W. L. Swain Elementary School

Gordon County Schools is excited to welcome students, families, and staff back for the first day of school on Friday, August 8, 2025! As we gear up for another year of learning and growth, we encourage everyone to check out our Back-to-School Guide. This helpful resource includes important information about enrollment, school supply lists, transportation, the academic calendar, and much more. You can view the guide by visiting https://www.gcbe.org/page/school-guide. If your child will need bus transportation this fall and is either new to the district, has recently moved, or is enrolling in Pre-K, please take a moment to complete our transportation survey. This will help our Transportation Department prepare more efficiently for the 2025–2027 school years. Pre-K families can complete their survey at https://forms.office.com/r/DccfhtLVci, and K-12 families can complete theirs at https://forms.office.com/r/EK89UGR4MH. We also value the voices of our families and invite you to share your thoughts on how we can continue to improve and uphold excellence in our schools. Please take a few minutes to complete our family feedback survey at https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/277370/p3228. We look forward to a fantastic school year ahead and can’t wait to see our students back in the classroom on August 8!

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH/SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS

By participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and eliminating the need for meal applications, Gordon County Schools will reduce administrative and printing costs. Families also benefit from the elimination of completing and submitting meal applications.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Gordon County Schools offers healthy meals every school day at no charge to your child(ren). Our food service receives support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

The following schools will be participating in this alternative provision and provide meals at no charge to children during School Year 2025-2026:

All Gordon County Schools: Ashworth Middle, Belwood Elementary, Fairmount Elementary, Gordon Central High, Red Bud Elementary, Red Bud Middle, Sonoraville Elementary, Sonoraville High, Tolbert Elementary and WL Swain Elementary
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Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly.

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Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

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Join us in welcoming Alayna Bobo, Kami Gwin, and Sheridyn Kretzschmar to W.L. Swain Elementary. We are excited to have them join our school community and look forward to a wonderful year together. Welcome to WLS! #ExtraordinaryGCS #ExtraordinaryWLS

💙 Welcome to W.L. Swain, Keshia Daniel! 💙 We are excited to welcome Keisha to our WLS family as our new custodian! Though new to Swain, Keisha is no stranger to our district—August 1st will mark her 4th year with Gordon County Schools! Keshia enjoys spending time outdoors, especially fishing, as well as talking with her two granddaughters and family, reading her Bible, and spending time in prayer. She also loves attending worship services at House 132, and stays active by going to the gym and running. Help us give Keshia a warm Swain welcome—we’re so glad she’s here!

🌟 Welcome to W.L. Swain, Sheridyn Kretzschmar! 🌟 We are thrilled to welcome Sheridyn Kretzschmar to our WLS family! This year, she will be joining our team as a kindergarten teacher. Sheridyn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies from Western Governors University and is currently working toward her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the same school. She brings five years of experience teaching Pre-K and is beyond excited to make the move into kindergarten here at Swain! Originally from Texas, Sheridyn moved to the area about four years ago. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, being outdoors, crafting, reading, and listening to podcasts. Help us give Ms. Kretzschmar a big Swain welcome—we are so excited she’s apart of WLS family! 💙

🌟New Grade, Same Swain Heart! 🌟 We’re excited to share that Mrs. Kim Crider is moving into a new role here at W.L. Swain—she’ll be teaching 2nd grade this year! Mrs. Crider is a familiar face on campus, with 8 years of teaching experience, all right here at Swain! She’s spent 7 of those years in kindergarten and 1 year in 5th grade, and she’s now ready to bring her passion and energy to our 2nd grade team. She graduated from Dawson County High School, earned her bachelor’s degree from Shorter University, and completed her master’s degree at Columbus State University. Mrs. Crider lives in Ranger with her husband, Joseph, and their daughter, Emersyn. She enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and worshipping Jesus with her family. We are so excited for this new chapter and know she will make a big impact on her students in 2nd grade!

🎉 Exciting News at W.L. Swain! 🎉 We’re thrilled to announce that Mrs. Tiffany Mears is making a big move—right into 3rd grade! After 10 years of teaching (mostly in 1st grade), Mrs. Mears is stepping into her new role as our 3rd grade Math teacher, and we couldn’t be more excited for her and her future students! Mrs. Mears holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with Reading and ESOL endorsements from The Baptist University of Florida. Before joining Swain, she also taught 3rd grade in Florida. Mrs. Mears has called Calhoun home since 2016, and she absolutely loves being part of this community! She and her husband have two children—Maizie (7) and Jack (4). Maizie will be starting second grade this year, and Jack is excited to begin Pre-K. As a family, they enjoy spending time together fishing, camping, watching movies, and making memories outdoors. We know Mrs. Mears will bring energy, experience, and a love for learning to her new classroom.💙

🌟 Welcome to W.L. Swain, Ryann Bobo! 🌟 We are so excited to welcome Ryann Bobo to our WLS family! Ryann will be teaching 3rd grade writing this school year. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Dalton State College and her Master’s degree in Reading and Literacy from Walden University. Ryann brings 6 years of experience teaching 2nd grade in Walker County and is thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter in 3rd grade at Swain! Outside the classroom, Ryann enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, crafting, camping, and exploring the outdoors. She recently got engaged, which brought her to our area, and she couldn’t be more excited to start this new adventure both personally and professionally! Help us give Ms. Bobo a big Swain welcome—we’re lucky to have her! 💙

Don't forget that you can check out the Gordon County Schools supply list for all 10 schools in one convenient location! Be sure to visit the GCS website for this and all your back-to-school information.

