Vision:

Spring Trail Elementary inspires each individual to believe in their potential for success by providing a safe, engaging, and diverse learning environment.

Mission:

Spring Trail Elementary is a safe and diverse learning community where staff and students work collaboratively to support and prepare students for lifelong learning through an academically challenging environment.

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As we enter this festive season, we wish you and your loved ones a joyful and meaningful holiday. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Las Posadas, Lunar New Year, Winter Solstice, or sharing traditions unique to your family, may this time be filled with happiness, peace, and connection.

From lighting menorahs and diyas to participating in Las Posadas celebrations, gathering for ’ohana feasts, or sharing stories of the season, we honor the richness of our diverse community. Your traditions and cultures bring so much warmth and vibrancy to our shared experience, and we can’t wait to hear all about them when we return on Monday, January 6th, 2025.

From all of us to you, we wish you Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Shubh Diwali, Feliz Las Posadas, Happy Lunar New Year, and a season of love and light!

Enjoy your time with your families!

All our best,

Mrs. Dupuis and Mr. Krause

Mrs. VanLaningham's second graders are diving into the world of technology, using their Chromebooks to type paragraphs and the excitement is through the roof! The students are absolutely loving this new way of writing, and it’s inspiring them to share their stories with enthusiasm. Their passion for writing is growing every day! Mrs. VanLaningham shared one of their paragraphs with me, and I couldn't wait to share it with all of you. Here's a small glimpse of what our talented kids can do. Amazing work, AJ! We are so proud of you!

Second grade students jumped into learning about the past by connecting it to their own family histories and traditions. As part of this engaging project, each student designed a paper figure representing themselves, adorned in traditional cultural attire that reflects their unique heritage. This activity not only helped students understand the importance of their cultural roots but also celebrated the diversity within the classroom. Through this activity, the students gained a deeper appreciation for how personal and family stories contribute to a shared understanding of history. This is an activity second grade does every year and we absolutely appreciate how it connects to our Conditions for Learning and appreciation of our diverse community!

We have wrapped up IReady testing and benchmark results should be on their way home to all of you. If you haven't received them yet, you will get the prior to winter break. Please feel free to reach out to our staff if you have any questions.

Winter is here, and so is all the frosty fun that comes with it! In U46, our guideline is to have outdoor recess unless the temperature drops below 11°F. But to keep things cozier, we’ve decided to call for indoor recess when the temperature, including wind chill, hits 15°F or lower.

Snow days are magical for kids, and we want to make sure they’re ready to enjoy them! Here’s how students can make the most of their winter recess:

• Gear Up for Snowy Adventures: To play in the snow, students need boots, gloves, and snow pants. Without these, they’ll still enjoy recess but need to stay on the playground.
• Snow Play Fun: Snow angels, snowmen, and snow forts? Yes, please!
• Safety First: Snow stays on the ground—no snow throwing! We want everyone to stay safe and have fun.

Winter recess is a time for big smiles and rosy cheeks, and your support helps make it even better. Thank you for helping our students come prepared to enjoy the season!

We’ve noticed an increase in calls about family vacations during the school year. While I understand and value the importance of family time, I encourage you to consider how extended absences can impact your child’s academic and social progress. Our curriculum moves forward each day, and while reviewing materials on vacation can help, it doesn’t replace the benefits of in-person learning and classroom experiences.

To support your child’s success, we kindly ask that you plan vacations during school breaks whenever possible. Reviewing the school calendar ahead of time can make this easier. Thank you for your understanding and partnership in helping your child thrive!

Break down of Attendance Percentages:

Green (positive attendance) = 95% +
Yellow (borderline chronic) = 90% - 94.9%
Red (chronically absent) = Below 90%

Overall School Percentage: 95.8% (down .2%)

Kindergarten: 95.2% (down .7%)

First Grade: 95.8% (up 1.1% - WELL DONE)

Second Grade: 95.8% (down .3%)

Third Grade: 95.8% (up .2% - KEEP IT MOVING)

Fourth Grade: 96.5% (up .2% - KEEP IT MOVING)

Fifth Grade: 95.7% (up .2% - KEEP IT MOVING)

Sixth Grade: 96.2% (down .2%)

Our Squishmallow Attendance Challenge is about to end!!! We can't wait to award EIGHT children with new squishmallows!!!!!!

