General Information

Today, teachers and parents are just a few buttons away on the telephone or a simple mouse click away on the computer. Listed below are procedures for parents to use when the need arises to communicate with school personnel.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE SCHOOL OFFICE BY TELEPHONE  
610-351-5700

Parents may contact the school office directly by dialing our main number at 610-351-5700.  In most cases, the school receptionist will answer the call personally.  During high volume periods, calls may be directed to the school’s general voice mailbox where parents can leave a message and a return call will be made as soon as possible.  All requests that need attention before the end of a particular school day should be made through the school office using our main telephone number. In addition, parents should use our main telephone number when there is a need to speak directly with school personnel during the school day.  The school office and our main telephone system operate each weekday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 COMMUNICATING WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL BY VOICEMAIL
610-351-5900

Parents may leave a voice message for school personnel by dialing the district’s voice mailbox system at 610-351-5900.  When prompted, parents should enter the five-digit extension for the staff member they wish to contact.   This method of communicating with school personnel should be used when a message or request does not need attention before the end of the school day.  The voice mailbox system should not be used to give verbal permission for parent transport, to request homework, or for any other matter that needs attention before the end of the school day.  Parents should contact the school office using our main telephone number when they need to speak with school personnel directly.  The district’s voice mailbox system operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

COMMUNICATING WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL VIA E-MAIL

All school personnel have a District provided e-mail account. Please visit the Directory page on the Springhouse website (https://sms.parklandsd.org/directory) to obtain a staff member’s e-mail address.

INFORMATION THROUGH THE DISTRICT AND SPRINGHOUSE WEBSITES

Parents may visit our district website at www.parklandsd.org. The website has pages for the school district calendar, the Board of Education, the administration, curriculum and instruction, policies, athletic events, and food services.  In addition, each school in the district has a separate home page of information.  Springhouse is also proud of its website https://sms.parklandsd.org/ You will find great information pertaining to grade level curriculum, special programs, guidance, the main office, our nurse, PTO, and much, much more on our Staff Schoology pages.  The website is the primary source of information for our families.   

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Each day the Daily Announcements page on our website is updated to reflect new information for our families concerning school events, athletics and educational concerns.  Please review this link for announcements at https://sms.parklandsd.org/announcements.

Parents are encouraged to follow their students’ progress using Home Access Center (HAC) and Schoology.  The Middle School runs on a 6 marking period rating system, but parents can check progress online at any time.

For information on how to access Schoology, click here: https://www.parklandsd.org/departments/technology/schoology

For information on how to access HAC, click here: https://www.parklandsd.org/departments/technology/home-access-center-information

The Parkland School District Activities Calendar provides district-wide information for school events at all schools in the district. The youngest student in each family will receive the Parkland School District Activities Calendar during the first week of school.  Additional school events and activities will be posted on the Daily Announcement page (https://sms.parklandsd.org/announcements) and https://sms.parklandsd.org/about/calendar 

The School District uses the rapid notification system “School Messenger” that allows for automated telephone calls, text messages and e-mails to phone number(s) and email addresses the parent or guardian has provided to the District.  To receive text messages, parents must opt-in by texting the word “yes” to 67587. To view or change this contact information, parents need to contact the Guidance office. 

School will be held each weekday from 7:45 a.m. to 2:38 p.m. Vacation days, teacher in-service days, early dismissal days, late start days, and inclement weather days will create variations in the regular school hours. The school office will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Springhouse Middle School will be locked at all times, and all visitors are required to enter the school through the main entrance.  The Parkland School District has initiated a new security protocol, which requires all visitors, including parents to show identification upon arrival.  Acceptable forms of ID include:

1) Driver’s license or DOT identification card; 2) Commonwealth Agency Issued ID 3) U.S. Government Issued ID 4) U.S. Passport 5) U.S. Armed Forces ID  6) Employee ID  7) Student ID  8) Firearm permit.

When a visitor arrives at school, press the buzzer to contact the building receptionist.  The visitor will be asked their name and to state the nature of their visit.  The visitor should be able to identify the name of the child, grade, and name of the staff member they have an appointment to see, if appropriate.

Students who are transported by their parents to and from school should arrive between 7:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. and will be dismissed at 2:38 p.m.

Vehicles should enter the school at the main entrance and move in a single line around the outside perimeter of the parking lot heading toward the school.  Vehicles should move in succession to the sidewalk area, and then exit directly out of the parking lot.  Students who utilize parent pickup will use the main entrance to meet their parents who will pull up to the parent pickup line. Students are not permitted to walk through the parking lot without being escorted by a parent.  You do not need to send in a note to pick up your child at the end of the day.  In the event of an UNEXPECTED need for parent pick up at the end of the day, please call the Main Office at 610-351-5700. To minimize disruptions to classroom instruction, please avoid changing transportation plans once the school day has begun.

For security reasons we cannot allow anyone to double park in the front of the school.  Please use the dedicated Visitor’s parking spots.  In addition, please do not use the access road behind SMS; this road is used for district vehicles.

Students are encouraged to use bus transportation provided by the school district.  If a student is driven to school the designated parent drop off location for the school must be utilized, avoiding the bus entrance.  Students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:15 a.m. proceed to the Cafeteria and wait for the 7:30 a.m. bell to head to their lockers.  Students should report to their homerooms no later than 7:45 a.m.

Any students who does not make it to homeroom by 7:45 am is considered tardy and must sign in at the Attendance Office.   Students utilizing parent pickup at the end of the day should be picked up at the front entrance.      

