WOW! What a Friday we had! A day that reminded me of why I love this school community so, so much. Our families are so giving and generous with their time. I was thrilled to see so many new families out at the Fun Run as well. With your involvement, our future looks so, so bright!
LOTS of great news to share in this week's newsletter. AND lots of pictures! I am so proud of all the hard work that our PTA committee chairs and families are doing! THANK YOU to ALL of you! Putting this newsletter together gave me some big smiles this week. I hope it does for you as well.
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]
HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK
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- Monday, Oct 4 -- National Custodian Appreciation Day
- Tuesday, Oct 5 -- Picture Day!
THE POSITIVITY PROJECT: Being PResent
"True happiness ... is to enjoy the present." Lucius Annaeua Seneca
FUN RUN UPDATE: WE DID It!!!!
AND we raised .... drum roll please ... $19,921.75. We blew our $15,000 goal right out of the water!!!! Thank YOU to our families for your generosity! It means so much to us to know how much you support our PTA programs and our school. The extra funds will help us get back on track after a rough year last year, when COVID greatly limited our fundraising efforts.
An extra special SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to Fun Run chair, Annie Pilz. This is Annie's fourth year chairing the Fun Run and she has it down to a science now. She starts working in early July to select a theme and start planning incentives for students and classrooms. She works to get our online donation site up and running. She works with school administration and staff to get a schedule together and coordinate volunteers. Then of course, on the day of the event she does EVERYTHING, and makes sure that we stay on track throughout the day!
It is A LOT of work, but so very, very important to the success of our PTA. The money we raise is our operating budget for the entire school year. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Annie for another successful event and fundraising year! If you'd like to give Annie a big pat on the back, you can reach her at [email protected].
WE Want Your Pictures!!!!
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Please send them to Yearbook Chair, Sarah Wohldmann, at [email protected].
Lost and Found
Teacher Cart SUccessfully Returns!
Thank you, thank you, Kristen, for organizing this and showing our staff how much we appreciate all they do for our students! You can contact Kristen at [email protected].
Thank you, Ms. Weathersbee: National CustodiaN Appreciation Day, Monday, Oct 4
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Monday is National Custodial Appreciation Day! I know it would mean so much to her if your child (or family) wrote a little Thank You note and brought it to school on Monday. Simply give the note to your teacher or the front office. Let's shower Ms. Natasha with lots of love!!!
Our Trees Need YOUR Hand
We added some very organic but sad looking tree trunks and branches to the walls. We need YOUR family's handprints to create the leaves and make these trees colorful and cheery!
We have several opportunities for you and your family to come and put your leaf on our tree.
- Today, Sunday, Oct 3 3:00-5:00pm
- Friday, Oct 8 4:15-6:00
- Saturday, Oct 9 10:30-12:30
- Sunday, Oct 10 1:00-3:00
Sign up now at https://tinyurl.com/scesFamilyTree
Another way you can help ... when you come bring a box or bag of individually wrapped snacks (such as Cheez-Its, Goldfish, granola bars)! These will help us replenish our snack pantry that our students in need use throughout the week!
VOLUNTEERS Opportunity!
HELP WITH OUTDOOR LUNCH AND TABLE CLEANUP
We are looking for volunteers to help monitor this outdoor area during lunch. To provide a consistent schedule, we are asking that volunteers sign up for a regular one hour weekly time slot. Of course, you are welcome to sign up for more! If you can't commit to once a week, we are also looking for possible subs, if someone is unable to make their shift.
To participate, you first MUST register as a WCPSS volunteer. To learn more about the requirements, what this job entails and to sign up for a shift, see Lunch Volunteers.
If you can't help during the week, no worries! We have weekend opportunities as well. We are looking for folks to come clean the tables over the weekend so they are ready to go on Monday morning. (You never know what "present" Mother Nature has left over the weekend.) To help with this clean up, sign up at http://tinyurl.com/scesCleaning
WEEKLY WELLNESS TIP: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Summer is officially over but we should keep in mind that we should stay hydrated all year!
