I confess that I often struggle to write a little intro to each week's newsletter. I want it to be meaningful and worth your time, but I can completely understand if you skip over it. (We're all so busy.)
But today's post came easily to me.
Today is March 13. It is hard to believe that two years ago our world changed because of COVID. Friday, March 13 was the last "normal" school day, although we were frantically anticipating being out for a couple of weeks with things shutting down around us. Together our community rallied to help get food to our families in need and our staff rallied to prepare our children for a possible absence from in-person school. And we did it together.
Two years later, the sun is starting to shine and things are opening up again. And our community, families, and staff are still working hard to do what's best for our students.
I am proud to be a part of this community and to see the love that we share for Swift Creek. We truly are #BetterTogether.
We hope you have a wonderful week! If you have any questions, please let us know.
Marie Dexter [email protected]
Deborah Killion [email protected]
Sarah Wohldmann [email protected]
Dana Boyer [email protected]
Lauren Nicholls [email protected]
This Week at the Creek
- Today! Daylight Savings time starts. Did you remember to Spring your clock forward?
- Wednesday, March 16 8:00am: First meeting of the Cougar Front Runners Club. Registration is closed. We have over 111 students participating so we cannot accept any additional students. All registered members will receive an email later this morning with instructions for Wednesday morning.
- Friday, March 18: Teacher Work Day. No School for students
THE POSITIVITY PROJECT: Love of Learning
Check out the new Family Resources section. The password is P2.
Minutes from MARCH PTA MEETING
Here are some highlights of the minutes if you were unable to attend.
- The PTA is following up with each grade level and the specialists to spend their grade level grants. Each grade level receives $500 and each specialist receives $300 to use in 2021-22 school year.
- From Mr. Propst
- Next two teacher workdays will focus on LETRS training. It’s not a new program but it really brings together all the existing programs and helps us understand how the students learn to read best.
- No new update on school construction.
- If you know of any prospective new students for the school, please have them email the school to set up a tour of the school.
Our next PTA meeting is April 19. (This is the third week of April. The meeting is delayed by one week because of spring break.)
Spring Behavior Incentive: Pop & Play
We are excited to announce a school wide incentive that will kick off on Monday, March 14th and will help us all focus on ROAR expectations from now until spring break. This incentive is called the POP & PLAY PARTY and here’s how it works…
Students will have the opportunity to earn Pop & Play coupons from staff members when they demonstrate ROAR expectations.
- R-Respect
- O-On the Path to Success
- A-Act Responsibly
- R-Remember Self Control
Why 17 coupons? This is one coupon per day from the start of the incentive until the end, which is a very reasonable goal for all students. Keep in mind, students don’t have to earn exactly 1 coupon per day. They could get 0 one day and 3 the next. Once they earn 17 Pop & Play coupons, they will sign a chart in their classroom that says they’ve earned the incentive!
While we hope and expect that all students will get to participate in this incentive, there are some reasons that would exclude a student from participating. These reasons would include a student not earning 17 Pop & Play coupons and/or having disciplinary referrals during the time frame of the incentive.
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
We always appreciate your support and partnership and we look forward to celebrating our incredible students at the Pop & Play Parties on 4/7 (3rd grade) and 4/8 (all other grades)!
Sincerely, The Behavioral Health Committee
Order Your Yearbook TODAY!
Order Your Yearbook Online through the TreeRing Website: tr5.treering.com/createAccount/1015281241841003.
Do you have pictures to share? We are always looking for more pictures! Maybe you have some of your child from 2/22/22 or activities with friends. Send them to Sarah at [email protected].
Want to donate to our Care & Share program, which helps purchase yearbooks for our Backpack Buddy students? Currently, through donations we can purchase 13 yearbooks, but we want to purchase 24. You can donate now through our MemberHub store at swiftcreek.memberhub.com/store?category=Yearbook
Wow! What an Incredible Book Fair!
We are still totaling the final numbers, but early results show that we had about $10,000 in book sales! This would be one of our BEST book fairs at the Creek EVER!
The success of the Book Fair is because of the hard work of Mrs. Wils, our media specialist, and Book Fair chair, Kristen Sherman. There are SO MANY details that have to be planned for and addressed for a single fair. Also, it is a VERY exhausting week as you put the rest of your life on hold to help the kids. THANK YOU so much to these ladies for their commitment.
Also a special thank you to these parent volunteers, Rachel Blackmon, Jenae Delayan, and Rebecca Simpson, who helped out during the week! We couldn't have done it without YOU!
