Roller Pride

January is School Director Recognition Month! Please join us in celebrating Steelton-Highspire School District school directors who volunteer their time to serve our students, schools and communities.

Save the date! The MLK Day of Reading event will take place on Monday, January 20th from 10:30-11:30am at Rep. Dave Madsen's office located at 383 S. Front St, Steelton.

Interested in making a difference? Join our next FACE (Family & Community Engagement) Committee Meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd. This meeting will take place online at 5:30pm.

The meeting link will be shared closer to the meeting date.

The FACE Committee helps to plan fun and engaging events for our students and their families. NO experience is required, and we encourage all who are able and interested to attend.

For additional information, please contact Mrs. Thomas, Elementary Assistant Principal at EThomas@shsd.k12.pa.us

Ms. Toro's 4th grade class recently practiced summarizing stories in a creative and engaging way by making "Summarizing Sundaes." Students identified characters and key points from a text, using this information to build their final "sundae" projects. Kudos to Ms. Toro for designing an activity that blended Language Arts with art, making learning both fun and memorable!

The Center for Independent Living has partnered with the district to offer a 12-week course designed to help students with disabilities transition from high school to post-secondary life. Each week, students engage in sessions covering topics such as Disability Rights, Self-Advocacy, and Independent Living Skills.

Recently, students participated in activities that provided hands-on experiences simulating various disabilities. For one activity, their hands were bound with plastic wrap to replicate the challenges of limited hand mobility, and they attempted to open different latches and knobs. In another activity, students wore goggles simulating conditions like cataracts or blindness, navigating the room to better understand these challenges. Thank you to the Center for Independent Living for providing these opportunities for our students!

Steelton-Highspire School District is proud to be a part of the GIANT Feeding School Kids initiative! From January 1 – March 31, you can round up at the register to support our school district’s efforts working to eliminate childhood hunger.

Through this initiative, Steelton-Highspire School District and other public-school districts can use funds to support meal programs to expand food distribution programs, create on-campus food pantries and gardens, supply extra weekend meals, and eliminate outstanding student meal debt.

Join us as we round up to fight hunger within Steelton-Highspire School District!

Ms. Pugh, Ms. Esposito, and Mr. Stoney accompanied the Therapeutic Support Classrooms and a group of special education students to the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Students had the chance to explore the largest indoor agricultural exposition, learn about Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, and meet some of the individuals who contribute to its success.

It’s that time of year for our Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences which will take place on February 3rd and February 4th, 2025. On Monday, February 3rd, our conferences will be from 10:00am-6:00pm and there will be no school for students. On Tuesday, February 4th, students will have an early dismissal and conferences will run from 12:00-3:00pm.

Conferences are an important opportunity for parents/guardians to meet with their child(ren)’s teacher(s) and to discuss student’s progress.

This year, we will continue to utilize My Conference Time to schedule conference appointments. Please see the links below for each building.

*Please note you must sign up by January 29th at 3:00 PM for conferences. The link will be closed after that point.*

We look forward to seeing you for your scheduled conference(s)!

To schedule a conference for an elementary student (grades K-6) please visit:

https://www.myconferencetime.com/shsdelementary/

To schedule a conference for a Jr/Sr High School student (grades 7-12) please visit:

https://www.myconferencetime.com/shsd

Attention Seniors! Place your cap, gown & tassel order by February 28, 2025. Orders can be placed by visiting: https://www.buildagrad.com/steelton

Any questions regarding ordering should be directed to Mrs. Winter-Davis, Graduation Coordinator at SWinter-Davis@shsd.k12.pa.us

Class of 2023 & 2024 Graduates, Would you like to donate your gently used graduation gown back to Steel-High? Drop it off at the Jr/Sr High Main Office between 9am & 2pm. Deadline for donations is January 31st. Questions may be directed to Mrs. Winter-Davis, Graduation Coordinator via email: SWinter-Davis@shsd.k12.pa.us

Under the guidance of teacher Mr. Greg Hartzell, approximately 18 students in grades 3-6 have joined the Steelton-Highspire Elementary Chess Club. Hartzell, who is in his first year with the district, is eager to expand extracurricular opportunities for students. Having run a chess club at his previous school, he was excited to establish one here. Recently, students received their official Chess Club shirts, made possible through the generosity of a parent. A big thank you to Mr. Hartzell and everyone who contributed to supporting our students and future chess masters!

8th Grade "Snow Day" Activity
Our recent snow day on January 6th inspired a reflective group discussion among 8th-grade students. They shared stories about how they spent their break and brainstormed creative ideas for making the most of a snow day. Featured artists for this activity include Lillian, Angela, Ashiyah, and Zye’yauna, whose contributions stood out.

