Swift Courier September/October Issue

www.swiftschool.com [email protected]

ConstruCtion, ConstruCtion... What’s your funCtion?Updates on carpool and campus improvements.3 Celebrating suCCess and

WatChing sWift groWSwift prepares for a year-long celebration of its 15th anniversary.

neW Kids on the bloCKSwift welcomes 85 new students and their families at the Ice Cream Social. 64in this

issue

september/october 2012

Cover Photo: Mrs. salapka’s third grade class

watches as construction begins on the new modular

building.

Dyslexia Dash | October 20 | Riverside ParkDash with us to support dyslexia awareness and to celebrate our community as Team Swift.

•5K run/walk on Saturday, October 20th at 8 am at Riverside Park in Roswell.

•Organized by the Georgia chapter of the International Dyslexia Association.

•Last year was a huge success for Team Swift with more than 200 Swift students, family and friends

participating in team shirts. We want to repeat that in 2012.

•Order your 2012 Team Swift shirts for participants by September 14. Shirts can be worn on spirit

wear days at school and are $12 each. Seeing the sea of Swift shirts at the race is the goal.

•Register online for the Dash via Active network by October 1st. Cost is $25 if you register before

October 1st. Save $5 if you are an IDA member. After Oct 1 cost is $30.

•The class that registers the most runners (tabulated by t-shirt orders) wins an ice cream party!!

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE

sePteMber21 Parent Coffees(1st - 2nd grades)24 Parent Coffees (3rd grade) Butter Braid Orders Due25 Parent Coffees (4th grade)27 Parent Coffees (5th grade) School Photos28 Parent Coffees (Middle Division) Spirit Wear Day

oCtober 6 Parent & Faculty Mingle12 First Academic Quarter Concludes15 Professional Day (No classes)20 Dyslexia Dash24 Lower School Parent Conferences (No classes grades 1-5)26 Middle Division Parent Conferences (No classes grades 6-8) Spirit Wear Day30 Family & Parent Series/7:00 p.m. (Parents of students grades 5th-8th)31 Swift-O-Ween

noveMber 5 GISA Professional Conference (No classes)19–23 Thanksgiving Recess (No classes)26 Classes Resume

Follow Swift School on Facebook

and Twitter for frequent updates and

information regarding school activities.

www.facebook.com/theswiftschool

@SwiftSchool_GA

Volume 3Issue 1 [email protected]

nFeaturesConstruction, construction ... What’s your function? ....... 3A status update on campus improvements.

Celebrating success and Watching swift grow ............... 4A look back at Swift’s history and a glimpse into the future.

new Kids on the block ............................... 6Swift welcomed new students and families with its

annual Ice Cream Social.

swift Meet and greet ....................... 8

New and returning students learn who their teachers are

for the 2012-2013 academic year and check out their new

classrooms at Swift’s Meet and Greet.

nIn every IssueHead’s Column ......................................................................................................... 2

Famous Faces of Dyslexia ..................................................................................... 10

News You Can Use ................................................................................................. 11

Swift Scene .............................................................................................................. 12

Coming Up .............................................................................................................. 13

WWW.SWIFTSCHOOL.COM SePTeMBeR/OCTOBeR 2012 1

Courierseptember/october 2012

6 8

The rhythms of the past academic year are playing themselves out in this issue of the Courier. The new academic year is a time of eager anticipation marked by the commencement of classes and the actual beginning of a new educational experience for students, families, and the faculty. Traditional events in Swift’s calendar have served to ease new students and families into the School’s culture while veteran families arrived at the Meet and Greet event full of the same anticipation. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for – the spirit of youth, the wisdom of experience, and the drive to solve challenges as a community.

The basis for success is derived from shared values. Over the summer the opportunity presented itself for the executive staff to examine Swift’s values, and to identify those that are core to our collective beliefs as an institution; those values that motivate decisions and guide Swift in aligning practices to answer the most basic questions about the School’s existence: What do we stand for? Why do we exist?

This conversation was extended to include the entire faculty at the recent Retreat. It resultedintheidentificationofthefollowingcore values as they relate to all that is done on behalf of Swift students and families. They are:

•Community – a sense of place and purpose; value in belonging

•Collaboration – to labor together; to work jointly

• Safety – an environment free of threats; one that appreciates differences

• Belief in individual potential – changing lives for the better; self-advocacy

Thesevaluesallowforthepromiseofbenefitthat aligns beliefs and deeds. Indeed, knowing what makes the educational

experience at Swift School work so successfully in the delivery of our mission provides a stake in the ground around which sustainability is programmed.

