Thrill on the Hill

Hello SGE Families,

As December unfolds, we find ourselves reflecting on the progress our students have made and the joy this season brings. Report cards have been distributed and are available in your Parent Sapphire Portal. This marks a valuable opportunity to celebrate achievements and set goals for the new year. We encourage you to review these reports with your child and reach out to your teachers with any questions or concerns.

With winter weather approaching, please ensure that your contact information is up-to-date for any weather-related notifications. Our Flexible Instructional Days (FID) plan will allow students to continue learning remotely in case of school closures due to inclement weather. More details about FID expectations and procedures are in this newsletter please take time to review.

We are still collecting food for the SGE Food Drive through this Friday, December 5th.

Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday season. Thank you for being a vital part of our school family!

Mrs. Rittle welcomed baby Lilly on November 10. In her absence we welcome Dr. Randi Payne. She joins us with many years of elementary experience as a teacher, building level and central office administrator in the Northeastern School District before semi-retiring a few years ago. We are excited for Dr. Payne's willingness to give us a hand during Mrs. Rittle's maternity leave through early March. Please welcome Dr. Payne, and lend a helping hand as she navigates her role of providing services to all three elementary schools.

With the uncertainty of the impending weather over the next few months we wanted to prepare you for the possibility of a Flexible Instructional Day (FID)/Virtual Learning. A FID is used to replace the traditional “snow day”. In the event school is closed, we can provide instruction to our students at home rather than in the classroom. This will count as a full day of school and we are not required to make up the day during the school year. Please stay tuned and wait for a district notification. In the event we close school and activate a FID, SGE teachers will communicate a schedule and provide additional information as needed. In anticipation of inclement weather, all students (K-4) will be bringing their iPads home. This will ensure they are prepared in the event that the district calls for a FID. Please use the link below to access reminders to support parents and students on these days.

On Friday, November 14th, students at SGE participated in their first trimester Project Team reward by meeting their goal of earning 10,000 tokens. Students celebrated by playing their favorite board games, and they had a special visit from the David Ross Orthodontics Treat Truck. Way to go SGE students! Also, we would like to send a big THANK YOU to David Ross Orthodontics for providing a sweet treat for our students!

The elementary first trimester ends November 18. Report cards will be available in your Sapphire Parent Portal on Tuesday, November 25.

Please use the link below for additional report card information.

School Counselors will be available to support students socially, emotionally, and academically. Students will have the opportunity to meet with counselors in a whole group setting for various social-emotional and career awareness lessons. Not only are counselors available to work with students in a whole group setting, students also have an opportunity to meet in a small group setting or individually with their school counselor. Dr. Moore and Mrs. Myers also manage academic 504 plans at SGE and are integral members of CST (Child Study Team) as well as SAP (Student Assistance Program). Please feel free speak to your child’s school counselor with any questions or concerns that you may have.

Mrs. Myers is the counselor for Kindergarten (Claycomb, Delair, Godman) and students in grades 1st and 2nd.

Mr. Moore is the counselor for Kindergarten (Clancy, Mann, Miller) and students in grades 3rd and 4th.

SAP is a systematic team process used to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning. It is designed to assist in identifying issues which pose a barrier to a student’s success. The primary goal is to help students overcome these barriers so they can learn unencumbered. While SAP is a great program it is not the answer for all student needs and issues, but it can be a great starting point. Please use the link below for additional information.

The Spring Grove Area School District uses a Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) framework to ensure every student receives the right level of support to succeed. It’s a team approach involving teachers, specialists, and families working together to monitor progress and adjust supports as needed. Here at SGE we call it our Child Study Team (CST). Please use the link below to learn more about the Tiered Support System used in the Spring Grove Area School District. Stay tuned as we will provide additional information about our CST process in a future newsletter.

Visual Motor/Spatial Skills

Visual motor skills are how our eyes move to locate items and complete tasks like reading. Visual spatial skills are how our eyes use clues to fill in blanks (completing puzzles) and align items with depth perception. Both these skills are essential for learning when it comes to putting pencil to paper, reading, and math.

