Recent News

Hello McSwain Community,

Following is the regular update on the McSwain School District.

We have extended McSwain School’s closure through next Friday, January 20, 2023.

The flooding of both the East and West Campuses continues. There are multiple breaks in the Bear Creek levy, and the water flow is completely uncontrolled. There is water running down Scott Street and through parts of our playgrounds. The good news is that none of our classrooms, offices, or other buildings have been flooded.

Unfortunately, the areas surrounding McSwain are currently dangerous, including damaged roadways with hidden hazards. Please do not drive on Hwy. 140, Vaughn, or Scott Roads. Only emergency personnel are allowed. We have people working to protect or campus and prepare it for occupancy when possible.

Finally, we are working diligently to plan for our still unknown future. We are collaborating with the Merced County Office of Emergency Services, Merced County Office of Education, Merced County Fire and law enforcement to identify all possible options to reopen school, keeping the safety of our students and staff as our highest priority.

We will provide another update tomorrow. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we deal with this severe flooding disaster.

Andrew Kersten, Superintendent

School CLOSED today Tuesday, January 10, 2023!

Dear McSwain Community,

To protect the safety of our students and staff, in collaboration with Merced County and Emergency Services, McSwain Union Elementary School District is CLOSED today. There will be no students or staff on campus. Updates will be provided as possible..

Regretfully,

Andrew Kersten, Superintendent

Hello McSwain Families,



Welcome Back! Here are some quick updates.



Rain

We are expecting heavy rain over the next few days.

As we deal with inclement weather, please make sure to allow for extra time for morning drop-off and afternoon pickup.

In addition, please send your student with the appropriate rain gear to help them stay dry.









Lost and Found Items

Last call! Please come take a look at our lost and found items on both East and West Campus.

We will be donating items not picked up at the end of this week!







Community Performance

We are excited to bring back Missoula Children's Theatre featuring Rumpelstiltskin.

The community performance will be Sat Jan 14th, @ 6:00 pm, in our gym. The event will be free and open to all. Mark your calendars; more information to come!



Free Tutoring
The California State Library provides free online tutoring for California K-12 students, available through public libraries.

Through HelpNow, live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards.

24/7 assistance is available in English and Spanish for Language Arts and Mathematics.

Every day between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm, assistance is available in core K 12 subjects Tutors can provide a virtual whiteboard, conduct live audio interactions with students, and work with learners on a wide range of concepts. Students are expected to work through the content and learn from the feedback.

The California State Library is partnering with the Pacific Library Partnership (PLP) to bring this resource to California public libraries.

Our Merced County Public Library is participating. Please click this link to help your student get started!

https://www.brainfuse.com/highed/helpNow.asp?a_id=50D0235A&ss=&r=

Hello McSwain Families!

Happy New Year! We are excited to see you all tomorrow as we return to school. Here are some reminders.



McSwain Gear
We are pleased to announce that we are bringing back our online retailer to deliver McSwain Gear to students and families!
If you would like to order McSwain Swag, please click this link.
We have an assortment of shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and more!
Students are encouraged to show their Mustang pride every Friday by wearing blue and white!

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/mcswain-school-swag-401550






Transportation Change Requests
Starting tomorrow, we will be changing our system of making transportation requests.
We will be using an online digital form. This will help expedite the transportation change process.
The online form is located on the Student and Families Resources Tab on our website.
Please fill out the form for any transportation change requests for your student.
The new system will go into effect on January 3.

Holiday Break

As we head into the Winter Break, on behalf of the staff here at McSwain, we wish you and your students a safe and restful break. Our amazing staff is also spending time with their families and getting recharged. As we all take time to rest, this is a reminder that students and staff will return to school on Tuesday, January 3rd, in the New Year!

McSwain Gear

We are pleased to announce that we are bringing back our online retailer to deliver McSwain Gear to students and families!

If you would like to order McSwain Swag, please click this link.

We have an assortment of shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and more!

Students are encouraged to show their Mustang pride every Friday by wearing blue and white!

Drop Off Update

To help expedite drop-off on the West Campus in the morning, we will add additional staff members to help expedite the process when we return.

