Swallow Union Elementary School

November 15th,2024

School Calendar 2024-25

Please be sure to visit our Live Feed on our Website to keep up to date on all of the exciting things happening both at Swallow Union and in the district.

IMPORTANT DATES

November 21st through 27th - Celebrate Fall Spirit Week

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

December 2nd - Term I Ends

December 5th - Picture Retake Day

December 13th - District Half-Day - Dismissal at 12:17 pm

December 20th - Half Day - Dismissal at 12:17 pm 

December 23rd - January 3rd - Winter Break

On Tuesday, during lunches, Ms. Woods facilitated a presentation on bullying, specifically what it means to have and use their Bystander Power. We wanted to provide our families with the definitions used for further communication at home and clarify how we define bullying at school as it aligns with Second Step.

Bullying occurs when someone keeps being mean to someone else. It is repeated on purpose multiple times, and the person it is happening to hasn’t been able to stop it. It is unfair and one-sided.

Unfair and one-sided: The person who is bullying has to have more power than the other person.

• Examples of more power: Size (bigger and stronger), amount of people (more than one person), status, developmental stage, not being able to get the unkind behavior to stop

One-sided means the person being bullied is also not being unkind to the other person in other instances.

Children were also taught the 3 R’s to be supportive bystanders to bullying:

1. Recognize - know when something is bullying vs. unkind

2. Report - Report to any trusted adults in school or outside of school

3. Refuse - stand up to the bully

We had student council representatives go into classrooms to perform skits around kindness and the 3 R’s of bullying.

Best,

Jill Jarvis (jjarvis@gdrsd.org)

Sarah Woods (swoods@gdrsd.org)

On Tuesday, during lunches, Ms. Woods presented to our students the definition and meaning of bullying as it aligns with Second Step. The focus was on teaching them what a bystander is, how they can respond to a conflict, and letting them know they all have Bystander Power!

SU Student Council

On November 13th, World Kindness Day, some of our student council representatives performed skits for all classrooms on kindness and being supportive bystanders. These skits supported the whole-school conversations that Ms. Woods, our School Adjustment Counselor, led about how each of us has the power to be a Bystander and learn how to use it! Here are some pictures of the leading these discussions in each classroom!

Other student council reps decorated the bulletin board beside the office along the upstairs sensory path. This is an interactive bulletin board. Each grade level and class has its colored note, and students can write acts of kindness or kind words/compliments about others. Here is a video about World Kindness Day.

GDEF Teaching Stars

Are you looking for a unique way to recognize a Teacher, Administrator, or Other Staff/Community Member for their hard work and the impact they’ve had on your child? GDEF Teaching Stars are the perfect gift! They are a great way to say "Thank You" while helping enrich the schools by donating to the Groton-Dunstable Education Foundation (GDEF). Certificates are great for showing gratitude in November or as a holiday gift in December! Learn more here about how to show an educator how much they are appreciated with a Teaching Star: https://www.gdefinc.org/teaching-star

Healthy Bites - Cold vs Flu

Hi there, SU Families!  It’s cold and flu season.  Inevitably, we will be exposed to people who are not feeling well or who do not feel well ourselves.  Understanding the difference between a cold and the flu is important. Both illnesses affect your breathing, but they come from different viruses and have different symptoms. Let’s break it down!

What Causes Them?

• Cold: Colds are caused by many viruses, with rhinoviruses being the most common.

• Flu: The flu is specifically caused by influenza viruses, mainly types A and B.

Common Cold Symptoms

• Runny or Stuffy Nose: This is a big sign of a cold.

• Sore Throat: Usually, it feels mild.

• Cough: It can be annoying but is often not too bad.

• Sneezing: Sneezing happens a lot with a cold.

• Mild Headache: Not as intense as what you might feel with the flu.

• Feeling Tired: You might feel a little tired, but not too much.

Flu Symptoms

• Fever: This can be high and come on suddenly.

• Chills: You might feel really cold when you have a fever.

• Muscle Aches: These can hurt a lot and make you feel weak.

• Extreme Tiredness: You might feel super tired for a long time.

• Severe Cough: This can really bother you and last a while.

• Sore Throat: It can happen, but not as much as with a cold.

• Runny or Stuffy Nose: This is less common than with a cold.

• Severe Headaches: These are usually worse than a cold.

How Long Do They Last?

• Cold: You usually feel sick for about 5 to 7 days, but it can last up to two weeks.

• Flu: Symptoms might improve in a week, but you can feel tired and cough for weeks afterward.

How to Feel Better

For a Cold

• Rest: Make sure to get plenty of sleep.

• Drink Fluids: Water and juice help keep you hydrated.

• Over-the-counter medications: These can help you feel better by reducing symptoms.

For the Flu

• Antiviral Medications: A doctor might give you these if you see them early.

• Rest and Hydration: These are very important just like with a cold.

• Pain Relievers: Medications like ibuprofen can help with body aches and fever.

How to Prevent Them

• For Colds: Wash your hands often and stay away from people who are sick.

• For the Flu, the best way to avoid it is to get a flu shot each year. Good hygiene also helps!

Finally- A reminder to parents of 3rd and 4th Graders-

Parents of 3rd graders- If you have not already done so, please remember to send in a copy of your child’s 3rd-grade physical after it is done.  The District requires physicals on file for grades K, 3, 7 & 10.   

Parents of 4th graders- There are still a few 4th graders whose physicals didn’t come in last year- if you did not send in a physical for your child when they were in 3rd grade last year, please send the most current one in as soon as possible.

PTO Updates

• Trivia Night: Friday, November 15, 7pm, Pepperell VFW. Pull together a team or join a table when you arrive! Venmo @SwallowUnion_Elementary_PTO to sign up. Check out the silent auction - start your bids on your favorite baskets now!  Silent Auction link

• Spirit Wear is back! We received requests to open the store again for the holidays, orders will arrive around 12/16. The online store will close on 11/17. Swallow Union Apparel Store - Orders due 11/17/24

• Fun Fridays: Want to show how much we appreciate our teachers and staff? Sign up for a Fun Friday, as an individual or as a class! Fun Friday Sign Up

Groton Dunstable Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)

SEPAC WEBSITE

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.