Good afternoon,
This is the first of many Backpack Expresses that you will receive this year. Backpack Express is our weekly email that is sent to parents/guardians with information pertaining to our school, district, and community. Notices about upcoming events, reminders about various happenings, announcements, and various other bits of information are included in these weekly emails. I try my best to send Backpack Express on Wednesdays of each week. Please take the time to read these emails so you will know what is happening within our school.
Lunch Information: The September hot lunch menu may be found here. You may also find the menu, applications for free/reduced lunch, and information on signing up for MySchoolBucks here on our district website.
Octoberfest: Sowams Octoberfest is BACK this year on October 14. This is Sowams biggest fundraiser requiring the most volunteer hours from our community. There will be notifications weekly until the event. The most needed help right now is in two areas: decorations and sponsorships/silent auctions. We need two volunteers to head up the decorations committee which includes obtaining the decorations and decorating the front of the school and the Haunted Hayride for the next day. As well, we are in the process of obtaining sponsorships and Silent Auction items for the event. If you would be willing to ask a few businesses or donate yourself, please let us know! This is the biggest revenue generator of the event! Any inquiries can be sent to sowamsoctoberfest@gmail.com. There are two notices for you about Octoberfest: information about what it is and sponsorship/silent auction information.
Sowams Speedway: Sowams Speedway, a program at recess for students to run laps on the baseball field, track progress towards milestones, and earn prizes, is in need of some volunteers. Volunteers come to school during recess periods (11:50 am - 12:15 pm for Kindergarten and Grade 1; 12:20 pm - 12:4 5pm for Grades 2 and 3) and help students keep track of their laps and help the activity run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, either weekly or on occasion, please email Jill Blankenhorn at jillkopicki@gmail.com and she will reach out to you with more information. In order to volunteer, you must be on the approved volunteer list put together by our district’s Volunteer Coordinator.
Emergency Contact Forms: These contact forms were sent home on the first day of school. Please send these back to school updated and including how your child will get home each day. As a reminder, these forms do not give permission to your contact to pick up your child from school. These names are for the school to contact in an emergency if we cannot reach you.
Grade 1 PTO/Arts Alive Play: Our school is fortunate to have an after school theater program for students in grades one, two, and three. Our grade one program will be starting soon. All of the information you need for this may be found here. There is a cost to this program; however, scholarships are available. If you would like a scholarship, you should reach out to me at callahanj@barringtonschools.org. Volunteers are needed at play practices. If you are signing up your first grader, please consider volunteering to assist. You may sign up here to volunteer. Information about the grades two and three program will be sent out later in the school year.
Aspen: Aspen is our student information system. Parents/Guardians are able to update your information in Aspen (everything except for your address). Information on how to do this may be found here. If you don’t recall your username or password for Aspen, you should email x2help@barringtonschools.org.
Open House: Save the date for our annual Open House. It will take place on September 27, 2023. Grades two and three will run from 6:00-6:45 in the evening. Kindergarten and grade one will run from 7:00-7:45 in the evening. This is for parents/guardians only.
Community Notices: There are several community notices for you: Bayside Golf Tournament and BYBA information.
Have a wonderful night.
Best,
Jim Callahan
Principal
Sowams School Mission: Everyone learns every day.
Sowams School Vision: Sowams School will engage students to be their best selves.
