Bulldog Bulletin

• Message from the Principal
• Important Dates
• BARK Builders Bag Lunches
• Springer Students In All-State Band
• Arts for Peace Exhibit
• 2025 Middle School Honors Orchestra
• Course Selection Night at BHS
• Winter Athletics Update
• Eagles Spirit Day
• Food Trucks in our Family Consumer Science Class
• Coding Expo at Springer
• Secondary School Leadership Conference
• Wings Lacrosse
• Engineering Your Tomorrow
• Bulldog Sneaker Ball
• 8th Grade Parent Meeting
• Parent Volunteers Needed!
• Students Wanting To Attend Basketball Games
• Homework Club
• SFA Dine Out Night at Mazzella's Pizza
• Schoology Access for Parents
• SAFE-DE
• Transportation: WheresTheBus App
• Volunteering at Springer Middle School

Springer Families,

There are so many moments that make me proud to be the Principal of Springer Middle School. Sometimes the accomplishments, efforts, and growth of students and staff gets lost in the busyness of the school year, but other times it is right in front of you on full display. Wednesday evening was one of those times where I felt like I was watching a tv show of our students, staff, and community during a basketball game. The other team had brought their cheerleaders, which we ask teams not to do due to our spacing issues in the gym. This always adds some extra energy in the gym. The refs decided to not only cancel but not let us know they weren’t coming. This pushed the start of the games back. The opposing team and their coaching staff had their own energy which added to the intensity in our gym.

However, due to the leadership from our coaches, athletic director, and staff we pivoted. Mr. Xenakes, our 6th grade Social Studies teacher, and an assistant coach Mr. Reeves grabbed whistles and officiated the game without hesitation. Our cheerleaders were LOUD in the best possible way, but also supportive and respectful of the other team’s cheer squad. Our boys and girls on the court showed sportsmanship as they helped one another and the other team up when they fell. They didn’t complain about calls, just kept their heads in the game. There were so many things that could have derailed our focus and energy, which could have led to exhibiting behaviors contrary to our BARK expectations. Our community never wavered. It was a great night and two huge wins for our basketball teams. More importantly, it was a huge win for our school community and the culture our team and students are building at Springer Middle School. Go Dogs!

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

• 2/4/25: Report Cards Distributed
• 2/6/25: 8th Grade Parent Information Night
• 2/7/25: Wear Green for the Eagles Spirit Day
• 2/11/25: SFA Dine Out Day/Night at Mazzella's Pizza
• 2/21/25: Sneaker Ball School Dance

Our BARK Builders stepped up for our community again and helped bagged 198 bagged lunches with ham, turkey, bologna, and cheese sandwiches with chips, cookies, and water for the Emmanuel Dining Room West in Wilmington. Our BARK Builders is a wonderful club of Springer students who show true leadership throughout the year. Thanks to our students and Mrs. Carlson and Mrs. Gates for their efforts to help those in need and give our students this wonderful experience!

Congratulations to Violet Robbins (Clarinet) and Lucas Trievel (Mallet Percussion) on being selected to the Delaware All-State Band! Both students will perform with the 2025 All-State Band on March 22nd at Lake Forrest High School in Felton, Delaware. Special recognition to Tyler Overly (Alto Sax) and Sophia Schiff (Clarinet) for being first alternates.

Congratulations to all!

Congratulations to all of the Springer students who had their art work accepted into last Sunday's Arts for Peace exhibit at the Wilmington Library. The exhibit showcases art promoting peace and justice, created by students across Delaware, including talented young artists from Talley Middle School, Maple Lane Elementary, Springer Middle School, and Mount Pleasant High School. Congratulations to these students for their inspiring work!

Congratulations to our Springer students for being selected to the 2025 Middle School Honors Orchestra! They will perform with other specially selected students from Talley and P.S. Du Pont Middle Schools on Saturday, February 8th at 2:30 pm here at Springer.

Grace Chan, Justin Chen, Puteri Atirah, Robert Winchester, and Rahini Shinde on Violin, Amelia Wensell on Viola, and Rebecca Mack-Weber on Bass.

Bravissimi, tutti!

https://vpa.brandywineschools.org/

Wednesday:

Both our boys and girls basketball teams had huge games last night against McCullough Middle School. Both teams won by more than 30 points. The girls played first and kept McCullough scoreless in the first half. Offense was led by Allison Cleghorn who was crossing defenders up and scoring deep three point shots. Janyiah Tucker also had an offensive explosion as her shots could not miss. Defensively, Clare Williams, Julia Baxter, Hailey Mullenix, Talya Milionis, Italia Johnson, Khamari Adams, and Skye Lankenau shut down their offense.

