Swansfield News 1.27.2023

Mon, 01/30/2023 - 1:51pm
 
Swansfield Elementary School

 

 

Swansfield Newsletter 1.27.23

Upcoming Dates

 

  • January 27- Scheduling Begins for February Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • January 31 - Report Cards available online after 4:00pm
  • February 9 - School Closes 3 Hours Early. No Half-Day Pre-K/RECC
  • February 10 - School Closes 3 Hours Early. No Half-Day Pre-K/RECC
  • February 20 - School and Office Closed

 

New Information

BSAP

HCPSS/The Council of Elders

HCPSS/The Council of Elders (TCOE) Community Academy: The Council of Elders of the Black Community in Howard County (TCOE) in collaboration with the Howard County Public School System will host a TCOE Community Academy on Saturday, January 28th, 2023, from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM.

The session will provide information regarding Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships. Representatives from HCPSS as well as Howard County Community Organizations will provide resources and education on managing peer conflict, identifying abuse in teen relationships, and skills and strategies to intervene if needed.

This session will be held virtually. Please share this information with your school communities. Registration is required. Families can complete the registration linked here. In addition, the flier is located here.

Swansfield Elementary School Spelling Bee 

Congratulations to Andrew Ryan and to Aghanwi Che.  After competing in 28 rounds at Stansfield’s School Spelling Bee, Andrew became our school champion, and Aghanwi earned second place.

Andrew will advance to the Howard County Library Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Reservoir High School.  Aghanwi will act as an alternate should Andrew not be able to participate.  

SES is so P-R-O-U-D for both of you! 

 

Title 1

AOK Mentor Program

Do you think your child would benefit from having a mentor to meet with weekly, from home, by Zoom? AOK has two mentors available to support students virtually! Mentors can help with homework or schoolwork.

Families would need to make sure their student logs in each week on Tuesday at 5pm. If you are interested, you can submit an application for your child at: https://bit.ly/aokmenteesignup. If you have questions, contact Amanda at aokmentor@gmail.com.  

 

 

Reminders

Child Care Fair

The Howard County Child Care Fair is set to take place Saturday, February 4th, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the North Laurel Community Center. This annual fair provides parents, guardians and grandparents with a “one stop shop” for childcare, preschool, school-age and summer programs, as well as the opportunity to connect with teachers and program directors. View the event flier in English and Spanish.

Resource Day

Columbia Community Care is hosting an Essential Resources Day on Saturday February 4th from 10AM-2PM at Howard Community College. This is an opportunity to learn more about both financial freedom and generational wealth and expunge criminal records. There will also be a free grocery giveaway. Free food, transportation, and childcare will be provided. Please fill out this short survey if you are interested: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CLBHLJQ 

2nd Quarter Awards Assemblies

Parents, please join us in celebrating our amazing SES students! You are invited to an in-person (in the cafe) celebration. There is also a virtual option with Google Meet. See below for links. 

 

Grade

Date

Time

Link

K

February 6th 

9:00 - 9:45

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/upw-wzod-qeu 

Grade 1

February 6th

9:45 -10:30

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/kjn-gdvu-uhu 

Grade 2

February 6th

2:15 - 3:00

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/vxy-ruog-nmg 

Grade 3

February 7th

9:45 -10:30

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/itt-kaen-zmu 

Grade 4

February 7th

2:15 - 3:00 

Google Meetl link: https://meet.google.com/cyf-xvqc-oac 

Grade 5

February 7th 

9:00 - 9:45

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/vch-eonr-wyz 

 

Black History Month Competition (It's Blackademic)

On February 28th at 2:15pm, 4th and 5th grade students will have the opportunity to participate in Swansfield's first annual black history competition entitled, “It's Blackademic”. The competition will be live streamed via Google Meet. 

Earlier this week, students should have received an information packet that they can use as a study guide to prepare for the competition. Students will participate in teams where they will answer trivia questions about the accomplishments of African American.

Each team, from each 4th and 5th grade homeroom, will consist of a winner and reserve. If you have any questions, please direct them to Mr. Carter howard_carter@hcpss.org and Ms. Wilkins tamekah_wilkins@hcpss.org

Kids Heart Challenge

Our annual Kids Heart Challenge fundraiser for the American Heart Association, Hoops for Heart, began on Monday, January 16th. This year we are celebrating by working on both basketball and jump rope skills during PE class. Please visit our school's webpage at http://www2.heart.org/goto/SwansfieldElementarySchool to sign up and take the challenge.

This year's event will continue through Friday, February 10th. Any donations must be made online and should be turned in by Friday, February 10th.  Thank you for supporting our school and the American Heart Association!

Black Student Achievement Program Care Items Drive 

We need your help! To support those in shelters during the cold winter months. We are accepting the following personal care items through February 3, 2023.

WHAT WE NEED: 

toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, soap, feminine products, deodorant, etc. 

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service please support us as we collaborate with St. John Baptist Church in support of their cold weather shelter. The shelter houses the homeless for one week each winter. Contact your BSAP Liaison Ms. Wilkins for questions.

Green Benz Session 2 - Sign up.

Happy New Year!  Look for new seminar sign-ups in January! During the first week of January, seminar interest forms will go home in your students’ FISH folders. Green Beanz session 2 will start January 24. Unheard Perspectives will continue through February.

Please be on the lookout for following:

Grade 2 – Flying Paper Machines

Grade 3 – Engineering Building Bridges

Grade 4 – Green Beanz session 2 and Trout in the Classroom

Grade 5 – Green Beanz session 2 and Cryptology

Green Beanz Environmental Team

The Green Beanz Environmental Team is collecting plastic to win a bench from Trex! Students are helping to weigh the plastic each week, but Mrs. DiVenti and Ms. Malcotti could use help bringing the plastic to drop-off bins at a supermarket (ex. Giant, Harris Teeter). 

