School Information:

251 Claridy Road, Conway, SC 29526

Office (843-347-4684) Fax (843-234-6004)

Leslie Huggins, Principal (lhuggins001@horrycountyschools.net)

Doreen Wheat, Assistant Principal (dwheat@horrycountyschools.net)

Tasha Livingston, Assistant Principal (tlivingston001@horrycountyschools.net)

Hours of Operation

School Hours 7:30 am—2:30 PM

Building opens at 7:00 AM

School begins at 7:30 AM; Tardy Bell rings at 7:35 AM

Morning car rider line opens at 7:00 AM

The front Office closes at 4:00pm every day.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. During this time we honor the countless contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to our nation. We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by learning a new fact each day. Ask your wildcat(s) what they've learned!

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year!

We look forward to a great school year 🐾The Waccamaw Way🐾.

Please LIKE and FOLLOW us on our Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/WaccamawElementary.

You'll find lots of valuable information, pictures and videos of fun happenings at WES and many other important things located here.

We are ready to have S'More Book Fun in the Waccamaw Elementary Learning Commons with our Fall Book Fair! We can't wait to see you there!

Schedule:

See our Book Fair schedule below.

Family Night:

Join us for Family Night on Thursday, Sept 26 from 3-6:30pm.

E-Wallet is the way to pay! Set up an e-Wallet for your child to shop. Visit our Scholastic Homepage. https://www.scholastic.com/bf/waccamaw

Waccamaw Elementary

HERE’S THE GAME:

The top 3 schools that sell the most buckets of their school flavor will win cash prizes!!

Competition starts Monday September 16th and ends on Monday September 30th.

Click this LINK to access the 🐾2024-25 WES Parent/Student Handbook🐾. You will find answers to many of your questions about school procedures within this guide.

Monday, Sept. 23: Teriyaki Chicken, Pizza Crunchers or PB&J

Tuesday, Sept. 24: Walking Taco, PB&J or Lunchable

Wednesday Sept. 25: Bosco Cheese Stix, Turkey Cheese Wrap or PB&J

Thursday, Sept. 26: Baked Beef Ziti, Yogurt Bundle or Lunchable

Friday, Sept. 27: Pizza, Cheeseburger or PB&J

• Breakfast and lunch will be provided at NO COST to families this year.
• Students will have a “grab and go” breakfast option available near the entry door.
• Students who choose breakfast will eat in the following locations:
• Child Development, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders will eat in their classroom
• 4th and 5th graders will eat in the cafeteria

Our wildcats were surprised with a BRAND NEW BOOK MACHINE! 5 years ago WES became the first school in SC to purchase a book vending machine. Our first machine served our wildcats well but we were ready for an upgrade to a customized WILDCAT machine. Last night, during our Bring Your Parents to School Night, this beautiful WILDCAT book machine appeared and it even has special sparkling lights inside!

Wildcats can be nominated weekly as READER LEADERS and earn a gold coin to go to the book machine. We are excited to begin celebrating these Reader Leaders soon!

CONGRATULATIONS to 4th grade wildcats Charlotte Dutka and Aubrey Lefebvre on scoring a PERFECT SCORE on the SC Ready state assessment, given at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

This achievement places Charlotte and Aubrey in a distinguished TOP ONE PERCENT of students STATEWIDE who scored a PERFECT SCORE on this assessment.

Both students received a personal letter from SC State Superintendent of Education, Ellen Weaver congratulating them on setting such a high standard of excellence for themselves and for our state.

Way to LEAD the way, Charlotte and Aubrey! We are SO proud of you both! #TheWaccamawWay

The Horry County Board of Education is currently conducting a search for a new superintendent to lead Horry County Schools. BWP & Associates, the superintendent search firm contracted by the Board of Education, will host community forums to collect input from students, staff, parents, and Horry County community members. These community forums will be held on September 24, 25, and 26, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. All are encouraged to attend. No RSVP is required.

Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/superintendentsearch2024 for more information.

The Horry County Board of Education is conducting a search for Horry County Schools' next superintendent and is seeking your feedback. The survey is available in five languages and will be available through Monday, September 30. All students, staff, parents, future parents, and Horry County community members are encouraged to participate.

Visit www.horrycountyschools.net/2024superintendentsearch for more info and survey links.

Thank you to all our WES families who attended our Title I Annual Parent Meeting and Bring Your Parents to School Family Night on Thursday, September 12th. We had a great evening of learning and growing. In case you missed our Title I Annual Parent Meeting, check out our parent resources and

Title I video below to learn more.

