Important Dates:

• Tuesday, May 4th, Wednesday, May 5th & Thursday, May 6th - Climate Survey Google Meet Options At Various Times (see more below)

• Wednesday, May 5 - School Picture Day (see more below)

• Wednesday, May 5 - Final Day to Commit to Digital Education Center (see more below)

• Monday, May 10 - Last Day to Complete Climate Survey (see more below)

• Wednesday, May 12 - MAP Testing: Reading (see more below)

• Thursday, May 13 - Schools Closed for Students

• Wednesday, May 19 - MAP Testing: Math (see more below)

• Wednesday, May 19, & Thursday, May 20 - Virtual Science Fair (see more below)

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Join Us for Picture Day Next Week On Wednesday, May 5!

Click HERE to sign up for an appointment time for your photos. Scroll down the page for available time slots. (Students who will be in school on the scheduled Picture Day of Wednesday, May 5, do not need to register as they will be photographed while they are in school that morning.)

We are excited to offer this opportunity for students to have school pictures taken this year.  Scheduling and purchasing will be done ONLINE (links included in this message) and finished portrait packages will be mailed to the student's home.

When: Wednesday, May 5th
Time:  8:00 - 9:00am & 11:00am - 4:00pm
Available appointments are scheduled in 5 minute increments
Parking: Please park in the lower parking area in front of school and look for signs directing you to school pictures.
Entrance: Side Gym door next to black top area.  When facing the front of the building, this door is near the basketball hoops on the left side.
Exit: Students will exit through the small gym door and meet parents on the blacktop area.

• After placing your order, please print your order confirmation and bring it with you to your scheduled appointment.
• Only students will be allowed inside the gym.  Parents must wait on blacktop.  All should stay masked and maintain social distance. Students will be able to remove their masks briefly while their picture is taken.
• Follow all signs and directions from staff and photographers.
• Do not enter the main school building.   

To view the picture packages available and to pay on-line click HERE. (Please disregard reference to Fall Pictures.  This is a rescheduled session since we could not provide this opportunity last fall.)

Strawbridge Studios Inc., our contracted photographer, has a contactless COVID-19 picture day process.  For more information, please visit their WEBSITE.  

Swansfield Climate Survey

Would you like to be entered into a drawing for a FREE gift card to Target?  As Swansfield continues our work toward developing a Restorative Justice culture, we are asking families to provide valued input on our progress by completing a 20-minute survey.  All families who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for a FREE Target gift card.  We are offering several Google Meets (see below) to help complete the survey or you can do it independently.  Please find our previous communication with all links and further detail HERE.

• Tuesday, May 4th at 8:00 am
• Wednesday, May 5th at 12:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 5th at 6:00 pm
• Thursday, May 6th at 7:00 pm

Kids Heart Challenge

Our annual Kids Heart Challenge fundraiser for the American Heart Association began last week and continues through May 7. This year we are working on both basketball and jump rope skills.  Please visit our school's webpage at http://www2.heart.org/goto/swansfield for more information on how to sign up and participate. All donations must be made online by that date. We cannot accept checks or cash donations this year.  Thank you in advance for supporting the American Heart Association!

It’s Not Too Late To Sign Up For The Virtual Science Fair - Open To All Grades! All Participating Swans Will Receive A Prize!

The Virtual Swansfield Science Fair will take place on Wednesday, May 19th, from 6:30-7:30pm for students in grades K-2 and Thursday, May 20th, from 6:30 - 7:30pm for students in grades 3-5. All participants will receive a copy of Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists. Students interested in participating should Sign Up Now! And tell your friends!

Missed the workshops?  A recorded version of the workshop can be accessed here:  Science Fair Workshop

The workshop video provides students with guidance about working through the scientific method including coming up with a research question, writing a hypothesis, designing an experimental procedure and collecting and presenting data. 

Please visit HERE for further information including templates students can use for presentations. If you have any questions, please email your Science Fair PTA Co-Chairs, Amy Becker (amybreebecker@gmail.com) or Debbie Goldberg (debbie.s.goldberg@gmail.com). We hope to see you at the fair!  

Log In Now To Commit to the 2021-2022 HCPSS Digital Education Center by May 5

Parents/guardians who wish to commit to the fully online HCPSS Digital Education Center (DEC) for the school year beginning in fall 2021 should log in to HCPSS Connect by Wednesday, May 5 at 4pm.  Families must commit to the DEC for the full 2021-2022 school year.

