Volume 26, Issue 6 Thursday, December 1, 2016
Important Dates
December 2-3: Holiday Fair at Wendell Town Hall
December 6-9, 8:30-5:30: Book Fair
Friday, December 9: Kids’ Night Out
Sunday, December 11, 10:00-11:30: Frosty 5K and Brunch
Friday, December 23: Winter Concert
1:10 PM Dismissal
December 26 – January 2: Holiday Recess
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
We at SRS have been doing the happy dance with all this rain! Normally a school dreads rainy days because of indoor recesses, but we have been so concerned about the water table around the school that any precipitation has been very helpful in alleviating our sodium concerns. I’m happy to report that our sodium levels have decreased and we are below the state limit of 20mg/L. We will continue to monitor the sodium levels each month to watch for dips and spikes.
With the snow season approaching, please be advised that in the event of a two-hour delay, cold cereal will be available in the cafeteria for any students who need breakfast or a snack upon arrival at school.
We are very much looking forward to the annual winter concert will be held on Friday, December 23 in the Gymnasium. We are excited to hear the festive selection Mr. Cortina and the SRS students have been busy preparing for us! Please be sure to join us from 10:00-11:30 AM, and remember that we will have an early release that day! Students will be dismissed from school at 1:10 PM. If you plan on joining your student for lunch after the concert, please be sure to place your order in the Office by 10:00. If you would like to pick up your student directly after the concert, please be sure to send in a note or communicate with the Office beforehand.
Fondly,
Kelley Sullivan
School Cancellations and Delays
Automated phone calls and messages will be sent to your email, cell phone, and home phone. The caller ID will read (987) 544-6927. These calls are not 100% reliable, so if you question a school closing, but have not received a call, use one of these other options:
Swift River School website, Facebook page, or answering machine. Or check with a neighbor or friend!
Radio stations:
Amherst WRNX – 100.9 & WPNI - 1430 AM
Greenfield WRSI – 93.9 & WHAI - 98.3
Northampton WHMP – 99.3
Orange WAHL – 99.9 & WJDF - 97.3
Television:
WWLP – Channel 22
WGGB – Channel 40
Please Note:
Swift River School is part of Erving School Union #28. School closings or delayed openings can be found under School Union #28 or Erving Union #28, and not under Swift River School. When Swift River is the only school in Union 28 that is affected, look for Union 28 New Salem.
Library Lines
The Scholastic Book Fair will take place next week!
Tuesday, 12/6 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday, 12/7 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday, 12/8 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday, 12/9 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
This week the Library has been turned into a movie theater! I have enjoyed watching the Book Fair Authors’ DVD with each class. It is 10 minutes long and features popular Scholastic books and some of their authors and illustrators. Ask your children which book they found the most interesting.
A Book Fair flier was sent home this week, so you can see a sample of this year’s books on offer. Many of these new books will become part of our Swift River Library collection after the Book Fair. Teachers will make Classroom Wish Lists indicating books of particular interest for each grade level. In addition to your personal purchases, you may purchase books from the Wish Lists and help build the classroom libraries.
This year we will participate in the Scholastic “All for Books” program. Your donation (loose change or $1.00 will do) will enable children in our school to purchase books from the Book Fair who are unable to buy them otherwise. Scholastic also matches monetary donations by donating books to two charities—Kids In Need Foundation and Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc! The Swift River PTCA has made a generous donation to kick off our collection! Thank you for your participation in this program!
Hope to see you at the Book Fair next week!
Make time to read,
Betsy
Dean’s Beans Coffee Fundraiser
Dean’s Beans coffee and other offerings make great holiday and hostess gifts! All Dean’s Beans coffees are certified organic, fair trade, kosher, and locally roasted in small batches in Orange, MA.
Just in time for holiday gift-giving, our next order is due tomorrow, December 2. Your coffee will be sent home with your child within two weeks of the order due date. Subsequent orders are due on the first Friday of every month.
