Fall News
ParentSMART ~ Where Parents are the Heart of Education
From the Coordinator's Desk
Its fall and we are thrilled to welcome you back once more to another year "Where Parents are at the Heart of Education”. The opening of school has been like no other! Thank you again for your support and patience as we continue to Learn, Grow, Thrive and Connect together on this virtual education journey.
Due to COVID-19, ParentSMART has made some changes to our service delivery in order to continue to serve our families. Although we thoroughly enjoy our in-person visits and learning together in the comfort of your home, we need to maintain everyone’s safety and follow the guidance of the local health department, Parents as Teachers and Rock Hill Schools. Therefore, this year’s visits will be conducted virtually through video-conferencing, telecommunications or outdoors, at a social distance. Virtual visits include one-to-one visits with parent and child, screenings, group connections and interactive literacy sessions. Our Family Literacy classes will also be conducted virtually until further notice.
In order to continue to support you in your role as your child’s first and most influential teacher and help raise lifelong learners, we have some exciting activities planned for you and your child this year. Aside from your Parent as Teachers personal visits, we have scheduled monthly Parent and Child Interactive Literacy sessions, Parent Workshops and more. To kick off the year, we invite you and your child(ren) to join us for our first session of ParentSMART and Me Interactive Literacy, All About Me. Together, we will focus on small motor development, writing skills, and create a fun project virtually. Each themed session will concentrate on a specific area of development. We will also share lots of creative ways to engage your child and provide a variety of strategies to add to your parenting tool box.
One of our other focuses this year is family well-being. We are excited to offer a year-long series of workshops on Parenting through the Pandemic. To kick off our series and address what we think may be one of the most important concerns for parents right now is how to keep your child healthy and safe during the pandemic. In order to answer your questions, we have invited Dr. Martha Edwards with Rock Hill Pediatrics to join us to discuss Viruses, Influenza, Immunizations and more. We invite you and your friends to join us for this informative virtual session with one of our community’s favorite doctors.
By now we hope that you have received your first personal visits of the new school year. If you have not, please reach out to your Parent Educator to schedule. If you do not have a Parent Educator and would like to learn more about becoming your child’s first teacher and all of the exciting educational and support resources we have to offer, please call us at 803-981-1557, email us or visit our Facebook page and leave us a message. Please also continue to monitor the Rock Hill School District website for information regarding your school-aged children as we all work together as One Team on One Mission in Rock Hill.
Program Updates
ParentSMART & Me Interactive Literacy
Monthly parent-child activities for parents and children focusing on active learning, literacy and concept development and music and movement.
We are busy preparing everything for our first ParentSMART and Me PACT sessions and we can't wait to see you! As mentioned above, our first PACT session is scheduled for October 15th at 5:15 pm. All PAT families should have received a home PACT kit and ZOOM link in order to be prepared for this session. Moving forward and in order to ensure that we have enough supplies for everyone, we will ask you to register for our upcoming sessions beginning with our November session. Each month, registered families will receive a home PACT kit containing a developmentally appropriate activity including supplies, a book and some goodies. There will also be a drawing each month for a special gift for you and your child to enjoy. Your Parent Educator will send you the registration link in the near future. Once you register, you will be invited to drive by on October 29th from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, noon to pick up your PACT kit along with some fun surprises! PACT kit pick-up will take place through the bus loop in the rear of the school off South Stonewall Street.
ParentSMART Parenting Sessions:
Parent Educators relay important information about child development, offering parents opportunities to interact and support one another.
We hope you will join us for our parenting series, Parenting through the Pandemic. We have arranged for a variety of community experts to address topics related to health and wellness. As mentioned above, we will begin our series with Dr. Martha Edwards with Rock Hill Pediatrics who will address Viruses, Influenza, Immunizations and more. Registration will be required for this series. Please be on the lookout for an email from your Parent Educator or visit our website or our Facebook page in order to register and receive the link. We look forward to having you join us!
ParentSMART Teens:
A certified parent educator visits bi-monthly and provides support to teen parents in their role as the child’s first teacher.
Teen parent meetings kick-off this month with a focus on routines. If you know a teen parent who can benefit from our services, please let us now and we will be happy to reach out to see how we can assist them.
ParentSMART Family Literacy:
Parents and children come together to learn in a family friendly environment "Where Parents are at the Heart of Education”.
