Roller Pride

PA Attorney General, Michelle Henry, was our special guest on Friday, September 29, 2023 as the Steelton-Highspire high school hosted Henry and others for a round table discussion regarding gun violence. Please review the links below for the press release from the Office of the Attorney General as well as media coverage by abc 27 news. We are so proud of our students for engaging in this critical conversation.

Office of the Attorney General Press Release

abc27 Coverage

7th-grade students in Mr. McIntosh's Life Science class learned about the scientific method recently and put it into practice by creating and testing paper rockets. The students created their own experiments with the paper rockets to determine what they thought was the best method to make it travel as far as possible. This was a fun and engaging way for these learners to practice the steps of the scientific method.

Students in Ms. Keeney’s Art I, Art II, and Art Foundations classes and the Art Club visited Meadowbrooke Gourds in Carlisle, PA on September 20, 2023. They had a full tour of the gourds factory which is the largest in the country. The grassroots business was developed in 1996 in Mechanicsburg, PA. Students learned about their farming practices and how they rotate their fields by planting sunflowers on alternating years. We took the opportunity to explore photography in natural surroundings and an added bonus was being able to bring fresh-cut sunflowers home.

To learn more about Meadowbrooke Gourds, visit: https://www.mbgourds.com/

Mr. Houck’s 5th grade science class is reinforcing their learning about food chains and ecosystems by engaging in a friendly card game, called “Eat ot Be Eaten!” This card game helped reinforce what we have learned about the food chains and how the energy flows through an ecosystem. The objective of the game is to make as many cards as you can into food chains AND make those food chains as long as you can. Point values change depending on the length of the food chain. At the end they tally up their score and the highest score wins.

This is both a creative and interactive way to help students grasp the concept of food chains and the flow of energy in ecosystems. It also encourages strategic thinking as players try to build the most efficient and complex food chains to earn the most points. Plus, it's a great way to make learning about science more enjoyable and memorable for students!

Ms. Verbecken's kindergarten class is working on comparing numbers to determine if they are equal by matching. During class, the students practiced by lining up 2 groups of counters, each group having 1 – 5 counters. The students then matched a counter from one group to a counter from the next group. If the counters in each group could be matched with a counter in the other group, the groups were equal in number. If one group had more (or less) counters than the other group the groups were not equal in number. Right after math, the students have a snack. On this day the snack was Mega Fruit Loops. The students lined up their fruit loops by color, and checked to see if the 2 groups were equal in number or not. If the groups were equal they showed a thumbs up, if not they showed a thumbs down. These amazing Kinder Kids proved Nana wrong- sometimes it is okay to play with your food!

Homecoming week at the Jr/Sr high school was a week of spirited festivities, all designed to foster a sense of community and pride among students, alumni, and the local community. This past week, students and staff participated in Homecoming Spirit Week, which featured a range of theme days where everyone got to show their school spirit through creative attire.

Friday afternoon saw the enthusiastic participation of both students and staff in the inaugural pep rally of the year. Everyone was welcomed into the gym with the lively tunes of the marching band, offering musical enjoyment throughout the event. Representatives from each grade level engaged in various games, adding to the excitement, and we enjoyed the "stunt" challenge that unfolded between the cheerleaders and football players. Furthermore, we took a moment to honor our senior athletes and band members, acknowledging their outstanding contributions. It was an enjoyable and memorable occasion for everyone involved.

The climax of homecoming week occurred when the Roller football team faced off against the Middletown Area Blue Raiders at War Veteran's Memorial Field. The backdrop of a picturesque fall day added to the excitement and brought together a diverse crowd of students, parents, alumni, and community members. During half-time, Sean Bennett and Aaliyah Pillier were crowned as the Homecoming King and Queen. The Rollers clinched an impressive victory, with a score of 48-7 over the Blue Raiders.

The homecoming dance is scheduled for Saturday, October 28, 2023, with more information set to be revealed soon. This dance is eagerly anticipated as another opportunity for students to come together and celebrate their school spirit in a semi-formal setting.