Any student who arrives late (after 7:45 a.m.) to school should provide a note from a doctor or parent indicating a reason and sign in at the Attendance Office.  Parents do not need to come in the building with their child, they can watch their child buzz in to enter.  This procedure is mandatory in order to keep accurate attendance records and maintain student security.  

Student lates are recorded and calculated each Trimester.  Any student who arrives late more than 3 times in a Trimester may be issued an after-school detention at the discretion of administration for each additional late after the 3^rd.  Written notification of this detention will be mailed home and communicated to your child.

Emergency Permits are approved for medical appointments and personal emergencies and may be issued for the entire day(s) or a portion of the day.  An Emergency Permit signed by the parent is necessary for a student to leave school.  It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the teacher’s signature on the permit for the classes they will be missing during the absence.   The completed emergency permit must be returned to the attendance office the day prior to the absence.  Emergency permits serve to notify the attendance office and teachers of the absence, allow students an opportunity to receive missed work and have the child in the office at the appropriate time to pick up.  Students leaving during the school day are to sign out in the attendance office prior to leaving and sign in upon returning.  Students may obtain permits from the attendance office, homeroom teacher, or online.  Parents may also write a note if you do not have an emergency permit.  Students should bring the emergency permit to the attendance office during homeroom.

Your child should report to the Main Office at the requested time of dismissal and sign out.  Parents should park in the Visors parking spot and buzz in, verify their ID and wait in the vestibule for their child.  In the event of an emergency, parents should notify the school office at 610-351-5700 for an early pickup, and this should be done as soon as possible to avoid any delay or confusion.  Due to bus traffic, please plan to pickup your child by 2:00 pm for an early leave.

In all cases, students will be released only to their guardian unless written permission from the guardian is received to do otherwise.  That person may be required to show identification. 

ABSENTEE HOTLINE   610-351-5700 Option 2

If you wish to request homework:

One day absent: The student is responsible for obtaining homework from a classmate.  It is suggested that each student choose a responsible “buddy” from his or her team for this purpose.  Students should also check their class Schoology course for any missed assignments.

Two or more consecutive days absent:  Parents should reach out to the student's teacher or check their class in Schoology for any missed assignments.  If you have any questions regarding missed work or assignments, please contact your student's teachers. 

Parents may drop off items for their child before, during, and after the regular school hours as circumstances dictate. Parents are requested to drop the item(s) off on the table in the vestibule, labeled with the students’ name and the receptionist will call your childs classroom for the student to pick up.  Please be advised that parents are not permitted to make deliveries to their child’s classroom. 

Students who forget their gym clothes will be allowed to call home during the first two weeks of the physical education rotation.  Students will not be called out of class to pick up gym clothes – it will be their responsibility to check the drop off table before gym class to see if their bag was dropped off.

If a student forgets to take home their homework, projects, etc., following dismissal, the latest it can be picked up is 3:30 p.m.  There will be no access to the building after 3:30 p.m.

Lunch period will be conducted on all regular school days according to the following schedule.

• Grade 7   10:56am - 11:26am
• Grade 6   11:44am - 12:14pm
• Grade 8   12:32 pm - 1:02pm 

Parkland School District offers breakfast and lunch daily. 

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Students may bring a lunch from home or purchase a school lunch with cash. The following cafeteria prices are in effect for this school year:

Student Lunch - Free; Breakfast - Free

For pre-payment options, the MYSCHOOLBUCKS System can be used in our school cafeteria to assist parents and students in managing lunch money. www.myschoolbucks.com

The school nurse will administer medications to students during the school day with parental and/or physician permission when necessary. Parents must complete a “Medical Authorization Form” before any medication can be dispensed at school. In addition, parents are required to bring the medication to school. Medication should not be sent to school with a student. These procedures are mandatory to ensure the proper and safe administration of medications. Parents are advised to contact the school nurse or nurse’s aide whenever it is necessary to administer medication to their child during the school day.

Additional questions can be directed to the school nurse at 610-351-5700 x 66400.

If your child is participating in an activity after school that is at OMS or PHS, they need to take the 2:28 PM after school shuttle buses located in the rear lobby (outside the cafeteria).  It is the responsibility of the student to let their teacher know that they need to be dismissed at 2:23 so they can catch the 2:28 p.m. shuttle. 

If your child is attending an activity after school at SMS or OMS and you are unable to pick them up after their activity, they can take the 4:20 p.m. Late Activity Bus Shuttle to PHS.   Once they arrive at PHS, they will board the appropriate Late Activity Bus depending on their address. This bus leaves PHS at 4:35 p.m.  All your child needs to know is their regular bus stop and communicate that to the driver.  Please note that the Late Activity Bus Run is considered an “Express Run” and does not go to every stop in the district. The drivers do their best to get your child as close to their regular stop as possible.

Selection Process
Students are nominated based on the team members’ perceptions as they consider students who:

• demonstrate service to school and community
• are academically conscientious – do not have to be honor roll but continue to try and work to potential
• accept responsibility
• exemplify courtesy and consideration for others
• are cooperative, cheerful, and serve as a positive role model to other students

Student of the Month Recognition
The Student of the Month List will be displayed throughout the school and we would like each student and parent to have a certificate, which you might share with friends and family. Students will be recognized within their teams.

We have an organization called the SMSP (Springhouse Middle School Partnership).  Additional information, including ways to become involved and a calendar and explanation of events can be found here:

SMSP Website