I can't believe we had snow AGAIN! First we don't get any snow. Then we get lots of snow. We hope you had an opportunity to play in the snow yesterday.
This week was full of great things at the Creek. If you aren't following us on FaceBook already, I recommend that you like our FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/swiftcreekespta. We try to post something every day, so check us out. The school also has a page at https://www.facebook.com/SwiftCreekES, which Dr. Barr works hard to maintain.
This week's newsletter looks long, but I promise it is full of pictures! We hope you enjoy it.
Marie Dexter [email protected]
Deborah Killion [email protected]
Sarah Wohldmann [email protected]
Dana Boyer [email protected]
Lauren Nicholls [email protected]
HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK
- Tuesday, Feb 1 -- Start of Black History Month.
The theme for the 2022 Black History Month celebration is “Black Health and Wellness.” The month's events will examine how American healthcare has often underserved the African-American community as well as celebrate the legacy of Black contributors, scholars, and practitioners in Western medicine.
At noon every day this month, the PTA FaceBook page will highlight an inspirational member of the African=American community. These stories are amazing and we look forward to sharing them with you!
Happy Lunar New Year -- FEb 1
Happy New Year to all our families who are celebrating!
THE POSITIVITY PROJECT: Wild Card / Make Up Week
We will return to studying character strengths next week with Humility!
Check out the new Family Resources section. The password is P2.
NEXT Week!
- It is National School Counselor week and we will be celebrating our amazing school counselor, Mrs. Chadwick! Coincidentally, the theme for National School Counselor week is Better Together, which is our school theme for this year. Let's thank Mrs. Chadwick for all she does for us by sending in notes, flowers, treats, or whatever you can think of!
- It is also National Bus Driver Appreciation week! This year has shown us just how vital our bus drivers are! Please take a moment to thank your bus driver for what he or she does to transport our kids safely. We couldn't function without them.
WEEKLY WELLNESS: National PTA Safer Internet Week & Sugar Free Valentines
National PTA is proud to support the goals of Safer Internet Day by hosting an entire week of digital safety experiences February 7-11, 2022 to help PTAs and families create a safer, kinder, more inclusive online community together.
This interactive series will include something for everyone—PTA leaders, teachers and family members—including kids! You can attend all sessions or pick the one that’s right for you.
For details click HERE.
Safer Internet Day (Feb. 8, 2022) is an international education and awareness-raising effort, celebrated in over 100 countries. Led by Connect Safely in the United States, it’s a day to bring communities together to discuss challenges families face navigating the digital world, and empowers them to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.
Also, you may want to consider limiting children’s screen time on I Pads. If you have not yet set up screen time limits on I Pads or are wondering HOW TO DO IT, here is how:
Picking up a box of Valentines from the store is way too easy. Yes, they’re cute and relatively inexpensive but Valentine’s Day is the kind of holiday when you can really celebrate your child’s crafty side.
Our Children Magazine scoured the internet in search of super-cute craft ideas that you can do with your kids for Valentine’s Day. Here are the three sweetest ideas out there (no sugar added).
GOOGLY-EYE CARDS
It goes without saying that a Valentine card must include a heart. But what about a googly eye? After watching this adorable video from Parents.com you’ll see that hearts and googly eyes go hand-in-hand.
For those of you with young kids who have limited scissor skills, this is a great parent-child tag team craft. You can do the cutting, but leave the gluing, hole-punching and drawing for your little artist.
FELT FLOWERS
What’s a Valentine’s Day without flowers? Inspire the young crafters in your life to make flowers from paper, coffee filters, ribbon—OR FELT! Yes, FELT! You can find it at just about any craft store. Plus, it’s inexpensive and easy to work with. This is a great idea for teen crafters. Check out the adorable heart-inspired flowers from The Magic Onions’ blog. Their tutorial is easy to follow and requires only five materials.
VALENTINE MONSTER
This is craft idea is for you parents who are teachers or who are in charge of craft day at school. A Valentine Monster is basically a mailbox where students can store their valentines. It’s boy-friendly (if they think Valentine’s Day is silly) and it’s a nice change-up from the traditional heart-heavy crafts that take place in classrooms this time of year. Crafting A Green World has a step-by-step tutorial.
For more family-friendly craft ideas, check out our Fun Family Crafts and Projects Board on Pinterest.
Yearbook News!
It is hard to believe but we have only another 3 1/2 months of school left this year! Now is time to order your yearbook. You can order one from the TreeRing website at tr5.treering.com/createAccount/1015281241841003.
If you have any questions about the yearbook, contact Yearbook Chair Sarah Wohldmann at [email protected] or Marie Dexter at [email protected].
