Family Resources

The Office of Support Services is pleased to provide this quarterly resources aimed at supporting families and helping them connect with community resources.

This resource is for our families. We strive to provide you with an exhaustive list of supports to help you and your family grow and thrive. Below, you will find information about available parenting workshops and sessions, community resources like mental health supports, homelessness programs, drug and alcohol resources, and food banks, and links to our social work staff. We hope you find this resource helpful. We are here to support you and your child as they grow to be productive citizens in Springfield Township!

Don't worry, we have you covered! Be Part of the Conversation keeps their recorded sessions archieved on their YouTube channel for you to access whenever you have the chance.

Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/c/conversationzone/videos

The Equitable Practices Committee met on April 24, 2024. During this meeting, we reviewed the Equity Action Plan's three year goals, discussed our next steps for an audit, and reviewed data collected through our Panorama surveys. Out of this work, we developed an Equity Action Plan in Review document that will help guide our upcoming audit work through the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium.

Pennsylvania law requires that upon entry into school or transferring from out of state or out of country all children must have a physical examination and dental examination. This regulation also applies to students transferring into our school district from in-state where transferred school health records do not meet these criteria. This requirement also includes children attending public, private, and parochial schools in Springfield Township.

In addition, Pennsylvania law requires that children in all grades entering public, private, and parochial schools in the Commonwealth MUST have the following specific immunizations BEFORE entry:

• 4 doses of tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis (1 dose on or after the 4th birthday) (Usually given as DTP or DTaP or if medically necessary, DT or Td)

• 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given)

• 2 doses of measles, mumps, rubella (usually given as MMR)

• 3 doses of hepatitis B

• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity

For Attendance in 7th Grade

• 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap)

• 1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)

For Attendance in 12th Grade

• 1 additional dose of MCV (total of 2 doses)

If a child does not have all the doses listed above, the child’s parent/guardian must provide a medical plan, signed by a healthcare provider, for obtaining the required immunizations or risk exclusion.

NOTE: These requirements allow for medical reasons and religious beliefs. If your child is exempt from immunizations, they may be removed from school during an outbreak.

Physical examinations and dental examinations completed after July 1, 2023, will meet the State Health Regulations for the 2024-2025 school year. We encourage you to have these procedures completed by your family doctor and dentist who are familiar with your child’s health history. Please have the attached forms completed and return them to your child’s assigned school in an envelope marked, ATTENTION School Nurse, on or before September 3, 2024.

All medications, including over-the-counter medications (Tylenol, Motrin, and Benadryl, etc.), administered at school require prescriber and parent/guardian written permission. Forms must be renewed at the beginning of each school year. Please click here for the Medication Administration Consent Form.

All medications, must be sent to the School Nurse in the original container from the pharmacy, marked with the following:

• Student Name
• Name of Medication
• Time and Dose

Medications will not be given to the student without the written permission of the parent and doctor. If the doctor writes a prescription, please ask for a duplicate for the School Nurse to keep on file if the medication is to be administered during school hours. This duplicate should be sent to school with the medication in the above-mentioned manner. A written note from the parent giving the reason, time and dose, as well as permission to give the drug to the child, must accompany the medication.

Unless prearranged with the school nurse, all medication will be kept in a locked cabinet in the Nurse's Office.

The School District of Springfield Township is pleased to present the 2024 Flu Clinic this fall. Students will be able to receive their annual flu shots during the school day. There will be no cost to families. Paper consent forms, including infomation about the vaccine, will be coming home with students during the first week of school. Please complete and return your child's consent form to the school nurse no later than Friday, October 18, 2024. Once the consent form is received, your child will be put on the schedule to receive their shot during the school day.

Enfield- Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Erdenheim- Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Middle School- Tuesday, October 22, 2024

High School- Wednesday, October 23, 2024

• If you complete the paperwork and your child receives a flu vaccine at another provider, please reach out to the school nurse via email at least 2 days prior to the scheduled clinic. This sill ensure that your child is removed from the list and is not double vaccinated.
• The vaccine clinic is designed to be a supportive environment where students can receive their vaccination with peers. From time to time, students may have an aversion to needles and will refuse their vaccine. If this happens, our staff will reach out to you. Please understand that we always do our best to have students receive their vaccine. However, we are not able to force students to receive the vaccine under any circumstance.

The Children's Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP, provides uninsured kids up to age 19 with health insurance. Most kids qualify for free CHIP coverage. CHIP coverage includes routine check-ups, prescriptions, hospitalization, dental, eye care, eyeglasses, behavioral care, speciality care and more.

To apply or renew your child's CHIP coverage, please visit CHIPcoversPAkids.com or call

1-800-986-KIDS.

Are you experiencing homelessness? Springfield Township is here to support you!

Please reach out to your building social worker for assistance with services and answers to questions regarding your child's rights while experiencing homelessness.

You can also access information on our webpage.

Al-Anon: Local 12-step support group, free, and anonymous for families and friends of person with a drug or alcohol problem

Alcoholics Anonymous of Southeastern, PA: Local 12-step free support group for individuals struggling with an alcohol problem

Aldersgate: Substance abuse education and counseling located in Willow Grove, PA

Montgomery County Office of Drug and Alcohol: The Montgomery County Office of Drug and Alcohol provides a wide range of drug and alcohol services to county residents in the areas of Prevention, Intervention, Treatment, and Recovery Support.

