The Faculty Family BobChat
May 31, 2020
What About Next Year?
As we wrap up this week, we know how we will finish. (Please see below for details about that.) The question bouncing in the back of our heads is, "what about next year?" With that in mind, I want to provide some clarity about how we are making decisions and what are some of our guiding thoughts. 1. We will start back as safely, as normally, and as quickly as we can. Safety and health for students and staff come first. We must have good cleaning and hand washing practices in place. As always, we know that establishing effective routines and structures will help reduce anxiety for all kids. We are concerned not only about physical safety but also the mental and emotional safety of our school family. We want our first steps next fall to be thoughtful, appropriate and positive. 2. We will have multiple options in mind. Already, we have district committees established to consider best case and worst case scenarios. We are planning for lots of different contingencies. We are brainstorming all ideas so we can make the wisest choices for our children and staff. COVID-19 is a paradigm shift for all of us. We are seeking the opportunities this presents us and not just managing the restrictions and problems. Our goal is to continue having the best learning opportunity for all children in our district. As we have done this past nine weeks, we will need to continue to be creative and innovative as we do what's right for our school family. 3. We will follow guidance from our local, state and national authorities. Currently, we are waiting to hear final recommendations from the Accelerate-ED task force formed by Governor McMaster. While we are examining re-entry plans from other states and countries, we want to do what's best for our district. When we are clear about the parameters we must follow, we hope to be ready to enact and communicate plans to everyone involved. We certainly want to hear from parents and staff as we plan. Please be sure to complete the survey sent to you so we can consider your feedback as we move ahead. (Click on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L3W8HQ7 to complete the Remote Learning/Return to School parent survey. It is also below.) As always, feel free to contact me at mailto:pmaness@rhmail.org to share thoughts and ideas how we can plan well for the fall. 4. We will work as #OneTeamOneMissionOneRockHill. We will not do this alone. This is not a one person, one perspective, one role kind of planning process. In the end, we know there will be gives and takes and our plan will not address every person's preferences. Having said that, we want to listen and respond well. We thank you for all you've done over the past few months to help us teach our children. We look forward to seeing you this week at Drop Off/Pick Up and the End of Year Parade.
Mr. Maness, Principal
P.S. Next week, we will send ideas how you can continue your child's learning over the summer.
Family Matters (For Staff Only)
Final Staff Meeting--Please plan for a final staff meeting on Friday, June 5 at 9:00 AM. We will do this via Zoom and I will send you an invite next week.
Staffing Update--Over the past two weeks, we have hired two new staff members. Allison Nichols is a veteran special education teacher who has taught in resource and self-contained settings over twenty-five years and will be our new resource teacher. Karen Finley, a native of France, has taught kindergarten through second grades in immersion programs for twenty years. She has been a teacher mentor for elementary teachers for the past five years. She knows best practices for Reader's Workshop and Writer's Workshop and has spent the last year coordinating staff development in literacy for the English, French, Spanish and Chinese teachers in her school in Denver. (Her English proficiency is fantastic as well.) She will be our Literacy Coach. In addition, Tracy Mitchell will move from third grade to the fourth/fifth French partner teacher position with Jen Fant. (As a result, we are now looking for someone for third grade English Language Arts.)
Return to School Plans for the Fall--As a district, we've begun the process of thinking through various scenarios for opening up. Obviously, they range from full schedule/normal opening of school to complete virtual. (I don't think we'll probably be at either end of the spectrum but somewhere in the middle.) If you have suggestions or ideas, let me know. I am serving on the district elementary committee. I would encourage all of us to think through how we will need to be flexible in our use of spaces, our roles and responsibilities, and our schedules. We want to think through what opportunities this may present us to accomplish even better things for our kids. We are meeting weekly on that committee.
Work Schedule--I have emailed you an updated work schedule as of today. For June 1-2, please note the check-in times with Nurse Love will be within the hour before we begin Pick Up and Drop Off. She will screen the Drop Off group first up in her office and she will come down to C Hall to screen the Pick Up group after that. Susan will help the Drop Off group know what to do and Christi will help the Pick Up group know what to do. Please be on time and if you cannot come, let me know in advance so I can schedule someone else to come. Remember that we can only have 20 people on campus on those days at any given time so we must be thoughtful about the number of people there.
End of Year Parade--Will be Wednesday, June 3 from 5:30-7:00 PM. (Rain Date is Thursday, June 4 from 5:30-7:00 PM). Kindergarten, Kindergarten Assistants and First Grade will be on the Cherry Road Loop. Second, Third, Office Staff and Resource/Support Teachers will be on the sidewalk along Sullivan's Auditorium. Fourth, Fifth and Related Arts Teachers will be in the Sullivan Bus Loop beside the Tennis Courts. Plan to park in the parking lot closest to your area and go to your designated spot. Remember, we need to be six feet apart from others and we need to stay on the curb. We will not accept cards and posters from kids. They can put those in the bins beside the main office door.
