W. L. Swain Elementary School

Today, we had the honor of celebrating three very special retirees — Robin Bohannon, Jill Peacock, and Stacy Calvert. Each of these ladies has made a lasting impact on WLS through their hard work, dedication, and love for our students, staff, and school community. Their years of service, kindness, and commitment have helped shape so many lives, and they will always hold a special place in Swain Nation. We are incredibly thankful for all they have poured into WLS over the years. While they will be greatly missed, we wish them nothing but happiness, relaxation, and many wonderful adventures in retirement. #SwainNation #ExtraordinaryWLS

What an amazing Teacher Appreciation Week it has been at WLS! Our teachers and staff have truly felt the love this week thanks to our wonderful administrators and generous community supporters. From coffee and donuts to catered meals, pretzels, snow cones, biscuits, and so many thoughtful treats, we are beyond thankful for everyone who helped make this week so special. A huge thank you to: • Calhoun First Baptist for the delicious coffee treats • White Insurance Group for the Daddy O’s Donuts • Meadowdale Church for the Chick-fil-A biscuits this morning • WLS PTO for the yummy pretzel treats • Big John’s Treat Shop for the amazing catered meal sponsored by our administration We are so thankful for the support shown to our WLS family this week. Our community truly is the best! 💙 #SwainNation #ExtraordinaryWLS

The Journey of the Noble Gnarble

📅 Friday, May 8, 2026

⏰ 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

WLS Chorus proudly presents The Journey of the Noble Garble at the GCHS Blue Box Theatre. We are pleased to work in coordination with Beat By Beat Press to bring this exciting musical to our school.

The Journey of the Noble Garble is a musical adaptation of the children's book by Daniel Errico about a small fish determined to swim from the ocean floor to the surface to see the sun, despite the limitations of her species and the ridicule of others.

Journey of the Noble Garble is a story of a little garble with a big dream, who tries to make it past doubting blyfish, sneaky subbalubbles, and hungry plinks on her way to the surface of the sea. Along the way she befriends the glinny glims who teach her the importance of positivity and determination!

Admission is FREE, but donations to the WLS Music Program are kindly accepted.

Please invite your friends and family to join us for this 40 minute production.

Gordon Central Blue Box Theatre is located at 335 Warrior Path NE, Calhoun, GA 30701

Today, we had the honor of celebrating our amazing Teacher of the Year, Erin Proctor! Mrs. Proctor’s dedication, kindness, and love for her students shine brightly each and every day. She goes above and beyond to make a difference at WLS, and we are so thankful for the impact she has on our students, staff, and school family. Congratulations, Mrs. Proctor! We are proud to celebrate you! 💙

Today we celebrate someone who does so much more than care for bumps and bruises—our very own Nurse Susan! From comforting students who aren’t feeling their best to offering a calm, caring presence during busy school days, Nurse Susan is truly the heart of our school. Her kindness, patience, and dedication never go unnoticed. She takes care of our students and staff with compassion and a smile, and we are so grateful for all she does each and every day. Thank you, Nurse Susan, for keeping our Swain Nation safe, healthy, and cared for. We appreciate you more than words can say! 💙

🎸 Our WLS Teachers Are ROCK STARS! 🎸 It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are celebrating the incredible educators who inspire, lead, and give their all to our students every single day. Their dedication and passion make Swain Nation such a special place. They show up, lift others up, and truly make a difference—one student at a time. You inspire. You lead. YOU ROCK! Thank you for all that you do! ❤️ #SwainNation #ExtraordinaryWLS

We are posting “Extraordinary” Spotlights to celebrate the moments, people, and experiences that have helped make this school year extraordinary across Gordon County Schools!

Through these spotlights, we’re highlighting meaningful moments, successes, and reflections—big or small—that showcase the incredible work happening in our schools every day.

