Following November’s school board elections, new and returning members of the Springfield Township School Board began their first meeting on Dec. 5 with a recognition of the new officers and a customary listing of superintendent notes. 

One of the notes recognized the Springfield Township High School thespians’ outstanding achievements in the Pennsylvania state conference. They were the only one of all Pennsylvania troupes to earn a place performing their fall play “Almost Maine” at the international thespian conference. 

Another announced the next Multicultural Parents Association meeting. For those interested, it will be on Jan. 16, and more information can be found on the school district website.

Following the announcement portion, the Springfield Township High School E-Sports team presented the results of their championship, in which the Super Smash Bros team placed 4th, and the League of Legends team placed 3rd. 

The four representatives each explained the opportunities and friendships E-Sports gave them, and the importance of the on-the-rise sport. They thanked the board for introducing it and allowing them to pursue this passion. The board responded with support and pride for the team, and candy for the representatives.

The meeting also briefly touched on an upcoming safety plan for Erdenheim Elementary School. It has two parts: a ramp in the area around the playground for easier accessibility, and a railing to act as a barrier between Springfield Way and the playground.

Perhaps the most important part of the night was the portion reserved for attendees to discuss unscheduled issues. 

First to speak was Kim Crouter, accompanied by her son Jesse, an eighth-grade student at Springfield’s middle school. She spoke about her concerns regarding a “Sense of Belonging Survey” that children from grades 6-12 take annually. Crouter said her son was unable to take the survey due to his Down’s syndrome and that the survey was not adaptable to students with special needs. 

She has been advocating for this to change for the past three years. She also seeks a more efficient aide program for children with special needs, to assist children with physical and mental disabilities in their school environments. 

During her final remarks, Crouter asked, “If this was your son or daughter, would you stop advocating?” 

Tom Conwell, parent of a district 9th grader, similarly pushed for a better system for aides. He explained that his child requires an aide to travel with him and that the person needs to be a familiar face. 

According to Conwell, the current system is too inconsistent to meet his child’s needs: His son, and others, need the people who assist them to understand both who they are and what needs they have, he said. 

Sophia Gatti is a sophomore at Springfield Township High School.