Important Dates

• September 28th - Grade 4 ELA MCAP (state testing)
• September 29th - Grade 4 ELA MCAP (state testing)
• September 29th - Chipotle Fundraiser at the Mall
• September 30th - Grade 5 Math MCAP (state testing)
• September 30th - History of Racial Justice Workshop 1 (see below)
• October 4th - Grade 4 Math MCAP (state testing)
• October 6th - Walk to School Day
• October 14th - History of Racial Justice Workshop 2 (see below)
• October 15th - Schools Closed
• October 20th - PTA General Membership Meeting
• October 28th - History of Racial Justice Workshop 3 (see below)
• November 11th - History of Racial Justice Workshop 4 (see below)

New Information

Walk to School Day

Wednesday, October 6th is Walk to School Day! Bus riders will have the opportunity to “walk to school”. Busses will drop students off at the Swansfield Water Park across the street and students will walk across the bridge to school. If you would like to help welcome students as they walk to school on this day, please fill out this form.  Please look for a flyer in your child’s FISH (Family Involvemet Starts Here) folder next week.  

Health Room Corner

We are excited to share that we will be continuing both our Dental Clinic and Flu Clinic this school year.  Our first clinic will be our Dental Clinic on Monday, October 18.  The Mobile Dentists will come to our school and visit with students who do not already see a dentist regularly.  Paper consents were sent home in your child's FISH folder this week.  You may also sign up online at www.myschooldentist.com

Our Flu Clinic will be held on Monday, October 25.  More information about this clinic will be shared soon.

Halloween

We will be partnering with our PTA again this year to offer a Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, October 30.  Look for more information about this to come home in a few weeks. For families new to Swansfield, we do not host a Halloween parade or party during the school day. The Festival and Trunk or Treat will be in place of a school activity.  We hope to see everyone there!  For families who do not celebrate Halloween, we hope you will still join us for the Fall Festival portion of the event.  

Treat our Teachers - September Snacks

Each month we like to treat our amazing staff with a small token of appreciation.  For the month of September, we are asking for donations of individual snack items for a Snack Bar.  If you would like to donate snack items (individual bags of cookies or chips, drinks, candy, chocolate, etc…) please drop them off in the front office by Wednesday, September 29th.  If you would like to send the donation in with your child, please label it Mrs. Porter and they can drop it off at the front office at any time.  Thank you in advance!

SES Text Messages

Are you receiving text messages from SES and HCPSS?  If you are, then you do not need to do anything else!  If you did not, you will need to opt-in. 

Here are the instructions on how to opt-in to text messaging:

• Type the number 67587 in the "To" portion of the text message.
• Text Yes in the message part of the text message.
• Hit Send.
• You will receive an "opt in" message from HCPSS sent from School Messenger.
• Text Y and hit send
• You will now begin receiving text alerts from SES and HCPSS.

Reminders

History of Racial Justice Struggle in Education Workshop

Join staff from Swansfield and HCPSS for a multi-session workshop. The History of Racial Justice Struggle in Education will explore the long journey for educational justice initiated by Black, Indigenous, Chicanx and Latinx communities. 

This workshop will take place over the course of four sessions - September 30, October 14, October 28, and November 11, 2021 from 5-7pm ET. The first three sessions will be virtual, with the last session currently planned as an in-person strategy meeting. 

This workshop will be facilitated by Manuel Criollo, the program director for the University of New Mexico Peace and Justice Studies Minor/Certificate Program. You can find more information and register for this workshop here. 

Mask Requirement

Masks are required in all HCPSS buildings for all students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks also will be required while on school buses. Parents please ensure that your student has a mask to wear every day during the school year.

PTA Updates

Chipotle Fundraiser

Come out to Columbia Mall and support the PTA on Sept. 29 from 4-8 p.m. 33% of your Chipotle purchase will be donated to the SES PTA. Use code 4QTXL8N for online orders or bring this flyer with you in-person. 

Get 30% Off Swansfield Spirit Wear! 

The PTA has an all new online spirit wear store! A portion of your Swan gear purchase comes back to the PTA - that’s a win-win! For a limited time, use code BACKTOSCHOOL21 and you’ll receive 30% off your entire order! Click here to check it out! 

https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/MD/Columbia/Swansfield%20Elementary%20School

Spanish Translators Needed for Print Material

The PTA at SES periodically distributes print newsletters, fundraising flyers and information about events via your children’s FISH folders. It is our goal to provide as much of our material as possible in Spanish as well as English. If you can help, please contact Lizz Hammon at vp.schoolrelations@swansfieldpta.org