It is important to note that these skills are very difficult for a lot of students, therefore we may have to change how the activity is done either by the level of support you provide, the number/size of the activity, or changing the environment to help them be successful.

Activities for visual motor skills:

• Complete a WORD SEARCH, larger and more basic words for younger grades and for older grades and stronger readers complete with larger words and list size. If your child struggles to scan across the paper have them point with a pencil or hold a paper beneath to help practice left to right scanning to find letters that start with the word.

• MAZES (harder) or PATH DRAWING (easier)

• Games: ISPY or FLASHLIGHT TAG

Activities for visual spatial skills:

• Complete PUZZLES together, the more pieces the harder it is.

• Use BLOCKS OR BUIDING MATERIAL to build from a picture or build a tower with varying color and size items then have the student use the same materials to make it look exactly the same. Take turns and make it a game! The less blocks or items the easier the task.

• Crafts: GUIDED DRAWING VIDEOS or following patterns during JEWLERY MAKING

Both visual skills

• MAP MAKING game. One person hides the item or treasure and creates a map for the other to follow to find the item. Take turns hiding treasure and using landmarks on the map as a visual guide!

• PLAYING BALL games such as ping pong, throwing/catching, or other ball sports.

As always, whatever you do make it fun and do it together! Happy Winter! ~Miss Osborne OT

Title I programs are designed to help children meet the state content and performance standards in reading, language arts, and mathematics. In buildings with 40% or more poverty, LEAs may use the funds to upgrade the entire curriculum of the school and are Schoolwide Programs. Please use the link below to access our annual Right to Know Letter.

Hello SGE Families,

Thank you for all the families that have turned in their dental forms. The health office is beginning the screening process. This includes the state required Growth, Vision, and Hearing screening. There may be documents that will be mailed to the address on file in Sapphire if your student is recommended for further assessment. The results of the screening will be uploaded in the medical notifications for your viewing when completed.

Accidents Happen...

We asked that parents put extra clothing in their child’s backpacks in case of accidents. The nurse is very limited on clothing sizes, and may need to call you to bring in a set of clothing if we are unable to fit your child.

Does Your Child Need a Dental Exam?

Spring Grove School District has partnered with Family First Health to provide school dental exams including cleaning, x-rays, preventative care and sealants. Parents will receive a dental report after the dental exam and information on where to receive further treatment if needed.

The Mobile Dentist will visit as follows:

New Salem Elementary - January 9, 2026

Spring Grove Elementary - January 12, 2026

Paradise Elementary School - February 6, 2026

Please complete the link below if you want your child to receive a school dental exam.

MSD Enrollment QR Flyer (Link): ​2025-2026 MSD Enrollment QR Flyer 3 (1).pdf​

If you would prefer a paper flyer or have any questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse in your child's building.

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After the holiday as we venture back into school mode illness and injuries are bound to occur. Although we don't want to exclude any student from attending school, here are a few reminders to help guide your thought process on whether or not your child should attend school in the event of an illness or injury.

Health Room Reminders:

Illness or Injury

Students who have a temperature of 100 degrees or more, a contagious illness, or have had repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours should not attend school. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school. Parents/guardians will be contacted if your child becomes ill or injured at school. For this reason, the current home, work, and emergency phone numbers must be maintained in the main office. Please inform the school secretary whenever your contact information changes. Please refer to the following if you are unsure if your child should attend school today.

I Need To Keep My Child Home If They Have:

• A temperature of 100.4 or higher
• Vomited within the past 24 hours
• Had diarrhea within the past 24 hours
• A body rash with itching or fever
• An itchy head active with head lice
• An eye infection or presenting redness, itching, and/or crusty drainage from the eye(s)

My Child Is Ready To Go Back To School When They Are:

• Fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, i.e., Tylenol, Motrin
• Free from vomiting for at least two solid meals
• Free from diarrhea for the last 24 hours
• Free from rash, itching, or fever/have been evaluated by a doctor if needed
• Treated with the appropriate lice treatment at home, and the proof is provided to the school nurse
• Have been evaluated by a doctor and have a note to return to school

PTO MEETING

The next PTO Meeting is Thursday December 4th, 2025 at 6 PM in the Cafeteria.

