REMINDER: No school on Monday, May 27, 2024.

Spring-Ford is Moving to ParentSquare
After over 15 years with Skylert, Spring-Ford has found a new home for our mass communications! ParentSquare is a tool that helps school districts easily communicate with parents, staff, and the community. ParentSquare offers a host of tools that allows users to more effectively communicate and engage with families and students. Some features include:

• Mass notifications and Urgent Alerts
• Mobile application for all users (iOS and Android)
• Remind App Direct Messaging with two-way translation
• Calendar and event RSVP
• StudentSquare 
• And so much more!

Mid-June, staff and parents will be invited to activate their ParentSquare accounts. Those who do not activate in June will still receive text, email, and phone notifications based on information provided in Skyward, so there should be no lapse in receiving information from the district over the summer as we transition from Skylert to ParentSquare.

NOTE: Skylert is NOT Skyward. Skylert is the communication tool we use for mass emails and phone calls.

Student Spotlight: Phanatic About Reading
The Phanatic About Reading program presented by Xfinity is a free, incentive-based program that encourages students in grades Pre-K through 8 to read or be read to for a minimum of 15 minutes a day to improve their literacy skills. Incentives are provided, and top-performing schools, based on teacher feedback, can receive a special experience with the Phanatic. Additionally, the program's most improved and outstanding readers are recognized during Phanatic About Reading Night prior to a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park.

Very special congratulations to Bailey G. from Spring City Elementary School for being recognized as a Most Improved reader for the 2023-2024 school year!

15th Annual Film Festival
Lights, Camera, Graduation! Major 2's present the 15th Annual Spring-Ford Film Festival. Broadcasting Teacher, Cheryl Murgia will be retiring in June, let's sell out the Colonial as her final send off! Invite all of friends to enjoy a night of student creations and to give a wonderful send off for our very own Murg!

WHEN: Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Doors open at 6. Trailers start at 6:15. Event starts at 6:30.
WHERE: The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville
COST: Free! Donations will be accepted at the door, all proceeds will go to Epilepsy Foundation.
DETAILS: Most content is PG, but some spookier scenes may be more suitable for an audience over 13. Click here to tell your friends on Facebook that you'll be attending!

Meet the Instrument Night
Students entering 4th grade for the coming 2024-2025 school can sign-up and learn a Band or Orchestra instrument! On Thursday, May 30th the Music Department is holding Meet the Instrument Night at the 5/6/7 Grade Center. Students will get to try out three instruments of their choice and (Registration is Required by May 26th).

• Students must sign up for this event in advance. Click here to register.
• Can’t make May 30th? Click here to learn more about Spring-Ford's music program.
• If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Brett Slifer (Band) bslif@spring-ford.net or Ms. Kylie Sexton (Orchestra) ksext@spring-ford.net

Food Service Refunds
REFUNDS FOR SENIOR STUDENTS: If your senior has a balance of $5 or greater there are two ways the Food Service balance will be refunded at the end of the year:

1. Senior’s balance will be automatically transferred to their sibling who attends Spring-Ford
2. Senior’s balance will be refunded to the parent in Family 1
3. If your Senior does not have a sibling attending Spring-Ford, you will receive an email with instructions on setting up an ACH deposit for the refund. 

REFUNDS FOR STUDENTS WITHDRAWN STUDENTS: Students who have withdrawn from Spring-Ford with a balance of $5.00 or greater:

• Student’s withdrawn, who have a sibling still attending Spring-Ford will have their remaining balance transferred to the sibling attending Spring-Ford.
• Student’s who have withdrawn and do not have a sibling attending Spring-Ford,  parents will receive an email with instructions on setting up an ACH deposit for refund.

TRANSFERING FUNDS BETWEEN STUDENTS: Parents can request to have funds transferred between siblings.  If you need funds transferred, please email Tracy Bogucki.

• Please include in the email the following information:
• Name of student the funds are being transferred from
• Name of the student the funds are being transferred to
• Amount to be transferred

Any questions regarding refunds can be directed to Tracy Bogucki at tbogu@spring-ford.net.

Kindergarten Registration is OPEN!
Welcome, Class of 2037! Registration is opening for incoming Kindergarten and new 1st-grade students! Children living in the Spring-Ford Area School District who will be five years old by August 31, 2024 are eligible to attend school in 2024-2025.

Families registering for Kindergarten will be the first to use Spring-Ford's new online registration system. Returning SFASD families who have already registered at least one student in Spring-Ford and already have a Spring-Ford Skyward account can log into Skyward to start the Kindergarten Registration process. Click here to learn more.

Message from MCOPH
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health (MCOPH) has seen an uptick in pertussis, also known as whooping cough, throughout the county. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a very contagious disease. It can spread when a person with pertussis coughs or sneezes. A person with pertussis can spread the disease for several weeks unless treated. To protect yourself and others from getting sick, take action to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, like pertussis:

• Avoid close contact with sick people: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home when you are sick:  It is important to stay home when sick for at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.  It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Wash your hands often:  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth: Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Clean and disinfect: Clean surfaces and objects that are touched frequently, including desks, doorknobs, railings, computer keyboards, phones, and toys.
• Staying up to date with your vaccinations: Vaccines help your body create protective antibodies that help it fight off infections. By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and avoid spreading preventable diseases to other people in your community.

If you think that your child has been exposed to pertussis or develops cold symptoms that include cough, contact their healthcare provider.

Staff Spotlight: Spring-Ford's Maintenance and Custodial Staff
Holly Smith, a 5/6 Grade teacher, took a moment to thank her school's maintenance and custodial staff with the following message, "I just want to give a sincere shot out to the incredible men and women who are the wizards behind the curtain that keep our school running. I have had the privilege of working with these fine individuals for quite some time now, and they always bring a smile to my face when I see them. So much goes on behind the scenes, and the dedication and knowledge of each person keep our school in top shape, which is remarkable. Thank you to each and every unsung hero!!!" 

SUN Bucks Program
A new program called Summer EBT, or “SUN Bucks,” has been authorized by a bipartisan U.S. Congress to provide food dollars to low-income families with school-aged children over the summer months. The program is proven to reduce food insecurity and improve children's nutrition during summer break. Governor Shapiro’s administration announced that the Commonwealth would participate in this program beginning in the summer of 2024. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the program, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) coordinates the benefit issuance in Pennsylvania.

Who is Eligible:

A student is automatically eligible for 2024 Summer EBT/SUN Bucks if they are enrolled at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP), AND they qualify for free or reduced-price school meals for any of these reasons:

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or
• Medical Assistance with income that qualifies them for the NSLP/SBP, or
• Household meal application with income that qualifies, or
• Are homeless, runaway, migrant, foster, or in Head Start

If your child is automatically eligible for Summer EBT/SUN Bucks, you do not need to do anything else to receive the benefit. If you believe your income qualifies (185% or less of the federal poverty level), you can still apply for free or reduced meals through the school (unless your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision* (CEP) school) or apply for the Summer EBT/SUN Bucks through DHS. See “Summer EBT/SUN Bucks Application” below for details.

Click here to learn more.

Julia's Grace Foundation Golf Outing
Join friends on June 11, 2024 for the annual Julia's Grace Foundation Golf Outing. Click here to learn more!

Julia’s Grace Foundation® is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status created to honor Julia’s dreams and wishes by bringing moments of happiness and support to children with cancer and their families.