Volume 25, Issue 13 Thursday, March 10, 2016
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
Last week we invited parents to a very important School Committee meeting about the Opt-Out Movement at Swift River School. Unfortunately, the School Committee did not have a quorum and they were unable to vote. They did stay and listen to the concerns of the public regarding standardized testing and they agreed to hold an emergency meeting to vote.
Tonight the School Committee will meet at 5:30 PM in the Swift River Café to vote on a resolution that would support teachers and families who are in favor of opting out of standardized testing. I would like to invite you to come and learn about the Opt-Out Movement at Swift River tonight!
The PTCA will host their monthly meeting tonight at 6:30 PM in the Café. Please join us so you can be part of event planning for the rest of the school year.
Fondly,
Kelley
Congratulations to Gillian Budine
On Wednesday, March 9, our Community Network for Children Coordinator, Gillian Budine, was presented with the 2016 Brain Builder Award from the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
Gillian was one of six recipients chosen out of over 100 program coordinators in the state. Brain Building in Progress has organized nearly 100 Coordinated Family and Community Engagement networks across the the Commonwealth who work to support the development of young children. They provide programs, training, and resources that support children's brain development and help raise awareness of the importance of high-quality early education opportunities in ensuring all children enter school ready to learn and succeed.
We congratulate Gillian for this success, and thank her for her ongoing efforts to provide our community with outstanding early education programming.
Library Lines
Another amazing Books in Action party was held last Friday night—thank you to all of our awesome volunteers!
Swift River School staff members included: Jill Putala and Ms. Haggerty—who did math problems and shot hoops all night, Danika Tyminski and Mrs. Newman (aka Lotus & Pandora)—who prepped kids for their Broadway auditions, and Chris Wings—who served up some New Orleans fun!
Special thanks to our wonderful Principal, Kelley Sullivan, for spending the evening with us!
Parent volunteers and bakers included: Robyn Vitello, Jodie Vezina, Lisa Jenks, Cindy Phelps, Andrea Frost, Dara LaPlante, Deb Rolski, Josh Chase, Amy Borezo, Trevor Kearns, Patty Savage, Shannon Santana, Amy Simmons, Sarah Brouillet and Margie McGinnis!!! We couldn't have an event of this magnitude without your help!
Special thanks go out to Bub's BBQ (visit http://www.bubsbbq.com/) and Wildwood BBQ (visit http://www.wildwoodque.com/) for donating the delicious BBQ pulled pork. Of course the best way to thank them is to eat at their restaurants!
Some of the activities included Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Minute-To-Win-It games, Zentangles, a New Orleans café and more. All activities were based on the list of 25 MCBA Mashup books.
Congratulations to the winning team of the Battle of the Books: Isaac, Amber, Katrena and Jeffrey! All of the teams did an amazing job, and I was so impressed with their knowledge of the MCBA books.
Make time to read,
Betsy
PTCA UPDATE
There are so many exciting things happening this Spring! We hope to see you at tonight's meeting so you can learn more about our fun ideas!
The PTCA has been busy planning:
Bowling Extravaganza on Sunday, March 20 from 3 – 5 PM. Lanes are filling up fast. Sign-up forms are attached to this Current, so send your form and money in today as space is limited!
Supermarket Sweep at Hannaford Supermarket on Sunday, May 22. Only 100 tickets will be sold for a three-minute supermarket sweep. Tickets are only $10.00 each. Purchase raffle tickets by filling out the raffle ticket form attached to this Current. Tickets will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
We look forward to seeing you at tonight's meeting at 6:30 PM in the Swift River Cafe. As always, childcare will be provided by the Mahar Key Club!
The Enchanted Forest News
The Enchanted Forest will be open during April Parent-Teacher Conferences on April 6, 8, 13 and 15. A flier will be sent home next week listing the activities we’ve planned along with a registration form. Space is limited, so please sign up as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Upcoming EF activities include:
Friday, March 11: Make your own Wall Plaque
Wednesday, March 16: Bake Irish Soda Bread with Christine Heard
Friday, March 18: Create Message Flags
Tuesday, March 22: Paper Airplanes
Wednesday, March 23: The Deep Sea, Movie and Snacks
Wednesday, March 30: Tissue Paper Flowers
The cost for each activity is $10.00 and includes recess time and a snack. Please send a note in to school to sign your student up.
Come join the fun!
EF Staff
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school-sponsored.
Spring Break Outdoor Adventure Challenge Week
Adventure In Adventure Out offers a unique chance for your child to explore, inquire, play, reflect, dialogue and challenge perceived limits in the context of the natural world! During our Spring Break Outdoor Challenge Week, your child will broaden their internal and external horizons as they visit a new outdoor location each day, practice new skills, make new friends, and engage as a vital part of a team in an environment full of curiosity and wonder! Activities are weather-dependent and may include caving, canoeing, kayaking, raft-building, archery, geocaching, nature connection, primitive survival skills, hiking, animal tracking and much more!
The Spring Vacation Outdoor Challenge Week is open to children between the ages of 9 and 14. Space is limited to 13 participants!
Dates: April 18 – 22
Cost: Sliding Scale from $350.00 to $400.00
Drop off: at 9:00 AM at Mill River Recreation Area in North Amherst, MA
Pick up: at 4:00 PM at at Mill River Recreation Area in North Amherst, MA
For more information and to register:
http://adventureinadventureout.com/register-your-child/
Summer Outdoor Challenge Weeks
Practice new skills, make new friends, and challenge your perceived limits!
Adventure in Adventure Out will collaborate with the Bement School to offer a unique chance to broaden your internal and external horizons as you visit a new location each day, practice new skills, make new friends, and challenge your perceived limits. With different activities and locations each week, participants will have the opportunity to try rock climbing, caving, canoeing, kayaking, raft-building, geocaching, nature connection, wilderness survival skills, and much more! All of these activities will be led by Adventure In Adventure Out’s highly-trained and skilled staff members, all of whom are seasoned veterans in the fields of environmental and outdoor education, and passionate about the creation of a dynamic environment that allows participants to discover and engage the unique relationships between themselves, community members, and their own natural surroundings.
There are four 5-day sessions for children between the ages of 9 and 14. See below for details. Sign up for an individual week or for several weeks!
Times: Drop off participants at the Bement School at 9:00 AM and pick up participants at 4:00 PM.
Dates and Costs:
- Outdoor Challenge Week 1: June 20 – 24, $375
- Outdoor Challenge Week 3: August 22 – 26,$375
- Wild-Hearted Boys: August 8 – 12 (includes one overnight), $410
- Wild-Hearted Girls: August 15 – 19 (includes one overnight), $410
For more information on these weeks and to register: http://adventureinadventureout.com/register-your-child/
Friends of the New Salem Library
We will offer a Memoir Writing Class on Thursdays: March 10, 17, 24, and 31, and April 7. This program is free for New Salem Residents. To register, please call Ruth Flohr at 413-367-0127. You may also register in person at the New Salem Public Library. This program is supported by a grant from the New Salem Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Saturday, March 12: LEGO'S from 12:30 – 2:00 PM
Thursday, March 31: The Friends of The New Salem Public Library will present Weird Massachusetts, featuring Jeff Boulanger. The program will be held at Swift River School at 7:00 PM. Be sure to bring money to treat yourself and support Swift River 6th Graders at their Bake Sale!
Wednesday, April 6: A book discussion on Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A copy is available at The New Salem Public Library.
The New Salem-Wendell School District assures that all programs, activities, and employment opportunities are offered without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, disability, economic status, homelessness, religion or sexual orientation.