Dear Wise Owls Family,

As the holiday season approaches, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. This special time of year provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the moments we’ve shared, celebrate our successes, and look forward to the promises of a new year.

Here at WES, we are incredibly grateful for the partnership we share with each of you. Your support and engagement are essential to creating the vibrant and nurturing environment where our students can learn, grow, and thrive. Together, we have achieved so much, and it’s truly a joy to witness the hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm of our students every day.

As we head into the winter break, I want to emphasize the importance of safety during this time. Whether you are traveling, spending time with loved ones, or simply enjoying a well-deserved rest, please take care and stay safe. The holidays are a time to connect, recharge, and celebrate the bonds that bring us together.

Please note that WES will be closed for winter break from December 23rd through January 3rd. Classes will resume on January 7th. If you have any questions or need assistance before the break, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

On behalf of our entire staff, I wish you a safe and happy holiday season filled with peace, joy, and warmth. May the new year bring health, happiness, and exciting opportunities for all. Thank you for being an essential part of our school community.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

Sincerely,

B. Gantt

#AllforONE!

Thank you all for your support in completing our WES Winter Family Feedback. We will actively use that data to help us grow into the school we want to be. We will be sharing the results and analysis from that survey at our January PTO Meeting.

Our mission is to cultivate a caring community that utilizes a multitude of teaching and learning experiences to prepare children for their next adventure.

1. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and appreciated.
2. We believe that all children deserve a high quality education.
3. We believe in collaboration and making connections.

Staying Safe

Owning Your Actions

Acting Responsibly

Respecting Everyone & Everything

“South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law requires that a parent or guardian shall require his child to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools and Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education f rom the school year in which the child is five years of age before September first until the child attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school.”

Please also submit any medical or additional excuses to the front office. We process our attendance forms once per week so you may not immediately see that the note has been accepted.

Monday, December 16th - Friday, December 20th

WES Holiday Market (at school)

Tuesday, December 17th

WES Chorus Holiday Performance / PTO Meeting / Evening Holiday Market (Beginning @ 5:30 p.m.)

Friday, December 20th

Early Release Day

Monday, December 23rd - January 6th

Winter Break for Students

Tuesday, January 7th

Students return

Wednesday, January 8th

Student Report Cards will be made available {Virtually}

Thursday, January 9th

Student Report Cards will be sent home in Thursday Folders

Monday, January 13th

Monday Morning Parliament

Monday, January 20th

Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Schools & Offices will be closed

Friday, January 24th

Tags of Honor Celebration for grades 1, 4, & 5

Monday, January 27th

Tags of Honor Celebration for grades K, 3, & 2

Reading is the core of the school day for young children because students need strong reading skills to learn in all other school subjects, such as science, social studies, writing, and math. By the end of third grade, students are expected to be able to read independently and comprehend a variety of grade-level texts based upon South Carolina College- and Career-Ready (SCCCR) Standards.

South Carolina law states, "Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, a student must be retained in the third grade if the student fails to demonstrate reading proficiency at the end of the third grade as indicated by scoring at the lowest achievement level on the state summative reading assessment [SC READY Reading]."

If a third-grade student scores Does Not Meet on SC Ready Reading, the school/district should first determine if any of the following Good Cause Exemptions (GCE) apply prior to the end of the school year:

1) Is a student with limited English proficiency and less than two years of instruction in English as a Second Language program;

2) Is a student with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program indicates the use of alternative assessments or alternative reading interventions and students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Plan reflects that the student has received intensive remediation in reading for more than two years but still does not substantially demonstrate reading proficiency;

3) Is a student who has received two years of reading intervention and was previously retained; and/or

4) Is a student who demonstrates third grade reading proficiency by scoring the equivalent of Approaches Expectations on an approved norm-referenced alternative assessment.

Currently, the approved alternate assessments include MAP, STAR, and iReady. Students must score the equivalent of Approaches Expectations or above on SC Ready Reading on the alternate assessment. The cut scores are as follows:

• iReady - 489

One of the many components of Read to Succeed is third grade summer reading camps. Each district must identify third grade students who are not reading proficiently on grade level and provide them with the opportunity to attend a summer reading camp. During the summer reading camps students will be taught by highly qualified teachers who have experience in working with struggling readers. Students will have the opportunity to receive small group and individual instruction to work on their reading, writing, listening, and researching skills.

In our continuing effort to improve the academic performance of students, our school implements interventions to include Special Education and a program called Response to Intervention (RtI). Both models are designed to provide effective instruction to meet the needs of students using scientific, peer-reviewed, research-based interventions. These programs focus on improving the educational performance of students who are experiencing difficulty in the area of reading.

If you have specific questions pertaining to the information shared in this letter, please contact Lindsey McDaniel, Reading Coach at (843) 899-8880 or mcdaniell@bcsdschools.net.