Learn more HERE.  If you need assistance completing the online commitment form, please contact our front office staff.

MAP Testing

On Wednesday, May 12, and Wednesday, May 19, students in grades 1-5 will take the Measured Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The data from the MAP assessment will help schools and teachers measure your child’s learning progress. The MAP test does not affect grades and the difficulty adjusts depending on how your child responds. It is normal for students to only answer about half the questions correctly.  To learn more about the MAP assessment, please visit HERE.

The tests will be offered per the schedule below. If your child is unable to attend, makeup testing is planned for Wednesday, May 26. Teachers will share Google Meet information and your student’s testing group as we get closer to the May 12th date.

MAP Test Times (Reading, Math, and Make-up):

• Grades 1-2:   9:15-10:45am
• Grades 3-5:   9:15-10:15am and 10:45-11:15am

FREE Virtual Parent Cafe

Please see the attached flier for information regarding upcoming Parent Cafés sponsored by the HCPSS Office of Early Childhood and Title I Office in collaboration with the Maryland Family Network.  Advance registration is required.  Participants will share ideas that can help parents take care of themselves and their families and raise strong, happy children.

Parent Cafe Invitation_May2021.pdf 

Kindergarten & Pre-Kindergarten Registration Underway for School Year 2021-22

Kindergarten Registration for next school year is now being conducted ONLINE (scroll down to the green Begin Online Registration link). Students must be five years old by September 1, 2021 to register. If your child will be attending Kindergarten in the fall, please visit the HCPSS Getting Ready for Kindergarten page, which includes resources to support kindergarten readiness. 

Applications for the Pre-K Program are also being accepted ONLINE (scroll down to the green Begin Online Registration link).  Children must be four years old by September 1, 2021 to attend.

Please call the school front office at 410-313-6907 with any questions.  

Learning Together Program Prekindergarten Applications Being Accepted

Applications are now being accepted for the Swansfield Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) prekindergarten program for the upcoming 2021-22 school year.  This class includes children with and without disabilities.  The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills.  Parents of children who will be 3 years old by September 1, 2021 may learn more about the program by reviewing the attached Learning Together Program (LTP) Flier. If you need assistance with the application, please contact Early Intervention Services at earlyinterventionservcies@hcpss.org or call 410-313-7017. If you have any additional questions about our program, please contact RECC teacher Nancy Barsoum at nancy_barsoum@hcpss.org.

LearningTogetherFlier.pdf 

Visitor Protocol Across School System

Visitors are not permitted under HCPSS Infectious Disease Plan. Exceptions are made for emergency services, contractors, and special situations. Facility special visitors will be limited and should occur by scheduled appointment only. No walk-in visitors are permitted. As much as possible, appointments to meet with parents and customers should be accommodated via telephone, video conference, or other suitable technology. When a face-to-face visit is necessary, the school or office must schedule an appointment time with the visitor and follow set steps outlined on page 23 of the Bridge to Normalized Instruction.

When guidelines once again allow for in-person volunteers and/or visitors, the attached form must be completed to document visitors interacting with our learning environment.

School Visitation Form.pdf 

Shining The Spotlight

Each week at Swansfield Elementary we recognize students who shine by demonstrating one of our six Success Factors (Kindness, Self-Control, Perseverance, Empathy, Accountability and Hope). Congratulations to the following students who were recognized for displaying the success factor Hope:

• Pre-K: Deon A
• Kindergarten: Orion L, Cara T, Remo R
• 1st Grade: Abigail B, Kingston B, Kha'liyah F, Lillian N
• 2nd Grade: Christopher S, Brayden P, Shubha K, Kamiyah H, Simone D
• 3rd Grade: Afia K, Da'mond G, Israel W, Marquis M, Jaden P
• 4th Grade: Jordan S, Haruki O, Ariana M, Adriana O
• 5th Grade: Julian D, Ximena R, Edwin M, Raiven B

Staying Connected

Swansfield and HCPSS frequently send updated information to parents/guardians via email and text. Please be sure that your Family File is up-to-date and that you have opted into text messages to ensure you receive all messages. To opt into texts, text “yes” to 67587 from the cell phone listed in your Family File. If you need assistance updating your Family File, please contact our front office at 410-313-6907. If your Family File is updated and you have opted into texts, but are still not receiving messages, please fill out this form or contact the Swansfield front office.

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Please help support our staff and students by checking out this Amazon Wish List. Any items donated will be greatly appreciated. 

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