The Bobcat Blaze
March 17, 2023
+++We Are AC Moore STRONG+++
SCHOOL VISION
Every AC Moore student will enter middle school reading at or above grade level.
SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
We collaboratively empower students to be accountable and successful.
STAFF CORE VALUES
Passion: Embracing and nurturing our school community
Intentionality: Purposeful, Present, & Prepared
Accountability: Growth Over Ego
Student Pillars of Leadership: PreK - 2
Respect
Cooperation
Community
Responsible
Self-Control
Caring
Trustworthy
Student Pillars of Leadership: 3rd - 5th
Respect
Collaboration
Citizenship
Responsible
Self-Discipline
Empathy
Integrity
March
- March 18.....................................................St. Patrick's Day Parade
- March 20-24...............................................Special Olympics Spirit Week Begins
- March 20....................................................Early Release (11 am)
- March 27....................................................March of Dimes Fundraiser Begins
- March 30....................................................Spring Pictures and Class Pictures
April
- April 3..........................................................SIC Meeting (5:30-6:00)
- April 3..........................................................PTO Meeting (6:00-7:00)
- April 5-7.......................................................Earthshine Retreat for 5th Graders
- April 10-15...................................................Spring Break, No School for Teachers & Students
- April 19....................................................Bobcats Rising Family Event 5:00 - 7:00pm
- April 18........................................................Interims
- April 21........................................................Field Day
- April 22........................................................Bloom with the Blues (details in the Community Connections section below)
- April 28........................................................Early Dismissal for Students (11:00 am)
- April 29........................................................Bobcat Benefit
Principal's Message
Happy St. Patrick's Day Bobcat Families!
It has been an exciting week in Bobcat Country. We finished up our Booster Fundraiser with the Fun Run event that took place on March 16th. Students, staff, and families had an amazing time on our playground, celebrating reaching our fundraising goal. Our PTO cannot thank each of you enough for your contributions!
On Saturday, March 17th our Bobcats will participate in the St. Patty's Day Parade in Five Points at 9:15am. If your student is participating, please see information sent by Mrs. Balthazor with details.
Please note that Monday, March 20th is an early release day for students. Students will be dismissed at 11am. The remainder of the day will be for teachers to conduct parent-teacher conferences.
Parents of students in grades 2-5, you will receive information regarding the TE21 Practice Test. Students will take the assessment over the course of several days next week. The purpose of the assessment is to prepare them for SCReady taking place in early May. We would appreciate your support with getting students to school on time and are well rested.
Lastly, next week we will have a special treat for students who have earned perfect attendance during any of the first three 9 weeks of school.
Have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you back here in Bobcat Country on Monday!
Principal's Video Message: https://cloud.swivl.com/v/7c2a73b936be816161adf0a918a9fd6f
-----Parent News-----
Join Us in Celebrating Unified Spirit Week!
The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change. With sports as the foundation, the three component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance. These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included in, and feel a part of, all activities, opportunities and functions.
This is accomplished by implementing inclusive sports, inclusive youth leadership opportunities, and whole school engagement. The program is designed to be woven into the fabric of the school, enhancing current efforts and providing rich opportunities that lead to meaningful change in creating a socially inclusive school that supports and engages all learners.
🍀 St. Pat's in Five Points 🍀
Join Us in the Parade!
STUDENTS MUST HAVE A SIGNED PERMISSION FORM ON FILE IN
MRS. BALTHAZOR’S OFFICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARADE.
- We are number 35 in the parade line-up.
- Our starting location is on Amherst between Blossom and Devine Streets. Look for a white pick-up truck pulling a trailer.
- Parking will be limited. Carpooling may help. All streets in the line-up area will be closed at 8 am. Parking at Dreher High School might be an option, but I am not certain.
- Parents are asked to walk their children to our starting spot (on Amherst between Blossom and Devine.) We are number 35. Mrs. Balthazor will be there.
- Please arrive at our starting spot between 9:15 and 9:30. We will take photos, pass out beads, etc. The parade will begin SHARPLY at 10:00.
- If you purchased one of the new A.C. Moore St. Patrick’s Day t-shirts, please wear it. If not, please wear another A.C. Moore t-shirt if you have one. Green beads will be provided, but feel free to bring/wear some if you already have them.
- Parents are responsible for their own children during the parade. Thank you for signing the form indicating that you are aware of this.
- Parade Route – Parade starts on Devine Street and Sims Avenue in Shandon. It will take a right on Saluda Avenue in Five Points, another right on Greene Street and then a final left on Harden Street (left side of the street) and end at Pendleton Street.
- Post Parade Pick-Up – Individual vehicles picking up participants should do so outside the event perimeter at a pre-arranged location. There is parking available on Senate Street next to Cook Out. I am hoping to be able to use the truck to take some people back to the Millwood/Dreher, if necessary.
- Should questions arise, please TEXT Elizabeth Balthazor at 803-608-2533
We'll See You at Literacy Night!
Field Day is Almost Here!🥇🎽🏆
Pre-Order Your Field Day Shirt for $12
Please click on the image below to pre-order a field day t-shirt (designed by 5th grader, Pippa Smith) for your Bobcat. Submit one form for each t-shirt order.
