Student Activities
SMS hosts a variety of after school clubs and activities throughout the year. To get the specific dates and times, and what the club does, please reach out to the club advisor. Club advisors are listed below in the section titled, "Clubs." We do offer transportation at 3:45pm and 4:45pm for participants in clubs and sports.
The Advisory Program at STMS offers an opportunity for students to participate in social/emotional learning as well as community and service-based activities. The goals of our Advisory Program are:
- foster deeper relationships between faculty and students
- teach, practice, and reinforce important concepts such as goal setting & inclusivity
- develop a sense of appreciation for others
- provide opportunities for community service
Encouraging a sense of belonging and respect is an important part of being a student here. The program encourages students to have a positive spirit about the school community and to make appropriate decisions. Some advisory time is dedicated to bringing in guest speakers for students. We have hosted local police officers, Holocaust survivors, and civil rights activists, just to name a few.
Springfield Township Middle School's Philosophy:
We believe that middle school sports are an opportunity for students to grow socially, develop skills, and compete. Athletics can offer students a wide variety of experiences, ranging from learning how to manage winning and losing, how to develop technical and social skills, along with leadership, hard work, and self-discipline. We do try to avoid having team cuts, as we would like to welcome as many athletes as possible onto our teams. There does come a point where safety and supervision dictate that we reduce the number of participants relative to the supervision available. In those cases, tryouts will occur and skill, effort, and technical ability will be assessed. Middle school sports are a place for school spirit, learning, and skill development. We encourage all students to get involved in a school sponsored sport!
- Drama - Allan_Meads@sdst.org
- Fitness - joshua_hibbs@sdst.org
- Homework - daphney_beltramo@sdst.org
- Multicultural Students - yamila_kent@sdst.org
- Odyssey of the Mind - maggie_litzenberg@sdst.org
- Reading Olympics - Erin_Bloom@sdst.org, nancy_maguire@sdst.org
- Robotics - cory_brugger@sdst.org
- Rock Band - cory_brugger@sdst.org
- Service - TBD
- Student Council - amanda_sheehan@sdst.org
- Ultimate Frisbee - carol_breen@sdst.org
Throughout their time in the middle school, students will participate in a variety of service learning projects. These projects, through our advisory program, service club, and Day of Service, are designed to encourage students to understand their strengths and abilities to learn about others and to have an impact in others' lives. Each year, students participate in a yearlong project based learning advisory activity designed to encourage students to consider how various organizations in the local area impact others. In addition to the yearlong project, students will also participate in the Annual Day of Service, a day designed to encourage students to reach into their community and provide community services.
In each building, students who demonstrate a need for additional support in academics, social skills, behavior, mental health, or other areas of concern are provided with access to a variety of resources and services in each school throughout the district. Through our MTSS (multi-tiered system of support) model, students are offered tiered support in a variety of areas based on need. Each week, teams assemble at each school to review and discuss our student needs and works to identify ways to meet the needs of our students and monitor their success. The team consists of administrators, school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and additional faculty members. When concerns are raised, parents/guardians are contacted to join the team to discuss strategies and interventions for their child.
Academic Needs
At each school, student progress is monitored closely through academic records including classroom based assignments and assessments as well as benchmark assessments. MTSS (which includes RtII) integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and minimize negative behaviors. Using this process, we are able to identify those students requiring remediation of skills and provide evidence-based interventions to address their specific needs. Also, MTSS serves those students needing stretching by providing differentiated instruction enhancements based on their areas of strength. In all schools, there is a dedicated time during the day for students to receive interventions and supports.
Social & Emotional Needs
At the elementary level, our program includes curricular programming in social and emotional learning skills including the use of the Second Step curriculum. At the secondary level, our program includes a variety of programs including, but not limited to individual, group, and classroom lessons which address high-risk concerns or behaviors including mental health needs, alcohol and/or drug use, truancy, trauma, or any other personal issue. In addition, through our community partnerships, we provide access to county-wide SAP counselors and school based outpatient therapy in school. We also maintain community resources on our social services website. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counselors or social workers. Parents, staff, students and concerned community members can refer students about whom they have concerns to the school counselor or social worker. All referrals are strictly confidential.
Special Education
In compliance with state and federal law, notice is hereby given by the School District of Springfield Township that it conducts ongoing identification activities as a part of its school program for the purpose of identifying students who may be in need of special education and related services. If your child is identified by the District as in need of such services, you will be notified of applicable procedures. These services and the transportation to them are paid for by the school district. Services and programs are available for children who are determined to need specially designed instruction due to the following conditions: Autism / Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Blindness / Visual, Impairment, Deafness / Hearing Impairment, Deafness / Blindness, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disturbance, Intellectual Delay, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech and Language Impairment, and Traumatic Brain Injury. If you believe that your school-age child may be in need of special education services and related programs, screening and evaluation processes designed to assess the needs of the child and his/her eligibility are available to you at no cost, upon written request. This process may include a review of functional vision, hearing and a review of speech and language. You may request screening and evaluation at any time. Families can find the Annual Public Notice on our district website under Special Education & Student Services. Requests for Multidisciplinary Evaluation and screening are to be made in writing to the Director of Special Education and Student Support Services, 1901 East Paper Mill Road, Oreland, PA 19075. Communication with parents or guardians is in English and, if necessary, in the native language or other mode of communication used by the parents or student. Students who are not determined to be eligible for special education, but who are in need of modifications due to a disability, which substantially limits life activities and adversely affects educational performance, may be entitled to protection under a 504 Service Agreement. Families can review this process with their child’s school counselor.
Gifted Education
Students who demonstrate strong performance in the district criteria may be evaluated to determine if they are eligible for and in need of gifted support services. More information regarding the criteria for gifted education screening and evaluation can be found on our district website under Special Education & Student Services. Students in need of Gifted Support Services are provided with enriched and/or accelerated curricula. Instruction in the core content areas is differentiated by pace, level of instruction, and depth of content. The curriculum is aligned with state and Common Core standards and designed to challenge high ability students to reach their full academic potential. In each of our schools, our Gifted Support Services model adjusts with the developmental level of the student and individual student strength-based opportunities are developed through the GIEP team meeting.