Take Home Tuesday

Dear Sward Families:

I am looking forward to welcoming all of you for our first day of school for grades 1-5 tomorrow, Wednesday, August 17th. This is a half day of school, so students will not eat lunch tomorrow. Students will be in attendance from 8:30 until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 17th. (The typical hours on a school day are 8:30-3:20.) The first day can sometimes be stressful for the students as well as their parents. To help alleviate some of the stress, we will have all staff outside the building that day. Non-classroom teachers will have an alphabetical list to assist you in finding your line-up spot on our campus.

To ensure a smooth start to the school year, please refer to THIS drop off map and the procedures for parking and drop off that are included. Mornings can be a hectic time and following the procedures will lead to a calm and safe start to your child’s day.

Kindergarten parents and “new to Sward” parents are welcome to join our PTA in the Sward Faculty Room from 8:30-9:30 on Friday, August 19th for the BooHoo-BooYah Breakfast. This event is sponsored by the Sward PTA and will be a time for new parents to connect with other new parents as well as our PTA Executive Board and hear about the variety of exciting volunteer opportunities that are available to you. Once your students have gone into the building, come around to the front doors on Brandt Ave. and our office staff will direct you. After school on Friday, there will be an ice cream social out in front of the main office on Brandt.

See you tomorrow!

Your partner in education,

Mrs. Candy Kramer

Sward School Principal

At this time, the federal government has not extended the waivers for next school year to allow free meals for all students. As a result, schools across the nation will be reverting back to free and reduced-price meals based on income eligibility guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Beginning with the 2022-23 school year on August 17, families who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will have to pay for school meals. Students whose families are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfast or lunch will be able to access meals next school year at no cost or a discounted rate. The cost for a lunch (including milk) is $3.05. The cost for an a la carte milk is 60 cents.

If you would like to apply for free or reduced priced meals, please click here.

Click HERE for the August lunch menu. Please click HERE to view the processes and procedures of Sward's lunchtime.

Breakfast is available to our students before the school day begins. If you would like your child to eat breakfast at school, they will enter through the 98th St. door #11 as early as 8:10 a.m. and no later than 8:20 a.m. The charge for the breakfast is $1.50 and will be charged to their Skyward account. When they are finished eating breakfast, they will go to join their class. Click HERE for the August Breakfast Menu.

Attendance and punctuality are important. The bell rings for the students to enter the building at 8:25 a.m. and school begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. Please click HERE for attendance procedures.

Please click HERE for the drop off and pick up procedures to ensure a safe, smooth, and efficient arrival to and departure from school.

At dismissal time, we ask that you stand back and away from the doors. When the parents stand in a group close to the dismissal doors, it becomes difficult for the children to see "their adult" which becomes scary and overwhelming for the children.

Please mark your calendars. Sward Open House will be held on Wednesday, September 14 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

There are specific requirements for students entering preschool, kindergarten, second grade and sixth grade, as well as for all new students. Visit our Health Forms & Guidelines page for more information. Please note that these vaccinations and/or health examinations are required by state law.

The PTA will be hosting a BooHoo-BooYah Breakfast for all families that are new to Sward on Friday, August 19 right after school begins. Please enter through the main office following the arrival bell and you will be guided to the staff lounge. There, you will learn about all of the wonderful things the PTA does for our students, staff, school, families, and community while enjoying some breakfast items.

If you are looking for a fun family event to attend, the first PTA function of the year will be the PTA Back to School Block Party right in front of the school building. There will be food, games, and entertainment. One of the games that will be available is a cake walk. The PTA is looking for store bought cake donations. If you would be willing to donate a store bought cake, please click here for the sign up link. You are welcome to bring your whole family. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. and last until about 8ish on Friday, August 26.

As we enter into a new school year, of course academics are important... but, the safety of our students and staff is the most important thing to us! We will be having a Safety Drill Day on August 30. We will be focus our day on the importance of safety in a variety of scenarios.

The student device insurance policy provides full replacement cost coverage and protects the item worldwide (on and off school grounds) for only $25/year. The policy will be transferred to any replacement device that your child may be issued. Without insurance D123 families are fully responsible for the costs associated with the repair/replacement of their student's device. Insurance coverage is for the device only and does not extend to the case or the charger.

Families of students in all grade levels can sign up for this insurance program by adding the optional “Student Device Insurance” fee through Skyward Family Access. You have until September 30 to purchase device insurance every year. Additional information about the student device insurance program and deductibles can be found at: https://d123.org/about/technology/student-device-insurance/

Please view either the written or video tutorial on how to add Chromebook / iPad insurance to your student's account.

The students may begin lining up in their morning entrance lines as early as 8:10 a.m. The morning supervision begins each day at 8:10 a.m. The students enter the building when the 8:25 a.m. bell rings.

Seesaw will be the means of communication (in addition to / conjunction with email) for the D123 elementary buildings this year (replacing the Remind and Dojo of the past). Seesaw has an app that is set up as a communication system that is similar to Remind and appears to look like a text. There is also a nifty translation system.

We will be having the Parent Mentor Program again this school year in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education and the Arab American Family Services. Please click HERE for more information.

• Wednesday, August 17- First Day of School for students in Grades 1-5 (**Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m.)
  
• Thursday, August 18- First Full Day of School for students in Grades 1-5
• Friday, August 19- First Day of School for Kindergarten Students
• Monday, September 5- No School- Labor Day
• Wednesday, September 7- PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m. Welcome new and interested members (parents may sign up for classroom parties at this time)
• Wednesday, September 14- Open House 6:30-8:00 p.m.

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