Character Education
During the second semester we will be introducing a Character Education program called ‘Character Counts”.
The program focuses on Six Pillars of Character - Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and
Citizenship.
Students and staff members will work together to introduce and learn about each Character Trait throughout the semester.
When the skill is introduced we will have a school wide assembly and each grade level will take turns preparing a skit and
information to introduce the Character Trait to the whole school!
The schedule will be as follows:
Assembly # 1 - January 31st - Responsibility
Assembly # 2 - February 21st - Respect
Assembly #3 - March 14th Caring
Assembly # 4 - April 4th Assembly # 5 - April 25th Assembly # 6 May 16th -
Fairness
Trustworthiness
Citizenship
Students will have opportunities to earn rewards based on the Character Traits!
Small color coded cards/tickets will be made for each character trait. When a student demonstrates the targeted character
trait, he/she will be given one of the cards/tickets and will be asked to write his/her name on the Ticket. Students will
place the earned card in the classroom Character Counts jar.
At the end of the scheduled time, each teacher will pull 5 cards/tickets and these 5 students will earn a prize for
corresponding character trait. Prizes will include items such as rubber bracelets, pencils, stickers and other prizes that
have the character trait words on them!
The purpose of the program is two-fold, first to teach or reinforce character traits that help us be successful in life and
secondly to reward those students who show good character at school!
Building wide Discipline Plan
In addition to the Character Education Plan we also are implementing a revised Behavior Plan for the building during the
second semester. If students misbehave and are sent to the office, a new “Student Behavior Referral – Parent
Communication Form” will be used. If your child is referred to the office, you will receive a copy of this form, and will
be asked to sign and return it to school so you can be informed of your child’s behavior.
Explanations about expectations for student behavior, school wide rules and district policies on student conduct can be
found in the Parent Handbook or online on the school/district webpage.
In addition, we will begin using a ‘ticket’ system. If students are misbehaving in the hallways, bathrooms, cafeteria, or
other areas outside of the classroom, they can be given a ‘Stop and Think” behavior ticket. These tickets will be collected
and recorded. When a student has been given three tickets, he/she will be given a lunch detention. Additional tickets will
result in additional detentions or greater consequences depending upon the severity of the behavior.
Students not getting any tickets will be given rewards at the end of each quarter!
Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Jordan Slife and Vivica Davis who won the spelling bee at Springcreek Primary
School in December, giving them the opportunity to represent Springcreek at the city wide spelling
bee which was held in January. Jordan and Vivica competed against students in grades 3 - 8 from
each school in the community. Despite being young compared to most of their competition, they did
an excellent job!
Third Grade Owl Pellet Program
Students in the third grade will have fun on January 23 and 24th as they dig into learning about the food chain.
Through a grant, Brukner Nature Center is able to provide each of our students with owl pellets. Students will
get to dissect the pellets to determine the diet of the owl. Students always enjoy this unique learning
experience!
Expanded Day Reading Intervention Program
Students in the third grade, who have not yet passed the Third Grade Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) in Reading –will be
participating in a reading intervention program that will expand their school day until 4:00 PM Monday through Thursday each week.
The program is designed to provide targeted intervention in reading. These students are subject to the Third Grade Reading
Guarantee legislation which dictates that students not passing the test in the spring, when it is administered for a second time, must be
retained in third grade until they are able to pass the test.
Report Cards
2nd quarter report cards were sent home with students on Friday, January 24th. If you have any questions or concerns
about your child’s report card, please be sure to contact your child’s teacher or the school office.
Don’t forget – you can access your child’s grades any time during the quarter, through the internet, using the “Progress
Book” program. If you do not know how to do this, or you have lost your password, please contact the school office and
we will assist you!
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for:

Wednesday, February 12th 4:00 – 7:00 PM and Thursday, February 13th 4:00 – 7:00 PM

There will be a district wide one hour early dismissal on Feb. 12th .