Please park near the playground and use Door #3 to enter the building.

See you there!

The children are excited to explore and pick library books. Kindergarteners are loving storytime with Mrs. Diehl and then having the opportunity to pick a fiction or nonfiction book. PLEASE continue to help your child/children find a safe place for their library books. We only had 5 WET books this week. THANK YOU! Maybe you have a ziploc bag or plastic grocery bag that they can put their books inside for protection.

During Library Skills and Library Enrichment, each grade has finished their first STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) unit. All four grades will be participating in the Hour of Coding which introduces them to computer coding using simple left, right, up or down sequences.

• First graders read Your Name is a Song and then learned how they could represent themselves through shapes, patterns, colors and stickers. Be sure to ask them about their name posters that just came home. Next, to tie in with Native American and Alaskan Heritage Month, they learned about Totem Poles. They learned how the shapes, patterns, colors and stickers either represent the tribe or how they often tell a story like the story Totem Tale. We are excited to see what each first grader’s story their totem will tell. After this unit, we will be learning how to code using the app Code Spark during the Hour of Code challenge.

• Second graders finished their “most magnificent thing” STEAM projects. Be sure to ask them what they created using 14 pieces of “neighborhood trash” just like the girl in our read aloud The Most Magnificent Thing. Utilizing Common Sense Media we learned how to “give credit where credit is due”. We are beginning an author unit on Jory John. The children are loving The Bad Seed, Couch Potato, The Smart Cookie, etc. to name a few. We will learn how to code using the website Kodable during the Hour of Code challenge.

• Third graders are finished creating their library rule that you MUST NEVER EVER BREAK or a rule you must always follow. Students are being introduced to Destiny Discover and are having fun finding books throughout the library. We are also being detectives as we search for Nonfiction Text Features in books: Table of Contents, Index, Glossary, Headings, Captions, Maps, Diagrams, etc. During the Hour of Coding, they will be learning about computer coding either using Ozobots or Spheroes.

• Finally, the fourth graders finished their model of their dream libraries. Students learned about the Creator’s Rights and Responsibilities (copyright, license, attribution, and plagiarism) using Common Sense Media. Next they will be reviewing how to utilize Destiny Discover to find library books that they are interested in. We will also be participating in the Hour of Code challenge learning how to code as we explore Spike Essential kit from LEGO Education.

1st Grade

This month in music, our first graders are learning to control their breathing using their diaphragm for better singing, discovering the relationship between sol and mi on a musical staff, and being introduced to the treble clef. These foundational music reading skills develop visual-spatial awareness and symbol recognition that directly support early literacy, while proper breathing techniques improve focus and self-regulation. Plus, they’re excited to start reading and understanding how music is written!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

2nd Grade

This month in music, our second graders are singing partner songs (two different melodies at the same time), exploring how melodies move up, down, and stay the same, and learning to recognize musical phrases. These skills help students learn to multitask and listen carefully while doing their own part—just like following directions while working in a group. Recognizing patterns in melodies also strengthens the same skills they use when reading sentences and solving math problems. Plus, they’re gaining confidence to sing on their own while supporting their classmates!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

3rd Grade

This month in music, our third graders are learning about important Classical composers and the Classical orchestra, expanding their rhythm skills with sixteenth notes, and mastering whole notes and rests. Learning about composers and orchestras connects music to history and helps students understand how people create art that lasts for centuries. Reading different note values—from quick sixteenth notes to long whole notes—strengthens their understanding of fractions and time, while also improving focus and precision. Plus, they’re building a musical vocabulary that helps them better understand and appreciate the music they hear everywhere!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

