School Information:

251 Claridy Road, Conway, SC 29526

Office (843-347-4684) Fax (843-234-6004)

Leslie Huggins, Principal (lhuggins001@horrycountyschools.net)

Doreen Wheat, Assistant Principal (dwheat@horrycountyschools.net)

Tasha Livingston, Assistant Principal (tlivingston001@horrycountyschools.net)

Hours of Operation

School Hours 7:30 am—2:30 PM

Building opens at 7:00 AM

School begins at 7:30 AM; Tardy Bell rings at 7:35 AM

Morning car rider line opens at 7:00 AM

The front Office closes at 4:00pm every day.

Congratulations to Mrs. Kate Horsley, WES Media Specialist, who was selected as our 2024-25 TEACHER of the YEAR! Way to LEAD, Mrs. Horsley! Thank you for your dedication to our wildcat family every single day.

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year!

We look forward to a great school year 🐾The Waccamaw Way🐾.

Please LIKE and FOLLOW us on our Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/WaccamawElementary.

You'll find lots of valuable information, pictures and videos of fun happenings at WES and many other important things located here.

PTO Gobble Gram sales begin Friday, Nov. 1. Check out the flyer below for all the details.

Feathers are $1 each and can be purchased for any wildcat staff member.

Check the Waccamaw Elementary PTO Facebook page for updates on the top 5 each day.

https://www.facebook.com/WaccamawElementaryPTO/

The wildcat staff member who has the most feathers at the end of the sales will participate in a TURKEY TROT dressed as a TURKEY! 🦃

Click this LINK to access the 🐾2024-25 WES Parent/Student Handbook🐾. You will find answers to many of your questions about school procedures within this guide.

Can you believe it? We have reached the halfway point of the Read Marathon. Don't forget to log those reading minutes! Keep reading, wildcats!

Remember, during this Read Marathon students are challenged to read daily and record their reading minutes on their graph. Students have a reading tracker where minutes should be logged.

Teachers will collect student Finish Line Minutes on Monday, November 4th.

Classes are in stiff competition - let's see which class will read the most minutes to build their reading stamina!

Keep Reading!

The PTO is seeking donations for our raffle on Literacy Night. If you or someone you know might be willing to donate items or gift cards/gift certificates of any amount for us to include, please message us here or email us at waccamawwildcats@gmail.com.

We will be raffling themed baskets and stand alone items/packages!

• Breakfast and lunch will be provided at NO COST to families this year.
• Students will have a “grab and go” breakfast option available near the entry door.
• Students who choose breakfast will eat in the following locations:
• Child Development, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders will eat in their classroom
• 4th and 5th graders will eat in the cafeteria

Monday: Popcorn Chicken, Beef Dippers, or PBJ

Tuesday: No School --Election Day, Schools Closed

Wednesday: Chicken Tenders, Corn Dog, or PBJ

Thursday: Egg Omelet/Sausage, PBJ, Or Lunchable

Friday: Pizza, BBQ, or PBJ

Menus are subject to change. Thank you.

Mrs. Ellis (STEM Teacher) is in need of paper towel rolls.

Students may drop them off to the STEM Class room #317.

Thank you for your support.

Teamwork and Cooperation is the ability to work cooperatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.

• All students will enter school each morning through a Weapons Detection Device, much like a standard metal detector. It will be a very simple process. Students will be able to keep their backpacks on to walk through the detector.
• Some items may cause the detector to go off.
  • Please avoid bringing any 3 ring binders.
  • Large metal cups (Stanleys, Yetis, etc.) will cause the sensor to alarm. All stainless/metal cups will be passed to a staff member who will hand it to the student on the other side of the detection device.
• Per HCS policy, ALL VISITORS who enter the school will pass through a weapons detection system upon entry.
  • If you are visiting WES, please bring only your ID and very necessary items to avoid delays with bag checks. Please avoid bringing bags, purses, etc.

Thank you for your patience as we begin these new HCS procedures to help create a safer environment for our wildcats!

Please visit the HCS website for details and to access FAQs regarding the NEW HCS Clear Backpack Policy: https://www.horrycountyschools.net/clearbackpacks

Our #1 goal is to ensure that Waccamaw Elementary is a SAFE environment for our wildcats. To do this, we hold a variety of safety drills throughout the year. Safety drills enhance school safety by allowing students and staff to understand proper emergency procedures outside of a crisis situation.

