NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
As the school year starts to wind down I am grateful that Swift River School has so much support and generosity from our communities. Knowing how much our small school means to everyone, I’d like to remind our New Salem families to attend the town meeting on Monday, June 2nd, at 7 PM and our Wendell families to attend the town meeting on Saturday, June 7th, at 10 AM at their respective Town Halls.
I hope to see everyone at the We are on “TRACK” fundraiser this weekend. You may have heard that I can be found that day in the kitchen flipping flapjacks, convincing you to vote for my carrot cake, hiding behind the camera, or being dunked in the dunk tank. Please come by and say hello, especially if we have yet to talk this year!
Fondly,
Kelley
100 Mile Club® End of Year Celebrations!
Next Tuesday, June 3rd, is our last Running Club for the year!
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone that has participated during the year is encouraged to join us on this date (wearing their 100 Mile Club shirts, of course,) as Kara Lubin, the founder of the 100 Mile Club, who lives in California will be joining us! Everyone is welcome to join us for snacks & a reception with Kara Lubin from 4:00-4:30PM. Please wear your 100 Mile Club T-shirt!
Everyone is cordially invited to our
100 Mile Club Medal Ceremony!
When: Thursday, June 12, 5:30-7:30PM
(during PTCA June Jamboree Pot Luck!)
Where: Swift River Cafeteria
All children will receive a Certificate with their total miles for the year!
This has been an awesome first year of our 100 Mile Club and we are already planning for the fall. Next year the t-shirts will be Tennessee Orange.
We’re on TRACK! Run/Walk And Pancake Breakfast
Join us this Saturday for a morning of fun as we raise funds to build a running track around our field.
In addition to the pancake breakfast and run/walk, there will be a Beautiful Cake Silent Auction and a raffle. Some of our raffle prizes include: 100 Mile Club sports bags, pedometers, Deja Brew t-shirt, Wendell t-shirt, water bottles, Laced Up & on the Run mug, Patriots cup, Kringle candle, Android tablet, Sneaker Balls, Shwings, Red Sox hats, Celtics hat, Lock Laces, hockey stick, and athletic cones. New prizes in this week include: a Thirtyone Weekender bag, Lego All Terrain Trapper set, iTunes card, Barnes & Noble card, Dunkin Donuts card, Dick’s Sporting Goods card, and an East Oak Kennel & Training certificate.
Saturday, May 31st at Swift River School
8:30 a.m. Bib pick up
9:00 a.m. FREE 5K/10K - water stations available
9:45 a.m. Pancake Breakfast $5/adult, $3/child
Dunk Tank - Dunk your teachers and principal!
Raffle - Great Prizes!
“SRS We’re on TRACK” Bracelet Sale - $2 each
Beautiful Cake Silent Auction
Library Lines
The Scholastic "Buy One, Get One Free" Book Fair will be held in the library from Tuesday, June 3 through Friday, June 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m each day. The "Buy One, Get One Free" Book Fair is a wonderful opportunity to promote summer reading!
Last week in the library we have played Caldecott Bingo. Instead of numbers on the Bingo card, there are titles of Caldecott Award books. Children must listen to the clue about the book and determine the correct answer. The winners (and everyone is a winner!) receive a $1 gift certificate to the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. This has been a lot of fun and many classes have asked to continue playing even after their library time has ended.
All library books are due by Monday June 9. Again this year I am offering a Book Return Challenge! Each student who has returned all of their library books by Monday June 2, will be entered into a drawing for a free book ($6.99 or less) at the Book Fair. Five winners will be selected. This is open to Pre-School through sixth grade. Let's try to get all library books returned by June 2!
The new Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) Master List for 2014-2015 is here! I have included a copy of the list along with a guide for the appropriate reading grade level in this issue of the Current. The New Salem Public Library and the Wendell Free Library will have these books available this summer for children to begin reading. Everyone is very excited about the new list, which includes some familiar authors such as Rick Riordan, Lauren Tarshis, Patricia MacLachlan, Rebecca Stead and many others.
There are many summer reading programs available to encourage children to read. Your child received information this week about many of the programs listed below. The New Salem Public Library and the Wendell Free Library will once again offer their wonderful summer programs filled with many activities. Please check with the local libraries for specific information.
Barnes and Noble offers a summer reading program where kids can earn a free book when they read eight books. There are some wonderful titles available this year! Each child was given an entry form; you may also visit your local Barnes and Noble store or go online to www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/. This is available to children in first grade (entering first grade in the Fall) through sixth grade. This program runs from May 20 until September 2, 2014. Supplies may be limited, so don't wait too long!
The Massachusetts Teachers Association in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox is offering a "Red Sox Summer Reading Game." Each child was given an entry form post card or you can visit www.readingmatters.org. Children pledge to read nine books and are entered into a drawing for free Red Sox tickets. Entries must be postmarked by July 11, 2014. This is available to children in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
TDBank is giving $10 to children who read ten books, which is deposited into a new or existing Young Saver account. Again, each child was given an entry form or you can visit your local TD Bank or go online towww.tdbank.com/summerreading. This program is offered June 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014 and is open to children in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
I have also included a Chuck E Cheese Reading Reward sheet. Children read every day for 2 weeks and place a checkmark in the appropriate box. They will receive 10 free tokens when the form is taken to a participating Chuck E Cheese.
Make time to read,
Betsy
Compost Report
Saturday's compost pickup put us past the 20-ton mark in almost exactly 5 years of composting! The actual total is now 40,253 lbs. Our volume total is 16,750 gallons, or almost 83 cubic yards. Thank you to the students for making our composting dreams come true! Their commitment to this effort is the evident by the data.
PTCA NEWS
Thank you to everyone for supporting our 17th Annual Walk-a-thon! It was a huge success, and everyone enjoyed being outside for the first time in a long time! All Walkathon pledge money is now due. Please return pledge sheets with checks payable to Swift River PTCA, as soon as possible. Thank you for making this fundraising event a huge success!
Swift River PTCA
ENCHANTED FOREST NEWS
Next Wednesday, June 4th Enchanted Forest will sponsor a Scavenger Hunt. Join us on a search for items from nature! A flier is coming home soon for this event.
On Monday June 16th the children in EF will make Fruit Cones. They will work together to cut up lots of delicious fruit, then each child will fill a cone to eat for snack! A sign up flier will go home next week.
Finally, the Last Day Party starts at 11:30 on Monday, June 3rd. We plan to have a lot of fun outside with water balloons and sprinklers, bucket ball and other games. We will serve lunch, a snack later on, then end the day with a movie and popcorn. Be sure to sign up early for this big day!!
Reminder: All payments must be received by Friday, June 20 for EF bills. May’s invoices will go home early next week. Payments for June should be made every Friday for that week. Thanks for your cooperation.
Community Bulletin Board
These announcements and events are not school sponsored.
Free Swimming Lessons
Free swimming lessons are being offered to New Salem and Wendell children ages 5 and up. The lessons will be at 10:30 a.m. at Lake Mattawa in Orange and will be taught by the staff of the Athol YMCA Aquatics Program. The program will be offered July 7 to 10 and July 14- to 7. You may register for one or two weeks. Classes will be held Monday through Thursday (with Friday for a rain date make-up only). Register in person at the Athol YMCA or by calling the YMCA at 978-249-3305. This program is sponsored by the New Salem and the Wendell Recreation Committees.