To view the full album of Homecoming photos, please visit the Steelton-Highspire Jr/Sr High School Facebook page: Steelton-Highspire Jr/Sr High Facebook Page

We are excited to share that approximately fifteen Steelton-Highspire School District paraeducators and three teachers are currently enrolled in the Capital Area Intermediate Unit's (CAIU) program: Capital Area Pathways to Teaching (CAPT). According to CAIU, “Educators with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education can earn a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching. This program provides the opportunity for them to earn either a Master’s of Arts and Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Education by completing 36 credit hours (12 courses) or an MAT in Secondary Education by completing 39 credit hours (13 courses) — all while working in a classroom.”

On Saturday, October 7, 2023 The Peyton Walker Foundation will be hosting a free heart screening clinic in conjunction with UPMC Heart & Vascular Institute. This clinic is open to all students ages 10-22 years old regardless of what school they attend. Please consider registering your child(ren) for this important event which could save a life.

To register, visit: PeytonWalker.org

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

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

10/6: Progress reports available in Power School

10/23-27: Red Ribbon Week (see flyer below)

Counselor for grades 7-9:

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

College & Career Counselor K-12: Mr. Bragg, lbragg@shsd.k12.pa.us

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

1st marking period progress reports will be available in Powerschool on 10/6/23. Please ensure that parent/guardian email addresses on file are up to date and that you have access to Powerschool.

Important Dates:

10/6: Progress reports available

10/12: Shippensburg University on campus (11th & 12th grade students)

10/18: York College on campus (11th & 12th grade students)

Nutrislice is an app and website that students, staff, and parents can load onto your iPhone or Android device that allows you to interactively monitor calories, sodium, carbs etc.... of the breakfast/lunch meals we serve. The website link above takes you to the Steelton-Highspire School District's Nutrislice website.

The instructions below tell you how to put the app on your mobile phone.

Nutrislice Mobile Device Instructions:

• To access the Nutrislice site on your phone go to your App Store for iPhone or Google Play Store for Android devices and type in Nutrislice.
• Install the app then if prompted for a school district type Steelton-Highspire School District .
• Select our district then you can view each school's menu.
• Tap on each menu selection and it will open up the nutritionals for each menu selection.

*Please note that menus are subject to change based on the availability of products.*

With the start of the new school year, we also recognize that the common cold, flu and COVID cases are on the rise around the country.

Below is a list of good habits to practice to help prevent the spread of illness & COVID.

1. Always practice good hygiene.
2. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds each time, bring hand sanitizer with you when going outdoors especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
3. Avoid touching face (eyes, nose, mouth).
4. Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
5. Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible, all grocery items after you get home.
6. If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work.
7. If your children are sick, keep them at home. Contact your medical provider.
8. Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever (100.4F), cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste and smell.
9. Students and staff who are not feeling well are recommended to wear a mask.

The True Colors program aims to help assist public and private academic institutions in increasing student engagement by fostering inclusivity and a sense of belonging in the school community. True Colors strives to help high school educators inspire citizenship and service in the school community by giving their students an outlet to discuss pressing societal issues. The program's instructional staff aims to boost academic achievement through collaborative planning with instructors and counselors in order to mentor students in an education program that builds critical life skills and practical knowledge in the fields of art, education, healthcare, athletic coaching, engineering, IT, and entrepreneurship.

To learn more about the program, please visit:

Website: https://www.meenhancedbywe.com

YouTube: True Colors (overview)

The Steelton-Highspire School District and athletics department would like to extend our gratitude to all PIAA officials during this Fall Sports Appreciation Week.

To read more about Officials Appreciation Week from the PIAA, please visit: http://www.piaa.org/news/details.aspx?ID=4151

• 10/3: Elementary Picture Day
• 10/4: Early Dismissal (Staff In-Service)
• 10/7: Free Heart Screening Clinic (see flyer below for more info)
• 10/9: All schools & offices closed - Columbus Day
• 10/14: Latino Reading Festival (see flyer below for more info)
• 10/21: Free Flu Shot Clinic (see flyer below for more info)
• 10/22: HCPAC Trunk or Treat (see flyer below for more info)
• 10/23: SHU Painted Pumpkin Contest (see flyer below for more info)
• 10/28: Homecoming Dance for grades 9-12
• 10/30 & 10/31: Parent-Teacher Conferences