The Stingray Review
Seaside Elementary
Dear Seaside Families,
We had a fantastic first week back at school, and it was wonderful to see our Stingrays settling back into routines and learning with such enthusiasm. I sincerely apologize that the Stingray Review is just coming outโI have unfortunately been very sick all weekend. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope everyone has a great week ahead! We will see our stingrays back at school on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Andrew Ball Ed.D
Principal
Seaside Elementary
RAYS
R-Respect yourself and others
A-Always do your personal best
Y-You are special and you matter
S-Spread kindness
RAYS
๐Please make sure that you talk to your student about what it means to be a StingRAY! At Seaside Elementary we always are showing respect, always doing our personal best, knowing that they are special and matter, and spreading kindness at all times! ๐
RAYS
R-Respect yourself and others
A-Always do your personal best
Y-You are special and you matter
S-Spread kindness
Mark your Calendar
January 15- PTO Spirit Night at Bohemian Bull
January 16- 2 1/2 hour early dismissal
January 16-End of 2nd Quarter
January 16- SSE Spirit Day, wear school colors or your Stingray gear
January 19-School Closed, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 20- School Closed, Teacher Workday
January 21- Parent night #JustAChicken Author visit 5:30 P.M. in the Gym
January 22- Make-up and Club Picture Day
January 26- Report cards issued
Special Reading Visit!
We are excited to share a special event coming to our school!
On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the authors of #JustAChicken will be visiting our campus to meet with and inspire our students during the school day. Their message of courage, confidence, and believing in yourself is one we know will truly resonate with our students.
That same evening, we invite all families to join us for a Parent Night at 5:30 PM, where parents will have the opportunity to meet the authors, hear their story, and learn how the powerful themes of #JustAChicken can be reinforced at home. You can bring your children too!
We look forward to a meaningful and engaging day for our students and a wonderful evening connecting with our families. We hope to see you there!
(watch them in action ) Link This isnโt a typical author visit.
The #JustaChicken Reading Workout is a high-energy, highly engaging experience that gets students excited about reading, writing, and speaking โ from elementary through high school.
Across South Carolina, schools know the impact:
๐ 300+ schools visited
๐ 30,000+ books shared
๐ Assemblies students remember long after the bell rings
Reminder of Car Rider Procedures
Thank you to everyone for following our car rider procedures. This made everything much smoother this past week.
As we move into 2026 please make sure to follow our car rider procedures. We appreciate your attention to this and thank you for following our procedures.
Our doors open for our students at 7 A.M.
โขOur doors open for our students at 7 A.M. Please do not let your child out of the car until 7 A.M.Our staff will be on duty starting at 7 A.M
- We politely ask that parents stay in the car. A person on duty will open the door for your child to exit the vehicle if needed.
- We do ask that your student has everything ready to get out of the car. Please have shoes on and tied, backpack zipped up ready to go, and anything else ready so that we can have a smooth car rider line.
- Please only park in the parking lot if you need to bring something to the nurse, front office, or need to meet with one of our staff members. We do allow our parents who have special needs students who struggle to get out of the car to park. You may park if you have a child that is struggling with getting out of the car in the morning, but please work on independence with them so that everything can be smooth in the morning time.
- If you do come to our parking lot please park in a parking space. Do not just let students out in the middle of the parking lot or park in the middle of the parking lot.This is a safety issue and we do not want anyone getting hurt. Safety is our top priority.
- Do not use the parking lot to skip the car rider line.
โขWe serve breakfast in the classroom. Breakfast begins at 7:20 A.M. Please make sure your child is on time so they can eat breakfast to get their day started.
โขTardy bell rings at 7:40 A.M. (Please make sure you are on time.) Our car rider line is empty from 7-7:25. Everything starts to pick up right at the last 10-15 minutes. We recommend that you come early. I promise that we have one of easiest car rider lines in Horry County Schools.
Congratulations!
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ! ๐
Seaside Elementary is proud to announce that ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ has been named our ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑโ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ! ๐
Marlisaโs dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our students and staff make a lasting impact every single day. She consistently goes above and beyond to support our school community, and her positive attitude and caring heart truly embody the spirit of Seaside Elementary.
This recognition is so well deserved, and we are incredibly grateful for all that you do, Marlisa. Thank you for being such an essential part of our Stingray family! ๐๐ฉต
Rise with Reading
The โChapter 3: Warm Up with a Good Bookโ Challenge for the Rise with Reading initiative begins on Monday, November 17, 2025, and ends on Friday, February 20, 2026.
Students who read and log 1,500 pages will receive a free picture or chapter book from the SSE Spring 2026 Book Fair. Pages must be logged on and between the dates of the challenge in order to receive the prize.