Supplies List: https://www.gcbe.org/page/supplies
Back-to-School Guide: https://www.gcbe.org/page/school-guide

🌟 Welcome to W.L. Swain, Kami Gwin! 🌟 We are so excited to welcome Kami Gwin to our WLS family! Kami will be teaching 1st grade this school year. Originally from Adairsville, GA, Kami recently graduated from Dalton State College in December with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. This will be her first official year of teaching, and she is beyond excited to meet her sweet 1st graders! When she’s not in the classroom, Kami enjoys playing pickleball, collecting rock n’ roll memorabilia, and drinking lots of coffee Join us in giving Ms. Gwin a warm WLS welcome—we know she’s going to be a wonderful addition to our WLS family! 💙

📣 Back-to-School Reminder!

Everyone at Gordon County Schools is excited to welcome families back to our campuses for Open House and Orientation events as we prepare for a great new school year! Mark your calendars:

✅ Pre-K Orientation
📅 Tuesday, August 5
🕣 8:30 AM
📍 At all six elementary schools

✅ Elementary School Open House
📅 Tuesday, August 5
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

✅ Middle School Open House
📅 Wednesday, August 6
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

✅ High School Freshman & New Student Orientation
📅 Thursday, August 7
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

We look forward to seeing our students and families as we launch another year of learning, growth, and opportunity!

Gordon County Schools utilizes My Ride K-12, a parent communication app, for transportation operations and parent information. My Ride K-12 is integrated with our transportation software for families to access estimated times of arrival or departure for buses. My Ride K-12 is designed so you can access your student’s bus schedules efficiently. GPS technology on the bus works with the district’s software to automatically calculate the timing of a bus route to give you the most accurate ETAs with real-time updates and route changes. My Ride K-12 is available for you to download on your Apple or Android mobile device. Our flyer provides step-by-step registration instructions, and you can access the app to download in a variety of ways. Scan the QR code on the flyer, follow the hyperlinks below, or search your app store for “My Ride K-12” to download and register your family on the app. App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-ride-k-12/id6443848115 Google Play: https://tinyurl.com/myridek-12

📣 Back-to-School Reminder!

Gordon County Schools are excited to welcome families back to our campuses for Open House and Orientation events as we prepare for a great new school year! Mark your calendars:

✅ Pre-K Orientation
📅 Tuesday, August 5
🕣 8:30 AM
📍 At all six elementary schools

✅ Elementary School Open House
📅 Tuesday, August 5
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

✅ Middle School Open House
📅 Wednesday, August 6
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

✅ High School Freshman & New Student Orientation
📅 Thursday, August 7
🕓 4:00–6:00 PM

We look forward to seeing our students and families as we launch another year of learning, growth, and opportunity!

Summer enrollment is open for Gordon County Schools now through July 17th. If you plan to enroll your child at Ashworth Middle, Belwood Elementary, Gordon Central High, Swain Elementary, or Tolbert Elementary, please visit the front office at Gordon Central High School to enroll (335 Warrior Path, Calhoun, GA 30701). If you plan to enroll your child at Fairmount Elementary, Red Bud Elementary, Red Bud Middle, Sonoraville Elementary, or Sonoraville High, please visit the front office at Sonoraville High School to enroll (7340 Fairmount Hwy SE, Calhoun, GA 30701). Office hours for enrollment are Monday through Thursday, Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration times are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 30th through July 2nd. Registration is closed July 3rd and 4th. After July 17th, families will need to submit paperwork at the school where they would like to enroll their child. Visit https://www.gcbe.org/page/student-enrollment to access, print, and fill out the registration packet in its entirety prior to arriving. Packets are available at registration locations if you are unable to pre-register.

🎒📚 It’s almost time! The first day of school for the 2025–2026 school year is Friday, August 8, 2025 — and we are so excited to welcome our students back! 💙🐾 Let’s get ready for a fantastic year of learning, growing, and making memories together! 📲 For more Back to School details, visit: www.gcbe.org/page/school-guide

Summer enrollment is open for Gordon County Schools now through July 17th. If you plan to enroll your child at Ashworth Middle, Belwood Elementary, Gordon Central High, Swain Elementary, or Tolbert Elementary, please visit the front office at Gordon Central High School to enroll (335 Warrior Path, Calhoun, GA 30701). If you plan to enroll your child at Fairmount Elementary, Red Bud Elementary, Red Bud Middle, Sonoraville Elementary, or Sonoraville High, please visit the front office at Sonoraville High School to enroll (7340 Fairmount Hwy SE, Calhoun, GA 30701). Office hours for enrollment are Monday through Thursday, Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration times are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 30th through July 2nd. Registration is closed July 3rd and 4th. After July 17th, families will need to submit paperwork at the school where they would like to enroll their child. Visit https://www.gcbe.org/page/student-enrollment to access, print, and fill out the registration packet in its entirety prior to arriving. Packets are available at registration locations if you are unable to pre-register.

🎉 Our 2025–2026 School Year is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome our students and families back! Join us on August 5, 2025 for Open House as we get ready for a fantastic new year together. 🏫✨ Pre-K—8:30am Kindergarten-5th Grade—4:00-6:00pm 📲 For more Back to School details, visit: www.gcbe.org/page/school-guide We look forward to seeing you on August 5th! Let’s make it a great year at Swain! 💙

📚✏️ The start of the 2025–2026 school year is just around the corner! As we prepare to welcome our students back, it’s time to start gathering the supplies they’ll need for a successful year. Below is the list of requested school supplies by grade level. Thank you for helping us set our students up for a great year of learning and growth! 💙🍎 https://drive.google.com/file/d/105pTJD26ar3TylUwPbQRzIP9ohIBHWBT/view?usp=drivesdk