Take Home Tuesday

Dear Sward Families,

We are approaching our second round of Family Conferences. Please click here for guidance on how to register for the time slots you would like for your child(ren). Registration began on February 9 and will continue through February 20. The actual conferences will take place on Thursday, February 23 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. and on Friday, February 24 from 11:30-6:30 p.m.

School hours have been adjusted on the dates of the Family Conferences.

• Thursday, February 23 is an early dismissal and students will be dismissed at 11:30 (there will NOT be lunch on this day).
• On Friday, February 24, there is no school for students.

We are looking forward to seeing you. If you have any questions, please call the Sward main office at (708)423-7820.

Your partner in education,

Mrs. Candy Kramer

Please check your child's Take Home Tuesday folder for the S & T Provisions fundraising information from our PTA. Ask your child about this competition board in the front lobby. The classroom that sells the most pizza set up vouchers will win a popsicle party. We will keep you posted on this exciting fundraising competition.

Please click here to learn more about our upcoming Parent University. This will be a virtual presentation on February 22 at 6:30 pm. This will be the first of a six part series on the topic of restorative practices that will take us through the fall of 2023.

Our Lost and Found bin is bursting at the seams... and there are many items wanting to make their way back home. Thank you to Mrs. Neylon who created a website dedicated to helping these items find their way home. Click here to view the website. All items are numbered. If you see an item that belongs to your child, please click on the "claim link" at the top of the website to enter your child's name, teacher's name and the item number and their item will be returned to them.

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.

***AS AN UPDATE TO LAST WEEK'S NOTE... A parent replied and said her children already have a checklist at home that they use everyday. She was kind enough to share theirs :) Feel free to check it out, print it out, make adjustments as needed to suit your own needs... click here to view. We hope you find this helpful :)

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

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 adult large
  
• Sweatpants ($20)
• 1 youth small
• Gray T-Shirt ($10)
• 1 adult small
• Blue T-Shirt ($10)
• 2 youth large
• 1 youth XL
• 1 adult small
• Blue Zip Hoodie ($32)
• 1 adult medium
• 1 adult XL

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!

• Wednesday, February 15- "Be a Good Sport" Wear your favorite Sports Jersey today.
• Thursday, February 16- Pajama Day- Wear your pajamas all day today.
• Friday, February 17- School Spirit Day AND the Kids Heart Challenge- Wear your spirit wear today OR a Kids Heart Challenge Shirt OR a red shirt for the Kids Heart Challenge event
• Monday, February 20- No School Today- Presidents' Day
• Wednesday, February 22- Menu Change- lunch options will be pizza dippers with marinara sauce OR cheesy beef nachos
• Thursday, February 23- Early dismissal- Students get dismissed at 11:30. There is NO lunch served on this day. Family Conferences take place from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
• Friday, February 24- No School for students today. Family Conferences take place from 11:30-6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 1- Districtwide Late Start- Students begin school at 9:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, March 1- PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, March 6- No School Today- Casimir Pulaski Day
• Sunday, March 12- PTA Mother/Son Bowling Event 4:00-6:00 p.m. (rsvp required)
  
• March 27-March 31- No School- Spring Break

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