Good afternoon,
There is a lot of information for you to read about in today’s Backpack Express. Please make sure you read through the whole thing so you are aware of upcoming events and deadlines.
Town Meeting: We have a Town Meeting on Monday afternoon. Mrs. Rackliffe’s class is hosting it. Other classes will present during our Meeting. If your child’s class is presenting, your child’s teacher will let you know. If you are picking your child up after Town Meeting, they will be dismissed at the end of the day. If you do not normally pick your child up from school, you MUST send a note indicating you are doing this. If we do not receive a note, your child will go home their normal way. It is too busy for any last second changes.
Absent Student: When your child is going to be absent, please make sure you call the school. This needs to be done either daily or told to use in advance that your child will be out multiple days. If we do not hear from you, we will call you.
Sweetheart Dance: Don’t forget, our annual Sweetheart Dance is coming up on May 8, 2026, from 5:30-7:30. RSVP to the Sweetheart dance here and pay ahead here. Cost is $5 per student(s) and $5 per special adult ($10 total). Please note that payment will not be taken at the door - you must pay ahead. PayPal, Venmo, ApplePay, Credit and Debit cards are all available at that link. Signup to donate snacks and drinks.
3rd Grade Reception: It's hard to believe our 3rd graders are already leaving Sowams! (Weren't they just in Kindergarten?!) Please help make their Graduation Reception special by signing to help on the planning committee. Sign up here
Yearbook Pictures Needed: We want to capture as many Sowams moments as possible for our yearbook but have a couple holes! If you have a picture or two of: Octoberfest, Arts Alive (!st grade and 2nd/3rd grade), Town Meetings, Math Night, any Sowams Family Outing (sports games, apple picking, welcome picnic) The pictures must ONLY have Sowams students in them Please send them ASAP to sowamsyearbook@gmail.com
Yearbook Boosters: Want to congratulate your child on a successful year? Want to thank a special adult at Sowams? The boosters are the way to do it! More information can be found here. Boosters cost $15 per message and are on sale now through April 17th. This deadline was extended!
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week: The week of May 4, 2026, we will be celebrating Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week. The PTO has various ways scheduled to celebrate our wonderful faculty and staff. Your help is needed with this. Please see this information and this information on what will be happening that week and how you are able to celebrate our caring faculty and staff. We are also looking for volunteers to help cover recess and lunch on Wed May 6th so that faculty and staff can enjoy a lunch from Rhody Roots. Please sign up here.
Author Visit: Author Brian Lies will be visiting Sowams School on April 17, 2026. He will present to our students about his books. More information about his books and how to get a book signed may be found here.
Play Tickets: Some of our second and third graders have been hard at work rehearsing for our upcoming play performance. Tickets for the general public go on sale tomorrow for the two performances on May 2, 2026. Information to purchase tickets may be found here.
Third Grade Parents: Each year, the principal at Hampden Meadows School invites third grade parents to an orientation meeting where you will find out a lot of information about HMS. This meeting is taking place on May 5, 2026, at 6:00. Information about this event may be found here.
SurveyWorks Parents: Each year, the Rhode Island Department of Education asks various stakeholders in our school to take the SurveyWorks survey. Parents are asked to take about 15 minutes to complete this survey. The survey may be accessed here.
Nayatt 5K: The annual Nayatt 5K is coming up on April 11, 2026. You can find more information about this fun event, including registration information, here.
Hampden Meadows Tough Tiger: The always fun Tough Tiger is taking place on May 17, 2026, This is a fun, family event that takes place each year. More information about this, including how to sign up, may be found here.
Barrington High School Color Run: This family event is taking place on May 2, 2026. More information may be found here.
Community Notices: There is one community notice this week from Barrington AfterProm’s clothes donation fundraiser.
Best,
Jim Callahan
Principal
Sowams School Mission: Everyone learns every day.
Sowams School Vision: Sowams School will engage students to be their best selves.