Reaching New Heights

What a packed month we have! This is always a fun time for us at Congaree. April is Autism Awareness Month. We are also so excited that we will be having our Unified Champions Week and Special Olympics this month. Please be on the lookout for more information and help to support our students if you are able. We will also have a spring production of Beauty and the Beast performed by our students and look forward to this happening on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 1:00 pm. Everyone is invited. All visitors must sign in through the main office.

Don't forget to take the parent climate survey. This is due by April 14, 2023. More information is in the newsletter. Please contact us if you have any questions.

In April we will take our Spring/End of Year Star tests in Reading and Math for all grade levels. The test measures how much students have grown from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. They also provide us with another measurement of how students are performing on grade level work and give teachers valuable information on what areas students are strong in and need help with Reading and Math. They make adjustments to their teaching based on the Star information. We ask that you talk with your students each and every day about doing their absolute best in school. We also ask that you make sure that students are here at school on time, all day, every day. We have no time to waste with our learning as we prepare for the state end of the year tests SC Ready and SC PASS for 3rd through 5th Graders.

Lex 2.5, one of our after school support programs, will be ending the first week of April. As we will be checking for how our students have performed on Star, we will be soon sending home invitations for our Summer Enrichment Program. Not all students will be invited as space is limited. One of the purposes of our program is to maintain the momentum for learning and to reduce summer learning loss. Please be on the lookout for more information.

Finally, Friday, April 7, begins our official first day of Spring Break for students. We ask that you spend the week doing what makes you happy! Enjoy family, relax, rest, reflect, and recharge to finish the school year strong! Be safe in all that you do and thank you for choosing Congaree Elementary School for your child, by "Reaching New Heights" together."

Christopher K. Dickey

School Climate Surveys are due by April 14th. Parents will need to complete their survey through their parent portal account. Use this link for further instructions: Parent Survey

We are looking for 12 volunteers to present at Career Day.

Date: Friday, April 28, 2023

Time: 8:00 - 11:00 am

Please contact Mrs. Stephens if you are interested.

Strategies for a Healthy Spring:

- School-age children need 9–12 hours of sleep a night.

- School age children need at least 5-6 cups of water a day.

- School age children need the following from the 5 major food groups:

Dairy Products: 3-4 servings

Fruits: 2-4 servings of fresh fruits

Vegetables: 3-5 servings

Meat: 2-3 servings

Grains: 6-11 servings

- School age children need to be active for 60 minutes every day. Dress children in loose, dry, lightweight, light-colored, cotton clothing. Children should wear a hat and sunglasses with UV protection to protect the eyes. Use waterproof sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

- School age children should brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.