It’s convenient to securely place your order online, at SRSdeansbeans.weebly.com where you can pay via PayPal or credit card. Descriptions of the coffee can be found on the online form. Additionally, a paper order form is attached to this issue of the Current for you to send to school with payment. If you have any questions, please email Jody Bird at [email protected].
Time to clean out your closets for our
Annual Clothing Swap!
Tuesday, December 6 - Friday, December 9
What: Bring outgrown winter clothing, coats, boots, gloves, et cetera and hopefully find larger sizes!
Where: Swift River School Library (during the same hours as the Scholastic Book Fair)
Clean items may be dropped off in advance to Nan Mead at school. Donations are NOT required to participate—come and take what you need!
Frosty 5K
&
Brunch Bake Sale
Sunday, December 11
10:00-11:30 AM
Join us for a FUN RUN on our 5K road route or by completing laps on the track!
This event is free. We will collect new, unwrapped toys and nonperishable food items to give to our community’s families in need. Contribute if you can.
The Grade 5 students will offer a
Brunch Bake Sale to raise funds for their Nature’s Classroom trip next year.
Be sure to bring cash to purchase food items after you’ve run up an appetite!
Wendell and New Salem Firefighters will be providing a water station and safety on the course. Be sure to say thank you when you run past them!
All mileage counts for the 100 Mile Club.
Join us!
T.E.A.M. SRS Update
Kids Night Out will be held on Friday, December 9 from 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM. We are halfway to our cap for student registrations! Please be sure to register by Monday, December 5 (pre-registration is required).
Supermarket Sweep tickets are still on sale for your chance to grab as many groceries as you can on Sunday, January 29 at Hannaford. See the flier attached to this issue of the Current.
If you placed an order for tee shirts or hoodies that you are still waiting on, you will receive them next week. We still have select inventory available of tee shirts and sweatshirts. Orders will be on a first come first serve basis as we will not be accepting any more orders for tee shirts and hoodies.
Please see the attached fliers to order from the tee shirt/sweatshirt inventory, to purchase Supermarket Sweep tickets, and to register for Kids Night Out.
We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting on Tuesday, December 20 at 6:30 PM!
The New Salem/Wendell School District assures that all programs, activities and employment opportunities are offered without regard to race, color, gender, age, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, economic status, homelessness, sexual orientation and physical or mental disability.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school-sponsored.
New Salem Library News
Tuesday, December 6 from 10:00-11:00 AM: Yoga with Michelle Bisaillion, who has been teaching yoga for six years. Students of all levels are welcome! Please bring your own mat. There is a $4.00 donation requested to help sustain the program. Call (97) 544-6334 for more information.
Thursday, December 8 at 7:00 PM: Lacto-Fermentation: Kraut, Kvass, and Fermented Vegetables featuring Cristina Garcia, Chef at the Farm School in Orange, MA and member of the Board of Directors at Quabbin Harvest Coop in Orange. Cristina has been teaching and cooking professionally for the past 10 years. Sample products and learn the skills to make your own at home. FREE PROGRAM! For more information call (978) 544-6334.
Wednesday, January 4 at 7:00 PM: The Book Discussion Group's selection is Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Books are now available at The New Salem Public Library. Note the date has changed!
FIRST ANNUAL
HOLIDAY BAZAAR
FOR CHILDREN
An opportunity for children to shop for affordable holiday gifts from $0.50-$5.00
Saturday, December 10
10:00 AM – Noon
Wendell Free Library
The Wendell Library Tweens Program is hosting a Holiday Bazaar for Children where gently used gifts will be sold to children in Grades K-6 who live in Wendell or attend Swift River School. This is an opportunity for children to shop for affordable holiday gifts for their friends and family members. Gift prices range from $0.50- $5.00. Members of the Tweens Program will help younger kids shop while parents wait in another room. Please have your child arrive with a list of 1 to 4 people they intend to shop for. Gift wrapping is included.
All gift items at the Bazaar have been donated or re-gifted.
For more details or to donate items call Mez Ziemba, Director of the Tweens Program, at (978) 544-3177.
All proceeds from the Bazaar will benefit the Tweens Program.