The CPES BobChat

The Program Option application window is open from now through January 31. Current Cherry Park families need to remember to complete your Letter of Intent by January 22. One link is for K-4th Grade Students and one is for 5th Grade Students (See links below.) Starting tomorrow, we will have a series of Prospective Parent Information Sessions. For the next two newsletters, I will answer some of the most commonly asked questions of prospective families. (They may be questions you still have, too.) I hope you will share this information with those who are considering Cherry Park. 1. How should I decide which school is best for my child? I encourage parents to think first and foremost about their values for their child's education. Each and every school in our area can be the right answer for a family. The best choice depends on what is most important for them. Looking at the different options helps parents understand the values of each school. (We use this same process when we help our child choose a college or decide what church to attend or what volunteer group to join.) At Cherry Park, we focus on three "ABC's" for children: Academic Achievement, Bilingualism and Biliteracy, and Cross Cultural Competence. We think we are pretty successful in those areas (while we also recognize there is room for improvement.) If those three goals are most important for a family, then CPES is a great choice. 2. What kind of child is a good fit for a language immersion school? Any. Every. All. All over the world, kids are learning a second language. Learning French or Spanish is like learning writing or math or science or art or music. Everyone can learn a second language. Just like learning any new skill, it is easier for some and harder for others, but all children can learn it. We would never keep a child from PE just because he is not athletic. We would never tell a child she can't learn math because it is hard. We believe learning another language is a natural part of a child's growth and development. We have kids at CPES with all kinds of learning challenges just like in any other school across the globe. We are so proud of our children and families who work with us to overcome those obstacles and continue learning French and Spanish, too. 3. Is there any child that you would not recommend to be in immersion? Research says that any child with an auditory language processing disorder would have difficulty in learning a second language. This kind of student hears language and his brain mixes it up before he can express an appropriate output. If a child is having difficulty processing her native language then processing a second language would be even harder. This would be far less than 1% of the student population. 4. Do multi-lingual learners/English as a second language learners benefit from immersion? Absolutely. These students maintain their first language (French or Spanish) while adding their second (English.) These children are accelerated in their native language acquisition while developing their new language. Native speakers help our English kids learn French and Spanish better and faster as well. They give us a natural and authentic reason for speaking a second language. (Please note that research supports a French or Spanish speaking student learning a third language. We've had success with some native Spanish kids learning French and English at the same time.)

We want all families to be well informed about our school and program. Thank you for always asking good questions and helping others understand what we do and why we do it. You are our best advocates and we appreciate you sharing with new families the amazing opportunities at Cherry Park.

Strength and Blessings,

Mr. Maness

P.S. Dates for Prospective Parent Information Sessions are below:

January 13--12:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session;

January 13--6:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session

January 21--6:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session

(Note that we are looking for a makeup day for last Friday's Session.)

1. Notes and Reminders--a. Be sure your contact information is up to date. If you are not receiving emails, texts and calls from CPES or RHSD, please contact Mrs. Miskelly to check your information in PowerSchool. There will be important information coming in the spring to your emails. You can reach her at the following email address: mailto:jmiskelly@rhmail.org b. Class Pictures--Will be retaken this Wednesday, January 15. c. Absence Notes and Documentation--Please send notes and documentation for absences to Mrs. Miskelly at the following email address: mailto:CPAbsenceDocumentation@rhmail.org

2. Girls on the Run Coaches--Currently, we have a need for coaches to support our 3rd-5th grade girls who sign up to participate. We have a couple of coaches who could do one day but not a second day. Please click on the S25 Coach Recruitment Flyer below for more information. You can also contact mailto:jennifer.thorsell@girlsontherun.org (803-620-3036).

3. CPES Families with Rising Kindergarten Students--Please do not forget that you will need to complete a Program Options application between January 6 and January 31. Siblings of current CPES students receive priority for admittance but our district must know that your child is coming. Please be sure to complete the application at the Program Options link above.

4. Vision Screenings--The Lions Club of Tega Cay will come 1/28-1/29 to help Nurse Love do vision screenings for our students. Nurse Love will follow up with any families as needed. See Lions Club Screening letter below and please let Nurse Love know if you would like for your child to opt out.

5. Yearbooks--Families may now order a yearbook. All sales are online only and to guarantee your child receives a yearbook, all orders must be placed by March 30, 2025. The early bird discount is available and then prices will increase on January 1st. All yearbook orders are online only and there will be no additional orders after March 30, 2025. Please see the flyer below. Click on the following link to order: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/index.cfm/job/24915 (Use order #24915 if you are asked for it.)

January 13--12:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session; 6:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session; 5:30 School Improvement Council Meeting; 6:30 PTO Meeting

January 15--Class Pictures Retaken

January 20-- Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday (No School)

January 21--6:00 PM Prospective Parent Information Session

January 22--K-4th Grade Letter of Intent Due; 5th Grade Letter of Intent Due (See links above)

January 31--Early Dismissal Day (Students are dismissed at 11:15); Program Options Application Window Closes

February 14--Valentine's Day; Teacher Professional Development Day (No School)

February 17--E-Learning Makeup Day

School Improvement Council--This group seeks to determine how Cherry Park Elementary can be the best school it can be. It is a sounding board and feedback group for the school and district. Members are elected for two year terms. Members of this year's Council include Chelsea Eichorn, Jennifer Hutchinson, Matthew Query, Bernice Huskins, Heather Kagey, and Emily Parrish. Ex-Officio Members are Mr. Maness (Principal) and Mrs. Futrelle (Assistant Principal). Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. All parents are invited to attend.

Parent Teacher Organization--This group has three main goals: Raising funds for the school, appreciating the staff and securing volunteers as needed. The Cherry Park PTO is a 501c3 tax deductible organization. Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM (right after the SIC meetings.) All parents are invited to attend. All financial records are distributed and updated at each month's meeting. Officers this year are Amanda Winters (President), Emmanuel Daniel (Vice-President), Celia Kerr (Secretary) and Shannon Martin/Caroline Stubbs (Co-Treasurers). We appreciate all of our sponsors (above) who contributed to our Bobcat Dash this year.

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