Ebinport Elementary: Eagle Eye News
March 16, 2020
How Do We Help Our Children Make Sense of the Coronavirus?
Here are some questions our kids may have asked us this week. "Why is there no toilet paper in the grocery store?" "When will there be basketball on TV?" "Why can't we see our grandparents?" "Are we going to have to stay home from school?" "I heard everyone is getting sick. Are you going to die? Am I?" This past week was a tough one. And, there may be some difficult ones ahead. How can we best coach our children (and each other) through this response to COVID-19? 1. Keep it honest and developmentally appropriate. We need to be thoughtful and truthful with our children. Yes, there will be (and have been) some people who will die from the virus. Yes, we've seldom (if ever) canceled so many public events as an effort to manage exposure to a disease. Yes, those who have a hard time fighting off any sickness will be most at risk. This is not a time for trite or misleading answers. Honestly responding "I don't know" is a great answer. 2. Keep it in perspective. There have been many times in history when we responded to disease. There was a day when measles, chicken pox, and polio struck fear in the hearts of parents and children. In recent years, there were outbreaks of SARS and Ebola. Today, we continue the fight against cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS, birth defects, and AIDS. The caronavirus is serious but it is not the only time a disease has been managed and treated on a national scale. 3. Keep it simple. Help kids know what they can do to help themselves and others stay healthy. Be sure to wash your hands. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. Let us know if you don't feel well. Plan to visit older adults at a later time. (We can call them instead.) Help little ones know what simple things they can do to help make the situation better. 4. Keep listening. Listen for the emotion (fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, grief) as much as the words. As adults, we want to help our children acknowledge their realities and emotions and help them move to a better place. That takes time and patience on our end. 5. Keep hopeful despite difficult circumstances. In the media and in our conversations, there is plenty of "gloom and doom." Don't get stuck there. It is not helpful for ourselves nor for our children. This is an opportunity for the big people to model for the little people how to handle adversity. There will be some good that comes from this. Maybe it will slow us down. Maybe we will appreciate our health more. Maybe we will care for others in ways we have not done before. Maybe we will have a needed change in perspective. Maybe we realize (once again) that we really aren't in control. Hope in the future of a better day can sustain us and embolden us. Our children need to know that as well. Know that we have done, are doing, and will do all we can to walk with you and our children through this season.
Please know that Ebinport families are in our thoughts and prayers and we hope that we will all be together again soon!
Ebinport's Vision Statement
Faculty and Staff Birthdays
Alisha White - March 16
April Smith - March 26
Baily von Roden - March 26
Sonni Parks - March 30
Leigh Clarke - April 8
Donna Workman - April 12
Elizabeth Lundy - April 27
Gloria Gaither - May 1
Melissa Philson - May 9
Kari Doster - May 21
Elaine Jothen - May 25
Carie Lowdermilk - May 30
Visitors for Lunch
Please be advised that in order for visitors to have lunch with students, each visitor must meet one of the following criteria:
- be listed on the emergency sign-out list for that student
- have a note from the parent/guardian giving permission to have lunch with that student
- be a prior-approved mentor
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but we do this in order to further ensure the safety and well-being of our students.
This will be enforced beginning this week.
Rock Hill Schools' One Plan and the Bond Referendum
How Much Will the Bond Referendum Cost?
In an effort to keep you informed about our One Plan Bond Referendum on March 31, I want to help you understand the costs of the building plan. 1. The referendum will fund projects totaling $294,800,000 that will be done over five years. These projects include updating safety and security measures, improving the modern learning environment and replacing or building new schools. Every school and area in the district is included in these projects. 2. It will cost a homeowner of a $100,000 house an increase of $106 a year (or $8.83 per month.) The median home value in Rock Hill is $140,500 and there would be an increase of $149 a year (or $12.41 a month.) Business owners would pay an additional $159 a year (or $13.25 a month) based on an assessed property value of $100,000. 3. We will still have renovation and improvement costs if the bond doesn't pass. For many of our buildings, the question becomes one of continuing to patch and fix when it could make more sense to replace them. It is similar to the question of when is it time to repair a car or to replace it. If a car has 200,000 miles on it, at what point does it make sense to continue maintaining it? So many of our 70 year old buildings (such as Sullivan) have served us well. We have to ask ourselves if it is time to build the next set of schools that will serve us for the next 70 years. 4. There will be learning costs for our students if the bond doesn't pass. We are preparing our students for future jobs and opportunities that we can't even name. We have become a knowledge and service driven economy rather than a manufacturing economy. Our children need the best tools and environments possible to prepare for those industries. Voters' decisions will determine if our future graduates have optimal resources to meet the expectations of our local employers. As we discuss the issue of the bond referendum with our friends and neighbors, we need to know what it will cost if it passes. We also need to know the costs to our children if it does not pass. Both are important questions.