Rock Hill PE Virtual Road Trip
During this last month of school, we are going on a Virtual Road Trip! Our goal is to visit 13 of South Carolina’s State Parks and 49 National Parks across the US by adding the miles we walk, run, hike, or bike each day. The only requirement is that the miles have to be self-propelled, so motorcycle and car rides do not count. All elementary students in the district and their family members are invited to participate! We will update the map daily so you can keep track of our progress. You can input your miles as often as you would like, by day or by week, whatever works best for you. If completing miles outside your home, remember to practice social distancing and always get permission from an adult.
If you do not have a way to measure or track distance, here is a tip for estimating your miles:
· walking for 15 minutes would be about 1 mile
· jogging for 10 minutes would be about 1 mile
· riding a bike for 6 minutes would be about 1 mile
Click on this site to log your miles - https://sites.google.com/rhschools.org/rh-elementary-pe-virtual-run/home
Dates for Rest of the Year
June 1-4--Students Drop Off and Pickup Materials
June 5--Teacher Workday
(Please be mindful to continue teaching and interacting with students up until the end just like you would if we were in school. You can do similar kinds of activities that now are online in nature.)
Green Apple Energy Shutdown Checklist – when you’re through and ready to go, shutting back down again will help us capture as much as 30% of our entire year's savings – and keep our cash in the classroom instead of going to the utility companies. Please take this shutdown seriously and commit to its success. Completing the electronic checklist can also earn you prizes, to be awarded at the start of school next year!
If You Know Someone....We are certainly going to miss Susan, Sharon and Martha. No one can take their place but we do need to fill their positions. If you know someone who would be a good fit for us, reach out to them. I believe great people know great people. The last day for a certified employee to submit a transfer request is May 28th. The last day for a principal to submit a transfer recommendation to personnel is June 19th. As we interview and fill positions, we want to keep this in mind.
Professional Learning Conference for Elementary--Will be Monday, August 10 from 8:00-3:30 and it will be virtual. Please put this in your calendar and plan to attend online.
6. Birthdays
June 1--Cara Rezzai
June 3--Chana Sanders
June 15--Jordan Pope
June 27--Melinda Reid
June 28--Jennifer Fant
June 29--Rocio Kiker
(If your birthday is not listed this month, please let Mr. Maness know.)
School News
Medications for Pick Up--All student medication that was left with Nurse Love will be in students' bags for pick up. Please be sure your child's bag is picked up on Monday or Tuesday. (See information below about that process.)
Yearbooks--We were notified this week that yearbooks will not be back until after July 1. With COVID-19, there was a production shutdown which has delayed getting the books back in time. We will contact you when we are sure they will be shipped and we will get those to you.
Terrific Kids--Please click on the link below for our April Terrific Kids.
Drop Off and Pick Up Materials on June 1 and 2--Parents will place all student materials for drop off in a bag with your child's name, your teachers' names and grade level on it. Materials for drop off include library books, leveled reading books, books borrowed from the teacher and anything else. Drop Off will be located at the Caswell Entrance near the Main Office. Parents (and students) will stay in the car, pull as far forward as possible, and drop bags of materials in a tub held by a staff member. Materials will be collected from the driver's side window. Students in grades 3-5 can keep their laptops this summer to continue their learning. Pick Up will be located at the Cherry Road Entrance. Every student at CPES will have a bag to be picked up including materials from class, items from lockers, and a special gift. Anyone can pick up your child's bag. Parents need to have a sheet of paper with your child/ren's name, teachers' names and grade level (in big, easy to read letters) written on it. The bag will be retrieved from the school and brought to your car. You can roll down the passenger side window or pop your trunk and it will be placed there for you. Again, please do not allow anyone to get out of the car as a health and safety precaution. Drop Off and Pick Up times are 11:00-1:00 and 4:00-6:00 on Monday, June 1 and 7:00-9:00 AM and 11:00-1:00 on Tuesday, June 2.
End of Year Parade--We will have a drive through End of Year Parade on June 3 from 5:30-7:00 PM. (Our rain date is June 4 at the same times.) Kindergarten, Kindergarten Assistants and First Grade will be on the Cherry Road Loop (accessible from Cherry Road). Second, Third, Office Staff and Resource/Support Teachers will be on the sidewalk along Sullivan's Auditorium (which is accessible from Caswell Street). Fourth, Fifth and Related Arts Teachers will be in the Sullivan Bus Loop beside the Tennis Courts (which is accessible from Eden Terrace). This is a chance to wave (and say) goodbye as we wrap up the school year. Wear your Cherry Park shirts and let's celebrate that we made it!! Please know that you will not be able to get out of your car and you cannot give cards or posters to staff during this time. (You can put those in the black box by the main entrance.) Please help us keep traffic moving and all cars will be in one line for each area. This is simply an effort for our school family to come together and celebrate. In addition, we hope to provide a time in the fall for students to go and visit their teachers as well.
