SJE Dolphin Post
May 13, 2022
Medication Pick-Up!!
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As the end of the school year approaches, I would like to remind you to pick up your child’s medication from school. Policy regulations require the disposal of ALL medications, prescription and non-prescription, which are not picked up. (This includes emergency medications such as Inhalers and EpiPens). The school cannot store any medication over the summer.
Please pick up medications by 3:00 pm on Wednesday, June 1st, or the medication(s) will be destroyed.
Please remember a parent or guardian must pick up the medicine by the date indicated above. We cannot send medication home with students. Please stop by the health office to pick up your child’s medication. If you need to make special arrangements, please call me. If your child’s medication is not picked up, it will be destroyed.
Thank you for allowing me to help with meeting your child’s health care needs at school. Have a happy and healthy summer!
Jessica Osteen, BSN, RN
School Nurse
St. James Elementary School
School Phone: (843) 215-6011
School Fax: (843) 650-7909
Safety is Always First At SJE!Please bring your ID to check your child in/out of the building. | Smoke Free Zone Horry County Schools are Smoke Free District policy prohibits the use of tobacco products. Everywhere, By Everyone, at all times. even in your car. |
Change in Transportation Reminder
Parties/Celebrations Reminder
School Policy
St.James Elementary School has two classroom parties/celebrations during the school year: before winter break and the end of the year.
We do not have classroom celebrations on Valentine's Day, Halloween or any other Holidays.
We cannot allow celebration cakes, cupcakes, flowers, etc. for individual or group rewards or celebrations.
Students may bring valentines on February 14 to exchange with classmates but may not bring candy, cookies, cupcakes, treat bags, etc. Thank you for your cooperation and support.
No costumes or treat bags are allowed at school on October 30 or 31. Thank you for your cooperation.
SJE Family,
I ask you to review the car rider procedures below. Pay close attention to the time of the tardy bell. The tardy bell rings at 7:40am. If your child is not in the building at 7:40am, he/she will be marked tardy. Your child can be marked tardy even if you drive through the gate after the bell has rung. Instruction begins at 7:40am, please be on time.
Please take a moment and review our car rider procedures. It is so important that our children are ready to exit the car quickly and safely when and where it stops. When this does not happen, the flow of traffic is disrupted and the cars behind you are not prepared to stop. This can cause an accident. If you must get out of your car for any reason or your child is not prepared to exit the car at the stop, you must pull forward to the sidewalk area in front of the playground. Also remember that it is most safe for the children to exit the car on the right side. Children walking in front of or behind cars is a huge safety concern. We are working as hard as possible to get all of the children out of the cars and into the building before the 7:40am tardy bell rings. Our teachers on duty need to be in the building so they can prepare to provide instruction to our children. We will begin marking your child tardy after the bell rings. Please be considerate and safe to the cars behind you and follow all car rider procedures. We begin welcoming car riders at 6:45am and the tardy bell rings at 7:40am.
(See car rider procedures below…)
Morning Procedures
How quickly your child exits the car impacts those behind you, so we appreciate how considerate you can be to all of our SJE families. We want everyone to get in the building before the 7:40am tardy bell rings, we want our parents to get to work on time or deliver additional children to other schools on time, and we want our teachers on duty in the building at 7:40am to begin instruction.
We will continue to monitor the morning drop off situation for the safety of our children. We know that all of you echo our passion for ensuring our children’s safe and timely arrival to school. Please remember that our new morning car rider procedures require that all children will be dropped off in the car line. Please enter the car line beside the middle school and follow the SJE lane to our drop off location. When you pull all the way to the first available spot and stop, your child should be ready to exit the car (make sure book bags are ready, jackets are on, and you have said your good-byes before you stop your car). Being ready and exiting the car in a quick manner can be helpful to those behind you in line. Teachers and staff on duty will not be opening the car doors. If you need to help your child exit the car and this requires you to exit your car as well, please pull all the way forward past the first drop off stop and pull to the side area to assist your child. Pulling all the way forward and to the side allows the parents behind you to continue the line moving. We want to be considerate to all students and parents with regards to arriving to school in a timely manner.
