The CPES BobChat
August 15, 2021
How Are We Coming and Going?
Your child's safety and security is the highest priority for our school. We ask that you think through the following procedures in order to help us in that effort. 1. Arrival on Monday--Kindergarten parents can park in the Cherry Road lot and walk their child to the kindergarten playground to their child's classroom. Teachers will meet you there. We will have lots of adults available outside and throughout the building to help our children know where to go and how to find their way. This will happen throughout the week as well. On Monday, all students will go straight to their classrooms. Teachers will help our children know where to go to wait if they arrive before 7:30 AM. 2. Drop Off Procedures--Each morning, we have 750 students arriving at school by 7:40. In order for that process to be as safe and efficient as possible, we need your help. Make sure you've given hugs and kisses before getting in your car at home. Our safety patrol or adults will open up the door for you. Please have your child ready to go to exit the car when they open the door. They should be able to unbuckle and quickly pick up what they need in order to go. Once you say goodbye, please don't roll down the window and continue goodbyes and further conversations and directions. Often, our little ones will walk back towards your car which is unsafe. We need all students exiting on the right side of the car. A child who exits the left side has to walk around either the front or the back of the car and may not be seen when cars are moving. That is so dangerous. After Monday, no one should park and walk their child to the sidewalks. (You will have to cross lanes of traffic in order to do that and it is unsafe.) If a little one is unsure where to go, we will have adults ready to assist. Remind your child to walk beside the wall or fence to get to the nearest entrance. Please do not use your cell phones while dropping off. By Labor Day, we promise your wait time will be ten minutes or less at our peak arrival times. (At least that is the case under normal circumstances.) We need everyone's full attention on safety (not cell phones) during that time. You may want to do a "run through" before Monday so you and your child can know what to do. 3. Pick Up Procedures--If you did not get pickup cards at Open House, you need to get those on Monday (before 2:00) from our Main Office which is at the Caswell Entrance. If you (or the person picking up your child), does not have a pickup card, you will be asked to pull over and go to the office to get one. That procedure starts Monday. Having the right pickup card is a security procedure for us that tells us we are delivering the child to an approved person. (Do not make your own pickup card. We will still ask you to pull over and go to the office.) When you come through the line, please hold up your pickup card to our "callers" (Dr. Beard or Mrs. Guarino) and they will call your child to a numbered spot. If your child does not come, just pull down and pull over to Officer Channell or me at the end of the car line and we will get your child if he/she did not hear his/her name called. Please stay in your car at all times and we will assist you as needed. On your pickup card, please write the name(s) and grade level(s) of your child(ren) clearly and visibly for our callers. As mentioned above, please do not use cell phones during pickup. Remember, by district policy, changes in dismissal must be made by handwritten note or by coming into the office. Children thrive on structure and predictability. To reduce their stress (and ours), the most secure way for your child to be picked up each day is the way that will be most consistent. Changing that regularly is not helpful. Please also remember that all early dismissals need to happen before 2:00. We appreciate your attention to these procedures. We promise that each of them enables us to help keep your child safe and secure as we come and go from school. Let's give each other patience as we learn (and relearn) our processes. Wait times will be longer at the beginning but they will get shorter over the next two weeks. We are excited to begin a new year and it is most important to start as safely and securely as possible. Thank you for partnering with us in that effort.
Strength and Blessings,
Mr. Maness, Principal
P.S. Don't forget to review the Family Handbook and Parent Checklist below so you can know all you need to know to have a great year.
P.S.S. This same newsletter was sent yesterday afternoon. We simply wanted to provide critical information early this weekend while also being consistent about when it is normally sent.
Device Access--Remember that in order for your child to take his/her computer home, your child's registration should be completed and the $35 Technology Protection Fee has been paid (or you indicated on your registration that a waiver is needed.) Fees can be paid online. See details below.
School begins tomorrow, Monday, August 16 and doors will open at 7:05 AM. We look forward to seeing you in the morning.
Parent Checklist for Returning to School
2. Complete Your Child's Registration Online--If your child has not attended at Rock Hill school, you will complete the New Student Enrollment (see button below.) If your child attended a Rock Hill school last year (including if they were in a 4K program with us), you will complete the Returning Student Registration (see button below). Be sure to be thoughtful about this because all our communication programs pull information directly from what you input and update in this system. Check to be sure all contact information is correct. Also, be sure you are thoughtful about all the people that might pick up your child. If they are not listed on the emergency contact list, they will not be able to pick up your child. Don't rush through this process. Please check and recheck what you put on the registration. All families will need to update their proof of residence and you should be able to upload it with your online application. For parents of returning students, you received an email from the district earlier this summer with your child's password information in order to complete the registration. (Be sure to check your Spam, Gray, Clutter or Junk Mail in email because it may have gone there.)
3. Bus Transportation Registration--If you need bus transportation, click on the buttons below for the 21-22 Transportation Request Form (English and Spanish).
4. Challenger After-School Registration--If you need after-school care, please register your child using the button below as soon as possible. Challenger cares for students after the school day ends and it is housed at each elementary school. Click on the button below for more information about Challenger as well. If you have a financial need for reduced rates for Challenger, please be sure to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application on our district website.
