Weekly Hoots
#AllforONE! November 11th - 15th
From the Desk of Dr. Gantt
Dear Wise Owls Family,
As we work together to provide a strong foundation for every child, I would like to emphasize one key area that directly impacts our students’ success—regular school attendance.
Attending school every day, on time, has a significant influence on your child’s academic and social development. Each day offers new opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. Studies consistently show that consistent attendance is linked to higher academic achievement, improved reading skills, stronger math foundations, and better social-emotional skills. When students are frequently absent, they miss out on important instruction and valuable classroom interactions that cannot be replaced.
We understand that there are times when absences are unavoidable due to illness or family emergencies, and we encourage you to keep your child home if they are unwell. However, we urge you to make school attendance a priority on all other days. Your support in ensuring your child arrives on time, ready to learn, makes a tremendous difference in their educational journey.
Our goal is to work as a team to promote a positive learning experience for each child. If you have any concerns or barriers impacting your child’s attendance, please reach out to us. We are here to support you and can provide resources or strategies to help.
Thank you for your partnership in making school attendance a priority for our students. Together, we can ensure that each student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
With warm regards and gratitude,
B. Gantt
#AllforONE!
Vision
Mission
Our mission is to cultivate a caring community that utilizes a multitude of teaching and learning experiences to prepare children for their next adventure.
Core Beliefs
- We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and appreciated.
- We believe that all children deserve a high quality education.
- We believe in collaboration and making connections.
You can't be aWESome without WES!
We are SOARing High at WES!
Staying Safe
Owning Your Actions
Acting Responsibly
Respecting Everyone & Everything
Please use this form to share any comments, questions, or concerns.
Our Yearbook is designed by our Wise Owls! #AllforONE!
We're collecting recyclables!
Important Upcoming Dates
Monday, November 11th
Veterans Day Celebration
Thursday, November 14th
PTO Meeting (virtual)
Friday, November 15th
Early Release Day
Tuesday, November 19th
Fluency Bee {Round 1}
Wednesday, November 20th
Fall Make-Up Picture Day
Thursday, November 21st
Fluency Bee {Semi-Finals}
Veterans Day Parade
On Monday, November 11th, Whitesville Elementary will be honoring our local Veterans for Veterans Day 2024. We will be hosting a Veterans parade at our school to allow students the opportunity to shake hands, clap, cheer, and show their appreciation for our Veterans as they walk through our school. The presentation will begin at 8:30 with the parade following at 8:45 a.m.
A Veteran is any type of military personnel who has or is currently serving our country in any branch of the Armed Forces. If your family knows a Veteran that we may honor, please have them join us on November 11th. We are asking that Veterans who are participating in the parade arrive at the school and sign into the office by 8:15 a.m.
Whitesville is very excited about this event as our students wish to acknowledge the devotion and sacrifice our men and women have given to our country.
Math Fluency Bee
A Battle of the Mathematical Wits!
Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will be pitted against each other to determine which class is #1.
The Challenge:
We are seeking to determine which of our classes (3rd, 4th, and 5th grades) is the most efficient in terms of their multiplication and division skills (10x10 / 10x12).
Help your Wise Owl remember to review their multiplication and division facts so they are ready for the competition!
On the Horizon
Monday, November 25th
Monday Morning Parliament
Wednesday, November 27th - Friday, November 29th
Thanksgiving Break
Tuesday, December 3rd
Winter i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment (Reading)
Wednesday, December 4th
Winter i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment (Math)
Friday, December 6th
Moncks Corner Tree Lighting on Main (Our Chorus will perform a few songs)
Student Events & Activities
STEP Auditions (1 month remaining to sign your student up to audition)
Do you think you have a student that could be gifted in any of the arts? Please sign them up for STEP auditions coming in January 2025. The forms will be open from Aug. 23 through Nov. 22 to accept nominations.
The Special Talent Enrichment Program (STEP) serves Berkeley County School District students in grades four through 12 who have been identified through auditions as gifted in dance, music, theatre, visual art and creative writing. The program currently consists of a two-week summer session and Saturday programs at Goose Creek High School. Middle school STEP students are also eligible to enroll at Marrington Middle School of the Arts.
Change of Transportation
All change of transportation notes MUST be submitted before 1:20 p.m.
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.
Purchase your WES School Spirit Shirt
WES School Spirit Shirts will be worn during Field Trips
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
WES Car Magnets
Get your WES Car Magnet and share it proudly everywhere you go!
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.
WES Parent University Corner
Math is everywhere!
Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)
2024-2025 PTO Sponsored Events
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
Breakfast & Lunch are free for ALL WES Students
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.
November Breakfast Menu
November Lunch Menu
South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law
“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.”
Complete this attendance form when your child is absent
Please also submit any medical or additional excuses to the front office. We process our attendance forms once per week so you may not immediately see that the note has been accepted.
Stay Involved!
- 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.