Please be sure to visit our Live Feed on our Website to keep up to date on all the exciting things happening both at Swallow Union and in the district.
IMPORTANT DATES
March 15th - Elementary Science Fair @ Swallow Union - 9:00 am
March 20th - Spring Equinox
March 21st - Term II Ends/Parent Conferences & District Half-Day - Dismissal at 12:17 pm
March 27th - Grade 3 Chorus Parent Performance @ 6 pm
April 2nd - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
April 2 & 3 - Scholastic Book Fair
April 4th - Half-Day - Dismissal at 12:17 pm & Tiger Twist 5:30-7:30 pm
April 7th-10th - ELA MCAS
April 11th - Half-Day - Dismissal at 12:17 pm
April 17th - Grade 1 Concert Family Performance @ 6 pm
April 21st - 25th - No School - Spring Vacation
STUDENT COUNCIL FUNDRAISER & TALENT SHOW
Today, our Student Council led our amazing SU community in the 1st ever Talent Show! Thank you to our teacher leaders of our Student Council - Ms. Sarah Woods and Mrs. Ariana Manganaro for supporting, guiding, and empowering our students to showcase their talents and interests! Please support their fundraising efforts to support Water for South Sudan with CHANGE FOR CHANGE - coin collection begins Monday!
Message from our SU Student Council:
Hello Swallow Union,
We are here today to kick off our next fundraising opportunity for Water for South Sudan.
Water for South Sudan is an organization that helps people from Sudan get clean water to their homes. People in Sudan are faced daily with the challenge of walking over 3 miles each way just to get clean water. Through this fundraising, the money we raise will go towards building water wells and helping to provide clean and safe water for the people of Sudan.
Swallow Union, we need your help. Our goal is to raise at least 1,000 dollars to donate to the Water for South Sudan project.
We will be having a CHANGE 4 CHANGE competition held between all the classrooms here at Swallow Union. We ask you to bring any loose change into school, and put it in your classroom water jug provided by the student council. As a school we will work to collect as much change as we can during the next month, and the winning class with the most change will receive a special prize to be announced on April 15th.
We are also planning a second event- with more information coming in the next few weeks! Newsletter will be sent home in everyones mailboxes providing more information.
Thank you for all your help in order to support our goal to raise over 1,000 dollars to donate to the Water for South Sudan Project.
Now to kick off this exciting fundraising event, please enjoy our first even 4th grade talent show, brought to you by the Swallow Union 4th grade student council members!
WEST AUTO FUNDRAISER FOR SU’S PTO
Healthy Bites Newsletter Feedback Form
Families,
Please take a minute to complete this 6-question feedback form for our Health Office. We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback on our monthly Health Office newsletters. Your input helps us improve our communication and ensure we are addressing the needs of our students and families. Please take a few moments to complete this short survey.
Nurse Jen & Nurse Kate
Healthy Bites-Sleep Hygiene
Ensuring children get a good night's sleep is crucial for their physical health, emotional well-being, and cognitive development. Establishing good sleep hygiene practices can help create a restful environment and promote healthy sleep habits.
Importance of Sleep for Children
Children require adequate sleep to support their growth and development. Lack of sufficient sleep can lead to issues such as irritability, difficulty concentrating, and weakened immune function. Here are some key benefits of good sleep for kids:
Physical growth: Sleep is essential for the release of growth hormones.
Cognitive development: Restful sleep enhances learning and memory.
Emotional regulation: Adequate sleep helps manage mood swings and stress.
Recommended Sleep Duration
The amount of sleep a child needs varies by age. Here are the general guidelines:
Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per day, including naps
Preschoolers (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per day
School-age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours per day
Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours per day
Tips for Improving Sleep Hygiene
Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, to help regulate the child's internal clock.
Create a Calming Bedtime Routine
Wind down with relaxing activities such as reading a book or taking a warm bath. Limit screen time at least an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted by devices can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Design a Sleep-Friendly Environment
Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to promote restful sleep.
Use nightlights if necessary, but ensure they are dim and not disruptive.
Encourage Healthy Habits
Promote physical activity during the day to help children expend energy, but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime.
Limit caffeine and sugar intake, especially in the afternoon and evening.
KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION & REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Swallow Union held an informational meeting to talk about all things kindergarten! Welcoming new and returning families to our school community, we discussed everything from what their school day is like to the kindergarten registration and screening process. A lot of information was relayed - you can find that information HERE for your reference.
We encourage you to get your child(ren) registered as soon as possible. Helen Dzwonek, SU Administrative Assistant, is your point of contact for this process ~ please reach out at any time with any questions. hdzwonek@gdrsd.org or (978) 649-7281.
PTO UPDATES
Science Fair - March 15. Sold out! But don't forget to take your student to see how hard all of these kids have been working. If you'd like to donate an item or time, see the sign up here: Science Fair Volunteer Sign Up
Author Day DEADLINE TODAY - The deadline to purchase the book for the grades 2-4 author is TODAY (grades K-1 have a little more time, but why wait?). We have two great authors joining us this year. The first author, Vivian Kirkfield, is reading on March 28 to grades 2-4. The second author, Lori Sullivan, is reading on April 17 to grades K-1. You can purchase copies of their books in advance (no copies are available on that day) and the authors will sign them! Author Day Book Purchase (deadline 3/14 for grades 2-4, deadline 3/28 for grades K-1)
Tiger Twist - Friday, April 4, 5:30-7:30. Your student + their selected adult can get dressed up and dance the night away (or just enjoy hanging with friends and eating some snacks)! Register here: Tiger Twist Registration
Pottery Night - April 10, 5:30pm, SU cafeteria. A big hit last year! Students and their families pre-order a pottery item to decorate that night, and Time to Clay takes the projects back to their studio to fire them up in the kiln and return to school 2 weeks later. Makes a great Mother's Day gift idea! Flyer to come next week. Pottery Night Sign Up
Groton Dunstable Hockey Days at the Worcester Railers - Sunday April 6 at 3:05pm. All students are invited to participate in our pregame high five tunnel for both dates. Purchase tickets here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/group/Grotondunstable86
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
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
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.