Again, the line will begin receiving students at 6:45am. Although the tardy bell rings at 7:40am, we encourage you to drop off your child as soon as possible. All children are provided breakfast in the morning. We want the children to have the opportunity to get settled in the classroom and begin instruction by 7:40am. Students who are not in the building at 7:40am will be marked tardy. All students should be dropped off using the car line procedures described below:
AM Car Rider Procedures
• Staff report to duty at 6:45 a.m. You can begin dropping children off at this time (6:45 am). Teachers will line the sidewalks while others are strategically located throughout the building to keep our children safe.
• Please pull all the way forward to the first adult on duty. We encourage you to pull as far forward as possible in order to get as much traffic off the road as possible.
• The teacher on duty will monitor the children as they exit the car and walk down the sidewalk into the school. **Not everyone will get the drop off spot closest to the door, but all children will be safely monitored into the building. By each child exiting the car during each round, the flow of traffic is uninterrupted and can move at a faster pace.
• Once your child has exited the car, continue with the flow of traffic. Please do not get out of your car. **Please pull off to the side only if your child cannot exit the car without your assistance. Because of COVID, we will not be opening car doors.
• Please have your child exit the car from the right side. Children walking in front of, behind, and in between cars is a serious safety concern.
• All car riders must utilize the drop off loop. Parents are not permitted to exit the car or to walk students to the door.
**Remember, all visitors MUST report to the front of the office to enter the building. No one will be permitted into the building from any side entrances. Thank you for helping us keep your children safe. We look forward to a continued happy, safe, and successful school year!!
**Remember, the tardy bell rings at 7:40am. If your child is not in the building at 7:40am, he/she will be marked tardy. Your child can be marked tardy even if you drive through the gate after the bell has rung. Instruction begins at 7:40am, please be on time.

Due to transition of students at the end of the day we ask that parents do not sign students out after 2:10 PM.
**Please practice buckling and unbuckling the seatbelt. During afternoon dismissal if you need to buckle your child, please pull over to the wide paved section in front of the playground to buckle.
News from Your School Counselors.....
Report Bullying:
Bullying is an unwanted, intentional, aggressive behavior that may be physical, verbal, or nonverbal. There is an imbalance of power between the parties and the behavior is repeated over time. We have included a link for parents and students to use if they need to make a bullying report. The report will go to Mrs. Lester. There is also a bullying report form on HCS website. Please don't hesitate to contact the school counselors or an administrator with your concerns. https://forms.gle/3ffGJCrSvngX2TAv6
Backpack Buddies Program:
We are happy to inform you that St. James Elementary will participate in the Backpack Buddies program this year for families that are in need and can benefit from the support of the program. Backpack Buddies supplies nutritious, child-friendly, self-serve, nonperishable food designed to be put in a backpack and eaten by the child over the weekend. The food is offered to your child at no cost. The identities of the students who participate will be kept confidential. The food will be delivered to the school each week and the food will be placed in your child’s backpack. Please email Mrs. Lester at alester@horrycountyschools.net with your child’s name and teacher if you are interested in participating in the program.
Counseling Services
• Short term individual counseling
• Small group counseling
• Classroom guidance lessons
• Crisis intervention
• Consultation with parents and teachers
• Coordination with outside agencies and therapists
• Referrals for community services
Amy Lester | (843) 650-8220 | Maria Todd |
News from your School Nurse......
