The Dolphin Times

Dear Dacusville families!

I hope you are doing well and have had a fabulous week! It is hard to believe that we are just 1 week (4 school days for students) away from our Spring Break! The year is flying by. As we look forward to the final few months of school we would ask that you continue to engage your children in conversations about their learning at home. Please stay in constant communication with your child's teacher about their progress and what they are learning in class. Encourage your child to do their best everyday with every tasks that they are given.

Next Monday the 10th, we will have a Volunteer Training at 5:30 followed by a Parent Playbook Session. We need to know if you plan to come and if you will be bringing your children so we can ensure we have childcare for you. Please be sure to see the sign-up below and complete asap.

If you have any questions or want to provide feedback please email me at travischapman@pickens.k12.sc.us.

Sincerely,

Travis A. Chapman

• April 11th - Donuts with Dad from 7:00 - 8:00 AM
• May 9th - Muffins with Mom from 7:00 - 8:00 AM

Calling all young artists! SDPC Camp TalentEd is your chance to dive into visual and performing arts with professional instructors and performances in a fun, creative environment. Each week, explore a new artistic focus and grow your talents.

• Free for current SDPC students (includes meals and transportation)

• Application and teacher recommendation required

• Limited spots available! Apply by April 4, 2024

• Acceptance notifications by April 19, 2025

Camp TalentEd 2025 Student Registration Form

Camp TalentEd 2025 Teacher Recommendation Form

For more information or questions, please contact.

It's the last week before Spring Break!

Monday, March 10th:

• Volunteer training at 5:30 p.m.
• Parent Playbook from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. (Click here for details and to RSVP)

Tuesday, March 11th:

• Last day of the 3rd Quarter

Wednesday, March 12th:

• Author's Tea #3 (Invitation Only)

Friday, March 14th: No School for Students

• Teacher Inservice Day

Dear Families,

This is a spiral review week as we take come time to go back over some of the character strengths covered this year. As a school community, I would like us to focus on kindness. The world has a lot of negativity. We are all super busy and many of us living day to day doing the best we can. Often we find ourselves in a state of stress and our best intentions to be kind or to do something kind for someone never materialize. I challenge our students, parents, and staff to focus on kindness this week and as a family at home, think about 1-2 ways you can show kindness this week. Ask your kids each day, "What random act of kindness did you perform today?" I encourage each parents to take 1-2 minutes this week and send an email of encouragement to your child's teacher or school oficial. Maybe you and your family can take a meal to someone who is sick or send a card to someone who is healing from a loss or recent surgery. There are toons of ways that we can tangibly show kindness. Let's not just have good intentions. Let's be people of action!

To practice and encourage the character strength of Love of Learning at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.

Pre-K–K

Grades 1–2

Grades 3–5

Grades 6–8

Grades 9–12

Thank you for your support!

Joni Howard

📌 4K Registration

A child who is four years old on or before September 1, 2025, may apply for 4K; however, students must qualify for the program. Each student will be screened, and only qualified students will be accepted.

🔗 Learn more & apply: www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/pre-k-information-page
📩 Questions? Email us at prekreg@pickens.k12.sc.us

📌 5K Registration

A child who is five years old on or before September 1, 2025, is eligible to enroll in 5K (kindergarten) at SDPC.

🔗 Learn more & register: www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/registration

🗺️ Find Your Zoned School

Before registering, we encourage families to use our School Locator tool to determine their zoned school:

🔗 www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/school-locator

For specific questions about 5K Registration, please call your child’s future school. Contact information for all schools can be found in our School Directory.

New for 2025-26! We're excited to enhance our preschool programs across the district. Read about these important updates here: https://www.pickens.k12.sc.us/article/1937097

Stay Connected with SDPC!

We encourage you to stay informed by visiting our website and following us on social media for district updates and school news:
🌐 District Website: www.pickens.k12.sc.us
📘 Facebook: @SchoolDistrictofPickensCounty
📷 Instagram: @pickensschools

Thank you for choosing the School District of Pickens County! We look forward to welcoming your child and working together to provide an engaging, high-quality education that prepares students to RISE to their full potential.

Share this with a friend or family member who needs this info! 🎒📚

Are you already thinking about next school year? We are!

Does traditional learning provide the personalization and flexibility that you're seeking for your middle school student? If not, 360 Academy may be a great program for you to consider. We serve students in Pickens County in grades 6-8 in a hybrid in-person/virtual learning environment. The program is FREE to residents of Pickens County. View our introduction video here. https://youtu.be/w8-TBDFUc7w

Investigate 360 Academy today. It starts by completing this interest form. It gets you on our list for important information, opportunities to talk with teachers, upcoming virtual and in-person meetings, and the application that is coming March 1. What's the harm in finding out more about this opportunity? You still have time to make your decision between March 1 - June 30. Interest Form - https://bit.ly/40cBwrq

We are looking for business partners or sponsors in our community who would be willing to help sponsor events or celebrations for teachers and/or students. If you own a business, lead a church, or know of someone who does that may be willing to be one of our business partners please complete this form or pass it to someone who might. We would love to be to partner with you!

DES Community Partners Form

Reserve the Dolphin Spirit Rock for $15 (pay directly through this app by clicking the payment box under your reservation). Give a shout out to your favorite student! When you sign up, you can paint the rock starting at 4pm the day before your reserved date. That way your shoutout will be ready to be viewed by all when school starts the next morning.

