Important Dates
- November 18th - HCPSS Connect closes for Parent/Teacher Conference Sign-Up
- November 22nd - Schools Close Early/Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 23rd - Schools Close Early/Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 24th - 26th - Schools Closed
New Information
Entries Being Accepted for Young Authors' Contest
The Young Authors' Contest has begun! This contest is for students in grades 1 through 5 who like to write short stories and/or poems in their free time. The contest begins at Swansfield where students will compete with their classmates for the best short story and poem. One winner from each category will be selected at each grade level to compete at the Howard County level. Winners from Howard County will then go on to compete at the Maryland State level.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their writing talent to the Swansfield community and beyond! Last year we had a winner from Swansfield. Students in grades 1-5 have received the guidelines, cover sheet, and writing rubric for the contest. Please email all entries and completed cover sheets to your child’s homeroom teacher. Please have your child save his or her story as a WORD document. Swansfield winners will need to submit their entries to Howard County electronically. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Greenwood, one of our reading specialists, at keynora_greenwood@hcpss.org. YA Flyer_Contest.pdf
The deadline for entries is January 24, 2022. We are looking forward to reading many amazing stories and poems. Happy writing!! YA Student Permission Sheet.pdf
Nex Tex Challenge
The annual NexTrex challenge is starting on Monday, November 15, 2021. The NexTrex Challenge is a challenge in which the whole school recycles plastic bags and plastic film. Students bring in these items from home and place them in the NexTrex recycling boxes. The Green Beanz weigh the bags; the bags are then dropped off at local grocery stores who send them to the Trex Company. A flyer and magnet explaining the challenge will be coming home in your student’s’ Fish Folder.
In the NexTrex challenge, SES competes against all the other schools in the Mid-Atlantic to collect the most plastic bags by weight. The winner of the challenge gets a bench at their school made of recyclables. Please send in your plastic bags with your student to place in the Trex recycling bins at the front doors to SES.
November 15 is America Recycles Day! SES Green Beanz hope and would appreciate it if our Swan family wears green on that day so we can show the world how important it is to recycle and to keep our school environment clean, healthy, and beautiful.
From Your Title I Team
We’re looking forward to seeing parents at conferences on November 22 and 23. Here are some tips for your conference: Preparing for Elementary Conferences. Every year at parent teacher conferences Title I schools share their Compacts and Calendars with families. You can learn more about Title I and view Swansfield’s Compact and Calendar here: https://ses.hcpss.org/about/title-i-program
Reminders
Scholastic Book Fair
The book fair will continue to run until Sunday, November 21st. You can shop the book fair from the comfort of your own home! Due to COVID-19 guidelines, we felt a virtual fair would be a better option for this fall.
The link below is live and ready to go, so start purchasing today! Don’t forget all funds raised go toward purchasing books and other items that will enhance your child’s experiences here at Swansfield. Thank you so much for your support of our Library Media Program!
Swansfield Elementary School Book Fair.
From the Health Room Corner
As a reminder, please continue to keep your child(ren) home if anyone has the following symptoms below present. They should be evaluated by a physician and must receive a negative PCR or alternate diagnosis before returning to school:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- New loss of taste or smell
- Severe headache
Remember to provide documentation to the attendance secretary prior to your child's return and reach out to the health room if you have any questions related to your child's health or return status.
Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping all of our students and staff healthy and safe.
Swansfield Wish Lists
We will continue to update our wish lists throughout the school year.
Student Lounge Wish List
Classroom Wish List
PTA Updates
PTA Monthly Meeting: Wednesday, November 17th at 7 p.m.
Please join us (virtually) next Wednesday for the November general meeting of the SES PTA.
November Hospitality Event (Staff Appreciation)
This month, we are going to show our amazing Swansfield staff how thankful we are for them! Our theme is; “We’re POPPING with appreciation for all you do!” Please sign up here to donate an item. Label all items “PTA Hospitality” and send them to school by Thursday, November 18th.
Fall Pie Fundraiser
Once again, SES PTA has partnered with Bonheur Patisserie & Deli to bring you this delicious pie fundraiser! Apple, cherry, and pumpkin pies are all $16/each! Order online now through November 17th and pick up your pies at Swansfield Elementary School on Tuesday, November 23rd from 3:00-6:00pm (dismissal is 3hrs early that day).
In addition to bringing pies home, you also have the option to buy pies for donation to community members in need, through our friends at Columbia Community Care. All you have to do is purchase a donation pie online and we’ll take care of the rest. Please be generous!
Staff Favorite Things List: Fall 2021 Edition
Families have expressed a strong interest in treating the hardworking Swansfield Elementary staff members to something that is specifically for them to enjoy. In furtherance of that, the
PTA provided all staff members with an opportunity to answer some questions about their favorite things. A list of their responses can be found here.
There is neither an obligation nor expectation that Swansfield Families give gifts to staff members. However, we know that many families like to do this and our hope is that those who are interested will find the list helpful.
This is not directly related to the holiday season. The favorite things list can serve as a reference anytime throughout the school year.
National PTA Reflections Art Contest
Swansfield students in PreK-5th grade will have an opportunity to create an original piece of art for the National PTA Reflections art contest! Students can compete in one of 6 categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts. Top entries from Swansfield will advance to a county-wide competition. Entries are due November 29. More information can be found on the SES PTA Reflections website.
Original Works Fundraiser coming soon!
Support Swansfield by turning your child's artistic masterpiece into keepsakes for family and friends! The Swans are hard at work creating beautiful art that you can have made into mugs, totes, magnets and more! Look out for custom order forms in your child's FISH folder around November 18th.
Orders will be due on December 1st and items will be delivered to Swansfield just before winter break. Check out the PTA Website for more information. Questions? Email Angela McMellen Brannigan (mcmellen@gmail.com).
PTA National School of Excellence: STAFF & FAMILIES NEEDED
In furtherance of the PTA’s goal for Swansfield to receive the National School of Excellence
Designation. Volunteers are needed across the community, including staff and teachers, to build an action plan for school improvement.
Throughout the school year, our School of Excellence Committee will use the tools, resources and support provided by National PTA to positively impact family engagement at Swansfield.
If you are interested in being part of the School of Excellence committee, please email Lizz Hammon (vp.schoolrelation@swansfieldpta.org)
PTA Volunteer Opportunities
The following PTA committees could REALLY use some more volunteers! If you’re interested, please email Lizz Hammon, PTA VP for School Relations. (vp.schoolrelations@swansfieldpta.org) ·
- Yearbook ‘Candid’ Photographers
- This could be anybody!
- Anytime throughout the school year - take photos at Swansfield events or activities and upload them here.
- Black History Event Chair - February 16th
- This committee already has 2 members to help with planning and 2 sets of extra hands ready to provide support during the event.
- What is the event? We were hoping you would tell us! Got any ideas?
- National School of Excellence Committee
Winners of the Fall Festival Volunteer Challenge
Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help with the Fall Festival! It truly was an event to remember! All the hours have been tallied and the homerooms from each grade with the most volunteerism have won a special treat! Stay tuned for more information.
WINNERS
Kindergarten - Gordon
First - Phamdo
Second - (3-way tie!)
Zawodny, Hur, Mooney
Third - Witherow
Fourth - Pisca
Fifth - Hayes
