Good morning,
This week’s Backpack Express is ready for your reading pleasure:
Oktoberfest Information: Oktoberfest is our PTO’s largest (and only) fundraiser for the year. It’s a fun, family and community event that takes a lot of work and volunteers to run. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated.
Save the Date! Octoberfest will take place October 18th 10AM-3PM at Sowams School
Subcommittee volunteers needed - click here to learn more about what's available or to sign up for a subcommittee
We still have a couple openings for subcommittee volunteers if anyone is interested. It's not too late!!
We are also in need of a volunteer from Kindergarten or 1st grade families to learn the ropes to be co-chair next year. Please email Sowamsoctoberfest@gmail.com if interested.
Event-day volunteer sign-up request, will come out closer to Octoberfest
Sponsors & Auction Donors needed - click here to learn more about sponsorship and auction donation opportunities
More Info to come…
Open House: Our annual Open House is coming up on September 17, 2025. This is an evening for parents/guardians to visit your child’s classroom and hear from their teacher about what happens each day at school. The times of the visit are as follows:
Kindergarten and Grade 1: 7:00-7:45
Grades 2 and 3: 6:00-6:45
First Grade Arts Alive/PTO Play: Each year, our PTO partners with Arts Alive, a local theater company, to bring drama to our school. We start the year with our first grade program in October with registration happening now. You may find out much more information about this first grade program here. Our second and third grades program will take place later in the school year.
PTO Meeting: Each month, our Sowams PTO has a meeting where all parents are invited to attend. The meetings typically take place on the first Monday of the month, except in September. The September meeting will take place on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 7:00 in the evening at Sowams School.
Volunteer Background Check: All volunteers need to have a background check on file with our district. These checks can be done at the Barrington police department or the Attorney General’s office. On Monday, our Volunteer Coordinator will be at Sowams from 9:00-10:00 for anyone who needs a background check completed. The cost is $5 and only checks are accepted. Other dates are available throughout the district (see here for additional dates).
Parking Lot: At morning drop off and dismissal, our parking lot is very busy. If you are in the parking lot, please do not walk down the center of it. This prohibits vehicles from moving forward. Please walk on the sides of the lots. If your are on bikes, it is probably easier to go around the back of the school rather than biking through the parking lot.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging: For each month, our district has a brief slide presentation on various holidays and special days in a given month. The September slideshow may be found here.
Barrington’s Special Education Advisory Committee: This is a parent group that meets throughout the year with monthly meetings. Here’s the agenda for its first meeting.
Community Notices: There are notices about the Girl Scouts, 3v3 basketball tournament, bike safety, and Barrington Youth Basketball Association.
Enjoy today’s sunshine!
Best,
Jim Callahan
Principal
Sowams School Mission: Everyone learns every day.
Sowams School Vision: Sowams School will engage students to be their best selves.