Greetings Bobcat Families!
We are looking forward to welcoming all returning and new students for what is sure to be a great year at A.C. Moore Elementary School! Please read this letter in its entirety for importation information regarding the return to school. In addition to being sent via email, this information will also be posted on our school website and social media outlets (Facebook & Twitter). Within the first week of school all students will come home with a copy of this year’s Parent Directory with much more detailed information regarding school operations.
Official Facebook Page: facebook.com/acmoorelementary
Official Twitter Handle: @ACMooreBobcats
Official Principal Twitter Handle: @BobcatAldridge
With passion, intentionality and accountability, our staff intends to empower students to be accountable and successful. Your support and parental involvement will be key to your child’s success. You can help your child this year by being consistent with the following checklist items:
- Check Parent Portal regularly to stay informed of student progress
- Review weekly communication that will be sent by your child’s homeroom teacher
- Encourage your child to follow all school and classroom expectations
- Make your child’s daily school attendance a priority
- Monitor both our school and district websites, school newsletter, school Facebook page, and school Twitter account for updated information
Student Medication: Annual student health forms will be sent home with all students on the first day of school. Please complete the form and return to your child’s homeroom teacher. If you have a child who requires medication to be administered at school, an adult will need to escort that medication to the Health Room and speak with the Nurse.
Materials/Supplies: All families are welcome to drop off their students’ supplies during Welcome Back Night on August 11th from 5:30 – 7:00pm. Those unable to attend may send students with their supplies on the first day of school. Please note families may be asked to replenish your students’ supplies throughout the year if their materials run out. Students are encouraged to bring a personal water bottle to school daily for use at our refillable water stations.
Masks: While masks are no longer mandatory, if your student will be wearing one, please inform their homeroom teacher so we can support them with replacements or conscious wearing throughout the day.
Devices: All students in grades Pre-K – 5 will be issued a school laptop and charger. Families are to adhere to the district’s Acceptable Use Policy when utilizing district issued devices. Homeroom teachers will designate when and how often laptops are to come home.
Visitors: All campus visitors must enter through the front office and will be required to sign in using their driver’s license or state issued ID card via our RAPTOR system. You will not be allowed to go beyond the front office without properly signing in.
Meals & Cafeteria Use: Students will utilize the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch daily. They will be supervised by adults to ensure safety protocols are followed. All Richland One students receive free breakfast and lunch daily. Breakfast is served from 7:00 - 7:30am. Please ensure students are on time if they are to receive breakfast at school. After 7:45am, the cafeteria will not serve breakfast. Students are also supplied with take home meals during extended breaks from school. Students are allowed to bring lunch from home. We ask that parents limit sending students with excessive amounts of junk food, juice, and soda. Students will not be allowed to refrigerate, freeze, or reheat any lunch items. Additionally, please ensure students are capable of independently opening and closing any containers sent with them for lunch.
Afterschool Programs: YMCA is the only afterschool program housed at A.C. Moore. While they utilize certain areas of our facility, they are not associated with our school. Therefore, any questions or concerns regarding YMCA should be directed to Jim Vietti at (989) 245-9637 or jimvietti@columbiaymca.org.
Arrival Procedures
Students attend school Monday – Friday 7:30am to 2:30pm. Doors open at 7:00am. Parents are not allowed to escort students to their classroom after the 3rd day of school and no one is allowed to enter the building prior to 7:00am. Students are considered tardy if they arrive after to their classrooms after 7:30am. Main office hours are from 7:00am – 3:30pm. Please see below for specific arrival procedures based on mode of transportation:
Bus Riders: Students arriving by bus are dropped off in the bus loop located at the back of the school and may go to breakfast or to their designated waiting area prior to the start of homeroom. School staff will be located in all areas to provide supervision.
Car Riders: Students arriving by car must be dropped off at the front of the school near the auditorium doors. Please keep in mind that Etiwan Avenue is a one-way road between the hours of 7:00 – 8:30am and 1:00 – 3:00pm. We ask that you please pull all the way down to the end of Etiwan Avenue to drop off students. School staff will be present daily to provide assistance. Students will enter the building through the doors near the auditorium. Parents who wish to enter must go through the front office area to sign in. Parking is limited, therefore, we ask that parents stay in their cars to drop students off in the designated area. Once students are inside, they can either go to the cafeteria for breakfast or remain in their designated waiting area until dismissal at 7:20.
