The CPES BobChat
September 1, 2019
What Are the Next Steps in Our Work?
It is Labor Day weekend. I hope you are enjoying time with your family and friends. Be sure to rest up for the work ahead in the next few weeks. As we consider that, I want to help you know the "labor" we will be doing. 1. Finishing up procedures and processes. Kids have learned about expectations these past two weeks. We will continue reinforcing them. You may expect that your child may have a few consequences (both positive and negative) as we continue establishing the systems that allow us to work in small groups and tailor our instruction for your child. The goal of those procedures is helping your child to know how to work independently and collaboratively so they can learn. 2. Initial assessments. Measures of Academic Progress testing begins next week for Grades 3-5 and it starts the following week for 1st and 2nd. (See calendar below.) (MAP is taken on the computer in Reading and Math.) Kindergarten will have individual assessments administered. These achievement tests help us get to know your child as a learner and determine their strengths and weaknesses. We will share these results with you at the end of the nine weeks during conferences. 3. A different kind of learning begins. These first few weeks enabled us to help little ones transition to school and get to know one another. Developing meaningful relationships is so important at the beginning. We can't get to the head without first getting to the heart. We will continue in that process throughout the year. As we return from Labor Day, we will become more focused on helping your child learn the important things they need to know to be lifelong successful. We need them at school as much as possible. If they are late, they miss critical information that helps them start their day well. If they leave early, they miss the wrap-ups and reminders that cement the learning. Most of us remember the first thing and the last thing in a series of concepts. The same is true for our instructional day. We don't want them to miss time in related arts where we discover their hidden talents and help them grow in "gifted" areas that might not show up in math or reading class. All day, every day, we are working in concert with you to teach life lessons that matter more than formulas and grammar. We don't want them to miss a minute of it. We hope you will join us in prioritizing their time to be with us. If they are absent, they miss the opportunity to learn. We have lots of work ahead of us and we value your cooperation and partnership in the process. I hope you have a great weekend and we will see you on Tuesday.
Mr. Maness, Principal
P.S. Above, Dr. Beard explains to kids how to be respectful as a winner or loser. It was a priceless lesson.
School News
Back to School Reminders of Procedures
1. Arrival--By Friday, most all kids were dropped off by 7:45. Starting tomorrow, if you arrive after 7:45, you will need to sign in your child at our Main Office off of Caswell Street. Our Safety Patrol leaves at 7:40 so they can get to class on time. Our Caswell Entrance is moving along a little more quickly so you may want to consider drop-off there. (You can drop off your child at either entrance.) We strongly discourage parking across Cherry Road and walking across. That is one of the most unsafe ways for your child to arrive at school and it holds up our Cherry Road car line from being able to turn right. Also, especially for our little ones, please say goodbye when they get out of the car. We noticed that if you roll down your window to tell him/her additional things while moving through the car line, he/she will walk back towards your car and that can be dangerous. Please make sure they have what they need when they get out.
2. Dismissal--Again, know that our Caswell line is moving a little more quickly and you can use that pickup line for all grades. If you switch lines, be sure to get a new pickup card and inform your child's teacher in writing. At this point, if you need a new pickup card for yourself or others, you will need to come to the office in person to get it. This way, we can verify who is on the pickup list. If you add or subtract people picking up your child (i.e. changes to your Emergency Contact List), please come and do that in person in the office. If there is a temporary change (i.e. a change for just one day) in how your child goes home, please put it in writing and send it to the teacher first thing in the morning or, again, you can do that in person at the office.
3. Signing In and Signing Out--Please bring your license with you when you come. We do not do sign outs after 2:00 for safety and security reasons. For Challenger students who need to be dismissed before 3:00, please send a note that they will be car riders and where they will be picked up (Caswell or Cherry Road Entrance.) If at all possible, please sign your child out either before or after his lunch time. It is difficult to get word to the teacher during lunch and then the teacher will need to escort the child back to the room during lunch to get his belongings (and the teacher misses out on eating lunch.)
4. Visiting--Again, please bring your license in order to check in. We welcome you to come for lunch with your child. In the past, we allowed students to choose a friend from the class to eat with his/her parents when they visited at lunch. Given that there is limited room for visitors, we cannot accommodate friends from the class. We want families to have the space they need to enjoy time together. (We hope to add some outdoor seating so we can accommodate more visitors.) As always, please say goodbye in the cafeteria when it is time for the class to return to their instruction. Please remember that visits (outside of the lunch time) need to be scheduled ahead of time with the teacher.
LET ME RUN (for 4th and 5th Grade Boys)
Registration is now open.
COACHES ARE NEEDED.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF BOYS!!!
We do not have coaches for Let Me Run at Cherry Park this fall but registration is open contingent on filling those coaching position. Please consider coaching, or if you can't coach, get the word out and help us find coaches. Last spring we had 2 awesome teams and 25 boys in the program. Let's make that happen again!
Let Me Run is a running program for 4th - 5th grade boys, but it’s more about the boy than the run. Counteracting the negative pressures society places on boys, the program uses running as the vehicle to inspire, teach, and reach them. Combining exercise with fun activities and lessons, Let Me Run inspire boys to be courageous enough to be themselves, build healthy relationships, and live an active lifestyle.
Let Me Run meets for 1 hour 15 minutes after school for 7 weeks on two non-consecutive days beginning mid-September. The season will end with the inaugural Upper Palmetto Let Me Run 5K To be held at the Winthrop Coliseum /Winthrop Lake area.
Register your son at:
http://www.letmerun.org/region/upper-palmetto/teams
To volunteer as a coach or for information contact:
Don Rice, Director
704-743-8755
Opportunity to Play Football
Cherry Park students will play on the same team as Richmond Drive students. David Bell will be the head coach and he models high expectations for kids. For more information, please click on the flyer below. You can reach Coach Bell at 803-412-2475 or wvdawgs@comporium.net.
PTO and SIC Information
Box Tops For Education
The Box Tops program has gone digital! Please download the new Box Tops app and scan your receipts to help us earn money for Cherry Park Elementary. (Grandparents and neighbors are welcome to help, too.) You can also still clip and send traditional Box Tops with a valid expiration date. The first due date for clipped Box Tops will be Friday, October 18th, but you can send Box Tops to your child’s teacher at any time during the school year. For more information, please go to http://www.btfe.com. Thanks for supporting our school!
Parent Teacher Organization and School Improvement Council Update
The PTO serves to raise funds, coordinate volunteers and encourage teachers through appreciation activities. Click on the PTO Newsletter button below if you wish to receive the PTO Newsletter: PTO and SIC are tentatively planning to meet on the second Monday of each month next year. School Improvement Council meets at 5:30 (in the Fish Bowl) and our Parent Teacher Organization meets at 6:30 (in the Media Center.) Elections were held in the spring for these organizations but all parents are welcome to attend to help provide input and volunteer. Meetings will be held on September 9, October 14, November 11, December 9 (if needed), January 13, February 10, March 9, April 13, and May 11 (if needed.)
Calendar of Events
September 2--Labor Day Holiday
September 3-6--3rd-5th Grades Take MAP Tests
September 9-13--1st and 2nd Grades Take MAP Tests
September 9--First School Improvement Council Meeting (5:30 PM) and Parent Teacher Organization Meeting (6:30 PM) (All parents are welcome to attend.)
October 16--Fall Picture Day (Information to come.)
Monday, October 21--Parent Conference Day
Monday-Friday, October 27-November1--Red Ribbon Week
Friday, November 1--Bobcat Dash (This is our Fall Fundraiser and more information will be sent home at a later time.)