Many of you experienced a sense of Swift’s core values when you have entered the School. It is the thing you describe as ‘feeling right’. The reason for that sense relates to an alignment between your own values –definingidealsandstandards-andtheSchool’s.Corevaluesdefineprioritiesbyarticulating the ideals and beliefs that this organization stands for. They establish our identity and lead to the behaviors that form group norms. Swift’s core values are the cornerstones of our efforts and knit together a community of soul mates.

During this year many exciting strategic initiatives will come to life. Among these a new building will be added to the campus, and a campaign aimed at paving the way for the School’s future will be launched. As the heart of the school, the faculty will participate in professional development workshops and courses that keep them on the cutting edge of best teaching practices. Students will be provided many opportunities that allow them to learn more about their own interests and talents. I look forward to sharing the many wonderful aspects of Swift School with you and the community all year long!

Rich WendlekHead of School

nHead’s Message r iChard WendleK

sWift board of trustees

exeCUTIVe COMMITTee

Dr. Richard Phillips, Chair

Laurie Green, Vice Chair

Peter Williams, Treasurer

Jeff Kudlata, Secretary

TRUSTeeS

Jason Butler

Dr. Paul Cohen

Dr. Gail Flanigan

Robert Gray

Gregory Hill

Laura Ries

Paul Schur

Gail Swift, emerita

RichardWendlek,Exofficio

ADMINISTRATION

Richard J. Wendlek, Head of School

Dr. Andrea Salapka, Associate Head

Karen Buttermore, Director of Development

Paul Foltz, Business Manager

PAReNT ASSOCIATION PReSIDeNT

Margot Vetrovsky

Swift School300 Grimes Bridge Road

Roswell, GA 30075678.205.4988

2 SePTeMBeR/OCTOBeR 2012 WWW.SWIFTSCHOOL.COM

l ast spring the process of seeking building and site permits from the City of Roswell for the new building began. The permits required to commence construction were received in late August.

Over the next few weeks, the campus will undergo preparation for the new facility. By early November, the Swift Community will see a new building rise on campus, as construction is completed and school history is made. The students and faculty share excitement about what is to come in the next few months.

During construction it will be necessary to close the west parking lot on certain days. Through the conclusion of construction, dismissal of Lower School students begins at 2:40 p.m. In prior years dismissal began at 2:50 p.m. The dismissal process typically takes between

20-25 minutes for the school to complete.

Students of parents who arrive early willbedismissedfirst.ThenormalLower School academic day is from 8:30 a.m.- 2:55 p.m.

During the construction period the instructional day remains at 6.5 hours, without diminishing the academic day. When the normal schedule is resumed, the academic day exceeds 6.5 hours This practice remains the same as in prior years.

In order to keep Swift’s carpool functioning as smoothly as possible please review the following updates for Lower School dismissals and pick-ups. Thank you again for your patience and cooperation during this time. Because of this expansion, Swift will be able to better serve your child.

Carpool Updatelower SChool

Morning drop off: Student drop off should occur between 8-8:15 a.m. Please do not line up on the campus before 7:55 a.m.

Forming a carpool line before that time interferes with the Middle Division drop off procedure and makes for a potentially unsafe situation. Students begin their day in the classrooms at 8:15 a.m.

afternoon Carpool: Please do not arrive for afternoon carpool before 2:30 p.m. Students will be called to carpool beginning at2:40p.m.Trafficcoordinatorsareattempting to move the carpool line assafelyandefficientlyaspossible.SwiftmustavoidtrafficbackinguponGrimes Bridge Road. Your assistance will greatly help us.

ConStrUCtion,

ConStrUCtion ...

what’S yoUr FUnCtion?


SePTeMBeR/OCTOBeR 2012 WWW.SWIFTSCHOOL.COM

success is a difficult term to define.

to a writer, success could mean

being published in a magazine. to a

businessman, success may be defined

as a quarterly profit. to an athlete,

success may be winning an olympic

medal. But how do teachers, students,

administrators or parents define

success when school is the subject?

that’s easy—at least for swift.

Fifteen years ago, in 1998, when

Gail swift opened the doors to the

first five students she had no idea

that hundreds of families would be

impacted in the future. those five

students expanded to nine, then to

18 and and at an enrollment of 84

requireda move to the current five-

acre campus. today swift is home to

212 students and still growing.

