Swanson hosts Ready, Set, Grow event

PALMER — Swanson Elementary School recently hosted an event called Ready, Set, Grow to promote positive relationships between staff, students and families.

“By and large, it went very well," Swanson Elementary School Principal Joshua Rockey said.

Ready, Set. Grow featured numerous activity booths with teachers and staff members interacting with visiting families. The event was an opportunity for students to meet their teachers for the upcoming school year. Rockey said this is particularly helpful for the first time students.

“The younger the student, the more it helps…It probably feels like a whole new world for them," Rockey said.

The Ready, Set, Grow event was also an opportunity to unveil a major project involving the whole school, a “living” art mural called the Positive Behavior Mural Project.

Swanson is working with “Tundra Comic” creator Chad Carpenter on the mural project. Carpenter is painting four murals featuring SKIP the squirrel (Swanson's school mascot) in Alaskan settings. Two of the four murals are completed and the final two are expected to be ready soon.

Aside from representing the Swanson Squirrels, SKIP is an acronym for Safe, Kind, Involved, and Positive. According to Rockey, all students and most staff members have written or drawn on a small craft card what it means for them to be like Skip or what it means to be a part of Swanson. He said they will attach cards to the murals before the end of the school year and they will be displayed throughout the school over the summer.

Rockey explained that over the years, the second grade students will take their cards down and keep them while incoming Kindergarten students will make their own cards as they join the school.

“The idea is that we can continue this… The mural will be living and will always adjust to the kids that are in the building,” Rockey said.

Carpenter attended the Ready, Set, Grow event to sign autographs for visiting families. He said that he's enjoyed working with Swanson on the mural project.

“It was a lot of fun to something on a much larger scale than a comic strip,” Carpenter said. “I think it's a great way to get all the kids involved in feeling like they're a part of it.”

Tyler and Amber Lapka brought their sons Thomas and Henry to the event. Tyler said it’s a fun event to attend as a family.

“It's great,” Tyler said.

Amber said this event helps make the transition easier for younger students like Henry who are entering grade school for the first time.

“I think it helps get the kids comfortable coming to the school,” Amber said.

Amber said they appreciate Swanson's positive and welcoming atmosphere.

“We really like the teachers. They're really supportive with families. It feels like home when they come and say ‘hey,’” Amber said.

For more information, visit matsuk12.us/swe.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com