Volume 24, Issue 15 Thursday, April 30, 2015
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
I hope you all enjoyed your April Vacation. We are in the final stretch of the year, and the calendar of events keeps growing. Please check our website and Facebook page for updates on upcoming events. Also, if you are able, be sure to pledge your students for the Walk-a-thon tomorrow. By doing so, you motivate them to get walking, and all pledges will be put towards new drinking fountains for the school!
We are very pleased with the lovely weather we have had this week and hope this trend will continue. Swift River is looking great with the springtime shift: daffodils are up and blooming by preschool, Larry has been out mulching the garden this morning, and Larry and Walter built a beautiful new split rail fence by the soccer field over April break. We look forward to the upcoming garden times with Christine Heard, when Enchanted Forest students will learn about planting by seeding our raised garden beds. Learn more in this issue of the Current.
The second round of PARCC testing will commence on Monday, May 11th. Make sure that testing students get plenty of rest the night before and eat a wholesome breakfast on the morning of test days. We want them energized and relaxed so they can do their best!
Today police officers were on the playground for recess lockdown drills. This is to help ensure that our students will know what to do during a lockdown event, no matter where they are on school grounds. The drills were a success, and we are pleased to see that our students are so adaptive and respond so well to direction.
If you are interested in voting at the next Town Meeting, be sure to mark your calendars. The New Salem town meeting will be on Monday, June 1; the Wendell town meeting will be on Monday, June 8.
With only 36 more days of school, let’s make them count! We look forward to seeing you at some of our fun spring events.
Fondly,
Kelley
Fourth Grade Bug Lovers!
Mrs. Putala’s fourth grade students had the opportunity to sample “Chirps” tortilla chips made with wholesome ingredients such as beans, corn, rice, chia seeds, and...CRICKET flour. Chirps have 3x the protein and 40% less fat compared to the leading potato chip. Plus they are all-natural and gluten-free!
A few months ago, we read an article which explained that in many parts of the world, eating insects is no big deal. In fact, it’s just a normal part of everyday life. The article talked about a company in Massachusetts called Six Foods that has introduced Chirps chips which are made with cricket powder. After reading this article, the students viewed their website to find more information. The students were interested in trying the chips, so we placed an order for three bags of tortilla chips.
Mrs. Putala and the students sampled Aged Cheddar, Hickory BBQ, and Sea Salt flavored Chirps. Though they liked all the flavors, Aged Cheddar was clearly the favorite. They expected the Hickory BBQ to have more barbecue flavor, and would recommend adding stronger flavor. Each student took a bag of chips home so family members could sample the different varieties. We are so glad the students were open to giving these chips a try. They loved them! Bug Appetit!
The Enchanted Forest News
Join us on the next two Wednesdays (May 6 and 13) for Gardening with Christine Heard! The first session will involve prepping the garden beds and on the second session, we will plant the seeds. An informative flier was sent home yesterday.
We are so excited to finally have nice weather to play outdoors and use our new toys for the sand box. We also have new craft activities available and we will be making gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. We have also enjoyed some new snacks such as cheese & crackers, tortilla chips & salsa, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and more!
We hope you will join us!
The EF Staff
The Walk-a-thon is tomorrow, May 1st!
If you haven’t yet turned in your pledge sheet, be sure to bring it in tomorrow. There is an extra pledge sheet attached to the Current today. Not only does this fundraiser get our children exercising, it also will finance new drinking fountains for our school. Hope to see many of you tomorrow!
NEW This Month!
Dean’s Beans Coffee Fundraiser
Each month the PTCA makes a modest profit from selling coffee. In an effort to increase participation for this monthly fundraiser, we’ve made ordering easier for family and friends of Swift River. Beginning in May, you can order online and pay via PayPal or credit card (with free PayPal account). Also, a paper order form will be sent home. The form is slightly different and includes specific roasts Dean’s Beans offers. Descriptions of the coffees are on the back of the form as well as on our website. You may also notice a small increase in our prices which reflect a price increase from the vendor last summer.
Fun Fact: Legend has it that Ethiopian shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw their goats appearing to become frisky and “dance” after eating coffee berries.
Maybe the coffee will have a similar effect on you!
Order online at SRSdeansbeans.weebly.com
Swift River School Goes Unplugged Next Week in Celebration of
Screen Free Week, May 4-10th!
Thanks to all of you that have returned your participation letter. Tthere is a copy attached to this Current if you still want to participate! Each year this becomes a more difficult, but more important challenge for many of us. It can be like a reset button after a long winter of perhaps too much screen use. Remember: if your child participates, be sure they complete a daily activity log and that they return their log to the school by Friday, May 15th. Logs will be posted by the library and all participating children will receive a prize package. Contact Nan Mead R.N. at the school with any questions, and have fun!