Although enrollment continues

to increase, numbers are not the

way swift defines

success. swift

strives to provide

a specialized

education fitted

to each student’s

need. success to swift occurs when

a student learns to read; success to

swift occurs when a child becomes

more confident in his/her own ability,

no matter the subject; success

to swift occurs when a student

looks forward to attending school.

ultimately, success to swift is meeting

students’ educational and helping

students realize that their potential is

limitless.

this year not only marks 15

succesful years of educating students

with dyslexia and language based

learning differences, but aslo opens

another exciting chapter in the

story of swift. the addition of a

new modular building to the current

campus provides more classroom and

dedicated space for music, art and

indoor physical education.

swift looks forward to celebrating

with families, friends, faculty and

staff year-round. save the date for

swift’s official anniversary celebration

that will take place on March 22 in

conjuction with swift’s annual stellar

Gala.

Watching Swift GrowCelebrating Success and

CelebratinG SChool hiStory and pavinG the Way the Way for the future

5

Pa

rentCoffees

Skip the coffee line at your local coffee shop and join Swift at its Annual Parent Coffees on the deck!

GRADES 1-2 SEPTEmBER 21, 2012 8:30 a.m.

GRADE 3 SEPTEmBER 24, 2012 8:30 a.m.



GRADES 6-8 SEPTEmBER 28, 2012 8:30 a.m.

• Celebrate the start of a new academic year• Get to know your child’s teacher

• meet other parents within your child’s grade-level


With another record-breaking

enrollment, Swift is excited to

welcome more than 80 new

families into the Swift community.

Prior to the commencement

of classes, Swift hosted its two

annual events, the New Student

Orientation and the Ice Cream

Social to help students and parents

acclimate to their new school

home.

The Ice Cream Social was

held on August 7 and more than

150 people attended. The event

provided a time for new parents

to connect while students enjoyed

eating ice cream, listening to

music, blowing bubbles and

creating sidewalk chalk art.

NEW KIDSONTHEBLOCKTHEy’vE gOT THE RIgHT STuff

sister actFifth grade student Madeline (right) and her sister try two differentflavorsoficecreamoffered.

1 2 3


1. family Matters: Ice cream is the perfect way for Courtney and her family to kick off the fourth grade.

2. different strokes: Third grade student Katherine and her brother each try a differentflavoroficecream.

3. two’s Company, three’s a Party: Bren, Sierra and elyse take a break fromplayingonthefieldtoposeforapicture.

4. gold Medal art: Middle Division student Sarah uses sidewalk chalk to show her enthusiasm for the Olympic Games.

5. three of Kind: What do ice cream and Swift have in common? Smiles, just ask the Ward family.

ice, ice (Cream) babyThird grade student Carlye enjoys a Sponge Bob Square Pants ice cream treat before heading to play.

4 5


HeLLomy name is

Swift School Meet & GreetOn August 17 new and returning students

arrived at Swift to meet their teachers for the

2012-2013 academic year. During the meet

and greet, families previewed afterschool

activities being offered for the year and learned

about ways to volunteer with Swift. Parents

and students also were free to check out the

campus improvements Swift made over the

summer recess including 4 new classrooms. The

meet and Greet is a highly anticipated event

for all students. For some, it is a chance to be

reunited with former classmates. For others, it’s

their first glimpse of what the Swift Community

will offer—a safe, caring and understanding

learning environment.

Ready to learn, twins Jack

and Will feel at home in their

new 1st grade classroom.

reunited and it feels so goodReturning students Octavia, Izzy and Livvy are ready to take second grade by storm.


8

Picture PerfectAfter enjoying a fun experience during Swift Summer explorations, third grade student, Lauren and her mother visit her new classroom and teacher Mrs. Swain.

hey i Just Met you, and this is Crazy (below)Fifth grader Maggie meets her energetic and always exciting teacher Mrs. Litzky. Call us crazy, but Swift believes this is going to be a fun year in fifthgrade.

your Move (below)Fifth grade student and chess club member ConradquicklyfindsthechessmasterattheMeet and Greet.

nFaMous Faces oF dyslexIathe four dead-end K ids

One was spanked by his teachers for bad grades and a poor attitude. He dropped out of school at 16. Another failed remedial english and cameperilouslyclosetoflunkingoutof college. The third feared he’d never make it through school--and might not have without a tutor. The lastfinallylearnedtoreadinthirdgrade, devouring Marvel comics, whose pictures provided clues to help him untangle the words. These four losers are, respectively, Richard Branson, Charles Schwab, John Chambers, and David Boies. Billionaire Branson developed one of Britain’s top brands with Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Schwab virtually created the discount