Virtual Related Arts Day – June 2!
Mrs. Garrard, Mrs. Rezzai, Mrs. Anderson and Dr. Beard have activities for your family to participate in together to mark the end of our school year. This day is a great chance for students to let loose, get active, and have a good time. And at the end of the day, it is all about creating a memorable experience with your family! We would love to see pictures of your family participating in the games, please post pictures on the Parents of Cherry Park Facebook page.
Click on the link below for a video demonstration of each activity, then play with your family!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18uHsXVqmzBNQm7woPvmdmrwtwlwrzTDIwci5-o9t_EE/edit?usp=sharing
Rock Hill PE Virtual Road Trip
During this last month of school, we are going on a Virtual Road Trip! Our goal is to visit 13 of South Carolina’s State Parks and 49 National Parks across the US by adding the miles we walk, run, hike, or bike each day. The only requirement is that the miles have to be self-propelled, so motorcycle and car rides do not count. All elementary students in the district and their family members are invited to participate! We will update the map daily so you can keep track of our progress. You can input your miles as often as you would like, by day or by week, whatever works best for you. If completing miles outside your home, remember to practice social distancing and always get permission from an adult.
If you do not have a way to measure or track distance, here is a tip for estimating your miles:
· walking for 15 minutes would be about 1 mile
· jogging for 10 minutes would be about 1 mile
· riding a bike for 6 minutes would be about 1 mile
Click on this site to log your miles - https://sites.google.com/rhschools.org/rh-elementary-pe-virtual-run/home
E-Learning through the End of the Year--Here is a schedule for e-learning through the end of the year.
June 1--Day 1--Drop Off and Pickup Materials (11:00-1:00 and 4:00-6:00)/Instructional Days and Activities
June 2--Day 2--Drop Off and Pick Up Materials (7:00-9:00 AM and 11:00-1:00)/Instructional Days and Activities
June 3--5:30-7:00 PM End of Year Parade (See details below.)
June 4--Rain Date for Parade if Needed at same time.
June 5--Teacher Workday
Teacher Appreciation--If you still would like to drop off items for staff members, there is a black bin with a yellow top at the main entrance where you can do that.
Need Help? If you need assistance, please contact the district at helpme@rhmail.org or call our dedicated phone support hotline, 803-980-2016 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. on weekdays. You can also access resources on our District webpage: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/ (Please see below if you need technology assistance.)
Update Your Contact Info
Remote Learning
Staff Email Addresses and Office Hours--Can be found in the links below.
Technology Assistance--For technical issues such as logging into Canvas and Launchpad, connecting to wifi, resetting passwords, device troubleshooting, etc., the Rock Hill Schools Technology Department staff will be on-call from 8:00am - 8:00pm and can be reached via email at helpdesk@rhmail.org or via phone at (803) 985-3531. Technology help tutorials will be published at: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rock-hill.k12.sc.us%2Felearning&data=02%7C01%7CPMANESS%40rhmail.org%7C10c38360cc8d442c802808d7cdca73c5%7C57b835c11a6c40088e2fb2a16e5f738a%7C0%7C0%7C637204141727260450&sdata=YuZ8uNvg%2BLbNyY%2FZF9ppuTRY2C1dJRTrYoa2JBVDLSw%3D&reserved=0. Click on the Parents & Students button in the left-side menu for access.
Or your child's teacher can submit a tech request as they normally would. Each school tech is still monitoring tech requests as usual.
French and Spanish Resources--Click on the button below for some helpful resources to support your child in continuing to learn a second language.
Need Wifi Access? See below flyer from Comporium about how to access free Wifi for 60 days.
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 next year. School Improvement Council meets at 5:30 (in the Fish Bowl) and our Parent Teacher Organization meets at 6:30 (in the Media Center.) Elections were held in the spring for these organizations but all parents are welcome to attend to help provide input and volunteer.
Calendar of Events
June 1--11:00-1:00 Drop-Off and Pick-Up; 4:00-6:00 Drop-Off and Pick-Up
June 2--7:00-9:00 AM Drop-Off and Pick-Up; 11:00-1:00 Drop-Off and Pick-Up
June 3--End of Year Parade from 5:30-7:00 PM (See info above.)
June 4--Last School Day and Rain Makeup Day for End of Year Parade if needed.