Swansboro Elementary
August 9, 2020
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year Pirates!
Happy Sunday Pirate families! Just one more week until students return. The first day of school for cohort A students will be Monday, August 17th. Students in Cohort B will have their first day on Thursday, August 20th. This year all students will receive a school issued device for learning on remote days. We will be distributing laptops (iPads for kindergartners) the first couple weeks of school. We will not begin any Live TEAM meetings or expect students to complete remote work until after students have been issued devices and have been taught in a face to face setting how to use the devices. So for now, do not worry about the remote instruction component. Just send your child to school (with a face mask) on the scheduled day for face to face instruction and we will take it from there. We can't wait to get our students back on campus and we will prepare them for remote learning days.
Due to social gathering restrictions, we will not be able to hold a face to face orientation this year; instead we will host a virtual orientation.Anytime on or after 12:00 pm (noon) on August 13th, you can login to our school website https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/swansboroes to view a Back to School video from your administration. You will also need to visit your child's individual teacher website to learn more about the teacher, classroom expectations and complete important paperwork online. Since we will not be able to have a face-to-face orientation, it is imperative that every parent visit their teacher's website and complete our online FORM with important information such as how your child will be getting home from school, parent contact info, and medical needs.We will be revising our arrival and dismissal procedures as well as bus routines, so please make sure to tune in for more information on August 13th regarding transportation. Please keep in mind that teachers have not returned to work yet and their websites will not be up to date until after 12:00 pm (noon) on August 13th.
Don't forget to send your child in with a face mask on their first day of school and we will be sending home additional masks for your convenience. If you need any assistance with school supplies, please reach out and we will be glad to assist.
Postcards were mailed out Friday with Cohort and teacher assignments, so check your mailboxes. If you enrolled last week, we will be mailing your postcard on Monday.
If you have any questions or concerns, the best way to reach me is email page.highsmith@onslow.k12.nc.us.
Cohort Assignments
Cohort B- face to face instruction on Thursday and Fridays only
If you have questions or concerns about your cohort assignment, please email page.hgihsmith@onslow.k12.nc.us. I will not be addressing concerns via social media. Please email me.
Requirements for Opening N.C. Public Schools
The Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit outlines the requirements for modified Plan B. Some of the requirements include:
- Face coverings will be required for every teacher, staff member and student from kindergarten through high school. The state will provide at least five reusable face coverings for every student, teacher and staff member.
- Schools will be required to limit the total number of people in buildings so that 6 feet of distancing is possible, for example, when students are seated or in line. Districts and schools can use a plan that works for them – whether it’s alternating days or weeks or some other strategy.
- Symptom screenings, including temperature checks, will take place daily before children enter school buildings.
- Schools must create a way to isolate students who have symptoms and ensure that they can get home safely.
- Schedules must allow time for frequent hand washing and schools will regularly clean classrooms, bathrooms, buses and equipment.
- Teachers will work to limit sharing of personal items and classroom materials.
- Nonessential visitors and activities involving outside organizations will be limited.
- Schools will discontinue the use of self-service food or beverage distribution.
Kindergarten Registration
Please remember that Kindergarten registration is continuing online. The registration site is housed on the OCS district website and any child domiciled in Onslow County who will reach age five on or before August 31, 2020 is eligible for kindergarten.
As part of the kindergarten registration process, parents will need to submit digital copies (scans or pictures) of the following with their registration:
- proof of birth date (birth certificate)
- proof of domicile such as a current (within 30 days) electric or water bill showing the parent/guardian name and address
- copy of the parent/guardian photo ID
Immunization records and the North Carolina Health Assessment will be required prior to the student’s first day but may also be uploaded with the enrollment packet.
OCS Hiring Bus Drivers
Onslow County Schools is hiring bus drivers for the 2020-2021 school year. Applications for the August 25-27 driver class are due no later than Friday, August 21. You can find more information on the application process and future class dates here: OCS Bus Driver Classes.
Important Dates 2020-2021
* Due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions, all extra curricular events will be modified to be virtual or may need to be canceled all together. Modifications to our calendar items will be made and changes noted in the weekly Smore. Thanks for being flexible.