Reminders:
1. Parents are responsible for self-screening your children for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to coming to school. Students should stay home for a minimum of 5 days if they have tested positive. Students should stay home if they are showing symptoms of COVID-19 (see attached DHEC guidance sheet for symptoms). HCS will follow DHEC & CDC guidance for exclusion of students for COVID-19 or any other illness. The most recent data, guidance, resources, & FAQs for parents can be found on the DHEC website below:
https://scdhec.gov/covid19/schools-childcare-centers-covid-19
2. Please call or email the school nurse prior to a parent bringing in any prescription or over the counter medications to ensure compliance with the HCS medication policy. HCS medication forms are required for the school nurse to administer any medications. The medication policy & forms can be obtained from the school nurse or the HCS Student Health Services website below:
https://www.horrycountyschools.net/Page/997
3. Children may have cough drops at school with a parent note. *Please note a new or worsening cough is a symptom of COVID-19 & requires school exclusion.
4. Please send a complete change of clothes to school or keep in your child's book bag if you have a child in kindergarten or child development in case of an accident. Please make sure the change of clothes is appropriate for the season.
5. Please send, fax, or email a copy of your child's current immunization record to the school nurse if your child is new to this school or district. If your child attended the CD program last year, then we may need an updated immunization record for kindergarten. The school nurse will be reviewing records & contacting parents for non-compliant immunization records.
5. The school nurse will call the parent if your child presents with the following condition(s):
Symptoms of COVID-19, fever greater than 100 degrees, more than 1 episode of vomiting, more than 2 episodes of diarrhea, any head injury, injury with any pain/swelling/deformity, live lice, or other serious conditions that warrant immediate parent notification.
6. The school nurse may send a note home to the parent to notify you of a visit that does not require immediate notification.
7. The school nurse will NOT notify the parent of every child's visit to the health office, such as minor injuries or illnesses that are resolved.
Thank you,
Jessica Osteen, BSN, RN
School Nurse
St. James Elementary School
Phone: (843) 215-6011
Jessica Osteen, RN, BSN, School Nurse | (843) 215-6011 phone (843) 650-7909 fax | |
News from your Data Quality Clerk about Attendance....

2022-2023 Registration for Returning Students
Students who attended an Horry County School during the 2021-2022 school year can complete the registration process via the Parent Portal.
Class assignments will be mailed in the summer. Class assignments will only be mailed to those who have COMPLETED the 2022-2023 School Registration.
(This includes rising Kindergarten students who were enrolled in the HCS Child Development program during the 2021-2022 school year).
Excused Absences An absence is considered excused if a valid medical doctor's written note (with the date & time the student was seen) is provided within 3 school days after the absence. Online Medical visits with medical notes and/or screenshots that contain the student's name, date of birth, and results of the online visit (prescription, number of days out before the student's return to school, etc.) An absence for bereavement, due to a death in the student's immediate family, may be excused if an obituary or program of service verifying the death is provided to the attendance clerk within 3 school days after the student returns to school. An absence for a nationally recognized religious holiday of the student's faith may be excused if a request is made in writing to the principal and written approval is received prior to the absence. A parent may request approval of an absence for hardship, in writing, utilizing the Request for Approval form. This form may be obtained from the school's attendance office. The form must be completed and submitted prior to the absence (if the parent has prior knowledge), or within 3 days following the absence.
· If my child is absent from school, I will notify the attendance office by email and by providing a medical documentation upon his/her return. Nkearney@horrycountyschools.net
· Continued unlawful absences, tardies, or early sign-outs after the Attendance Intervention Plan (AIP) is in place will result in referral to the district attendance office for review and possible referral to family court for truancy.
·
| Don't Forgetto send in your documentation so your child/children's attendance can be mark accordingly. | |
Don't Forget
to send in your documentation so your child/children's attendance can be mark accordingly.



PTA meetings are held Virtually on the first Tuesday of each month. Please join us on Zoom! Visit our Facebook page at St. James Elementary PTA to get details and updates!
