May 8, 2016

Greetings,

It's been such an action-packed week, we thought we'd do a little recap:

Outdoor Education Trips
"Better" weather - although still gray and drippy - means we can get out for some outdoor adventures. The sixth graders kicked things off with a canoe trip on Monday (right) to Blue Marsh Lake (click on photo for more images).

On Thursday the fifth grade class set off on their first overnight excursion to Bear Creek Camp. In addition to fishing, hiking, and rock wall climbing, they spent time on cooperative team-building activities. Click here for photos.

Secondary School Info Fair

About 35 middle school students and their families came out on Tuesday evening to gather information about secondary schools. Over 20 schools were represented, including day, boarding, charter and parochial schools from Massachusetts to Maryland. The Information Fair is just one way we support students and their families as they make the important decision about life after Swain.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

Senorita Erin Laney, our K-5 Spanish teacher, reports:

Lower school students (K-4) brought all of their Cinco de Mayo know-ledge together at Town Meeting on Thursday, which was coincidentally the fifth of May. Selected students from 2nd-4th grades were invited to show off the projects that they had created in class to "celebrate" the holiday (2-D piñatas for 2nd, painted maracas for 3rd, paper plate sombreros for 4th). 
Right: Senorita's 5th grade students create pinatas in the Imaginate Center.
 
The highlight of the morning was a charming reenactment of the Battle of Puebla, performed by Ms. Hanlund's class. The students cheered "¡Viva México!" at the end of their performance to commemorate Mexico's victory over the French in 1862. 

More Cinco de Mayo festivities
 
Swain Association members gathered their resources to show appreciation to Swain's faculty and staff this past week. Treats were offered throughout the week, and on Friday a festive 'Cinco de Mayo'- themed luncheon was served by volunteers, including several of our Trustees. It was a wonderful way to show appreciation!

And more fun on Friday

Band director Caitlin Heckman (pictured) welcomed some much shorter students to the Band room on Friday, when the Preschool and Prekindergarten students visited an 'Instrument Petting Zoo'. With the assistance of several middle school musicians, they demonstrated many instruments and then let the little ones try them out. As you can imagine it was loud and fun! (Click photo for more images.)

Read how Mrs. Heckman came to choose the trombone as her primary instrument, in the latest edition of The Art of Teaching blog.

And this week on Facebook...
It was the summer of 1929 when a group of young mothers approached a newcomer to Allentown,
D. Esther Swain, about opening a neighborhood Kindergarten. 

And so The Swain School was born, nurtured these many years by countless dedicated mothers and their families. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who have made our school the wonderful place it is today!


Thanks and enjoy your week!