What drills will our wildcats participate in throughout the school year?

Fire Drill: Students and staff practice exiting the building in case of a fire.

Tornado Drill: Students and staff take safety position lining up along an interior wall or the safest area, in case of a tornado.

Earthquake Drill: Students and staff DROP, COVER and HOLD ON, getting under a table or desk if one is near, in case of an earthquake.

Intruder Drill: Our school has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Students and staff will be training, practicing, and drilling the protocol. You can learn more from this Standard Response Protocol Handout for Parents.

Metal Detector Wanding: Staff will use a metal detector wand to check students and their materials.

NEW TRAFFIC RULE/SIGN:

SCDOT has posted a new traffic flow sign across from the main parking lot entrance to WES. No left turn should be made into the school parking lot from 7:15-7:45 AM or from 1:45-3::00 PM. Help us keep our students, families and school community safe by adhering to this new traffic rule.

AVOID BLOCKING NEIGHBORHOOD DRIVEWAYS

While sitting in the car rider line, please remember to avoid blocking driveways. You can receive a traffic ticket from law enforcement for blocking a driveway. Thank you for helping our school neighbors have access in and out of their homes.

• Waccamaw Elementary is in the CAROLINA FOREST CLUSTER BUS AREA.
• LIKE and FOLLOW the Carolina Forest Area Bus Office at https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaForestBusOffice; information is frequently posted regarding pick up time changes and late drop offs.
• Please call the main office if you need assistance with bus stop information.
• NOTE: Bus routes have changed! Please do not assume your child will ride the same bus # or have the same pick up/drop off point.
• Routes are often slightly behind regular schedule on the first days of school. Thank you for your patience with our awesome CF bus drivers.

As always,safety is our first priority. If your child has a change of transportation please email to,

westransportation@horrycountyschools.net

Please do not email individual staff members regarding any transportation changes.

We encourage all changes to be made no later than 1:30 PM.

Thank you for your understanding.

Wildcat Families,

We need YOUR help! Our #1 goal is to create a SAFE environment at WES and this begins each day in our CAR RIDER LINE. Thank you to all wildcat families who follow our car rider procedures!

Please be sure to take note of these important reminders below to help us keep all of our wildcats safe - what you do MATTERS!

• Our car rider line opens promptly at 7:00 AM. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT EXIT VEHICLES PRIOR TO 7:00 AM. There is no supervision prior to 7:00 AM.
• Students MAY NOT dropped off in the parking lot unattended by a parent/guardian. The car rider line should be used for all drop off.
• Handicap marked spaces should never be used unless the vehicle has a visible Handicap Placard or License Plate.
• Parents/guardians should remain in their car at all times. If you need to exit your vehicle to assist your child with a car seat, etc., please pull up to #0 in the car line before doing so.
• Please stay in the single car lane that is designated for car rider drop off. NOTE: Driving over sidewalks, grass and around other vehicles creates a VERY DANGEROUS setting for our wildcats, their families and our staff.
• If you are entering the building for a visit, please ALWAYS use the CROSSWALK.
• Our day begins at 7:30 am. If you child plans to eat breakfast, he/she should arrive by 7:15 to ensure he/she is in class on time.
• Arrival at 7:35 AM is late. The second bell is a late bell. Students will receive a tardy at that time.
• If your child is arriving after 7:35 am, he/she MUST be walked to the main office by an adult.

Due to space restraints, we are unable to house items for the whole year. The link will be updated weekly, and any items not claimed by the end of each quarter will be donated.

Donation Dates:

1st quarter 10/25/2024

2nd quarter 1/10/2025

3rd quarter 3/28/2025

4th quarter 6/6/2025

Please Label your student's items with their first and last names.

This will help us return items as they are turned in to Lost and Found.

Please click on the picture to view our current lost and found pictures.

We highly encourage parents to use mypaymentsplus.com when paying for field trips, yearbooks, fines or fees. If paying by cash, please have exact amount due. Per district policy, we are not allowed to make change.

If you need help with setting up mypaymentsplus please contact, Kathy O'Connor, bookkeeper.

