Swallow Union Weekly Update Week of October 31st, 2022
Please be sure to check the Live Feed section of our website each week as we share updates on what our students are learning and engaging in during school.
Thank you to Jen Dinneen and our PTO for an amazing Monster Mash for our families! The turn-out was truly fantastic and I enjoyed seeing the students spending time with each other, dancing and running around in their costumes! Here are just a few pictures from the evening:
Plimoth Plantation for our Third Graders
The third graders recently went to the Plimoth Patuxet Museum to see what life was like for the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people back in 1630. Students have been studying about these people and their lives in class for the past several weeks and this field trip made all that learning really come to life for our students. Students were excited to go into an actual wetu and hear from Wampanoags about the lives of their ancestors in that timeframe. They also got to hop aboard the Mayflower to get a better understanding of what the journey to the New World was really like. In addition, they stepped foot into several Pilgrim houses and talked to many actors who portrayed actual people from Plimoth. It was an exciting and informative field trip for all who went.
This field trip ties directly into MA History and Social Studies Frameworks, in particular, Topic 4. The Pilgrims, the Plymouth Colony, and Native Communities [3.T4]
All third grade students and chaperones gathered for an informative video about life for the Wampanoag and Pilgrims.
Aboard the Mayflower. Students learned how challenging the 66 day voyage was for all people on board.
Students are sitting in a Wetu learning about the life of the Wampanoag people.
Engaging in conversations with a Pilgrim who was sewing together a cufflink for her neighbor.
Enjoying a game that the Pilgrim children would play.
Thank you to the Groton Dunstable Education Foundation (GDEF)
We love them! Some teachers did training over the summer and we just used one of our half days to train with them exclusively with 3rd and 4th grade teachers. We'll be running a half day training with K-2 on the use of digi-blocks next month. They have all been 'deployed' into classrooms and the kids love them!
Thanks for your continued support!
Jennifer Dinneen, M.Ed., C.A.G.S.
Visitor/Volunteer Sign-In/Out Procedures
In an effort to ensure student safety, I am asking all parents/guardians and visitors to follow the school procedures for entering and exiting the school building. This procedure is consistent throughout our district and will be enforced at Swallow Union as well. This will ensure we know where all our students are, where they are going, and which visitors are in the building. This means all parents/guardians and visitors need to check in at the front office where they will receive a visitor badge. We love having our parents/guardians volunteer and participate in their child's special events and appreciate your cooperation.
Tardy:
Please park in a parking space (not the fire lane) and walk your child(ren) into the front office so you can sign them in and where Mrs. Dzwonek will give them a pass to take with them to class. This pass notifies the teacher that they were checked in and marked tardy/present.
Dismissal:
Please send your child(ren) into school with a note informing their teacher (and our front office) of their change in dismissal time/plan. These notes are sent to Mrs. Dzwonek so she can then ensure your child(ren) receives a new dismissal pass outlining the change. This informs all faculty of these changes to ensure we can support our students to where they are expected to be and at what time. If you are picking your child(ren) up early from school, please come to the front office where you will be asked to sign them out.
Visitors/Volunteers:
Please remember when entering the school, you are required to sign in at the front office before entering any parts of the school building. Once signed in you will be given a visitor badge. In order to maintain student safety and minimize disruption to the learning environment, please refrain from walking around the school and entering classrooms without being signed in.
If you do come into volunteer work and you wish to dismiss your child(ren) out once you are done, you are required to sign yourself out on the visitor log in the office and then sign your child(ren) out as well. Please refrain from taking your children home without signing out at the front office. Another request is when you are visiting/volunteering in classrooms, please refrain from taking pictures of other children in the classroom as this may infringe on their parents request to opt-out of pictures and/or be posted on social media.
Again, thank you for your cooperation as we work together to ensure our students are safe and accounted for throughout the school day.
Meet your Swallow Union Literacy Specialists
Date: Wednesday, November 9th
Time: 9:30-10:30 am
Place: Swallow Union Library
Who: Anyone interested in learning more about how to support your reader/writer at home.
What: A chance to relax with a hot beverage of your choice and chat about strategies to support your child's literacy development. Topics may include motivation, foundational reading skills, at-home activities, and many more . . . We look forward to seeing you.
Message from our PTO:
Taco Kit
Don’t forget to order your taco kits at the link below! Orders are due on 11/10 for pick up on 11/15.
Message from SEPAC
November Coffee and Conversation Nov 10th, at 9:30. This coffee is in Dunstable at Town Hall. Please see the poster and/or link for more information. All are welcome!
https://www.gdsepac.com/event-details/sepac-coffee-and-conversation
Family Assistance for the Holidays:
We wanted to share with our families that there are community agencies that are able to provide confidential help for GDRSD families that are struggling. If you are in need of some assistance with holiday food and/or gifts, please fill out this form and return it to your child’s teacher or school nurse as soon as possible. Again, all information is strictly confidential.
Important Dates:
November 11th - No School - Veterans Day
November 18th - Full Day Friday & PTO Trivia Night
November 23rd - 1/2 day - Thanksgiving Recess
November 24-25th - No School - Thanksgiving Recess
November 29th - Picture Retake Day