Advanced Art and Art 1 Projects
Students in Advanced Art and Art 1 classes explored the grid method to enlarge their chosen animal images. After completing their sketches, they had the option to color or paint their artwork. Among the impressive pieces, Yaretzi F. and Lubeni are highlighted for their detailed colored pencil drawings.

The Steelton-Highspire School District has partnered with BusPatrol to launch a new School Bus Safety Program in line with PA Motor Vehicle Code § 3345.

As part of the program, all school buses that transport Steelton-Highspire students will be outfitted with safety technology to make the ride to and from school safer for all. This technology includes photo enforcement cameras to detect vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses while the stop sign is deployed and red lights are flashing. Every incident is reviewed by a law enforcement officer before a violation notice is issued to the offender.

The safety of our students is a top priority. During Pennsylvania’s Operation Safe Stop, state authorities reported almost 200 violations in just one school day in 2023, equivalent to 31,500 violations in a 180-day school year. Steelton-Highspire School District is no exception. This safety initiative will curb dangerous driving behavior around school buses to protect our students.

The program will launch at the end of next week. We encourage all parents and guardians to familiarize themselves with school bus-stopping laws and remind their children to practice safety tips when boarding and disembarking school buses. If you would like more information, we invite you to visit: https://www.shsd.k12.pa.us/programsservices/transportation/bus-patrol

Looking to make a difference? We're hiring! Please visit this link: https://www.shsd.k12.pa.us/employment-opportunities/overview to view current openings:

• District School Psychologist
• Secondary Intervention Specialist Teacher
• Health Assistant
• School Nurse
• Secondary Special Education Teacher
• Secondary Dean of Students
• District Paraeducator
• District ESL Paraeducator
• Facilities II Staff
• Food Services Employment Opportunities
• Transportation Employment Opportunities

• Track & Field Head Coach
• Softball Head Coach

The Champions before and after school program is available Monday-Friday at Steelton-Highspire Elementary School, starting from 6:45 am until school begins and from school dismissal until 6:00 pm. Families have the option to register for either the morning or afternoon sessions, both sessions, as well as part-time (1-2 days a week) or full-time schedules (3-5 days a week). In addition, Champions offers the flexibility for families to adjust their child's schedule on a weekly basis. Subsidy will be accepted.

For a more in-depth look at the Champions experience, be sure to explore their virtual tour: https://www.discoverchampions.com/why-champions/virtual-tour

Now enrolling for summer at Champions!

I’m excited to share that summer enrollment is now open for Champions at Steelton! Get a jump start on setting your summer routines and enroll today.

At Champ Camp this summer, your child will have an awesome adventure they’ll never forget. Every week will focus on a different theme—from the outdoors, sports, and friendship to STEM activities!

• Collaborate with others to solve problems.
• Practice empathy.
• Flex their critical thinking skills.
• Express their own ideas and listen to others.
• Give your child a creative space to explore what they love.

Don’t wait to save your spot—we’ll fill up fast! Click here to enroll now, or give me a call!

Warmly,

Tracy Anderson

971-610-5847

SHES Families,

Yearbooks are available to preorder NOW! Orders can be placed online at: ybpay.com or by completing a paper form (available iin the elementary office or contact your child's teacher).

Our Yearbook ID code is: 15210925

Orders must be placed by April 4, 2025.

Any questions, please direct to Mrs. Detz, JDetz@shsd.k12.pa.us

SHHS Families,

Yearbooks are available to preorder NOW! Orders can be placed online at: Jostens.com/yearbookbuy or by calling 1-877-767-5217. Payment plans are available (see attached flyer).

As a reminder, Seniors DO NOT need to place an order, their yearbook is included in their senior dues.

Any questions, please direct to Ms. Thorne, TThorne@shsd.k12.pa.us

School Counselor for grades K-3: Mrs. Lopez, glopez@shsd.k12.pa.us

School Counselor for grades 4-6: Mrs. Rash, jrash@shsd.k12.pa.us

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

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

College & Career Counselor K-12: Mrs. Hume LHume@shsd.k12.pa.us

Transition and Co-Op Coordinator: Mrs. Warner MWarner@shsd.k12.pa.us

School Counseling Office Administrative Assistant: Ms. Navickas, JNavickas@shsd.k12.pa.us

• 1/20: Schools & Offices Closed, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day
• 1/21: No school for students, Staff In-Service
• 2/3: No school for students, Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 2/4: Early dismissal for students, Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 2/14: Early dismissal for students, Staff In-Service
• 2/17: Schools & Offices closed in observance of President's Day

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