This is one of the best week's of the year, in my opinion. Our teachers do so much for us all year and this week we shower them with love. We have suggestions for every day so everyone (both in person and VA students) can participate.
Please remember to stop by Flavors Ice Cream (in the Food Lion Shopping Center) between 3-8pm this TUESDAY! They are hosting us for a Spirit Night and a portion of all sales will go to the PTA. Some of their treats look sooooooooooo yummy!
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please feel free to reach out to any PTA Executive Board member.
We hope you have a wonderful week!
Marie, Deborah, Sarah, Dana, Lauren
HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS WEEK
- TODAY! We will also be decorating the school grounds at 3pm! Sign up to join us in the fun! www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4DA8AF2CA6FE3-decorate
- Teacher Appreciation Week. See article below for all the details!
- Tuesday, May 4 3-8pm: Swift Creek Spirit Night at Flavors Ice Cream on Jones Franklin Road. A portion of all sales goes to Swift Creek PTA.
- Wednesday, May 5: Regular School Day. Originally, May 5 was an asynchronous day, but the school board changed the async day to Thursday, May 13 (which used to be a Teacher Work Day). I'm sensing a theme here. ;-)
THE POSITIVITY PROJECT
What It Means
You value each member of your group and inspire people to do their best.
Why It Matters
For individuals, leadership is a way to achieve what you know is important, as groups of people invariably achieve more than individuals. If you want to achieve your vision for the future, you need to inspire others to join you. As an individual’s ability to lead develops, so does that person’s confidence and sense of self-efficacy. However, common dangers to guard against are egotism and arrogance.
A group’s effectiveness and sense of inspiration is tied directly to the leader. Study after study shows that leaders (and managers) have the biggest influence on group success and morale. Leaders can be developed and it starts with character.
For family resources, see the P2 website. The password is P2.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK: MAY 3-7
Here are the suggested "to do"s for each day:
- Monday, May 3 -- "We DONUT know what we'd do without you" Send your card a homemade card or drawing
- Tuesday, May 4 -- "You are the HIGHLIGHT of our day" Send your teacher a supply for the classroom (paper towels are ALWAYS welcome! Those school paper towels are flimsy!)
- Wednesday, May 5 -- "M&M Magnificent & Marvelous" Send your teacher their favorite sweet treat!
- Thursday, May 6 -- Give your teacher a flower. This could be from your garden or a virtual flower.
- Friday, May 7 -- Dress in your teacher's favorite color.
Don't know your teacher's favorite things? No worries! Our PTA has you covered. If you need this information, please contact any Swift Creek PTA board member and we will send you that information.
- Marie Dexter [email protected]
- Deborah Killion [email protected]
- Sarah Wohldmann [email protected]
- Dana Boyer [email protected]
- Lauren Nicholls [email protected]
SPIRIT NIGHT AT FLAVORS ICE CREAM: TUESDAY, MAY 4 3-8PM
Hope to see you there!
Raleigh Boychoir Summer Music Camp!!
Do you have a rising 1st-5th grade boy that loves music?? The Raleigh Boy Choir is hosting a music summer camp from June 14-18th 9:00-3:00pm. The cost is $50 for the entire week!!!
Click the link below to register:
RBC Summer Camp 2021 Registration
If you or your boy(s) are slightly interested, please contact Ms. Sutton at [email protected]. I'm happy to help in any way to support our students' musical experiences and growth.
MAY 12: PTA Meeting
Here is the slate of nominees from the Nominating Committee:
- President: Marie Dexter
- Vice President 1: Deborah Killion
- Vice President 2: Sarah Wohldmann
- Treasurer: Dana Boyer
- Secretary: Lauren Nicholls
To vote on officers, we need quorum (at least 20 people) at the meeting. Please join us!
5th Grade (Virtual) TAlent Show
Is your child interested in participating?!?!?!? Sign up now at https://forms.gle/QarkQdAToYGBk3ie6.
Students can sing, dance, show off a sports skill, share a drawing, tell a story! The ideas are endless. All videos will be shared through FlipGrid.
Is your child interested but unsure where to start? Contact Ms. Sutton [email protected] for assistance!
NOTE:
- Parent permission is REQUIRED for a student to participate. (See the Google form to give this permission.)
- If there is any music in the performance, you must provide the words to the song to Marie Dexter at [email protected] for approval. Please use school approved versions of any songs.
