ROE DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2024

Rene Cazier, Principal

Billy Gainus, Assistant Principal

Lashanda Pickett, Assistant Principal

Richard Reyes, Assistant Principal

Nicole Williams, Assistant Principal

Website:

https://www.horrycountyschools.net/River_Oaks_Elementary
Location: 700 Augusta Plantation Drive, Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Phone: 843-903-6300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riveroakselementary/

Dear Families,

We hope this newsletter finds you staying warm and doing well. As we progress through the second quarter, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued support and partnership. During our PTO Boosterthon fundraiser, we raised over $54,000 for sun shades for our school playgrounds. Your involvement in our school community makes a significant difference in the lives of our students.

We are thrilled to report that our students have shown remarkable progress in their recent Reading MAP and DIBELS assessments. This growth reflects their hard work and dedication! Next week, the students will have an opportunity to demonstrate their growth in math.

Don’t miss our students' choir performance on Thursday, December 12th, at 6:00 pm. Come support our talented students, The Otternatos!

Please check our new school website for updates and resources available to support your child’s learning. We encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

We are grateful for your ongoing support. Have a Happy Holiday Season!

Mrs. Cazier

Rene Cazier, Ed.S.

Principal

River Oaks Elementary School

700 Augusta Plantation Drive

Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

843-903-6300

“Our River Oaks Fun Run was a huge success! We want to thank you all for your support towards our goal of $50,000! We can continue making an impact for our River Oaks community all thanks to all your hard work!

Thank you all for supporting ROE!"

Draft Policy for Personal Electronic Devices

South Carolina law requires districts to implement a policy prohibiting student access to personal electronic communication devices during the school day.

At the November 18 Horry County Board of Education meeting, HCS staff presented the board with a draft policy regarding students' personal electronic devices. The board is scheduled to vote on the policy at their meeting on December 9. We anticipate implementing the board-approved version of the policy beginning on January 22, the first day of second semester.

Here are some highlights from the draft policy:

· Students are expected to keep devices such as phones, smart watches, etc. powered off and stored in their bookbags while at school.

• Every time a cell phone violation occurs, parents must be contacted and must come pick up the confiscated phone from the school.
• Consequences for violations include ISS as early as the second violation, up to 5 days OSS for the 6th violation and an evidentiary hearing for the 7th violation. Elementary students' consequences are less severe.
• Students who refuse to give up the device will receive a referral for Refusal to Obey, with consequences beginning with 1 day OSS.

More information can be found at .........https://out.smore.com/e/y5f3zt/1mJu-w?__$u__

Thank you to ALL Students and Parents who donated to our Food Drive..... The total collected was over 5,000

The GRADE that collected the most was: The 5th grade class. The total donated from the 5th grade was 1,535.

They will enjoy a P J Day! Congratulations!!

The CLASS that collected the most was: Mrs. Strickland's 1st grade class. Mrs. Strickland's total donated was 538. They will enjoy a Pizza Party! Congratulations!!

Our next scheduled student council meeting will be December 11th at 6:30 am.

To ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, please keep your child home from school if they are exhibiting any signs of illness, including a fever, cough, runny nose, vomiting, or diarrhea; even mild symptoms can be contagious, and allowing a sick child to attend school risks spreading germs to others. If child has a fever of 100.5 and above to keep home for 24 hours and can return to school once fever free without use of fever reducing medication. By keeping your child home to rest and recover, you are helping to prevent the spread of illness within our school community.

Key points:

• Contagiousness: Even minor symptoms can be contagious and should not be ignored.

• Rest and Recovery: Staying home allows a sick child to rest and recover properly.

• Community Responsibility: Keeping sick children home protects other students and staff.

Reminder:

River Oaks Elementary School continues to make safety our priority. As we begin to have more indoor family events, we will follow all HCS protocols by enforcing the District clear bag policy, and security checks upon entering the school.

Approved Bags include:

• Clear plastic or vinyl bags that do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag
• Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5” x 6.5” – approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap
• Medically necessary items (after proper inspection at the entrance)
• Diaper bags (with an infant/toddler – after proper inspection at the entrance)

Items not included on the above list will be prohibited.

As a friendly reminder, weapons/concealed weapons are prohibited, this includes pocket knives and box cutters. We are a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free campus. These products are prohibited by Horry County Schools on its property and at the events, programs, and activities sponsored by the District or schools.

This procedure will be followed at all school events throughout the year. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Miles for Smiles - About our Program

Dental Pain is often the reason a child misses school. Little River Medical Center offers a school-based mobile dental program, Miles for Smiles to make your child's visit to the dentist as easy as possible.

Miles for Smiles' professional and experienced dental team provides dental care at school throughout the year. Your child can receive:

• Exams and X-Rays
• Cleaning and Flouride Treatments
• Sealants
• Fillings
• Extractions and more

Parents are kept informed of their child's dental needs and the planned course of treatment.

If you are interested you can pick up a form at River Oaks Elementary School or you can complete the registration online at: http://bit.ly/M4Sreg2

• Please contact the front desk regarding any transportation changes.
• Teachers are not able to reply to Dojo or SeeSaw messages during the instructional day.
• All changes must be made in writing to the front desk by 12 pm. We do not accept phone calls.
• Please have your school issued car rider tag on your dashboard and keep it there until your child gets in your car.

Thank you for your support in keeping your child safe.

Please observe the road speed limits around the school to ensure the safety of the children and nearby families.

Morning Car Rider Drop Off:

• TO PROMOTE GREATER SAFETY, Parents should remain in their cars during drop off.
• When all traffic stops, please say quick good-byes and make sure your child has all his/her school materials. Please have your child exit the car promptly from the right side near the curb. Any slow exiting may cause a greater backup of cars.
• No drop off should occur in the front parking lot.

Afternoon Car Rider Pick Up:

• Parents must have the school issued car tag visible on the left corner of the dashboard so the "caller" may easily read it.
• If you do not have a school issued car tag, your child will NOT be called to dismiss and you will have to come into the school with proof of Identification.

If you know you will pick your child up early, send a handwritten note in with your student stating the time the student will be picked up. When picking up your student, please go to the Main Office to sign your student out. All students MUST be signed out by a parent or guardian before leaving campus.

The latest time for dismissal from the front office is 2 pm.

Identification is required to pick up your student. Students will not be released to anyone not listed in PowerSchool as an approved pick-up unless we receive written notification from the parent/guardian.

Consistent school attendance is critical for student achievement. If students are not present, they cannot benefit from classroom instruction. State attendance laws require student attendance for course credit and grade-level promotion. Additionally, state attendance laws require intervention when a student is deemed truant. Please click HERE for Horry County Schools and South Carolina's Attendance Policy.

• 12/10 Movie Night 3rd - 5th 6:00- 7:30
• 12/11 Student Council Meeting 6:30 am
• 12/ 12 Honor Choir Holiday Performance 6:00 pm
• 12/21 - 01/03 Winter Break