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 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
A shout-out to all of the participants, as well as those that earned an award! There are too many photos to share, but here are a few, as well as a VIDEO LINK of the event. Our Swallow Union students are in bold.
Courtesy of Amy Codyer, Grade 2 Teacher- FloRo.
Kindergarten
First Place Brody Kuzdeba
Second Place Clara Roberts
Most Original Callie Vrouhas
Best Supporting Materials Callum Young
First Grade
First Place Robert Doyle
Second Place Angela Courcy
Most Original Lara Vijayadharan
Best Supporting Materials Lachlan Collins
Second Grade
First Place Emma Lieneck
Second Place Quinten Reijnders
Most Original Sophie Reijnders
Best Supporting Materials Gauge Falardeau
Third Grade
First Place Tevia Young
Second Place Levi Gerteisen
Most Original Joshua Normington
Best Supporting Materials Julia Twomey
Fourth Grade
First Place Willem Reijnders
Second Place Arya Camsarapalli
Most Original Bridget Quirbach
Best Supporting Materials Landon Hill
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 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.
SEPAC
Please join us on Thursday, March 27th for casual conversation and network with other parents and caregivers. SEPAC board members will also be available to answer questions and chat.
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
Author Day - There is still one week left to order the book for Lori Sullivan, the author presenting to grades K-1 on April 17. 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 3/28 for grades K-1, deadline for grades 2-4 has passed)
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.