100 Mile Club - Run4KidsMA
Sunday, May 31, 2015
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
at the Mahar Regional School Track
Run4KidsMA is a five-hour opportunity for children, families, and friends to earn as many miles as they want! Come, run, and meet your goals!
Music, entertainment, food and prizes abound! The first 300 Run4KidsMA participants will receive a headband, and the first three hundred 100 Mile Club children will receive 100 Mile Club tags. Event participation is just $10 each, with a $40 family cap.
We have invited 11 local area schools to join us for this blockbuster of a day. Register now so you won’t be waiting in line!
This event is a fundraiser for our 100 Mile Club, and a community service project for the Mahar Senators Girls Track and Field team.
An event flier and registration form are attached to this Current. You can register online or fill out the form and return it to school. Please come out and enjoy this amazing day!
Student Council Shout-Out
Tomorrow is SPORTS Day!
Wear any gear from your favorite sport
- - dance, baseball, swim, basketball,
gymnastics, hockey, RUNNING CLUB - -celebrate the athlete in all of us!
Please try to bring in a quarter, 25¢,
to help the school earn money for
the charity of the month.
This month’s charity is the
Elias Brookings School 100 Mile Club!
Library Lines
The MCBA classroom contest for 4th, 5th and 6th grade has ended for this year. During the school year, students earned points for their classroom through various activities based on the 25 MCBA books. It was a close race between 5th and 6th grade this year and 5th grade won by 65 points (out of over 5000!) They will receive a pizza party lunch as their prize! Congratulations!
This week in the library we have been discussing Screen Free Week, which will take place May 4 - May 10. We completed a word search puzzle featuring many activities we could do during the week, such as play sports, bike, have a picnic and of course, READ! There are many books on display in the library to help discover new things to do: fishing, magic tricks, cooking, hiking, drawing, arts and crafts and much more. Discover all of the fun you and your family can have without screens!
The Scholastic “Buy One, Get One Free” Book Fair will be held in the library from Tuesday, June 2 through Friday, June 5. Tentative hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I will be looking for many volunteers to help with the Book Fair, so please mark your calendar.
The Six Flags tickets for the “Read to Succeed” are expected to arrive by mid-May.
Make time to read,
Betsy
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school sponsored.
New Salem Library LEGO Club
May 14th will be the last LEGO Club meeting at the New Salem Library. Come build something amazing! Try the challenge. Make a new friend. Put your build on display. Swift River School students can take the school bus. (An adult meets the bus.) Open to kids age 5 and up. Snack provided. 3:30 to 5:00. This program is generously funded by the New Salem Academy. Call 978-544-6334 for more information.
New Salem Library Teen and Tween News
May is Martial Arts month at the New Salem Library! Come watch the Karate Kid movies the 6th. Then on the next three Wednesdays, come take a martial arts class with Jayson Drake! Class starts at 3 pm. Come prepared to work and learn! Cost? FREE!
Also in May, learn some basic sewing techniques on our new sewing machine.
Call 978-544-6334 for more info or to arrange to take the school bus from Mahar. We’ll be here alllll summer!
Happy Valley Children’s Chorus
“Songs of Hope”
Sunday, May 17th at 1:30 PM
First Congregational Church of Amherst
165 Main Street, Amherst, MA
For more information contact:
[email protected]
413-668-4189
www.dorothycresswell.com
RABBIT RUN
The 12th annual Rabbit Run will be held Saturday, May 16th starting at New Salem Common. After the long winter we just experienced, organizers expect a good turnout! The race will benefit the 100 Mile Club at Swift River School, and prizes will be given for all age groups.
The 100 Mile Club® provides students with the opportunity to run or walk 100 miles at school during a single school year; this improves students’ readiness to learn, creates better education outcomes, and builds self-esteem and overall health for children and other participants.
The Rabbit Run, named for the train route that passed through what is now the Quabbin Reservoir, takes runners through the scenic Quabbin watershed on a 10k course and walkers on a 5k course.
Participants are asked to pre-register by filling out a registration form available at the New Salem Library, the New Salem General Store and online at www.sugarloafmac.org or www.runreg.com. The registration is $15 until May 1st, and will be $20 after May 1st and on the day of the event. Free tee shirts will be given to those who register before May1st.
The tee shirt design, shown to the left, was created by Swift River student, Morgan Barnes. We love it!
Organizers are currently seeking volunteers to help with set-up, registration, water stops, race timing, food tents, and clean-up. The registration fee will be waived for volunteers. Also, rabbit-themed snacks are greatly appreciated.
Race-day registration begins at 9:00 am at the New Salem Common. The races will begin at 10:00 am. This is not a school-sponsored event; the New Salem Recreation Committee sponsors this event. For further information, please contact Carla Halpern at 978-544-2676.
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.