Dear SWS Community,
It was wonderful to see our families at Back to School Night yesterday! As mentioned in the whole-school presentation, the upcoming newsletters will highlight some of our new programs this year, including our new curriculums for math (enVision), character education (Second Step), and benchmark assessments (STAR Renaissance). Below is an overview of our new monthly character theme program.
At Back to School Night, we also discussed school security, which remains a top priority at SWS. On Monday, we will begin our monthly safety drills with our first fire drill. All teachers have been informed and will prepare their students accordingly. After each of our two monthly drills, families will receive a state-mandated email with details about the type of drill and the time it occurred. The drills we practice include fire, lockdown, evacuation, shelter in place, and bomb threat scenarios. Later this month, we will conduct an evacuation drill.
Our School Resource Officer, State Trooper Struyk, frequently visits, along with officers from the County Sheriff's team. You may have noticed the presence of state troopers in our parking lot during drop-off and dismissal times. Their presence helps ensure our bus procedures are safe and deters speeding on Route 560. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to discuss any of these drills or security measures further.
NEW Monthly Character Themes
We are excited to introduce our new SWS Monthly Character Themes, a program designed to celebrate and nurture the pillars of character that are essential for our students' growth and well-being. Over the course of the year, we will focus on ten key character traits, such as perseverance, generosity, and acceptance. Each day, these themes will be highlighted during our morning announcements, where we will discuss how students can embody these traits in their daily lives.
In addition to these discussions, we will also recognize students who exemplify these character traits through our "Caught Being..." initiative. These students will be celebrated in our morning announcements, and their pictures will be displayed on our "Caught Being..." bulletin board.
We believe this program will have a positive impact on our school culture and the social and emotional well-being of our students. We are looking forward to seeing our students grow as individuals and as a community through this new initiative. September's Character Theme is School & Self Pride!
Required Annual Forms
Please be sure to fill out our required annual forms for each child that attends SWS. More information on these forms can be found below. Forms are available on our parent portal website or by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Brooke Phillips
Principal/Supervisor of Special Education
All families must complete online annual forms via the Parent Portal. These forms must be filled out for all PreK through Grade 6 students.
Attention incoming Preschool and Kindergarten families - parent portal username and password login information were directly emailed to parent/guardian contacts on 8/16/24. Please look for this communication in your inbox! Call the main office with questions.
Click here for the Parent Portal Website.
These forms include:
New & Important School Information
Automated Message Contact Form
Emergency Contact & Registration Information
Media, COPPA, & Acceptable Use Form
Free and Reduced Lunch/Breakfast Application
Lunch, Breakfast and milk order forms
Required District Policy Annual Acknowledgement of Receipt Form
We've moved our Student-Parent Handbook online for easier access to information. Now, you can read the handbook on your phone, laptop, or desktop! Please be sure to review it, as it details many school policies and answers a variety of questions about our school.
Our handbook is available on our website under the "Parents" section, or you can access it directly by clicking here.
The Sandyston Walpack School District offers low cost, nutritious school lunches, breakfasts, and/or milk to all children enrolled in the school. New this year we offer breakfast meals which can be purchased each day and be delivered the following school day to be eaten during our breakfast service in the library at 8:15am each day.
Lunch or breakfast meals and milk will be available on the first day of school and every day thereafter, unless otherwise noted. The cost of lunch is $4.45 milk included, and is ordered through each classroom by 8:45 AM. The cost of breakfast is $2.75 milk included, and is ordered through each classroom by 8:45 AM for the following day. A lunch or breakfast ticket may also be purchased, which includes 5 meals. Milk is available for purchase at $.55 per 1⁄2 pint. Milk tickets may also be purchased for 45 days at a cost of $24.75. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 973-948-4450 x 1000 for the Main Office or click here for menu information and click here for an order form.
Meals and/or milk will be provided free or at a reduced price to children living in households whose gross incomes are at or below state publicized rates. Application forms are available on our school’s website or in the main office. Free and reduced lunch applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. Please refer to this letter for more information on qualification parameters, or contact our school nurse, Ms. Sharon Misyak directly to discuss and ask questions confidentially.
