Summit Scoop - Parent Edition

Summit Drive Families,

Please read through the newsletter to get the "scoop" on what's happening at SDE! You can also check our social media accounts for a snippet of some great things happening at Summit Drive. You can find the links to our social media accounts at the bottom of this newsletter.

Since December, we have seen an increase in students being tardy to school. Please remember that the school doors open at 7:00 am, with school starting promptly at 7:45 am. If your student wishes to eat school breakfast, please ensure they arrive by 7:30 am to eat and get to class on time.

School employees and safety patrols leave their duty at 7:45 am and close the main doors. Any student who arrives after the 7:45 am bell must be escorted into the office with a guardian. I appreciate your help with this.

Afternoon Walker Safety- Thank you for your continued support in ensuring a smooth and safe pick-up process for our students. I want to remind everyone that when picking up students, it is important to wait on the sidewalk, clear the street, and prevent crowding. These actions help our teachers quickly identify parents and their children. Additionally, please pay close attention to our crossing guard when crossing the road. To help with safety, we ask that students not run back and forth between the school and the church. Once they cross the street, they must remain on the other side.

Keep Shining,

Jennifer Woody

Principal

Get ready—the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to connect with your child over the thrill of bringing home new books to dive into again and again. Studies show that kids read more when they choose books for themselves. A love of independent reading boosts academic success. Need one more reason to visit the Book Fair? Every purchase at the Fair benefits our library!

Here’s everything you need to know:

What: Scholastic Book Fair

When: 2/10 – 2/14

Where: Library

Family Event schedule: Monday, February 10th 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

There’s even more info on our school’s Book Fair homepage.

Due to a regulation change, students will need a signed permission form to visit the Book Fair. Every student will receive a permission form the week of February 3rd. There is a link to the permission form and a list of all books Scholastic could POSSIBLY send to any book fair in Greenville County Schools on the library website. This does not mean that every book will be available in our school's Fair.

Many of us still remember the rush of finding the perfect book at a Scholastic Book Fair. I hope you’ll join your child at our school’s Fair and share a reading experience they’ll remember forever.

We can’t do it without you! Please help us by volunteering to keep Book Fair running smoothly. Volunteer Signup

Mrs. Dixon and Leanne Ramirez, the district Hispanic social worker, will conduct a series of workshops for Hispanic parents about testing, homework, attendance/tardies, academic support, etc., every Friday in February at Summit Drive. Please see the attached flyer below.

Our Counseling Department is doing a book club for parents!

Parenting is HARD.

Navigating the frustration, disappointments, and pressures of raising a child in today’s society can be daunting. Join Jenni Dixon, SDE school counselor, in a book study on “The Gift of Failure” by Jessica Lahey.

When: One meeting a month for 45 minutes.

January 23rd - 12:00 noon- VIRTUAL

Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/bru-fqtj-mwa

March- Virtual

April- Virtual

Who: Everyone is welcome! Reading the book will allow you more insight, but everyone is welcome for the discussion.

If you are interested email Mrs. Dixon: jkdixon@greenville.k12.sc.us. She will email everyone times and information for exact dates and times.

Please click the link below to view the January 2025 PTA Newsletter! The current newsletter includes information about the upcoming events, our next spirit night, and more!

We are thrilled to be one month away from our Bingo Night! If you are interested in volunteering or donating towards the event, you can find all the details on this Sign-Up Genius. All donations should be dropped off at Summit Drive Elementary and labeled "Your Name + Bingo Night." If you would like to contact a business for donations, here is a spreadsheet (comment only) with businesses we are either speaking with or would like to connect with! Leave a comment on the spreadsheet if there is one you are interested in, and email Adrienne Burris (adrienne.k.burris@gmail.com) for follow-up before reaching out. This way we avoid multiple people asking the same place twice! Thanks so much for your support.

Second, we are looking for 3-4 volunteers to help with the remaining staff appreciation events (January, February, March and April) and with the Staff Appreciation Week in early May of this year. Please email Emily Goforth (emilyprice84@gmail.com) or Kelly Gregory (kellycoopergregory@gmail.com). The monthly events involve a small amount of planning and shopping and setting up a treat for the staff. There are several events planned for Staff Appreciation Week and we have kept detailed planning documents!

