Volume 24, Issue 11 Friday, February 26, 2015
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Greetings,
Welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed the winter vacation. We have just about made it through our first full week of school since the New Year began, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Finally we are getting back into a routine! It felt like we were never going to remember what a Monday schedule was like.
We were very fortunate to receive Cultural Council grants from New Salem and Wendell for Abdou Sarr to teach our students about African drumming and dance. Please join us at Community Sing tomorrow for the culmination of this collaboration as we Celebrate Senegal! Sing will begin at 9:00 AM in the gymnasium. All are invited. Our thanks go out to Ed Hines and Abdou for bringing this wonderful experience to Swift River School.
Mark your calendars! Science Fair launches next month, and our students are busy working on their airy projects. I am looking forward to seeing the results of all their hard work on Thursday, March 12th in the gymnasium. We ask parents who can volunteer their time to set-up the gym on Wednesday, March 11th to please call Karyn Briand at (508)-887-3719. We are grateful for your help in making this event a success!
If you have not yet made a call to Major Energy, please consider signing up for their low energy rates by visiting www.majorenergy.com/esu or by calling (888)-625-6760. They have offered special rates for the families and friends of Erving School Union 28. Additionally, your enrollment supports the schools of our school union. Best of all, Major Energy ensures that your rate will not increase for 12 months. If you did not receive the flier we sent home last week, feel free to stop by the office and pick one up. The flier includes rates for families currently enrolled in other energy providers, and I suggest taking a look to see what you could be saving!
Thanks to our librarian, Betsy Bergantino, our fourth, fifth, and sixth graders formed teams and engaged in a special Swift River Battle of the Books in the cafeteria today. These students have read some or all of the 25 MCBA books, and will answer questions based on the books. Next week, they will have their final contest!
This Saturday kicks off the Swift River Soccer season! Johanna Fitzgerald has taken all of your registration forms and created teams. We look forward to all the fun and excitement that is sure to follow. Thank you to all of the parents who have volunteered to coach our athletes!
Fondly,
Kelley
PTCA News
The PTCA will meet in the library on the following Thursdays at 6:30 pm:
- March 19 (note: new date)
- April 9
- May 14
- June 4
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join us! Free childcare is provided by the Mahar Key Club.
Please "Like" us on Facebook @ Swift River School PTCA
March Dean’s Beans Order
Dean’s Beans is a local, organic and fair trade coffee roasting company. Please use the attached form to order coffee or hot cocoa. All orders are due by Friday, March 6th. Contact Nan Mead at the school if you have any questions. Thank you for supporting our PTCA!
Library Lines
Many of our 4th, 5th and 6th grade students will attend the Books in Action party next Friday evening, March 6, held at Leverett Elementary School. There are activities based on most of the 25 MCBA books. Students from Shutesbury Elementary School and Leverett Elementary School will join us. I am looking forward to this exciting evening!
Parents who have volunteered to help with the Books in Action party will be contacted soon with details.
The Swift River Battle of the Books competition was held today (Thursday, February 26) at 2:00 PM in the cafeteria. We had eight teams of four students and one teacher team participating! The top three teams will compete in the final round next Tuesday. Good luck everyone!
Thirty-three students have earned their free Six Flags tickets by participating in the “Read to Succeed” program and reading for six hours. The tickets will arrive in May.
Make time to read,
Betsy
Science Fair Prep
Science Fair 2015 is fast approaching! We need help from parents who can volunteer their time to set-up the gym on Wednesday, March 11th. To volunteer, please call Karyn Briand (our school nurse every Thursday) at (508)-887-3719. Alternately, send a note to school and we can relay your message. Thank you!
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
These announcements and events are not school sponsored.
New Salem Library News
The New Salem Library is open every Wednesday from 1:30 to 5:30 for 11 to 18 year olds, only.
March 4th, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Come celebrate the awesomeness of winter in New England at New Salem Library’s WINTERFEST! Bring your sleds, sculpt something amazing, build a snowman, spray ‘paint’ with colored water. And best of all, warm up around our BONFIRE while you have a s’more. The library will be open for games and cocoa.
March 11th, Our Hunger Games Party begins! Come see what we have planned!
March 18th, Archery lessons! Learn how to shoot like Katniss.
Mahar students can take the school bus to the library. Call the library to set it up!
This project is funded by the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners with funds from LSTA, a federal source of funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences.
Cancer Connection Camp Out
Swift River School teacher, Teri Nelson, and Shutesbury Elementary School secretary, Jessica Carlson-Belanger, are teaming up again to support the Cancer Connection and Monte (from 93.9 The River) on Wed., March 4th! They’ll be camping out in downtown Northampton to raise money for this great organization. Community members are encouraged to stop by the courthouse lawn and donations can be sent (or brought) to both Shutesbury and Swift River schools or directly to the courthouse lawn on March 4th. Checks payable to the “Cancer Connection.” Thank you for your support!
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.