Swanson Elementary
Home of the Squirrels!
Happy Thanksgiving
There is so much to be thankful for ~ where do I start? Thank you so much for the following:
- Sending your wonderful children to Swanson everyday so we can enjoy their smiles and support their education.
- Keeping your child home when sick. Even though we enjoy having everyone here, we are thankful you keep them home as needed when they are sick or have Covid like symptoms.
- Thank you for attending online parent teacher conferences. We had a wonderful "Virtual" turn out. Please remember we are always here to support.
- Thanks for sending warm clothes for recess. MSBSD Policy is outside recess unless it's -10 so please make sure your child is fully prepared for outdoor recess to keep warm:)
- Thank you so much for your support this year. 2020 has been challenging, yet very rewarding at the same time because we are Swanson Strong and have a great Swanson community!
So excited to review our winter data in December, to monitor student growth and plan for another successful semester of learning.
Take care and we wish you all a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving,
Mrs. Halfacre
Principal
Swanson is so thankful for our students and families!
Roll into Math Night!
To join Zoom Meeting us the link below
Winter gear drive
Special Santa Program
Mat-Su Special Santa Program
Serving our Valley since 1997
Bringing the magic of Christmas to children and
families in need in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley
If you have any questions, please contact Katrina Holder at matsu_santa@yahoo.com.
Special Santa 2020 Parent/Guardian Sign-Up Form
Swanson is partnering with Fireside Books!
The Best Gifts are books!
From Oct 3- Jan 3 Shop at Fireside Books and
Say “Swanson Elementary.”
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.
Thank you for your support!
At Home Learning November 23-27
Dear Mat-Su Families and Staff,
I am reaching out to you with an update regarding temporary building closures necessitated by the COVID-19 virus. First, I want to thank parents for your continued support and the grace you have afforded the district while we have tried to manage this pandemic. Second, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all of the staff, particularly those working directly with students, for your heroic efforts to keep schools open. Your work on behalf of Mat-Su students speaks to your dedication as educators. Also, I want to personally thank the committed team of professionals with Mat-Su Public Health whose contact tracing efforts and advice have made it possible to keep schools open for over 90% of the year so far! Thank you all for everything you have done and continue to do for our students.
As you know the recent surge in COVID-19 cases has impacted our schools. Some schools have needed to be shut down more frequently and for longer time periods. These increases in infections have impacted families, staff and our partners in Public Health. As the virus has spread across the Valley, schools have needed to close because of a lack of staff and/or substitutes available to teach and care for students, as well as the ability of our partners in Public Health to complete contact tracing due to the increased volume of new cases.
Despite these challenges, our partners in Public Health maintain that the mitigation strategies in place in MSBSD make school one of the safest spots for children in the Valley, but the impacts on staff and community health professionals are real. Therefore, in view of the increase in infection rate, the impacts of that increase on the availability of staff, and the ability to complete contact tracing we asked ourselves “What can we do to keep schools open for the long term so students can continue to spend time in one of the safest spots in the Valley?”
Our answer is that the school buildings in the Mat-Su will transition to At-Home learning for Monday, November 23rd through Wednesday, November 25th with all schools scheduled to reopen for in-person learning on Monday, November 30th. This closure will allow:
Public Health officials time to complete contact tracing of current cases.
Public Health officials time to train District nurses in contact tracing so they can assist in these efforts going forward.
School staff to update school level mitigation plans that reflect what we have learned about operating a school during this pandemic.
Currently impacted students and staff time to complete their quarantines and be available to return to in-person learning.
First Student time to reinforce and review mitigation strategies on bus routes.
We recognize that all school building closures are impactful to students and their families. We are taking this action in an effort to increase our abilities to keep schools open going into the future. To quote the old adage, “A stitch in time saves nine.”
During this break from At School learning the district joins Public Health and our Governor in asking you each for your support in keeping schools open for students. If all of us practice mask wearing, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, and proper hand hygiene we can continue to be one of the largest school districts on the West Coast to offer At-School learning.
I want to end where I started with my heartfelt thanks to families for the grace you have afforded us and trust you have placed in us to care for your children. I want to thank our Public Health partners for their endless dedication to keeping schools open. And, most importantly, I want to thank all the staff for their heroic work this year; your commitment to children is inspirational. Thank you, thank you.
Yours in education,
Randy Trani, Ed.D., MSBSD Superintendent
Close Contact
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
* Individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). Data are limited, making it difficult to precisely define “close contact;” however, 15 cumulative minutes of exposure at a distance of 6 feet or less can be used as an operational definition for contact investigation. Factors to consider when defining close contact include proximity (closer distance likely increases exposure risk), the duration of exposure (longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk), whether the infected individual has symptoms (the period around onset of symptoms is associated with the highest levels of viral shedding), if the infected person was likely to generate respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting), and other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors).
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Have you been exposed?
Have you been exposed to COVID-19?
What to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19
If you have been notified that you are a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to the virus, please follow the guidance below.
- What to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19
- Letter template for returning to school or work after quarantining
With cases on the rise in communities across Alaska, public health contact tracers may not be able to notify all close contacts. Because of this, contact tracers are asking people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to begin informing their close contacts of their potential exposure to the virus as soon as possible. The faster people begin to quarantine, the faster we can stop the spread of COVID-19.
Upcoming Events
NOV 26 THURSDAY ALL DAY Thanksgiving Holiday - No School For Students
NOV 27 FRIDAY ALL DAY Thanksgiving Holiday - No School For Students
DEC 18 FRIDAY ALL DAY Quarter 2 Ends (44 Days)
DEC 21 MONDAY ALL DAY Winter Vacation - No School For Students
DEC 22 TUESDAY ALL DAY Winter Vacation - No School For Students
DEC 23 WEDNESDAY ALL DAY Winter Vacation - No School For Students
DEC 24 THURSDAY ALL DAY Winter Vacation - No School For Students
DEC 25 FRIDAY ALL DAY Christmas Holiday - No School For Students
Winter Vacation - No School For Students
Swanson Elementary
Email: swe@matsuk12.us
Website: matsuk12.us/swe
Location: 609 N Gulkana St, Palmer, AK 99645, USA
Phone: 907-861-5300