The Bobcat Blaze

April 8, 2022

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+++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

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Principal's Message

Happy Friday Bobcat Families,


It was quite the week here in Bobcat Country. I thank everyone for your flexibility and adaptability as we navigated an early dismissal mid-week due to inclement weather.



Please remember that there is no school on Monday, April 11 - Monday, April 18th due to Spring Break. The week we return, students will be administered the STAR progress monitoring tool for the Spring. Please ensure your students are on time, have breakfast, and come ready to do their best.


As our weather warms, I ask that parents please remind your Bobcats to wear the proper shoes to participate in P.E. and recess. Students are welcome to wear one set of shoes and change into another. To avoid injuries on our new field and equipment, students should wear fully closed toed shoes that fit them properly. I appreciate your assistance in advance with this.


I wish you all a safe and enjoyable Spring Break! We will see you back here in Bobcat Country on Tuesday, April 19th to finish strong! #WeAreACMooreSTRONG


Principal's Message: https://cloud.swivl.com/v/1c5c0d786c3f5b876c52057443fb8892

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Important Dates and Upcoming Events

April

  • April 1-30.............................................................Autism Awareness Month

....................................................................................School Library Month


  • Saturday, April 9....................................................Bobcat Night at the Fireflies game (details below)

  • Monday-Monday, April 11-18................................Spring Break

  • Monday-Friday, April 25-29...................................Penny Wars

  • Wednesday, April 27..............................................Kindergarten New Parent Orientation, 5:30 pm

.....................................................................................Bobcat Day at Pelican's Snowballs
  • Monday-Friday, April 25-29...................................Scholastics Book Fair

  • Saturday, April 30..................................................Bobcat Benefit

May

  • May 2-6.....................................................................Teacher Appreciation Week

  • May 20.......................................................................Field Day

-----Parent News and Reminders-----

The South Carolina State Department of Education Climate Survey

March 31, 2022


Dear Parents/Guardians:


The South Carolina State 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 has changed. Students in grades three through twelve will take the survey, however, the SCDE is placing the survey in the Student Portal account of PowerSchool instead of using a link or paper copies.


Before spring break, your student will be asked to create a Student Portal account for PowerSchool (if they don’t already have one) to access the survey when it becomes available. If they already have an account we will make sure they still have access. If they do not have an account, a sheet will be provided them so they can create an account. All students in grades three through twelve will be assisted by their schools, if needed, to create these accounts.


Parents will be receiving a Climate Survey through Parent Portal as well. If you do not currently have a Parent Portal account, please contact your student’s school and they will be able to assist you with setting up an account.


The Climate Survey will be available beginning April 4, 2022 and will close on May 27, 2022.

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Congratulations On Hitting a Home Run and Completing the 2022 Fireflies Reading Program!


We are so excited about all the growth that we have made as readers this year! As a celebration of the students' hard work, all our students are receiving free tickets to a Fireflies Baseball game on April 9th.


Visit the link below to claim tickets for your child. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Adult tickets are $10. We can't wait to see you on April 9th for baseball and fireworks! Go Bobcats! Go Fireflies!


Please note, you will be prompted to select our school as you order your tickets. This way we can all be sure to sit together 🙂.


Claim My Child's Ticket

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Orientation for Parents of Rising Kindergarteners

Wednesday, April 27th, 5:30pm

This is an online event.

There will be a presentation from the kindergarten teachers followed by time for questions about the upcoming year. We hope to see you there!


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Attention Parents of Rising 6th Graders

Hand Middle School will host Thrive with the Hive, a free community, and family engagement event on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. The purpose of the event is to build relationships as we actively engage the community and our families.


Faculty, staff, students, parents, guardians, rising 6th Grade families, and our surrounding community are encouraged to attend.