Getting children to drink plenty of water can be a struggle but with encouragement and adding a little fun, it can be easy!
PTA.ORG notes:
Kids who drink water are more likely to...
- Make smart choices
- Be independent
- Want healthy foods
Encourage children to stay hydrated before, during, and after school. Here are 10 fun ways to get kids to drink more water!
Some examples are below:
What Exactly Can I recycle?
SCES PTA has the ability to collect for a variety of specialty recycling programs:
1. TerraCycle’s squeezable pouch program – squeezable pouches, of any brand, with caps on.
2. TerraCycle’s snack wrapper program – foil lined snack food bags.
3. NexTrex’ plastic film program – bags, bubble wrap, overwrap, and other stretchy plastic.
4. Crayola’s ColorCycle program – markers and highlighters.
How You Can Participate:
Collect your recycling materials and drop off a Megan Holler's house OR drop off your recycling items at Macedonia United Methodist church on Saturday mornings from 8-10. (This is when they are collecting items for the food pantry.)
If you have plastic film for the NexTrex program, you can drop off your bags OR weigh the amount of plastic that you have to recycle and email that weight to Megan. Then take your bags to your local grocery store for recycling.
For questions about the TerraCycle programs at Swift Creek, or to join the recycling committee, please contact Megan Holler at [email protected].
Due Tuesday! BE PART OF THE STUDENT DIRECTORY
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If you have questions about the student directory, contact Amy Johns at [email protected].
Note: You must be a member of the Swift Creek PTA to receive a directory.
JOIN THE PTA TODAY!
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Join through MemberHub at https://swiftcreek.memberhub.com/store
Please join today! If you have questions, contact our Membership Chair, Danielle Davis, at [email protected].
Coming soon! New Spirit Wear Orders
Spirit Wear chair, Aimee Langerhans, has been working hard to create new spirit wear for this year! She has created a GREAT design based on our Better Together / puzzle theme. I can't wait to get one for myself!
Order forms will be going home in Tuesday folders SOON. We will have t-shirts and hoodies available in the order.
If you have questions, contact Aimee at [email protected]
Quick and EAsy Ways to Help the Creek
Does your family purchase Coke products? Did you know the codes under those caps can help earn 5 cents for Swift Creek? The code on cases are worth 15 points. This is easy FREE money for the Creek.
If you are looking for a volunteer position that you can do from home, this is a great opportunity. (Can't say it isn't a little tedious, but you might be able to get the phone scan to work which goes MUCH faster.) If you are interested, contact Marie Dexter at [email protected].
Earning this money is quick and easy. You have a couple of options:
- Collect your bottle caps and turn them in to your child's teacher.
- Enter the codes on the Coke Gives website. (Many hands make light work!)
- Go to https://us.coca-cola.com/give/schools/
- Create an account or sign in to an existing account.
- Search for Swift Creek Elementary School in Raleigh.
You will receive a confirmation message.
The Box Tops program has gone digital! To help Swift Creek earn money when you purchase Box Top items, download the Box Top app and scan your receipt after purchase. For more information, see https://www.boxtops4education.com/.
Help Swift Creek have a chance to win 5,000 Box Tops (that's $500!). Every time you purchase one of these monster cereals and scan your receipt, you enter us in this sweepstakes!
Notes from DISTRICT 5 BOARD ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
Mark Your Calendars
- Monday, Oct 11
- Teacher Work Day. No School for students.
- 3-4pm: Virtual Curriculum Night. More information coming soon! This session will be recorded for those who cannot attend.
- Tuesday, Oct 12 6:30pm: October PTA meeting. This event will be virtual
- Monday, Oct 25 -- End of First Quarter
- Wed, Oct 27
- Teacher Work Day
- Reflections entries due
- Friday, Oct 29 -- Virtual Performance to celebrate the fact that we reached our Fun Run Goal!
- Week of Nov 8 -- Scholastic Book Fair
- Week of Nov 15 -- Virtual Cultural Arts performance