Faculty and staff can submit what has made their year extraordinary by filling out this form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/RhZiELutbj

Happy National School Principals’ Day, Mrs. Green! Today we celebrate the heart and soul of our school, Mrs. Green. Her leadership goes far beyond the office—she inspires, supports, and truly cares about every student and staff member. Whether she’s encouraging us to do our best, stepping in to help solve a problem, or simply greeting everyone with a warm smile, she makes our school a better place every single day. Thank you, Mrs. Green, for your dedication, kindness, and the positive energy you bring to our community. We appreciate you more than words can say! 💙

Happy School Principals Day! Today we celebrate and thank our incredible principals for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to supporting students, staff, and school communities every day.

Let's recognize these principals in Gordon County Schools!

Ashworth Middle School - Danny Lowrance
Belwood Elementary - Matt Fox
Fairmount Elementary - Rebecca Champion
Gordon County College & Career Academy - Leah Newsom
Gordon Central High School - Dr. Amy Parker
Red Bud Elementary - Debra Brock
Red Bud Middle School - Chad Moore
Sonoraville Elementary - Kelly Rampy
Sonoraville High School - Amy Stewart
Tolbert Elementary - Dr. Rebecca Owen
W.L. Swain Elementary - Tara Green

#ExtraordinaryGCS

🎉⭐️🎸April ROCKSTAR ALERT! 🎸⭐️🎉 Our spotlight continues to shine on some of AMAZING Rockstars at WLS! 🌟 This month, teachers and staff nominated someone who shows true PRIDE—Polite, Responsible, Inclusive, Determined, and Engaged. For the month of April, our focus was on being Determined, and these Rockstars make sure they show this every day ✨ 👏 A HUGE congratulations to our PRIDE Winners: 🍎 Teacher Rockstar: Laura Hall 🦸 Staff Rockstar: Bethany Gibson These two incredible ladies were chosen for their dedication to students and staff and for always going above and beyond in everything they do. 💙 Let’s give them a big round of applause in the comments below! 👏 Way to go, Rockstars! 🎤⭐️ #ExtraordinaryWLS #SwainNation

Student At-Home Learning Day – Friday, May 1st Our Warriors will be learning from home this Friday! There will be no in-person school. Students should use this day to: • Catch up on assignments • Read for at least 20–30 minutes • Practice writing skills • Stay sharp and ready for testing Let’s keep that momentum going—even from home!

Today is Bus Driver Appreciation Day, and we are so thankful for the amazing drivers who take such great care of our students each and every day! From early mornings to afternoon drop-offs, our bus drivers do so much more than just drive—they greet students with a smile, keep them safe, and start and end their day on a positive note. Their patience, kindness, and dedication do not go unnoticed. A big THANK YOU to our wonderful WLS drivers: Paulette (WLS1), Kendra (WLS6), Jill (WLS7), Dana (WLS5), Aleatha (WLS3), Tony (WLS4), and Destiny (WLS2). We appreciate all that you do for our students and our school. 💙🚌 Swain is grateful for you! #SwainNation #ExtraordinaryWLS

🎉 Save the Date: Awards Days Are Coming! 🎉
May 19th–21st

We are excited to celebrate our amazing Warriors and all of their hard work this year! Mark your calendars for Awards Days:

📅 May 19
• 8:30 AM – Pre-K
• 10:00 AM – Kindergarten

📅 May 20
• 8:30 AM – 2nd Grade
• 10:30 AM – 3rd Grade
• 12:30 PM – 1st Grade

📅 May 21
• 8:30 AM – 5th Grade
  🎓 Warrior Walk begins at 8:25 AM
• 10:00 AM – 4th Grade

We can’t wait to celebrate our students and all they’ve accomplished this year! 💙

Testing Begins Tomorrow!

We’re ready to shine, Warriors! 🌟

ELA Section 1 kicks off tomorrow—let’s start strong!

Test-Taking Tips for Success:
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Eat a healthy breakfast (free at school!)
• Take your time and read each question carefully
• Use your strategies—highlight, eliminate wrong answers, and check your work
• Stay positive and do your very best—we believe in you!

