The Bobcat Blaze
March 22, 2024
+++We Are AC Moore STRONG+++
SCHOOL VISION
A.C. Moore Elementary School is committed to fostering productive citizens by ensuring all learners achieve their personal best in a supportive, creative, intellectual, and culturally diverse learning environment.
SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
A.C. Moore Elementary School stakeholders will collaboratively use research-based, data-driven, and arts-infused instructional practices to empower and encourage all students to achieve their personal best.
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 22nd: Report Card Day
- March 22nd: Bobcats On Board - Lets Aim for 100% Student Attendance
- March 25th - PTO Meeting 5:30 & Parent Power Hour: Internet Safety 6:00pm - Library
- March 25th - SC Ready Practice Testing: Math (Grades 2-5)
- March 28th - Early Release Day @ 11am - Parent/Teacher Conferences
- March 28th - NO CRP due to early release day
*************************************************************************************************
March 29 - April 5th - SPRING BREAK - No School For Students or Staff
Principal's Message
Happy Friday Bobcat Families!
We are so proud of the efforts our Bobcats showed while completing state practice testing and/or STAR progress monitoring. I look forward to diving into their results data.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our first Secret Garden Talent Showcase on Thursday night! We have some of the most talented students in the state of South Carolina!
Looking to order a yearbook? Please see the information within this week's newsletter.
Please remember our students have early release on Thursday, March 28th at 11am. There is no school on Friday, March 29th due to Good Friday. Spring Break is April 1 - 5th. We will welcome our Bobcats back on April 8th.
We will have CRP on March 26th and March 27th. However, there will be no CRP on March 28th due to it being an early release day.
Have a great weekend Bobcats!
Reporting An Absence
Need to report an absence to Mrs. Thorpe? Use the following link:
Please note if you are using the form to notify Madolyn Thorpe of upcoming absences related to family trips, you must first email Principal Aldridge (laquana.aldridge@richlandone.org) for prior approval or the absences will be marked unexcused.
Flashback Friday
Our students and staff are treated daily to "The Bobcat Beat" which is our school's morning news program produced and anchored by AC Moore students alongside librarian Jessica Warren. One special part of Friday's news show is FLASHBACK FRIDAY where students get to see photos of themselves at work throughout the week. We will post each Friday's edition in The Bobcat Blaze. See if you can spot your Bobcat at work!
March Book of the Month: Love Rules
Please see the following attachment for information regarding this month's book of the month.
2024 - 2025 Academic Calendar
Attached is the approved academic calendar for the 2024 - 2025 school year.
Yearbook Ordering Info
Don't Miss Out on Memories! Purchase Your School Yearbook Today!
Time flies, and before we know it, another school year will come to a close. Don't miss out on reliving the highlights of this school year! Order your copy of the 2023-2024 AC Moore Yearbook now. To order online, click this link and enter our school ID code 15151924.
If you'd rather pay with cash, please fill out the attached form and send it along with exact cash (no change available) with your student. The deadline is fast approaching so reserve your copy TODAY!
PTO & Parent Power Hour - March 25
Please join us in the library at 5:30pm on Monday, March 25th for our monthly PTO meeting followed by an Internet Safety presentation by Stephanie Hite with the SC Attorney General's Office at 6pm. See flyer for more details!
PTO Clothing Drive Info
See the flyer attached for information regarding the PTO clothing drive.
PTO Bobcat Benefit
See the flyer attached regarding information for the annual PTO Bobcat Benefit
Benchmark & Progress Monitoring Testing Info
2nd through 5th grade students will finish up testing next week. The type of test and dates are below for each grade level.
2nd grade
District Benchmark Test
Thursday, March 21 - Monday, March 25 - Math
*2nd grade breaks the testing into chunks, so they don't have to do too much in one day*
3rd - 5th grades:
District Benchmark Test
Monday, March 25 - Math
Ways you can help your children prepare for testing:
Make sure they go to bed early enough to get a good night's sleep.
Give them a healthy breakfast. If they eat at school, make sure they get here before 7:30 so they have time to eat.
Get them to school on time. School starts at 7:30.
Give them lots of love and encouragement to help them relax and not stress about the test. These tests are important; however, they are not for a grade. These tests are to help the teachers determine what still needs to be taught or retaught before the end of the year. Let them know you believe in them, and all anyone expects is for them to just do their best.