brokerage business. Chambers is CeO of Cisco. Boies is a celebrated trial attorney, best known as the guy who beat Microsoft. In one of the stranger bits of business trivia, they have something in common: They are all dyslexic. These adults were very challenged as students. All have been extremely successful in business. Most have now begun to talk about their dyslexia as a way to help children and parents cope with a condition that is still widely misunderstood. “This is very painful to talk about, even today,” says Chambers. “The only reason I am talking about it is 100% for the kids and their parents.” A generation ago this was a

problem with no name. Boies, Schwab, and Bill Samuels Jr., the president of Maker’s Mark, did not realize they were dyslexic until some of their own children were diagnosed with the disorder, which is often inherited. Samuels says hewassittinginaschooloffice,listening to a description of his son’s problems, when it dawned on him: “Oh, that’s me.” Most of the adults diagnosed themselves. UntilaboutfiveyearsagoChambers kept his dyslexia a secret. As CeO, he says, “you don’t want

people to see your weaknesses.”

One day a little girl at Cisco’s Bring

Your Children to Work Day forced

Continued on page 12


Fifteen Swift students are receiving partial tuition scholarships due to the generosity of 26 families in the Swift community who directed a portion of their Georgia income taxes to Swift through the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program.Studentswhoareenrolledinapublicschooloreligibletoenterpre-K,kindergartenorfirstgrade,mayapplyforthesescholarshipsiftheirparentsbelievetheywouldbenefitfromaprivateschooleducation. As predicted, the $51.5 million allocated in 2012 for education expense Tax Credits was claimed entirely in late August. Swift appreciates the following families who contributed a total of $56,250 to the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program in 2012:

nswIFt and 15 recIpIents are grateFul to goal contrIbutors

Laura Ries & Scott BrownKaren & King ButtermorePeggy & Patrick Carroll

Jennifer & Dr. Paul CohenGail & Tom Flanigan

ellyn & Paul FoltzNancy & David Friedman

Patricia Hubbard & Jonathan GliddenCaroline Goldstein

Suzanne & Bob Gray*Deborah Haertel

Tena & Mike HargroveNancy & Mark Herbert

Renee & Christopher KopkowskiRegan & Jeff KudlataMartha & Doug Martin

ellen & Kenneth MedvedKelly & Richard Phillips*

Kelly & Paul SchurSusan & Stephen SliferDeborah & Kevin Smith

Laura Green & John Thielman*Becky & Ken Weatherford

Susan & Peter Williams*Janine & Jared Wiskind

Sara & Christopher Wynne

*Denotes Alumni Parents

news you can usenbutter braId Fund-raIser

Butter Braids are delicious pastries that can be served as an

entrée or dessert and are the perfect holiday gift. Swift School

is striving for 100 percent student participation. The goal this

year is to sell 3,000 Butter Braids. Start talking to friends, family

and neighbors and let them know the delicious pastries are

back! Please contact the school if you did not receive more

detailed information.

If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Hogan.

For more product information visit www.butterbraid.com.

Visit the Swift School Website to download additional order

forms. Submit one check for entire order payable to Swift. The

deadline to order is September 24.

annual Fund cHaIrs announced;new gIvIng club establIsHed sara and Chris Wynne, parents of 4th grader Michelle, will serve as Chairs of the annual fund for swift 2012-13. they will be assisted by Martha and Kerry dodd, parents of 6th grader Jenna. the Wynnes and the dodds kicked off the annual fund by speaking at each Parent night and then following up with a personal letter and a brochure.

as part of the school’s 15th anniversary celebration, a new giving Club has been established. the 1998 society recognizes those who give $1,500 and above to the annual fund. the inaugural recognition party for those in this new giving club takes place in april 2013. the society’s name is derived from the year the school was founded. all giving levels are described in the annual fund brochure.

Parents are encouraged to seek a matching gift from their company. the matching gift combines with the parents’ personal gift to determine which giving club they are members of. united Way gifts may also be directed to swift school since swift is a 501(c)(3) institution. all gifts to the annual fund are tax deductible.

additional annual fund

brochures can be

downloaded from

www.swiftschool.com

under the “support us”

tab.

7tH grade parent MeetIngSwift invites the parents of all students enrolled in the seventh

grade to attend an eighth grade informational meeting

on October 11 at 7:00 p.m. During the evening, parents will

hear from Middle Division faculty and Swift administrators

regarding the curriculum and opportunities offered during a

student’s eighth grade year at Swift.

grandparent days rescHeduled Due to construction on campus, the dates of Grandparent/

Special Friend Days have been moved to spring 2013.

Instead of Oct. 17, 18 & 19, the much-anticipated visits by

these special guests are now scheduled as follows.

