The CPES BobChat

This past week, our district focused a lot of energy and effort on the Program Options process and health concerns to keep our staff and students well. Here are some updates on those areas.

1. Program Options Lottery--Applications for Program Options were due on Friday. Here are details how the lottery works and we hope you will share this with other families who applied. The lottery will be activated on tomorrow, Monday, February 3. Families will be notified immediately on the 3rd as to the status of the application. They will either be assigned a “seat” or placed on the Waitlist. When a family has identified 2 options, they will be given a “seat” in the 1st option, if available. If there is not a “seat”, they will be assigned a “seat” in the 2nd option, if available. If neither option has a “seat”, they will be placed on a waitlist for the 1st option. Please note a family cannot accept a seat for their 2nd option and be placed on wait list for the 1st. Once a seat is accepted, that is the student’s placement other than their zoned school. 2. Flu Season--We currently have a large number of students absent with the flu, flu-like illness and COVID in our community. As you may know, the flu is spread easily from person to person and school-age children are among the groups most affected. Children typically experience symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and/or body aches with flu. They experience nasal congestion, sore throat, and headache with COVID.

If you suspect your child is getting sick, please DO NOT send them to school. Students who are experiencing the symptoms listed above need to complete the following steps:

1. Stay home from school

2. Notify our school if they test positive for flu or COVID to ensure their absences are documented correctly.

3. RH Schools offers FREE COVID/Flu testing for students and staff - We encourage you to set up a time for your child to be tested at one of our testing locations. (See the Notes and Reminders section below for testing locations.)

School staff continue to work closely with the RH Schools Nursing Services department and SC DPH to monitor flu conditions in our school communities and ensure disinfecting practices are being followed. Custodial staff will continue to disinfect classrooms and common areas regularly. Classrooms with an increased number of sick students will be disinfected nightly. Please see Notes and Reminders section below for more information on "How Can Parents Help Reduce the Spread of Illness."

Thank you for all the ways you help share information inside and outside of our school family to promote teaching and learning. We always appreciate your support for your child and our school.

Strength and Blessings,

Mr. Maness

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. Absence Notes and Documentation--Please send notes and documentation for absences to Mrs. Miskelly at the following email address: mailto:CPAbsenceDocumentation@rhmail.org

2. How Can Parents Help Reduce the Spread of Illness?

• Don’t send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are sick at school will be sent home. Staying home when sick will allow your children to rest and allows you to monitor their health closely.

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or upper sleeve when you cough or sneeze.

• Take time to get a flu vaccine. Flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu. SCDPH strongly recommends all South Carolina residents older than 6 months old get the flu vaccine as soon as possible to prevent the flu, unless they have a medical reason not to be vaccinated.

• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils.

• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu and Covid.. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

3. Testing Locations for COVID/FLU

Rock Hill Schools will provide free COVID/Flu tests for students and staff at the following locations. Please call the nurse at one of the locations below to schedule a time to be tested.

Belleview

501 Belleview Road

803-981-1941

Nurse - Lyn Neil

8:00am - 3:00pm (M-F)

Flexible Learning Center

1234 Flint Street

803-985-3738

Nurse - Sally Jackson

8:30am - 4:00pm (M-Thurs)

8:30am - 1:00pm (Fri.)

Applied Technology Center

2399 W Main Street

803-985-3116

Nurse - Lisa Robertson

8:30am - 3:30pm (M-F)

4. 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#/

5. 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.)

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 10--5:30 School Improvement Council; 6:30 Parent Teacher Organization

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

February 28--Early Release Day (Students are dismissed at 11:15)

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.

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