Please use the sign-up sheet: Swansfield Plastic Recycling Pick-up to help with their efforts! From there, all you need to do is park in the front and come into the vestibule. Bags will be waiting to be picked up there. Thank you in advance for helping the Green Beanz!

Mighty Men Needed!  

We are inviting the special MEN in our students lives, fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, godfathers, uncles, coaches, clergy, family friends, neighbors, and even siblings and cousins (who are at least 18 years old and finished high school) to visit at RECESS to play sports or games and at LUNCH to chat with students starting October 3rd. 

To sign up to participate or learn more, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/wJ7pBdMptGofoz12A

Additional details: Mighty Men will continue throughout the school year. We ask that volunteers sign up at least 24 hours in advance. All volunteers need to stop in the front office to sign in on arrival. All volunteers should view the volunteer training before participating - details are here and forms can be signed in the front office on arrival.  

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 Update

 

Nominate a SES teacher who works with GT & Advanced Level Learners 

The annual HCPSS Educator Recognition Program sponsored by the Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee (GTAC) celebrates educators who demonstrate exemplary commitment to the needs of advanced-level learners and/or the Howard County G/T Education Program.

Now through March 3families and students can recognize a G/T Resource Teacher, content or classroom teacher, or administrator who has enriched the educational experience of advanced-level learners. ALL educators for whom submissions are received will be recognized.

Submissions will be accepted via an online form, which includes a minimum 150-word description of the educator’s contribution to the education of advanced-level learners. Information and submission instructions are available online.

Please help us recognize our outstanding educators who work with advanced learners.

Read-a-thon ends Sunday, January 29th!

Please make sure to complete the online record of your minutes from 1/16 thru 1/29 (and optional donations) by Sunday, February 5th! 

All Swans participating in the Read-a-thon will receive a bookmark. Swans reaching their grade-level goals for total time read outside of school over the two weeks will receive a special prize! 

Goals: 

  • Preschool - 1st Grade goal: 200 minutes total, about 15 minutes a day.
  • 2nd - 3rd Grade goal: 275 minutes or about 20 minutes a day.
  • 4th - 5th Grade goal: 350 minutes, or 25 minutes a day.

Additionally, the 10 students with the most minutes and the homeroom in each grade with the most minutes will receive special Swansfield recognition!

It’s not too late to track your minutes - minutes must be submitted by February 5th to be counted! Contact Read-a-thon chairs, Debbie Goldberg and Michelle Li at Readathon@Swansfieldpta.org with questions. 

Students can participate in the read-a-thon in 5 easy steps:

  • Sign up for a read-a-thon page to track your reading minutes. The process is quick and easy!  https://app.99pledges.com/fund/SESreadathon23/addme  Make sure to include your email address since this is required to track your minutes. 
  • Ask friends and family to sponsor your reading goals (optional). All donations will go towards supporting Swansfield PTA activities and school support initiatives!  Sponsors should select a simple, one-time donation, since per-minute donations are often larger or smaller than expected. Donations can be made anytime between now and Sunday, February 5th.
  • Record how many minutes you read every day outside of school between Monday, January 16th and Sunday, January 29th. 
  • Set your goal and take small steps each day! For younger readers, reading with a grownups count too! Swans meeting their goals will get to pick a special prize! 
    1. Preschool - 1st Grade goal: 200 minutes total, about 15 minutes a day.
    2. 2nd - 3rd Grade goal: 275 minutes or about 20 minutes a day.
    3. 4th - 5th Grade goal: 350 minutes, or 25 minutes a day.
  • Enter your daily minutes on your personal read-a-thon page, which you will receive via email after signing up. You can also track your minutes on the paper reading log sent home in your FISH folder and enter them at the end of the read-a-thon.

Check out our school read-a-thon page to see who is participating: app.99pledges.com/fund/SESreadathon23

Bingo - February 11th

The PTA will be hosting bingo in the school cafeteria on Saturday, February 11, from 2-4pm. Please RSVP using this link: https://forms.gle/6ct2znt9JrgquBGU8 so we can ensure we have enough prizes! Walk-ins will also be welcome. If you’d like to volunteer to help with this event, you may do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044AA9A92CAA8-bingo

Volunteer Opportunity

The Green Beanz Environmental Team is collecting plastic to win a bench from Trex! Students are helping to weigh the plastic each week, but Mrs. DiVenti and Ms. Malcotti could use help bringing the plastic to drop-off bins at a supermarket (ex. Giant, Harris Teeter). 

Please use the sign-up sheet: Swansfield Plastic Recycling Pick-up to help with their efforts! From there, all you need to do is park in the front and come into the vestibule. Bags will be waiting for pickup there. Thank you in advance for helping the Green Beanz!

Yearbook Pictures

We want the 2022-2023 yearbook to capture as many memories of the year as possible, but we need your help!  Is your child in 5th grade?  Submit a baby picture of them here: 5th Grade Baby Pictures  Did you attend the Fall Festival and take pictures of your kid(s)?  Share it with the Yearbook committee here: Fall Festival Pictures.  We can’t wait to see all your wonderful photos!

Membership

We would love to have each and one of you as members of the PTA!  Membership is only $5 per member, but additional donations are always welcome to support all the PTA events we have planned!  Click here to purchase your membership.  Just click “JOIN THE PTA” and follow the instructions for MemberHub.  We appreciate your support!

 

 

Connect with Us:

 

 

Address
5610 Cedar Lane
Columbia, MD 21044

 

 

Phone
410-313-6907

 

 

Website
http://ses.hcpss.org/

 

 

Twitter
@hcpss_ses