Southwood Academy of the Arts
December 12th - 16th
Anastasia Field Trip
Strings & Band Prepares for Tuesday Performances!
7th Grade Bath Bomb Lab
Coach Scarborough's Archery Tryouts
Archery tryouts are wrapping up this week! 6th, 7th, and 8th grade have been practicing for the the Southwood Archery Team tryouts. Anyone can try out for a chance to be one of the 18 students on the team. Each student gets one practice round and 3 scored rounds. The closer the contestants get to the bullseye, the better! For students who make the team, there will be one state qualifier archery competition in February and hopefully some others that we get invited to. The results from tryouts will be announced on Friday, December 16th.
6th Grade ELA IRPs
Sweater Weather in 8th Grade ELA
Mrs. Nickels 8th grade ELA class is getting festive! They made fun holiday sweaters for the the main character in Soldier's Heart. For the assignment, the students had to design and color a sweater and relate their design and colors they chose to the character.
Parents of 8th graders, please sign up for an IGP meeting!
IGP Information for 8th Grade Students
8th grade student IGP meetings will start in January. Both Westside and Hanna have the same registration form. Parents, please set up an Individual Graduation Plan or IGP meeting with either Dr. Chamblee or Ms. Doolittle. Your meeting can be virtual or in person. During the IGP meeting, students will receive a course catalog for their freshman year of high school, and the high school registration form will be completed. A PDF of the high school catalog, the high school registration form, and links to sign up for a meeting are below. For more information about IGPs, careeer clusters, and more, visit Ms. Doolittle's website.
Junior Beta Club News
Beta Club students had their first meeting Wednesday, December 7th in the PAC. Students, if you missed the meeting, please check your email! Students who are interested in running for president, vice president, or secretary of Southwood Academy's Beta Club, please send the appropriate information and video to Dr. Boltin by Monday, December 12th. Voting will take place Thursday, December 15th.
Work It Out Wednesdays
Student IDs
Help Us Reach Our Goal!
12 Days of Holiday Trivia
For the last twelve days before holiday break, Mrs. Spencer has been asking holiday trivia questions! At the end of Morning Meeting every day, Mr. Powell gives a hint to the trivia question, and the students answer on a Google form in the Morning Meeting Google Classroom. The questions are about holiday songs, movies, and other holiday traditions. Mrs. Spencer randomly selects one faculty member and one 8th, 7th, and 6th grade student to win a prize. The prizes are bookmarks, candies, and books that were donated by Books-A-Million.
Clear Bag Policy for Anderson 5
As part of our ongoing effort to provide a safe and secure school environment for our students and staff, Anderson School District Five will be implementing a clear bag policy for high school and middle school football games. Further adjustments to this policy may be enacted prior to the beginning of winter sports. Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to:
Purses - larger than a clutch bag
Camera cases
Briefcases
Backpacks
Cinch bags
Tinted/printed pattern plastic bags
Diaper bags
Mesh bags
Diapers and other baby supplies can be carried into the stadium in a clear bag. Infant formula, milk, or medicine needing refrigeration is allowed in a small soft-side cooler, and is subject to search at the gate. For additional information, please check out the image below.
Anderson 5 Needs Bus Drivers
Anderson School District Five is in immediate need of bus drivers. The current salary is $17.43 for new drivers and up to $25.82 for equivalence drivers. On-site paid training is offered at a rate of $16.43 per hour. This includes, but is not limited to, classroom training and behind-the-wheel training. Certified bus drivers are guaranteed 30 hours per week and could work up to 40 hours per week. Full-time drivers qualify for state benefits and participation in the South Carolina Retirement System. If you are only interested in driving a morning or afternoon route, part-time positions are available. Please check out the interest form below.
High School Theatre News
SCGSAH Odyssey Program Applications are due Dec. 19th!
Strings Reminders
The 7th and 8th grade Strings will be practicing every Friday from 7:45-8:15 AM. This is so the students can practice the songs they will be playing for the National Orchestra Festival and upcoming performances without having to take the students out of class. Parents please try to get your children to practices on time.
Dance Recital
Southwood Academy is getting into the holiday spirit! The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade winter dance recital is on Thursday, December 15th at 5:30 pm; however, dancers will need to be there by 5:00 pm. The performance will last around 30 minutes. All grades will be performing holiday dances; 7th and 8th grade will be performing dances they have choreographed as well. The students will also perform for the school in the morning on Friday, December 16th. Check out a video of students practicing below.