Spirit Rock Reservations are active! Book for your child's birthday, or just a special shout out! If you are unable to paint it yourself, we have recommendations for you! Spirit Rock Reservations are here: | 2021-2022 PTA Board PTA4SJE@GMAIL.COM 💛Visit us on Facebook at SJE PTA💙 | PTA MembershipPlease consider joining the PTA! It is only $5! Join Online at https://sje.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships or fill out the membership form that will be sent home, and send it back to school! |
Spirit Rock Reservations
Spirit Rock Reservations are here:
https://tinyurl.com/wt8xazvp
PTA Membership
Please consider joining the PTA! It is only $5! Join Online at https://sje.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships
or fill out the membership form that will be sent home, and send it back to school!
Spirit StoreOrder your SJE spirit wear year round here, just click on the link below! |
Spirit Store
Order your SJE spirit wear year round here, just click on the link below!
Volunteer Information
Boosterthon, Potential field trips, and a few other events are on the horizon. We need volunteers! Be sure you have filled out a background check through the district website, and then email us at PTA4SJE@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer for upcoming events! We’ll add you to our volunteer email opportunities!
Background link:
https://www.horrycountyschools.net/Page/916
Look how much fun volunteering can be! We’d love to have you! 🐬

Dolphin Partners 2021-2022

SJE Mission Statement
The mission of St. James Elementary School, a richly diverse community of learners committed to a tradition of academic and personal excellence, is to ensure that our children are fully prepared to be productive participants in a constantly changing world through personalized, progressive learning which develops self-motivation, high expectations, life
skills, and the lifelong pursuit of learning.
Felisa McDavid,
Principal
___________________________________________________________
Horry County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, immigrant status. English-speaking status or any other characteristic protected by applicable Federal or S.C. law inits programs or activities,
You may call 843-488-6700 or contact Horry County Schools, 335 Four Mile Road, Conway, SC 29528.
My School Bucks Pay for school meals and fees securely online! With MySchoolBucks, parents can also view cafeteria purchases, access meal balances | My Payments Plus MyPaymentsPlus is trusted by over 2 million parents to help streamline payments for school meals, fees, and activities. In addition to peace of mind, parents gain the added convenience of having all school-related payments in one place. Best of all, creating an account is simple and absolutely free. | Student & Parent Portal Access Logging on to PowerSchool Parent/Student Portal: The PowerSchool Parent/Student Portal is web-based and can be accessed from any computer with internet ... |
My School Bucks
My Payments Plus
In addition to peace of mind, parents gain the added convenience of having all school-related payments in one place. Best of all, creating an account is simple and absolutely free.
Student & Parent Portal Access
The Order of the Palmetto is the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of South Carolina. It is awarded to persons who make contributions of statewide significance. An auxiliary honor is "The Order of the Silver Crescent." Today it is awarded to persons who make community or professional contributions of local significance.[1] | St. James ElementaryThe South Carolina Department of Education awarded 15 Horry County Schools a Distinguished Arts Program Grant for the 2021-2022 school year! The South Carolina Department of Education’s Art Curricular Innovation Grants (ACIG) assists schools and districts in developing and implementing arts initiatives that support quality arts education programs that significantly improve student achievement in the arts. DAP grants provide funds for one-year projects. | Palmetto Silver: 1) Average Academic Achievement and Excellent Student Progress, or 2) Good Academic Achievement and Good Student Progress, or 3) Excellent Academic Achievement and Average Student Progress. |
St. James Elementary
The South Carolina Department of Education awarded 15 Horry County Schools a Distinguished Arts Program Grant for the 2021-2022 school year!
Under the State’s Art Curricular Innovation Grants (ACIG), the Distinguished Arts Program Grant (DAP Grant) is an $18,000 award that will be used to implement new learning and enhance existing programs by providing necessary training, equipment, and technology that will benefit all students participating in Fine Arts.
The South Carolina Department of Education’s Art Curricular Innovation Grants (ACIG) assists schools and districts in developing and implementing arts initiatives that support quality arts education programs that significantly improve student achievement in the arts. DAP grants provide funds for one-year projects.