Thank you!!!

Please reach out to Mrs. Woody or our SIC Chair, Alexis Moore for information. Below are the scheduled meeting dates for the year.

Thursday, Feb. 13 at 3:00

Thursday, March 13 at 3:00

Thursday, April 10 at 3:00

Thursday, May 8 at 3:00

Thank you!

In order to interact with students without a GCS employee present, volunteers must have a Level II clearance. Chaperones for field trips are required to be a Level II volunteer, regardless of the destination. To become a Level II volunteer, please complete the GCS application, linked here.

Approved Volunteer 2 status is good for three years.Each volunteer will receive an email from the Raptor system, 45 days prior to expiration, reminding them that their profile will expire on a certain date and that they can reapply within 30 days of their expiration date.

Greenville County Schools is undergoing a Shared Ownership Strategic Review Process, a review of special education services for students with disabilities. Among the first steps in the process is gathering input from GCS families through a survey. Every parent or guardian of a GCS student with an IEP is invited to take the Shared Ownership Survey. Please complete the survey by January 31st. To take the survey or learn more about the entire review process, visit the district’s website.

Las Escuelas del Condado de Greenville están pasando por un Proceso de Revisión Estratégica de Responsabilidad Compartida, una revisión de los servicios de educación especial para estudiantes con discapacidades. Uno de los primeros pasos del proceso es recopilar retroalimentación de las familias de GCS a través de una encuesta. Todos los padres o tutores de un estudiante de GCS con un IEP están invitados a realizar la Encuesta de responsabilidad compartida. Complete la encuesta antes del 31 de enero. Para realizar la encuesta u obtener más información sobre todo el proceso de revisión, visite el sitio web del distrito.

District Update for Epic

Due to the new state Regulation around Instructional Materials and our inability to control the content in the Epic system, Epic will not be available to students after 12/31/24.

Cell Phone Policy:

Due to a legislative action by the South Carolina General Assembly, the South Carolina State Board of Education passed a new cell phone policy for school districts across the state, which goes into effect after Winter Break. School districts must adopt this policy pertaining to personal electronic devices. At their December meeting, the Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees approved an updated policy to comply with the state requirement.

While Greenville County Schools had updated our policy last year and this is not significantly different, we want to make sure you are aware of the most notable updates in order to comply with the state, which includes that student cell phones and personal electronic devices must be stored in backpacks, lockers, or in a location directed by school; this includes smartwatches, earbuds, and all other personal electronic devices and accessories. Details about the updated policy can be reviewed on the district’s website.

February

6- General PTA Meeting, 12:00

7- Spring Pictures

10-14- Book Fair

17- Presidents Day, No School

21- Bingo Night at League Academy, 5:00-7:30

March

6- General PTA Meeting, 12:00

14- Teacher Work Day, No School

17-21- Spring Break, No School

26- Spirit Night at Roller Sports, 6:00-7:00

27- 3rd Quarter Report Card Go Home

April

3- General PTA Meeting, 12:00

15- Reading AllStars Event at Flour Field, 5:30

18- Student/Teacher Holiday, No School

24- Family Design Night at SDE, 5:30-6:30

May

1- General PTA Meeting, 12:00

16- 5th Grade Day

22- Student Half Day, Dismiss at 11:45, No EDP

23- Last Day of School, Student Half Day, Dismiss at 11:45, No EDP

Mission

We are a community of leaders who work hard to stretch our minds, inspire others, and learn new things through perseverance.

Vision

We believe leadership is the foundation for our students and staff at Summit Drive Elementary. Once students exhibit these behaviors or dispositions, they have the ability to utilize their processing skills into Design Thinking. Students then develop a growth of entrepreneurial mindset. All of these skills and behaviors are woven into the South Carolina Academic Standards.

Email: jwoody@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: https://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/sumdrive/
Location: 424 Summit Drive, Greenville, SC, USA
Phone: 1-864-355-8800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDEGVL
Instagram: Summit Drive Elementary School (@summitdrive_elementary) •

Twitter: @summitdrivees