Roller Pride

Steelton-Highspire High School Art Students recently enjoyed a unique opportunity collaborating with artist Linda Billet as part of the Art Sparks residency. Together, they crafted individual layered tiles, which were then fired and assembled into a larger three-part mosaic project. Coordinated by the PA Council on the Arts and PA Turnpike, these mosaic pieces are destined for display at the Highspire Service Plaza in Lower Swatara Township. The students navigated through various learning experiences and stages to bring this project to fruition. We eagerly anticipate celebrating their achievement with a grand reveal upon installation at the end of May.

Over the last month, the second graders in Ms. Merryman’s class embarked on an exciting journey of authorship, culminating in the creation of their very own book. Together, they explored the question: "What Does LOVE Mean to You?" Through brainstorming sessions, rough drafts, and careful revisions, they meticulously crafted their narratives. Adding a visual dimension, they adorned each page with captivating illustrations, breathing life into their words. Their dedication and hard work shine through in this beautiful publication, offering a heartfelt glimpse into their diverse perspectives on love.

Students selected for the PRIDE CLUB for marking period 3 received an invitation to the Gym on Friday, April 5th, 2024, where they participated in a series of games organized by PBIS team members. These students demonstrated consistent PRIDE behaviors throughout the third marking period. The activities featured basketball, hula hooping, jump roping, and the parachute game.

PRIDE behaviors are building wide expectations and are as follows:

P: Positive Attitude

R: Respect

I: Integrity

D: Dedication

E: Excellence

Mrs. Winter-Davis’ Human Geography classes recently completed research reports on countries around the globe. Students used The World Factbook website published by CIA.gov, which provides information like photos, culture, and government. Projects included elements of culture: government type and leader, religion and language, and popular sports as well as a map of the country with its absolute location. To present their research, students were given a choice of creating a physical poster or using Canva, a graphic design app, encouraging creativity in design. Presentations were displayed as a Gallery Walk for peers to take notes.

Steelton Mayor Ciera Dent graciously extended an invitation recently to the Elementary Student Council to participate in an official Steelton Borough Council meeting. During this event, they were honored with the presentation of a "key to the city." Thank you Mayor Dent for offering this experience to our young leaders.

Fifth-grade students in Mrs. Reigle's class have been delving into the fascinating topic of eclipses. To witness the phenomenon safely, they crafted pinhole viewers using cardboard tubes and paper, venturing out into the courtyard early in the morning to put their creations to the test. Later, they expanded their understanding by watching an educational video about eclipses. To further engage with the subject, students were encouraged to construct their own models of solar eclipses using LEGO pieces.

Members of the Club CSG Athleaders recently dedicated their time to support a valued community partner, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, in preparing their garden beds for the upcoming 2024 growing season. This collaboration is integral to the club’s "CSG Food Share" initiative, where the church generously contributes produce, volunteers, and event space.

On Tuesday, April 16th, the team completed the garden boxes at Mt. Zion, followed by a productive meeting to strategize the produce display in the elementary cafeteria. This display aims to inspire children to embrace healthy eating habits, a program referred to as “EAT 5 Enrichment”. Over the next four weeks, they will offer a variety of engaging presentations, each aligned with the fruits and vegetables served during lunchtime.

The club is lead by Mr. Rick Sayles and comprised of students from the Jr/Sr high school.

To learn more about this group and their efforts, please visit www.penncivilians.com

Ms. Lamichhane, a student teacher in Ms. Steckbeck's first-grade class, led a captivating weather unit with our students. Through engaging activities, they explored various types of weather using sensory bottles and interacted with an informative Canva presentation. Additionally, they had the opportunity to craft clouds using cotton balls and gained insight into the water cycle. Ms. Lamichhane seamlessly integrated weather concepts into our Sonday (phonemic awareness) lessons, employing a raindrop chart to help students construct words with blends and digraphs.

Dear Steelton-Highspire Elementary School Parents,

We would like to make you aware of the upcoming PSSA testing dates for students in 3rd- 6th grade. Please pay careful attention to the schedule listed below. It is imperative that students are on time and present during testing.

April 25th, 2024 (Thursday)

*Kindergarten-2nd grade will follow a regular schedule

*3rd-6th grade students will complete Section 1 and Section 2 of English Language Arts

April 26th, 2024 (Friday)

*Kindergarten-2nd grade will follow a regular schedule

*3rd-6th grade students will complete Section 3 of ELA

April 29th, 2024 (Monday)

*Kindergarten-2nd grade will follow a regular schedule

*3rd-6th grade students will complete Section 1 and Section 2 of Math

April 30th, 2024 (Tuesday)

*All students will follow a regular schedule.

*4th grade will take Section 1 and 2 of Science

Please review the documents posted on the school website, www.shsd.k12.pa.us, regarding Frequently Asked Questions about the PSSA test. By reviewing these documents with your child you can help make the testing experience a positive and successful event. Parental support is essential to the success of the Steelton-Highspire School District.

It is very important that your child comes to school on time and ready to do their very best. The following are ways to help your children be successful throughout this entire testing period.

