Swanton School News
April 2011
Volume 10, Issue 8
868-5346/868-4920
www.swantonschool.org
Keeping Our Children Safe with Technology
Recently, we had a technology safety
presentation at Swanton Elementary School
by Technicool. As we encourage our
students to use technology safely, we wanted
to pass along a few reminders to families to
help keep our students safe!
• Facebook’s safety and privacy
policy prohibits children under 13
from having a Facebook account
and profile. If you know of a child
who is not 13 who is using
Facebook, you are encouraged to
report this student and they will be
blocked from having a profile:
http://www.facebook.com/help/cont
act.php?show_form=underage
• Know where your children are
online! Try Googling your child to
see what information about them is
already online.
• Keep computer and cell phones in a
safe space, such as a common room.
Children who have computers, cell
A Note from Ms. Rouelle
As many of you know, I will be leaving
Swanton Elementary School at the end of
the school year, as I have accepted a
permanent Principal position at
Chamberlin Elementary, in South
Burlington. Not only is this a career
advancement for me, but it will allow me
to be closer to my home, and family, in
Williston. I feel so fortunate to have been
welcomed into the Swanton community. I
have had a wonderful year, learning and
growing with your children. This school
is a special place, filled with an amazing
group of educators and staff that are truly
dedicated to education. Working
phones, and internet access in their
bedrooms are much more likely to
experience problems online.
• Talk to your children about the use
of technology. Explain to your
child that once they have put
something out on the internet
(pictures, text, posts, videos), there
is no way to “take it back.” Even
information that is deleted can be
retrieved by someone who is tech
savvy!
• Create technology-use rules.
Discuss with your child what is
allowed and what is not allowed.
Rules should include how often and
for how long they may use
technology.
• Visit sites such as
www.connectsafely.org,
www.ikeepsafe.org and
www.cybersafefamily.com for more
safety tips on using technology!
with the FNWSU staff, the PTO and the
school board has been a rewarding,
collaborative experience. I would
especially like to thank Mr. Coon for his
guidance and support this year. He is an
outstanding principal and we are fortunate
to have him as our leader. He is currently
leading a search for a new Assistant
Principal. I am honored to have served as
your Interim Assistant Principal, Assistant
Principal and “Queen Bee” this school
year. I will miss my Swanton family next
year, and wish you all the best. Thank
you for a wonderful year!
~ Ms. Rouelle
 Calendar School Celebrations…
Our Odyssey of the Mind team finished up a recognition and a banner for the 2011 Fit and
th successful season at the final meet at Healthy Kids School Wellness Awards!
April 5 - School Board
Champlain Valley Union High School.
meeting in Central
Three teams in our 6th grade classes won
Library, 6:00 pm.
Tom Messner, a meteorologist from Channel awards at the statewide Engineers Day
th 5 news, visited the Kindergarten on March sponsored by the VT Air National Guard and
April 6 – Earth Day
15th. Everyone was excited to meet him and UVM:
Celebration
to be on the evening news. Tom read Cloudy
April 6th – Earth Day with a Chance of Meatballs and showed us a • 3rd place for Edibility in the “Edible
movie, “Mother Nature’s "secret" video of how he tells the weather on Cars: Society of Women Engineers”
Child” 5 pm television. At the end, he answered our many Category - Adut Morgan, Haley
questions about the weather, space, and Longway, Savannah Lamothe.
April 6th – PTO meeting, television. Our students were on the Channel
“School Action Plan”, 5 news that evening! It was great fun!
• “Smart Phone Design” Category -
Central cafeteria, 6 pm
Best Design: Aaron Evans, Zach
We are pleased to announce that three of our
Dezeotelle, Austin Hutchkiss, Kevin
April 7th – Incoming students won $250 college savings accounts
Bigelow.
Kindergarten through the Reading is an Investment
Registration, Babcock program that they participated in with our
librarian, Carole Oglesby. Mariah Witham, Most Functional: Grace Coburn,
Gym, 4-7 pm
Emma Medor, and Myah Rocheleau have Sydni Anair.
April 8th – Student been invited to an award ceremony at the VT
Variety Show, State House on April 14. Congratulations! For the second year our sixth graders will be
6:30-8:30 pm fundraising for Pennies for Peace, a non-
The Swanton Wellness team, led by our profit organization that helps fund education
April 13th – Lifetouch school nurse, Mrs. Lane, received a letter of in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This
Picture Day international service learning project is a part
of our literature study of Three Cups of Tea
Our annual “Faculty Follies” will be held on May 19 th from 6:00 –
th nd
April 18 -22 - No 7:30 p.m. This is a fun event full of some real talent along with
School, Spring Break
some a chance to see our faculty ‘cut loose’ with some silly fun.
April 26 – Spring Mark your calendars now for a fun evening to raise fun and funds
Concert, grades 1 & 2, for our Swanton PTO.
Earth Day Events
Central Gym, 2:00 pm

April 28th – Spirit Day –

Beach/Hawaiian Day On April 6th, David Frisque from the Wildlife Refuge will be coming to
(no bathing suits)
Swanton School to give each class a presentation on carbon footprints
May 3rd and 4th – as part of our Earth Day Celebration.
Incoming Kindergarten Also on the 6th, our school and the PTO will be sponsoring a parent
Screening, call for an
appt. movie at 5:00 pm, “Mother Nature’s Child.” A documentary by VT
filmmaker Camilla Rockwell, this movie explores nature’s powerful
May 4th – PTO meeting, role in children’s health and development through the experience of
Central Cafeteria, 6 pm
toddlers, children in middle childhood and adolescents. This movie
. was partially filmed in VT. Please join us!