Weekly Hoots

Dear Wise Owls Family,

As we wrap up the first week of the new school year, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and share a few reflections on the successful start we’ve had.

Firstly, I want to thank you for your support and cooperation as we navigated through the first days. The enthusiasm and positive energy from both students and staff have set a wonderful tone for the year ahead.

Highlights from Our First Week:

• Smooth Transitions: I’m proud of how quickly our students have settled into their new routines. Teachers have been working hard to create welcoming and engaging classrooms, and it’s clear that our students are already feeling at home.
• Community Spirit: It’s been heartwarming to see the sense of community growing stronger each day. Whether it’s during morning drop-offs, in the hallways, or on the playground, the kindness and respect shown by our students to one another is commendable.
• Learning in Action: This week, our students have already begun exploring new topics and ideas. From hands-on projects to group discussions, the excitement for learning is palpable. We’re committed to nurturing this enthusiasm throughout the year.

Looking Ahead:

As we move into the second week, I encourage you to continue fostering a strong partnership with us. Here are a few ways to stay involved:

• Stay Informed: Keep an eye on communications from your child’s teacher and the school. Important updates and information will be shared regularly.
• Engage in Conversations: Ask your child about their day. Encourage them to share what they’ve learned and experienced at school. This helps reinforce their learning and shows them that you’re interested in their education.
• Support at Home: Establishing routines at home, such as consistent bedtimes and designated homework times, can greatly support your child’s success at school.

I’m excited about the journey ahead and confident that, together, we will make this school year a memorable and successful one for all our students. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. Your input is invaluable as we strive to create the best possible environment for your children.

Thank you once again for your trust and partnership. I look forward to the many achievements and milestones we’ll celebrate together this year.

B. Gantt

#AllforONE!

Our mission is to cultivate a caring community that utilizes a multitude of teaching and learning experiences to prepare children for their next adventure.

1. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and appreciated.
2. We believe that all children deserve a high quality education.
3. We believe in collaboration and making connections.

Staying Safe

Owning Your Actions

Acting Responsibly

Respecting Everyone & Everything

Monday, August 26th

Monday Morning Parliament

Monday, September 2nd

Labor Day - Schools & Offices Closed

Friday, September 6th

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Grandparents Lunch

• First Grade Lunch: 10:30 - 11:25 a.m.
• Kindergarten Lunch: 11:25 - 12:10 p.m.
• Second Grade Lunch: 12:10 - 12:55 p.m.

PTO Sponsored Movie Night (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)

Monday, September 9th

3rd - 5th Grade Grandparents Lunch

• Third Grade Lunch: 10:10 - 10:55 a.m.
• Fifth Grade Lunch: 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
• Fourth Grade Lunch: 11:50 - 12:30 p.m.

We would love our grandparents to join our Wise Owls for lunch in celebration of Grandparents Day on September 8th.

Adult prices for lunch is $5.75.

Lunch on September 6th

Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza

or Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Fresh Broccoli

Sliced Tomatoes & Cucumbers

Fruit Slushy

Lunch on September 9th

Sausage Pattie

Breakfast Scrambler Pizza

Potato Smiles

Seasoned Green Beans

French Toast Sticks

Wednesday, September 11th

3rd - 5th Grade Curriculum Night (5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)

Thursday, September 12th

Preschool - 2nd Grade Curriculum Night (5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)

PTO Meeting (6:00 p.m.)

Progress Reports sent in Thursday Folders

Thursday, September 19th

Pirate Day

Friday, September 20th

Early Release Day for Students (10:50 a.m. Dismissal)

If there is a change of transportation, a note with a parent/guardian's signature MUST be provided. Any student that tells staff that his or her parent/guardian told them to go home by another means will not be honored. For the safety of our students, a change in transportation must be submitted in writing to the student's teacher AND to the Front Office.

To ensure that our students remain safe while off-campus, we are asking families to purchase a WES School Spirit Shirt. Students will be able to wear their School Spirit Shirt on all of their Field Studies which has our 2024-25 AllforONE! logo and our school's contact information (on the front of the shirt). Also, 100% of the proceeds will go back in our field trip budget to ensure that we can keep costs down for families.

Shirts cost $10

Order your shirt using the link below

*shirts will come white with the blue logo or blue with the white logo

Show your school spirit and support our students by grabbing your WES Car Magnet! Every purchase helps fund exciting programs and activities, enriching your child's school experience. Plus, you are showcasing your WES pride in your community. Join us in making a difference—buy now and roll with school pride!

