The Icard Connection

Thank you for a great week at IES this past week.

First, Archery practice will be Monday until 4:00 p.m. Please make sure your child is picked up promptly Also, jersey money is past due. The cost is $30, so please send payment in as soon as possible.

We also want to remind families to RSVP for our Monster Mash Science Bash. A letter with information about the event went home this week, so please return your RSVP if your child and family will be participating as we need a head count for both the food and the activities.

Finally, Burke County Public Schools is opening the Academically and Intellectually Gifted, or AIG, nomination window for students in grades 3–8. The nomination window will be open October 12th through October 23rd. This is an opportunity for parents and teachers to nominate students to be considered for placement testing for the county’s AIG program.

If you feel your child should be considered for AIG testing, please contact your child’s teacher. The deadline to nominate your child is October 23rd.

Thank you, Icard families, for your continued support. Have a wonderful evening!

Our fifth-grade students are requesting class sets of Restart and The Unteachables by Gordon Korman to support engaging whole-class novel studies. Through reading and discussion, students will explore empathy, belonging, choices, and second chances while strengthening reading comprehension and critical-thinking skills. These books will benefit current and future fifth-grade students for years to come!. The link below is the actual grant application.

Burke County Public Schools is now opening our Academically and Intellectually Gifted nomination window for 3rd-8th graders beginning October 12th, ending on October 23rd. This nomination is for parents and teachers to consider students for placement testing into our county’s AIG program.

If you feel your 3rd-8th grade student should be considered for AIG testing please notify your students' teacher. The deadline to nominate your child is October 23rd.

Our Attractions Fundraiser is an important opportunity to build operational funds for our school and support staff initiatives that benefit our students and our school community. These funds help us provide additional resources, opportunities, and support beyond what our regular budget allows.

Selling these items can make a BIG difference in our schools operational costs.

• Top 2 student sellers will each receive a $50 gift card!

• Top 2 classes will earn extra recess!

Let's build some momentum, encourage our Colts to participate, and work together toward our school goals! Every sale makes a difference, and every bit of support helps us continue building something great at Icard.

Thank you for helping create excitement and for continuing to support our students, our staff, and our school!

Dear Parents,

Carolina Photography will be photographing Fall pictures at Icard Elementary School on

Oct 15. Every student will be photographed!

You have three convenient ways to order your student's portraits:

1. Pre-Order Online through picture day: Visit www.carolinaphoto.net and click

“Click Here to Order Photos” then enter your school’s name as the “code” or scan

the QR code below. On a mobile phone, just hold down the QR code to redirect.

2. Day-of Payment: Send the completed flyer with cash or check payment to

school to be handed to the photographer on picture day.

3. After picture day-Proof: Once pre-orders are delivered (approximately two

weeks after picture day), you will receive individual proofs with an online code for

online ordering. There will be a shipping charge to the home.

If you have questions, go to answers@carolinasp.com

We look forward to seeing all your smiling faces!

Sincerely,

Carolina Photography (704) 483-5862

Single-page flyer announcing signups for 2026–2027 Burke County Youth Basketball. The design includes photographs of young girls playing basketball on a court, a basketball against a gray background, and Burke County Parks and Recreation logos. The flyer is organized into sections titled “Signup Contacts,” “Key Dates,” and “Age Groups.”

2026–27 Burke County Youth Basketball Signups

Signup contacts:

Salem: Kristen Carter, 828-430-1285.
Salem: Ashley Jones, 828-695-3579.
Mull: Cody Reid, 828-493-5193.
Mull: Josh Carswell, 828-244-8032.
Oak Hill: Brian Mize, 828-455-6629.
W.A. Young: Forest Duckworth, 828-292-3651.
Glen Alpine: Duran Clark, 828-855-7702.
Glen Alpine: Sandy Clark, 828-855-7715.
Drexel: Lisa Butler, 828-430-1051.
Mountain View: Chelsea Beam, 828-409-1932.
Forest Hill: Nikki Costello, 828-502-9235.
Ray Childers: Mark Stilwell, 828-514-0072.
Ray Childers: Ashley Bryant, 901-530-7526.
George Hildebrand: Rose Cook, 828-244-3511.
George Hildebrand: Josh Watts, 828-764-7501.
Hillcrest: Marquiese Sudduth, 828-334-0758.
East Burke: Eric Eckard, 828-723-0770.
East Burke: Melissa Barnes, 828-723-0770.
Valdese: Jonathan Carter, 828-874-6736.

Key dates:

Friday, November 6 through Monday, November 9: Dick’s Sporting Goods Discount Weekend.
Monday, November 16: Practice can start.
Saturday, December 5: Regular season opener.
Friday, December 11: Last day to add players.
Coaches meeting: Date and time to be determined.

Eligibility and contact information:

Players must live in Burke County or attend school in Burke County. Contact the signup coordinators for registration as soon as possible. For other questions, text or call Wesley at Burke County Parks and Recreation at 828-796-4806.

Age groups:

Ages 5–6: Must turn 5 before August 31, 2026, and cannot turn 7 before August 31, 2026.
Ages 7–8: Must turn 7 before August 31, 2026, and cannot turn 9 before August 31, 2026.
Ages 9–10: Must turn 9 before August 31, 2026, and cannot turn 11 before August 31, 2026.
Ages 11–12: Must turn 11 before August 31, 2026, and cannot turn 13 before August 31, 2026.
Ages 13–15: Must turn 13 before August 31, 2026, and cannot turn 16 before August 31, 2026.

Please join us for Family Science Night on Thursday, October 22nd from 5:30-7:30pm! The Catawba Science Center will be on campus with science stations for all ages! Students are encouraged to wear their best costumes, but no masks, please. A light meal will be served during this event.

To make sure we have enough food and materials, please complete the form below and return it to

your child’s teacher by Friday, October 16th.

BCPS Board Policy 4400 - Attendance is an essential element in the learning process. The primary responsibility of school attendance rests with students and parents. Students missing 10 or more days in the previous academic year will be required to get a doctors note. Students must attend until 11:30 to receive attendance credit for the day. Because reading and math are primarily in the morning, please make sure you drop off students on time if they are car riders. Failure to consistently drop students off will require a switch in transportation and possibly require the parent to produce updated proofs of residency. School begins at 7:50 and dismisses at 2:35.

Early Check Outs- for safety reasons, you may not check out your child after 2pm.

If you don't have the Box Tops for Education app on your phone, we encourage you to get it to scan your grocery receipts to support our school and students. Here is how it works!

1. Download the app on your Android/iPhone/etc.

2. Open the app and search Icard Elementary School, which will prompt you to make a quick profile.

3. After you grocery shop, scan your receipt and it will do the rest!

4. Share this with your friends and family. You don't have to live in Icard district