School News

Dear Springdale Families,

We had a wonderful performance by our very talented fifth-grade instrumental music and choral students.   The theme was all about finding little things in life that bring you joy.   Many people spend time lamenting on all the big things they want, or the things they don’t have and are perpetually disappointed or even angry.   Joyful people are grateful for what they have and focus on the more meaningful things that cannot be purchased or earned.   Being joyful means remaining content and fulfilled, regardless of the slings and arrows life may bring.     The fifth graders performed three shows throughout the week and sounded better each time.   On Tuesday, our Kindergarten and First Grade students dressed up to see the show.   They wore fancy dresses and even suits and ties. Not only were they adorable, but we could see that it made the fifth graders proud to have such an audience and it brought the staff much joy to watch.  Being joyful is easy for those of us who have the privilege of working with kids all day.   Thank you for sharing your children with us. 

REMINDER:  

We dismiss at 1:20 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for report card conferences.  Click here free ride share program that can help you get to the school.   PLEASE CHECK LOST AND FOUND WHILE YOU ARE HERE!   Whatever is not claimed by next week will be donated to a local charity.   

 

Have a joyful weekend,

Gloria Manna

 

The Springdale Staff would like to express our gratitude for all of your heartfelt support for our school.  We appreciate you and your children! 

Have a Joyful Thanksgiving. 

 

Dear Springdale Families,

We are so excited to have been recognized by the State Department of Education as a School of Distinction for student growth in math achievement.  Some of you may remember that we were a School of Distinction prior to the covid emergency.  While we have not returned to our pre-covid achievement levels, please know that we are working hard every day to get there and to regain the distinction in both reading and math.  Thank you for all you do to support your children and our school community.  

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for the week of December 9th.  All teachers have up to 30 appointments available and we encourage you to take the time to meet with specialists, special education, and intervention teachers as well as your child’s classroom teachers.   Springdale staff uses a variety of before and after school times for your convenience.  You will be able to book beginning on Monday, November 25th, and will close on Friday, December 6th.   Please take the time to schedule your appointment during this window.   If you need an appointment after that, please contact your child’s teacher.   We will also have staff available in the afternoon to help you access Power School and your child’s online report card.   The Hubbard Class asks families to contact them personally to schedule an appointment.  

1.    To book an appointment, please go to https://springdale.schoolappointments.com/

2.    Register for an account by clicking the "REGISTER" menu tab and filling in the online form.  Choose a user id and password for yourself and then click the "Register Now" button.

3.    Add your children to the system by clicking the "Add a Student" button.  Click the "Insert New" button to add more children.

4.    Click the "date" icon beside each child's name to schedule appointments.  Select the staff you wish to book appointments with and the "View Calendars" button.  Use the "Ctrl" or "Command" key to select multiple staff to view at the same time. 

5.    Click on available time slots to book your appointments to make your bookings.

Have a good weekend and a joyful Thanksgiving!

Best,

Gloria Manna

Dear Springdale Families,

Wednesday, November 27 is an early release day for Thanksgiving and we will have our annual Turkey Trot in the back lot by the playground.   Please feel free to cheer your child on from the bleachers.   The times your child will be trotting are listed below.  If you plan to take your child home after the Trot, please notify your child’s teacher in advance so they can have their belongings handy. 

Grade 5…9:45 

Grade 4…10:05 

Grade 3…10:25 

Grade 2…10:45 

Grade 1…11:05 

Grade K…11:25 

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As the days get shorter and the weather colder, it’s a good time to think about screen time.  Each year, we see groups of students new to navigating the internet and playing games without adult supervision, get exposed to inappropriate content and become somewhat addicted to their devices.   The immediate feedback students get from social media or games releases dopamine in the brain, which causes addiction, and can make it harder for your child to concentrate and learn.  It’s easy to default to devices when it’s too dark to play outside.  However, it's important to stay aware of how our on-screen and off-screen activities fit into our lives. Do a media balance checkup on your family.  Get one or more family members together to help.

Remind the children that just as we balance the food we eat to stay healthy, we should balance our media use. Media includes the shows and videos we watch, the video games and apps we play, and the music we listen to.  Together, consider questions to see if their media use is balanced. Then, decide if you want to make some changes.

• Do digital devices (phones, tablets, TV) ever keep us from getting enough sleep?

• Do we use them while we eat? 

• Do we do activities together without devices?

• Do we ever use them together?

• Does our digital device use ever cause fights? If so, what are the fights about?

• When we use our devices, how is it fun? What do we learn?

• Is there anything we want to change about how we use our devices? If so, what?

Does the way your family uses media feel balanced and healthy? Does your family agree? If you want to make changes, what are they?  Think of changes that work for the whole family since you're all on the same team!

 

Have a joyful weekend,

 

Gloria Manna

Dear Springdale Families,

This week, we enjoyed a wonderful Veteran’s Day Assembly and Flag Planting on our front lawn.   We were honored to have four Veterans speak to our school, and two of them were related to our students.   Mr. Androvic is a parent and Marine Veteran.   Mr. Griffin is a grandparent, Army, and National Guard Veteran.   The children enjoyed hearing stories about their service and sacrifice.   The video we show at the end of this assembly brings many of our students and staff to tears and definitely supports and enhances our school-wide gratitude Campaign.  Additionally, our upper-grade students learn about the diversity of our Armed Forces.   We teach them about the Tuskegee Airmen and The Navajo Code Talkers.   These are incredible stories of brave and trailblazing Americans that our students always find moving and inspirational.   We hope this lesson helps to motivate your children to dream big for their future!

Turkey Bingo is Thursday, November 11 in the Gymnasium.   Advance sign-up is required to come and hear me tell bad bingo jokes!   Our PTO has a new email:   SpringdaleElementaryPTO@gmail.com

Reminder: No School on Monday for Veteran’s Day.