- All videos will be reviewed and approved before the Talent Show. If there are any issues with a video, we will follow up with you before the Talent Show.
- The last day we will accept videos is June 1!!!!
The Garden Buzz: We Need Garden Gnomes this Summer
That means we will need help watering and weeding this summer.
If you are interested in being a Garden Gnome one week this summer, sign up NOW at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4da8af2ca6fe3-garden
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- Tuesday, May 11 6:30pm: PTA Meeting. We will be electing officers for the 2021-22 school year.
- Thursday, May 13: Asynchronous Learning Day
- Wednesday, May 26: Asynchronous Learning Day
- Monday, May 31: Memorial Day. No school!
- Thursday, June 10: Last day of school!
ADVOCACY ALERTS
The NCPTA has announced their legislative priorities for the 2021-22 session. In last week's newsletter, we covered School Funding and Teachers and Administrators. Check out the priorities for this week.
In keeping with the North Carolina PTA’s mission and support of our existing and long-standing policies, the North Carolina 2021 – 2022 State Legislative Advocacy Priorities are as follows:
School Funding
Teachers and Administrators
Parent, Caregiver Family & Community Engagement
Special Education
Health and Wellness
Food Security & Child Nutrition
School Technology
Early Childhood Education
Equitable Education Opportunities
Accountability
State Assessments
A-F Accountability System
Reopening of Schools
For more information, see NCPTA Advocacy Priorities at https://ncpta.org/index.php/advocacy/pta-advocacy-priorities/?fbclid=IwAR1TSgeeuIYzY4TWlz7M7ztmYY57nU_Wkr1IDO9A6ExlfOt-KrdiTP75LZ4
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
It is critical to North Carolina PTA’s mission to empower all families with the tools and practices they need to effectively engage in their child’s education and development, starting at the earliest stages.
High-quality pre-kindergarten programs are critical in preparing high-risk children for success in grades K-12.
The advantages of attending Pre-K last throughout elementary school, holding steady for both high and low-income students. Research has shown clear benefits, but many children cannot enroll due to insufficient funding and fees required. Only 23% of four year-old children in NC have access to Pre-K. This percentage is below the national average.
There are nearly 33,000 children who are eligible but not enrolled due to lack of access. Experts suggest that many more eligible children do not even apply due to the long waiting list.
Several lower-income counties are forced to refuse state funding because they do not have the funds to cover the difference between what the state pays and the programs’ cost.
North Carolina children need universal access to high-quality pre-schools to prepare them to enter kindergarten and provide a strong foundation throughout school. Universal Pre-K provides lifelong, positive results for children, their communities, and our state.
See the full document.
EQUITABLE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The basis of equality of opportunity is the belief that every American child deserves a fair start in life no matter the circumstances of their background. Public education can give even the most impoverished child a chance to excel through hard work, individual initiative, and excellent teachers’ nurturing guidance.
The Leandro case remains one of the biggest education policy issues in North Carolina. Per the NC Supreme Court ruling in the Leandro case in 1997 and 2004, NC has a constitutional obligation to ensure all children have access to a sound, basic education. This includes equitable access to resources and opportunities, well-trained teachers, and adequate per-pupil funding. The state continues to fall short of this mandate.
The WestEd report included eight recommendations for how North Carolina can comply with the directive
they have been given.
See the full document.
ACCOUNTABILITY
North Carolina PTA will support initiatives as well as encourage and advocate for legislation and
policies that will:
● Guarantee public funds are not diverted to any private school choice proposal and/or voucher system, including tax credit scholarship programs.
● Robustly fund public schools to ensure students have access to a well-rounded education and receive high-quality instruction from well-prepared teachers.
● Ensure all public-school choice and public charter school programs are accountable to the public, open to all students, comply with federal health and safety and discrimination laws, and are supported by public funds that do not divert funding from non-charter
public schools.
See the full document.
STATE ASSESSMENTS
North Carolina’s accountability system should undergo a comprehensive review to develop its
defined purpose(s) and revamp the testing program to achieve the stated goals.
● Advocate for a reduced emphasis on state-mandated testing that penalizes the student
rather than guiding instruction and identifying learning problems.
See the full document.
A-F ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
Monitor legislation impacting the state’s A-F system. Advocate for an accountability system that more broadly reviews school performance and includes a family engagement component.
See the full document.
It's May. Here is the multi-cultural calendar from the National PTA.