Students will be able to get some holiday shopping done at school. Natalie's Elf Shelf Holiday Shop will have some great, affordable gifts students will be able to buy for family members and loved ones.

If there is a change of transportation, a note with a parent/guardian's signature MUST be provided. Any student that tells staff that his or her parent/guardian told them to go home by another means will not be honored. For the safety of our students, a change in transportation must be submitted in writing to the student's teacher AND to the Front Office.

To ensure that our students remain safe while off-campus, we are asking families to purchase a WES School Spirit Shirt. Students will be able to wear their School Spirit Shirt on all of their Field Studies which has our 2024-25 AllforONE! logo and our school's contact information (on the front of the shirt). Also, 100% of the proceeds will go back in our field trip budget to ensure that we can keep costs down for families.

Shirts cost $10

Order your shirt using the link below

*shirts will come white with the blue logo or blue with the white logo

Show your school spirit and support our students by grabbing your WES Car Magnet! Every purchase helps fund exciting programs and activities, enriching your child's school experience. Plus, you are showcasing your WES pride in your community. Join us in making a difference—buy now and roll with school pride!

Car Magnets cost $10.

Mrs. Ard has been an integral part of the Whitesville Community as both a parent and as an employee. She began her time at WES supporting the school as Mrs. Ard (momma), seeing her personal children attend, grow, and thrive in our halls. She then came on as a front office staff members, working her way into the Head Secretary position. Mrs. Ard supports the front office and the school, making sure visitors' experience are top tier and that the school is as efficient as possible. One thing about Mrs. Ard is that she has a big heart 💙 and always tries to go above and beyond to make things happen!

Mrs. Haywood has been an essential piece of the WES community, serving as a teacher for well over a decade. She has supported teachers, students, families, and administrators at Whitesville by creating a safe, positive, and academically rigorous environment for students to learn and grow. Mrs. Haywood embodies what it means to be a team player, always making time to support new staff who comes to Whitesville with a cheery smile, words of affirmation, and the "Hey I'm Haywood, the best teacher!" 😁. Mrs. Haywood is the mother of 3 young men and the wife of the most patient, wise and understanding husband: Bruce.

Affectionately pronounced, Small R's 😆. Mrs. Smalarz has taught for many years; however, with her passion, excitement, and hunger to become a better teacher, you'd never know. Mrs. Smalarz is a veteran in the WES community and has taught and inspired students in the special education setting, general education setting, intervention setting, students who are hearing impaired, and students from different walks of life. Ms. Smalarz absolutely loves this community! She is invested and wants WES students to be succesful! Along with her love for WES, Ms. Smalarz is a HUGE Lady Gamecocks fan! 🏀

Mrs. Roberts is in her first year at WES, and her first year as a school nurse. With years of experience as a nurse lead, ER nurse, and saving lives, we are blessed to have Nurse Roberts at WES. She has a positive attitude and is always willing to help our Wise Owls from the little boo boo to major ailments that require us to reach out to EMS. Along with Nurse Craven, Nurse Roberts has truly help make WES a safe place for our students. She is quick to act, quick to help, and does what she can for the well-being of our community. We are truly blessed to have her at Whitesville! Along with being an excellent nurse, Nurse Roberts is also a girl mom and a Tigers fan! 💜🧡

Mrs. Clayton is in her 3rd year as a paraprofessional in our developmental preschool program alongside Ms. Mizell and Mrs. Pickrell. She gives her very all to her students, always providing a positive environment for her students to know that they are loved and in great hands. She is very patient and willing to do whatever it takes to put a smile on the faces of her students and the staff. Mrs. Clayton is always willing to help and is a wonderful addition to the Whitesville Community. She absolutley loves her job, her team, and loves changing the hearts and minds of children. 😊

Saturday, February 8th - Sweetheart Dance

Friday, March 7th - Boosterthon Fun Run

Thursday, April 10th - Spring Fling (a part of STEAM Night)

Friday, May 23rd - 5th Grade Celebration

Breakfast and lunch will be served on every day. If your student wants to eat breakfast at school, they should arrive to school between 6:50 a.m. - 7:18 a.m. Breakfast will no longer be served after 7:45 a.m.

• Our school's website is found at https://www.bcsdschools.net/o/wes
• WES Facebook page is Whitesville Elementary School Wise Owls
• The Weekly Hoots newsletter will be emailed & texted to families every Sunday evening. Please be sure to have your updated information in PowerSchool.
• Our PTO's website is wiseowlspto.com.
• Our PTO's Facebook page is Whitesville Wise Owls PTO.
• Schoology: Teachers will update their grades weekly.
• Rooms: Our two-way form of communication at WES. Every teacher at WES will use Rooms as a tool for communication.