The CPES BobChat Open House Edition
August 11, 2021
Who's New at Cherry Park?
We are so fortunate to have new staff members joining our school family. Here is an update on who is where as we start the year. Chrissie Robbins will be the assistant in Mrs. Pope's kindergarten class until Mrs. Mahes returns at the end of August. Mrs. Robbins has worked extensively with early childhood classes at CPES and at McFeat Lab School. Carlota Canteli will be the assistant in Mrs. Notaro's class until Ms. Barranco returns from her leave in September. Mrs. Canteli was a bilingual tutor with us in the spring. Erika Griffin is our new first grade French teacher (with Mrs. Webb) and she is a native of Canada who has taught language immersion in a different school before coming to CPES. Kelsey George will be the English language arts teacher paired with Ms. St. Aimee on our French team. Mrs. George has previously taught third frade for four years and she taught in our Virtual Academy last year. Her first day with us will be Friday, August 20. She will be available via Zoom to speak with parents in her classroom at Open House and she will teach students virtually Monday through Thursday of next week. Mrs. Easley will be assisting in the classroom with the students during this time to establish procedures and routines. Dr. Sandrine Hope is our new third grade French teacher who is teaming with Mrs. Parrish. She is a native of France and has taught at the elementary level and collegiate level. Annette Tull will be the Spanish teacher paired with Mrs. Riley. Mrs. Tull has been an immersion teacher for a number of years at various elementary grade levels. Mrs. Riley will not be able to start the year due to some recent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery and will be back with us in three to six weeks. Carrie Missagia, one of our veteran assistants, will teach her class until she returns. It is a pleasure to welcome Mimi Goodner to our fourth and fifth grade French team as our language arts teacher. She has taught in the district for fourteen years. Tomas Urrestta and Clydia Gullion will team together in fifth grade. Mr. Urrestta, our Spanish teacher, and Mrs. Gullion, our English language arts teacher, have each been educators for nearly twelve years and know best practices to support our children. We are fortunate to have Kelly Watson as our Unique Pathways 3 teacher and Micheala Maloney will be an assistant in that class. Claire Jones will join Dr. Nichols as a part-time resource teacher. Blair Austin is our new media specialist, Matthew Bratton is our new music teacher, and Trey Moore will be an additional part-time art teacher with us. Each of these Related Arts team members brings so many gifts and talents to our school. We are saddened that Mrs. Sanders (our school counselor) will be on leave this fall but we have hired Miranda Baskin to serve in that capacity along with Mrs. Flaherty. Emily Walker will be a new interventionist in our school and will work with our early grades in literacy. When you come to our office, you will meet our new receptionist, Shyan Fortuna, and our new data management clerk, Heidi Hunsucker. Keith Turner is our new technology assistant. Whew!! We have lots of new faces in lots of new places. The most important question I ask myself when we hire staff is "Would I want this person working with my own child?" For each of these amazing people, I can confidently say "Yes!!" Thank you in advance for how you will welcome them to our school family and let them know they are in a special place. We are immensely blessed they have chosen to be a part of #OneTeamOneMissionOneRockHill.
Strength and Blessings,
Mr. Maness, Principal
P.S. Our Parent Teacher Organization will have a table at Open House and you can visit it to find out more information for how you can be involved.
Open House Reminders for Tomorrow Night from 5:00-7:00 PM
2. Staff Available--We will have representatives from Transportation, Food Service, and Challenger available in the cafeteria. Nurse Love will be near the office in her office if you have health related questions.
3. Technology Protection Plan Payment--The easiest way to pay is online: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=2265&ModuleInstanceID=9752&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=20696&PageID=7109 (The button is also below.) You can also drop off a check in the Media Center. Please be sure to put your child's name and his/her teacher and your telephone number on your check. Cash payments can also be made in the media center.
4. School Supplies--Feel free to drop off school supplies if you'd like.
5. Dismissal Pickup Cards--We ask all families to sign the form in your child's homeroom to secure Pickup Cards. You will use this card throughout the year for regular car pickup and for early dismissals from school due to bad weather or teacher workdays. No matter how your child goes home on a regular basis, please secure pickup cards for your emergency contacts you have already identified in PowerSchool who will be picking up your child from the car line. Please get the right card for the car line (Caswell or Cherry Road) you will come through.
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. We will not be able to allow volunteers to come into the building for now per district policy. If our community spread numbers improve, the district may decide this would be permitted at a later time.
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.) 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 5--Student Classroom Assignments Will Be Sent Out
August 12--5:00-7:00 PM Open House
August 19--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