Backpack Express - 5/1/24

Good afternoon,

This week’s Backpack Express is ready for your reading pleasure:

  • DEIB:  The district’s DEIB committee has put together information on various holidays and observances for each month.  You may access the May information here.

  • Sweetheart Dance:  The Sweetheart Dance is coming up soon.  Just a couple bits of information for you regarding the Dance:

    • Food/Drink Donations:  If you would like to donate food or drinks to the Dance, please sign up for that here.  

    • Volunteers:  It’s not too late to sign up to volunteer to assist with set up, clean up, and during the event.  You may sign up here to volunteer.

    • If you have not yet paid for your tickets, please send cash/check to the school or pay through PayPal @SowamsRIPTO.

  • Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week:  We celebrate the Sowams Faculty and Staff next week and the PTO has several things planned that involve our students and some volunteers.

    • You can find the list of planned activities to honor our faculty and staff here.  It explains how, if you want, your child can make an adult here at Sowams feel special.  

    • Volunteers are needed for Wednesday of next week so our faculty and staff can enjoy lunch together.  If you are interested in doing this and have a background check on file with the district, you may sign up here.

  • PTO Information:  

    • The next PTO meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 6, 2024, at 7:00 in the evening.  It is a virtual meeting.  The link will be emailed to you on Monday.

    • The PTO has created a May calendar.  You may access it here.  

  • Field Trips:  During the month of May, most classrooms are going on a field trip.  Prior to the trip, a permission slip will be sent home.  Please make sure you sign the form and return it to school.  Just so parents are aware, all children need to take the bus to and from the field trip.  Parents cannot drive their child to or from the field trip.  The buses typically do not have room for chaperones so volunteer chaperons will meet at the field trip place.  Volunteers need to have a background check on file with the district.  Other children should not join the chaperones on the field trip.

  • Yearbooks:  There are no yearbooks left for purchase.  There is a waiting list set in the event the company sends more yearbooks than was ordered.  There are already several people on this list; however, if you want to be added, you may email Mrs. Kotsiris at kotsirisc@barringtonschools.org.  

  • Day Without Hate:  On Friday, as a district, we will celebrate a Day Without Hate.  In celebration of Day Without Hate, the Barrington High School’s Chain Reaction Club is hosting a poster making party on Thursday evening of this week from 6:00-8:00.  Also, we are hoping that people will wear white on Friday.  Information about the poster party and  this day may be found here.

  • Kindergarten Registration:  Do you have a child or know a Barrington child who will be five years old by September 1, 2024?  If so, the child can be registered for kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year.  We will hold in-person registration during the week of May 6, 2024, from 9:00-12:00 each morning that week.  You would need to bring with you your child’s original birth certificate or passport, two proofs of residency, immunization records, and a parent/guardian government issued photo identification card.  All registration information may be found here on our district website.

  • Community Notice:  There is one notice from Barrington Little League for you.  

Have a wonderful rest of the day.

Best,

Jim Callahan

Principal

Sowams School Mission: Everyone learns every day.

Sowams School Vision: Sowams School will engage students to be their best selves.