Student iPads:

• If you have not already, please be sure to complete the technology parent permission form. Per HCS policy, we cannot issue a device to your child without this form completed and signed. Ask your child's teacher if you need a copy.
• If you have an outstanding technology fee from last school year, this payment must be made before we can issue an iPad to your child this year.
• Please be sure to log in to mypaymentsplus.com to pay the optional tech fee. This fee significantly decreases the cost if the iPad is broken/damaged.

Please check out our 2023-2024 SIC Annual Report to Parents to learn more about how our school improvement council supports our school, students, and community.

Join us for our next SIC meeting in our large conference room on

Thursday, November 7th, at 3:00 PM

This meeting was rescheduled.

Please contact Hope Lee if you have any questions. Thank you.

In South Carolina, a School Improvement Council is an advisory council to the principal and

school on issues related to school improvement.

By law, every K-12 public school in South Carolina must have an SIC that is made up of parent, teacher, student (grades 9-12), and community member representatives.

We hold six SIC meetings throughout the school year with our team.

All parents are welcome to attend our meetings. If you have any questions please call Hope Lee.

The school continually monitors the implementation of the Title I plan and welcomes input from parents, school staff, and community members regarding its current and future Title I plans. If you would like to participate on the school’s Title I planning team or make comments on the plan, please contact the principal, Leslie Huggins.

As the parent of a student, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers and instructional assistants who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for the following information about your child’s classroom teachers and requires the school to provide this information in a timely manner.

• Whether the teacher meets the state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grades and subjects he/she teaches.

• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status because of special circumstances.

• The teachers’ college major, whether the teacher has advanced degrees, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.

If you would like to receive additional information, please contact Mrs. Leslie Huggins, principal at 843-347-4684 or lhuggins001@horrycountyschools.net. You may also access the information at the website below.

• Information may be obtained through the SC State Department of Education’s website at https://ed.sc.gov

• Once on the home page, click “Educator Qualifications Search” in the search bar (upper right hand corner).

• Click on Parents Right to Know

• In the middle of the page click on Educator Qualification Link. Then enter the teacher's name or school’s name.

Active parent engagement has a profoundly positive effect on a child’s academic performance.

Below you will find monthly parenting resources that are age-appropriate, evidence-based guidance, and engaging activities for your child and family.

These resources are available in English and Spanish versions.

If you would like a printed copy please contact Hope Lee.

Please click on the link below. to view the newsletter and fun family calendar. Enjoy!

Hope Lee our family school facilitator.

843-347-4684

hlee001@horrycountyschools.net

❤️We LOVE our WES volunteers!❤️

If you are interested in volunteering, including chaperoning field trips,

please be sure to click this link or scan the QR code and

apply for your HCS VOLUNTEER CARD.

https://app.sterlingvolunteers.com/en/Candidates/Account/Register

After you complete the volunteer application please click on the google form below and

submit your contact information for Hope Lee.

24-25 WES Volunteer Contact Information Form

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to call or email me.

We appreciate your support. Thank you.

843-347-4684 or hlee001@horrycountyschools.net

• The Preschool Parent Program is a national research-based early childhood literacy, parenting, and school readiness program. The Preschool Parent Program encourages verbal interactions and play between preschoolers and their parents using developmentally appropriate books and toys. Children learn about concepts such as colors, shapes, and counting. Parents learn to encourage the development of vocabulary, concepts, and oral language skills as they interact with their children using materials provided by the program.
  

• The Preschool Parent Program serves families of children ages 24 months - 3 years old. Home Educators provide 30-minute sessions twice per week through virtual home visits. Virtual home visits are scheduled on Mondays and Wednesdays or on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Families may participate in the program for up to two years. English and Spanish-speaking Home Educators are available. The Preschool Parent Program is provided at no cost to participating families.

• 
  

Gina Goodyear

Title: Lead Educator of Preschool Parent Program
Department: Preschool Parent Program
Division of: Learning Services
Location: Myrtle Beach Early Childhood Center

843-839-7161
GGoodyear@horrycountyschools.net

Check out the flyers below in English and Spanish or click on the link below to register online.

Horry County Schools partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of students, staff, and their family members. Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health or substance-use treatment options matched to your needs regardless of circumstances.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

Call 888-515-0595 available 24/7/365 in any language

or

Visit www.caresolace.com/horrycounty and either search on your own

OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

Our 2024-25 school year theme is MAKE YOUR MARK! We are excited to help your child write his/her story this year. 📝