Thank you to Mrs. Angie Johnson and her BINGO Night Committee for putting on a wonderful family event! The Runzas, games and community engagement were enjoyed by all. Thank you for all who attended and volunteered throughout the evening.

Congratulations to the following 6th Graders who placed in our annual school speech contest.

Here are the results for the Swanson Speech Contest:

1. Hazel H.

2. Isabel V.

3. Irish G.

Hazel will be representing Swanson in the District Speech Contest next week. All 6th Graders participated in the speech contest which was themed "Heroes and Heroines" and devoted much time in researching, writing and presenting. They all did a Superstar job!

Hey Swanson Families! It is almost time to shower our wonderful Swanson staff with love and gratitude for Staff Appreciation Week! We are looking for donations to make this week extra special. Please use this link to donate drinks for the week. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EAAAE28A5F49-swanson2

We are also looking for gift card donations to shower on each staff member. Please consider purchasing a $15 gift card (or 2 or 3!) for our gift card shower. Think coffee shops, restaurants, local Westside businesses, etc. These can be dropped off at school or given to Jackie Proctor. You can also Venmo a monetary donation to @Jackie-Proctor on Venmo. If cash or check works better, please contact jackieproctor80@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time.

It is that time of year when parents might inquire about their child’s placement for next year. Before the end of this school year, all professional staff will meet with appropriate grade level teams to determine the best placement for all students.

Much thought, dialogue and time will go into establishing classroom lists for the 2023-24 school year. Our teachers are insightful and qualified to place students in classrooms with teachers who best fit student educational needs. Many considerations are involved in the process. The following criteria will be used to determine placements.

• Staff input

• Number of students

• Number of boys/girls

• Academic abilities/needs

• Social/behavioral needs

• Independent/dependent learners

• Leadership skills

• Peer relations

• Learning styles

As a parent, you may offer your thoughts about your child’s placement. You are an important part of your child’s educational team and we value your feedback. If you choose to provide input, we ask that you:

• Make a formal request in writing (by email to harr.jennifer@westside66.net is acceptable) no later than March 24th, 2023

• Requests should reference your child’s learning style and type, not the specific teacher you wish your child to have.

• If there has been a request made in a previous year that still applies, please make sure we are aware of the necessary details for placement in the 2023-2024 school year.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s education. We appreciate your support and understanding of our placement process and the guidelines set forth.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Harr and The Swanson Staff

Fifth and Sixth grade Band and String students will be participating in district wide Instrumental music festivals. These concerts will feature students from fifth grade, sixth grade, Westside Middle School and Westside High School. Detailed information about our rehearsals and performances will be sent out through students, please mark you family calendar for the following events:

Westfest String Festival

5th and 6th grade String Students: violin, viola, cello and bass)

Monday, March 20, Westside High School, 7:00 pm*

*sixth grade parents will be able to attend the Outdoor Ed Meeting prior to the concert

Band-o-rama Extravaganza

5th and 6th grade Band Students: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone and percussion

Tuesday, March 21, Westside High School, 7:00 pm

This coming April, our 3rd through 6th grade students will take part in Nebraska's Annual state testing in reading and math with 5th graders also participating in science. These tests, known as NSCAS (Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System) are one of many ways we measure how well our instruction is working to support student learning. If your child is a 3rd through 6th grader, their teacher will be communicating testing dates. It's important on testing days that students are well fed, well rested, and ready to do their best!

You will find information about EY opportunities, our geography contest winners, ideas for badges to check out, and details about the writing contest sponsored by the OPL.

https://www.smore.com/w2m7c

Jenny Henningsen

EY Coordinator

Sunset & Swanson

The Excellence In Youth Team is proud to announce Krish P. from Swanson as the most recent recipient of the Digital Dozen award for the 22-23 school year! This award is presented to students who earn 12 of the digital badges on the EY Website (ey.westside66.org), which is available to students district-wide. It takes self-motivation, grit, and determination to earn these badges and Peter and Karnitha should be proud of this accomplishment!

Screen time and social media usage has become a favorite activity for kids, but as a parent how can you know how much is too much and how to practice safety in social media usage? Some parents are also seeing challenging behaviors in their kids, along with mental health concerns, and aren’t realizing these behaviors and concerns could be tied to screen time or the negative effects of social media. The following “Just Kids Health” podcast from Children’s Hospital - Navigating Screens and Social Media discusses healthy boundaries, recommended amounts of time, and negative effects of too much screen time. There is also an accompanying graphic that discusses some of the key points. The key with all screen time - BALANCE! If you are a parent wondering how you can create better balance and boundaries for your child, don’t hesitate to reach out to your school counselor for some great ideas.

Visit our web page for current information on school happenings and activities during the year. Go to www.westside66.org and click on schools and then the Swanson link.