Dave Downing

Dianne Redell Pellegrino

Community Members

Kristina Gonzalez

Ashley Tyler

Teachers

Abigail Khoury

Ashley Kiley

Principal

Leslie Huggins

All parents are welcome to attend our Title I planning team. Thank you for your support.

Local Agency Administrator

Michelle Dunsford

Frann Waldorf

District Personal

Samantha Coy

Other School Staff

Doreen Wheat

Hope Lee

The focus lifeskill for the month of September is CURIOSITY.

Curiosity is the desire to learn, to understand new things and to know how they work.

In South Carolina, a School Improvement Council is an advisory council to the principal and school on issues related to school improvement.

By law, every K-12 public school in South Carolina must have an SIC that is made up of parent, teacher, student (grades 9-12), and community member representatives.

We hold six SIC meetings throughout the school year with our team.

All parents are welcome to attend our meeting.

If you have any questions please call Hope Lee.

2024-2025 SIC Team.

• All students will enter school each morning through a Weapons Detection Device, much like a standard metal detector. It will be a very simple process. Students will be able to keep their backpacks on to walk through the detector.
• Some items may cause the detector to go off.
  • Please avoid bringing any 3 ring binders.
  • Large metal cups (Stanleys, Yetis, etc.) will cause the sensor to alarm. All stainless/metal cups will be passed to a staff member who will hand it to the student on the other side of the detection device.
• Per HCS policy, ALL VISITORS who enter the school will pass through a weapons detection system upon entry.
  • If you are visiting WES, please bring only your ID and very necessary items to avoid delays with bag checks. Please avoid bringing bags, purses, etc.

Thank you for your patience as we begin these new HCS procedures to help create a safer environment for our wildcats!

Please visit the HCS website for details and to access FAQs regarding the NEW HCS Clear Backpack Policy: https://www.horrycountyschools.net/clearbackpacks

What drills will our wildcats participate in throughout the school year?

Fire Drill: Students and staff practice exiting the building in case of a fire.

Tornado Drill: Students and staff take safety position lining up along an interior wall or the safest area, in case of a tornado.

Earthquake Drill: Students and staff DROP, COVER and HOLD ON, getting under a table or desk if one is near, in case of an earthquake.

Intruder Drill: Our school has adopted The “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP). Students and staff will be training, practicing, and drilling the protocol. You can learn more from this Standard Response Protocol Handout for Parents.

Metal Detector Wanding: Staff will use a metal detector wand to check students and their materials.

NEW TRAFFIC RULE/SIGN:

SCDOT has posted a new traffic flow sign across from the main parking lot entrance to WES. No left turn should be made into the school parking lot from 7:15-7:45 AM or from 1:45-3::00 PM. Help us keep our students, families and school community safe by adhering to this new traffic rule.

AVOID BLOCKING NEIGHBORHOOD DRIVEWAYS

While sitting in the car rider line, please remember to avoid blocking driveways. You can receive a traffic ticket from law enforcement for blocking a driveway. Thank you for helping our school neighbors have access in and out of their homes.

• Waccamaw Elementary is in the CAROLINA FOREST CLUSTER BUS AREA.
• LIKE and FOLLOW the Carolina Forest Area Bus Office at https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaForestBusOffice; information is frequently posted regarding pick up time changes and late drop offs.
• Please call the main office if you need assistance with bus stop information.
• NOTE: Bus routes have changed! Please do not assume your child will ride the same bus # or have the same pick up/drop off point.
• Routes are often slightly behind regular schedule on the first days of school. Thank you for your patience with our awesome CF bus drivers.

As always,safety is our first priority. If your child has a change of transportation please email to,

westransportation@horrycountyschools.net

Please do not email individual staff members regarding any transportation changes.

We encourage all changes to be made no later than 1:30 PM.

Thank you for your understanding.

We need YOUR help! Our #1 goal is to create a SAFE environment at WES and this begins each day in our CAR RIDER LINE. Thank you to all wildcat families who follow our car rider procedures!

Please be sure to take note of these important reminders below to help us keep all of our wildcats safe - what you do MATTERS!

• Our car rider line opens promptly at 7:00 AM. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT EXIT VEHICLES PRIOR TO 7:00 AM. There is no supervision prior to 7:00 AM.
• Students MAY NOT dropped off in the parking lot unattended by a parent/guardian. The car rider line should be used for all drop off.
• Parents/guardians should remain in their car at all times. If you need to exit your vehicle to assist your child with a car seat, etc., please pull up to #0 in the car line before doing so.
• Please stay in the single car lane that is designated for car rider drop off. NOTE: Driving over sidewalks, grass and around other vehicles creates a VERY DANGEROUS setting for our wildcats, their families and our staff.
• If you are entering the building for a visit, please ALWAYS use the CROSSWALK.
• Our day begins at 7:30 am. If you child plans to eat breakfast, he/she should arrive by 7:15 to ensure he/she is in class on time.
• Arrival at 7:35 AM is late. The second bell is a late bell. Students will receive a tardy at that time.
• If your child is arriving after 7:35 am, he/she MUST be walked to the main office by an adult.