August 11 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
August 13 SBES VIRTUAL Orientation (https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/swansboroes)
August 17 First Day of face-to-face instruction for students in Cohort A
August 20 First Day of face-to-face instruction for students in Cohort B
August 24- September 19 BOY iReady Math Diagnostic Test (Grades 1-5)
September 1 BOG (Grade 3) Cohort A
September 1 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
September 1 Candy Man VIRTUAL Fundraiser Kick Off
September 3 BOG (Grade 3) Cohort B
September 7 Labor Day- NO School for students
September 9 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
September 14-29 BOY iReady Math Diagnostic Test (K)
September 15 National IT Professionals Day
September 15 ALL Candy Man orders are DUE
September 15 Interim Reports for Elementary Students
September 21 Start with Hello Week
September 24 Virtual Open House (Book Fair)
October 2 National Custodial Worker’s Recognition Day
October 6 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
October Fire Safety Month
October 10 Homecoming Parade (tentative)
October 12 –16 National School Lunch Week
October 14 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
October 15 End of Grading Period
October 22 Report Cards sent home with students (sign & return envelope)
October 23 Swansboro 5th grade Track & Field meet (tentative)
October 26- November 6 NC Check-Ins #1 (3-5 Math, 4-5 Reading, 5 Science)
October 26-31 Red Ribbon Week
October 27 OCS College Night NSHS
November 4 Strategic Planning 7:00 am (not mtg. 11/11 due to holiday)
November 5 Quality Council/ Systems Involvement Team 4:00-5:15 RSC
November 10 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
November 11 Veteran’s Day- NO school for students
November 16-20 American Education Week
November 17 Interim Reports for Elementary Students
November 18 National Education Support Professionals Day (speech, school psychologist, program specialist, occupational and physical therapist, interpreters, etc)
November 20 Substitute Educators Day
November 25 Workday for teachers- no school for students
November 26-27 Thanksgiving Break- No school
December 1 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
December 9 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
December 18 End of Grading Period
December 18 Family Life Class
December 21-January 1 Winter Break
January 2021 National Mentoring Month
January 4 Teacher Workday- NO school for students
January 5-19 MOY iReady Math (K-5)
January 5 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
January 5 OCS Science & Engineering Fair k-12
January 11-25 NC Check-Ins # 2 (3-5 Math, 4-5 Reading, 5 Science)
January 11-15 Maintenance Employee Appreciation Week
January 11 Report cards sent home with students
January 12 OCS Geography Bee STE
January 13 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
January 18 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day- NO school for students
February 1-5 National School Counselor Week
February 2 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
February 4 Quality Council/ Systems Involvement Team 4:00-5:15 RSC
February 6 Elementary Science Olympiad
February 8-9 ACCESS 2.0 Cohort A (ESL K-5)
February 10 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
February 11-12 ACCESS 2.0 Cohort B (ESL K-5)
February 12-13 All County Honors Chorus
February 18-19 ACCESS 2.0 Cohort B (ESL 1-3)
February 18 Interim Reports for Elementary Students
February 19 Remote Day for students/ PD for teachers
February 22-25 Battle of the Books district competition
February 27 Odyssey of the Mind Tournament Outer Banks-First Flight
March 1-5 Read Across America Week & Book Fair
March 2 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm at RSC
March 4 OCS Spelling Bee at PWE
March 5 Read-a-thon Final Day- all payments due by 8:30 am
March 5 Character Day Parade
March 7-13 School Social Worker Week
March 10 Strategic Planning 7:00 am
March 15 End of Grading Period
March 22 Reports cards sent home with students
March 29-April 2 Spring Break- NO school
April 5 Workday for teachers- no school for students
April 6 Media Specialist Day
April 6 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
April 8 Quality Council/ Systems Involvement Team 4:00-5:15 RSC
April 12-23 NC Check-Ins # 3 (3-5 Math, 4-5 Reading, 5 Science)
April 15 OCS Math Counts at CEE
April 18-24 Public School Volunteer Week
April 19-23 Administrative Professional Week
April 21 Administrative Professional Day
April 21 Chess district tournament grades 2-3
April 22 OCS Global Innovation Showcase (virtual)
April 23 Interim Reports for Elementary Students
April 23 Chess district tournament grades 4-5
April 26- May 7 EOY iReady Math (K-5)
April 26 OCS Multiplication Bee at BCE
April 30 Global Field Day
May 1 School Principals Day
May 3-7 Onslow County Schools Employee Appreciation Week
May 3-7 Onslow County Schools Bus Driver Appreciation Week
May 3-7 Teacher & Teacher Assistant Appreciation Week
May 4 National Teacher Day
May 4 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
May 7 School Lunch Hero Day
May 17-21 National Educational Boss Week
May 17 EOG Reading Grades 3, 4, 5 Cohort A
May 18 EOG Science Grade 5 Cohort A
May 20 EOG Reading Grades 3, 4, 5 Cohort B
May 21 EOG Science Grade 5 Cohort B
May 24 EOG Math Grades 3, 4, 5 Cohort A
May 25 RTA Grade 3 Cohort A
May 27 EOG Math Grades 3, 4, 5 Cohort B
May 28 RTA Grade 3 Cohort B
May 28 Last day of school for students
May 31 Memorial Day- NO school
June RTA (After reading camp) TBD
June 1 Board of Education Mtg. 6:30 pm RSC
June 2 Strategic Planning 9:00 am
June 1-4 Teacher Workdays
June 4 Swansboro High School Graduation
June 14- 17 OCS Camp Invention
Swansboro Elementary
Email: page.highsmith@onslow.k12.nc.us
Website: https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/swansboroes
Location: 118 School Road, Swansboro NC
Phone: 910-326-1501
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swansboroelementaryschool
Twitter: @SBESPirates