Springhill Lake Hosts Successful Back-to-School Night

Decorations adorned the halls and doorways as excited parents and students gathered for Back-to-School Night, Tuesday, at Springhill Lake Elementary.

The two-hour event was an opportunity for parents, teachers and students to meet, greet and connect on a common ground.

"There are many benefits of the Back-to-School Night," physical education teacher, Stacy Hindalong said. "It is a night for families; to establish a community connection." Hindalong said she enjoyed bonding with parents and children on a personal level, which she said was imperative to "increase the parental involvement in education."

The Back-to-School night created an avenue for conversation to begin; for parents to learn of the teachers' classroom plans and curriculum for the school year as well as discuss any routines they should implement into the classroom.

General/vocal music teacher, Ashley Chapin said the Back-to-School night is also an easier event for families to attend than a parent-teacher conference, which is often difficult to schedule. 

"Many of the parents want to speak with us outside of class time or even before the school day begins but may find it difficult to even maneuver the hallways with the packed crowds of children," she said.

Similar to many Back-to-School Night events, this program allowed parents to meet with their child's teachers and tour the campus; however, Springhill Lake had additional events that contributed to the night's success. The auditorium served as the central location for parent-essential information like the 2010-2011 testing schedules. The room filled with cheering voices and a plethora of booths highlighting the Springhill Lake's programs. Parents listened as school specialists educated them on the need for school funding and how programs such as "Box Tops Education" or Giant's "Bonus Bucks" will earn credit towards that well-needed funding.

Springhill Lake's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) hosted a booth and membership drive for parents, new-and-old to sign up to join the coalition; parents were able to meet with the board's representatives and complete an application.

The PTA understands the need for funding. The boards vice president and secretary, Trina Coore, said, "The PTA hosts many programs throughout the year to raise funds … it is our mission to give back to the children and the community."

Springhill Lake's PTA sponsors everything from buying physical education equipment to holding events like Skate Night, Carnival and Spirit Week.

In addition to the school-sponsored programs and committees, several community and civic organizations attended the event to distribute information and speak with parents as well. Greenbelt Cares, The City of Greenbelt Department of Recreation, Springhill Lake Recreation Center and the Greenbelt Police Department all attended the event to display an array of programs created exclusively for the Springhill Lake children and their families.