6th Grade Field Trip
The field trip is March 9-10 2023.The total cost of this trip will be $175. This is an overnight trip and the trip fee will include: transportation, lodging, all meals, all activities, and sixth grade t-shirts. Parents have until January 9th, 2023 to pay for the trip. If you have been paying for the trip in installments, the last payment is $75 due January 9th. The parent form for the field trip is below.
Club News
Newsletter Club
Creative Writing Club
Creative Writing students meet every Tuesday morning in Miss Paradis's classroom! Students who attended worked on a short piece of literature about something that happened to them that morning. There were no guidelines, so everyone has the freedom to write in any form or style.
Southwood Academy's YCI
YCI is starting back up at Southwood Academy of the Arts! YCI, Youth Commission International, is a Christian organization that talks about God and fellowship. YCI is 7:30 am every Thursday in the Performance Arts Center, and Mr. Pendergrass (the 8th grade science teacher) is the supervisor. There will be games and snacks. All are welcome!
Games Club
Wyldlife News
Wyldlife will take a break until January. Wyldlife Weekend Camp will be January 20th-22nd at Carolina Point. If you have any questions, you can email, text, or call 678-857-8767. If you are interested in the Camp Point trip, please check out the form below.
Cafeteria News
1. Breakfast and lunch is not free for all students this year. We encourage all students to apply for free/reduced meals. Applications are available in the cafeteria, or can be completed online using this link. However, even if a student does not qualify for free/reduced meals, they can always eat breakfast and/or lunch. The charge will go onto their account, and the parent/guardian will be required to pay off this charge as soon as possible.
2. Students can purchase meals and extra sales items with cash, checks deposited onto their account, or funds deposited into their account online. Students cannot purchase extra sales if their account balance is negative. To view your child’s balance or make payments on their account, visit this site. You will need your child’s student account number to create an account/log in and view their meal account.
3. For breakfast and lunch, students are required to take at least 3 items, 1 of which must be a fruit or vegetable choice. There are multiple fruit and veggie choices available daily, and students are encouraged to choose as many of them as they wish!
4. For any questions that students have, we encourage them to come ask us! Our staff is here to help with any of our students’ needs.
SAA is an ABC Grant Recipient through the South Carolina Arts Commission!
Order Your Yearbook
PowerSchool for Students & Parents
A5's District Code is GWJZ
Bus Information
*The Robert Anderson Sports Bus is now available after school!
Early Dismissal / Appointment Policies
- When you arrive at school, please call the office: 864-260-5205 to let us know you are here to pick up a student for dismissal.
- Make sure to have your license ready and press the buzzer for entrance.
- Once the door is unlocked, be prepared to show your license through the window while you will remain in the foyer. Please DO NOT enter the office area.
- We will have a sign-out sheet in the foyer. Please know that we will get your student to you as quickly as we can.
News from Nurse Rosa
1. Any students with the following symptoms should stay home: temperature, headache, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, sore throat, muscle aches, chills, new or worsening cough, or runny nose.
2. Students may return to school once they have been fever free for 24 hours without medication AND their symptoms have significantly improved.
3. If you decide to have a COVID-19 test, notify the school nurse of the results.
*All information will remain confidential between the school and family. No other families will be given the health information of your child.
For any health-related questions, call the office or email Nurse Rosa.
Media Center News
Media Center Schedule
Tuesday, December 13th - Paradis circulation
Wednesday, December 14th - Games Club, Moules visit 10:30-11, Newsletter 3rd block
Thursday, December 15th - Mundy circulation
Friday, December 16th - Holiday performance, early dismissal
Westside Track
Chromebook Care
Early Dismissal Days
Anderson Five will utilize three early dismissal days during the 2022-23 school year to support staff development, teacher conferences or end-of-semester exams. When utilizing early dismissal, lunch will be offered to students. Elementary students will be dismissed at 11:00 AM and Southwood Academy students will be dismissed at 11:30 AM.
Early dismissal will be implemented on the following dates:
December 16, 2022
May 31, 2023
June 1, 2023
Please add these dates to your calendar!
2022-2023 Academic Calendar
Southwood Academy of the Arts
Eric Chamblee, Associate Principal & Instructional Facilitator
Paula Doolittle, Guidance
Joshua Powell, Arts Lead Teacher
Cheri Gilbert, Secretary
Email: jamiesmith@anderson5.net
Website: http://www.anderson5.net/southwood
Location: 1110 Southwood Street, Anderson, SC, United States
Phone: 864-260-5205