Don’t miss out on capturing your child’s amazing memories this year! Yearbook orders are open all year, and here’s the best part: the more yearbooks we sell, the more Treering donates to help students who might not be able to afford their own.

Let’s make sure everyone gets to treasure their school memories!

🎉 Order yours today: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1016364339231287

Secure your child’s yearbook now and help us spread joy to even more students! 💛

Click on the form below to give a little love to the teachers and staff at Spring Trail Elementary.

To Mrs. Baughman from Mrs. Gasperini:

Owen is having a fantastic year in Mrs. Baughman's class! She goes above and beyond; one example is all of the incentives to reward positive behavior and participation. It is really motivating for her students and reinforces positive behavior. Her communication with parents is also fabulous! As a parent, I feel like I know what is going on in the classroom which is very helpful in reinforcing concepts and messages. Owen comes home everyday full of enthusiasm for what he did that day!

To Mrs. Sieczka from Mrs. Scatchell:

Gio just loves his teacher . Everyday he comes home and tells me how nice she is . Thanks for being such a great teacher to the whole class . He really enjoys you !!!

To Miss Asta from Mrs. Panvino:

She is a fantastic teacher, my son talks about her and what they do in class all the time! He even plays school when he gets home.

To Mrs. Baughman from Cole and Mrs. Wedel:

I always have fun in your classroom. Thank you for your kindness - Cole

To Miss Giannelli from Khalisie:

Shout out to Miss Giannelli for helping me cross the street safely every morning. She is always greeting everyone with a smile and with happy music even when it is cold.

To Mrs. Sobczak from Mrs. Ciaglo:

Parker really enjoys having Mrs Sobczak as his teacher. He has said many times how she believes in them!

To Ms. Liner from Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy:

My wife and I are extremely appreciative of the level of communication provided Mrs. Liner. Whether the news is of a behavorial or educational nature, we know what to focus on at home. Thank you!

To Mrs. Leakakos from Mr. and Mrs. Anthony:

We are so thankful for Mrs. Leakakos and would like to give her a shout out! She has great routines and organization, which is helpful for parents to support their children. Mrs. Leakakos has great communication with families, and she sets high expectations for her students while making learning fun for them. Thank you for teaching our son to be independent, have pride in himself, and take ownership of his learning!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Giving Tree gift giving! We had all of our ornamets taken from the tree which will make our families very happy! Please make sure you drop the gifts and the ornaments back to the building by Monday, December 16th.

On December 5th, we had over 120 students Unleashed their inner mermaid and dove into style by creating keychains or bracelts. Students had a blast making a special item to bring home to wear! Thanks to our two parent volunteers (Mrs. Cyr & Mrs. Amodeo) that supported the event!

When we get back from break, students will have the opportunity to participate in decorating there cubbies. Students will pay 5 Paw's to participate in this event. Students can bring in things from home to add to the decoration of their cubbies!

(16) Monday: Ugly Sweater Contest

(17) Tuesday: Celebrate the season, celebrate your roots-holiday or cultural attire, it all suits!

(18) Wednesday: Holiday Accessory

(19) Thursday: Dress as a Holiday Present

(20) Friday: Holiday PJ Day

We will have a three winners for the most creative ugliest sweater! Students will vote on this during lunch! Winners will recieve a really cool prize!

You can now engage with Mrs. Dupuis, Mr. Krause and Spring Trail Elementary via social media! Be sure to check out our updates!!!!

X:

@ndupuis5

@Jason_Krause5

Instagram:

Springtrailelem

Be sure to check out the PTO Newsletter from last week.

If you are in need of childcare before or after school, Right At School has openings. The best part about the program is that it is housed right at Spring Trail. The staff are wonderful and they help ensure the children get their homework completed.