Thank you,


Patrice T. Green, EdD

Principal

Hand Middle School

2600 Wheat Street

Columbia, SC 29205

patrice.green@richlandone.org

(803) 343-2947 - Main number

Absence Form

Click the banner above to report an absence for your student

Breakfast in the Cafeteria

If your student(s) will be eating breakfast at school, please be sure to have your Bobcat(s) arrive to campus with enough time to enter the cafeteria and complete their meal before 7:30.

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-----------School News-----------

Inside Richland One 4-5-2022
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National Assistant Principals Week was April 4–8, 2022

Our Bobcat Family joins the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators in honoring the enormous contributions of assistant principals to student success!


This year's celebration takes on even greater significance as our school community recognizes all that assistant principals have conquered amid the pandemic and consider what their ever-expanding and evolving role might look like moving forward. Through it all, America’s assistant principals have demonstrated unwavering leadership—becoming a source of strength and inspiration for us all.


Happy Assistant Principals Week and thank you, Ms. Evering, for all you do for the Bobcat Community!

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Jessica Warren, Librarian

National Library Week, April 3-9, 2022

Through concern that people were not reading enough, in 1954 a non-profit book committee was established by the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Book Publishers. National Library Week was first sponsored in 1958, and the weeklong event was developed with the intent to motivate people to read as well as to support and show appreciation to their local libraries. The first theme ‘‘Wake up and Read!’’


National Library Week celebrates the essential role that school libraries and school librarians play in transforming teaching and learning. The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has chosen “Everyone Belongs @ Your School” as one of the central themes for the celebration, reflecting a continued commitment to developing inclusive library collections and programs that support the curricular and personal goals of all staff, students and families.


Happy National Library Week and thank you, Ms. Warren, for all you do for our Bobcat Community!

Congratulations to the Book Cover Contest Winners!

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Listed above are the winners of the Dreher Cluster Read Across America Book Cover Contest. A special Bobcat Shout Out to these Bobcats for their hard work in developing their submissions.

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Dispelling Myths About Autism

Thanks to increasing awareness, research and more encompassing and comprehensive definitions of what constitutes as autism, we know a lot more about autism than ever before. But there is still a lot we don’t know. The important thing is to ensure that we, and those around us, are properly educated as to what is and isn’t true about autism.


Here are the most common 10 myths about autism.

Myth 1 – Autism is a disease

Myth 2 – Vaccines cause autism

Myth 3 – Autism is becoming an epidemic

Myth 4 – All autistic people have a savant skill

Myth 5 – autistic people don’t feel emotion

Myth 6 – Autistic people have an intellectual disability & can’t speak

Myth 7 – One can “grow out of autism”

Myth 8 – Autistic people cannot learn

Myth 9 – Bad parenting can cause autism

Myth 10 – Autistic children are more violent


To learn more about autism, click here.

Scholastics Book Fair

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--Parent and Family Engagement Opportunities--

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Parent Leadership Partners Program

Carolina Family Engagement Center Training Opportunity

The Carolina Family Engagement Center (CFEC), housed in the SC School Improvement Council (SC-SIC), has a professional development opportunities to share!


Parent Leadership Partners (PLP) program Train the Trainer

CFEC has had a lot of success with its PLP program and many school districts have inquired about the possibility of running similar programs in their districts. Due to this interest, CFEC has developed a virtual Train the Trainer program so that South Carolina school/district administrators, community members, parents, and/or teachers interested in learning how to facilitate a PLP program can do so! For more information see the flyer attached. To register for this summer session, click HERE.

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THANK YOU to everyone who has participated in the Kinsa FLUency program. I have now distributed free Smart thermometers to nearly 150 A.C. Moore students and staff. Please download the Kinsa app and activate your new thermometer as soon as possible. See the flyer below for easy instructions and, as always, do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. The last ordering window for this school year closes on April 3. Let me know if you would still like to participate!