HCS Rise with Reading
#RiseWithReading: The 1,000 Page Challenge
This school year, Seaside Elementary is set to #RiseWithReading with Superintendent Jonesโ 1,000 Page Challenge. Every HCS student is challenged to read 1,000 pages per quarter for a total of 4,000 pages for the 2025 - 26 school year. Here at Seaside, we have created challenges for students that will be rewarded if goals are met. Further information can be found in the packet sent home with students or on the SSE Library Learning Commons website. Please contact Amy LaValley with questions about the reading program, or if you need your studentโs log in credentials.
Happy Reading!
ALaValley@horrycountyschools.net
843.650.3617
Coffee and Conversations with Cliff
Horry County Schools Superintendent, Mr. Clifford Jones, invites you to join informal listening sessions throughout the school year. These events are a great opportunity to share your ideas and concerns, hear district updates, and connect directly with Mr. Jones.
No registration needed โ just come when you can!
Breakfast and Lunch Free for ALL Students
Free breakfast and lunch during the 2025-2026 school year
All HCS students will receive free breakfast and lunch during the 2025-2026 school year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a non-pricing meal service option for qualifying schools and school districts. CEP allows breakfast and lunch to be offered to all enrolled students at no cost. Schools and school districts that qualify are reimbursed for meals using a formula based on the percentage of students that are categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other State assistance programs. Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/nutrition-services/cep-program for more information.
๐ฎ Weekly Lunch Menu ๐
Lunch Visitors Welcome
Dear Seaside Families,
When coming to eat with your child please park in the front school parking lot and come to the front office to check in. You will then meet your student in the cafeteria. We have visitor tables set up. Please sit with your child only at one of the visitor tables that have been put out for parents. Friends are not allowed to come sit with you and your child. Your child is only allowed to come sit with you. Please make sure to not travel anywhere else throughout the building. Visitors are only allowed to travel to the lunch room and back down to the office. Parents are not allowed to walk around with or without their student around the building unsupervised. Please do not photograph any other children other than your child. We have a do not photograph list and we have students who cannot be photographed. We thank you so much for following our guidelines when coming to eat with your child. We love having parents coming to eat with their child.
Outside Food Reminder
๐ฃDear Parents,
Please remember that any food items sent in to share with others must be prepackaged and include a clear label of ingredients. This helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all our students, especially those with allergies.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!๐
PTO Spirit Night!
Join us for our PTO night! Thursday, January from 15, 2026 from 5-8 at Bohemian Bull. 10% of sales goes to Seaside Elementary.
Update From PTO
The next PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 8:30 A.M. in the SSE Conference Room.
PTO will be doing another Spirit Wear sale at the end of January. Please be on the look out.
Be a sponsor for the PTO Snack Cart!
Rent the Seaside Spirit Rock!
Safety Drills
๐ฑHorry County Schools Cell Phone Policy๐ฑ
Seaside Families,
Please take the time to read through the cell phone policy that went into effect last January 22, 2025, the first day of the second semester. (Link Below) Earlier this year, the South Carolina legislature passed the General Appropriations Bill, H. 5100 of 2024. This bill includes Proviso 1.103, which requires each local school district to adopt a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day. Please use the link below that will take you to the Horry County Schools website detailing everything. Thank you for reading through everything.
**Please note that all Smart watches worn by students will not be allowed any longer under this new law and policy.**
Horry County Schools Clear Backpack Policy
.
Horry County Schools requires clear backpacks for all students (who choose to carry backpacks).
Clear backpacks have become a common practice in schools across the country as they allow for easy identification of any items being brought onto campus. By implementing this protocol, we are taking proactive steps to create a safe and secure learning environment for our students.
Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/policy-and-legal-issues/clear-backpacks for more specifics and FAQs regarding the clear backpack protocols. Please check out all of the clear backpack policies. Everything is answered for you when visiting that website that I have provided for you. If the clear backpack that your child brings does not meet the requirements we will give them one that does meet the correct requirements. We do not want anyone upset with us and we are here to help if you need a clear backpack.
Weapons Detection Scanners
All Horry County Schools use weapon detection scanners to screen all students and guests including all elementary schools. Use the link below to view a brief video.
https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/school-safety-and-security/opengate-security
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
Our doors open for our students at 7 A.M.
โขOur doors open for our students at 7 A.M. Please do not let your child out of the car until 7 A.M.Our staff will be on duty starting at 7 A.M
- We politely ask that parents stay in the car. A person on duty will open the door for your child to exit the vehicle if needed.
