Ms. Kenney's December 8 Newsletter
Dear Swift Families,
Here we are, into the full swing of December – so many festive activities taking place, a huge thank you to all those making them all happen!
Please be sure to stay up to date by reading the bi-weekly news and checking the school website! We keep the calendar as up to date as we can for school wide event!
Learning Updates – December 8th
Learning Updates should have come home today. As always, these are a snapshot of the amazing successes your child has had so far this year. They will also share with you some areas of growth that we will continue to work on in the coming months.
This year we have transitioned to a new format for Learning Updates. These changes come as a part of a Ministerial Order from the Ministry of Education and Childcare. Information about the changes has been sent to you from the School District. We are also using a new computer platform. As with any change it hasn’t been without challenges. We have tried to catch all the “glitches” – but some might remain.
If you have any questions or wonders, please reach out to your child’s teacher directly.
Bring your Rain Gear!
Rainy days are here, and we will continue being outside for recess and lunch unless the weather is truly inclement – too windy to be safe, rain coming down sideways, or too cold (and we don’t mean just a little chilly!).
Given the weather that we have experienced recently our fields are extra muddy and swampy. Please make sure students come to school with clothing that will keep them warm and dry. Adding an extra set of clothes in a backpack is also a good plan – puddles are very inviting, and we try to keep the extra clothes we have on hand for bathroom accidents, not mud puddle ones!
We all know this can be a battle with our older students – but even if you can get that coat into their backpack, at least then they have the option of putting it on!
December Festive Fridays!
Fridays in December are ‘Festive Fridays’ – everyone is invited to come to school in their favourite festive outfits – hats, headbands, tights, sweaters, anything (school appropriate!) is welcome! December 22 will be PJ Day – so the option is there for everyone to come in PJs after the concerts the day before!
Food Drive
Our Bin arrived this week! In the spirit of giving, we are collecting food items and money for the Archway Food Bank. You can check out the Archway Food Bank Website to find out what is most needed. Some of the items they list include canned soups, beans, pasta and sauce, tuna, cereal, diced tomatoes, chickpeas. This list is updated regularly.
We will also have a donation jar if you prefer to give cash. Donations to our Food Bank jar will not be issued a receipt. If you want a tax-deductible receipt, you can donate directly on the Food Bank website.
Our hope is that we can fill the first bin with items between now and December 18th when we will receive a fresh bin to fill up on the Christmas Concert Day. Let's keep up the Swift tradition of generosity.
Concert – December 21st
We are excited to announce that our Christmas Concert will be on December 21st with 2 shows – 1:00pm and 6:00pm! We ask that you choose 1 show to attend, not both, and that if you’re available in the afternoon, you join us for that show.
The doors will open at 12:30 for the afternoon show and we ask that families line up along the front of the school until the doors open.
When dropping off your child for the evening concert, please bring them to their classroom for no later than 5:45. The front doors will open at 5:30 for both drop off and seating in the gym. All students will enter their classroom through the inside hallway doors and be picked up at their inside door at the end of the show, around 7:15.
Parents enter and leave the gym via the main doors. The gym will be very full. Please be patient with each other.
Parking for the afternoon performance will be on the street only. If you can possibly walk to the performance, please do.
We appreciate your support of our Food Drive. A suggested “admission” to our Christmas Concert. (December 21st - 1 pm & 6 pm) is ONE Non-Perishable Food Donation item or Cash Donation per person attending.
PAC News – Christmas Fun Day, Night Market, Stocking Stuffer Pick Up, Raffle
A HUGE thank you to all those who made our Christmas Fun Day such a success this year! It was a wonderful day – and festive fun was had by all!
Tonight is the PAC “Night Market” from 5:30pm – 8:30pm in the Gym. Come and shop with local vendors, enjoy some snacks and see the amazing raffle baskets in person. There will be a special “Night Market Exclusive Raffle” – 4 seats of your choice at the Christmas Concert and a parking spot! There will be one draw for the afternoon show and one for the evening show. Admission to the Market is a donation to the Food Bank.
Our Annual Raffle Basket fundraiser is underway, to see what is in each basket check the website. Tickets have gone on sale on the Hot Lunch site and will be available in person at the Night Market and Christmas Concert.
Lost and Found – So many lost things!
Our lost and found is filled with many wonderful items looking for their home! Please head over to the website and check out what is there. If something looks familiar, please follow the instructions on the website. This list was created a few weeks ago. Anything that hasn’t found its way home since then might be in the blue lost and found bin. The items on the website currently will be donated over the Winter Break.
Dates to Remember for the next 2 weeks:
All dates are also posted on the school website calendar
11 – Fruit and Veggies – Mandarin Oranges
15 – Festive Friday # 3 – come dressed in your festive best!
15 – Hot Lunch – White Spot
21 – Christmas Concert @ 1:00 and 6:00
22 – Festive Friday # 4 – PJ Day
22 – Pizza Lunch for Indigenous Students with Ms. Pauls
22 – Last Day of School