In the boys game it was once again an offensive explosion led by Myles Tucker and Jabril Moore who could not be stopped. Myles in the paint and Jabril’s driving lead the team in points. Mason Waters, Sutton Smith, Aidyn Golson, and Tristan Rojas also contributed with key buckets. Defensively, the whole team got involved with plenty of steals, blocks, and stops.

We also want to give a huge shoutout to our cheerleaders who were the loudest we’ve ever heard them be as the McCullough’s team tried to show up and drown our girls out, which absolutely did not happen. Our cheerleaders looked and sounded amazing as they came together to bring the needed energy in both games. Congratulations girls who make us all so proud!

Monday:

Both the boys and girls varsity teams won convincingly yesterday at home against George Read Middle School. Both teams won by more than 30 points and showed tremendous sportsmanship! Both teams play again at home this Wednesday against McCullough Middle School. Congratulations to our cheerleaders who sounded, looked, and performed phenomenally yesterday. They hyped up our players and crowds! Thank you for your amazing support and half time stunts. You were all amazing! The girls basketball team opened their season in fine fashion on Monday beating George Read MS 46-9. The team moved the ball well and a majority of the girls scored at lease one basket. The team was led by Cleghorn (22) and Tucker (2) both scored in the double digits and provided energy and intensity throughout the game.

Students in Mrs. Johnson's Family and Consumer Science classes completed their end of the semester activities where they designed a food truck meal to "sell" to Springer staff. Students designed their food trucks in our CTE class and created menus. Our students not only cooked their items, but learned about food safety and hospitality management. Our staff loved the treats and goodies which were all extremely delicious!

Students in Ms. Dech's Coding class showcased their final activity of the semester. Students have been working hard all semester on creating the codes for their own games and story animations. Staff had the chance to come down and test out their games and experience their story animations. It was a wonderful way to wrap up semester 1 for these students!

Students from Springer's BRIDGES program and National Junior Honor Society teamed up and attended a Secondary Student Leadership Conference together. This conference was open to middle and high schools who wanted to learn how they can begin, continue, and/or enhance their inclusive footprint in their school. Topics included planning activities to increasing inclusion at their school, with a focus on planning Spirit Week and a chance to try out unified fitness equipment and activities. This was a great opportunity for all!

Kick off the new year with a bang at "Engineering Your Tomorrow" on Saturday, February 22! This is a great opportunity for middle school girls to leap into the exciting world of STEM by engaging in fun, hands-on experiments that ignite curiosity and creativity! Imagine their excitement as they connect with inspiring engineers and rockstar scientists who are eager to share their wisdom and spark the girls' passion for discovery!

But that's not all—we've got sessions for you too! Parents, caregivers, and teachers will gain invaluable insights and tips on how to guide the next generation through the maze of academic and career choices in the STEM universe.

Together, we can empower young women to explore, innovate, and thrive in the world of science and engineering!

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/nfd3vc7/lp/515f7cf7-cabb-45f8-a956-9be518aa19a4?source_id=0a64343d-97be-4ca3-895b-c43933077448&source_type=em&c=2ZEBSbN6yXC6cqpIvTCApAEc-UfroEtURjwAatPSXnOxUTtk3_HsHg==

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a "Sneaker Ball" school dance on Friday, February 21 from 6pm-8pm. Students are encouraged to wear their best sneakers and dress casually for the dance. The cost of the dance is $5 and any student who has been nominated for a BARK band will get to go for free. Students who have 2 or less referrals and no suspensions from Friday, January 10 to Thursday, February 20th will be permitted to go to the dance.

On Thursday, February 6th their will be a brief meeting in lieu of the SFA meeting for 8th grade parents. We will be covering topics such as 8th grade promotion ceremony, next steps for high school, the 8th grade formal dance and more. We hope to see you in the Springer auditorium at 6:30pm.

Our 8th grade formal will be on Saturday May 17, 2025. Our formal is an annual tradition where parents of students from all grade levels pitch in to pull off a variety of tasks which include creating decorations, set up, tear down, food and drink, etc. In order to make this event as special as it has been each and every year before it, we are in desperate need of volunteers. If you are interested in helping, please complete the form below. We will hold a special meeting with anyone interested in the near future to begin planning for this wonderful end of the year event for our 8th graders.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCYXNazKm3bzX9AAsfGFeWqyXZRLb9J27YJ893ZVLqPI-_Og/viewform?usp=dialog

With the limited space in our gym, we are requiring that any student who wishes to attend a basketball game needs to have their parent or guardian with them to attend. Students who wish to attend as spectators will need to check in at the door by an administrator. Students without their parent or guardian will be asked to leave. We will not permit a parent or guardian to bring multiple students who are not their direct caregiver.

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, February 11, 2025 from 10:00am-9:00pm. 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