The Bobcat Blaze
--May 7, 2021--
Principal's Message
Happy Friday Bobcat Families,
We have had such a fun week celebrating our school staff. Teacher Appreciation Week was filled with smiles, treats, and dress up themes! Thank you to our wonderful PTO and families for showering the staff in love and adoration. It was truly appreciated.
Next week, quarter 4 interims will come home and can also be viewed in Parent Portal. Ms. Jaimes will also be hosting a parent orientation for our ELL families.
There is information in this week's newsletter regarding a parent survey being conducted by the SC State Department of Education. This survey is done annually with parents of 5th grade students. This year, the survey is being sent to all parents. We ask that you complete the survey prior to June 1st. Thank you in advance for doing this.
Lastly, happy Mother's Day weekend to all our Bobcat Moms and those who serve in that role. We value and appreciate all you do for our students each day.
Have a great weekend everyone!
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Important Dates and Upcoming Events
---May---
May 12th...................................................................Deadline for Fitness Fri-YAY T-Shirt Orders
May 13th...................................................................ESOL Event: Resource Meeting for ESOL Families, 7:30-3:00
May 18th...................................................................SC READY Writing (online) Grades 3-5
May 19th...................................................................SC READY Reading (online) Grades 3-5
May 25th...................................................................SC READY Math (online) Grades 3-5
May 27th...................................................................SCPASS Science (online) Grade 4
May 28th...................................................................Fitness Fri-YAY
May 31st...................................................................Memorial Day Holiday, No School
A Message From the State Department of Education
Dear Parents,
Section 59-18-900 of the Education Accountability Act requires that annual school report cards include “evaluations of the school by parents, teachers, and students.” Parent perceptions as collected in the Parent Opinion Survey appear on our school report card and provide school staff with insight to issues within our school. Additionally, results from the Parent Opinion Survey are used by the Education Oversight Committee to meet the requirements of Section 59-28-190 of the Parental Involvement in Their Children’s Education Act.
Although the Parent Opinion Survey has been administered for many years, only parents of students in the highest grade in elementary and middle schools and parents of 11th graders in high schools previously were afforded the opportunity to respond to the paper survey. This year the survey has been moved to an online platform and is accessible via computer and mobile device. All parents of students in grades K-12 may now participate. Parents of students in Pre-K are also welcome to complete the survey.
Please complete the Parent Opinion Survey by: __June 1, 2021_________________ To access the Parent Opinion Survey click on this link: https://ed.sc.gov/surveys/parent-survey/ Once at the survey, choose either the English or Spanish version of the survey to complete. Families should complete only one survey for each of their children enrolled in public school. Next, enter the seven-digit ID of our school. The ID for our school is 4001048. Before opening the survey, the name of the school will appear, and you will be asked to confirm that you are completing the survey for the correct school. Each school where your children are enrolled will provide you with their school ID.
You will receive a letter from the State Superintendent of Education with additional information. Please read that letter before completing the survey. The survey is anonymous, but if you feel uncomfortable in responding to any question you may skip that question. The survey will note that a question has been left unanswered, but you can click continue to proceed without answering the question.
Your time and effort in completing this survey is greatly appreciated.
ESOL Orientation
SC READY and SC PASS--Testing Dates May 18th and 19th, May 25th and 27th
Don't forget...
COVID-19 Vaccination Sites for May
Richland County Health Department (Public health provider – public health clinic)
Accepting eligible appointments.
Vaccine manufacturer: Moderna
2000 Hampton St. , Columbia , SC 29204
1-855-472-3432
Walgreens #11433 (Pharmacy - chain)
Accepting eligible appointments.
Vaccine manufacturer: Moderna
1941 Blossom St, Columbia, SC 29205
CONTACT THIS PROVIDERPrisma Health Baptist (Hospital)
Accepting eligible appointments.
Vaccine manufacturer: Pfizer
Taylor @ Marion St., Columbia, SC 29203
833-277-4762Free COVID-19 Testing Sites for May
DHEC-Tour Health - DHEC Parking Lot
Dates and Times for May
Open weekdays: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Further Information
- Please register using the link below
- Appointment Needed: No
- Referral Needed: No
- Pediatric Testing Available: Yes
Address: 2600 Bull St, Columbia, SC 29201
Contact Details: https://www.tourhealth.com/
Customer Service Number: 866-416-6341
SCHOOL NEWS
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Happy (Belated) School Principal's Day
School Principals’ Day is celebrated annually on May 1st to recognize the importance of principals, from elementary to high school. The principal has many responsibilities and important tasks to manage related to the school community. From helping students reach academic goals, managing students and faculty members, and living up to the expectations of the parents, the jobs of school principals are often underestimated. National Principal's day is set aside to recognize and show appreciation for all the work school principals do for the advancement of the school.
