The CPES BobChat

In the past two weeks, we looked at answers to some frequently asked questions that families have about Program Options for Cherry Park. Here are a few more of those questions that can help parents as they make decisions for next year.

1. As the Program Option deadline nears, what reminders do families need? New families and existing families of rising kindergarten students need to complete the Program Options Application https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/Page/6855 by Friday, January 31. (Go to the bottom of the page and click the "Apply" button.) We have 50 spots for French and 100 spots for Spanish in Kindergarten. We have spots available for new students in first grade French and Spanish. We also have a few spots available for Grades 2-5 students and those applicants will need to pass a language screening before being seated. Parents who have a child currently at Cherry Park still need to complete an application by 1/31 if they have a rising kindergarten child.

2. What are the benefits of language immersion? According to the Center for Applied Linguistics, it has a positive effect on the intellectual growth of children. It enriches and enhances their mental development. It leaves a student with greater flexibility in their thinking, greater sensitivity to language and a better ear for listening. It helps a child improve his understanding of his native language. It gives a child the opportunity to effectively communicate with someone they otherwise would never get to know. It opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other cultures. It gives her a head start on language requirements for college. (Our Rock Hill Immersion graduates will have a minor in Spanish or French. Those dual credit classes with Winthrop are at zero cost to families.) It increases job opportunities. Language immersion is good for the brain, it is good for relationships and it is good for a child's future.

3. What about the immersion program in middle and high school? Sullivan hosts the middle school program and Rock Hill High hosts the high school program. At Cherry Park, we focus lots on background building in French and Spanish. In order to become literate in a second language, children have to know vocabulary and develop patterns for listening and speaking. The middle school program further develops the literacy of students in reading and writing. Students take immersion courses in French and Spanish culture and literacy rather than continuing to learn math and science in the second language. By high school, students develop higher proficiencies by taking Advanced Placement and dual credit college courses. We partner with Winthrop University for those courses. This design of our K-12 program is based on the nationally recognized Utah Model of Dual Language Immersion.

We want all families to be well informed about our school and program. Thank you for always asking good questions and helping others understand what we do and why we do it. You are our best advocates and we appreciate you sharing with new families the amazing opportunities at Cherry Park.

Strength and Blessings,

Mr. Maness

P.S. Dates for Prospective Parent Information Sessions are Tuesday, January 28 at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

1. Notes and Reminders--a. Valentine's Day Parties--Will be Thursday, February 13 since we will be out of school on February 14. Your child's teacher will inform you about planned activities and needs for the day. Please do not send items without approval from your child's teacher. Also, check the District Snack Letter below for reminders that we still need to be mindful of items that can cause allergic reactions. b. Erin's Law--Please see the Erin's Law Letter below for more information about the safety lessons our school counselors will be teaching again to students this spring. Feel free to contact Mrs. Flaherty or Ms. Baskin if you have any questions. c. Absence Notes and Documentation--Please send notes and documentation for absences to Mrs. Miskelly at the following email address: mailto:CPAbsenceDocumentation@rhmail.org

2. Girls on the Run Coaches--Currently, we have a need for coaches to support our 3rd-5th grade girls who sign up to participate. We have a couple of coaches who could do one day but not a second day. Please click on the S25 Coach Recruitment Flyer below for more information. You can also contact mailto:jennifer.thorsell@girlsontherun.org (803-620-3036).

3. CPES Families with Rising Kindergarten Students--Please do not forget that you will need to complete a Program Options application between January 6 and January 31. Siblings of current CPES students receive priority for admittance but our district must know that your child is coming. Please be sure to complete the application at the Program Options link above.

4. Vision Screenings--The Lions Club of Tega Cay will come 1/28-1/29 to help Nurse Love do vision screenings for our students. Nurse Love will follow up with any families as needed. See Lions Club Screening letter below and please let Nurse Love know if you would like for your child to opt out.

5. Birthday Book Club Signups--We are gearing up for our Birthday Book Club celebration for the year! We will celebrate on Thursday, February, 6 2025. Each child receives a free book of their choosing for their birthday! We need volunteers to help distribute the books during each students lunch time. You will find the sign up time slots on the sign up genius linked. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE AN APPROVED VOLUNTEER THROUGH THE DISTRICT! It is district policy that all volunteers have been approved. Thank you so much for your help! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A4A923AAFBC70-50604853-february#/

6. Yearbooks--Families may now order a yearbook. All sales are online only and to guarantee your child receives a yearbook, all orders must be placed by March 30, 2025. The early bird discount is available and then prices will increase on January 1st. All yearbook orders are online only and there will be no additional orders after March 30, 2025. Please see the flyer below. Click on the following link to order: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/index.cfm/job/24915 (Use order #24915 if you are asked for it.)

