Swann Lion Times
Your weekly update from your Lion Pride!
Countdown to Break Spirit Week
Character Day--Represent your favorite holiday character like Santa, Ms. Claus, Frosty, or Buddy the Elf!
Winter Wonderland--Put on your best snowy-themed clothes, blues, whites, silvers, and sparkles!
Deck the Halls--Bring your jingle bells! Wear red and green and all your best holiday accessories!
Polar Express Day--Don your coziest holiday PJs and let's have a peaceful last day before break!
What Our Lions Are Learning
Be sure to talk with your Lions each night about what standards they are working on and what activities they are doing to master those standards! Here is some general information to get the conversation started.
In Math, students use the Open Up curriculum. Click here to see the Open Up lessons for all grade levels! Click here to see the Math 1 Open Up lessons. 6th graders are working with unit rates and percentages, 7th graders are working with proportional relationships and percentages, and 8th grade is working with slope.
In ELA, students are working on their book studies. 6th grade is beginning The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, 7th grade is reading Patient Zero, and 8th grade is reading Omnivore's Dilemma.
In Social Studies, 6th graders are learning about ancient India, 7th grade is working through the Industrial Revolution, and 8th grade is learning about the lead up to the Civil War.
In Science, 6th graders are working on energy transfer, 7th graders are learning about sources of energy, and 8th graders are learning about the hydrosphere.
Orchestra
Performing at Barnes and Noble
7th Grade ELA
Learning about the spread of germs with glitter
6th Grade ELA
Comparing the Percy Jackson film to the book
Band
Spirit Week
Anything But a Backpack Day!
Spirit Week
Grinch Day!
Announcements
Fall Make-Up Picture Day
If your child missed picture day they can take their picture on the 19th. Please
The Weather is Getting Cold
As the weather gets colder, please send your students to school with jackets and coats. We still go outside for PA time and transitions. Some classrooms are also cold. Blankets at school are not allowed for health and safety reasons.
After School Virtual Tutoring
Does your student need extra help with math, ELA, or science? GCS is currently offering virtual options for homework help and tutoring! Visit the website here for all the information: https://www.gcsnc.com/Page/79770
In January, onsite afterschool tutoring will begin. If you've already signed up for onsite tutoring, we will reach out when the schedule is available. We will begin a second round of registration in December. Until then, we encourage you to take advantage of the virtual options!
Family and Community Involvement Opportunities
Sharing our Lion Legacy
Our Swann Community Celebration Committee is planning many ways to bring the larger Swann Pride together throughout the year to celebrate Swann's final year as a middle school. One of those is to collect and share photos of Swann/Aycock's past. These could be historical photos or ones you've taken over the years. Use the link here to share them with us: https://forms.gle/6WLd4rboLBiZk1QH8
Parent Academy
GCS Parent Academy is a great resource to helps support families with a variety of things such as homework help, digital resources, resume assistance, homeownership, and much much more. Click on the link below to explore the many benefits of being a part of the GCS Parent Academy.
Join the PTA Today!
Swann is a proud PTA school! Click here to join our PTA as a parent, student, community, or staff member. If you are interested in serving on the Board, let us know and we will put you in touch with the current PTSA reps! School is better when we work together!
For more information, please reach out to swannpta@gmail.com.
Clothing Closet Support
Swann has partnered with a local Girl Scout to create a more robust clothing closet for our students. This closet will include not only gently used clothing and shoes that students can access when needed, but also support our students with clothing repair and cleaning and personal hygiene needs. To make this project sustainable, we are asking for a team of parent/community volunteers to staff the closet and to help collect donations.
If you would like to donate needed items, please use the link to our Girl Scout's Amazon Wish List
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Dr. Bocci at boccim@gcsnc.com!
Volunteering
We are excited to welcome Swann's family and friends into the school this year! Our focus is on increasing parent engagement. We have a list of teams we are looking for folks to serve on throughout the year. Click on the interest form below and let us know how you want to be a part of our Lion Pride this year!
1. Fill out the interest form for volunteers, and we will call you or email you when opportunities arise.
2. Register as an official GCS volunteer here.
Support Our Teachers!
Counseling Corner
Meet the Counselors!
Ms. Kelly is serving our 7th grade and A-M 8th grade students.
Because our counselors work with students all day, email is a good way to contact them when you need them!
Character Trait of the Month
In December, students will be talking about responsibility in their Friday SEL lessons. Watch this video about responsibility with your student: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gMi9mNtmBE. How can students show responsibility at school? At home? Among their friends? Why does being responsible matter?
Athletics
Winter Sports
It's Winter Sports time! Check the Athletics page of the website for times and dates of games. It's a few months away, but students interested in Spring sports, go ahead and make sure you have all needed forms now! All necessary forms are also posted on the website. Remember that any athlete must have a current physical on file to participate.
12/22-1/2 Winter Break
1/4 Math 7 Interim Assessment
1/15 MLK, Jr. Holiday
1/19 Last Day of Quarter 2
1/22 Teacher Workday
1/23 Math 6, Math 8, and Math 1 Interim Assessment
1/29 ELA Interim Assessment
1/31 Report Cards Go Home
2/7 NWEA Math Test
2/8 NWEA Reading Test
3/12 Math Interim Assessment
4/9 NWEA Reading Test
4/10 NWEA Math Test
4/16 ELA Interim Assessment
4/23 Science 8 Interim Assessment
5/24-31 EOG Testing
Keep in Touch!
Email: battlep@gcsnc.com boccim@gcsnc.com winsted@gcsnc.com
Website: https://www.gcsnc.com/site/default.aspx?DomainID=114
Location: 811 Cypress St, Greensboro, NC 27405, USA
Phone: 336-370-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swannlions
X: @swannmiddle
Instagram: @swannmiddleschool