We need YOU this week! It might be a short week, but it certainly will be a busy one. Here are some ways that you can get involved this week.
- Volunteer to help with Picture Day at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4da8af2ca6fe3-fall
- Volunteer to help with the Fun Run
Even if you aren't a volunteer, we want YOU at this event. You are welcome to come cheer on your favorite Swifty. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094eafae2ca64-20191
- Donate cuties, a healthy snack, for the Fun Run https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a45ada62ba7f58-cuties
Thank you to our families for ALL your support! You are what makes Swift Creek so special.
Have a great week!
Marie
Positivity Project: Open-Mindedness
This week, students will be learning about the character strength, Open-Mindedness.
What Does It Mean?
You like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions.
Why It Matters
Individuals with the character strength of open-mindedness are more likely to make accurate decisions – and decisions that they won’t regret.
Open-minded individuals are often good listeners and called upon to provide a balanced viewpoint. Both listening and the ability to deliver reasonable and practical advice
are marks of good friends and confidantes.
On a group level, open-mindedness is crucial in counteracting groupthink.
Resources or Activities for Home:
- As a family, try something new this week. This could be an activity or a new food.
- At the dinner table, talk about a time when you tried something new and how you felt.
- 7 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Try New Things
- Books:
- The Dot by Peter Reynolds
- Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes
- My Brave Year of Firsts by Jamie Lee Curtis
- Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements
- I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato
Monday: Teacher Work Day -- No School for Students
Monday is a Teacher Work Day. See you at the Creek on Tuesday.
Tuesday: October Edition of Swift Creek Current
The October Edition of the Swift Creek Current will go home in Tuesday folders this week. It is also available online:
http://swiftcreekeswcpssnetptahtml.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/2/2/24227387/oct2_english.pdf
Wednesday 8:30am: Walk to School
Walk to School is Wednesday October 2nd
We will meet at the Sno Balls parking lot (beside Food Lion) at 8:30 AM
You may drop your child off with the staff or please join them and walk
This is a great opportunity to build friendships and school community along with a healthy, active start to the day! Come join us Wednesday morning!
Thursday: Picture Day! Cuties for Fun Run Due.
- Get a good night's sleep and wear your brightest smiles to school. Can you help with this event? Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4da8af2ca6fe3-fall
- If you are donating cuties for the Fun Run, please give them to your child's teacher today. We want to make sure that every student has a healthy snack after the Fun Run. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a45ada62ba7f58-cuties
Friday: Fun Run; September Fun Calendar Due
- Argh mateys! It is the BIG day! Today each class will spend 20 minutes on the field running laps for our healthy school fundraiser.
The day's schedule is available from the PTA website.
We also need lots of volunteers to make this day a success. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094eafae2ca64-20191
Have questions about the Fun Run? Contact Fun Run chair, Annie Pilz.
- Did your family complete the September Fun Challenge sent home by Ms. Graves? Your calendar is due today!
Spirit Wear Orders due Oct 15
There have been many requests for Swift Creek Spirit Wear. Spirit Wear chair, Aimee Langerhans ([email protected]), has been working hard on a new design for this year. The shirts will be purple and have the state of North Carolina on the front. Over Raleigh will be a purple cougar paw and below the words Swift Creek Elementary.
We are currently taking orders for short and long sleeve T-shirts. Order forms will be going home in this week's Tuesday folders, but they are also available from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GMxMrV-vDpcW12pYtXUocvlawVF0LPNP/view?usp=sharing
Orders are due by October 15.
Mark Your Calendars!
- Tuesday, Oct 8 6:00pm -- PTA meeting, Math Curriculum Night
- Wednesday, Oct 9 -- Teacher Work Day
- Friday, Oct 11 -- Deadline for Fun Run donations
- Oct 15 -- Spirit Wear orders due
- Tuesday, Oct 22 5-9pm -- Swift Creek Night at Ruckus Pizza on Tryon Road. Tell your server that you are with Swift Creek (or show the flyer that will be going home later this month) and 20% of your sale will go back to the Creek.
- Wednesday, Oct 23 -- School Assembly of The Emperor's New Clothes IF we reach our Fun Run goal of $18,000
- Thursday, Oct 31 -- Regular School Day
- Friday, Nov 1 -- Teacher Work Day. No school for students
Advocating for Our Children:
The main purpose of the PTA is to advocate for our children. Here are a few advocacy items for you.
Wednesday 9:30am District 5 Board Advisory Council (BAC) Meeting
Board Advisory Council (BAC) meetings are made up of citizen members, school administrators and other staff to provide feedback and consultation to each board member by district. These are open to everyone.
In District 5, our school board representative is Dr. James Martin. He is planning 4 BAC meetings this year. The first meeting is Wed, Oct 2 at 9:30am at West Lake Middle School. The agenda will be the proposed school assignments for 2020-21 school year. (Any reassignments seem to be around 2 new schools planned for Fuquay-Varina.)
If you have questions, please contact Swift Creek's BAC representative Marie Dexter at [email protected].
The next meeting is Nov 6 at 9:30am at Dillard Drive Elementary School. The agenda is still to be decided.
Free course about social and emotional learning from the Friday Institute
The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State has just completed a free course for educators around social and emotional learning that will be launching on October 1st. The course focuses specifically on skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
While it is aimed directly at educators, parents could benefit from the course as well.
Thanks to funding from the Oak Foundation this course is FREE for you. You can learn more about the course at go.ncsu.edu/selcourse as well as in the attached flyer.
If you have questions, contact Alex Dreier at [email protected]
Healthier Ideas for Birthday Celebrations
Is your child celebrating a birthday soon? Did you know that you can order healthier cupcake options through the school cafeteria? For more information, see the Healthy Lifestyles page on the PTA website.
Or even better, celebrate with a non-food treat such as fun pencils or stickers.
For more information about Healthy Lifestyles contact, Maggie Howard.