4th Grade

This month in music, our fourth graders are learning about tied notes, practicing conducting patterns, reinforcing the difference between major and minor sounds, and continuing to create their own compositions in GarageBand. Understanding tied notes and conducting patterns helps students see how music flows across time, strengthening their ability to think ahead and plan—skills they use in writing and problem-solving. Recognizing major versus minor teaches them how music creates different moods and emotions, developing emotional awareness and critical listening skills. Plus, applying all these concepts in their own GarageBand projects lets them be creative composers while building real digital skills they can use outside the classroom!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Band & Orchestra

This month in band and orchestra, students are preparing holiday favorites for performance—Jingle Bells for third grade orchestra and fourth grade band, and Jingle Bell Rock for fourth grade orchestra. Learning pieces for performance teaches students goal-setting, attention to detail, and how practice leads to improvement over time. Playing together in their groups builds listening skills, teamwork, and personal responsibility, as each student’s part is essential to creating exciting performances!

SGE Students continue to show growth in their reading progress! We are looking forward to a busy December with lots of reading skills and fluency practice. Benchmark assessments are scheduled for the end of January and beginning of February.

Please continue reading with your child at home. Thank you for your continued support!

Did you know?

• Children who are read to at home have higher success rates in school.

• Children who read books often, score higher in math, vocabulary, and spelling.

• Daily reading lowers stress levels in children and adults by as much as 68%.

Check out the following...

Deck the halls with excited k friends! This month brings cheer to us with fun activities for our spirited kindergarteners. Our k friends will participate in a special Polar Express assembly with an amazing storyteller! We will also venture to the high school for a Christmas Extravaganza just for kindergarten! And before our winter break, we will have a K Singalong! Each class will perform a song for each other!

We will be busy little elves as we add more to our writing and practice sounding out our cvc words. Our letter formation is improving as we will soon complete our lowercase letter lessons. In math, we will continue to review numbers up to 20 and 2-D shapes, as well as introduce addition and subtraction.

We hope that everyone had a relaxing break.

The first graders are going to be busy little elves learning about holidays around the world this month. Please take the time to ask your child about the places they have traveled, and what they have learned about those places, as they rotate around the 1st grade classrooms learning:).

This trimester, students will be focusing on exploring 2D shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles, and 3D solids such as spheres, cubes, cones, and cylinders. Students will practice identifying shapes in the classroom, sorting objects, and discussing how shapes build the world around us. Ask your child to point out shapes at home—it's a fun way to reinforce their learning! You’ll be so proud of their curiosity and excitement as they discover how math connects to everyday life. Also, they will continue to practice addition and subtraction facts. Remember, facts are timed so students should be practicing their flashcards, apps and games, or timed practice tests so that they can “just know” the answer.

Students are also going to be working on persuasive and opinion writing. Please help teach this topic by asking your child their opinion (favorite toy, favorite holiday song, favorite meal, etc.). Throughout your conversations, encourage them to give you reasons behind their belief. We will be putting our opinions onto paper soon!

In the 2nd grade world, we were able to go to our field trip at Keystone Kidspace. Thank you to the PTO for helping to fund the trip!

We also were able to celebrate Veterans Day and we had the honor to have a veteran come out to one of our classrooms to tell us about his time in Korea.

In math, our multiplication and division unit is in full swing. Students are applying their basic understanding of multiplication and division to more complex concepts and using it to solve word problems. Continued fact practice at home will greatly benefit all third graders.

Third graders have also started learning about new science units. Mrs. Warntz’s and Mrs. Miller’s classes will be learning about forces. They have been investigating how objects’ motion can be affected by push and pull forces. Mrs. Bupp’s and Mrs. Back’s classes will be learning about weather and climate. They have also been interpreting data for various climate zones. Mrs. Brady’s and Mrs. Starck’s classes will be learning about plant and animal life cycles and fossils.

