The Bobcat Blaze
February 12, 2021
Principal's Message
Happy Friday Bobcat Families!
Thank you for another great week! I am excited to finally have all the students back together next week. I appreciate the hard work all of our families and students have put in to make this school year as productive and successful as possible.
Thank you to those who participated and promoted our 100th day of school festivities this week. It brought such laughter and joy to the building!
As students return together next week, we may find ourselves reliving the first days of school all over again. Rest assured that teachers will revist established routines, procedures, and expectations. Each will also have sound classroom management and safety systems in place.
Be sure to check out the Yearbook info included in this issue!
As always, thank you for all that you do!
Have a great weekend and happy Valentine's Day!
We are A.C. Moore STRONG!
Principal's Message: https://cloud.swivl.com/v/6c8ff1866add09fa0f4f56b5d89df31c
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
February
February 1st-28th.............Black History Month
February 15th...................No School for Students, Professional Development Day for Teachers
February 16th..................4 Days of In-person Instruction Begins
February 23rd..................Virtual Family Bingo Night w/ Mrs. Rogers - 6pm
- February 26th..................5th Grade yearbook ad forms are due
March
March 12th .......................Yearbook order forms are due
Get Your Yearbook Ordered Now!
Click on the documents below to place an order for the 20-21 yearbook. The deadline to place an order is March 12th.
Fifth Grade Parents:
If you would like to place an ad in the yearbook for your fifth grader, please see the attached flyer for details.
A Message from the District Office
Dr. Witherspoon Announces District Will Return to Phase 2/Hybrid February 1st
January 27, 2021
Dear Richland One Families and Staff,
We continue to monitor our Restart Strong Plan based upon the science and circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Our plan, which has been posted on our website (www.richlandone.org/restartstrong) since July 2020, outlines the Phase-In Model (eLearning, hybrid and traditional face-to-face) and the full-year Virtual School Program option.
There have been modifications to our plan throughout this process. For example, parents were able to change options more frequently than originally planned. Another example is the district moved back to Phase 1 (eLearning) after the Winter Break based upon an anticipated surge in community outbreak of COVID-19. The significant increases in incidence rates per 100,000 people resulted in our extension of Phase 1 beyond the two weeks we originally planned. Staff availability, based upon COVID-19 cases and associated quarantines, also was a factor in our extension of Phase 1 beyond two weeks. This background information is important to consider.
As we finish this week of eLearning, the district will return to Phase 2 (hybrid) effective Monday, February 1, 2021. For the week of February 1, the instructional days will be Monday and Tuesday (Cohort A), and Wednesday and Thursday (Cohort B); the flex day will be Friday. Friday, February 5 is a professional development day/early release day for students, as designated on the district’s 2020-2021 calendar.
Also, please note the following information by grade level which is effective Tuesday, February 16:
Elementary School Students
- We will be transitioning to four days of in-person instruction at the elementary level. Wednesdays will be flex days. Schools will provide additional information to parents next week.
- Parents of Phase 2/hybrid students who do not feel comfortable with their children returning to school for face-to-face instruction and want them to continue with eLearning will have that option.
- Students in the Virtual School Program will remain in that program.
- There are no more slots available in the Virtual School Program.
Middle School and High School Students
- Middle school students and high school students will continue to be served in the Phase 2/hybrid model or the Virtual School Program, as they were before the Winter Break.
As we continue to work through the impact of COVID-19 on this district and our community, we appreciate your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Craig Witherspoon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Please return all library books so they can be exchanged.
Free COVID-19 Testing Sites for February
DHEC-RRT - Pardon and Parole (Old Building)
Dates and Times for February
Open Daily: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Further Information:
- Report to the intersection of Greene St. and Heidt St.
- Appointment Needed: No
- Referral Needed: No
- Pediatric Testing Available: Yes
- Saliva testing- Do not eat, drink, or smoke for 30 minutes prior to testing.