Please pull up to the curb,

Make sure your students are ready to exit the vehicle

Students will exit on the right side of the car and will be directed by the staff member to the entry gate

Once students have exited the car, please pull out of the parking lane and depart the parking lot

These changes will help assist students in entering campus more expeditiously

Project Christmas

I want to thank our McSwain 4-H for leading our Project Christmas. Thank you for your leadership and assisting our communities during this Holiday Season.


Great Kindness Challenge

As we head into the next year, McSwain will participate in the Great Kindness Challenge. This is an event that will take place in January. We will be working with our leadership students on participating school-wide. More information to come! Below is an overview of the impact of last year’s kindness week.

Transportation Change Requests

Reminder, reminder, reminder, starting in the new year, we will be changing our system of making transportation requests.

We will be using an online digital form. This will help expedite the transportation change process.

The online form is located on our website's Student and Families Resources Tab.

Please be on the lookout for this update during the Winter Break. The new system will go into effect on January 3.

Dress Up Days

Monday 12/12- Stay warm with your favorite pair of Holiday/Winter socks!

Tuesday 12/13- Show your Holiday/Winter Spirit by wearing Green or Red.

Wednesday 12/14- Wear your Favorite Holiday/Winter Headwear

Thursday 12/15- Wear your tacky Holiday/Winter Sweater or Shirt

Friday 12/16- Cozy up in your Holiday/Winter Pajamas to get ready and relax on break!


Early Release

We will be getting out early on December 16th and on a minimum-day schedule.


Transportation Change Requests

Reminder, reminder, reminder, starting in the new year, we will be changing our system of making transportation requests.

We will be using an online digital form. This will help expedite the transportation change process.

Please be on the lookout for this update before Winter Break. The new system will go into effect on January 3.


Poinsettia and Raffle Items!

Reminder if you have not picked up your raffle items, please stop by the East Campus office

If you have not picked up poinsettias, they can be picked up at either East or West Campus office.



Lost and Found Items

As we head into the winter break, please look at the items in our lost and found.

We will donate items not picked up during the Winter Break.

Community Skate Night

Our Parent Association will be hosting the next skating party of the year!

Date: Friday, December 9th, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Admission is 7 dollars which include skate rentals

This event is open to students and their friends. You will need to check them in.

Address: Roller Land, 18th and U Streets, Merced


School Attendance

A key component of our educational program is student attendance.

To provide your students with the highest quality educational programming, students must be present at school and on time.

To help in keeping our attendance rate strong, we will have a school-wide competition to see which classrooms have the highest attendance rate.

Every class that has perfect attendance, meaning all students are present, and no tardies will be given points.

After three weeks, the class with the highest attendance rate will be gifted either a trip to Starbucks (East Campus) or West Campus students will have Hot CoCo and Treats delivered; the competition starts Monday!

Transportation Change Requests

Great news! Starting in the new year, we will be changing our system of making transportation requests.

We will be using an online digital form. This will help expedite the transportation change process.

Please be on the lookout for this update before Winter Break. The new system will go into effect on January 3.


5th Grade Pancake Breakfast

Reminder, our 5th-grade students, will be having their pancake breakfast this weekend on December 4

The breakfast helps us in raising funds for Camp Calvin Crest

Breakfast and poinsettia pickup hours will be from 7 am - 12:00 pm


Little Library

We have been awarded three little libraries from the Merced County Office of Education. We will have our Grand Opening Friday, Dec 9, 2022, @ 8:15 am.

A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book.

Little Libraries function on the honor system.

You do not need to "share" a book to "take" one. If you take a book or two from a little library, try to bring some to share to that same library or another on campus when you can.

Each of our THREE Little Libraries will be managed by an assigned "steward." The assigned steward takes care of basic maintenance, like keeping the library clean and inviting, but it is up to everyone who uses the library to keep it stocked with good books.

WEST TK-3: Mrs. Cassady's 2nd-grade class, located in the West Campus drop-off

EAST 4-5: Mrs. Blount/Mrs. Shearer's 4th-grade class, located in the District Office parking lot

EAST 6-8: Mrs. Peterson's 7th-grade class, located in the East Campus drop-off

Our stewards will keep our Little Libraries clean and inviting, BUT we need the help of YOU, our community!