Mrs. Aldridge joined the Bobcat family at A.C. Moore this year after being an Assistant Principal at Midway Elementary School in Lexington School District One. Prior to her tenure at Midway she served as the Administrative Assistant Principal at Chapin Intermediate School. Before becoming an administrator, she taught 2nd and 4th grades as well as Special Education at Irmo Elementary School, where she was named Irmo Elementary’s Teacher of the Year for the 2014-2015 school year.
Mrs. Aldridge is originally form New Jersey, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Arts from Ramapo College of New Jersey. She taught Special Education in her home state prior to relocating to South Carolina in 2011. Mrs. Aldridge earned her Master of Education in Divergent Learning from Columbia College and her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Southern Wesleyan University. She holds Professional Certifications in Elementary, Early Childhood, Special Education: Multi-Categorical, and Elementary Principal.
Mrs. Aldridge resides in Lexington with her husband and their two daughters and in her spare time she enjoys reading, singing, and acting. Please join us in saying a special Bobcat thank you to our principal, LaQuana Aldridge, for her hard work and dedication to providing leadership at A.C. Moore and for being our school's principal!
Happy (Belated) Nurses Day!
Thank You Nurse Robinson!
In February of 1974, President Nixon proclaimed a National Nurse Week to be celebrated annually in May. Various nursing organizations including the American Nurses Association (ANA) rallied to support calls for a “National Recognition Day for Nurses” on May 6, which was eventually proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1982.
The Bobcat Family would like to thank Mrs. Robinson for her dedicated service and for making sure our Bobcats are healthy, safe, and ready to learn! Thanks for being our school's nurse!
School Lunch Hero Day
Inspired by children’s author and illustrator, Jarrett Krosoczka created School Lunch Hero Day to honor the foodservice employees after returning to his old school, and finding his childhood lunch lady remained and remembered him.
The first Friday in May is School Lunch Hero Day, dedicated to those men and women who make the cafeterias and the schools a better place to be! For many children, the cafeteria is the first place they enter on a school day. From the first time through the cafeteria line, the lunch hero has more than nutrition on their minds. The well-being of every child is important to them. Keeping them safe, happy, and providing them with good and delicious food is also a priority.
The Bobcat family would like to say thank you to our cafeteria staff for all the work they do to keep our students healthy and well fed.
A Bobcat Spotlight...K-2nd Grade Artist in Residence
Mr. Carter Boucher
Last week students in kindergarten-2nd grade were provided an opportunity to work with Master Teaching Artist, Clarence Carter Boucher. Through a sponsorship with Arts Access, a nonprofit organization that provides children, youth and adults with disabilities quality arts experiences, our Bobcat students created, illustrated, and helped to write a song inspired by poems they wrote.
Mr. Boucher works directly with the Arts Access South Carolina programs to provide inclusive art programs for people with disabilities. He is currently active on the South Carolina Arts Commission's Artist Directory. Boucher began as an Artist in Residence in 1981 for the South Carolina Arts commission programs and is a Certified Teaching Artist on their Directory. Boucher received the Ad Astra per Aspera Commendation for Exemplary Performance, in the SCAC Mobile Arts Program 1981-1984. Boucher is best known for his work with people with disabilities. He recently produced a training video titled, “How to Engage Students on the Autistic Spectrum,” for the Palmetto State Art Educators Association as a training class for their annual conference.
Boucher’s personal work has been in numerous books and magazines including The New York Art Review, American Artist Magazine's Annual Watercolor edition, Who’s Who in Art and About the Author. Boucher studied the Berkley Method of guitar with Bruce Helgeson and plays an eclectic mix of folk music, blues and children's songs. Richard C. Owen publishes his children's books. Boucher also has nonfiction and books of satire available on Amazon.com. His poetry has been published in numerous publications and anthologies. He won the International Golden poet award. Boucher’s painting and/or other art works have won numerous awards and have been featured in national magazines and on Public Television.