Car Magnets cost $10.

Immunizations

Each year the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) provides the South Carolina Immunization Requirements for Childcare and School.

Immunization requirements are regularly updated by DHEC. The following changes have been made for the 2024-2025 school year for students in third grade, eighth grade, ninth grade and 11th grade – this information is also available on DHEC’s Childcare & School Vaccine Requirements website.

• Third grade: two doses of hepatitis A vaccine with both doses received on or after the first birthday and separated by at least 6 months.

View full state immunization requirements for childcare 2024-2025 here.

Medications

BCSD would also like to remind its families of the protocol for giving prescription and non-prescription medicines at school:

• In order for a child to be given non-prescription medicines at school, the child’s parent/guardian must sign a permission form. Schools may have special rules for non-prescription medicines and may require parents or guardian to sign additional forms.
• In order for a child to be given a prescription medicine at school, the child’s health care practitioner and the child’s parent or guardian should sign a separate permission form. Because the instructions for some medications require more space than is provided on the form, some health care practitioners may prefer to use a practice specific form.

In both cases, schools may have special rules for prescription medicines and may require parents or guardians to sign additional forms. A responsible adult should deliver the medicine and the permission form to the school. The medicine must be in the original container with the label on it.

For information, please visit BCSD’s Nursing Services page.

It's hard to have someone go to sleep at a specific time at night. With school beginning on Thursday, a wonderful trick to getting your students back on a school schedule is to wake them up EARLY and keep them up until its time for bed. 🤭

Friday, September 6th - Movie Night

Saturday, October 12th - Fall Carnival

Saturday, February 8th - Sweetheart Dance

Friday, March 7th - Boosterthon Fun Run

Thursday, April 10th - Spring Fling (a part of STEAM Night)

Friday, May 23rd - 5th Grade Celebration

What is a School Improvement Council (SIC)?

An SIC is a broad-based body intended to advise the principal and school, and is focused on helping to achieve school improvement.

What do SICs do?

SIC duties focus primarily on the school improvement process.

Whitesville Elementary School SIC:

• provides input and feedback during the development of the School's Five-year renewal (improvement) plan and annual updates;
• assists in implementation of school improvement programs and activities;
• monitor and report on progress toward improvement goals in the annual SIC Report to the Parents and with the principal in the narrative to the SC School Report Card;
• provide other assistance as requested by the principal.

Why take the time to serve on an SIC?

• Because when parents are engaged in their children's education, their children do better in school and the quality of the school improves.
• Because parents bring wisdom to the Council. They have in-depth knowledge about their own children's strengths and needs as well as the perspectives of other families in the school.
• Because community members who are NOT parent of children in the schools still benefit from good schools in the form of a stronger local economy and property values.
• Because citizens who are NOT parents of children in the schools also have unique contributions to make to School Improvement Councils. Senior citizens, business people, members of the faith community, staff of social service agencies, and others all have knowledge, experiences and resources that can benefit their community's schools.

Learn more about South Carolina School Improvement Councils here.

Students at WES will receive school breakfast and school lunch at no cost to the student during 2024-25 school year, under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The Community Eligibility Provision is a federally funded initiative, which serves schools with high percentages of students from low-income families. The program was established in 2010 and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

If a negative balance exists on a student's account from previous school years, the balance will need to be paid in full.

Breakfast and lunch will be served on every day. If your student wants to eat breakfast at school, they should arrive to school between 6:50 a.m. - 7:18 a.m. Breakfast will no longer be served after 7:45 a.m.

“South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law requires that a parent or guardian shall require his child to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools and Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education f rom the school year in which the child is five years of age before September first until the child attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school.”

• Our school's website is found at https://www.bcsdschools.net/o/wes
• WES Facebook page is Whitesville Elementary School Wise Owls
• The Weekly Hoots newsletter will be emailed & texted to families every Sunday evening. Please be sure to have your updated information in PowerSchool.
• Our PTO's website is wiseowlspto.com.
• Our PTO's Facebook page is Whitesville Wise Owls PTO.
• Schoology: Teachers will update their grades weekly.
• Rooms: Our two-way form of communication at WES. Every teacher at WES will use Rooms as a tool for communication.