Did you know that you and your preschool child can attend classes together? Parents can earn their GED and/or learn English while gaining support in reaching family and career goals. Participants learn how to prepare their children for school success, increase their knowledge and confidence regarding child development and benefit from a variety of family enrichment activities. If you or someone you know is interested in learning how they can begin working towards their GED or want to learn English, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss their options for enrollment.
Title I
District Information
Communication this school year is key in the prevention and spread of the Covid-19 virus. Please refer to the District's Return to School Plan for instruction models for students and protocols that have been developed or expanded to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Following the 3 W’s can also make a big difference in controlling the virus: Wear your mask, Wash your hands frequently, and Wait six feet apart from others.
https://www.rockhill.k12.sc.us/cms/lib/SC01000464/Centricity/Domain/75/Reopen%20Plan%20Final.pdf
The District has developed a COVID-19 Dashboard to be as a transparent as possible regarding COVID-19 in our schools. Each weekday, excluding holidays, this dashboard will be updated with school-level information and a district summary. This dashboard provides access to everyone seeking the latest and most accurate information. In a time when fear and anxiety continue, we believe it is vital to make this information available to staff, parents, and our community at-large.
https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/309767f4-229c-49f9-ab4f-411e75224a9f/page/WgaeB
Face Coverings/Masks Required in All District Facilities
The Rock Hill community has embraced the call to stop the spread, and our infection rate numbers continue a downward trend and we must continue. We will continue to do our part to keep everyone safe on our campuses, and as part of our efforts the Rock Hill Schools Board of Trustees has approved a new, updated temporary policy to address our current situation. Policy ADD – Face Coverings/Masks was approved Monday evening, Sept. 28th and it went into effect on Tuesday, Sept. 29th. We ask you to read and become familiar with the entire policy.
FREE Breakfast and Lunch for ALL Students enrolled in the District
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting hardships placed on families, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted us the ability to feed all students for free. The Emergency Seamless Summer Option program, or SSO, has been approved to allow all enrolled students to receive a free lunch and breakfast every day. This program has been extended through December 31, 2020, or until federal funds run out. Once the program ends we will continue our participation in the National School Lunch Program in which students pay based off of their meal status.
Technology / District Laptop Assistance
As we adjust to new routines and processes, our Technology Services team aims to provide support to ensure students have access to a laptop for use at school and home. District-wide we support more than 20,000 devices, and are prepared to meet your needs. New this year, families may call our technology support hotline at 803-324-TECH (8324).
Additionally, students and families participating in our Virtual Academy have a dedicated number for support. If there is a technology question specific to the RHSVA, please contact 803-324-RHSV (7478).
Save the Date / Important Dates
OCTOBER:
· Oct. 8: 9:00 am Family Literacy PACT – All About Me
· Oct. 14: 6:00 pm Teen Group – Navigating Daily Routines
· Oct. 15: 5:15 pm ParentSMART & Me PACT – All About Me
· Oct. 19: Teacher Work Day - NO SCHOOL
· Oct. 21: 10:00 am Teen Group – Phoenix Academy - Navigating Daily Routines
· Oct. 22: 5:15 pm Family Literacy PACT – Routines are a Life Saver
· Oct. 26: 6:30 pm Family Literacy Title I Parent Engagement Session
· Oct. 29: 7:00 pm Parent Session – Viruses, Influenza, Immunizations and more presented by
Dr. Martha Edwards, Rock Hill Pediatrics
NOVEMBER:
· Nov. 2: 6:00 pm Teen Group – Attitude & Gratitude
· Nov. 3: Election Day - NO SCHOOL
· Nov. 10: 10:00 am Teen Group – Phoenix Academy - Attitude & Gratitude
· Nov. 12: 9:00 am ParentSMART & Me PACT - We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt
· Nov. 16: 7:00 pm Parent Session – Parenting for Self-Care presented by Ms. Anquinta
Cochran, Magnolia Counseling Solutions
· Nov. 25 - 27: Thanksgiving Break – No School
DECEMBER:
· Dec. 2: 6:00 pm Teen Group – Nutrition for Baby & Me
· Dec. 8: 10:00 am Teen Group – Phoenix Academy - Nutrition for Baby & Me
· Dec. 14: 7:00 pm Parent Session – Healthy Holidays presented by Well Care
· Dec. 16: 9:00 am ParentSMART & Me PACT – Traditions
· Dec. 21 - 31: Winter Holidays - District Closed
Connect with us
Email: ctaubenkimel@rhmail.org
Website: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/domain/1141
Location: 929 Sylvia Circle, Rock Hill, SC, USA
Phone: 8039811557
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParentSMART
Twitter: @ParentSMART