The Newest Art Installation is now in the Media Center
About the Artist
For more than a decade, former Bobcat parent, local artist and a representational painter, Kirkland Smith, has been creating contemporary assemblages using everyday disposable materials as an evocative way to drive home the message of the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Through her work she challenges viewers to consider their consumer habits and believes “what we throw away says a lot about who we are, but what we choose to cherish and protect says even more.”
After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts at the University of South Carolina, Smith began a part-time career as a portrait artist while staying home to raise her children. She later had an opportunity to study classical painting and drawing at Studio Escalier in France. It wasn’t until she returned home that she began a new direction in her art in response to an environmental art contest, where she used post-consumer objects as her “paint”.
Native to South Carolina, Kirkland grew up in Mt. Pleasant. She and her husband, James, have 4 children.
About Andrew Charles Moore
Andrew Charles Moore (1866-1928), for whom our school is named, was born December 27, 1866, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. He entered South Carolina College in 1883 and became the first honor graduate of South Carolina College in 1877. From 1887 until 1898 he served as the Superintendent of public schools in Spartanburg County, Camden School, and as the Principal of City High School in Birmingham, Alabama.
Moore began graduate studies at the University of Chicago in 1898, and obtained his doctoral degree in 1900. In the same year he began his career at South Carolina College as an Associate Professor, within the department of Biology, Geology, and Mineralogy. In 1904 he was promoted to full professor, and in 1905 Dr. Moore was appointed as Chairman of the Department of Biology. Dr. Moore remained in the Department of Biology for the rest of his stay at USC, except for the terms of 1908-1909 and 1913-1914, when he served as Acting President of the University.
Dear A.C. Moore Family,
Did you know that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month? There are many ways a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) can help with students in your class, and also help you protect your voice and hearing! SLPs work on areas such as language (comprehension, expressive language, syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, literacy), articulation (speech sound development), voice, and fluency/stuttering. Children who qualify for services and based on a team decision may start receiving speech-language therapy services in the public schools at the age of 3 years. If you have concerns about a student please email me or stop by to chat!
Sincerely,
Lauren Brennan, MCD, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
I Know You are Ready for Fitness Fri-YAY!
It’s Fitness Fri-Yay time!!! Although it will look quite different this year, there will be fun activities planned for students to do within their homerooms to celebrate fitness!
On Friday, May 28th your Bobcat will participate in outdoor and in-class games as a part of a fun-filled day. Although they are not required for participation, your student may want to represent their Bobcat Pride with a Fitness Fri-YAY shirt! Please complete the order form below and return it with your cash only payment to Mrs. Whetstone no later than Wednesday, May 12th. Late orders will not be accepted and additional t-shirts will not be order.
AC Moore Students and Teachers Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week!
Since 1984, National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has designated one week in May as a special time to honor the individuals who lend their passion and skills to educating children. PTA events at the national, state and local levels celebrate the outstanding contributions teachers make.
A special thank you to our Bobcat students and PTO for making our week wonderful! We enjoyed the cards, goodies, treats and services you provided for us. Thanks again for making us feel loved during Teacher Appreciation Week. Take a look back at how we celebrated celebrated this week!
Monday--Superhero Day
Tuesday--Twinning!
Wednesday--Decades Day
Thursday--Class Theme Day
Friday--Bobcat Spirit Day
Wellness Watch
Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Celebrating 15 years of Impact!
Would you like to see the Alliance for a Healthier Generation continue their efforts to make communities, schools, and students across America healthier? Consider participating in their campaign to raise $15,000 to celebrate their 15 years of impact. By successfully raising $15,000 the Alliance can also receive a $15,000 matching gift from Dr. Sears Wellness Institute! Click here to make a contribution.
A Bobcat Spotlight...AC Moore is NAEYC Accredited!
AC Moore has received a renewal of it's accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)!
Early childhood programs accredited by NAEYC Accreditation of Early Learning Programs have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study and continuous quality improvement.
NAEYC Accreditation is awarded for a five-year term. During that period, programs submit annual reports documenting that they are consistently meeting the NAEYC program standards. All NAEYC-Accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits by skilled and reliable NAEYC program assessors to ensure that they continue to meet the standards.
A special congratulations to the Early Childhood educators for their efforts in preparing for the renewal process and for their hard work and dedication to the Bobcat students!
Fall Re-Cap for AiR
During the Fall semester, our Bobcat students had an opportunity to engage in several educational opportunities through the Artist-in-Residency (AiR) program. We appreciate the efforts and information delivered by our artists and would like to say a special thank you to them and to the Bobcat related arts and classroom teachers for making AiR a great experience for students. Please click the banner below to view the Fall recap video prepared by Mrs. Warren. We look forward to featuring more classes and students in the Spring.
