Summer 2023

Preliminary Assessments takes place prior to the start of each school year for new and returning students.

When: Monday, August 7, 2023
Grades: Rising 2nd-8th Grade students
Times: Selected through Signup Genius (sent at a later date)

Watch for an invitation to sign up for a time for your child.

Click here to view Swift School teachers offering tutoring for the summer. 

Swift School is proud to partner with firstdayschoolsupplies.com for all school supply needs. Click below to access the website. Enter zip code 30075 and hit submit. Select Swift School and your child's grade for 2023-24.

Your supplies will be added to your cart, making checkout an easy process. Kits will be shipped to Swift School in time for the next academic year. 

Click the green button to go directly to firstdayschoolsupplies.com. If you prefer to view supplies by grade level, please scroll down. 

2023-24 School Supplies

May 2023

Dear Parents,

As we approach the end of the school year, our focus shifts to summer activities and ways to reinforce student learning. Research shows that students require ongoing review and practice of previously taught skills for maximum retention. This is especially true for students with learning differences. With that in mind, we have assigned summer reading to provide you and your child with opportunities to engage in rich, meaningful literature together.

At Swift, we have embraced a knowledge-building curriculum that provides students with grade-level content, texts, and vocabulary development. This carries across all subject areas, with a direct tie to content subjects and the arts. The books we have selected will connect to topics covered in the coming year. Our purpose is for students to be exposed to rich texts with the background knowledge that will support their learning. We recognize that students may not be able to read these books independently. Therefore, we encourage you to become familiar with reading strategies that are used here at Swift to support struggling readers.

Some useful strategies and tools are:

• An adult first previews the text to become familiar with the content and vocabulary.
• An adult then introduces the text; student previews and shares what they notice and wonder about the book which prompts their curiosity and interest in the text.
• Together, an adult and a student read the book. Students are not expected to read the text independently or work on decoding. Support students by reading aloud or using assistive technology. (We have noted which books are available through your child’s Learning Ally account for returning Swift students.
• Discuss the book as you read it. Making connections to existing knowledge and asking questions that support comprehension and new vocabulary.
• Summarize learning by visiting your local library, aquarium, and science and art museums. Children can express their learning by drawing, painting, creating 3D models, timelines, and so much more. Although these are not required, should your child create something, they are welcome to bring them in and share it with their new class in the fall.

Assigned books are as follows:

• Rising 1st - Bats at the Library, by Brian Lies (Classic Audio available through Learning Ally)
• Rising 2nd - Frog and Toad All Year, by Arnold Lobel (VoiceText available through Learning Ally)
• Rising 3rd - Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating
• Rising 4th - Who Was Clara Barton?, by Stephanie Spinner (VoiceText available through Learning Ally)

I hope you enjoy learning together. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Have a fun-filled, relaxing summer.

Best,
Roni Battoglia
Lower Division Director

Dear Parents,

Over the summer, rising 5th grade students will read Niagara Falls, Or Does It? by Henry Winkler. Our purpose is to expose children to interesting texts that may spark a desire to read more than simply what is required. Research shows that students benefit from ongoing reading practice to reinforce previously taught skills. This is especially true for students with learning differences. With that in mind, we encourage students and parents to take an active role while reading this novel. Asking questions, summarizing chapters, and predicting what might happen next all help to increase understanding and engagement. The related assignment is due on the first day of school. We encourage you to read to your child, take turns reading, or pair the book with audio. This selection is available on your child’s Learning Ally account. Below are some additional reading strategies that may enrich this experience:

• With your child, before beginning, preview and predict to spark curiosity and interest.
• Read the book together. We do not expect students to read the text independently or to work on decoding. Support your child by reading aloud or using assistive technology, i.e. Learning Ally, Bookshare, Audio Book, etc.
• Discuss the book as you go. Making connections to existing knowledge, asking questions, and predicting will increase interest and comprehension.
• Summarize the book together after finishing and before beginning the summary.

The book review assignment below is not meant to cause frustration and we would prefer students to work independently as much as possible. We understand that some students struggle with written expression and take this into consideration when evaluating their work.

Book Review Assignment

All the Best,
Melissa Jozefov
Middle Division Director

Please click below to view the 2023 Summer Reading information for rising 6th-8th grade students. 

Rising 6th-8th Grade Summer Reading

Rising 6th Grade

Rising 7th Grade

Rising 8th Grade

Students in fifth through eighth grade continue to participate in a bring-your-own Chromebook program.

IMPORTANT: Please review the Responsible Use Policy and Chromebook Requirements Document for the bring-your-own Chromebook program.