Jennifer Robinson, School Nurse

803-929-3886

jennifer.robinson2@richlandone.org

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Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is available for children 5+

The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is now available for children age 5 and older! To schedule an appointment for your child to receive the vaccine, please visit the DHEC Vaccine Locator site or call your healthcare provider.

----------WELLNESS WATCH----------

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Feel Better, Together!

Family, teachers, and others can help kids and teens make healthy choices by engaging in healthy behaviors themselves.


As we close out National Nutrition Month and step into spring, find new ways to inspire wellness in others with these resources. Click the banner below to learn how you can be a better Active Role Model for your family.

-------------PTO News-------------

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast



Parents, please click on the banner below to sign up to provide items for the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast dates throughout the year.

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Take A Look at Your Bobcats...

Engaged in Learning!

Overdue Library Books

Dear Parents/Guardians:

There are still quite a few books out from last school year and the 2019-2020 school year. I know these were very exceptional years, but please make every effort to locate and return those books to the library as soon as possible. Thank you for you help in maintaining our library collection of books!


Jessica Warren, Librarian

Water Stations

Please be informed that bottled water will no longer be available to students during the day. Our school is now equipped with water bottle refilling stations! Your student should pack a reusable water bottle daily for use at the refilling stations around the building.

Carline procedures

In an effort to maintain a safe arrival/dismissal and decrease the wait time for car riders, we would like to issue the following reminders:


MORNING CAR RIDERS

  • Please be courteous to the other parents in the carline...remain in your vehicle to allow for a more efficient arrival procedure.
  • Pull as far forward as possible before allowing your student to exit the vehicle.
  • Have students prepared to exit the vehicle with masks on and bookbags ready prior to entering the drop-off area.
  • Students should exit the vehicle from the passenger side, along the sidewalk.
  • Students should walk along the sidewalk to the gate at the end of the sidewalk.
  • Students should not be allowed to exit the vehicle in between the parked cars.

AFTERNOON CAR RIDERS

  • Please be sure your child knows his/her car number.
  • Hang your car tag from your rearview mirror and be sure it is visible to the staff member on duty.
  • Please be courteous to the other parents in the carline...remain in your vehicle to allow for a more efficient dismissal procedure.
  • Pull forward as much as possible before allowing your student to enter the vehicle
  • If your student needs assistance with buckling into a seat or seatbelt, please move forward to the end of the carline before assisting your child.

Attention: YMCA Families

Good Afternoon AC Moore YMCA Families,


I hope this note finds you all well and you’ve had a great week.


I just wanted to pass along a quick note about YMCA pick-up on a weekly basis Tuesdays-Thursdays. When arriving to the school to pick up your child or children from the YMCA program can you all please park on the side of the road instead of the bus loop? There is after school tutoring (CRP) going on during these days and by parking in the bus loops it prohibits the busses from getting in the bus loop.


Thank you so much for your understanding and please let me know if you have any questions.



Respectfully,


Matthew Taranto

Program Director

YMCA of Columbia

1447 Hampton Street

Columbia SC, 29201

(w) 803 799 9187; © 772 480 3942

------------DISTRICT NEWS------------

The Richland One Board of School Commissioners Approves 2022-2023 Academic Calendar

Richland One Parents,

The Richland One Board of School Commissioners approved the district’s 2022-2023 academic calendar at last night's board meeting.


Tuesday, August 16, 2022 will be the first day of school for Richland One students. The last day of school will be Friday, May 26, 2023, which will be an early release day for students.


Other key dates include:

  • Thanksgiving Break – November 23-25, 2022
  • Winter Break – December 21-30, 2022
  • Spring Break – April 10-14, 2023

Draft Calendar B, which was the calendar that was approved by the Board, was the one that was preferred based on feedback obtained through the online survey of students, parents and staff. The Board gave its initial approval of the 2022-2023 calendar at the March 8 board meeting. The 2022-2023 calendar is posted on the district’s website (www.richlandone.org); click on the District Calendars link under Site Shortcuts.