Attention Bobcat Families:
If any of your contact information has changed (phone number, address, email address, emergency contacts) since the start of the school year please contact database specialist Madolyn Thorpe at madolyn.thorpe@richlandone.org. We need the most accurate information in Powerschool to ensure you receive school communication.
School Improvement Council
Report to the Parents
This report is issued by the AC Moore Elementary School Improvement Council (SIC) in accordance with South Carolina law to share information on the school's progress in meeting various goals and objectives, the work of the SIC, and other accomplishments during the school year.
Information from your PTO
To stay up-to-date on PTO happenings, please click the link below to register for the Bobcat e-Blast! If you are currently receiving the Bobcat e-Blasts, you will still need to complete the form and provide your information. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LVTMQYJ
Thanks,
Carrie Smith & Kim Pordes (PTO chairs)
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Asi usted haya recibido el Bobcat e-Blast en el pasado, por favor complete esta informacion- estamos haciendo una nueva base de datos. Estamos planeando las reuniones del PTO los miercoles en la tarde, al comienzo virtualmente, por eso esten pendiente de los anuncios que haga la Directora Aldridge en el Bobcat Blaze (periodico de la escuela) para mas informacion de la primera reunion.
Gracias, y espero verlos pronto!
Carrie Smith & Kim Pordes ( representantes del PTO)
Tech Tips
For Parents and Teachers...
Richland One IT Help Desk
You can get remote assistance by calling the IT Help Desk Monday - Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM at 803-231-7436.
Mark Your Calendars for...
Funny, Random, & Weird Holidays
Did you participate in a wacky holiday last week? Don't forget to send a picture of your family's celebration to Mrs. Whetstone at andrea.whetstone@richlandone.org. Here are a few weird holidays for your family to think about this week.
May 7..........................................................No Pants Day
May 7..........................................................Space Day
May 8..........................................................Europe Day
May 9..........................................................Lost Sock Memorial Day
May 10........................................................Clean Up Your Room Day
May 11........................................................Twilight Zone Day
May 11........................................................Eat What You Want Day
May 12........................................................National School Nurse Day
May 12........................................................Limerick Day
May 13........................................................Frog Jumping Day
May 14........................................................Dance Like a Chicken Day
We Want to See Your Bobcat Student MAKING TRACKS!
We would love to share in your student's success by seeing them in action! Submit a photo of your Bobcat completing their asynchronous assignments and/or activities your student's picture can be featured in an upcoming issue of the Bobcat Blaze! Submit your photos to Mrs. Whetstone at andrea.whetstone@richlandone.org.
DISTRICT NEWS
Restart Strong
The newsletter provided below will gives an overview/update on the district’s transition to Phase 3 of the Restart Strong Reopening of Schools Plan. Click the link to get the most up-to-date information about the Phase 3 plan.
Parents, students and staff can now get up-to-date information about COVID-19 cases in the district through Richland One’s new online tracking dashboard.
A link to the dashboard, which will be updated daily, is posted on the Restart Strong page on the district’s website www.richlandone.org/restartstrong. In addition to listing the number of positive and quarantined COVID-19 cases among Richland One students and staff, the dashboard includes the number of cases at each district school and administrative building. It also shows daily, weekly and year-to-date summaries of the number of positive COVID-19 cases.
“Richland One’s goal in creating the COVID-19 dashboard is to provide the most accurate and current information possible to our community,” said Richland One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon. “Having the same data allows us all to work together to better protect our students and staff.”
COVID-19 data is compiled daily by the district’s Nursing Services office and Accountability, Assessment, Research and Evaluation department. The information shown on Richland One’s dashboard may differ from the reports from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which are updated on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Media inquiries should be directed to the Richland One Office of Communications.
Registration Information for Pre-Kindergarten Programs
District Resources
ThriveRichland
ThriveRichland is a birth to four initiative established by Richland County School District One with the overall goal of increasing the percentage of children entering kindergarten ready to learn. The three major focus areas of ThriveRichland are:
High quality professional development and support for early childhood professionals
Comprehensive family wellness and engagement
Development of a plan for an early learning lab school within Richland One
ThriveRichland is offering families with children from birth to four and opportunity to join an online play group. Click the link below for details on how to sign up your 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