Posted March 16, 2022
Dear Swigert Families,
We were so excited to send off our fifth graders to Balarat for an overnight outdoor education experience today. This is the first overnight opportunity in two years so we were happy to bring back this important tradition. Balarat Outdoor Education – Outdoor Education for Denver Public Schools (dpsk12.org)
Sincerely,
Shelby Dennis
shelby_dennis@dpsk12.net
IB Learners Taking Action!
The IB strives to create students who are internationally minded; but what exactly does the term internationally minded mean? Here are the elements that Swigert and IB focus on to foster international mindedness:
These elements challenge students to critically consider power and privilege, and to recognize that they hold this planet and its resources in trust for future generations. As educators we know we’ve done our job well when we see students going beyond understanding/awareness and taking self-initiated action.
Alyssa Hadank and Chloe Mather from Mr. Jones’ 4th grade class recognized a need in our school community, as well as the community at large: many families don’t have consistent access to food. The girls decided to organize a school-wide food drive in order to refill our school’s critical needs pantry with the goal of donating anything extra to the Marshall Fire victims in Boulder. To increase school engagement, the girls decided to make the food drive into a friendly class competition – a pizza party for the winning class! Our whole school’s dedication and enthusiasm for this food drive resulted in one of the most successful drives to date!
What a fantastic example of student-initiated action, Chloe & Alyssa! You are both great examples of what it means to be internationally minded, and we are so proud of your dedication to helping others!
Hello from the PTA!!
It was so exciting to have our first in person PTA Meeting last week! Thank you to those parents who were able to attend and those who joined us virtually! It is wonderful to have normalcy back in the school community again.
It is that time in the school year when the PTA begins to plan for the upcoming school year. With that being said, we have several committee chair positions opening up! Joining the PTA is a wonderful way to learn about your child’s school, but taking it a step further and volunteering your time as a committee chair is an excellent way for parents to begin to feel more personally connected to their child’s elementary school. Personally speaking, most friends I have made at Swigert I have made through active involvement at the school, serving in various roles on the PTA. These past two years have made it such a challenge for parents to connect and feel personally tied to their children’s school. I encourage you to take this opportunity to jump in, get involved and create a wonderful school community for your child and yourself.
We currently have several opportunities and I would love to discuss these with anyone interested in learning more. Please email or call me if you would like to volunteer for one of these committee chair roles and we talk through the commitment to make sure it is a good fit for what you may be looking for.
Current Openings for Committee Chairs:
Current PTA Board Openings:
Though anyone can choose to run for any position on the PTA board, we do have the position of incoming president and our treasure position filled. All board positions will be voted on by the members of the PTA during the next PTA meeting in May, but we would love to know if there is interest in our current openings. Our needs are:
This year has been so wonderful so far and I look forward to helping to create an even stronger PTA for next year!! Please email with questions at president@swigertpta.com or call me at 720-280-6092
Hello!
Auction pre-sale tickets, spirit wear pre-orders, and our website are live! Please take some time to check it out! The website is filled with information about the event. Even if you cannot make it please register! Registration will give you access to the silent auction items.
https://swigert22.givesmart.com
Auction season 2022 will kick off April 5, 2022 with Teacher Experiences going live for bidding on the site! The sale for teacher experiences will start April 5, 2022 and close April 12, 2022. This will give the teachers time to complete experiences with the kids prior to the end of the school year.
Check out the website and reach out with any questions!
Thank you for all your support!
The Lunch menu is continuing to change based on availability, so we will keep you as updated as much as possible.
If your child will be coming in late and needs a hot lunch, please inform the office of their choice so their lunch can be added to the counts.
Please note: Beginning this week, Blackjack pizza will be on the third Wednesday of the month, rather than Thursday.
The menu for the rest of this week is:
Wed 3/16: Cheese Pizza (Blackjack) OR Korean BBQ Beef Bowl OR Cheesy Bread Stick OR PB&J
Thu 3/17: Chicken Drumstick OR Mexican Chopped Salad OR Yogurt Basket
Fri 3/18: Cheeseburger OR Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich OR PB&J
The menu for next week is:
Mon 3/14: Beef Nachos OR Cheese Nachos OR PB&J
Tue 3/15: Chicken Nuggets OR Hot Boneless Wings OR Grilled Cheese Sandwich OR Yogurt Basket
Wed 3/16: Korean BBQ Beef Bowl OR Cheesy Bread Stick OR PB&J
Thu 3/17: Cheese Pizza (Blackjack) OR Chicken Drumstick OR Mexican Chopped Salad OR Yogurt Basket
Fri 3/18: Cheeseburger OR Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich OR PB&J
Blackjack Pizza will be served on the third Wednesday of the month. Pizza days for the remainder of the year:
March 16th
April 20th
May 18th
If your child has a peanut allergy and needs Wow butter (or other food allergy that requires accommodation), please be sure you’ve completed the attached Meal Modification Form. Food & Nutrition Services requires this form even if you have an allergy/anaphylaxis form on file with the nurse. You can return the form to our kitchen manager or the front office.
Home Lunches:
Please note that we do not have a way for students to heat their lunches. If you send a lunch to school with your child, it must be ready-to-eat. No microwaves or refrigerators are available.
Registration for Spring Enrichments opened today at 8 AM; classes start April 5th (please see course descriptions for actual start dates for each class). Please see the attached brochure.
Please see the attached flyer for information on the DU Ritchie Center PASS Camp.
Also, see the attached flyer for the Spring Break camps and Intro to Lacrosse program.
Discovery Link will be offering as much outdoor programming as possible this summer. Please see the attached brochure, or click here for more information or to register.
Summer Connections (formerly Summer Academy) is a free, 6-week academic program that is open to all rising 1st through 5th-grade students. This full-day program was redesigned to prepare elementary students for future success.
There are a few programming options offered by DPS for students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Please contact the Special Education team if you are unsure which program is best for your student. Participation and attendance in the Extended School Year (ESY) program is a priority for students who are eligible for these services.
Students will engage with content they will see in the upcoming school year, which will include instruction in foundational literacy, math and science. Our enrichment partners will guide students for 60 minutes each day through hands-on activities aligned with that day’s academic lessons.
Please click here for more information and registration instructions.