Wednesday, May 1 is 1st - 3rd grades

Thursday, May 2 is 4th & 5th grades

Friday, May 3 is 6th - 8th grade

Grandparents and special guests are welcome to attend

the Spring Concert on Thursday, May 2. We wanted to notify

families now, particularly if airline reservations are a factor.

We look forward to hosting these special guests during the

South’s beautiful springtime.


LIFe-CHANGING

POTeNTIAL

TRANSFORMING

Celebrating 15 years of suCCess

the annual fund for sWift 2012-2013

300 Grimes Bridge RoadRoswell, GA 30075


nswIFt scene

Since the commencement of classes, the Middle Division

has been moving full steam ahead. Teachers and returning

students were eager to start the year and welcome new

students (pictured right) to the Middle Division family.

Students have already resumed responsibility for last year’s

recycling initiative and will soon announce new projects for

this year.

On September 13 the Middle Division left for its annual

overnight retreat. The retreat took place at the Georgia

4-H environmental education Center in Hampton. The

retreat is part of Swift’s Middle Division character formation

curriculum. During the retreat students

•nominated representatives for student council;

•participated in a night sensory awareness activity;

• learned outdoor survival techniques and

•enjoyed a hands on herpetology lesson.

tHe start oF soMetHIng great

him out of the closet. Chambers had called on her, and

she was trying to ask a question before a crowd of 500

kids and parents. But she couldn’t get the words out. “I

have a learning disability,” she said tearfully. Chambers

cannot tell this story without choking up himself.

“You could immediately identify with what that was

like,” he says. “You know that pain. She started to leave,

and you knew how hurt she was in front of the group and

her parents.” Chambers threw her a lifeline. “I have a

learning disability too,” he said. In front of the crowd, he

began talking to her as if they were the only two people

in the room. “You’ve just got to learn your way through

it,” Chambers told her. “Because there are some things

you can do that others cannot.

Reporter associates: Lisa Munoz and Patricia Neeringhttp://www.fortune.com/indexw.jhtml?channel=artcol.jhtml&doc_id=207665

the four dead-end K ids Cont inued froM Page 10

Swift used the speed of its

new domain server, along

with imaging software,

to load all applications

andconfigurationsfrom

a master image to new

laptops for students. This use

of the new server enabled

Swifttobemoreefficientwithsupplyingstudentsthe

programs they need on their computing devices.

The Middle Division’s newly implemented Dell Netbooks

(pictured above), is the latest addition to the Digital

LearningEnvironment.Swift’sITmanagerloadedallfiles

simultaneously with very little user intervention.

More than 80 devices including laptops for 5th grade

studentsandstaffweredeployedinthismostefficient

manner this summer moving Swift into a new era of

technology advances.

teChnology t idb i ts

notes froM the Middle division direCtor - Patty nathan

coMIng upnMarK your Calendars With these iMPortant dates

parent coFFeessepteMber 21, 24-25, 27-28, 8:30 a.M.Celebrate the start of a new academic year and meet

other parents within your child’s grade-level during

Swift’s Parent Coffees on the deck.

• September 21 - Parents of students in grades 1st-2nd

• September 24 - Parents of students in 3rd grade

• September 25 - Parents of students in 4th grade

• September 27 - Parents of students in 5th grade

• September 28 - Parents of students in grades 6th-8th

pIcture daysepteMber 27Picture day will be held on Thursday, Sept. 27. Students

should come prepared to be photographed in their

everyday uniform.

parent & Faculty MIngleoctober 6, 7:30 p.m.Mix and mingle with other members of the Swift

Community in a strictly social “no agenda” setting.

JoIn teaM swIFt For tHe 2012 dyslexIa dasH october 20, 8:00 a.m.On Saturday, Oct. 20, the Swift School community will be

supporting the International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA)

Dyslexia Dash. The 5k race/walk will be held at Riverside

Park. Families can register by online at dyslexiadash.

com/georgia. Save $5 by registering before October 1.

n

n

n

n

300 Grimes Bridge RoadRoswell, GA 30075

Celebrating 15 years of Success

the Doorway to success

adMission oPen houseSunday, October 211:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Presentation at 1:30 p.m. followed by school tours.For more information, visit Swift online at www.swiftschool.com or call 678.205.4988. Use your SmartPhone to scan the QR code to go directly to our Web site.

Discover how our

Comprehensive educational experience

for students in grades 1-8 provides tools and

strategies for success.

Swift Courier September/October Issue

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Transcript of Swift Courier September/October Issue