On March 11 (next Thursday), Strawbridge photographers will be at the school to take pictures of students in these groups"

• Virtual Academy students
• 4 & 5 grade Cohorts A (also known as 1) and C (also known as 3).

​Sign up for your slot today! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4BAEAE2FA3FE3-106912

​It is Read Across America Week!
Mrs. Wils is looking for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, folks in the community to read age-appropriate picture books or excerpts of chapter books. And the cooler locale for the recording, the more excited the kids will be!
If you are interested contact Mrs. Wils (swils@wcpss.net) ASAP. All videos are due by the end of THURSDAY, March 4, 2021.

Hello everyone,

Happy March!  It is hard to believe that one year ago (on March 13) our worlds were completely turned upside down.  This week, SCES Student Services are offering Parent Restorative Circles to help our families share their thoughts and feelings about this exhausting year.  See the newsletter for more details and registration information.

Also, please plan for the school book fair which starts in 1 week!  Again our fair will be virtual with Scholastic.  Check out this book fair tutorial.  There have been some changes to the e-wallet functionality, so please be sure to read all the details below.

We are also looking for families to share their cultures during Virtual International Night on March 25.  This night will only be successful with your help!  This is a great way for you and your family to share with our community your traditions, special meals, favorite stories, and more.  Participating is as simple as creating a FlipGrid video.  Everyone is welcome to participate!

We hope you have a wonderful week!  If you have any questions, please let us know!
​Marie, Deb, Sarah, Dana, Lauren

• DUE TODAY!
  • 5th Grade Dedications  Place your dedication now through our MemberHub store. 
    • Text only dedications cost $7.
    • Text and picture dedications cost $10.

If you have questions, contact Yearbook Chair, Sarah Wohldmann, at yearbookpics.sce@gmail.com.

• Submissions for the Black History Month Contest!  Review all the clues at Black History Month.

Email SwiftytheCougar@gmail.com with their guesses of the names of the four people. On the announcements during the first week of March, we will draw one winner from each grade level who will receive a prize from Swifty!​

• ​Monday, March 1: 
  • Return to school for K-3, 4-5 Cohort 1/A
  • Deadline for Reflections DEI Call for Artwork
    National PTA is inviting Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities--as well as the importance of Black lives.  Select works will be used to help us celebrate diversity.  Please submit artwork by March 1.  For more information about how to submit artwork, see the National PTA website.
• Tuesday, March 2:  9:15 - 10:15 and 6:30 - 7:30 SCES Restorative Circles Hosted by Student Services. Register today.
• Wednesday, March 3:  Asynchronous Day.  All students will work remotely.  Check your child's Google classroom site for assignments and teacher communications.
• Thursday, March 4: 
  • 9:15 -10:15  SCES Restorative Circle (Spanish) hosted by Student Services. Register today.​
  • 5:30 Wake County Family Academy:  How to Help your Child with Test Stress. 

This week in the Positivity Project, students will learn about another aspect of the Other People Matter Mindset: Enthusiasm
​
What It Means
You approach life with excitement and energy. You energize people around you.

​Why It Matters
For individuals, zest and enthusiasm are easily identifiable and highly desirable personality traits. We feel good when we are energized by an activity or opportunity – and we like to spend time with people who are excited about life. Those who demonstrate a high level of enthusiasm are more likely to complete tasks and exceed minimum requirements as a result of their passion.

For groups, enthusiasm and zest are can be directly tied to high levels of success, happiness, and achievement. Enthusiasm is contagious. One person’s enthusiasm can spark others to think, speak, and act with more energy and conviction. Groups that are enthusiastic about tasks are much more likely to spend longer periods of time in service to the group’s overall goals.


For family resources, see the P2 website.  The password is P2.

• PreK-2
• 3-5

The Spring Book Fair starts in 1 week!  Here is the link to use to access our fair: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/swiftcreekelementary2020

Watch the Book Fair Tutorial.

IMPORTANT UPDATES ABOUT E-WALLETS AND HOW TO DONATE TO TEACHERS:

• Starting with the spring fair, students and teachers can set up e-wallet accounts with $0. 
• The link to create an e-wallet is on the book fair link page. 
• When teachers create their accounts, they must use same email they would use to log into the scholastic store website.  
• Both teachers and students can share their e-wallet link to whomever they wish to get contributions.  This is a great way for you to buy a teacher a book!  Simply donate to their e-wallet.
• CHANGE IN REMAINING E-WALLET FUNDS! Previously, any unused amounts would be credited back to the parent's credit card when they funded the account.  Now any unused funds are NOT credited back.  Rather any overage goes to a gift card that can be used in the scholastic store or future fairs. After the Book Fair, the balance will be available to spend at The Scholastic Store Online or future book fairs at the school. 

If you have questions about the book fair, contact Book Fair chair, Kristen Sherman, at kmartaz73@gmail.com

Please join SCES Student Services for a Parent Restorative Circle.

• English sessions: Tuesday, March 2 9:15 and 6:30
• Spanish session: Thursday, March 4 9:15

​
Register TODAY! (To access the registration form and other resources, click the links to the the invites.)

• (Invite in English) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yoXw6OrBLpba9bXUxol5oeKuMo-HCDROVh9gqm4wujo/present?slide=id.p
• (Invite in Spanish) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-21RURRpylFb22sZwzD99q8rsLDPE-M1HoT7mmYun3w/present?slide=id.p

 As the pandemic has highlighted even more, school social workers are key to our school community! School Social Workers are able to light the way, emphasizing the whole child, collaborating with other professionals, linking students and families with needed services, and advocating for our profession.