- We do ask that your student has everything ready to get out of the car. Please have shoes on and tied, backpack zipped up ready to go, and anything else ready so that we can have a smooth car rider line.
- Please only park in the parking lot if you need to bring something to the nurse, front office, or need to meet with one of our staff members. We do allow our parents who have special needs students who struggle to get out of the car to park. You may park if you have a child that is struggling with getting out of the car in the morning, but please work on independence with them so that everything can be smooth in the morning time.
- If you do come to our parking lot please park in a parking space. Do not just let students out in the middle of the parking lot or park in the middle of the parking lot.This is a safety issue and we do not want anyone getting hurt. Safety is our top priority.
- Do not use the parking lot to skip the car rider line.
โขWe serve breakfast in the classroom. Breakfast begins at 7:20 A.M. Please make sure your child is on time so they can eat breakfast to get their day started.
โขTardy bell rings at 7:40 A.M. (Please make sure you are on time.) Our car rider line is empty from 7-7:25. Everything starts to pick up right at the last 10-15 minutes. We recommend that you come early. I promise that we have one of easiest car rider lines in Horry County Schools.
Attendance Matters!
Research shows that consistent attendance is a critical piece of student success.
Horry County Schools has an updated Attendance Policy for the 2025-2026 school year! Please make sure to visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/policy-and-legal-issues/attendance-policy-updates. This will give you all of the updates and has a Q&A section for parents/guardians. At Seaside Elementary Ms. Brenda Lee is our substitute data quality clerk and she handles all of our attendance for our students. If you ever have a question or anything regarding attendance Ms. Lee is always happy to help you. Her email address is BLee002@horrycountyschools.net. Ms. Lee will be with us until a new full time person will be hired. We wish Ms. Dedra Wills the best in her new position at Socastee Middle School as the Bookkeeper.
Volunteers
Do you have an hour a week? Volunteering at a school can have a positive impact on the academic success of a child. click here to complete a volunteer application.
How you can help:
- Serve as an academic tutor or homework helper
- Serve as a literacy tutor
- Be a reading buddy, book buddy, or reading friend
- Help with writing assignments
- Play instructional games
- Be a penpal or email pal
- Be an ESOL coach or practice vocabulary with non-English speaking students.
- Share expertise in creative arts or recreational activities
- Answer phones
- Run copies
- Help in the library, guidance, or nurse's office
- Assist with developing teaching materials
- Monitor hallway, playgrounds, or cafeterias
- Monitor testing
- Assist in producing the school newsletter or student publishing center
- Chaperone school trips
- Help with fundraising activities
- Volunteer Application
Message from Nurse Hopkins
Please reach out to Nurse Megan Hopkins if your child has any medical issues that the school may need to know (severe allergies, asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc.) If you need to reach her please call the school at 843-650-3490 or by email at MHopkins002@horrycountyschools.net. It is imperative that we know about any medical issues so that we are able to keep your child safe at all times.Please make sure that your child's shot records are up to date.
Message from Nurse Hopkins
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Horry County Schools (HCS) performs student mass health screenings in selected grade levels. As recommended by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), these screenings include vision, hearing, dental, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure screenings. Health screenings play an important role in the health and health education of our children and help to identify students who may need a referral for medical/professional evaluations. HCS health professionals do NOT perform medical evaluations. If a referral is necessary based on the screening findings, the school nurse will send information home with the student. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to schedule the appropriate medical appointment.
All health screening information is maintained in the school nurseโs office and may only be shared with the childโs parent or guardian.
Parents may opt out of student health screenings by sending the attached Student Health Screenings Opt-out form to your childโs school nurse. Opt-out forms must be completed each school year. Additional information regarding health screenings can be found on our website at https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/student-services/student-health-services/health-screenings
Car Rider
Please use the link to watch this video on how to go around the car rider loop. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X2G-tnvNXbGSTFs13NOt3c32wOqI9ZJm/view?usp=drivesdk
Bus Office Information
Seaside Elementary is in the St. James Area cluster. If you have any questions about your student's bus or route please contact the St. James Area Bus Office at 843-650-1937. Please click on the HCS Transportation Page Bus Rules and Guidelines to help you with bus transportation information.
Please check your child's backpack!
Please check your child's backpack for inappropriate items, personal electronic devices, toys, stuffed animals, Pokemon cards, sports cards, plush toys etc. We do not want your child losing their personal items. We are not responsible for any lost items. We do not want any items coming to school that may cause a safety issue or cause your child to get into trouble for. Please only have your child bring school related materials. We thank you in advance for doing this! We really appreciate it!
Horry County Schools 2025-26 School Calendar
The 2025-2026 School calendar is available online!
Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/calendar to view