Whew! I don't know about you but this is the first time that I have had a chance to sit down today. Trying to squeeze out the last precious moments of summer vacation while getting ready for the big day!
I hope you and your family are excited about the upcoming school year. There is so much happening at Swift Creek. I know this year is going to FLY by.
Have a great first day and first week. Look forward to seeing you soon! If you have any questions or there is any way that I can help you and your family with this transition, please let me know.
Marie Dexter, PTA president
Monday: First Day of School. The Bell Rings at 9:15am
Tomorrow is our first official day of school for 1-5 graders. If you are doing carpool tomorrow (or really any day this week), allow for extra time. The parking lot will be crowded as kindergarten families come for their staggered entry days and carpool is heavier in general the first days of school.
On Tryon Road, please try not to block the driveway at the yellow house or the driveway for Campbell Road Nursery. If you are the last car in the line and you are sitting on Tryon Road, a tip is to turn on your hazards, so traffic knows you are stopped.
Info for Incoming Kindergarten Families: Staggered Entry Days
During this week, your kindergartner will attend only one day of school. You should have received a letter stating the day.
Can I walk my child in on their staggered entry day?
You are welcome to walk your kindergartner down to the kindergarten building. Please sign in at the front office first.
What do I do with my school supplies?
If you ordered a School Supply Kitz in June and didn't pick it up Meet the Teacher, your child's box was delivered to the kindergarten classrooms. If you have school supplies, you can bring them on your staggered entry day, on Friday's Meet the Teacher day (when you learn your child's teacher assignment), or on the Tuesday after Labor Day. Please label your supplies. If you bring them on the staggered entry day, the kindergarten teachers will hold on to them until class room assignments are determined on Friday.
When do I know who my child's teacher is?
On Friday afternoon (from 2-4), you can attend Meet the Teacher for kindergarten. At this time, you will find out who your child's teacher will be and their classmates. Again, please sign in at the front office.
How do kindergartners get to their rooms from bus loop or carpool?
For the first day of school (after Labor Day), you can walk your child to their classroom. Again, you need to sign in at the office. (I guess you can see a theme by now. :-))
Starting on Sept 4 and for the rest of the school year, 5th graders (Our Swift Creek Safety Patrol) help your child get to his or her classroom. 5th graders are at the bus loop and also in the front hall for carpoolers. The kindergartners line up into groups and then are walked to their rooms. It is very sweet to watch the kindergartners look up to the 5th graders and the 5th graders take care of the kindergartners.
What Else Is Going On This Week?
On Tuesday, 1st - 5th graders will attend a school pep rally to kick off the new year and to set ROAR expectations. Alot of this week will focus on learning about expectations inside and outside the classroom and getting to know each other. Until recently, I never realized what happened in my child's classroom the first week of school and how important classroom management is. Please be extra supportive of your teacher at this time. They are working hard to make sure that we are on track for a brilliant school year.
Ways to Help Our Teachers
As you know, teachers spend hundreds of dollars every year out of their own pockets. For this year, several teachers have created Amazon Wish Lists, and throughout the year, teachers will have projects available from DonorsChoose.org. If you are interested in donating to a classroom, this is a great way to do it. All current projects are listed on the PTA website at http://swiftcreekeswcpssnetptahtml.weebly.com/teacher-projects.html
(Optional) Set up your child's Fun Run page today!
The Fun Run is the primary fundraiser for the Swift Creek PTA. More information about the event will be sent home on Sept 4, along with hardcopy packets. However, we also have a way that you can manage your child's donations online.
You can create a online donation page for your child.
To set up an online account:
1. Go to www.thegetmovincrew.com
2. Click on the gold star located in the red box on the bottom right of the page.
3. Create a parent login and register your student.
4. Once you’ve registered, go to the same gold star to log in.
5. Share your student’s page with friends and family by email or on social media.
NOTE: Online pages are completely optional. You control who sees these online pages. These pages are available only if you share them. You can share them with a link in an email or through FB. The PTA does not share these pages.
Mark Your Calendars:
After the chaos of this week, here are some exciting events to look forward to:
- Monday, Sept 3 -- Labor Day Holiday. No school!
- Tuesday, Sept 4 -- All kindergartners attend school. Fun Run packets are sent home. For more information, see http://swiftcreekeswcpssnetptahtml.weebly.com/cougar-fun-run.html
- Friday, Sept 7 -- Wear your purple and white to show your Swift Creek pride! Which classroom will be our spirit winners for Sept?
- Monday, Sept 10 -- We kick of the Positivity Project. Be on the lookout for more information soon or check out the PTA website at http://swiftcreekeswcpssnetptahtml.weebly.com/p2-at-swift-creek.html
- Tuesday, Sept 18 -- PTA meeting and ELA curriculum night.
- Wednesday, Sept 19 -- No school
- Thursday, Sept 20 -- Swift Creek night at BJ Brewhouse and Restaurant. When you bring in your flyer, 20% of sales will go back to the Creek. Flyers will be sent home and are also available from http://swiftcreekeswcpssnetptahtml.weebly.com/family-fun.html