The CPES BobChat
September 17, 2023
How Can I Volunteer at CPES?
We are so blessed to have such a supportive school community. It takes all of us doing the little and big things each day so children can learn and teachers can teach. Here are just a few ideas for how you can further volunteer at CPES. 1. Parent Teacher Organization--We had such a great group who attended our first meeting last Monday. Our PTO has three main functions of service for our school: Fundraising, Staff Appreciation, and Securing Volunteers. Currently, the PTO is fundraising for adding new artificial turf for our older students' playground. Our play area there is limited in bad weather because it gets muddy. The turf is needed because it is extremely difficult to grow grass with nearly 700 students playing there most of the day every day. Projected costs are close to $100,000 and half of the money was raised last year and we are hoping to complete that project this year with funds raised from the Bobcat Dash. (Sponsorships for it are due by October 6.) 2. School Improvement Council--Our SIC works with school and district administration as a sounding board and helps recommend improvements. It provides input on district and school initiatives. It is an elected group and we will have three open spots this fall. Nominations can be submitted through October 1. (See below for more information.) 3. Other Volunteer Opportunities--Teachers will let parents know about chaperoning field trips or helping with projects. We are always looking for parents who can substitute teach with us. We send out signups in the newsletter to solicit volunteers when needed (like the one for Birthday Book Club below.) We would love to have extra people who could help during arrival or dismissal times. In addition, you may have a talent or gift that could benefit our students and school. If so, let's talk about that. As always, we want our volunteers to be mindful of confidentiality issues with students. That is one reason why we want to be thoughtful about where and how volunteers serve. Before volunteering, please be sure your screening is up to date. You can find the link to do that on our school website. Thank you for all the ways you support your child and our school. Your investment in your child is the most important way you make a difference each day.
Strength and Blessings,
Mr. Maness
P.S. Pictured below are a few of many volunteers who donated and served on Friday for Staff Appreciation. Thanks so much for your effort.
Notes and Reminders
1. Boys' Running Club--Cherry Park's Boys' Running Club will start the week of October 2nd! If your boy is in 4th or 5th grade and loves to be active, runs and/or likes a challenge, CPES Running Club is a great place for him! We will have practice twice a week after school until 3:30pm at Cherry Park Fields. Please consider signing up using the link below. We have a limited number of boys to join and so if the link isn't working, please reach out to Mrs. Anderson, our PE teacher, at (eanderson@rhmail.org). Thank you! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScO67UjTmj-wGmbBGA-pqRNIXc9nNwgDTqwACexVJv3b4CpOA/viewform
2. Bobcat Dash on October 27--The PTO is excited to host the 4th Annual Bobcat Dash Fun Run this October! This is our only school Fundraiser and we need everyone's help to make it successful. Please consider Sponsoring the Bobcat Dash or asking your place of employment for a Sponsorship. You can click on the Bobcat Dash Sponsor Letter button below for more information. The Pledge Forms for students to collect donations will go home at the beginning of October. Our goal this year is to raise enough money to complete the turf installation on the playground. This will benefit every student in the school. Please send all questions about Sponsorships or the Fun Run in general to the PTO at cherryparkelementarypto@gmail.com.
3. Signup to Help with Birthday Book Club--We are kicking off the Birthday Book Club celebration for the year! We will celebrate on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. We are starting with July, August and September birthdays. 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 THROUH THE DISTRICT! It is district policy that all volunteers have been approved. Thank you so much for your help!
Please review the available slots below and click on the button or link to sign up. Thank you! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A4A923AAFBC70-44343524-birthday#/
4. Staff Appreciation--Thank you to our parent volunteers who sent in items for our Staff Appreciation Snack Bags on Friday. Every staff member received a bag of goodies at the end of a busy week. Thanks so much for your expressions of kindness and for being willing to serve.
5. School Improvement Council Nomination Form--Please complete the questions below in the link if you wish to submit your name for the ballot for School Improvement Council Elections for Cherry Park for 23-24. Terms are for two years and we will be electing three new members to our SIC. Meetings are on the second Monday of the month from 5:30-6:30 PM. Please do not nominate someone else (although you can encourage them to run). Please submit this form by the end of the day on Sunday, October 1. (Any parent can attend SIC meetings. This election chooses voting members of the SIC.) We encourage having a diversity of members who can represent all perspectives of our families. (The SIC ballot will include your name, how many children you have at CPES and your chosen language program.) You can click on the button below or this link: https://forms.gle/XtxobcseUUqnMPMr8
6. Technology Forms and Fees--Parents, please know that personal mobile computing devices and chargers will be distributed each year only after parents/guardians and students sign the Technology Agreement and parents/guardians complete and pay the $20 Technology fee. These forms can be completed online in Parent Portal and technology fees can be paid online here: https://rockhillsc.csiepay.com/Views/Payment/Pay.aspx See button below if you still need directions to sign up for Parent Portal.
7. Updating Powerschool and Parent Portal--Know that it may take up to 48 hours for information to be update in Power School and Parent Portal. We work to get it updated by the same day but it often takes two days for the update in the system.
Parents, please note that Monday, October 9 is a Professional Development Day for teachers and it is a student holiday.
Click here for more information and to sign up your child.
Click here if you'd like to sign up to help with the Birthday Book Club on September 27.
Please complete by October 1, 2023 if you'd like to submit your name on the SIC ballot.
Click here for directions how you can sign up for Parent Portal.
This is the link to our school website and includes our Family Handbook, Attendance Guidelines, PTO Information and many more resources that can answer questions you might have.
School Calendar
September 27--Birthday Book Club (See above for info)
October 1--School Improvement Council Nominations Due
October 9--Teacher Professional Development Day (No Students); 5:30 School Improvement Council and 6:30 PM Parent Teacher Organization Meetings
October 20--Half Day for Students (Students will be dismissed at 11:00)
October 27--Bobcat Dash
Parent Organizations
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 Michelle Dawkins (Treasurer).
Previous Newsletters for 23-24 School Year
"What CRAzy Model Do We Use for Math Instruction?" September 10, 2023 https://www.smore.com/kfbg7
"What Do We Need to Know about Arrival?" September 3, 2023 https://www.smore.com/fc0kd
"Did You Know that a Bobcat 'ROARS?"' August 27, 2023 https://www.smore.com/0g7qv
"What Do We Need to Remember as We Start Back" August 20, 2023 https://www.smore.com/yrt38
"Techno
logy Forms and Fees"--August 25, 2023 https://www.smore.com/72qcg
"How Can We Work Together to Keep Everyone Safe?" August 13, 2023 https://www.smore.com/6cbtm
"How Can Checklists Help You Start a New Year?" August 6, 2023 https://www.smore.com/0jyx61
"Who Are the Newest Hires and What Are the Latest Changes with Technology?" July 30, 2023 https://www.smore.com/z6qnp
"What's the Latest News at Cherry Park" July 16, 2023 https://www.smore.com/w9pth
"Challenger Be Great Academy Update" June 23, 2023 https://www.smore.com/8hqka
"What Staffing Changes Have Been Made at CPES?" June 18, 2023 https://www.smore.com/e0vr2