Volume 24, Issue 18 Thursday, June 11, 2015
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
As the school year comes to a close, I’d like to thank all of our Helping Hands who have made this year so successful. Our first annual Helping Hands Breakfast hosted by the Student Council was a huge success. We are very grateful to have a network of volunteers who help out in various capacities, such as in the classrooms, at the Book Fair, on Field Day, and at the 100 Mile Club. Without your support, our classrooms and these activities would look much different. Your willingness to donate your time has been greatly appreciated. I hope you’ll join us again next year. We’d also like to thank all of the citizens of New Salem and Wendell who work for our local governments. We know that your work is very important to our every day workings at Swift River. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Our teachers have put together summer packets for next year’s students. These packets will go home with the report card envelopes on June 19. If you will be leaving for summer vacation before June 19, please send us a note, so we can send the information home with your children on their last day.
In case you haven’t heard, Edward Hines, our music teacher and director of all musical events, will be retiring at the end of this school year. Mr. Hines has devoted 21 years to Swift River School teaching music to our students and hosting Community Sing every Friday morning. This Friday Mr. Hines will be hosting his final Talent Show, and boy, does he make it look easy! Please help us say thank you to Mr. Hines by joining us after the Talent Show for refreshments in the Café.
Please notify the office no later than Monday, June 15 if your child is not returning to SRS for the 2015-2016 school year as we need to make arrangements for the transfer of student records. If you have any questions, please call the office at (978) 544-6926.
With only seven days of school left, the June Jamboree tonight, the Talent Show tomorrow, and this being the last Current of the school year, I’d like to thank everyone at SRS for making this year such a success. It will definitely be one for the record books. I am very privileged to work in a school that has such strong community support, children that are kind and respectful, and a staff that puts students first. It has been a fantastic year!
Happy summer,
Kelley
100 Mile Club
Please join us Monday, June 15 at 10:00 am for our 100 Mile Club Medal Ceremony. Every student will receive a certificate for their miles and students who ran 100 miles will receive a gold medal!
It’s Time to Say Farewell
Mr. Hines is retiring. Please join staff, community members and children as we celebrate the 21 years he taught music at Swift River School. We will have a reception in the school cafeteria on Friday, June 12, 2015 immediately following the Talent Show. All are welcome!
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 12 at 3:00 pm, or order online at www.srsdeansbeans.weebly.com. Coffee will be delivered by Friday, June 19. Contact Nan Mead at the at school with any questions.
Nurse’s Notes
End of Year Reminders: If your child has medication in the health office, please make arrangements for an adult to pick it up on or before Tuesday, June 23. If you need extra medication forms for next year, please give me a call and I will send a set home. Remember: no medications may be administered at school without a doctor’s order form and a parental consent form on file.
Summer is a great time to schedule a physical and a dental exam for your child, if he or she is due. At Swift River, physical exams are required for all newly entering students, and for children entering kindergarten, and fourth grade. If you need a physical exam form for your child (to be filled out by his/her primary care provider) please give me a call.
It is a shame that the Mobile Dentist was cancelled this year due to low enrollment, so if your child hasn’t been seen by the dentist and you need assistance locating one, please give me a call.
Thank you for attending to the health needs of your children & have a healthy, fun summer!
Nan Mead R.N., School Nurse
[email protected]
Library Lines
The "Buy One Get One Free" Book Fair was very successful! Many people were pleased and surprised that they could purchase any book and get one of equal or lesser value for free. Many families stocked up on books for summer reading and received a bargain at the same time.
Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who helped with the Book Fair: Natalie Reynolds, Joy Brenneman, John Clarke, Jenny Potee, Tracey Carroll, Nan Mead, Shasta Slade and Christine Morin. Volunteers are extremely important to make an event run smoothly.
I have received very positive feedback regarding the "Buy One Get One Free" Book Fair and plan to offer it again at the end of the next school year. Many people wondered who receives the profit from the book fair. In this case, the profit is taken in the "free" book that the customer receives and we do not earn a cash profit. This is offered strictly as an opportunity to promote summer reading as a service to our families.
The new Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) Mash-Up Master List for 2015-2016 is here! I have included a copy of the list 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 them. Everyone is very excited about the new list, which includes some favorite books such as Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, The One and Only Ivan, The Wishing Spell, and many more.
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 10, 2015. This is available to children in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
The library shelves are filling up, but we are still missing many books! All library books are now due! Bills for missing/lost books will be mailed home next week. PLEASE help your child return their library book(s) immediately.
Summer vacation is the perfect time to read. Relax and enjoy some good books!
Betsy
MCBA Mash-Up Master List 2015-2016
Athlete vs. Mathlete by Winnie Mack
Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble by Nick Bruel
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year by Bill Harley
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
Fly Away by Patricia McLachlan
Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Gaby, Lost and Found by Angela Cervantes
I Am Malala (The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World) Young Readers Edition by Malala Yousafzai
I Survived: The Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis
Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts
Legend of the Ghost Dog by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
My Life as a Stuntboy by Janet Tashjian
Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesel Shurtliff
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The Power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha Lowe
The Underground Abductor (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories) by Chris Colfer
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T Sutherland
Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick
The Enchanted Forest News
The Enchanted Forest is having a Summer Spectacular on the last day of school (Monday, June 22). Dismissal will be at 11:30 and we’ll have Friendly Town pizza and fresh vegetables for lunch. An afternoon of summer fun water activities will include Bucket Ball, Bubbles, Water Balloon Play, a Sprinkler Dash and more. The day will end quietly with a movie and popcorn. A flier was sent home earlier this week with additional details and
registration form.
Estimated June bills will be sent home the week of June 15, and all balances must be paid in full by Monday, June 22. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have a question about your bill, please contact Betsy at 978-544-6926 ext. 206 or email [email protected].
Come join the fun!
EF Staff
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school sponsored.
Franklin County Diaper Drive
Please support the Franklin County Diaper Drive by donating diapers at the following local drop-off sites:
Erving Elementary School
Leverett Elementary School
Shutesbury School
Swift River School
French King Bowling Center
All diaper drop boxes can be found in the front lobbies of the sites listed. All sizes and brands are accepted as well as donations for diapers to be purchased wholesale through the organization. Diapers are important to foster parent-child relationships, to reduce parents’ and children’s stress levels and mental health risks, and to allow for children to attend early education and parents to attend school or go to work. One out of every three families struggles to afford diapers. Help to close the diaper gap! For more information contact Judith Weinthaler at [email protected] or call (413) 548-9869.
New Salem Library News
Make your own HERO! Come to the New Salem Library and design your own video game! This is going to be a fun program for anyone 11 to 18 years old. Travis Bigley has been designing video games since he was 11 and now he wants to help you make your own game. The program starts at 3:00 pm, July 1, 15 and 29. Call and register so we have enough computers available. If you have a laptop you can bring, that would be super.
Do you wish we were doing something else? Come any Wednesday and make your suggestions! We’re always looking for new and fun ideas.
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 am at Lake Mattawa and will be taught by the staff of the Athol YMCA Aquatics Program. The program will be offered July 13-16 and July 20-23. You may register for one or two weeks. Classes will be held Monday through Thursday (with Friday as a rain make-up only). Register in person at the Athol YMCA or by calling the YMCA at 978-249-3305. This program is not a school- sponsored event. This program is sponsored by the New Salem and Wendell Recreation Committees.
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.