Please help us recognize and celebrate our school social worker, Mykeia Smith. 
​Sign her card by Monday, March 7.

https://tinyurl.com/scesSSW2021​
​​

On March 25, we will have our annual International Night.  Our Swift Creek community is very diverse. Our families come from all around the world and have a variety of family traditions! 
Even though we cannot hold this event in person this year, we still want to celebrate our community!
All you need to do to participate is record a FlipGrid video.  

• showing your favorite meal
• walk us through a craft
• sharing a story
• teach us a dance or a game
• teach us some words in your native language, such as Hello, Good-bye, How are you?

Involve your entire family!  Think outside the box. All videos need to be posted by Wed, March 24: https://tinyurl.com/scesInternationalFlipGrid
If you have questions, contact Marie Dexter at mariecdexter@gmail.com.
Sign Up at https://tinyurl.com/scesInternational2021

Macedonia United Methodist church continues to support some our families who are hurting most during this pandemic.  They are currently supporting 12 Swift Creek families and over 35 children and providing meals for the week.

If you are interested in helping, sign up at www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4badaa23abf58-swift4

Items can be dropped off at Macedonia United Methodist Church on Saturdays from 8-10am.  Or contact Marie Dexter at mariecdexter@gmail.com if you would like a house pick up or are interested in donating funds instead.

If you know a family in need, please have them contact our school social worker, Mykeia Smith, at msmith13@gmail.com.

Celebrating our Diversity
March is a busy month for celebrations!  Here is the March calendar from the National PTA.

Hello everyone,

Hooray for the return of the SUN!  I am looking forward to a week of sunshine and an opportunity to dry out.  It will be nice to get the kiddos outside again for some outdoor recess!

We hope last week went well for your family.  So many of us had transitions -- whether it was a return to in-person learning, a new teacher, or just getting back into a routine after a 4 day weekend!  And then of course Thursday threw us for another loop.  This week promises to be much more stable.

In case you missed last week's school board meeting, there were a few changes to the school calendar for the spring semester.  The board decided to add additional asynchronous days to the calendar to help with teacher planning and to help balance the amount of days for students in cohorts.  These change are listed in the Wake County School System section.  Please update your calendars!

We hope this week you and your family really have a chance to get back into a routine.  I know the SUN will definitely help improve my mood!  If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact any Executive Board member.

Thanks,
​Marie, Deb, Sarah, Dana, Lauren

Black History Month Trivia Contest

Last week was unusual.  Did you catch all the clues to our famous African American?  If not, check out the clues on the Black History Month page.

Mr. Propst will introduce our last hero on Monday!

At the end of February, your child (with your help) can enter the contest by emailing SwiftytheCougar@gmail.com with their guesses of the names of the four people. On the announcements during the first week of March, we will draw one winner from each grade level who will receive a prize from Swifty!

Reflections DEI Call for Artwork: Due March 1
National PTA is inviting Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities--as well as the importance of Black lives.  Select works will be used to help us celebrate diversity.  Please submit artwork by March 1.  For more information about how to submit artwork, see the National PTA website.

Thank you to everyone who donated items to our February Teacher Appreciation event!  It was a nice surprise for the staff when they returned to school on Wednesday.

Thank you to Hospitality chair, Sarah Wohldmann, for organizing this event. If you have questions for Sarah, contact her at swohldmann@hotmail.com.

Calendar Updates for the Spring Semester
On Tuesday, Feb 16, the Wake County School Board approved several changes to the calendar for the spring semester.

• March 11 and 12 are no longer remote learning days.  Students who attend in person will go school that day.  These remote days have been retroactively assigned to January when all students were working remotely.
• The board added several asynchronous days to the calendar.  The remaining remote days for the spring semester are:
  • Wed, Feb 24
  • March 3
  • March 24
  • April 14
  • April 28
  • May 5
  • May 26

Important: Complete a Meal Benefits Application by Feb. 26, 2021 
ALL Parents, please consider applying for meal benefits by Feb 26.

• For every student that turns in the free and reduced lunch application and qualifies, the school receives federal funds that benefit the student and teachers at the school. These funds provide additional teachers and staff for the school which means more services for students, especially students that are struggling in reading or math. These funds also are used for materials and supplies for students and teachers. These are valuable resources that teachers can use to improve student achievement.
• Another important reason to apply is the direct benefit of receiving additional stimulus funds for families in the coming months. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin collecting free and reduced lunch data from us to determine the families that will receive Pandemic Electronic Benefits (P-EBT) that will be issued in the coming months. The P-EBT program helps families purchase food for children whose access to free and reduced priced meals at school has been impacted by COVID-19. If you do not apply and qualify for meal benefits, you will miss the opportunity to receive direct P-EBT funds for your family.

Yes, meals will still be free for all students through June 2021 but we still need you to complete a meal benefits application so our school can be eligible for this extra funding next year.


Information about applying for Meal Benefits for the 2020-21 school year can be found at www.wcpss.net/Page/1849. Help our school continue to receive this funding by completing an application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications can be requested by calling 919-588-3535 or 919-856-2920. ​

Summer is quickly approaching.   Receive a $40 discount if you sign your child up for Camp Invention by March 21.
Your child can attend in person at Swift Creek or at home!
This is a great program that engages your child with creative, STEM based projects.