Address: 2204 Lee St, Columbia, SC 29205
Contact Details and Pre-Registration: https://rrtesting.app/devine
DHEC-Tour Health - DHEC Parking Lot
Dates and Times for February
Open weekdays: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Further Information
- Appointment Needed: No
- Referral Needed: No
- Pediatric Testing Available: Yes
Address 2600 Bull St, Columbia, SC 29201
Contact Details https://www.tourhealth.com/
SCHOOL NEWS
A Bobcat Spotlight...Congratulations Dreambox Student of Excellence
Hure Alqahtani, 2nd Grader in Ms. Copeland's Homeroom
A Bobcat Spotlight....Black History Month
A. C. Moore Continues to Celebrate the Contributions of African-Americans
During A. C. Moore's celebration of Black History Month, each week you and your student can learn more about the contributions African-Americans have had on American culture. Each edition of the February Bobcat Blaze will highlight those contributions in specific areas. This edition focuses on the African-American Influence on Visual Arts.
Artwork: Ellis Wilson, Funeral Procession, 1950
African-American Influence on Visual Arts
Artwork: Edward Mitchell Bannister, Landscape with Woman Walking on Path, 1879
When Africans were brought to the United States, their culture was stripped from them. There was a concerted effort on the part of the enslavers to keep like-people separate in order to weaken them and eliminate communication between them. Once enslaved, they were prohibited from performing rituals or practicing the religions they had before being captured, so they became creative in how they could hold on to some of their culture without being punished. While African Americans have been producing visual art in this country since slavery, only recently have they been accepted into mainstream culture.
Early African American painters like Robert S. Duncanson, (b. 1821), who was best known for his landscape paintings, had no formal training. He learned to paint by copying prints and European artworks. He is the first internationally known African American artist. And today his work hangs in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Artist, Edward Mitchell Bannister (b. 1828) was able to gain some education in the arts at the Lowell Institute, and while slavery was still an institution until 1865, he created ties with abolitionists to establish a livelihood as an artist.
Artwork: Robert S. Duncanson, Land of the Lotus Eaters, 1860-1861
Henry Osawa Tanner (b. 1859), the first internationally acclaimed African American painter, attended the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts and studied in Paris. Tanner’s most famous work, The Banjo Lesson, is a painting of an elderly black man teaching a young black boy how to play the banjo. While we’re able to look at these artists’ works in museums today, they faced hardships to be artists. According to the Smithsonian American Art Museum website, Edward Mitchell Bannister was harshly critiqued by a reviewer who said, “… the negro has an appreciation for art while being manifestly unable to produce it.” This statement was published in the New York Herald in 1867.
Artwork: Henry Osawa Tanner, The Banjo Lesson, 1893
Georgia Landscape, circa 1934-35, Oil Painting, Hale Aspacio Woodruff
Hale Woodruff expressed his sense of heritage in abstract paintings and became known for his murals, paintings, and prints.
Aaron Douglas: From Slavery to Reconstruction, Aspects of Negro Life series, 1934
Douglas chose as his subject matter the history of Africans in the United States, beginning his story in Africa.
Augusta Savage: Gamin
The word "gamin" means "street urchin". By the way the shirt is wrinkled, the ragged hat, and his face that looks like he has encountered harsh sights, it depicts the meaning of the word "Gamin".
The most celebrated time for the arts in black history, the Harlem Renaissance (1918-1937), ushered in a wave of black visual artists. At the time, African American people were better able to afford education to obtain degrees in the arts. While the visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance tend to be overshadowed by authors and musicians, the visual arts of the period were salient to the time, as well. Artists like Aaron Douglas, Hale Woodruff, and Augusta Savage played a huge role in establishing black aesthetics in an art world that wouldn’t readily accept them. While they created their own opportunities in Harlem, their presence made it known that African Americans can create great art and that they possess the artistic and cognitive skills to do so.
