Reaching New Heights

Can you believe we are now approaching the end of the school year after almost ten months of learning? Last month we completed our Spring/End of Year Star benchmark testing in Reading and Math. We have seen a lot of growth in our students from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year. Please look for a parent letter from your child's teacher that explains how they performed on Star testing.

We are moving into full testing mode in May and our students will be taking the SC Ready and SC PASS end of year tests in Reading, Math and Science. These are state tests and measure how well students are performing with grade level school work. SC Ready and SC PASS testing will happen over a period of three weeks with different grade levels testing on certain days. We are going to need your help with reminding students why they are here in school...to learn. We need their best behavior each day. We also need your help with making sure that our students get good sleep each night and come to school each day, all day, and on time so that they can do their best on the tests. Keep their well being in your thoughts daily. Though the year is coming to an end, our teachers will teach until the last day. Attendance will be marked everyday and one of our goals is to try to accelerate learning for the next school year.

Two years ago Congaree began a Summer Enrichment Camp to address Covid learning loss and to support students with intense instruction in Math and Reading for one month. We will do this again during the month of June 2023 for three days a week from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm. Transportation, breakfast and lunch will be provided. We would love for all of our students to participate, but space is limited in the Summer Enrichment Camp. This program is by invitation only and totally free for participants.

Don't forget to purchase your yearbook before they are all gone. The cost is $20 and when they are sold out, there will be no reprints. Also, we ask that you come to the school to check the shirts, jackets and winter coats that have been in our lost and found closet. We will be donating all of the unclaimed items to charity before the end of the school year.

We will have our final School Improvement Council/Title I Open Meeting on May 17, 2023 at 5:00 pm. As always, all parents are welcome to attend. The topics will be: How Title I funds support Congaree Elementary School as well as Parent Engagement. Please contact the main office if you have any questions.

Finally, we thank you for all that you do and for choosing us for your child's school. We have talented students and staff that demonstrate daily their expertise in each of the following categories: Instruction, Systems, Culture, and Leadership and are excited about how Congaree is changing for the better. We are excited about the progress that we are making. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns and once again thank you for supporting Congaree as we continue "Reaching New Heights!"

Respectfully,

Mr. Dickey

Testing is right around the corner and so is the chance for your child to win a prize just for being at school! On the day of testing, all you have to do is make sure your child is at school, on time. After testing each day, Mrs. Sightler will draw a name from each class for a student to pick out a prize! We look forward to seeing who wins the prizes.

Please consider donating cases of bottled water and popsicles for field day. Donations can be dropped off in the front office any time during the school day.

If your student has medication in the Health Room, it will need to be picked up before dismissal on the last day of school, Thursday, June 1 at 12:30. A parent/guardian must pick up the medication. For safety reasons, medications are not sent home with students nor is medication stored at school over the summer. Medication not picked up by dismissal on June 1st will be destroyed. Permission for medication forms must be renewed every school year; please stop by the Health Room to get a new form for next school year.

Students in 4th and 5th grade have been learning digital and Internet safety. Important strategies were discussed like NOT sharing personal and private information online, never meeting someone in person without your parents, and talking to parents about online friends. We were fortunate to host Ms. Kenyetta Mitchell as our guest presenter from the SC Internet Safety Task Force, Office of the Attorney General.

Did you know that when using the SnapChat app, others can see your child's location if the privacy setting is public? Check out these other tips for parents and kids here:

Parent's Guide to Internet Safety

Kid's Guide to Internet Safety

Follow these steps to make sure your child is ready for school:

1. Schedule your child’s well visit/physical early before school starts. Spring or summer break is a great time to get this done so you won’t run into any delays once school begins.

2. Ask your child’s healthcare provider what vaccines they recommend. Some vaccines are not required for school attendance but are highly recommended by physicians for all students. When every student receives an annual flu vaccine it protects schools from flu outbreaks Adolescents also need the HPV vaccine to protect against cancers. Vaccines are also needed to protect against meningitis.

3. Obtain a new South Carolina Certificate of Immunization every time your child has a shot.

4. Give a copy of the new South Carolina Certificate of Immunization to your child’s school.

Immunization Changes for the 2023-2024 School Year:

- 8th grade: one (1) dose of Tdap vaccine on or after the 10th birthday.

- 9th grade: two (2) doses of varicella. A child with a positive history of the disease is considered immune and is exempt from this requirement.

- 11th grade: three (3) doses of oral and/or inactivated polio vaccine with at least one (1) dose received on or after the fourth birthday.

- 3rd grade: two (2) doses of hepatitis A vaccine with both doses received on or after the first birthday and separated by at least 6 months.

Please check with your child’s health care provider to make sure that his/her Immunizations are up to date. If your child is in need of an Immunization, you may qualify to receive Immunizations at a reduced rate through SCDHEC. Call 1-855-472-3432 need to make an appointment or schedule online using Web Chat.

As part of our mobile registration for next year, students in grades 2-12 will have the opportunity to receive vaccines needed to meet requirements for school attendance. If your child is not up to date on immunizations, this is a great opportunity to receive them. A valid SC Certificate of Immunization must be on file in order for your child to start school. If you are unsure if your child has met the requirements for school or have any questions, please contact the school nurse.

May 17

Oakwood Village, 101 Dubbs Ave. West Columbia, SC 29169, 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

June 5

Wood Elementary, 737 Pine Ridge Dr. West Columbia, SC 29172, 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm,

June 6
Busbee Creative Arts Academy, 501 Bulldog Blvd. Cayce, SC 29033, 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

June 7
Rolling Meadows, 3941 Charleston Hwy. West Columbia, SC 29170, 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Ms. Broyles hosted a special pizza and award celebration for students who participated on the news team for the 22-23 school year. A huge shoutout to the following students who served this year: Nathan Santamaria, Cierra Dykuizen, Raven Pinder, Kaleb Jeffcoat, Joseph Morgan, Faye Gwaltney, Addison Moore, Damian Roberts, Autumn Guess, Mason Guertin, Josiah Mayfield, Cadence Berry, Camden Boatwright, and Andrea Rojas Chavira.

If your child is missing a jacket, lunchbox, etc. please come by the school or have them check the Baggage Claim area. Items that are not claimed by June 1st will be donated to Goodwill.

El registro móvil con intérpretes estará disponible el 24 de mayo en el vestíbulo de Wood Elementary de 12:00-7:30 PM.