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
Highlights for This WEEK
- TODAY, Sunday, Feb 21 3:00: Stop by the school between 3-4 and help decorate our school grounds to show our staff how much we love them. You are welcome to hang posters or use the sidewalk chalk available. Masks are required.
- Tuesday, Feb 23: BOG for 3rd graders
- Wednesday, Feb 24: Asynchronous Day
- Friday, Feb 26: Deadline to apply for Meal Benefits for the 2020-21 school year. For more information, see www.wcpss.net/Page/1849. Complete an application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications can be requested by calling 919-588-3535 or 919-856-2920.
- Sunday, Feb 28:
- 5th grade dedications for the yearbook are due!
- Be sure to send Swifty your guesses for the Black History Month Trivia content. His email is [email protected].
Positivity Project
What It Means
This element of the Other People Matter Mindset (OPM2) means that when other people succeed, you are happy for them and cheer them on.
Why It Matters
Making a commitment towards cheering on other people’s successes can be a great way to improve our own health, happiness, and relationships. People can take active steps to be more genuinely happy for the achievements of others. Ways to do this include: telling others about the success of your modest friend; noticing when your reaction to a sibling’s success is envy or jealousy – and asking yourself why that is; reminding yourself that appreciating the excellence in another is a character strength; asking your successful teammates and classmates what they do to prepare for games or tests.
For family resources, see the P2 website. The password is P2.
Black History Month
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 [email protected] 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.
Join OUr Small Business Directory
We would like to support our families during this time. We are creating a small business directory on the PTA website.
If you are a small business owner and you have a child at Swift Creek or you are a staff member with a small business, please share your business information at tinyurl.com/scesBusiness
5th Grade Dedications are due by Next SUNDAY
Spaces for dedications are still available! Parents, grandparents, sisters, family friends are welcome to submit dedications for your 5th grader. 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 [email protected].
Yearbooks are On Sale
Yearbooks can be purchased from TreeRing at tr5.treering.com/createAccount/1015281241841003
Do you want to donate to our Care & Share Program? This program helps the PTA purchase yearbooks for students in need. There are two ways that you an participate.
- Purchase the yearbook through TreeRing. For the student name, specify Swifty (first name) Cougar (last name).
- Donate to our Care and Share Program through MemberHub!
Thank you for your support!
Join Us for INternational Night
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?
If you have questions, contact Marie Dexter at [email protected].
Sign Up at https://tinyurl.com/scesInternational2021
Send your Nominations
We are also looking for committee chairs in these areas for next year:
- Advocacy
- Reflections
- 5th Grade Chair
Please contact Nominating committee chair, Sarah Lewis at [email protected].
Thank you!
Thank you to Hospitality chair, Sarah Wohldmann, for organizing this event. If you have questions for Sarah, contact her at [email protected].
Mark Your Calendars
- Monday, March 8: Kickoff of Virtual Book Fair with Scholastic
- Tuesday, March 9: March PTA meeting
- Thursday, March 11: School Pictures for Virtual Academy students. Sign up coming soon!
- March 16: School Pictures for Plan B students
- Thursday, March 25: International Night
News From Wake County Public Schools
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.
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.
Join Us for Camp Invention
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.
Advocacy Alert
This week's holidays:
- Feb 25: Purim is a celebration of Jewish deliverance as told in the Book of Esther (Megillah). On this day, Jews can celebrate by exchanging gifts, donating to charity, and eating a celebratory dinner.
- Feb 26 Makha Bucha Day is the second most important Buddhist festival celebrated on the full moon day of the third lunar month in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and on the full moon day of Tabaung in Myanmar. It celebrates a gathering that was held between the Buddha and 1,250 of his first disciples, which, according to tradition, preceded the custom of periodic recitation of discipline by monks. On the day, Buddhists celebrate the creation of an ideal and exemplary community.