The Harlem Renaissance was a time for visual artists to create aesthetics distinct to the black experience in the U.S. This movement also steered the art of Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden who would go on to be well-known African American artists within the dominant culture. Although the Great Depression (1929-1939) devastated the country, it also created opportunities for African American artists. With aid from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Augusta Savage was able to lead the Harlem Community Center and The New Deal’s Federal Arts Projects encouraged black artists to create art to improve morale.
The 1980s, belonged to Jean-Michel Basquiat. The ever-present art star that passed away too soon, Basquiat is the patron saint for many black artists today because he did the unprecedented: He achieved art world superstar status as a black man. The myth of this man is what will make this era in black art history especially remembered.
Artwork: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled Head
The postmodern era of the 1990s, saw the dominance of the black female artist. Black women artists, Emma Amos, Deborah Willis, and Renee Cox gained recognition for their work in a way that black women hadn’t done before then. In 1990, Lorna Simpson was the first black woman to present art at Venice Biennale. During the 1990s more marginalized artists than ever were accepted into the mainstream art world, allowing them exposure, and thus the compensation to create lives as full-time artists. There were and continue to be a compendium of voices and perspectives on exhibit that attempt to critique the establishment.
Artwork: Lorna Simpson, Ultra Violet 2
Black History Month Trivia: Answers from Week 1
Can you name the musicians pictured below?
1. Scott Joplin
He was an African-American composer and pianist. He achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was dubbed the King of Ragtime.
2.Louis Armstrong
He was an American trumpeter, composer, vocalist, and actor who was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades, from the 1920s to the 1960s, and different eras in the history of jazz.
3. Marian Anderson
She was the first black singer to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera and performed a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, on the Lincoln Memorial steps in the capital.
4. Charley Pride
He was the first (and so far last) black artist to win the Country Music Association's most prestigious award, Entertainer of the Year. In 2000, he was the first black inductee at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
5.Lauryn Hill
In 1999, her debut solo album became the first hip-hop disc to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
6.Kendrick Lamar
In 2017 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his 4th musical album, becoming the first non-classical/jazz artist to be honored in that category.
Black History Month Trivia: Week 2
Name the African American artists responsible for painting portraits of former President, Barack Obama and former First Lady, Michelle Obama
Black History Month Resources
Attention Bobcat Families:
If any of your contact information has changed (phone number, address, email address, emergency contacts) since the start of the school year please contact database specialist Madolyn Thorpe at madolyn.thorpe@richlandone.org. We need the most accurate information in Powerschool to ensure you receive school communication.
100th Day of School Dress Up Days
Our Bobcats had fun celebrating the 100th day of school! Thank you students and teachers for making the 100th day of school so enjoyable! Check out the creative 100th Day Celebration outfits below.
Virtual Family Bingo Night
Hello AC Moore Families!
1. After conducting an audit of health records, I found that I am missing documentation from many students. On Tuesday, I will be sending home copies of the forms we need. Please take a few minutes to complete the forms on Tuesday evening and return them to me on Wednesday. I appreciate your cooperation with this very important matter!
2. SC DHEC has updated some of the Covid guidelines, as well as the criteria for school exclusion. Please see the 2 documents below and Click HERE for the new exclusion list.
Please remember to let me know right away if your child has either tested positive for Covid or been classified as a close contact. Let's all work together to keep each other safe!
3. Thank you to those families who have already signed up for the Kinsa health FLUency program. Your FREE thermometer will be sent home just as soon as it arrives. If you missed the last deadline, no worries . . . there will be one more shipment this year, so sign up TODAY!
Don't hesitate to contact me if you need help registering for the thermometer program or linking your account to A.C. Moore. If you have not received confirmation that your thermometer was successfully ordered, it did not go through.
Take care, Everyone!
Jennifer Hurt, School Nurse
803-929-3886 (phone)
803-929-2724 (fax)
Wellness Watch
Alliance for a Healthier Generation Presents: Moving Towards Health Equity - At Home, School, and in Your Community
Click on the image below to read more about reaching healthy equity by implementing practical ideas. Additionally, find out more about success stories for home, school, and community engagement.