Original Works Program is Back!
- Students in K-2 will bring home the order form and a piece of art that they created during art class.
- Students in 3-5 will bring home the order form and a blank piece of paper. Students can draw their creation on the blank piece of paper. Make sure the leave a little space around the margins because things along the edges won't necessarily print on the items you order.
- Select the items that you want.
- Complete the order form.
- Return the order form, the artwork, and cash or check to your child's teacher.
Again, more information will be sent home in this week's Tuesday folders!
The deadline to return orders is March 25.
If you have any questions, please contact our Original Works chair, Laura Monaghan at [email protected]
Cougar Front Runners Starts March 16
Our first meeting is this Wednesday, March 16. Today, everyone who registered should receive a confirmation email with instructions about how to drop your child off on Wednesday morning. Please read these instructions carefully so that we can make our first meeting run as smoothly as possible.
If you have any questions about Cougar Front Runners, please contact Healthy Lifestyles chair, Lisa Kropilak at [email protected].
Be a Weekend Garden Gnome
Now that we have seeds in the vegetable garden, we need weekend Garden Gnomes to make sure the new plants are getting the water that they need. Check out the tiny radish leaves that have sprouted. You can water on either the Saturday or Sunday that you sign up for.
For more information and to sign up to help, see https://tinyurl.com/scesGarden2022
If you have any garden questions, contact Megan Holler at [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
Officer positions at Swift Creek are:
- President
- Vice President (we can have more than 1)
- Treasurer
- Secretary
If you would like to nominate someone or yourself for an officer position, please contact Nominating Chair Sarah Lewis at [email protected].
We also have a wide variety of committees that you are welcome to join. For example, committees that need new members include:
- Cultural Arts
- Reflections -- the National PTAs art program
- Spirit Wear
- Yearbook
If you are interested in joining or leading a committee, please contact Marie Dexter at [email protected].
Sensory Items Needed for cCK
Here are some suggestions:
- Water bottles
- glitter
- colored gel
- letters
- numbers
- animals
- ziploc bags
- shaving cream
- cookie trays
- duct tape
If you have any questions, you can contact Mrs. Hunt at [email protected].
Thank you for your support!
Help Swifty Tell his story!
We are encouraging all students to participate whether they write a story, simply answer the questions below, or draw a picture. All submissions will be displayed at the 90th anniversary celebration in Sept. Please remind your child to put their name on their submission as well.
The deadline for projects is March 31.
You can turn in your entries to your teacher or submit them online at http://tinyurl.com/SwiftysStory.
Here are some questions to get you started:
- Where was Swifty born?
- What was Swifty’s life like as a little cub?
- How did Swifty come to live at Swift Creek?
- Does Swifty have any brothers or sisters?
- What does Swifty do during the school day?
- What is Swifty’s favorite food? Favorite color? Favorite toy?
We need WAtch Dogs (Dads of Great Students) in the building!
Please reach out with any dates you would like to sign up for and also make sure to register as a volunteer on a WCPSS computer ASAP! Feel free to email Sam Allen with any questions or to sign-up for a day at [email protected].
March Donation List for Food Pantry
Sign up to help at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4badaa23abf58-swift1
Here are some of the items we still need:
- $15 Food Lion and Walmart gift cards
- Bananas for March 19 delivery
- fresh produce
- pies for Easter meal
- individually wrapped snacks
- granola bars
- ramen noodles (4 packs)
- peanut butter and jelly
- cereal boxes
- saltine boxes
- microwaveable meals
- mac and cheese cups
- juice boxes
- milk boxes
Spirit Night: City BBQ
Camp Invention: Discount Deadline is March 31
Interested in Single Subject Acceleration
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ONqk0_mvg-cWUOzb5RW2JziFVeYyzvhoM3XEMR05yzI/present?slide=id.g62f0d248c2_0_476
Contact Suzy Krutsch with questions. ([email protected]).
Mark Your Calendars
- Friday, March 18: Teacher Work Day.
- Monday, March 28: Teacher Work Day.
- Thursday, March 31: Deadline to submit your Swifty story.
- Thursday, April 7: Spirit Night at Papa Murphy's Take and Bake Pizza on Cary Parkway
- Monday, April 11 - Friday, April 15: Spring Break
- Sunday, May 1 3:00pm: Decorate the School Grounds for Teacher Appreciation Week
- Monday, May 2: Teacher Work Day
- May 2 - 6: Teacher Appreciation Week
- 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!
- June 20-24: Camp Invention at Swift Creek!