Walkers/Bike Riders: Walkers are asked to enter the fenced in area of the main entrance and proceed through the main entrance near the auditorium. Bike riders are asked to park their bikes before entering the building through the main entrance near the auditorium. From there, students can choose to go to breakfast in the cafeteria or remain in their designated waiting area until homeroom.
Dismissal Procedures
The dismissal process will begin at 2:22 daily. Dismissal will be staggered to avoid excessive hallway traffic and noise. Please ensure your child’s teacher is aware of how your child is expected to go home prior to the end of the school day. Please see below for specific dismissal procedures based on mode of transportation:
Car Riders and Daycare Riders: Those picking up car riders are to remain in the car during dismissal due to limited parking areas and traffic congestion. Cars are to pull forward toward Rosewood Avenue as much as possible during afternoon care line. Please keep in mind that Etiwan Avenue is a one-way road between the hours of 7:00 – 8:30am and 1:00 – 3:00pm. Students will remain in a designated waiting area within the building until their names are called. All students will be provided with car tags that will be used to identify their cars during the dismissal process. We ask that all families display the car tag in a highly visible area during pick-up. If you are in need of a replacement or additional car tag during the year, please contact the front office.
Independent Walkers and Bike Riders: Walkers and bike riders should immediately leave the campus upon exiting the building. A parental permission slip will be sent home on the first day of school for completion by the parent or guardian granting permission for a student to leave campus alone as an independent walker or bike rider. Students will not be able to walk or bike home without a completed form on file. Students who are walking home with another student need to have a note from the parent stating they are to walk home together. Students in grades Pre-K – 1st will not be allowed to bike or walk home without the presence of an older sibling or adult. Older siblings must be in grades 3 or higher.
Walkers and Bike Riders w/Parent or Guardian: Students who walk or ride a bike home with the accompaniment of a parent/guardian will be dismissed from the Kindergarten wing of the school located to the far right of the main entrance past the bike rack. Students will not be allowed to exit the fence to walk to adults. They will be waiting inside the building where a school staff will meet you at the door to dismiss them.
Bus Riders: Students who ride the bus home from school must report immediately to the back hallway when dismissed. Students are to report to assigned areas and wait for pick-up. Students are not to visit with others or visit other classrooms.
Changing the Way a Student Dismisses from School: For safety reasons, there are two ways that a student can have their method of dismissal changed in advance:
1. A note must be sent from a parent/guardian OR
2. A fax or email must be sent from a parent/guardian stating how the student should be dismissed from school, including the applicable date. The fax number is 803-929-3882. To email the information, contact the child’s teacher and Madolyn Thorpe (madolyn.thorpe@richlandone.org).
Unexpected, same day dismissal changes must be called into the front office by a parent/guardian no later than 1:30pm or the change may not be honored. Students who do not have appropriate documentation through the office will be dismissed their usual way. We cannot take a student’s word regarding a change in dismissal.
Parent Communication: We understand that communication serves not only an essential function, but also one that can support you in answering your questions and concerns. Therefore, the following are ways in which we will communicate information to families throughout the year.
- Parent Portal information will need to be kept updated throughout the year. District and school-wide emails, callouts, and written communications are sent to the contact listed within
- POWERSCHOOL. Please keep your emergency contact list updated throughout the year. Only the parties listed within POWERSCHOOL can receive communication concerning your child.
- All Teachers will communicate information weekly via a newsletter no later than 2:00pm on Sunday of every week.
- A weekly school newsletter will be sent electronically every Friday as well as posted to our website and social media outlets (Facebook & Twitter). All of our newsletters can be translated into the language of your choice.
- We ask our school families and employees to be diligent in communicating if your child becomes ill. In order to limit potential virus exposure to students and staff, any student noted to have viral symptoms will be assessed by a school nurse immediately. A student who experiences a fever will be immediately isolated so that his or her parent can be contacted. Parents are asked to pick up students immediately from the front office or to send an emergency contact to support a student who is ill.
- Although we do not foresee having to suspend school operations this year as outlined by the plan submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education, please review school and district communications weekly so that you can be kept abreast of the most current updates for Richland School District One.
Our staff is looking forward to an educationally rewarding school year with you and your children. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Go Bobcats!!
