Take Home Tuesday

Dear Sward Families,

This Thursday evening we will be having a FAMILY MATH NIGHT!!! This event is for all of our Sward students from preschool through grade 5 and we will have tons of fun! Our Family Math Night will run from 6:00-7:30 p.m. this Thursday, February 9.

Here's how it works:

• At 6:00 p.m., we will meet in the main gym. I will explain how the evening works and everyone will receive a "menu" of games with the room number you will find them in and the grade level they are most suitable for.
• From the main gym, you will select the sessions you'd like to visit :) ...then, go to the rooms and have a great time learning some new math games. You will even get to take many items home with you so you can play the games again at home!
• All Sward students that attend will fill out a raffle ticket for a chance to win some fun math games. The drawing will happen at 7:25 p.m. to conclude the evening.

***We are still looking for some additional volunteers to help the event run smoothly. If you might be interested, please reach out to me and I will be happy to provide you with additional information! :) Thank you for considering... we will have a great time!

We are looking forward to a super fun evening... we hope you can join us!

Your partner in education,

Mrs. Candy Kramer

TONIGHT (Tues, Feb 7, 2023) @ 6:30pm

IXL: What Families Need To Know!

IXL is a personalized digital learning space that covers K-12 curriculum and is used by more than 14 million students. Join the D123 Parent University to learn how your student can leverage the tool to extend and personalize their learning.

Join the presentation tonight at 6:30pm by clicking the link below:
meet.google.com/ajx-ncjr-kjs

We have been noticing an increase of hustle and bustle in the office first thing in the morning. Tardies are on the rise and there are more and more forgotten "things" at home each day. A checklist might be a great tool to help build your child's independence. From lunches to Chromebooks to gym shoes to homework to permission slips to musical instruments... with each item comes a phone call to the class which means a break in instruction. If there are multiple items brought for different students in the same classroom, the lesson becomes quite choppy. Please work with your child to come up with a system to help them remember all of their items for a successful school day.

Save the date!

Saturday, April 29th in the Sward Main Gym.

If you are crafty or have a small business, consider joining us. Please reach out to Kim Candos at kimcandos@gmail.com or Brittney Berryman at brittneyberryman17@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like more information.

Once again Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 will participate in the 11th annual statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions conducted by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). This survey provides a platform for students, teachers, and parents to express their opinions on ways to improve their community's schools. Please take a moment to ensure your voice is part of the process by participating in the survey. The 5Essentials survey helps school administrators in District 123 prioritize and plan for the upcoming school year. Our school will only receive the results of the survey if enough families, staff, and students participate.

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Our K-5 Friendship Parties are coming up soon.

The party will be from 2-3 on the afternoon of February 14. Please remember that if your child would like to distribute tokens of friendship, such as cards, there are NO EDIBLE TREATS to be distributed. However items such as cards, pencils, erasers, or stickers are allowed.

If you are a parent volunteer for this event, please be sure to have your ID scanned in the office prior to the event.

During the February 23rd Board of Education meeting, the 2023-2024 D123 academic school calendar was approved.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CALENDAR

2023-2024 Preschool Registration is now open!

For more information and to start the process please visit:

https://www.d123.org/departments/student-services/early-learning-programs

2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration is now open!

For more information and to start the process please visit:

https://www.d123.org/departments/teaching-learning/programs/kindergarten

Just a reminder that breakfast does not begin until 8:10. If you are bringing your child to the north doors for breakfast, please wait until the door duty supervisors come to the door to let your child into the building. While there is a doorbell there, it is only for the students taking part in the FLASH program (which is an Oak Lawn Park District before and after school care program for which there is a fee).

In order for your child to take part in the breakfast, please have them at the north door no earlier than 8:10, but no later than 8:20. The first bell rings at 8:25, so the children must be done eating by then and on their way to their classrooms. If you would like your child to eat breakfast here at school, they must arrive between 8:10-8:20.

Great News!! The Smile Illinois in- school Dentist is coming to Sward on Tuesday March 21, 2023. Dentists can provide an examination, cleaning, fluoride, x-rays and sealants. Restoration services such as fillings and other minimally invasive procedures may be provided. This program accepts all insurances including Medicaid and All Kids. Please fill out the application that has been sent home and return it to school by February 28, 2023. Please call the Health Office with any questions.

Our fourth grade Candor Health presentation is right around the corner. Parents will receive a permission form for their child to participate in this presentations. Our fourth grade presentation is scheduled for April.

We have received a link for the parent overview of this program.

4th Grade- Substance Abuse Prevention: Foundation: https://vimeo.com/749296642

Password for both programs is - Preparation23

We have some excess inventory of Sward Spirit Wear. This will be sold on a first come first served basis. Please come to the Sward main office if you are interested. You may want to call first to see if the item you are interested is still available.

• Tye Dye Tee ($15)
• 1 youth small
• 1 adult large
• Sweatpants ($20)
• 1 youth small
• Crewneck Sweatshirt Blue ($17)
• 1 youth large
• Gray T-Shirt ($10)
• 1 adult small
• Blue T-Shirt ($10)
• 3 youth large
• 1 youth XL
• 1 adult small
• Heather Blue Zip Hoodie ($32)
• 1 adult XL
• Blue Zip Hoodie ($32)
• 1 adult small
• 1 adult medium

If you are looking for a position as a substitute teacher, paraprofessional, or special educator... D123 is the place to be! Click here for details and browse d123.org/apply to browse open positions.

The annual Taco and Trivia Event planning is underway... click HERE for more details. Save the date of Friday, May 5 for this 21 and older event.

Sward now has our very own Twitter handle. Throughout the weeks, you will see postings of exciting things happening throughout our building. It is always fun to have a glimpse into the learning or our students. Be sure to check us out at @D123Sward or scan the QR code to the side!

• Tuesday, February 7- Virtual Parent University at 6:30 p.m. - "IXL: What Families Need to Know" (click on meet.google.com/ajx-ncjr-kjs to join)
• Thursday, February 9- Family Math Night 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  
• Friday, February 10- Spirit Day- Wear your football or Sward spirit wear.
• Sunday, March 12- PTA Mother/Son Bowling Event 4:00-6:00 p.m. (rsvp required)

Website: d123.org/sward
Location: 9830 Brandt Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL, USA
Phone: 708-423-7820
Twitter: @d123sward

Email: ckramer@d123.org
Website: d123.org/sward
Phone: 708-423-7820
Twitter: @MrsKramerD123