Posted September 26, 2023
| Dear Swigert Families, Fall is in the air and we are moving and grooving here in the school building. Just wanted to share about our parent teacher conferences coming up in the next month. We view conferences as an opportunity for teachers to meet with parents one on one to share information about what they are seeing both academically and socially emotionally with each student. Teachers will also share ways to partner and support your learner at home. Our goal is one hundred percent attendance so we provide a variety of days and times to meet within the conference window. You will be receiving communication from your classroom teacher regarding sign ups and schedule. Our third grade students are completing their IB unit about the power of words and each student did an arts integration project to represent the origins for their name and a bit about their unique attributes.       This Friday we have our first PTA sponsored direct giving event as we kick off spirit week and our color run next week. I hope to see many of you there, it will be a wonderful opportunity to connect and meet new families. Please see details below about the giving party and COLOR RUN! Diversity and Inclusion: To help us build an increasingly inclusive and welcoming school community, we are kicking off the Family and Community Inclusion Committee! If you are interested in meeting families of all backgrounds committed to celebrating diversity, building International Mindedness and making Swigert even more inclusive, please join us! Our first meeting will be on Monday, October 2nd from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the Swigert Library. Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP to Shelby_dennis@dpsk.12net. Sincerely, Shelby Dennis shely_dennis@dpsk12.net |
Many of you received updated information for your student(s), stating that their stop is now at a different, newly added, location. The correct stop is DSST: Conservatory Green, on the North side of the building. The changed times remain the same. I’ve attached the correct 476 Bus Route here, and also the 478 Route in case anyone needs that, as well.
Sorry for the confusion, and thank you to the parents who informed me of the mix-up! Without their information, I would have continued to believe the mis-information was correct.
You can be a hero for kids with cancer! Join us after school on October 2nd, for our 2nd annual Team Pippa & the BALD Eagles head shaving event! Pippa is in Mrs. Hopper’s first grade class and is currently receiving chemotherapy that makes her lose her hair. You can help raise awareness and funding for childhood cancer research by signing up to have your head shaved on October 2nd! If shaving your head isn’t your thing, don’t worry! There are a few different ways you can show your support for Pippa and other children fighting cancer. Sign up in advance to shave your head here! The second half of the event will be open for day of participants.
1.) Sign up to get your head shaved at the event! We have 2 professional barbers that will be there to shave heads! (recommended donation: $10)
2.) Donate to make a bracelet during the event (beads and elastic will be provided recommended donation between $2- $5)
3.) Enter the Childhood Cancer Awareness Ribbon coloring contest (recommended donation is $1.00). September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, so during the remainder of the month, we will have ribbons to color and decorate on your own time. You can get as creative as you’d like with these! All ribbons will be due the morning of October 2nd so the winner can be announced after school at the event.
We take pride in the “give-back-whenever-you-can” spirit that our Swigert community embraces. All proceeds from the event will go to St. Baldrick’s. Our event will speed the search for cures, supporting the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants. Research is hope, and you can give kids that hope.
Sign up to shave your head, to raise money another way, or just come show your support by being there with a smile and encouragement for Pippa, the bravest girl with biggest heart and her incredible family.
Full details and more picture from last year here: https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/TeamPippa2023
Swigert’s Direct Giving Week kicks off Friday with our Direct Giving Party. Direct Giving week will be the week that follows. Our Goal is 100k. The week will be filled with spirit days and end with our 2nd Annual Color Run. Book your sitters and come to the adults-only kick-off party on September 29th!
WHO: ALL Swigert Parents, Teachers, and Staff
WHAT: A Casual Backyard Cocktail Party
WHERE: The Weldon Family Home 10194 E. 60th Pl.
WHEN: Friday, September 29th 6-9 PM
COST: Sponsored by the PTA, this event is FREE TO ALL
If you would like to sign up to bring a dessert you can do so here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849A4AE28A4FBCE9-direct#/
Help us in “Chasing the Rainbow!” by donating today!
https://www.swigertpta.com/swigert-gives
In the week that follows, we aim to raise $100,000 to help offset the $450 per pupil deficit in public funding. To get our community excited for this special week, the kids will have a spirit week where they will dress in the color they are seeking to earn that day, which will be added as a color station to the Color Run at the end of the week. For every $25K raised, a new color is earned.