Students will be
dismissed at 2:10 PM instead of 3:10 PM. Please make sure you have made any necessary arrangements for
changes in transportation or child care if needed! There is no Expanded Day Reading Intervention program on
either Feb. 12th or February 13th!
Teachers will be sending notices home for parents to request a preferred conference date and time.
On February 14th and Feb. 17th there will be no school!
Parent /Principal Pow-Wow
Occasionally I like to meet with parents to discuss things happening in the building, to brainstorm ideas, to ask
questions or give parents a chance to give input on a variety of topics. These are very informal meetings and
provide an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics. As we get closer to moving into our new schools, I
anticipate there may be questions and concerns from parents. This will be one of the topics we discuss at the
meeting! You are invited to attend this meeting which is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18th at 6:30 PM in the
Springcreek Cafeteria. Every parent is welcome to attend.
Kick off – Pennies for Patients –coin drive for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
“Pennies for Patients” is a fund drive to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Students will be given
boxes to collect coins for the cause. The project is being done as a community service learning project for our students.
Students in the K-Kids club will help organize the fund drive. We will be planning several special activities in conjunction
with this project. Participation by students and families is optional!
We will have a school wide assembly on January 30th to kick off the campaign and to explain it to students.
Second Grade Field Trip
Second grade classes will be participating in a special program offered through the Upper Valley Career Center.
On Feb. 7th, our second graders will visit the Garbry Museum at the Willowbrook Environmental Education
Center on Looney Road here in Piqua to participate in the “Look at Yesteryear” program.
The students will experience a ‘village’ of the early 1900’s during the two hour program. The students will see
and hear how town merchants and professionals performed their trade around the early 1900’s. They will see
an old time barbershop, post office, general store, bank and harness shop. A shoe cobbler’s shop, a one room
schoolhouse, an undertaker/cabinet maker’s shop and a blacksmith building as part of the tour. Each part of the
village is filled with locally found/donated artifacts.
Our New School!
Our “New” school is progressing quickly! It is amazing to see! I recently was able to tour inside the new
building! Below are some pictures I took. You can see how much progress has been made on all the
‘mechanicals” – including heating, air, electrical ductwork, wiring, etc.
Windows have been installed.
More exterior and interior brick work has been
completed.
They have begun insulating, hanging dry wall
and priming the concrete block for painting!
More pictures can be seen on the Springcreek
website – Photo Gallery!
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available to all children in Miami County
Preschool children in Miami County can now receive free books in the mail every month. Troy-Miami County Public
Library is working with United Way of Troy, Piqua Area United Way, Tipp City Area United Way, and the Friends of the
Library to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all children in Miami County from birth through age five.
Parents in Miami County can sign their children up at imaginationlibrary.com. All children under age 5 in Miami County are
eligible.
The Imagination Library is a 60-volume home library for preschool children. It was created to stimulate children’s
imaginations and encourage reading within the family at an early age. A panel of educators selects the books for the
library each year, always beginning the series with a special copy of “The Little Engine That Could.” Each child enrolled in
the program will receive one book each month by mail.
“This project is a winner for everyone involved,” said Richard Bender, executive director of the United Way of Troy. “We
are excited to be able to bring books into the homes of the children in our community.”
Library staff decided to implement the project in honor of Ada Pressman, a former Troy resident who became a
mechanical engineer in the 1970s during a time when few women entered the engineering field. She specialized in
developing emergency safety systems for fossil-fired and nuclear power plants and was considered a pioneer in the field.
By working with the Dollywood Foundation, this program can be implemented for only $25 per child enrolled per year by
its sponsors. The program is free for families.
Anyone interested in more information can call the library at 339-0502.
Mark Your calendar:
January 21st - Third Grade Expanded Day Reading Intervention Program begins
January 23-24th – Third Grade Owl Pellet Program for science
January 24th – Report Cards sent home!
Jr. Builders Program
January 27th – After School Nature Hour Program – Group A 3:30 – 4:45 PM
January 30th- After School Nature Hour Program – Group B 3:30 – 4:45 PM
January 30th – 8:45 AM – Assembly – Pennies for Patients ‘Kick off” assembly
February 7 – Second Grade Field Trip – Garbry Museum at Willowbrook
Feb. 12th - One Hour Early Dismissal - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 -7:00 PM
Feb. 13th – Classroom Valentine’s Day Parties
Feb. 13th - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Feb. 14th – No School –
Feb. 17th – President’s Day – no school
Feb. 18th - Principal/Parent Meeting – 6:30 PM
Feb. 24th – After School Nature Hour Program – Group A 3:30 – 4:45 PM
Feb. 27th- After School Nature Hour Program – Group B 3:30 – 4:45 PM
Feb. 28th – Jr. Builders Program