State Climate Survey
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 previous years. 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 have a Parent Portal account, please contact the database specialist at your child’s school and the database specialist will help you set up an account.
The climate survey will be available beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 26, 2024, and the survey will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2024.
Open the attachment below for instructions on how to access the Parent Portal and take the survey.
If you, as a parent/guardian, cannot gain access to the survey in the Parent Portal (when the survey opens on February 26), please click on this link and complete the form.
Thank you.
Karen E. York
Executive Director of Communications
Richland County School District One
PAWS AND PAGES
Library News From Mrs. Warren
Blazers Needed for News Crew
Did you know that ACM has a daily news show for students called the "Bobcat Beat?" I am lucky to have the opportunity to work with 4 crews of talented 5th graders who meet me on their scheduled week to record the news show which is then sent out to our teachers to view with their class each day.
I would love to enhance the professional quality of our news broadcasts and need your help! Our news crew would greatly benefit from the donation of gently used, clean blazers for our recording sessions. These blazers will not only add a polished touch to our broadcasts but also instill a sense of professionalism among our students. If you have any small blazers that are no longer in use but still in good condition, we would be incredibly grateful for your donation. Please send any donations with your student to the attention of Mrs. Warren. Your generosity will contribute to the success of our news program and provide valuable opportunities for our students to develop essential skills. Thank you!
Note: You can view each Friday's edition of the Bobcat Beat (with our special "Flashback Friday" segment) linked in the Blaze. Be sure to check it out each week!
Read Across America Week
Read Across America Week is coming up March 4 - 8. We will be celebrating reading all week with activities and dress up days to get our students excited about reading. Please be on the lookout for more information about this fun week!
Spring Book Fair
Mark your calendars for our next book fair April 22-26, 2024. Be on the lookout as we get closer for a sign-up form if you're interested in volunteering to help with our Spring Book Fair!
Community Literacy Opportunities
There are many opportunities to engage in literacy outside of school. Here are a few things coming up in December!
All Good Books Storytime:
Every Saturday at 10am
Mrs. Warren will be leading Storytime on 2/17 and 2/24.
Richland Public Library:
Family Storytime: Lunar New Year
Feb. 10 - 11:00am
Richland Library Northeast
Celebrate Lunar New Year with stories, songs, and a fun craft.
Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Dragon
Feb. 10 - 2:0004:00pm
Richland Library Northeast
Join us for an afternoon of crafts and festivities featuring a Lion Dance performance by Thundering Wave Martial Arts. All ages are welcome!
Black History Month Celebration
Feb. 10 2:00-5:00pm
Richland Library Main
Join Richland Library for a special event celebrating Black History Month with the richness of food, fine arts, and family history. Award-winning Gullah Chef BJ Dennis will educate and entertain audiences with a culinary conversation and cooking demonstration centered around Gullah Cuisine in the Café. Award-winning author Dinah Johnson will share selections from her book "Sitting Pretty: A Celebration of Black Dolls" and others, and there will be an enriching performance by the Cultural Expression African Drum & Dance Ensemble. Visitors can learn more about the living legacy that is their family’s unique history with Local History's table on "Tracing Your Roots."
There are many other events that you can take part in throughout the month at all locations of the library. Click the link below for a full calendar of events. you can filter the results by location and/or audience to see what's available near you!
Joyous Creatures Art Exhibit - Koger Center for the Arts
Make sure to catch the extraordinary art showcase featuring the works of a beloved friend of AC Moore and artist, Marius Valdes. Mr. Valdes, known by our students and staff for his incredible murals gracing our school—one in the library and the latest outside the cafeteria—presents his exhibit, "Joyous Creatures," at the Koger Center. The exhibit is open for viewing until March 11, 2024. Don't miss out on this fantastic display of creativity and joy!
"Joyous Creatures aims to make you smile or laugh if only for a moment. I celebrate characters and creatures from the imagination whether they are dogs, frogs, blobs, or aliens. Character-based art has the capacity to create memorable and engaging visual language that speaks to people of all ages and nationalities. I use my characters to educate, inform, and entertain." -Marius Valdes
For more information, you can visit the informational page here.