Karen E. York

Executive Director of Communications

Richland County School District One

Masks Are Optional for Richland One Students and Staff

Superintendent's Book Club

We are so excited to participate in this year’s Superintendent's Book Club. Students in grades prekindergarten – eighth who either read 100 picture books or ten chapter books between March 2 and May 6 will become members of the club. New book club members will receive prizes and an invitation to a reading celebration.


As a school, we will also be awarding prizes to the top two readers in both PreK-2nd Grade and 3rd-4th Grade each month. Make sure your child is logging all the great books they are reading at home on their reading log. Please also note, that books read aloud to them count as well.


Happy Reading!

Register for the 2022-2023 Pre-K Program Now!

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Free COVID-19 Test Kits

If you have not placed your order for 4 free rapid COVID-19 test kits through the government at the following website www.covidtests.gov, please do so today! Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.

2021-2022 COVID-19 TRACKING DASHBOARD

Click the banner above for the most recent COVID-19 cases and quarantines in the district. The COVID-19 tracker is updated by 4 pm each evening.

21-22 COVID-19 Mitigation & Safety Protocols

Click the banner above to view the COVID-19 Mitigation and Safety Protocols (revised 3-11-2022).

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Read to Succeed

Read to Succeed

Attendance...What You Need to Know

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ThriveRichland Spark Time (Virtual ) Play Group

Richland School District One Student Technology Replacement Fees

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

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-Neighborhood News & Community Connections-

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Tutor.com Offers Free, Real-time Tutoring for All South Carolina Residents

The South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina State Library (SCSL) have partnered with Tutor.com to address the continuing academic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership will span the next three years and is funded through the American Rescue Plan's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER).



  • Tutor.com is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for English and Spanish speakers.
  • Connect with a tutor on various subjects, such as math, science, language arts, social studies, world languages, computer literacy, and AP courses.
  • Tutor.com offers test prep assistance, skills coaching, and help with specific math and essay-writing questions.
  • Unlock even more features with a Tutor.com account. Creating a Tutor.com account is optional and not required to connect with a tutor.



Visit scdiscus.org to get started. If you don't know the Discus login information, contact discusoffice@statelibrary.sc.gov.

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Free Tuition for Technical Colleges in South Carolina

Good afternoon,


Below are links about a recent educational opportunity in South Carolina that may be beneficial for high school students within the district and/or parents/caregivers within your school communities interested in continuing their education. This initiative, SC Workforce Scholarships for the Future, has been designated $17 million in GEER funding for the Spring semesters. The governor is asking Congress for an additional $24 million from the American Rescue Act funds to extend the program through June 2024.


This initiative allows any adult in South Carolina the opportunity to attend one of sixteen technical colleges for free if they choose to major in a high-demand career preparation program including: construction, nursing, manufacturing, technology, hospitality/tourism, and early care and education.


Links with more information:

· South Carolina technical colleges free tuition: how it'll work | wltx.com

· McMaster: Pandemic cash for free 2-year degrees (live5news.com)


Hope this helps!



Laurann Gallitto Patel, MMFT

Lead Regional Family Engagement Liaison

Midlands Region

GALLITTL@mailbox.sc.edu

803-687-3460


Carolina Family Engagement Center

College of Education

University of South Carolina

820 Main Street

Columbia, SC 29208

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UofSC String Project Information

The University of South Carolina String Project directed by Dr. Gail V. Barnes is the model for university string programs across the country. This nationally recognized program caters to children 3rd-5th grade & adults. Click above for more info.

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DHEC - Richland County Health Department

Dates and Times

Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30


Further Information

  • Limited quantity of SELF-ADMINISTERED COVID RAPID ANTIGEN TEST KITS available
  • Self-Administered COVID-19 PCR Test Kits are also available
  • Call ahead for availability



Appointment Needed: No

Referral Needed: No

Pediatric Testing Available: Yes

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