Happy Sunday, Pride!
For many of you and your students, these are the final few days before the start of the 2024 school year. First, let me say “thank you” for trusting Riverwalk Academy as your chosen school. It is an honor for us, and we do not take it for granted.
This past week, our teachers returned and dedicated their time to planning for the upcoming school year. They focused on defining “The Riverwalk Promise” and answering the question, “What does project-based learning look like at Riverwalk Academy?” We have three more days of preparation ahead before we welcome students to the 2024-2025 school year.
To help you prepare for this week, we want to provide the following reminders and updates.
Construction
First and foremost, parts of our campus look and feel like a construction site. We have to be flexible as we work around their schedule and plans. For example, the last week of school, our driveway took a beating by the number of large trucks bringing in dirt. The driveway will be permanently fixed once they pave the new parking lot. For the time being, they will be using crush and run to smooth out the impacted areas. Also, with the rain over the last two weeks, their “supplies area” looks like a mud pit; and that mud has made its way onto the road.
Our main driveway is less than perfect, but this is only temporary. We just ask for your patience, flexibility, and support over these next few months while we all get to watch the magic of construction happen.
Meet the Teacher/Back to School Bash
The meet the teacher/back to school bash is scheduled for Tuesday. The times are as follows:
A few things about this event we need to caution you on . . . . parking is going to be difficult (see “Construction” above). We will have our main lot, and the church across the street. Our staff will be parking off site and they will be shuttled in to free up as many spots as we can.
Please see this map of where to and where not to park on Tuesday. Essentially, our driveway and the outside loop is not an option for this year. We will have staff monitoring the parking lots and directing families towards the lots (main campus or church) with available spaces.
When you arrive please all enter through the front of the building. Middle school students, do not directly go to the modular building, please enter through the main entrance.
Also, parents, please bring your drivers license with you so we can give to you your car tags.
Be sure to stop by and visit some of the information tables that we have set up, such as Athletics and the PTO.
Attention All High School Students (9th - 12th)
Be sure you come by meet the teacher on Tuesday to claim your free “class of” tshirt.
Attention 10th - 12th Grade Students - Save the Date
We hope to see you this Tuesday, but save the date for August 13th for a 10th - 12th specific open house just for this group.
Back to School Information
We’ve created a website where all of our back to school information is housed: www.riverwalkacademy.com/page/b2s2024. Here you can find the following information:
General Reminders
Car Tags Information
Cell Phones (please make sure your middle & high school students understand this)
Dismissal Process
Lions Pride Before/After School Program
Medicine at School
Meet the Teacher/Back to School Bash
Join the PTO Flyer (more info about the PTO)
School Supplies Lists
Daily Schedules (6th-9th grade)
We’ve even added our “First day of School” signs for you to print and share on social media for your child’s first day of school. Click here to access those files
Dismissal - a reminder
Due to the construction and for the safety of our students, we are having to modify our dismissal process. In the past, elementary families could start stacking whenever they liked (e.g., arriving at 12:00 pm to wait for dismissal). This year, elementary families will not be able to start stacking until 1:45 pm (middle/high at 2:40 pm) Monday through Thursday and 11:00 am / 12:10 pm on Fridays. This change should have minimal impact on our families.
Cell Phones - a reminder
By now, you might have heard that a “no cell phone policy” has been written into SC Regulations (FY 2024-25 Appropriations Act and Proviso 1.103). There are some state regulations that charter schools are exempt from, and some that we are not. This is not a regulation that we’re exempt from since legislators have linked this requirement to school funding. We’ve provided this document outlining this policy, which primarily impacts our middle and high school students. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to your child’s administrator.
Mobile App
Riverwalk Academy has a mobile app. By downloading it, you’ll have “all things” Riverwalk Academy readily accessible from your phone. You’ll also be able to receive important push notification directly from us. Download it from:
That’s it for now . . . . we hope everyone has a great final few days of the summer and we’re looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday at our Meet the Teacher event, and seeing our K - 9th grade students on Thursday for our first day of school.
With Pride and Purpose,
~Dr. Compton