5. School Supply Lists--Click on the button below for the 21-22 CPES School Supply List for each grade level. If you need any help securing school supplies for your child, please reach out to our guidance counselors for help. We are glad to help. Kindergarten parents, we indicated back in the spring that the district would cover expenses for school supplies. The district is covering part of the school supply expenses for all students and the items on the list are what we need parents to help supply. As always, children will need a bookbag. If at all possible, we prefer that students not use rolling bookbags because they become safety hazards when used in the building. The CPES School Supply List is also on our website.
6. Technology Protection Plan Information and Fee--Every child will have access to a computer this year. When you completed your online student registration (see above), you should have responded to questions about your child's laptop and technology fee. This $35 fee can be paid during Open House. The TPP fee can be waived if there is a financial need determined by parents filling out the Free and Reduced Lunch application below. Please click on this link for more information about the Mobile Computing Guide and the TPP fee: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/Page/8759 Parents, know that your child will be issued their laptop in a case this year and it should always stay in that case when they use it.
7. Volunteer Screening Application--We want to encourage all parents to complete a new screening application in order to be a volunteer. If you think at any time you might want to chaperone a field trip or volunteer with us, this application must be completed and updated. Again, please click on the button below for more information and to apply.
8. Free and Reduced Lunch Application--This year, all school meals (breakfast and lunch) will be no cost to families. Why might you then need to apply for free or reduced lunch? If you wish to ask for a reduced rate for Challenger fees or if you wish to ask for a waiver of the $35 Technology Protection Plan fee, then you will need to complete this application to see if you would qualify for the reduced fees. The application can be found below.
9. District Return to School Plan for In-Person Instruction--For all policies and procedures related to our return to school this fall, please click on the following link: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/Page/9160 It is also included as a button below. Masks are encouraged but they are optional (as determined by state law.) Parents will be sent an Opt Out form to complete for this year. Even if you completed on last year, a new one will need to be done. Given that we will have all 750 students returning the fall, we will not be able to do as much social distancing as we did last year. Classes will be kept as cohorts as much as possible. Desk shields have been taken down as well. Contact tracing will be done in a similar fashion as last year. Please see the Return to School Plan for more information.
(Parents, please check back to this list in the weeks ahead. There will be a couple of items that will be added.)
School News
1. Breakfast and Lunch This Year--All meals for this year will again be at no cost for families.
2. Masks--Students and staff are encouraged to wear masks this school year. Per state guidelines, it is not a requirement. Parents do not have to complete an Opt Out form this year. This was a change in procedures that was sent out this week.
3. Attendance--We want to encourage all families to prioritize their children's attendance at school each day. (A child's achievement is directly tied to their attendance. They can't learn what they need to learn if they are not present.) For students who miss excessive time in school, attendance conferences will be held with parents and attendance plans will be developed to improve attendance. This is a state requirement. After three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five unlawful absences, an attendance conference will be scheduled. Please click on the button below for our District Guidelines for Attendance for Elementary Students. Please note that we do not dismiss students after 2:00 PM.
4. Transportation Changes for Dismissal--Per district policy, parents need to know that all changes in transportation need to be made by a written note sent at the beginning of the day or parents can come in person to the office to make the change. We cannot accept transportation changes by email or by phone. These policies are in place to ensure the safety and security of your child.
5. Practicing Getting In and Out of Your Car--Parents (of little ones in particular), please practice ahead of time how your child can get themselves in and out of their car seat for arrival and dismissal time. Our Safety Patrol will open the door so your child can exit their car in the morning and they will open it in the afternoon. We will have many more cars going through the line this year and this will save lots of time if your children can get in and out of their car seats by themselves.
Need Tech Support? Call 803-324-TECH
PTO and SIC Information
Parent Teacher Organization and School Improvement Council Update
The PTO serves to raise funds, coordinate volunteers and encourage teachers through appreciation activities. Click on the PTO Newsletter button below if you wish to receive the PTO Newsletter: PTO and SIC are tentatively planning to meet on the second Monday of each month this year. School Improvement Council meets at 5:30 and our Parent Teacher Organization meets at 6:30. We are looking for volunteers to help in PTO this year. Let us know if you are interested. Elections were held last spring for PTO officers but all parents are welcome to attend to help provide input and volunteer. You can contact our PTO at mailto:cherryparkelementarypto@gmail.com School Improvement Council members for last year were Carl Thompson, Elizabeth Lowery, Leigh Threatt, Amber Hinson, Kim Crean, Brooke Nies and Phyllis Faircloth. We will hold SIC elections this fall. You can contact SIC members at mailto:cherryparksic@gmail.com.
School Calendar
August 16--First Day for Students
September 3--Early Release Day for Teacher Professional Development (Students will be released at 11:00 AM)
September 6--Labor Day Holiday
September 13--5:30 School Improvement Council Meeting; 6:30 Parent Teacher Organization Meeting (More details to come about these meetings.)