Comet Connection
October 19- October 23, 2026
⭐️Greetings, Comet Family!🌏💫
As we prepare to begin our first full week of the second quarter, I want to thank our scholars, families, and staff for their continued dedication to making Carolina International School a place where learning, growth, and community thrive! We are excited about the opportunities ahead and remain committed to fostering an environment where every scholar feels valued, supported, challenged, and inspired to succeed.
🌎 Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!
Our scholars enjoyed a wonderful Hispanic Heritage Celebration! It was an exciting opportunity to recognize and appreciate the rich cultures, traditions, music, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Thank you to everyone who helped make this celebration meaningful and memorable for our students. Events like these remind us of the beauty of diversity and the importance of celebrating the many cultures represented within our CIS family.
🤝 Thank You for Participating in Parent-Teacher Conferences!
On October 15 and 16, many of our parents and families had the opportunity to meet with our teachers during our first-quarter parent-teacher conferences. These meaningful conversations provided an opportunity to celebrate student achievements, review academic progress, identify areas for improvement, and collaboratively develop strategies to support continued student success.
I sincerely thank our families who participated and our dedicated teachers who took the time to prepare for and engage in these important conversations. Strong partnerships between home and school are essential to student achievement, and we encourage all families to maintain ongoing communication with their children's teachers throughout the second quarter.
🎀 Turn It Pink Day – Friday, October 23!
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Carolina International School is excited to celebrate and honor breast cancer survivors, fighters, and our very own breast cancer "THRIVERS" within the CIS community! On Friday, October 23, we invite all scholars and staff to participate in our Turn It Pink Day!
Students are encouraged to wear their favorite shades of pink as part of our special dress-down day to show support, spread awareness, and stand in solidarity with those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer. A portion of the funds collected from Friday's dress-down day will be donated to support breast cancer research.
We encourage all scholars to participate as we come together for a meaningful cause. Let's fill our hallways with PINK and demonstrate the power of compassion, unity, and service!
📚 Important High School Testing & Remote Learning Reminder – Wednesday, October 21
Please be reminded that Wednesday, October 21, will be a modified instructional day for our high school students to accommodate standardized testing.
10th Grade Scholars: Will report to campus to participate in PreACT testing.
All Other High School Scholars: Will remain at home and participate in asynchronous remote learning.
We encourage our scholars who are testing to arrive on time, well-rested, and prepared to do their very best!
🤝 Strengthening Our School Community Through Partnership
As we move forward into the second quarter, I want to emphasize the importance of open communication, transparency, mutual respect, trust, and collaboration between our school and the families we serve. We recognize that a strong school community is not built on perfection, but rather on our willingness to listen, learn, grow, and work together toward meaningful solutions.
I encourage our parents and guardians to remain actively engaged in their children's education, communicate openly with teachers and administrators, and respectfully advocate for their concerns, especially in areas where they believe our school community can become stronger. Your voice matters, your perspective is valued, and your partnership is essential. We may not always agree on every issue, but we can always approach conversations with professionalism, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to what is best for our scholars.
As your principal, I remain committed to listening, addressing concerns thoughtfully, celebrating our successes, and working collaboratively to make Carolina International School the very best it can be.
💙 Together, We SOAR!
Thank you for entrusting us with your scholars and for your continued support of our school community. Let's make this second quarter one filled with academic achievement, positive relationships, meaningful experiences, and continued growth!
Let's continue to Lead with Respect, Demonstrate Responsibility, Embrace Service, and Seek Solutions in everything we do!