1. Make sure they get a good night’s rest (minimum of 8 hours)

2. Ensure they are at school on time for breakfast (NO LATER THAN 8:30 AM)

3. Talk about the test with your child and encourage them to always do their best

In accordance with the State Board of Education’s Chapter IV Regulations, the only reason a parent may request that their child be excused from the testing is if the content of the test conflicts with their religious beliefs. If you feel your religious beliefs might conflict with the content of the test, please make an appointment to view the test materials with an administrator before requesting an exemption. Parents who have reviewed the materials and are requesting an exemption for their child must make a written request to Dr. Mick Iskric, Superintendent of Schools.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you,

Mrs. Megan Armstead

Elementary Principal

Dear Steelton-Highspire Jr./Sr/ High School Parents and Guardians,

We would like to make you aware of the upcoming PSSA testing dates for students in 7th and 8th grade.

Wednesday April 24th

• Grades 7-8 will participate in the PSSA English Language Arts (ELA) test Parts 1 and 2

Thursday April 25th

• 3 hour delay schedule
• Grades 9-12 will have a 3 hour delay schedule report time is 10:20 am
• Transportation will be provided with 3 hour delay
• 7th and 8th grade will report normal time for last ELA section 3 of test

Friday April 26th

• Grades 7-8 will be participating in the PSSA Mathematics Tests part 1 and 2

Monday April 29th

• Grades 8 will be participating in the PSSA Science tests part 1 and 2
• Grade 9 through 11 and grade 7 will work from home this day Asynchronous
• Seniors should report for ½ am for check in with advisors and counselors

*Students not participating in the PSSA testing sessions will remain home and be provided asynchronous work to complete. Google classroom will be essential for students during this time.*

Please review the documents posted on the school website, www.shsd.k12.pa.us, regarding Frequently Asked Questions about the PSSA test. By reviewing these documents with your child you can help make the testing experience a positive and successful event. Parent support is essential to the success of the Steelton-Highspire School District.

It is very important that your child comes to school on time and ready to do their very best. The following are ways to help your children be successful throughout this entire testing period.

1. Make sure they get a good night’s rest (minimum of 8 hours)
2. Ensure they are at school on time for breakfast: Doors open at 7:20am testing will begin promptly at 8:00am.
3. ALL electronic devices, including watches, air pods and phones, will be collected by the testing teachers and held for the entire testing session. They will be safely secured and put away.
4. Talk about the test with your child and encourage then to always do their best.

In accordance with the State Board of Education’s Chapter IV Regulations, the only reason a parent may request that their child be excused from the testing is if the content of the test conflicts with their religious beliefs. If you feel your religious beliefs might conflict with the content of the test, please make an appointment to view the test materials with an administrator before requesting an exemption. Parents who have reviewed the materials and are requesting an exemption for their child must make a written request to Dr. Mick Iskric,Superintendent of Schools.

We appreciate your support! Please continue to work with us to make sure that we achieve success for everystudent by blending communities and building effective schools.

Thank you,

Dr. Eleni M. Cordero

Principal

Keystone Scholars is Pennsylvania’s statewide Children’s Savings Account (CSA) program. It sets the expectation at birth for every child in Pennsylvania to pursue some form of post-high school education by providing a $100 automatic, at-birth investment for higher education savings to every child born or adopted by Pennsylvania residents on or after January 1, 2019. Money can be used between the ages of 18-29 for postsecondary expenses, including vocational and technical schools, qualified apprenticeships, 2–4-year college and graduate school programs.

Keystone Scholars has three primary goals:

• Help parents maintain high expectations for their child’s future education.
• Cultivate a future-focused identity in children.
• Prompt parents to start saving as early as possible to give funds the longest time to grow.

Research shows:

• Children with college savings in their name – even if that amount is modest – are three times more likely to pursue postsecondary education and four times more likely to graduate.
• CSAs have large positive effects on savings for college at age 12, with largest effects among disadvantaged children by race, income, and parent’s education.
• CSAs complement efforts to reduce inequality in early education, facilitate college completion, and improve post-college financial health.
• CSA effects extend beyond children, reducing maternal depression and increasing parental educational expectations for their children.
• Predicted household income and net worth are higher for adults who received parental financial support for college than for those receiving no such support.

Eligible families can claim and register their child’s account at pa529.com/keystone/ by entering:

• Child’s date of birth,
• State File Number from the child’s PA birth certificate, and
• Zip code on file when the child was born.

Once registered, families may open their own companion PA 529 account and link their Keystone Scholars account to contribute to their savings journey.

Counselor for grades K-2: Mrs. Lopez, glopez@shsd.k12.pa.us

Counselor for grades 3-6: Mrs. Rash, jrash@shsd.k12.pa.us

Counselor for grades 7-9: Ms. Sunday, bsunday@shsd.k12.pa.us

Counselor for grades 10-12: Mrs. Albert, aalbert@shsd.k12.pa.us

College & Career Counselor K-12: Vacant

Guidance Administrative Assistant: Ms. Navickas, jnavickas@shsd.k12.pa.us

Please visit this link for information regarding upcoming SAT testing dates and registration instructions: https://www.shsd.k12.pa.us/Page/4845

The Jr/Sr high school Guidance Department maintains a list of current scholarship opportunities for students. Please visit this link to view those opportunities: Guidance Dept Scholarship Opportunities

• 4/23: No School for Students - Staff In-Service
• 4/24-4/30: PSSA Testing Window