November 4th, 2015

Literature Sign-Up

It's time for Swift students to sign up for their next round of literature books. This month's literature class will be based on choice novels. It will begin on Monday, November 9th and will take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until December. Recommended reading levels are listed with each book, but students may choose a book outside of the grade level recommendations if they want a more challenging selection or if they have a particular interest. Please click here to help your child sign up for their selections accordingly before Friday, November 6th.  If you do not have a chance to get to this at home, no worries- we'll help sign them up here at school.

Parent Potluck Postponed

Looks like we're all too busy for another commitment right now, since only one parent has signed up for the November 12th Potluck. So, we will postpone the Parent Potluck and revisit the dates in early spring.

New York City Forms

Please find attached three documents pertaining to our Spring 2016 NYC Swift field trip. If your student is interested in taking part, they must go over the permission slip and behavioral contract with their parents/guardian and return them to school by Friday November 6th, with the $150.00 deposit. In addition, please fill out the attached mandatory health form.

Kevin and I are anticipating a wonderful experience for your student in NYC with all the city has to offer! Please don't hesitate to email either of us (khunt@cssu.org or ddonnelly@cssu.org) with any questions.

~Debbie Donnelly

• NYC Permission Slip
• Behavior Contract
• Medical Form

*Please note: we have a printed packet of all three forms available for students to pick up in Swift House, too.

Polar Express Elf Sign-Up- Dec 13th, 11:30-4:00

See last week's Flyer for detailed information about volunteering for the Polar Express.

Please complete the sign-up form here for each elf in your family so we get the proper head count. Once you have entered one name you will be provided a link to submit another response. Friends from outside Swift are welcome to come along. Parents, we need you as adult elf/chaperones, too! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all can join us. Please sign up by Friday, November 6th to guarantee the proper t-shirt size.

Percy Jackson @ the Flynn

Swift students have a special opportunity to see Percy Jackson performed at the Flynn on Tuesday, December 1st at 12:00. We will be asking participants to read a book from the Percy Jackson series and join three book group sessions during lunch and recess to discuss characters and themes.

 We have 16 tickets for students and 4 for adults, so we are looking for interested students and chaperons to sign-up by e-mailing Amy Skapof by Monday, November 9th. We will be asking chaperons to drive 3 or 4 students in their cars. Please note that all Swift students will have the opportunity to go to the Flynn in March to see Yamato- the Drummers of Japan.

Theater- Thursday, November 5th

Theater this Week Please take note of the times for our production day, with both daytime and evening performances. The daytime performances take place for the other teams at WCS and serve as a final dress rehearsal. The evening performance is for you! Remember, we are not selling tickets, simply offering "first come, first serve" seating and asking for donations at the door. Please plan on staying for both shows so both casts have a full audience. The kids on stage really appreciate it.

Thursday, November 5th

• 10:30 - 12th Night School Performance 
• 1:30 - AIW School Performance 
• 5:00 pm - 12th Night- Arrive in Swift for make-up and costumes  (adult help appreciataed)
• 5:30 pm - AIW- Arrive in Swift for make-up and costumes 
• 6:30 pm - 12th Night Performance 7:30 pm (approx)- Intermission 
• 7:45 pm (approx)- Alice in Wonderland Performance
• 8:30 pm- STRIKE- Click here to see each student's strike assignment.  We ask all students to help clean up props, sets, costumes, make-up and Swift House before they head home for the evening.

The cast party will take place in cores on Friday after lunch.  No food donations are necessary- we will supply cheese, crackers, juice and photos from the previous evening's performances!

Scholastic Book Fair 

The Scholastic Book Fair will be setting up in the WCS dining room the week of November 9th. Swift House students are scheduled to visit the Book Fair on the following days:

• Monday, November 9th, 1:15-1:40: Mr. Hunt and Ms. Donnellty 
• Tuesday, November 10th, 1:15-1:40: Ms. Skapof and Ms. Laberge/Ms. Schroeder 

If your child is interested in purchasing a book at this time, please send them in with money on the appropriate day. We will be highly encouraging the purchase of books or academic items over any small toys that may be available.

Craft Fair Sign Up

Hello Swift House Families!

The Annual Craft Show at Williston Central School is Saturday, November 7th from 9:30 to 4 pm!  This is one of our most important school fundraisers and is a great community event, attending by hundreds of people!!!  In order for this event to truly be a success, it does require many hands so we hope you can help by signing up to help for a few hours.  Whether it’s set up (tape on the floor of the display areas) on November 6th while your 6th-8th graders attend the School Dance;  helping in the Kitchen with the Food Service operation;  helping crafters unload their vehicles early Saturdaymorning;  supporting the crafters during the Craft Fair (between 9:30 and 4) with staffing their booths during breaks or getting them food and drink;, or helping with clean up, please take a moment to click CRAFT SHOW SIGN UP LINK and consider one of those areas to help! 7th ad 8th graders can help too!!!

We hope you are also able to come and support the CRAFT SHOW and check out the products from over 100 crafters who will be there.  And entrance to the event is FREE!!!  Attached is the flyer for the CRAFT SHOW.

And the Scholastic Book Fair quickly follows the Craft Show—it starts on November 9th and goes through November 13th!!  This event takes place at Williston Central School in the Dining Room. All 1st thru 8th graders attend the book fair during a school day some time that week and parents and community members come in large numbers to check out the large variety of books.  But the only way it works is with your help, so please check out the link that follows to find a work shift that might work with your schedule.  There are shifts for 7th and 8th graders too!!!   BOOK FAIR SIGN UP LINK

Thanks so much!!

Families as Partners

PS There is also a special volunteer opportunity for 7th or 8th graders to hand out and collect surveys to craft fair attendants.  The hope is that the data collected could help improve the Craft Fair for future years.  Students could earn credit towards 8th grade challenge projects if data collection is related to their topics.  Contact Paula Lablanc if your son or daughter is interested.

WCS Engineering Challenge 

The annual WCS Engineering Challenge will take place on Thursday, November 19th (5th and 6th graders) and Friday, November 20th (7th and 8th graders).  All competitions will take place on Thursday and Friday throughout the school day.

Swift House students will begin working on their machines on Monday, November 9th.  If you have saved any nifty recycling for us, please send it in by Monday morning.

Thank you!