🌟WE ARE ONE: One School, One Team, One Goal—STUDENT SUCCESS! Together, We SOAR! 🚀💙
Looking at the Week Ahead:
https://www.ciscomets.com/athletics/athletics-calender
October 21: RTA Assessment (Reading Retained 4th Graders)
October 21: Pre- ACT (10th Graders) All other high school students remote
October 22: Pre- ACT Make-ups (10th Graders)
October 23: Turn it Pink Day ($2.00 Dress Down- wear shades of PINK)
Please take a moment to review this week’s newsletter for important updates and information. 🤗
💫Meet Mr. McCoy: Band Director and Music Teacher
Mr. McCoy is a talented educator, conductor, and musician from the Upstate of South Carolina! 🎼🎷
🎺🎵 He currently serves as the Director of Bands at Carolina International School and music teacher, where he is passionate about developing musicianship, fostering student leadership, and inspiring a lifelong love of music. Guided by his personal motto, “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn,” he strives to create an inclusive, high-achieving music program where every scholar has the opportunity to grow, shine, and succeed! 🌟🎓
🏆🎶 Throughout his career, Mr. McCoy has led band programs to remarkable achievements, including Superior ratings, finalist placements at regional and super regional competitions, and recognition at the prestigious Bands of America Grand National Championships! His students have also earned opportunities to participate in SCBDA Region and All-State ensembles and the Spartanburg Youth Symphony Orchestra. 🎻🥇👏
🎼🎭 Beyond the classroom, Mr. McCoy continues to share his musical talents as a performer with the Lake Norman Symphony Orchestra. He also assists with music direction for a children's production of The Lion King 🦁🎶 and serves as an adjudicator for concert and marching band competitions. Additionally, he is an active member of the South Carolina Band Directors Association, National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and North Carolina Bandmasters Association. 🎺🎷
💙☄️ We are incredibly fortunate to have Mr. McCoy as part of our CIS Comet Family! His passion for music, commitment to excellence, and dedication to developing confident, talented student musicians make him an outstanding addition to our school community. 🌟🎵
A Message from the School Nurse
Health & Wellness
When Should You Keep Your Child Home?
To help protect the health of all our students and staff, please keep your child home if they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Students should remain home for at least 24 hours after their last fever, vomiting, or diarrhea episode without the use of medication to reduce the fever or stop the symptoms. Once your child has been symptom-free for 24 hours without medication, they may return to school.
Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy!
🍂 Staying Healthy This Fall!
Fall brings cooler weather, beautiful leaves, and seasonal allergies! Here are a few simple ways to help your child stay healthy this season:
- 🍁 Manage Allergies: Seasonal allergies can cause sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes. If your child is experiencing allergy symptoms, please give any needed allergy medication at home before school, following their healthcare provider’s recommendations.
- 🧼 Wash Away Germs: Remind children to wash their hands frequently and cover their coughs and sneezes.
- 💧 Stay Hydrated: Please send your child to school with a water bottle each day to help them stay hydrated throughout the school day!
- 🍎 Eat Well: Encourage nutritious, balanced meals and snacks to help support your child's overall health.
- 😴 Get Enough Sleep: A consistent bedtime routine helps children feel rested and ready to learn.
- 🧥 Dress for the Weather: Temperatures can change throughout the day, so dress your child in layers and bring a jacket or sweater for cooler mornings.
- 🤧 Know When to Stay Home: If your child has a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, please keep them home until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication to suppress symptoms.
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school community healthy! Wishing everyone a happy and healthy fall! 🍁
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the school nurse at anniesmith@ciscomets.com. 👩🏻⚕️
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
🦷 On-Site Dental Clinic will return on October 26.
$30 Technology Fee and Student Device Care
Dear CIS Parents, Guardians, and Students:
Technology is essential to instruction at Carolina International School, and we need every family’s help in maintaining reliable access for students.
The annual technology fee is $30 per student. This fee supports much more than student computers. It helps offset the cost of our network and technology infrastructure, technical support, cybersecurity, educational software, testing platforms, device repairs, and the purchase of replacement computers.
CIS works to keep this fee as low as possible, but these services and equipment represent a significant annual expense. Parents will receive a separate email with a payment link in the upcoming week, and we ask that the $30 technology fee be paid promptly.
We also need your help protecting school-issued computers.
Our available supply of devices is limited. Each year, computers are lost, damaged, or not returned, and in some cases the related replacement costs remain unpaid. The school is purchasing additional computers and repairing devices when practical, but we cannot immediately replace every damaged or missing unit.
Students receiving a school device are expected to:
- Handle the computer and charger carefully.
- Keep food and drinks away from the device.
- Report damage or loss immediately.
- Return the computer and charger when requested or when leaving CIS.
Families may be responsible for the cost of devices or accessories that are lost, not returned, or damaged through misuse or negligence, consistent with school policy.