March Student Award Winners
The following students received awards this month in one or more categories of: Self-Control, Academic Achievement, Academic Improvement, Related Arts
Pre-K
Huntington Phelps
Bash Burden
Derrick Noah Davis
Shivansh Raut
Io Conway
Camden Wright
Crosby Thompson
Kindergarten
Harley Darby
Logan Rankin
Mila Flores
Caitlyn Scott
Kamari Johnson-McKie
Gavin Oree
Grayson Wilson
Sonya Taskina
Westin Catalano
Henry Austin
Joseph Roth
Sanaii Harris
Abdulmaleek Abioye
Charlotte Scott
First Grade
Josafat Flores Diaz
Ava Bucher
Aintik Manna
Davis McLain
Pearl Krapels
Lillian McClimans
Maria Sullivan
Wilder Tennis
Scarleth Ayala Maldonado
Thorin Hill
Walker Linden
Second Grade
Faraza Khan
Eli Calhoun
Nova Figueroa
Rinehart Taylor
Taylor Link
Kaydence Rucker
Cosette Pound
Lucy Garcia-Gibson
Shubharthi Hasan
Logan Stefik
Aaliyah Johnson
Henry Warren
Gray Shealey
William McCauley
Third Grade
D’mire Campbell
Messiah Jones
Dennis Ayala
Mi’King Woodson
Nell Wallace
Webb Reardon
Violet Krystofer
Liam Velasquez
Dylan Banks
Alice Zhang
Madelyn Flach
K’Drian Johnson
Luke Horton
Mariha Abdussalam
Fourth Grade
Cora Shealey
Jah’farious Joyner
Gabriela Galvez-Rivero
Erny Inek
Ben Greytak
Jorgan Stefik
Luca Adkins
Jackson Watson
Mia-Roselyn Fuentes Prieto
Lila Love
Sanaia Turner-Hill
Lila Stonestreet
Esther Lopez-Aguilar
Carter Rice
Bryson Smith
Nadine Bradley
Fifth Grade
Emma Boyes
Kalani Scales-Inabinet
Lesly Diaz Perez
Ayla Oliver
Edwin Vera Castillo
Jonah McClimans
YMCA News
Hello AC Moore families,
Please see the attached February Newsletter for Y-Club. Please note the dates for upcoming days off, early release, spring break camp, and summer camp registration.
Additionally, please see attached biography and join me in welcoming Miss Natalie Woods! Natalie is the new Youth Development Coordinator downtown, and is working closely with me to assist in office and on-site to make our youth programs even better for the kids.
Catie Young
Youth Development Director
YMCA OF COLUMBIA
Downtown YMCA & Jeep Rogers YMCA
(P) (803) 683-2308
R1 SUPERINTENDENT'S BOOK CLUB CHALLENGE
Here is our current leader board as it relates to the Superintendent's Book Club Challenge. Keep up the great work! We will update the list weekly until the challenge ends. Remember, the top reader for each grade level will be invited to a district celebration at the end of the year with games, food, and fun prizes.
5th Grade:
Jonah McClimans (top 5th grade reader- 3,949)
Ethan Miles
Reet Modgill
Kalani Scales-Inabinet
Molly Shearer
Gabe Yahya
Emma Flach
Silas Grace
Saunders Linden
Hiram Rudell
Molly Shearer
Cameren Boyan
Miracle Estrada
4th Grade:
Victoria Arreola Loaiza
Matthias Gilbert
Erny Inek
Tallon Moody
Bryson Smith
Lila Stonestreet
Dyuthi Sudheer
Hooper Wallace
Jackson Watson
Kareem Evans
Dakota Harris
Sanaia Turner-Hill
Gabby Galvez Rivero
Tallon Moody (Top 4th Grade Reader- 5,657)
Jonah Owens
Carter Rice
Andrew Walker
Trinity Williams
Camden McCauley
3rd Grade:
Queen Evans
Praise Chea
Webb Reardon
Maddie Flach
Luke Horton (Top 3rd Grade Reader- 1,830)
Nell Wallace
Kindergarten
Gavin Oree (Top Kindergarten Reader- (1,195 minutes)
PreK
Dannis Akimaliev
IO Conway
Aryan Kumar (Top PreK Reader- 1,241 minutes)
Crosby Thompson
PTO Volunteers Needed - Monthly Breakfast Cart
Interested in donating your time or some morning meal items to the monthly breakfast cart for our staff? The PTO needs you! Please use the following link to help out: https://signup.com/go/nBxKeXC
Blooms With the Blues - Save The Date
We hope you will join the Dreher Cluster at this fun event in April. There will be student performances, free giveaways, food trucks, and educational games. It's a FREE event for the entire family!
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