7. Staff Transitions--We have two of our staff members who will make transitions to new opportunities this week. Friday will be the last day for Madame Jeanne Tshiek who has been our French kindergarten assistant. She is leaving us to teach full time closer to her home in Charlotte. Delanie Olson has been one of our mental health therapist with Rock Hill Schools. She will be leaving to move closer to her family in Ohio. We wish the best for both of these ladies as they leave our school family. They will be missed.

January 28--8:00 AM Prospective Parent Meeting; 6:00 PM Prospective Parent Meeting

January 31--Early Dismissal Day (Students are dismissed at 11:15); Program Options Application Window Closes

February 3--Program Options Lottery for the 25-26 school year. Families notified on the same day, if they were given a seat in a Program Options school or are on a Wait list.

February 13--Valentine's Day Parties

February 14--Valentine's Day; Teacher Professional Development Day (No School); Parents MUST indicate by this date if they have accepted a seat or not. Families that do not accept a seat move to the Wait List for that program. At that point families can be moved from the WAIT list to an open seat.

February 17--E-Learning Makeup Day

School Improvement Council--This group seeks to determine how Cherry Park Elementary can be the best school it can be. It is a sounding board and feedback group for the school and district. Members are elected for two year terms. Members of this year's Council include Chelsea Eichorn, Jennifer Hutchinson, Matthew Query, Bernice Huskins, Heather Kagey, and Emily Parrish. Ex-Officio Members are Mr. Maness (Principal) and Mrs. Futrelle (Assistant Principal). Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. All parents are invited to attend.

Parent Teacher Organization--This group has three main goals: Raising funds for the school, appreciating the staff and securing volunteers as needed. The Cherry Park PTO is a 501c3 tax deductible organization. Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM (right after the SIC meetings.) All parents are invited to attend. All financial records are distributed and updated at each month's meeting. Officers this year are Amanda Winters (President), Emmanuel Daniel (Vice-President), Celia Kerr (Secretary) and Shannon Martin/Caroline Stubbs (Co-Treasurers). We appreciate all of our sponsors (above) who contributed to our Bobcat Dash this year.

"What Questions Do Families Have? (Part 2)" January 19, 2025 https://secure.smore.com/n/8nby3

"What Questions Do Families Have? (Part 1)" January 12, 2025 https://secure.smore.com/n/12psc

"How Can You Give the Gift of Second Language Learning?" January 5, 2025 https://secure.smore.com/n/n0j1us

"High and Fast or Low and Slow?" December 15, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/am39k

"What about a Game?" December 8, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/erny5h

"How Am I Grateful?" December 1, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/m9u4b

"What Is the Connection between Thanks and Giving?" November 17, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/c6hvt

"What Do Parents Need to Know about Our Book Fair" November 10, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/36azws

"How Can We Help Our Children Make Good Decisions?" November 3, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/tj863

"Who Made a Difference at the Bobcat Dash?" October 27, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/v7pxu

"What Do You Need to Know about the Bobcat Dash?" October 20, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/jecu8

"How Do We Help Kids Process Difficult Events?" October 13, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/nefrt

"How Can We Help Kids 'Handle Hard Better?'" October 5, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/brh0j

"What Should We Remember When We Have Bad Weather?" September 29, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/28hfx

"What Do Great Coaches Do?" September 22, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/cuktn

"How Can We Support the Bobcat Dash on 10/25?" September 15, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/vs3uwm

"What Are We Thinking about Safety This Week?" September 8, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/pxhd6

"What is the Difference between PTO and SIC?" September 1, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/syh3t

"How Are We Doing?" August 25, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/b2a9s

"What Lessons Can We Learn from the Olympics? (Part 2) August 18, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/9fe7s

"What Lessons Can We Learn from the Olympics? (Part 1)" August 11, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/ejr3s

"How Can We 'Be' Ready for the First Day of School? (Final Reminders) August 4, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/0wvx9

"What Do Families Need to Know about Open House" August 3, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/3wx9d

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 4) July 28, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/59pwv

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 3) July 21, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/y0w1e

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 2) July 14, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/x5hed

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" July 7, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/6x9vk

"Who's and What's New at Cherry Park? (Part 3) June 30, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/ksd0u

"Who's New at Cherry Park? (Part 2) June 2, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/8cuf1g

"Who's New at Cherry Park? (Part 1)" May 26, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/c0pnvt