Swanson Elementary January News
Home of the Squirrels! 1/14/22
Love and Logic starts January 18th......Have you register yet?
What is Love and Logic?
In this program you will learn techniques that:
- Are simple and easy to learn
- Teach responsibility and character
- Lower your stress level
- Have immediate and positive effects
- Up the odds that you will enjoy lifelong positive relationships with your kids...and your grandchildren
ZOOM sessions will be from 6:00 to 7:30pm.
Below are the dates and session topics:
- January 18 Session #1 - Putting an End to Arguing, Back Talk, and Begging
- January 25 Session #2 - Teaching Responsibility Without Losing Their Love
- February 1 Session #3 - Setting Limits Without Waging War
- February 8 Session #4 - Avoiding Power Struggles
- February 15 Session #5 - Guiding Kids to Own and Solve Their Problems
- February 22 Session #6 - Teaching Kids to Complete Chores...Without Reminders and Without Pay
Click on link to register
Thank you to our wonderful families!
Meet our new Squirrel Staff!
Nikki Sullivan
Kay Omer
Heather Vogel
Benjamin Beer
Kat Lien
Kelsie White
Surviving the Storm and Safe Parking
In regards to parking and entering the building. Parents are to drop off at the South Entrance in the morning (9:00-9:20) after 9:20 please walk your child to the front door to be signed in by the office staff. If you park in the front lot please walk your child into the school through the front doors. Please do not drive through the front lot and drop off your child, to cut through the snowbank, to enter the southside. This has been a safety concern brought to my attention. When cars line up in the lot it is challenging for the Special Education buses to pull in and park safely to drop off our students. We have extended our drop off time to promote safety for all our students. Thank you so much for understanding.
Recess and Cold Weather Gear Expectations
Students go outside for recess down to -10 degrees. This means students need to be prepared with the appropriate gear. At minimum students should have a winter coat, snow pants, boots, hats and gloves. A sweatshirt, in lieu of a jacket and thin cotton mittens are not sufficient and students get cold causing a potential for frost bite injuries when they are not dressed properly. In addition to the minimum, a scarf or face mask is also ideal to have on colder days.
We do take wind chill into consideration when considering whether students will be going outside for recess or not. District policy is outdoor recess occurs up until it's colder than -10. Students must have a doctor's note provided to the nurse, should they need to stay in from recess for any reason. If students are healthy enough to be at school, they are healthy enough to participate in recess unless there’s a documented doctor's note.
If you do not have the resources to provide your child with adequate gear, please contact Nurse Hazel.
Research shows that students perform better academically and socially when they have time outdoors, in nature, with their peers in unstructured play. Please help your student be prepared during these winter months. Thank you!
Ms. Miller's Kindergarten class
Swanson's Angel Tree
Swanson's canned food drive
Swanson started our 100th Day of School Challenge on December 13. Each class is asked if they can collect 100 cans, boxes, or bags of food, and other food bank needs like kitchen and bathroom supplies by the 100th Day of School. After the Christmas Holidays, the Palmer Food Bank needs to be replenished and we try to help them every year. Can you send in a few items from your pantry or the grocery store? All donated items need to be non-perishable, please. Thank you so much!
No School January 17th!
Please fill out the meal applications at School Cafe.
Along with providing free or reduced meals for students this program also helps with:
• Waived after-school program fees
• Access to specialized tutoring programs
• Lower internet costs
This program helps not only the students, but Swanson and the whole school district as well, due to the state and federal dollars that are tied to these counts.
We can not thank you enough for taking the time to complete the free/reduced meal application. Swanson is currently at 42%. We must be at 50% or higher to qualify for Title 1 benefits next year. EVERY APPLICATION COUNTS!
Please help us continue to be a TITLE 1 SCHOOL so Swanson can continue providing services and programs to our students!
Nurse Hazel and Covid News
My Child is sick or COVID positive....now what?
Please send any email correspondence for well-being, sickness and COVID information to classroom teachers AND:
HAZEL.O'NEILLROMAN@MATSUK12.US
See the checklist below to help determine if your child is too sick to attend school:
- Does your child have a fever of 100 deg F or higher?
- Has your child vomited two or more times in a 24-hour period?
- Does your child have diarrhea?
- Are your child's eyes crusty, bright red, and/or discharging yellow or green fluid (pink eye)?
- If your child complains of a sore throat, is it accompanied by fever, headache, stomach ache, or swollen glands?
- Does your child have a persistent, phlegmy cough?
- Does your child have lice (white, translucent eggs the size of a pinpoint on the hair or insects on the scalp)?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, please keep your child home from school and consider seeking medical attention. Any of these symptoms listed may be symptoms of COVID-19. Please contact your health care provider and follow their guidance; they may want to test your child for COVID-19.
There are certain criteria that must be met before your child can come back to school after having any of these symptoms. Keep your child home until he or she has been symptom free for at least 24 hours or until a doctor indicates that he or she may return to school. Please contact our nurse at 907-861-5300 to discuss the plan for returning to school.
Principal's Corner
Greetings Families,
Happy New Year Swanson Friends and Family! We are looking forward to a great year together. Reflecting on last year and moving in to 2022 I have noticed how resilient and dedicated our students and staff are. We have faced school closures, Covid 19, and extreme weather conditions. Through the hard times it has made us stronger and more determined than ever to finish strong.
Looking into the 2022 school year I am confident there will be student growth academically, socially, emotionally and physically. At Swanson we focus on the whole child and individual growth meeting all our students individual needs within the MTSS Framework. Before Winter Break all grade levels met as a team to review MAP and aimswebPlus data to determine reading groups to personalize learning for all our students. If anyone would like more information in regards to how we provide academic interventions please call me anytime at 861-5300. Here is a link to the MTSS Framework we following in the MSBSD. https://www.matsuk12.us/Page/30983
We have 8 weeks before Spring Break then only 10 weeks until Summer. It's important that we use every minute our students are in school to meet our Alaska State Standards to insure academic growth. Instructional time (9:20-3:30) is very important in the classroom so we limit any daily distractions that would interrupt that time.
Thank you all for your support and trusting us with your wonderful children everyday!
In Partnership and Support,
Tammy Halfacre
Principal Swanson Elementary
Fireside Book Fair
The Best Gifts are books!
Shop at Fireside Books and
Say “Swanson Elementary” Nov 15- Jan 15
Or order and pay at goodbooksbadcoffee.com
or call 745-2665 to order by phone.
They can be brought to the school, so your child
can take them home, if you wish.
Fireside Books is at 720 S. Alaska Ave in Palmer, across from
the Train Depot. 745-2665 http://www.goodbooksbadcoffee.com/
Thank you for your support!
Upcoming Events
JAN17
MONDAY ALL DAY Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School For Students
FEB 24
THURSDAY ALL DAY Parent Conference Day - No School For Students
FEB 25
FRIDAY ALL DAY Professional Development Day - No School For Students
MAR 3
THURSDAY ALL DAY Quarter 3 Ends (41 Days)
MAR 4
FRIDAY ALL DAY Work Day for Teachers - No School For Students