Calendar
Mon 10/1 October Count – 100% Attendance is the Goal
Thu 10/4 2nd Annual Stapleton Education Expo @ Swigert International School | 6:30 p.m.
Sat 10/6 Direct Giving Party @ The Kaplan Home – 8234 E 25th Drive, VEGAS, BABY! | 6:30 p.m.
Wed 10/10 SAC Committee Meeting in the library | 6:30 p.m.
Fri 10/12 Teacher Thank-You and Mini Direct Giving Breakfast Fundraiser in the lobby. Enjoy a bagel and juice after drop-off. This is a chance to ask any questions you may have about donating to Swigert | 8:30 a.m.
Thu 10/25- Fri 10/26 NO SCHOOL. Fall Break.
Wed 10/31 Halloween Parade and Class Parties | TBD.
Save the Date!
Sat March 16th Swigert Auction at the Tivoli Center
Sat April 27th 3rd Annual Touch-a-Truck
See the PTA CALENDAR page for details on these events and more.
Announcements
Monday October 1st, School Attendance is Essential
At Swigert Internationals School, we believe that every student counts 100% of the time, BUT if a student misses school on Monday, October 1st (aka October Count in Colorado), technically they won't. Official October Count attendance records are reported to the state as the number by which per-pupil funding for the district and our school is calculated. Do your part to ensure that all students are present for roll call on this important day. If your student will miss this day for any reason please call the Swigert Attendance Line at: (720) 424-4740
Gifted and Talented Testing
Swigert encourages you to apply so that we can serve your child here. The application is confusing, but applying for testing does NOT mean that your child will have to go to one of the HGT schools. Applications need to be turned in to the HGT office at 1330 Fox Street no later than Monday October 1st .
Stapleton Education Expo on October 4th
Are you wondering about the next Stapleton elementary school? The Northfield campus? How the Stapleton choice process works? Then join the Stapleton United Neighbors for the 2nd Annual Stapleton Education Expo. The first half of the evening will be an informational meeting for the community about the DPS choice process, the next Stapleton elementary schools, the Northfield campus plans, and how 3A/3B can help us fund our schools. The second half of the evening will feature tables from 27 preschools through high schools in NE Denver. The Expo is from 6:30-8:30pm at SMIS on Thursday, October 4th. For more information, visit www.stapletonunitedneighbors.org/education.
S.O.A.R. with the Direct Giving Campaign!
The Direct Giving Campaign is off to a GREAT start thanks to the support and generosity of all of YOU!! Swigert supporters raised $60,000 at the last two parties! Our goal is $120,000 - so please plan to come to our last hurrah, Vegas night next Saturday 10/6 (hosted by The Kaplan, Bante, Montgomery, and Stelloh families - 8234 E 25th Drive). These parties are incredibly fun and full of door prizes and raffles! Make it a date night, come with your friends, we'll see you there - we NEED your support!
What IS direct giving? Well, the answer is in the name. A family contributes any amount of money and it goes directly to the school. DPS funds cover only a little more than our teacher salaries and the facility upkeep. Your Direct Giving contributions - not DPS - fund Swigert’s IB Program, Spanish curriculum, IB Training, IB Coordinator, and our classroom paraprofessionals. Swigert needs your support to continue offering these amazing opportunities to our children. Since your donation is tax-deductible, you will receive about 25% of it back. At each party, there will be a brief presentation about the S.O.A.R. Campaign (Supporting Outstanding Academics & Resources) and the importance of our Direct Giving program.
So, come out socialize with fellow parents, meet new families, talk with your child’s teacher and Principal Raisch, and support our school! Join us to learn more about this vital campaign so we can continue to offer your child a year filled with amazing educational opportunities, challenges, rewards and adventures!
**Friday, October 12th - 8:00am in the school lobby ~ Teacher Thank-You and Direct Giving Breakfast Fundraiser! Parents can donate right at school and grab a bagel and juice before/after drop-off.
You can also donate now using our secure online website at https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=38250
Any questions? Email the Direct Giving Committee at directgiving@swigertpta.com
Explorations
We are so excited the explorations programs is starting Friday, October 5!! We want to thank all the volunteers who will be teaching an Explorations class this coming quarter. There are 27 fantastic classes being offered (wow!) The program list of all classes is listed on the website. Thanks again to everyone involved with Explorations. What a great school we have to come together with this amazing program for our kids!
Book Fair is Coming Up!
Swigert All-Star Book Fair is coming November 12-16! Watch for a special night of "Cookies and Book-ies" where there will be magic and storytelling. Please email Chris Campbell at christina0123@gmail.com or Stephanie Baer at baersteph@yahoo.com if you're interested in helping with the fair. Lots of easy and quick ways to support this great event!
Help Wanted with Swigert Auction
Hello Swigert Families. We are in the process of forming the 2013 Swigert Auction acquisitions committee and would love for you to join. We need 10 more people who can assist in acquiring donations from specific target groups (ie. Travel, sports tickets/other events, Cherry creek restaurants, local Stapleton establishment, etc). This will enable all of us on the committee to focus on one segment and secure some great money generating auction items. Please contact Danielle at 720.320.8146 or daniellefickel@gmail.com with any questions or interest. Thanks for your support!