Remember, please do not place McSwain School library books in our Little Libraries. ONLY books you own that you'd like to share with others.

READ, SHARE, TAKE, AND ENJOY!

Cross Walk Reminder

Now that we are back at school, a reminder that our crosswalk is designed to light up if students are crossing. Please be on the lookout for the lighted signage and obey the speed limit. By following the rules, we can continue ensuring students can access campus safely.

School Attendance

A key component of our educational program is student attendance. To provide your students with the highest quality educational programming, students must be present at school and on time.

If a student is not consistently at school, it impacts their academic performance, social and emotional development, and overall success. Do not pull your student from school without reason. As we head towards the Winter Break, it is critical students are here daily.


Report Cards

For families that were unable to attend our report card week, the front office will be mailing report cards home. In addition, all grades are accessible and can be viewed on Aeries. As a reminder, if you have any concerns regarding your student, please get in touch with their teacher.


Bookfair

Thank you to our McSwain Library for hosting the West Campus Book Fair. Also, thank our parents and students for making the event a tremendous success. We look forward to hosting our next Book Fair in the Spring!

Community Events

Old Town Atwater Skating Ring

We are happy to announce that every student at McSwain has been given a free entry ticket and skate rental to visit the Skating Ring from our community partners. This is a non-school sponsored event.

Hello McSwain Families,
As we break for the Thanksgiving holiday, on behalf of the staff here at McSwain, we wish you and your students a safe and restful break. Our fantastic staff is also spending time with their families and getting recharged. As we all take time to rest, a reminder is there will be no school the week of November 21st- 25th.

Students and staff will return to school on November 28th.

Take Care, Mustangs!

Community Skate Night

Our Parent Association will host our next skating party this week!

Date: Friday, November 18th, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Admission is 7 dollars which includes skate rentals.

This event is open to students and their friends. You will need to check them in.

Address: Roller Land, 18th and U Streets, Merced


Little Library

We have been awarded three little libraries from the Merced County Office of Education. We will have our Grand Opening Friday, Dec 9, 2022, @ 8:15 am.

A Little Free Library is a free book-sharing box where anyone may take a book or share a book.

Little Libraries function on the honor system.

You do not need to "share" a book to "take" one. If you take a book or two from a little library, try to bring some to share to that same library or another on campus when you can.

Each of our THREE Little Libraries will be managed by an assigned "steward." The assigned steward takes care of basic maintenance, like keeping the library clean and inviting, but it is up to everyone who uses the library to keep it stocked with good books.

WEST TK-3: Mrs. Cassady's 2nd-grade class, located in the West Campus drop-off

EAST 4-5: Mrs. Blount/Mrs. Shearer's 4th-grade class, located in the District Office parking lot

EAST 6-8: Mrs. Peterson's 7th-grade class, located in the East Campus drop-off

Our stewards will keep our Little Libraries clean and inviting, BUT we need the help of YOU, our community!

Remember, please do not place McSwain School library books in our Little Libraries. ONLY books you own that you'd like to share with others.

READ, SHARE, TAKE, AND ENJOY!



Pick Up Procedures

We will send information reviewing our drop-off and pick-up procedures as we head into the Thanksgiving break. Please be on the lookout for these announcements. We can continue to ensure our procedures remain safe and effective in working together.



Book Fair

Reminder, our Book Fair, is ongoing!

We will have our last two days Thursday, Nov 17, 7:30 am - 3:30 pm, closing at noon on Friday, Nov 18.

We hope to see our West and East campus TK-6 families there! There will be so many books to choose from for every reader.

Purchases can be paid for by cash, debit, or credit; If you'd like your child(ren) to shop cashless, we encourage you to set up an e-wallet NOW so they are ready to shop. Here's a video with information about e-wallet: e-wallet information

Set up your ewallet on our webpage https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/mcswainwest

We hope all parents and grandparents will plan to visit the Book Fair! Proceeds are returned to our students in NEW BOOKS, so we appreciate your support!

Thank you for your support! See you at the Book Fair!