Administration Office

Springmyer Students, Families, and Community Members:

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I remain amazed at the sense of community that this school fosters. Our teachers and staff are committed and talented; and the parents are engaged and supportive. With these two ingredients, we can continue to do incredible things for young learners. As this new year begins I encourage you to get involved with the many events and activities that Springmyer has to offer. 

This year is a big year for Charles W. Springmyer Elementary as it will mark our 75th year serving the GreenTownship Community. In that time we have built a strong tradition of excellence, of  which you and your child are a part. Springmyer was constructed in 1949 as a consolidation of South Avenue School (formerly located on Werk Road and built in 1879) and Dent School (located on Harrison Avenue and built in 1894). The school was built following a generous donation by Mr. Charles W. Springmyer (1872-1948) who was a retired mortician at the time of the donation. When the building was complete it was named after Mr. Springmyer and was originally part of Green Township Local School District. On April 23, 1956 Springmyer Elementary became part of what at that time was a new school district, Oak Hills Local School District. We will be celebrating Springmyer Elementary’s 75th Birthday throughout this year.  Join us in celebrating the past and working together to build a future.

It was announced at the end of the year but I wanted to highlight it again, for those of you that were not aware. Mrs. Murphy, a long time and valued member of our staff, has taken a new position within the district. She will be functioning as an ELA Coach helping to work with teachers to improve instruction across the district. We are thankful for her time here at Springmyer and wish her the best in her new position. Mrs. Pattie Asebrook will be joining us this year in a new role. Many of you know Mrs. Asebrook as one of our talented and dauntless Instructional Assistants. She has finished her teaching credentials and will be filling Mrs. Murphy’s place as a 1st grade teacher this year. Likewise, many of you remember Mrs. Ashley Leichter who taught Kindergarten here two years ago. She will be returning to us again this year to teach one section of Kindergarten in the AM.  Please join me in welcoming these returning members to our team.

While we are talking about changes I wanted to highlight a big change that will take place this year. This year all REGULAR Kindergarten classes will be held in the AM. Afternoon classes will be reserved for our KEEP students. Mrs. Leichter, Mrs. Henn, and Mrs. Niehaus will teach in the morning and Mrs. Henn and Mrs. Niehaus will facilitate KEEP classrooms in the afternoon. We hope that this will streamline things for families. Each year the overwhelming majority of parents request AM classes. By making this move we hope to better meet the needs of parents.

Two years ago, as part of our Continuous Improvement Plan, We worked to gather information from staff, students, and parents to update our School Vision and Core Beliefs. We went through several drafts and finally ratified our Vision Statement in May of 2023. I offer it to you here as a statement of what you can expect from Springmyer during the coming year. 

Our theme this year will center around  “The Sparky Way.” This is a set of behavioral expectations (i.e., Respectful, Responsible, and Safe) which have helped us create a tradition of high quality learning environments across all our classrooms. We will spend this year working with students to help them build on the Respectful, Responsible, and Safe behavioral foundations and will help students review previous themes like Zones of Regulation (i.e., Llama Chart) and Calming Strategies (Peaceful Panda). Re-emphasizing these important skills will help us set a foundation for learning which will assure the Springmyer Tradition of excellence will continue into the next 75 years.

To support our theme (i.e., Sparky Way) and our work with Positive Behavior Supports (PBIS) we will continue to engage with the UC Alpaugh Family Economics Center to bring the Susan Sargen STEP (Student Enterprise Program) to Springmyer. This is a program that teaches students about economics by bringing a “store” to the school each quarter. Students can spend School Currency (e.g., Sparky Bucks) to learn financial literacy skills. They can save and earn interest, spend, or donate their earned currency to a charity. Students earn this currency through positive behavior in school, (i.e., Respectful, Responsible, and Safe behavior). This program has been an excellent addition to our repertoire of tools to motivate and recognize students.

With our theme of tradition we will focus on an area that traditionally has been a strength but has declined in recent years. The most critical ingredient for a child’s education is ATTENDANCE. We urge you to work hard this year to get your child here on time everyday. It has never been more important than now that we capitalize on each instructional moment. When possible, please avoid scheduling vacations when school is in session. Likewise, if your child will be absent remember to call our attendance line and make us aware of the absence. If we work together on attendance there will be a positive outcome for all our students.

Our nurse, Mrs.  Wittich, will be in her office 8/9 8am-1pm, 8/12 3pm-5pm, 8/13 8am-1pm to receive medications and paperwork for the school year.

As summer winds down and you plan for the school year ahead, I invite you to join us for our Open House and PTA Activities Fair on Monday, August 12th (3:30 to 5:30). Classrooms will be open so that students can drop off school supplies and see their new space. In addition, the PTA will host an Activities Fair in the gym, providing an excellent opportunity for parents and students to learn more about our many extracurricular and volunteer activities. We will also have shaved ice available for purchase in the outdoor classroom.

Class lists will not be posted on the doors but instead will be open within Progress Book on August 9th (4 pm) for families that have paid their fees and on August 12th for all other families. See directions below.  

This year, like last year, we will start the year with a staggered start. Students with the last name starting with A-L will come to school on 8/14 as their first day. They will then not come back to school until August 16th. Students with last names starting with M-Z will have their first day on August 15th. All students will attend on August 16th to start the normal daily schedule of school. 

As you prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, know that school supply lists are now available at ohlsd.us. Once you get to this website select Springmyer from the “Schools” menu. This is an excellent place to get a lot of your answers when you have a question. You will also notice that EMA (Emergency Medical Authorization) is one of the menu items. Completing the EMA form is a crucial way to help us keep your child safe. Please take some time to update or create an EMA for your child as soon as possible. Finally, if you scroll to the bottom of the page you will see the district calendar under “Our District.” This is certainly a handy thing to have. 

Enjoy these last days of summer! As always, do not hesitate to contact me if you have ideas, questions or concerns. Together, we will make a significant impact on our Springmyer Learners. Happy Birthday Sparky!

In partnership,

Mark  D. Winters

[email protected]

513-574-1205

Principal