Narcotics Anonymous: Local 12-step free support group for individuals struggling with a drug problem.

The goal of stoAc is to educate the school community and increase understanding about Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the stigma behind it. They promote proactive, open, non-judgemental and healthy environments through ongoing, open, and honest conversations.

• Springfield Township Opioid Action Committee - Parent Pamphlet
• Springfield Township Opioid Action Committee - Teen Pamphlet

Peter's Place is a local grief and loss organization committed to provide families and children with counseling and support as their grieve the loss of a loved one.

If you are interested in finding out more information or would like to access services, please call 610.687.5150 or email them at info@petersplaceonline.org.

Have a tip? Contact the Safe2Say Hotline. Students and parents can anonymously report threats and concerns through call, text or through the app.

Call 1-844-SAF2SAY

Download the app by searching SAFE2SAYPA

Report online at SAFE2SAYPA.org

With gun suicide on the rise and firearms becoming the leading cause of death among children in the United States in 2020, the School District of Springfield Township is pleased to present information on the importance of secure firearm storage as an essential part of home safety to the members of our school and surrounding community.

Be SMART is a framework designed to help families normalize conversations about gun safety to help prevent child gun deaths and injuries. Please take a minute to review the Be SMART framework and check out the besmartforkids.org site to learn more about how you can take responsible actions for gun safety.

Our Office of Support Services and Registrar are always happy to answer your questions regarding residency!

As a reminder, you must live in the School District Springfield Township boundaries in order to attend school here. If you move during the school year, please complete the Change of Address Form to keep your most current address on file.

Elementary School Hours
Regular School Day: 8:55 am - 3:25 pm
Early Dismissal: 8:55 am - 12:00 pm
2-Hour Delay: 10:55 am - 3:25 pm

Middle and High School Hours
Regular School Day: 7:45 am - 2:41 pm
Early Dismissal: 7:45 am - 11:10 am
2-Hour Delay: 9:45 am - 2:41 pm

To report an absence to your child's school, please email and include your child's full name and grade in the subject line as well as a reason for your child's absence citing one of the approved reasons.

Note: If you email, you do not have to call the office.

• Enfield: en_attendance@sdst.org
• Erdenheim: er_attendance@sdst.org
• Middle School: ms_attendance@sdst.org
• High School: hs_attendance@sdst.org

If you choose to call the office or are in need of a last minute early dismissal, please dial:

• Enfield: (215) 233-6080
• Erdenheim: (215) 233-6085
• Middle School: (215) 836-3006
• High School: (215) 233-6030 (Option 1)

If you choose to call, you must follow up with an email or a written note within 3 school days for the absence to be excused.

The following are School Board approved conditions for an excused absence to be granted based on Pennsylvania School Code:

• Illness
• Quarantine
• Family Emergency including a death in the family
• Family Educational Travel, Tours, and Trips (with prior approval by SDST administration)
• Impassable Roads
• Recovery from Accident
• Required Court Appearance

As we return from an unprecedented year when students had the option to remain at home and participate in virtual schools, we would be remiss to think that students won't have some anxiety about returning to school. However, when school refusal turns into a daily battle and frequent absences, parents may need some support.

What is school refusal?

School refusal is a term used to describe the signs of anxiety a school-aged child has and his or her refusal to go to school. It is also called school avoidance or school phobia. It can be seen in different types of situations, including:

• Young children going to school for the first time. This is a normal type of school refusal. This develops with a child's normal separation anxiety, or uneasiness about leaving a parent figure. This type of fear often goes away a few days after the child starts school.

• Fear. Older children may have school phobia based on a real fear of something that may happen to them at school. This could be a bully or a teacher being mean. In this situation, it's important to talk with your child to find out what is causing his or her fears.

• Distress. The final type of school phobia is seen in children who are truly distressed about leaving their parent and going to school. Often these children enjoy school. But they are too anxious about leaving their parents to attend.

What are the signs of school refusal?

Every child is different. But these are some of the behaviors your child may have:

• Your child may complain of other symptoms, such as a stomachache or headache, that get better as soon as he or she is allowed to stay home.

• Your child may tell you that he or she is anxious or afraid of a certain situation that happens at school.

• Your child may not want to leave you because of a change in their life, such as:

• New school

• Just moved

• New brother or sister

• Sick brother, sister, or parent

• Divorce

• Death in the family

Managing school refusal

Every child is unique. So each situation will be handled on an individual basis. These are some of the interventions that may be used to help your child:

• Return the child to school. Make sure the school officials understand the situation and don't send the child home for the wrong reasons.

• Think about family counseling if other problems exist.

• Let the child talk about his or her concerns and fears.

• Slowly separating the parent from the child in school may also be used. One approach is to have the parent sit with the child in the classroom at first. Then the parent may attend school, but sit in another room. Next, the parent may continue to get farther away.

• A referral to a child psychologist or psychiatrist may be needed.

Reference: https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=school-refusal-90-P02288

Dr. Michelle L. Lutz

Director of Support Services

215-233-6000 ext. 1017

michelle_lutz@sdst.org