcXg/viewform?usp=dialog

Bark Builders are sponsoring Penny Wars to raise money for the victims of the California Wildfires. It will run for two weeks, starting Monday March 10th. The wars will pit grade levels against each other with the winning grade level getting pretzels. We will be using a point system. Pennies are 1 point, $1 are 100 points, $5 are 500 points. Nickels, dimes and quarters subtract their values (5, 10, 25) from the point total amount. So if you have the silver coins, put them in another grade level to lower their amount.

Springer hosted their annual AVID night. Families of current AVID students were invited to learn more about our AVID program and what their students are learning. Students shared speeches, goals, and food was prepared for guests.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a college and career readiness program designed to help students develop the skills they need to succeed in higher education and beyond. It focuses on teaching organizational strategies, critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and collaboration. AVID is often implemented in middle and high schools, with some elementary and college-level programs as well.

The program is particularly aimed at students who are academically in the middle and may be the first in their family to attend college. It provides support through elective classes, study skills training, tutoring, and mentorship to prepare students for rigorous coursework and post-secondary success.

If you are interested in signing your student up for AVID, please reach out to your child's school counselor for more information.

🌟 Happy School Social Work Week! 🌟

This week, we celebrated the incredible impact of school social workers, and today, we want to recognize Ms. Parks for her unwavering dedication to our students. 💙

One of our Springer students shared a special message about what Ms. Parks means to them and our Springer Community:

"Ms. Parks means a lot to me because she cares a lot about me and all of us. She is always there for me and is my safe space. She really is a life saver."

Thank you, Ms. Parks, for your compassion, support, and commitment to making a difference in students' lives every day. Your work does not go unnoticed!

When Springer students return in January we are excited to announce our return of our Homework club! The Springer Homework Club is a voluntary after-school program providing academic assistance to students. Homework Club is a program which is held from 3:15 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. on Wednesdays. They meet in room 184 which provides a quiet place to study for each student to assist them in completing their assignments. There will be supervision and access to teachers and school tutors who have been trained to assist students in their studies. A Google form will be added to students' counselor corner page in Schoology for students to sign up, but it can also be found below:

https://forms.gle/KMqsPqenddDJFy8Q7

Please join us for the next SFA Dine Out Night on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 12:00pm-8:00pm at Simple Greek! A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the SFA, which helps make Springer a better place to learn and work for our students and staff. Please bring the flier below or show a picture of it on your phone to ensure the SFA receives the donation!

If you need help access Schoology as a parent to help support your child, please click the following link to access a document that will provide you step-by-step directions:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZjlNYAoqfGxHO3dciOvXU5JOb11Zj7-E69a7-lPn4w4/edit?usp=sharing

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

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