What’s Ahead:
📘 ELA Section 1 – Tomorrow
📘 ELA Section 2 – Wednesday
📘 ELA Section 3 – Thursday

Let’s show what we know and make Swain proud! 💙

Testing Dates: April 28 – May 8 ✏️ ELA (Grades 3–5): 📅 April 28 (Tuesday) 📅 April 29 (Wednesday) 📅 April 30 (Thursday) 🏠 May 1 (Friday): At-Home Learning Day ➕ Math (Grades 3–5): 📅 May 4 (Monday) 📅 May 5 (Tuesday) 🔬 Science (Grade 5 Only): 📅 May 6 (Wednesday) 📝 Make-Ups: 📅 May 7–8 (Thursday & Friday) 💡 Helpful Reminders: • Get a good night’s sleep • Eat a healthy breakfast • Arrive on time • Encourage your child to do their very best!

Happy Administrative Assistant Day! 💙 Today we celebrate two very special members of our Swain family—Taylor Martin and Robin Bohannon! These ladies are truly the heart of our front office. From greeting everyone with a smile, answering countless phone calls, keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes, and helping students, staff, and families throughout the day—they do it all! Their kindness, patience, and dedication do not go unnoticed. They go above and beyond to support our school in so many ways, and we are incredibly thankful for everything they do each and every day. Be sure to show them some love today! #SwainNation

Yesterday, our 5th grade students proudly graduated from the C.H.A.M.P.S. program, a character education and safety initiative presented by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association. Throughout this program, students learned valuable lessons about making good choices, building strong character, resisting negative peer pressure, and becoming responsible citizens. We are so proud of our students for their hard work and commitment during this program. A special thank you to our local Sheriff’s Office, especially Officer Ochoa, for investing in our students and helping guide them toward a positive future. Congratulations to our C.H.A.M.P.S. graduates! Each year in the C.H.A.M.P.S. program, students complete both an essay and a poster to showcase what they have learned. From these, one winner is selected in each category. We are proud to recognize this year’s winners: Poster Winner: Jason Ramos Macal Essay Winner: Kylie Womack In addition, students are observed throughout the program for demonstrating what it truly means to be a C.H.A.M.P.S. student—Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety while showing growth and strong character. One student is selected as the C.H.A.M.P.S. Student of the Year based on these qualities. C.H.A.M.P.S. Student of the Year: Emmett Law We are so proud of these students and the example they set for others.

Swain Elementary School invites parents of students entering Kindergarten for the 2026–2027 school year to attend a parent meeting focused on helping your child successfully transition to Kindergarten. Join us to gain helpful ideas, tips, and resources to support your child’s readiness for this exciting milestone.

April 20, 2026
8:40 am - 9:10 am.
Please check in at the front office.

For more information contact Connie VanHouten
cvhouten@gcbe.org

We Value Your Feedback!

Thank you to everyone who has attended our face-to-face parent input with our Title I elementary and middle schools.

If you were not able to attend our recent in-person meetings, take advantage of this opportunity to provide input and suggestions on many important school documents for the 2026-2027 school year. This online feedback begins today and is open through April 15.

All Gordon County parents, families, school staff, students and community members, are invited to provide feedback on the following documents:

• School Improvement Plan
• School-Parent Compact
• Parent & Family Engagement Funds
• School Parent & Family Engagement Policy
• District Parent & Family Engagement Policy
• Consolidated LEA Improvement Plan

View the information and participate in the online survey here:
https://gordoncountyschoolsga.sites.thrillshare.com/page/parent-and-family-engagement-input

We Value Your Feedback!

Thank you to everyone who has attended our face-to-face parent input with our Title I elementary and middle schools.

If you were not able to attend our recent in-person meetings, take advantage of this opportunity to provide input and suggestions on many important school documents for the 2026-2027 school year. This online feedback begins today and is open through April 15.

All Gordon County parents, families, school staff, students and community members, are invited to provide feedback on the following documents:

• School Improvement Plan
• School-Parent Compact
• Parent & Family Engagement Funds
• School Parent & Family Engagement Policy
• District Parent & Family Engagement Policy
• Consolidated LEA Improvement Plan

View the information and participate in the online survey here:
https://gordoncountyschoolsga.sites.thrillshare.com/page/parent-and-family-engagement-input