October 25th,82024
IMPORTANT DATES
November 3rd - Daylight Savings Ends
November 5th - No School - District PD Day
November 11th - No School - Veteran's Day
November 25th - Evening Teacher Conferences
November 25-27th - Dismissal at 12:17 pm - Teacher Conferences
November 28 & 29 - No School - Thanksgiving Recess & Native American Heritage Day
Highlights
This was one busy week, indeed!
From the 1st graders' pumpkin patch (please visit the Live Feed section for a few pictures) to World of Difference high school students reading aloud, hearing and vision screenings, and the fan-favorite Scholastic Book Fair, Swallow Union is bustling! Thank you to all the volunteers this week and last (with picture day) for supporting the events that brought excitement and fun into our classrooms!
Tonight is the MONSTER MASH! See you there!
Feed the Tiger Winners
Thank you to the families participating in the annual “Feed the Tiger” PTO fundraiser. Our highly committed PTO hosts events that support all students through enrichment activities such as the Discovery Museum, field trips, guest speakers, and school-wide assemblies. These are integral to the success of our school and are measured in our strong parent-school relationships, community involvement, and bringing learning to life. THANK YOU!
The winners are:
Emilie Dias ~ Won a ride to school in a Fire Truck
Sloanne Ferreira ~ Won Principal for a Day
Scarlett Shannon ~ Pizza Party with friends at school
World of Difference (WoD) Visits Swallow Union
This week, the High School World of Difference Leaders visited Swallow Union classrooms to share a message of welcome and inclusivity. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute aims to empower student leaders to recognize and address personal and institutional prejudice and discrimination and actively promote prejudice-free, inclusive schools and communities where individual differences are respected and valued. This visit was focused on the strengths our differences bring to our community, with a particular focus on cultural awareness. Books for each grade level were chosen to be developmentally appropriate in the text and content complexity. World of Difference students read the following titles by grade level:
Kindergarten: All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
1st Grade: Everyone Belongs by Heather Aviz and Sarah Mensinga
2nd Grade: The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
3rd Grade: One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
4th Grade: In My Mosque by M.O. Yuksel
If you have any questions about the World of Difference Institute or the Day of Difference read-aloud visit, please contact Jess Durling, MTSS Coordinator, at jdurling@gdrsd.org.
My name is Sarah Woods, and I am the school counselor at Swallow Union. Part of my job here is to teach the Second Step curriculum to all students in grades K-4. I teach these lessons every two weeks in each classroom during their morning meeting time. Let’s take a look at what your kids have been learning!
The first unit I am teaching is Emotional Management. Students are learning different emotional management skills according to their developmental level.
Kindergarten: Students are learning to use clues to figure out how someone is feeling, including face, body, and situational clues for the feelings of happy, sad, and mad. Students use clues to figure out what it looks like for other people to feel these feelings. Toward the end of the unit, students will learn slow breathing to make themselves feel calm.
First Grade: Students are learning to notice face, body, and situational cues to figure out how someone is feeling. They will also learn more complex emotions such as worry, frustration, and calm. They will also learn strategies of asking for help and slow breathing to help calm down.
Second Grade: Students are learning more words to describe feelings. For example, they might feel proud when they work hard to accomplish something. Students are also learning ways to calm themselves, like thinking of things that make them smile and saying nice things to themselves.
Third Grade: Students are learning that emotions give us important information about what is happening around us. They are also learning to label different labels of happiness and anger, such as “furious” or “excited.” Lastly, third graders are learning to take a break in the classroom or on the playground to calm strong emotions.
Fourth Grade: Fourth graders are learning the importance of managing strong emotions. They will learn how strong emotions influence their thoughts and actions. Students will also learn the strategy of rethinking or thinking of something in a new way.
Please reach out with any questions!
Sarah Woods
School Counselor
Parent/Guardian Notes Required for any changes in Dismissal
If your child(ren) has a change in dismissal from their normal plan, a written note or email to the teacher is required. Please be sure to send that note the same day noting the change. From there, those notes go to the office, where we verify the change and create a bus slip for the bus drivers. This ensures students are going where their parents have arranged and provides permission to the bus drivers to take them (or drop them off at a different stop). Students are not allowed to change their dismissal plans on their own.
Healthy Bites - Skeleton Strong Kids
Hey Parents,
Let's talk bones! It seems like a perfect time of year, as we see images of skeletons all over for Halloween. Here at Swallow Union, we even have a skeleton named Mr. Bones! Strong bones are like superpowers for our kids. They help them grow taller, run faster, and even think better.
Here's how to boost their bone power:
Fuel up: Give them foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, and leafy greens—think spinach, kale, and broccoli—these are calcium champions! Vitamin D is also a must. Fish, eggs, and fortified cereal that is low in sugar are great sources.
Fun fact: Did you know that calcium helps build strong teeth too? So, those yummy dairy foods are a win-win!
Get moving: Running, jumping, and playing outside are awesome for building strong bones. Think tag, basketball, or even just dancing around the house.
Tip: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine, like taking a family walk or bike ride.
Limit sugary drinks: Too much sugary stuff can steal calcium from their bones. Water, milk, and juice are better choices.
Remember: It's okay to have treats occasionally, but moderation is key.
Sleep tight: Getting enough sleep helps their bodies grow and repair. Aim for around 8-10 hours a night.
Fun fact: During sleep, your body releases hormones that help build and repair bones.
Be safe: Teach them to wear helmets when needed and avoid risky stuff. Falls can hurt those bones.
Tip: Set a good example by wearing your helmet when appropriate.
Bone health is linked to other aspects of health, such as muscle strength and balance, which is very important for our kids. Have any questions? Feel free to reach out.
-Nurse Jen, Nurse Kate, and Mr. Bones
PTO Updates
Trivia Night: Friday, November 15, 7 pm. Adult night out, snag that sitter now!
Fun Fridays: Want to show how much we appreciate our teachers and staff? Sign up for a Fun Friday as an individual or a class! Fun Friday Sign-Up
Groton Dunstable Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
GDRHS Presents….