Yearbook Cover Contest -- Deadline February 17
ALL Swifties are invited to enter the contest for our yearbook cover! After we receive all the entries, students will be able to vote for their favorites!
It's time to celebrate your 5th grader's end of elementary school! Include a dedication or congratulatory message in the yearbook. We have two price options for you to choose from.
Order online today at swiftcreek.memberhub.com/store
Care & Share PRogram
- Open our MemberHub store at https://swiftcreek.memberhub.com/store.
- Select Care & Share and enter your donation amount.
Do You have toilet paper rolls or Paper Towel Rolls?
Mrs. McIntyre is looking for LOTS of different items for the art room. Check out the pictures below. Send these items to school with your child. Be sure to label them "Mrs. McIntyre: Art Room".
Virtual Lost and Found
Code Purple! Code Purple! Swifty Needs a Doctor! Stat!
- repair a torn seam along the legs
- sew a tail back on (ouch!)
- put elastic back in one of the hands
Can You be a Host Family for International Night on May 12?
Around the field we will have a table and tent for each country (or family if there are multiple families for the same country). In each display, we encourage families to teach us about the unique traditions, holidays, geography, languages, and culture of your country. Displays can be posters with pictures, or tri-fold boards. Items to display in your exhibit could be toys, books, money, music, whatever you can think of!
If you can help as a host family or a volunteer, please complete this Google form.
Yes, We are STill Recycling at the Creek
SCES PTA has the ability to collect for a variety of specialty recycling programs:
1. TerraCycle’s squeezable pouch program – squeezable pouches, of any brand, with caps on.
2. TerraCycle’s snack wrapper program – foil lined snack food bags.
3. NexTrex’ plastic film program – bags, bubble wrap, overwrap, and other stretchy plastic.
4. Crayola’s ColorCycle program – markers and highlighters.
How You Can Participate:
Collect your recycling materials and drop off a Megan Holler's house OR drop off your recycling items at Macedonia United Methodist church on Saturday mornings from 8-10. (This is when they are collecting items for the food pantry.)
If you have plastic film for the NexTrex program, you can drop off your bags OR weigh the amount of plastic that you have to recycle and email that weight to Megan. Then take your bags to your local grocery store for recycling.
For questions about the TerraCycle programs at Swift Creek, or to join the recycling committee, please contact Megan Holler at [email protected].
MAGNET SCHOOL DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FEB 6
Rising kindergarten siblings of magnet students in grades K-4 MUST enroll and apply to be assigned to the same magnet school as the older sibling.
Students rising into 6th and rising 9th-grade who are siblings of magnet students who are rising into grades 7-8 or grades 10-12 have already been assigned to the magnet school of the older sibling. Parents may email [email protected] for confirmation of the sibling's assignment.
Applicants may apply to any magnet school that is an option for their address although applying to the pathway school for the current school provides the highest priority to be selected (wcpss.net/priorities). Students with magnet status who apply to the pathway middle or high school for the current school/program (wcpss.net/pathways), will be selected for that school. Students with magnet status may also apply to other magnet schools and list them as higher choices than the pathway school. If the applicant is not selected for the other magnets, the applicant will be put in the applicant pool for your first choice school and will still be selected for the pathway magnet school.
mark Your Calendars
- Feb 7 -11: National School Counselor Appreciation Week! National School Bus Driver Appreciation Week!
- Tuesday, Feb 8: February PTA meeting
- Friday, Feb 18: Teacher Work Day
- Monday, Feb 21: President's Day. No school for staff or students
- March 7 - 11: Spring Book Fair
- Friday, March 18: Teacher Work Day.
- Monday, March 28: Teacher Work Day.
- Monday, April 11 - Friday, April 15: Spring Break
- Monday, May 2: Teacher Work Day
- Thursday, May 12 5:30-7:30pm: International Night on the field
- Monday, May 30: Memorial Day. No school for staff or students.
- Friday, June 10: Last day of school for students!
CAMP INVENTION: JUNE 20-24
THIS WEEK IN PICTURES
Students are sharing their ideas for Melody's new fairy garden. Dr. Barr has posted these ideas on the bulletin board outside her classroom.
- Curiosity
- Teamwork
- Open-Mindedness
- Being Present and Giving Others My Attention
- Integrity
- Forgiveness
- Creativity
- Perspective
- Bravery
- Gratitude
- Kindness
- Knowing my words and actions affect others
- Self-Control
- Prudence
- Perseverance
We will have one more Celebration of Brilliance later this year. So if your child wasn't recognized this time, he or she will be recognized later in the year!
So proud of all our Swifties!