In third grade, we are continuing to work hard with RACE responses. The RACE response is a strategy that students use to develop open-ended prompts about a text. We are continuing to develop this skill throughout third grade. The goal is for students to not need the visual clues to support their writing. We are working towards them remembering all the parts by heart when completing an open-ended prompt. Also in ELA, we are finishing up opinion writing and transition into narrative writing both personal and fictional types. Students are continuing to learn to create multiple paragraph stories that include 3-5 sentences each. This is something we are developing and improving throughout the year.

Please click the button below to view our recent Book Parade.

Chillin in December...

Its early December and we have accumulated a lot of items. If you have been looking for a missing article of clothing please stop by to peruse our collection.

Holiday meal is on Wedneday, December 17th.

Please be reminded that on December 23rd (half-day of school) we will only serve breakfast that day.

This year our school doors open every morning at 8:25 with homeroom starting at 8:45. If your child arrives after 8:46 they will need to report to the office at which time they will be marked Tardy.

If your child is going to be absent or has been absent, from school please fill out an excuse card in your Sapphire Portal. If you do not have access to a computer please contact our main office for assistance.

If your child arrives between 10:16-12:05 or leaves between 12:06-1:54 they will be considered absent for 1/2 school day. If they arrive after or leave before 12:05 this will be considered a full day absence.

Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival: 8:25 – 8:45 AM

Arrival time for students is 8:25 AM. Please be aware that students are NOT permitted to enter the building prior to 8:25. All AM car riders are to follow the car line around the back of the school. Students will enter the building through door #3 by the cafeteria. Students arriving by bus/van will enter the building through the main entrance. Students must be in their classroom by 8:45 AM. They are considered “tardy” at 8:46 AM.

Dismissal: 3:20 PM

• Occasional Car Rider - If you choose to pick up your child at dismissal on any given day, it is extremely important that you notify the school office by email (whites@sgasd.org), sending a note to school with your child, OR by calling the office by 2:00 PM. The occasional car rider will be dismissed from the ART ROOM. (Please see attached map) When writing notes, please be sure to include child’s first and last name, date, and teacher. Please notify the district transportation office, ext. 3024, with any transportation changes. ALWAYS use the cross walk when crossing from the parking lot to/from the car rider door. Please DO NOT cross in between the vans/buses, or permit children to run freely to the parking lot.

• Rocket Rider - If you plan on transporting your child at dismissal each and every day, please contact the school office to make arrangements to pick up your “ROCKET RIDER” tags before the start of school. Rocket Riders get dismissed from door #3 by the cafeteria. (See attached map) You must have a NEW Rocket Rider tag in order to pick up through the line. You may not use signs from previous years.

• Bus Transportation – Transportation information can be found in your Sapphire Parent Portal.

Student Emergency Form - Please review and make additions or corrections to your child's emergency form in your Sapphire Parent Portal. Use the link below to access the Sapphire Parent Portal. If you need to create an account please use this link "Apply for a Sapphire Community Portal account."

If your child is arriving at school late or leaving early due to a doctor or dental appointment, please be sure to get a note from the physician. The time may be considered unexcused if a note is not provided. You will find further information on this subject in the student handbook. If your child is arriving late, we ask that you check the child in at the school office. Please do not drop the student off and leave without accompanying him/her to the office.

Please remember that all visitors must sign in at the office upon arrival. Every person that enters SGE will be asked to sign in using our RAPTOR security system. You will need to have your drivers license/identification scanned at least one time in order to be in our system. We kindly ask that you have your identification with you at all times when visiting a district building.

ALL volunteers must complete the volunteer registration process before volunteering in any district school. You may find more information on the volunteer process by visiting Volunteer Services on our district website.

SGE communicates mostly by email or by posting information on the SGE webpage. Please be sure to include your email address on the student emergency form. For split households, please include both parent email addresses. We want to make certain that all parents/guardians are aware of SGE news! If you do not have email access, please make note of such on the emergency forms.

Starting with the 25-26 school year, students will no longer be receiving free breakfast/lunch. A student school breakfast is free for all students, and a school lunch is $2.45. Please go onto the district website & apply for the free/reduced lunch program. You may access your child’s lunch account through myschoolbucks.com.