Swigert Silverware Drive is in Full Swing!
Thank you to those of you who have already been bringing silverware! We have collected about 150-200 pieces. For those of you still interested in participating, bring new or gently used forks and spoons to the box located near the cafetorium. Please also note that as of right now Swigert is full of small children, so smaller scale forks and spoons are wonderful!
Now Hiring Crossing Guards
Coming Soon: Crossing guards at 35th & Central Park and Syracuse & Martin Luther King. But first…Now hiring Crossing Guards! 2 hours/day (7:30am-8:30 am; 3:30pm-4:30pm). Pay is minimum wage. If you are interested, please apply at www.dpsk12.org, or see McAuliffe Principal Kurt Dennis or Swigert Principal Chuck Raisch.
Shop for Swigert
We’re pleased to share some exciting news about a fundraising program for our school. It’s called “Scrip”, and it’s the fundraising program that works while you shop.
Scrip is simply a word that means “substitute money” – in other words, scrip is gift certificates from national and local retailers. They’re the same gift certificates that you buy at the store. Many popular retailers participate in our scrip program including JCPenney, The Gap, Shell, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Chipotle, Noodles & Company, Red Lobster and many, many others. You’re probably asking yourself how these stores help us raise money. It’s simple -- scrip participating retailers agree to sell gift certificates to our organization at a discount. Member families like yours buy the certificates for full face value, they redeem them for full face value, and our school keeps the difference as revenue. And scrip is exciting, because everybody wins. For more details visit here or contact Molly Pearson at 970-331-6905, email: SMISscrip@yahoo.com or Richard Fisher 970-331-6823 with any questions. The SIS scrip program promises to be a simple and effective fundraising program. Thanks for your support!
Volunteers Needed for New Enrichment Opportunities at SIS!
In addition to our current enrichment offerings, the MyEnrichment After School Programs and the Friday Explorations Program, Swigert is looking to begin two additional programs during the 2012-2013 school year – Destination ImagiNation and Shakespeare Festival.
Destination Imagination
Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is an international creative problem solving program. Teams of students prepare for competition at local, state and international tournaments held in the spring. The goals of Destination ImagiNation are to:
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Foster creative and critical thinking.
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Learn and apply creative problem solving methods and tools.
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Develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills.
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Nurture research and inquiry skills, involving both creative exploration and attention to detail.
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Enhance and apply written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
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Promote the recognition, use and development of many and varied strengths and talents.
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Encourage competence in, enthusiasm for, and commitment to real-life problem solving.
Problems are distributed in the fall each year. A team works on one problem and is made up for K-3rd graders. Swigert can enter up to 5 teams to solve 5 different problems and our goals this year is to enter 2 teams in the K-3rd grade category. Teams typically range between 5 to 7 students and each team will need two parent coaches. Teams will practice once per week during the fall and winter and will increase practice time in the spring. The competition(s) take place in March and progress from Districts to State to possibly Nationals.
Volunteer Opportunity: We need 2 volunteers to become the Parent Coordinators for the Destination Imagination Program. The volunteers will attend a training offered by DPS along with Shadi Leston, our Gifted & Talented Teacher, which will provide them with much more detail on the program, the rules of how coaches interact with students and the how the teams will compete. The coordinators will be responsible for the following:
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Submitting paperwork as needed for DI programming
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Attended DPS training on Destination Imaginations
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Coordinating a kickoff presentation for the school
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Coordinating students interested in participating on a DI team and soliciting parent coaches (2 coaches will be needed per team)
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Coordinating any supply needs
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Coordinating any travel needs
If you are interested in becoming a DI Coordinator please email enrichment@swigertpta.com.
Shakespeare Festival
The Denver Public Schools Shakespeare Festival is an annual event celebrating its twenty-eight year. It is the oldest and largest Shakespeare Festival in the country. The day-long Festival is held in downtown Denver and provides the forum for students to perform sonnets and scenes from the works of Shakespeare as well as demonstrate dance and vocal and instrumental music of Shakespeare’s time. The Festival begins with a parade to the performance venues and continues with performances throughout the day on multiple stages.
Volunteer Opportunity: We need 2 volunteers to become the Parent Coordinators from each grade level to coach the students who will perform at the Shakespeare Festival. Students participating in the Shakespeare Festival participate by grade level for 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade. The volunteers will receive direction on the program from Shadi Leston, our Gifted & Talented Teacher. The coordinators will be responsible for the following:
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Submitting paperwork as needed
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Coordinating a kickoff presentation for the school
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Coordinating students interested in participating in the festival from their grade level
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Coordinating any supply and travel needs, there is a costume department available through DPS
If you are interested in becoming a Shakespeare Coordinator please email enrichment@swigertpta.com.
PTA Membership
Thank you to all the families that continue to support the PTA and have joined! Your support and membership is so important to Swigert’s continued success. Individuals and families can join online at https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=58266
LIKE Swigert PTA
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