Volume 25, Issue 18 Thursday, May 26, 2016
Important Dates
May 27, 9 – 10 AM: Instrumental Music Concert
June 3: PK Field Day
June 7 – 10: Scholastic B1G1 Free Book Fair
June 8, 10:00 AM: 100 Mile Club Medal Ceremony
June 9: PK Field Trip
Title 1 Parent Breakfast
June 10: Field Day for Grades K – 6
June 15 6:30 PM: Grade 5 Play: A Thousand Cranes
June 16: Grade 6 Boston Field Trip
June 17, 1:15 PM: Talent Show
June 17: Last day of PK
June 21: Last day of School
June 21: Grade 6 Graduation
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
As the school year winds down, I am grateful that Swift River School has so much support and generosity from our communities. Knowing how much our school means to everyone, I’d like to remind our New Salem families to attend the New Salem Town Meeting on Monday, June 6 at 7:00 PM, and remind our Wendell families to attend the Wendell Town Meeting on Monday, June 8 at 7:00 PM. Both meetings will be held at the respective Town Halls. I hope to see you there.
I’m happy to report that we will have sent all the standardized tests to PARCC and MCAS by the end of this week. I extend a big thank you to the families and students who participated in testing this year, to the families and students who chose to opt out of testing this year, and to all our families for supporting our students during this testing period. Our small school with a big heart made history this year!
You may have heard it through the grapevine, but I would like to officially announce three retirements this year. Carolyn Croteau, Second Grade Teacher, will be retiring after 40 years of teaching. She has devoted 34 of those years to the students of Swift River School. Carolyn has taught Kindergarten through Grade 2; for many years, Carolyn looped with another teacher in First and Second Grade. Beth Haggerty, Sixth Grade Teacher, will be retiring after 17 years of teaching at Swift River School. Beth has served in several roles since she joined the SRS Staff and has left her mark on Grade 6. Teri Nelson, Special Education Teacher, will be retiring after 34 years in education and 25 years at Swift River. Teri has held several positions at Swift River and throughout Union 28. All three of these women have made an amazing contribuiton to Swift River School and to many, many of our community’s children. They have formed part of the culture of Swift River and the fabric of our faculty. Their legacy of commitment and compassion will remain with us. I have had the honor of learning from them and working with them for three years, and I am humbled by their service to this community—these women put children first everyday. Thank you, Carolyn; thank you, Beth; thank you, Teri.
We have many events coming up in the next three weeks, so please mark your calendars!
Fondly,
Kelley
PTCA News and Farewell
We want to thank all of our wonderful families for a fantastic evening at the Spring Spectacular. It was a joy to watch the children perform under Mr. Cortina’s leadership at the Spring Concert.
Congratulations to Margie McGinnis, winner of the Supermarket Sweep raffle! This past Sunday, Margie and her girls, Laura and Katy, had a three-minute shopping spree in Hannaford Supermarket and walked away with just under $300 worth of groceries. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets.
Lastly, we are sad to report that the Swift River School PTCA, as we know it, will be no more. We're sure you're tired of hearing our pleas for help, and we understand the busy lives we all lead. That being said, at this time we don't have the necessary involvement to continue to offer events like Fall Fest, Parents Night Out, or Dinner Angels. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has participated, past and present. You have truly enhanced the lives of our children and community.
Please join us Tuesday, June 14 at 6:30 PM in the Café. Share your thoughts, enjoy a coffee and a treat, and come together to look ahead and discuss how we will continue to serve our students and our school.
Special Run Club!
Wednesday, June 1
5:30 – 6:30 PM
On the track
Join us for the last Wednesday night Run Club of the school year! Have you reached your 100 Mile Club goal yet? This is a great opportunity to get some extra laps in and spend time with your friends. Nan and Christine are scheming up something special for the event! Come on over and bring your friends!
June Dean’s Beans Order
Support our PTCA and stock up on delicious, organic coffee for the summer! Please return the attached order form by Friday, June 3 at 3:00 PM, or order online at www.srsdeansbeans.weebly.com. Coffee will be delivered by Friday, June 10. Contact Nan Mead ([email protected]) or at the at the School with any questions.
Field Day!
Field Day for Grades K – 6 will be held on Friday, June 10 this year! We are looking for parent volunteers to make this event a success! If you would like to volunteer, please contact the School by calling 978-544-6926 as soon as possible, so we can sign you up for a lunch! We will have hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, potato salad, corn on the cob, tossed salad greens, corn bread, watermelon and popsicles—and volunteers will eat for free! Come join us for a fun day of outdoor games and activites. We hope to hear from you!
Library Lines
The Scholastic "Buy One, Get One Free" Book Fair will be held in the Library from Tuesday, June 7 through Friday, June 10. Hours are 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, Tuesday through Friday. The "Buy One, Get One Free" Book Fair is a wonderful opportunity to promote summer reading!
Volunteers are needed to help make the Book Fair run smoothly; please fill out the volunteer form sent home recently, and return it by Monday, May 31.
This week (May 20 - 24) is the last week for students to check books out from the Library! All books are due back by June 10. Please help your children locate their library books and return them by the deadline. Overdue notices will be sent home next week.
The new MCBA (Massachusetts Childrens Book Awards) Mashup list for 2016-2017 is here! A copy is included in this week’s issue of The Current. The New Salem And Wendell Libraries plan to have these books available over the summer for children to start reading.
Make time to read,
Betsy
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school-sponsored.
New Salem Teen and Tween News
Love Minecraft? Wish you knew how to summon lightning bolts with a bow and arrow or build giant rainbows in the Minecraft world with code? Come learn to spawn farm animals or monsters instantly and have fun "modding" your world! The set-up is easy for beginners, challenging for experienced gamers and fun for everyone! And you can come on the school bus.
New Salem Library
June 15, 2016
2:30 to 4:30
ages 11 and up
You MUST pre-register for this program by calling 978-544-6334
Come to Boxville
Pop-up Playground!
On the Wendell Town Common
(Across from the Wendell Free Library!)
Saturday June 4, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
FREE EVENT!
We have 50 HUGE cardboard boxes ready for making into the village of Boxville.
- Show up with your ideas for two hours of creative play with cardboard.
- All ages from children through adults welcome. (We encourage adult participation.)
- Children 10 and under must bring along an adult to work with them.
- Bring your friends. See the Boxville Zoo created by Swift River School’s art students.
- Additional boxes, card board tubes, et cetera of any sizes or shapes are welcome.
- At noon we'll serve watermelon in Boxville! Feel free to BYO picnic.
- At the end of the day everybody can go home with their piece of the village!
Rain date: Sunday June 5, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sponsored by the Wendell Free Library
978-544-3559
Be sure to join the fun!
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.