What is the Color Run?
A fun run around the field where students will run through color stations. By reaching a daily fundraising goal, they “earn” a color station for the FUN.
Where is the Color Run?
The run will take place on the playground on the large grass field inside the gates during school hours October 6th. Parents are welcome to come watch by lining up on the outside perimeter of the gates.
What should my student wear?
Every child will receive a t-shirt to wear over their clothes for the run. We are asking for a $5 donation for each shirt to offset the cost, but that is optional. Shirt can be purchased here https://www.swigertpta.com/spirit/p/color-run-t-shirt.
Who can I contact with additional questions or to volunteer?
Yes, please email president@swigertpta.com to help with this event.
Please make sure that all items that your kids bring to school are labeled with their name. We are already starting to accumulate a large collection of lunch boxes, water bottles and sweatshirts. We do try to check items for names and deliver them when we can, but many of the items are not labeled. There are some great options available at a variety of retailers if you wish to purchase labels, including Mabel’s Labels. Swigert actually gets a portion of the proceeds if you purchase your labels here. The link is below!
The lost and found is located near the water fountain outside of the cafeteria. Please check there if you have missing items. Also, this year we will try to bring lost and found items around the blacktop on Friday afternoons. Look for one of the admin team members with the lost and found cart!
Introducing the Swigert Noetics Math Team!
Calling all math aficionados! This year Swigert will form its first Noetics Math Team for qualifying students in grades 3rd – 5th. The Noetics Math Program is dedicated to high-quality mathematics that has a unique problem solving approach which harnesses students’ creativity and logical reasoning skills. You can learn more here. Interested students will be invited to take a qualifying test the first week in October. The top eight students in each grade will be on the team and will participate in a weekly Noetics pull-out group with our GT Coordinator, Mrs. Bresnahan. They will participate in a fall and spring contest here at Swigert, and a Brain Bowl at Westerly Creek in February. The group will meet on Fridays from 2:30 – 3:10. If your child does not want to miss Friday Fun or often leaves early for ski trips on Fridays, this may not be the team for him/her. Contact Mrs. Bresnahan with questions at robin_bresnahan@dpsk12.net.
This year’s Yearbook Theme is “Swigert Takes Flight.” The Annual Cover Contest, open to all 5th Grade students, is open now through this Friday, September 29th. Please see the attached rules, as well as the examples:
Front Ony (with words)
Front Only (artwork only)
Full Cover
Here is October at a glance! Full resolution printable for your fridge available here: https://swigert.dpsk12.org/about/calendar/
We’d love to connect with you as much as possible. You will be automatically added to our weekly Swigert Eagle newsletter that comes out every Tuesday during the school year. Please also visit our website at www.swigert.dpsk12.org to learn more about Swigert and events that are coming up. You can also join our “Friends of Swigert International School” private Facebook page – www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofswigert. When requesting to join, please include a note to say you are a new family. We post pictures of events at school, interact as a school family, and you can see friendly reminders of upcoming events. Who to contact if you have questions about:
| ROLE | NAME | |
| Instruction, Programing, etc | Shelby DennisAmber Holthus-Pera | Shelby_Dennis@dpsk12.net Amber_Holthus-Pera@dpsk12.net |
| Daily School Life | Emily Pool | Emily_Pool@dpsk12.net |
| Registration | Daphne Jolley | Djolley@dpsk12.net |
| Technology and events | Richard Fisher | Richard_Fisher@dpsk12.net |
| Health | Nurse Hoang Tran | Hoang_Tran@dpsk12.net |
| IB Program, Service Learning | Caroline Dane | Caroline_Dane@dpsk12.net |
| Swigert PTA | Cortney Dickey | president@swigertpta.com |
Key Dates
September 29 – Swigert Gives Direct Giving Party
October 2 – Diversity & Inclusion Meeting
October 2 – Team Pippa & the BALD Eagles
October 2-6 – Spirit Week!
October 2 – Parent and Family Inclusion Committee
October 6 – Color Run!
October 12-16 – No school for students
October 27 – Halloween Parade, classroom parties and PTA Trunk or Treat
October 31 – Halloween (no costumes or parties, students can dress in orange and black)