• All wildcats will receive a plastic WES water bottle to use at school. This is a special gift from the school!
• These may be sent home for you to help keep your child’s bottle safe and clean. Please send this water bottle or another of your choice with your child each day.
• Students may only have water in water bottles.
• NOTE: Students with plastic water bottles will be able to keep their bottle in their backpack to pass through weapons detection devices.

Due to space restraints, we are unable to house items for the whole year. The link will be updated weekly, and any items not claimed by the end of each quarter will be donated.

Donation Dates:

1st quarter 10/25/2024

2nd quarter 1/10/2025

3rd quarter 3/28/2025

4th quarter 6/6/2025

Please Label your student's items with their first and last names.

This will help us return items as they are turned in to Lost and Found.

Please click on the 24-25 LOST & FOUND LINK to view our current lost and found pictures.

We highly encourage parents to use mypaymentsplus.com when paying for field trips, yearbooks, fines or fees. If paying by cash, please have exact amount due. Per district policy, we are not allowed to make change.

If you need help with setting up mypaymentsplus please contact, Kathy O'Connor, bookkeeper.

Student iPads:

• If you have not already, please be sure to complete the technology parent permission form. Per HCS policy, we cannot issue a device to your child without this form completed and signed. Ask your child's teacher if you need a copy.
• If you have an outstanding technology fee from last school year, this payment must be made before we can issue an iPad to your child this year.
• Please be sure to log in to mypaymentsplus.com to pay the optional tech fee. This fee significantly decreases the cost if the iPad is broken/damaged.

Please check out our 2023-2024 SIC Annual Report to Parents to learn more about how our school improvement council supports our school, students, and community.

Active parent engagement has a profoundly positive effect on a child’s academic performance.

Below you will find monthly parenting resources that are age-appropriate, evidence-based guidance, and engaging activities for your child and family.

These resources are available in English and Spanish versions.

Please click on the link below. Enjoy!

If you have any questions or would like a copy of a particular newsletter please contact

Hope Lee our family school facilitator.

843-347-4684

hlee001@horrycountyschools.net

Waccamaw Families,

The chocolate is in and all students who have turned in a signed permission slip will have a box of chocolate going home with them on Friday!

Check out the video for more information on the sale.

Sale runs through 10/7. Please remember there are no returns of partial or full chocolate boxes. Once a box is sent home, you must send in $60 by October 7. Only one box of chocolate may be out on credit at any given time. Additional boxes can be purchased by contacting the PTO at waccamawwildcats@gmail.com or picking up at the school after 1:00 PM each day. Thank you for supporting WES and your PTO!

❤️We LOVE our WES volunteers!❤️

If you are interested in volunteering, including chaperoning field trips,

please be sure to click this link or scan the QR code and

apply for your HCS VOLUNTEER CARD.

https://app.sterlingvolunteers.com/en/Candidates/Account/Register

After you complete the volunteer application please click on the google form below and

submit your contact information for Hope Lee.

24-25 WES Volunteer Contact Information Form

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to call or email me.

We appreciate your support. Thank you.

843-347-4684 or hlee001@horrycountyschools.net

Please click the link below to learn more about Cub Scouts.

The Parent-Child Home Program is a national evidence-based, research-validated early childhood literacy, parenting, and school readiness program. PCHP serves approximately 165 qualifying children between the ages of 16-months to 4 years old throughout Horry County. Trained English and Spanish speaking Home Educators visit the families twice a week. Home Educators model parenting techniques, emphasizing verbal interaction, by using FREE developmentally appropriate educational books and toys. The program also strengthens families and prepares the children to succeed in school by increasing parent-child interaction.

For more information, please contact Sue Merkel

(843) 222-9959 or smerkel@horrycountyschools.net

Horry County Schools partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of students, staff, and their family members. Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health or substance-use treatment options matched to your needs regardless of circumstances.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

Call 888-515-0595 available 24/7/365 in any language

or

Visit www.caresolace.com/horrycounty and either search on your own

OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

Our 2024-25 school year theme is MAKE YOUR MARK! We are excited to help your child write his/her story this year. 📝