Mrs. Kelsey, Principal
P.S. For more information about our One Plan Bond Referendum, you can go to https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/oneplan.
Order Yearbooks Now!
Order your Yearbook by March 13, 2020. Safe yourself a lot of trouble and order online here: ybpay.lifetouch.com and use the Yearbook ID Code: 10932020
Title I Parent and Family Engagement Survey
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) legislation requires school districts to receive input from parents concerning the parent and family engagement activities offered in the Title I schools in the district.
Please complete the survey (https://forms.gle/ZWGMC5UjaMMycnEM9) before April 17. Your responses will assist the school district in ensuring that parent and family engagement activities being offered at your child’s school meet your needs and interests.
The results of the survey will be used to strengthen the home to school partnership. If you have any questions concerning the survey, please contact Dr. Tonya Belton, Director of Federal Programs, at 803-981-1052.
PreK and Kindergarten Enrollment
4K and Kindergarten registration OPENS on Monday, March 2. Please share this information with your friends and family who have children starting school in the 2020-2021 school year.
Get started here: www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/enrollRHS
Once registered make sure to check out our After School Programs and Summer Programs.
Also, save the date for our Kindergarten Enrollment Party on Saturday, April 18 at the Central Office, 386 E. Black Street, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Registration for Summer Challenger
Use the online registration link here https://bit.ly/2NSUQWy to sign up.
Allowable Snacks in the Classroom
Dear Parent/Guardian,
The Health Advisory Committee for the school district has met over the past two years to develop a healthy snack list for classrooms. The list provided below has been approved by the district as allowable snacks for the classroom. The list was compiled by the district Health Advisory Committee using feedback from the School Improvement Councils (during the 2017-18 school year), and parent survey responses from the spring of 2018. The snacks listed meet SMART Snack guidelines recommended by USDA.
Based upon USDA Nutrition Standards and School Board Policy ADF - District Wellness, the following list of approved snacks are the only allowable snacks for classroom celebrations or parties. No homemade goods are permitted. Snacks must be individually wrapped or in purchased container/package. Valentine’s Day parties are excluded from using the list.
Pretzels
Cheddar crackers or graham crackers
Sun chips or similar baked chips
Frozen fruit bars (Ex. Whole Fruit, Outshine, Dole or store brand equivalent)
Fresh fruit – Individual serving/wrapped or in purchased package container
Fresh vegetables – Individual serving/wrapped or in purchased package container
Low fat dips
Fruit cups (Ex. In water, light syrup, or 100% juice)
Yogurt
Apple sauce cups
Gelatin cups or pudding cups
Fruit and veggie pouches
Cheese sticks (Individually wrapped)
Pepperoni or turkey pepperoni (In purchased package container or individual sticks)
Water/Flavored Water
*This list does not address allergies. Please remember to always check specific allergies with your classroom teacher 48 hrs. prior to bringing food to the school. Accommodations will be made for students with allergies.
La lista siguiente de bocadillos aprobados
Las fiestas del Día de San Valentín están excluidas del uso de esta lista.
La lista fue compilada por el Comité de Asesoramiento en Salud del distrito usando los comentarios de los Consejos de Mejoramiento Escolar (durante el año escolar 2017-18) y las respuestas de la encuesta para padres de la primavera de 2018. Los bocadillos incluidos en la lista cumplen con las directivas SMART Snack recomendadas por el USDA.
- Pretzels
- Galletas de queso cheddar o galletas Graham
- SunChips o patatas horneadas similares
- Paletas heladas de frutas (por ejemplo, Whole Fruit, Outshine, Dole u otra marca industrial equivalente)
- Fruta fresca – porción individual/envuelta o en un envase comprado
- Verduras frescas – porción individual/envuelta o en un envase comprado
- Dips bajos en calorías
- Vasos de frutas (por ejemplo, en agua, jarabe/almíbar ligero o 100% jugo)
- Yogurt
- Vasitos de puré/compota de manzanas
- Vasitos de gelatina sin azúcar o de pudín sin azúcar
- Sobres de frutas y vegetales
- Palitos de queso (envueltos individualmente)
- Pepperoni o pepperoni de pavo (en envase comprado o palitos individuales)
- Agua/agua saborizada
*Esta lista no toma en cuenta las alergias. Por favor, recuerda verificar si existen alergias específicas con la maestra de tu salón de clases 48 horas antes de llevar comida a la escuela. Se harán adaptaciones para los estudiantes con alergias.
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About Us
Email: ssawczuk@rhmail.org
Website: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/ebinport
Location: 2142 India Hook Road, Rock Hill, SC, USA
Phone: 803-981-1550
Facebook: facebook.com/Ebinport
Twitter: @EbinportES