The cost to reserve The Dolphin Spirit Rock is $15 + processing fee for a total of $15.75. You will have the rock for 24 hrs (4pm-4pm) For example, if you reserve Monday, 8/19 you'll be able to start painting on Sunday, 8/18 at 4PM so that it's up and ready for your student to see on 8/19. Please make your payment within 24 hours of sign up you will pay directly through this app by clicking the payment box under your reservation. If payment is not made then your reservation will be deleted. Dates are available on a first come, first serve basis and you may NOT reserve the rock for consecutive days.

Spirit Rock reservation is valid rain or shine!

*There will be no refunds for weather or school closures*

You are responsible for the painting of the rock. You can do this yourself (see tips below) or hire someone to paint for you. The DSO does not provide the paint or paint this for you.

TIPS: Three or four cans of spray paint will cover the front of the rock, or you can roll on paint as well. If you want to paint words or designs in multiple colors, you can buy small sample jars of any color paint anywhere paint is sold. You can always use some left over house paint you have at home. Please do not use oil based paints!

Spirit Rock was donated by

Dustin Brown @ Palmetto Upstate Group

Thank You,

Dacusville Elementary DSO

Tech It Home Fee - $25 for 2024-2025

The School District of Pickens County views the use of digital resources as central to the delivery of its educational program and expects that all students will use digital resources as an essential part of their learning experiences. Students using a mobile learning device at school and at home are expected to follow the SDPC Tech It Home Mobile Learning Device Guidelines and all SDPC Technology Acceptable Use Policies. Tech It Home Fees will be $25 for the 2024-2025 school year. For more on Tech it Home please click HERE.

Students are not issued their Chromebooks until fees are paid and this is not optional.

*** You can pay this fee online using myschoolbucks.com!

ASC Student Application

Arrival -

Doors open at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast is available and FREE to all again this year. Exterior doors to the school are closed at 7:57 a.m. and if there are no adults outside and the red stop sign is out, you must park, walk your child in the main office and sign them in.

Dismissal -

School ends at 2:30 p.m. and we will begin dismissal at that time. Please be patient the first week or so of school as many students and parents are new and learning these new procedures. Expect delays with bus drop off and pick-up also.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students

We are excited to announce that all SDPC students will receive free meals, which include breakfast and lunch each day, for the 2024-2025 school year! This is available by qualification under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Because of this, a free and reduced lunch application is no longer required. However, funds will be required on a student's account for purchases of a second meal or for a la carte purchases that include snacks, drinks, or entrees.

I have had several parents ask questions about school attendance. I am linking a page from our district's website that offers more explanations of various topics surrounding attendance including the law, regulations, and much more. I trust that every parent understands and supports the fact that students have to be at school in order for them to maximize their learning. We understand that sickness hits us all and that every time our kid is sick may not mean they have to go to the doctor. That is why each child can turn in up to 10 parent notes per year to be used as excused absences. If you have questions please let me know. Thanks!

ALL ABOUT ATTENDANCE

The School District of Pickens County has expanded its safety program to include the I Love U Guys Foundation’s "Standard Response Protocol" (SRP) to standardize how we communicate and respond to emergencies impacting our campuses and people.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) provides consistent, clear, and shared language and actions among all students, staff, and first responders that can be applied in any emergency. The SRP is used by schools and institutions across the nation, giving students, staff, parents, communities, and first responders a common language and course of action.

Through this approach, members of the campus community will utilize the five SRP actions to define their decisions when responding to an emergency situation.

These actions are:

• HOLD

• SECURE

• LOCKDOWN

• EVACUATE

• SHELTER

We invite you to read more about the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) on our website - www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/standard-response-protocol

We realize that our main car line in the mornings is long. Here are a couple of ways that you can help us speed up our line.

• Please pull up to within 1-2 ft. of the person's bumper in front of you. If you are the first person in the next grouping of cars we ask that you pull past the crosswalk and all the way down to the white cone! - This change alone has allowed us to empty to car line by 7:57 each morning since we started. THANK YOU!

• Stopping traffic to allow a lot of folks to walk across the crosswalk slows down the car line. If you can stay in the car line instead of parking and walking over it will greatly help the line move faster.
• Please be sure your child has all of their things (book bag, lunchbox, etc.) ready to go as soon as you come to a stop.
• If you have a younger child or a child who doesn't want to get out of the car in the mornings please pull up to the white cone and someone will assist you in getting them out.

These 4 actions will help us tremendously. Thank you all for helping us ensure all students arrive on time and safely into the school building.

If you are picking up a PreK student, please remain in your car. Our staff will get your child inside the vehicle and then you may pull down to the stop sign labeled, "Buckle." to complete the car seat secure process. Also, if it is possible please have your child's car seat located behind the passenger seat for easy access in and out of the vehicle.

Also, please be sure to have your car tag displayed from your rear view mirror each day. Thank you for your assistance.

If you have been to DES before in the past to sign out your child for a doctor or dentist appointment you will remember signing our yellow cards. This year we have gone digital. Our sign-in / sign-out process is done by the parent scanning a QR code posted on the window facing the foyer and completing the Google Form on your phone. Please be sure to bring your phone as well as your Driver's License or photo ID in when you come to pick up your child or if you are dropping them off late.

This new 3 digit number was approved Thursday. This increases accessibility and reduces the stigma of utilizing mental health services.

• Allergies (if applicable)
• Transportation (How will your child get home in the afternoons?)
• Specific Needs (Do they have medication to take during the school day? Do they have any physical limitations? Other pertinent information)

Email: travischapman@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: http://des.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 200 Cherokee Trail, Easley, SC, USA
Phone: 864-397-2800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DacusvilleElementary

Instagram: dacusvilledolphins
Twitter: @DacusvilleElem

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dacusvilleelementaryschool7618