Dear Bulldog Family,

As we begin a new year together, January brings us a fresh start and an exciting opportunity to set strong habits for the months ahead. This is a time to reset, refocus, and recommit to doing our very best—both in learning and in how we care for one another each day.

We are encouraging our students to start the year with positive energy, strong effort, and kindness. When classrooms are calm, focused, and respectful, students are able to think deeply, ask questions, and grow with confidence. We will continue to support them with clear expectations, positive encouragement, and our Five to Thrive approach—using clear learning goals, active engagement, purposeful movement, teacher support, and ongoing checks for understanding to keep every learner moving forward.

Families, your partnership is more important than ever as we launch into this new chapter. Consistent attendance, good sleep routines, encouragement at home, and conversations about learning and behavior all help reinforce the strong foundation we are building at school. Together, we can help students develop the habits they need for a successful year.

A new year is a powerful reminder that growth is always possible. Each day gives students another chance to learn something new, strengthen skills, and make positive choices. Let’s work together to help every child start 2026 with confidence, focus, and pride in their progress.

At Spring Mill, we believe in growth, perseverance, and supporting every student to be their best—and this new year is the perfect time to continue that journey. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support as we make this a great year for our Bulldogs!

In partnership,

Kellée Martin

Principal of Spring Mill Elementary 💙🐾

#WeGrowPanthers #WhyWT

kmartin@msdwt.k12.in.us

As we enter into 2026, Spring Mill PTO wanted to take a moment and thank all of the families for making this year the best yet!  

Below is the PTO's year-end recap:

- Provided affordable and fun community events:  We all gathered at Bulldogtoberfest this October to celebrate our wonderful school. A big thank you to Greek's Pizzeria and St. Luke's United Methodist church for making this event possible.

- Created Online Spring Mill Store- PTO launched a Spirit Wear online store to provide Bulldog sweatshirts, t-shirts and more! We can't wait to see the new merchandise around town.

- Led a Successful Fall Fundraiser- In September, the PTO raised over $14,000 to support our school! With these funds, the PTO offers additional support and resources to enhance our children's engaging educational environment.

- Celebrated our dedicated teachers: In October, we celebrated World Teachers Day by providing each teacher school supplies. We also bought gifts monthly to additional staff members to show our appreciation. 

- Showed Bulldog Pride- PTO members volunteered at events such as Spring Mill popcorn day, North Central Homecoming tailgate, and Washington Township Bash to show our school spirit.

A big shout out to Laurie Wood for creating a vision and executing on community outreach. She partnered with Spring Mill's social worker to identify families that needed additional support. Her research, drive and dedication made the school breaks a little brighter for our families.  

We hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable break. See you Thursday Feb 19th at our next PTO meeting and Save the Date on April 17th for Spring Mill PTO's Annual Trivia Night!

Questions or feedback? Email us anytime at springmillschoolpto@gmail.com.

For updates, visit springmillpto.com or check out our Spring Mill Elementary PTO Facebook page.

With Bulldog pride,

Kim Stratton

Proud PTO President 💙

Our goal each month is for every class to exceed 95% attendance—and that means being on time and ready to learn every day. We know it takes teamwork between home and school to make that happen, and we’re so thankful for our families’ partnership in helping students show up, stay engaged, and succeed.

Our students had a great time celebrating their reward for reaching 95% or higher attendance in November! Prizes included snacks, hot chocolate, a popcorn party, lunch in the classroom, and fun school supplies. We are so proud of our students for showing commitment, perseverance, and pride in being at school every day.

A special shout-out goes to Mrs. Culp’s 2nd Grade class, which earned the highest attendance percentage in the entire school! Her use of graphing and goal-setting helped motivate students and keep attendance top of mind—way to go! 🎉

When we return from winter break, students in the following classrooms that reached 95% or higher attendance in December will get to spin the prize wheel as another fun celebration of their great attendance: McAllister 95% (2nd Grade), Culp 96% (2nd Grade), and Turner (4th Grade) 96.1%. Let’s keep showing up, Bulldogs! 🐾

Check out the pictures below of these classes spinning the attendance wheel and enjoying their Top Dogs of Attendance rewards. Let’s keep it up, Bulldogs—every day counts! 💙🐾

#AttendanceMatters #BulldogPride #WeGrowPanthers

In December, students participated in monthly classroom lessons with Hannah Loeffler, School Counselor. Below, you’ll find details about these lessons and ways you can reinforce the skills at home.

December’s lessons focused on career exploration! Students learned about the importance of careers and had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of career paths using Xello, our career exploration platform. Through engaging activities, students began thinking about their interests, strengths, and how these connect to future possibilities.

• Talk about jobs and careers within your family or community

• Ask your child what careers they are curious about and what skills those jobs might require

• Help your child see how school skills—like reading, math, responsibility, and teamwork—connect to future careers

At Spring Mill, we understand that career development doesn’t just begin after graduation—it starts now. Helping students see the connection between academic skills, positive behavior, and future goals empowers them to make meaningful choices both in and out of the classroom.

Together, we are growing Panthers who are confident, curious, and lifelong learners, ready to explore their futures and reach their full potential.

Here are a few photos from the month of November. For more photos and to stay updated on what's happening, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.