Report to the Parents
This report is issued by the AC Moore Elementary School Improvement Council (SIC) in accordance with South Carolina law to share information on the school's progress in meeting various goals and objectives, the work of the SIC, and other accomplishments during the school year.
Information from your PTO
To stay up-to-date on PTO happenings, please click the link below to register for the Bobcat e-Blast! If you are currently receiving the Bobcat e-Blasts, you will still need to complete the form and provide your information. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LVTMQYJ
Thanks,
Carrie Smith & Kim Pordes (PTO chairs)
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Asi usted haya recibido el Bobcat e-Blast en el pasado, por favor complete esta informacion- estamos haciendo una nueva base de datos. Estamos planeando las reuniones del PTO los miercoles en la tarde, al comienzo virtualmente, por eso esten pendiente de los anuncios que haga la Directora Aldridge en el Bobcat Blaze (periodico de la escuela) para mas informacion de la primera reunion.
Gracias, y espero verlos pronto!
Carrie Smith & Kim Pordes ( representantes del PTO)
Tech Tips
For Parents and Teachers...
Richland One IT Help Desk
You can get remote assistance by calling the IT Help Desk Monday - Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM at 803-231-7436.
Mark Your Calendars for...
Funny, Random, & Weird Holidays
Did you participate in a wacky holiday last week? Don't forget to send a picture of your family's celebration to Mrs. Whetstone at andrea.whetstone@richlandone.org. Here are a few weird holidays for your family to think about this week.
February 12..........................................……Darwin Day
February 13..........................................……World Radio Day
February 14..........................................……Ferris Wheel Day
February 14..........................................……Library Lovers Day
February 15..........................................……Gumdrop Day
February 16..........................................……Do a Grouch a Favor Day
February 17..........................................……Random Act of Kindness Day
February 18..........................................……Battery Day
February 19..........................................……Chocolate Mint Day
We Want to See Your Bobcat Student MAKING TRACKS!
We would love to share in your student's success by seeing them in action! Submit a photo of your Bobcat completing their asynchronous assignments and/or activities your student's picture can be featured in an upcoming issue of the Bobcat Blaze! Submit your photos to Mrs. Whetstone at andrea.whetstone@richlandone.org.
DISTRICT NEWS
Parents, students and staff can now get up-to-date information about COVID-19 cases in the district through Richland One’s new online tracking dashboard.
A link to the dashboard, which will be updated daily, is posted on the Restart Strong page on the district’s website www.richlandone.org/restartstrong. In addition to listing the number of positive and quarantined COVID-19 cases among Richland One students and staff, the dashboard includes the number of cases at each district school and administrative building. It also shows daily, weekly and year-to-date summaries of the number of positive COVID-19 cases.
“Richland One’s goal in creating the COVID-19 dashboard is to provide the most accurate and current information possible to our community,” said Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon. “Having the same data allows us all to work together to better protect our students and staff.”
COVID-19 data is compiled daily by the district’s Nursing Services office and Accountability, Assessment, Research and Evaluation department. The information shown on Richland One’s dashboard may differ from the reports from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which are updated on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Media inquiries should be directed to the Richland One Office of Communications.
Registration Information for Pre-Kindergarten Programs
District Resources
ThriveRichland
ThriveRichland is a birth to four initiative established by Richland County School District One with the overall goal of increasing the percentage of children entering kindergarten ready to learn. The three major focus areas of ThriveRichland are:
High quality professional development and support for early childhood professionals
Comprehensive family wellness and engagement
Development of a plan for an early learning lab school within Richland One
ThriveRichland is offering families with children from birth to four and opportunity to join an online play group. Click the link below for details on how to sign up your family.
Connect with Us
Website: www.richlandone.org/Domain/26
Location: 333 Etiwan Avenue, Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: (803) 343-2910
Facebook: www.facebook.com/acmooreelementary
Twitter: @ACMooreBobcats