Weekly Hoots

Dear Wise Owls Family,

As we embark on another exciting school year at Whitesville Elementary, I want to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation for your ongoing support and involvement in your child's education. It is through our collaborative efforts that we can ensure the success and well-being of every student.

Research consistently shows that when parents are actively involved in their children's education, students achieve higher levels of academic success, exhibit better behavior, and develop stronger social skills. Your engagement, whether through attending parent-teacher conferences, helping with homework, or simply discussing school activities with your child, plays a crucial role in their educational journey.

Here are a few ways you can continue to support your child's education this year:

1. Stay Informed: Keep track of important dates, events, and assignments through your child's agenda, Thursday folders, and our Weekly Hoots.

2. Communicate Regularly: Maintain an open line of communication with your child's teachers. Whether through emails, Rooms, or in-person meetings, staying connected helps us work together to address any challenges or celebrate achievements.

3. Encourage Reading: Reading is fundamental to your child's learning across all subjects. Encourage daily reading at home, and discuss the books they are reading to foster a love of literature.

4. Support Homework and Study Habits: Create a designated study space at home and establish a routine for homework and study time. Encourage your child to manage their time effectively and seek help when needed.

5. Participate in School Events: Your presence at school events, whether it's a parent-teacher meeting, a school performance, or a volunteer opportunity, sends a powerful message to your child about the value of education.

6. Model Positive Attitudes: Your attitude towards education greatly influences your child's perspective. Show enthusiasm for learning and encourage a growth mindset by celebrating effort and persistence.

As we work together, please know that our doors are always open. We are here to support not only your child's academic growth but also their emotional and social development. Your insights and involvement are invaluable to us, and we welcome any suggestions or ideas you may have.

Thank you for being a vital part of our school community. Together, we can create a nurturing and stimulating environment where every child can thrive.

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, 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

The ancient Greeks believed that owls were associated with the goddess Athena, known for her wisdom; therefore, when a group of owls were seen together, it was referred to as a Parliament. The purpose of our Monday Morning Parliament is to come together as ONE school and to share celebrations, reminders, and to showcase how aWESome we really are! #AllForONE

Thank you to Ms. Katie Osterritter, Tracy McVay, and Ms. Christina Black for raising $820 and school supplies for our Wise Owls!

Thank you Ms. Nicole Spencer at Brush Beauty Lounge for sponsoring our Owl-About Town! Congratulations to our Owl-About Town recipient Mr. Nathan Snider!

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)

Dear Parents,

With the High School Football Season in full swing, we are reaching out to remind you about an important procedure regarding attendance at high school athletic events, specifically football games.

All elementary and middle school-aged students must be accompanied by a responsible adult to enter any high school athletic event. This means that any child who is not in high school will not be allowed to enter the game without an adult present, this person needs to plan to stay for the game and be over the age of 18.

This procedure was put in place due to safety concerns related to the large number of unsupervised younger students at these events. Our goal is to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all attendees.

Please remember to plan accordingly when attending events. Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe environment for our students.

Have a great day and GO STAGS!

Heather Ducker, Interim Principal at Berkeley High School

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.

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

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.

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.