Dutch Fork Elementary
Back to School Nuts and Bolts Week of August 11th
Superintendent Priorities
- Focus our work decisions on/around our district strategic plan.
- Identify areas of achievement to improve.
- Provide Chick-Fil-A and Moe's like customer service for internal and external community.
- Strengthen the structure and quality of communication both internally and externally.
- Promote a work and learning environment where students and staff feel safe physically, emotionally and socially.
DFES Beliefs
- We believe all people deserve to feel safe, valued, and loved.
- We believe all children are naturally curious about the world around them.
- We believe learning is a social process.
- We believe inquiry fosters an environment of noticing and questioning.
- We believe in learning from multiple perspectives.
- We believe in learning from authentic primary and secondary sources.
- We believe in encouraging learners to be risk takers.
- We believe reflection should lead to change and growth.
- We believe learning should lead to social action.
- We believe our actions should be aligned with our beliefs.
Shout Outs
- The Whole Language Umbrella (now Language and Literacies for All) recently held their conference in Columbia last month. DFES student artwork was featured during the conference. The board for Language and Literacies for All has donated 22 children's books to our school. We are grateful for their work and their kind and thoughtful gesture.
Welcome
Last Monday our board approved Melinda Rivers to serve as our newest kindergarten teacher. She comes to as a veteran early childhood educator with her most recent experiences being in Richland School District Two. We are excited to have Melinda join our staff.
DFES Intranet
The DFES Intranet is a google site designed and intended to be a on stop shop for faculty/staff. The link allows you to access our staff handbook and annual requiremd items include signature pages for the district staff handbook, blood borne pathogen video, and sexual harassment presentation. Required pages should be submitted to Shirley cope by Tuesday, August 20th. Please contact Mr. Gantt should you have any questions about the site.
DFES Swap Day
- Talk/Language
- Developing long-range plans and integrated units of study
- Non-negotiables to implement DFES philosophy with integrity
For those attending we will have Chromebooks charged and available to access and work on long range plans and units of study. For certified who this does not apply you can work in your rooms during this time. The same applies to support staff.
Lunch will be from 11:30-12:30 on your own if you choose.
We will meet with support staff from 2:00 in the mini theater to share expectations for support staff evaluations for 2019-2020 school year.
Monday, Aug 12, 2019, 08:00 AM
DFES Cafeteria
First in Five Teacher Shower
I will join Haley Plemmons (3rd grade) and her mentor Jenny Goforth along with Martie Newmyer (5th grade) and her mentor Nissi Jefferson for the event.
Monday, Aug 12, 2019, 11:00 AM
Chapin Middle School, Broad River Road, Chapin, SC, USA
24 Hour Inquiry
First Day Return August 13th
We are excited about the return of our faculty/staff this Tuesday. Thanks to the support of our PTO our day will begin with breakfast from Eggs Up Grill. Breakfast will begin at 7:45 a.m. Our day will officially began at 8:30 a.m.
Our time will be 8:30 - 11:30. Lunch will be 11:30 - 12:30. You will have the remainder of the day to work in your rooms.
Wednesday, August 14th School Inservice/Teacher Work Day
Thursday, August 15th School Inservice/Teacher Work Day
Fox Cub Focus/Meet the Teacher
Our student back to school registration is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Families will take care of all required paper work in the gym. Once all peperwork is complete famiies will receive their teacher assignment and will visit classrooms. Additional notes about Thursday:
- Our new school shirts should arrive by Monday and will be placed in your boxes early this week. Those shirts are to be worn for Fox Cub Focus.
- Given the length of the day deli sandwhiches, chips, and drinks will be provided for everyone prior to the event (3ish) for those interested. Location TBA.
- We now have access to park on our soccer field thanks to district maintenence. A section of the curb in this area has been removed and a ramp has been added. Due to limited parking I am expected DFES faculty/staff to utilize this space so that familes can have closer access to the building. Mr. Epting will add marking/lining to identify parking places before Thursday. See the pictures below.
Thursday, Aug 15, 2019, 04:00 PM
DFES Gym
5K Kindergarten Orientation
Thursday, Aug 15, 2019, 06:00 PM
DFES Mini Theater
Superintendent's Kick/Teacher Work Day
The superintendent's kickoff is our annual back to school rally for District 5. During the event there will be a recognition of each schools teacher of the year and support employee of the year. There will be welcome addresses from our school board chair, district teacher of the year, district support employee of the year, and our superintendent.
Each school will have a section of the gym for their respective faculties and staff and each school I would venture to say is eager to display their school spirit by way of t-shirts. Our t-shirts will be worn for the kickoff.
Given the time of the event along with carpooling and parking our building will not open prior to the event. Our building will open once the kickoff has concluded (by 12:00) depending on how soon office staff returns from the event.
The remainder of the day will be dedicated to teachers working in their rooms.
Friday, Aug 16, 2019, 09:00 AM
Irmo High School, Saint Andrews Road, Columbia, SC, USA
District Professional Development Day
LeaD5, our district's professional development model, begins Monday, August 19th. Certified staff members select the professsional development track they will attend over the course of this year. Details have been emailed by Sara Kearns. For our new colleagues if you have any questions please let me know.
Lunch will be on your own that day.
All schools will have a PBIS PD to include all faculty and staff members. Our PD will begin at 1:30 and will be lead by Mr. Gantt in the mini theater.
Unencumbered Teacher Work Day
Birthday Wishes!
- 8/16 S. Somerall (Reading Coach)
We develop students who care about the world we live in and express critical thinking through natural curiosity and wonder!
Email: jscott@lexrich5.org
Website: www.lexrich5.org/dutchfork/cfm/
Location: 7900 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC, USA
Phone: 803-479-9544
Twitter: @dfes_principal