Upcoming Dates
- September 21 - PTA Meeting
- September 26 - Schools and Offices Closed
- October 5 - Schools and Offices Closed
- October 21 - Schools Closed for Students
- October 24 - Schools Closed for Students
- November 2 - 3-hour early dismissal/No PreK or RECC
New Information
Dear Swansfield Community,
Would you like to be entered into a drawing for a FREE gift card to Target?
As you know, Swansfield Elementary School has been working toward developing a Restorative Justice culture. This has been a collaborative effort with the Restorative Justice Partnership, Howard County Education Association (HCEA), and the HCPSS Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Students in grades 3-5 and all staff will be completing a survey to provide feedback on this effort and our progress as a school.
Starting Monday, September 19th through Friday, September 30th, families will have an opportunity to provide valued input on our progress by completing a 20-minute survey developed by the Excellence with Integrity Institute. All families who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for a FREE gift card! A Target gift card will go to one parent per grade level who participates in the survey! More information about the survey can be found here.
Families can choose one of two options to complete the survey:
1. Complete the survey in-person at Swansfield during arrival or dismissal.
Next week, we will have laptops set up at the front of the school in the morning, and the back black top in the afternoon, so families can complete the survey. A Swansfield staff member will be available to help you with the survey link, the survey ID, and answer any questions you may have. We are offering the following times:
- Monday, September 19 at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm
- Tuesday, September 20 at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm
- Wednesday, September 21 at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm
- Thursday, September 22 at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm
- Friday, September 23 at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm
All parent(s)/guardian(s) who attend will be entered into the drawing!
Getting a School Lunch
All students, who are going to be getting a school lunch, will need to enter their personalized code into a machine (refer to image below). Staff will be there to help and have created cards for students to have if they don't know their code, but the sooner our students know their code and how to enter it into the system without accessing their card the faster the lunch line will move.
The steps to determining what your child's code is:
- Log into HCPSS Connect
- Click on More Options
- Click on Homeroom/Transportation/POC
- POC is the child's lunch code number
We ask that you help your child/children practice entering their code using the image below.
Students will need to enter their code + the green enter button.
To help speed up the school lunch ordering line, please review the HCPSS lunch menu and help your child select what they want to have for lunch each morning.
Click here to review the month lunch menu.
Provide Input on HCPSS Inclement Weather Plan by September 26
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) recently opened a pathway for local school systems to repurpose up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous school days for the 2022–2023 school year.
HCPSS is requesting your feedback on its Inclement Weather Asynchronous Instruction Plan no later than Monday, Sept. 26. Details on the HCPSS plan and a link to complete a short online survey are available online.
Additional feedback may be sent via email to InclementWeatherPlan@hcpss.org. Please note that comments/messages received will be reviewed; however, staff will not respond to individual emails.
BSAP
The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) Saturday Math Academy (SMA) has been in existence since 1992. The program was developed in response to parents’ seeking math enrichment for their students. The priority was to learn instructional mathematical strategies to support their children at home and to accelerate academic achievement.
This year, the BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an in-person enrichment program for Howard County Public School System students in all levels of math for grades 3-12 based on course availability.
Fall 2022 Virtual Registration
Registration will take place online Saturday, September 24, 2022, 9:00 at a.m. - until capacity is reached. Class space is limited.
Sessions will take place at Oakland Mills High School (9410 Kilimanjaro Rd, Columbia, MD 21045) on Saturdays from 9:00 AM-12:15 PM on the following dates:
- Saturday, October 8th
- Saturday, October 15th
- Saturday, October 22nd
- Saturday, October 29th
- Saturday, November 12th
- Saturday, November 19th
Program Fee: $80.00
Students qualified for FARMs fee: $40.00
Students will participate in math instruction as well as enrichments including chess, coding, STEM, or Choir. Families who register their child(ren) for the program in HCPSS Connect are requesting enrollment. Notification will be emailed to families whose request was accepted.
Acceptance in the program will be based on a first-come first-served basis and available space in the specified class. Contact Tamekah Wilkins, BSAP Liaison at tamekah_wilkins@hcpss.org if you have any further questions.
HCPSS Policy Corner
Policy 9260 - Search and Seizure - Information can be found here
Title 1
What is Title I?
Title I is a federally funded program designed to ensure that all children have an opportunity to access a high-quality education. The goal of this federal program is to close the achievement gap for all students. Schools are identified based on the percentage of students receiving free and reduced-price meals (FARMs).
At Swansfield Elementary our Schoolwide program allows all students to be eligible for academic support. Federal funds are used to support and enhance the overall school program. Title I funds may be used to upgrade the entire school’s educational program so that the overall education for ALL children who attend the school can be improved.
Reminders
Healthroom Corner
We look forward to welcoming all our students and families back to Swansfield Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year. Please refer to the HCPSS Website for specific information about masks, testing for Covid-19, Health Checks at Home, and other Covid-19 procedures. Covid test kits will be sent home with students the first week of school.
The following blank forms are available for you to use to update your child's medical records with our health room. Please email them to doris_qano@hcpss.org or drop them by the health room prior to or on the first day of school.
Medication Order Form.pdf
EpiPen Med Order Form.pdf
Swansfield Wish List
The staff have requested a few items for their classrooms for the 22-23 school year. Thank you for your generosity. Wish List
PTA Updates
We can’t wait to see Swan families old and new at the Back to School picnic tonight, Friday, September 16th from 6-8PM.
Bring your blanket and/or chairs and enjoy popsicles and some music from our very talented Swan alum resident DJ.
See you tonight!
Membership
Please take a few minutes to join or renew your membership to the Swansfield PTA! Membership is only $5 per member, but additional donations are always welcome to support all the PTA events we have planned! Registration for membership is online here: https://swansfieldpta.org/pta-membership/ Just click “JOIN THE PTA” and follow the instructions for MemberHub. We appreciate your support.
Fundraiser
An easy way to make your regular shopping contribute to the Swansfield community is through Amazon Smile. Go to smile.amazon.com to add Swansfield PTA as your charitable organization Each purchase you make will send a donation to the PTA!
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, September 21 at 7 pm, First General PTA Meeting, 7-8 PM: Swansfield Cafeteria. Childcare will be provided. Please come and help us finalize our operating budget for the 2022-23 year and learn about ways to volunteer and get involved with our dynamic PTA.
