On the last day of school before holiday break, students showcased their talents! Strings, band, chorus, and dance performed portions of their winter performances. Theatre teamed up for a medley of the three beloved Christmas stories: "The Polar Express," "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Mr. Kay, Mr. Powell, and Mr. Hatcher provided entertainment between the acts. Enjoy the video of the performance!

Miss Silvey's 6th grade science students used Snap Circuit kits in a recent lab. Upon successful completion, these circuits lit up, moved, or made sounds! After the holiday break, Miss Silvey’s classes will be learning about simple machines and how they run.

Mrs. Duncan's students made board games using concepts they covered in class. The projects were made with their table group members, and each student had a vital role. Students were able to play one another's games before the holiday break, which was lots of fun!

6th, 7th, and 8th grade Theatre joined together for the Christmas performance. 6th grade students were the Whos from Whoville. 7th grade students were characters from "Twas the Night before Christmas." 8th grade students were the characters from "The Polar Express." Students rehearsed in their individual classes and joined together for the performance in the PAC.

Southwood Visual Art is ending the year with a bang! 6th grade has just finished their “bad design” piece, where they learn about the design process by trying to make the worst possible household appliance. The design can cause the item to break down, self-destruct, or make the thing it produces so useless that there is no point in getting it. 7th grade has just started their pointillism project. The goal of this project is to create an animal using only small dots, made with a gel pen. 8th grade, similarly, is also starting a project. 8th grade is currently working on 21st century artist paintings. The goal is to get students more familiar with painting by recreating the style of an artist who is currently practicing in the 21st century.

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.

7th grade students have the option to attend Work It Out Wednesdays if they are missing work or need help. This will be held during 7th grade lunch on Wednesdays in the media center. Interested students may sign up to participate.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

If you would like to order a yearbook, use the link below! Information was sent home with students through their arts classes. Yearbooks are $45. If you have an 8th grade student, you may order a yearbook and order an 8th grade recognition ad! If you have yearbook questions, contact Mr. Powell.

Follow Southwood Academy on your choice of social media: Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! Another way to stay on top of Southwood Academy events is to check the school's website and calendar. You can add Southwood Academy's Google calendar to yours.

Students and parents may check assignment grades using this PowerSchool link. You may also download the PowerSchool app for your Android or Apple device.

A5's District Code is GWJZ

Procedure change for any dismissal during the school day due to COVID19 precautions:

• 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.

COVID-19: Attendance is important and we want children to be in school every day that they are healthy. However, this year the greater good for school attendance is to keep children showing any symptoms of COVID-19 home until they are well. To keep all staff and classmates healthy, it is imperative that parents monitor the symptoms and temperatures of their children before sending them to school and implement the following steps:

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.

TDAP: All students are reminded that they must have their Tdap vaccination BEFORE starting 7th grade! Now is the time to schedule an appointment for your 6th grade student. Please submit documentation to Nurse Rosa after immunization.

For any health-related questions, call the office or email Nurse Rosa.

Monday, January 2nd - Newsletter AM,

Tuesday, January 3rd - Boswell circulation & class novel checkout

Wednesday, January 4th - Games Club, Moules visit 10:30-11, Newsletter 3rd block

Thursday, January 5th - Liles circulation & class novel checkout

Friday, January 6th - Media Center work day & Newsletter work day

Read 3 of the SC Junior Book Award titles, and write 3 book reviews for them. That is what Read 3 & Review 3 is all about! The 20 SCJBA nominees are being promoted with a display and Mrs. Spencer's website. If you need to review the titles, check out the presentation above. If you have already read a book or two on the list, fill in the book review form! All forms are due February 16th, so you have plenty of time to read and participate!

All A5 students have new touch-screen Chromebooks this year! With the new devices come Chromebook responsibilities. These devices are meant to be used by the students for four years. For more information, feel free to review an in-depth presentation from our DIS team below.

A PDF of the A5 Academic Calendar is available below. Save it to your device and stay on top of grading periods and breaks!

Newsletter created and compiled by Kristin Spencer and her Newsletter staff: Ezra, Ryker, Savannah, Bailee, Karis, Anna, Tori, Zoie, Tully, Eli, and Julia. Contact her at kristinspencer@anderson5.net for future announcements.