Mark Your Calendar!
A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at A.C. Moore on 3/30/2023 to photograph spring pictures. See the information below for more details.
Our Bobcats had a BLAST at the Booster Fun Run on Thursday! Thank you to all our Bobcats and families who helped raise money by donating and collecting pledges to help our PTO surpass their $5,000 goal! The money raised will go towards improving the Secret Garden. Way to go Bobcats!!
A special thank you to PTO and the parent volunteers that worked behind the scenes to organize the Boosterthon Fun Run and activities.
Boosterthon Fun Run!! 🏃♂️🏃♀️🏃
Superintendent's Book Club
It's that time of year again! The Superintendent's Book Club will begin March 6th and will go through Friday, May 5th. As part of this district wide challenge, preK-5th grade students will track their reading on provided book logs. Once they have read 100 picture books or 10 chapter-books, students will be official members of the Super Intendent's Book Club and will receive schoolwide recognition and an invitation to a school-wide celebration. In addition, those who join the book club by Tuesday, May 2nd will receive a free ticket to AC Moore Night at the Columbia Fireflies Stadium! More prizes for our top schoolwide readers will be offered as well as an invitation to a district celebration for top readers in the district! Happy Reading!
Dear Richland One Parents/Guardians,
The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is utilizing a climate survey for accountability/report cards this year as in the past. The delivery model for the survey will be the same as last year, with students in grades 3-12 taking the survey in the PowerSchool Student Portal and parents completing the survey in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
Students will create a Student Portal account (if they don’t already have one) to access the survey when it becomes available. We will ensure that they still have access if they already have an account. Schools will assist students in grades 3-12 (especially third-graders) in creating and/or accessing their accounts.
Parent climate surveys are in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you do not currently have a Parent Portal account, please contact your student’s school, and they can assist you in setting up an account.
The climate survey will be available at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, February 27, 2023, and the survey will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 14, 2023.
The schedule for students to complete the surveys will be between Wednesday, March 1, 2023, and March 31, 2023.
If you, as a parent/guardian, cannot gain access to the survey in the Parent Portal, please click on this link and complete the form.
Thank you.
Karen E. York
Executive Director of Communications
Richland County School District One
Registration for YMCA summer camps have opened, and I am excited that we will have FIVE location offerings this summer. The flyers for traditional camp and adventure camp [ages 9-13] are below.
Catie Young
Youth Development Director
YMCA OF COLUMBIA
Downtown YMCA
(O) 803.799.9187 ext. 414
-----------School News-----------
A Bobcat Shout-Out to...📣
...5th Grader, Laurel Hilley!
Congratulations to 5th Grader, Laurel Hilley (Pictured with A. C. Moore's art teacher, Randall Clamp), for being chosen for the A. C. Moore Permanent Art Collection and being named the 2022 Reagan McAndrew Award Winner! She received an art kit and a $100 prize for her art piece. Way to go Laurel! And special thanks to Mr. Clamp, for always inspiring creativity and beauty in our Bobcats through visual art!
-Parent and Family Engagement-
-------Parent Reminders-------
Need to Report an Absence for your Student? Click Below
Assignments for COVID Related Absences
For the 22-23 school year, students that are absent due to illness will receive any missed and/or make-up assignments upon return to school. They will have 5 days to return the completed work to their teacher. This is in accordance with AC Moore's typical absence policy. Devices and extended absence assignments will not be sent home this year. Virtual check-in sessions with students will also not occur. Those practices and procedures were in place as a result of Richland One's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bobcat Families--Please note that the neighbors directly across from the front of the school are having difficulties getting their trash picked up when vehicles are parked in front of their homes and along the edge of their yard. Your courtesy and consideration would be greatly appreciated in addressing their concerns. When visiting the school, please park in the visitors parking area at the corner of Etiwan Avenue and Rosewood Drive and along the street in designated parking spaces.
Important Carline Pick-up and Drop-off Reminders
In an effort to keep the carline safe for students and staff, it is requested that the following carline procedures be followed during the morning and afternoon carline.
- Please pull as far forward to the end of the carline (towards Rosewood Dr.) before stopping your vehicle to allow your student to enter/exit through the gate; do not stop at the main entrance to let students out of or into the car.
- Students are to get out on the passenger side of the carline only, not from the driver side, side facing the road.
- Parents should remain in the car and allow school staff to assist the students into or out of cars.
--------Nurse's News--------
DONATIONS NEEDED
Hello A.C. Moore Families,
Are you looking for another way to support our school? Please consider donating small bottles of water to our Health Room. Anything you can give - at any time during the year - will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Nurse Robinson
---Wellness Watch---
For National Nutrition Month, Kids Lead the Way
March is National Nutrition Month! To celebrate, Healthier Generation has teamed up with Del Monte Foods to bring joy to your kitchen.
We’re pairing tasty meal and snack recipes with fun, simple activities that let kids take the lead. Our printable cards let kids choose the “snacktivities" that appeal to them, making it easy for parents and caregivers to nourish kids’ bodies and minds with choices they feel good about.
Take a Look at Your Bobcats Engaged in Learning!
--------Community Connections--------
------------DISTRICT NEWS------------
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