Happy Sunday, Pride!
I hope you and your family had a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend and that your child has recovered from the first two days of school. There’s tired, and then there’s “first weekend of school” tired. I know the staff, including myself, went home feeling “first weekend of school” tired, but it was worth it because we had a great opening to the 2024-2025 school year. Seeing how excited the students were on Thursday was the fuel we needed to push through.
Parents, you were awesome too. Your patience and flexibility during our arrival and dismissal were outstanding. Thank you for being role models for your children in dealing with frustrations, such as traffic and inconveniences.
We do have a few reminders and updates to share with everyone:
Dismissal:
Due to construction and its impact on some of our spaces, including the driveway, we need families to avoid arriving on campus until the following times:
• Elementary (car tags 001 - 500): arrive after 1:45 pm (11:15 am on Fridays)
• Middle/High (car tags 501 and greater): arrive after 2:45 pm (12:15 pm on Fridays)
We’ll be monitoring this on Monday and asking vehicles to turn around and return if they arrive before their designated time.
Please understand that this is not just another rule; it’s for the safety of our students and the smooth management of our dismissal process. As many of you experienced on Friday, if one group arrives too early, it prevents us from properly double-stacking cars, which can cause a backup to the red light on Mt. Gallant.
If you have relatives picking up your child who do not receive these weekly emails, please pass this information along to them. We greatly appreciate your understanding and support.
Arrival:
You’re all doing a fabulous job with this. However, it’s essential that families try not to wait until 7:50 to arrive, as this can cause a backup and make it challenging to get most students through the line within only 10 minutes.
I do have a favor to ask—not a requirement, but a favor. If possible, please turn right when leaving our campus instead of left. This can help speed up the arrival process. If too many cars are waiting to make a left, it can cause a backup. For those heading down Hands Mill (towards Rock Hill), turning right will lead you straight to Hwy 161, where you can make a left at the red light.
Arrival/Dismissal (for everyone):
The SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) regulates school arrival and dismissals. According to SCDOT, “Car riders must enter their car on the passenger side.” While this may require some families to move car seats to the right side of the vehicle, it is for your safety and the safety of your students.
Newsletter Highlights:
Every Sunday at 6:00 pm (5:30 pm for those with our mobile app), we send out our school-wide newsletter. The format stays consistent each week and includes:
• A message from Dr. Compton
• School-wide announcements
• A weekly calendar of events
At the bottom of the newsletter, you’ll find links to additional weekly newsletters for:
• Elementary (K - 5th)
• 6th - 9th Grade
• 10th - 12th Grade
• School Counselors
• Athletics
• PTO
We know this can be inconvenient for some, but including these links here helps us avoid sending multiple emails, especially for families with students in multiple grades. This way, families can easily find their specific information without having to scroll through a long document.
Please be sure to check your school-specific newsletter link, located at the bottom of each weekly Riverwalk Roar newsletter.
Families, thank you for being part of our Pride and for being such supportive partners in your child’s education. I sincerely hope you all have a great first “full week” of school.
In Pride and Purpose,
Dr. Compton