We are asking every CIS family to do two things: pay the $30 technology fee when the payment link is received and help your student take proper care of any school-issued device.
Your support helps us ensure that computers and other technology resources remain available for all students throughout the school year.
Thank you for your cooperation and support!😊
Standard Reminders:
👕 Uniforms
Students should come to school dressed in appropriate school uniform attire each day. Failure to comply with the school’s uniform expectations may result in the student being provided with school-issued uniform items to change into, if appropriate sizes are available. Students may also be asked to contact their parent or guardian and request that the appropriate uniform items be brought to school.
🥪 Lunch
All parent lunch drop-offs by parents should be delivered prior to the start of your student's scheduled lunch time. When students receive lunch late, it may cause them to miss important instructional class time.
Scheduled lunch times are as follows:
- Kindergarten - 2nd grade- 11:00 AM
- 3rd - 5th grade- 11:30 AM
- High School- 11:30 AM
- Middle School- 12:33 PM
⛔️ Lunch deliveries via UberEats, DoorDash, etc. are not permitted. If a student orders lunch to be delivered, it will be kept in the front office until the end of the school day. In cases where a student forgets to bring lunch and a parent is not available to bring lunch to the school, parents can log into the Mama's site and order from the late menu.
⏰ Office Hours
- Office hours are 7:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
- Arrival begins at 7:45 AM. Students should be in class by 8:15 AM.
- The car rider line begins at 3:10 PM and ends at 3:45 PM. After 3:45, students should be picked up from the front office no later than 4:00 PM.
🛑 Any student who is not staying after school for a supervised practice, meeting, or rehearsal will need to be picked up no later than 4:00 PM each day or enroll in the after-school. Students can no longer linger and wait in the building to be picked up beyond 4:00 PM. There is not ample adult supervision to ensure student safety. https://www.ciscomets.com/support/before-and-after-school-enrichment
Excused Absences and Tardies🕣
Here at CIS every day counts and attendance matters. Our Attendance Team will be closely monitoring and tracking attendance.
All excused absence documentation must be submitted through our online form. No physical notes (from doctors, dentists, parents, etc.) will be accepted. For the attendance team to accurately track and update attendance records, parents must upload any necessary documents directly to the form. Please submit excused absence forms within 3 days of the attendance occurrence or the absence will be unexcused.
Excused Absence Form: https://forms.gle/Q21isixyTxVMSCfC7
🥪 Lunch Ordering
Order lunches online...Visit https://mamaslunch.ahotlunch.com to place your orders. CAMPUS CODE: K12Comets. The menu cycle is 2 weeks at time, please pay close attention to menu closing dates.
Questions? Contact mamaspizza.laura@gmail.com.
Ordering Instructions:
- Parents, please log in at https://mamaslunch.ahotlunch.com and sign-up for an account.
- You will not receive additional emails from Mama’s if you sign-up for an account.
- Although the online ordering system is intuitive, below is a list of each step, in case you have any questions.
- Campus code: K12Comets Click “parents click here to sign up” (located at the bottom of the login screen)
- Complete “parent sign-up” page. You will receive an email asking you to activate your account.
- Click on the activation link in the email. It will take you to the log in screen. Enter your email address and password.
- Go to “children” on left side of screen. Click “add child” (blue button) Enter your child’s first & last name and campus code
- Click “verify campus”. Go to “grade” drop down menu and select the corresponding grade for this school year.
- Go to the “classroom” drop down menu and select the teacher for this school year.
- Click “create” (blue button). Parents will see the child’s name was added. Go to “orders” on the left side of screen. Click “new order”. (This can be found under the word “orders”.)
- Click “order” (blue button) on next screen. Select your item(s).
- Click “checkout” (blue button) when your order is complete. You will see “Are you sure you want to checkout?” Click “yes” (blue button).
- Click “pay invoice” (green button). Select “pay all” (green button). You will see a multi-order payment screen. Click “yes” (blue button).
- Click “proceed” (green button) at the bottom of the page. Enter your credit card/payment information and press “pay” (green button). Only Mastercard and VISA are accepted.
Menu only reflects lunch for 30 days out, please come back to the menu if you need to order for dates at the end of the month
***There will be a Late Ordering Menu Item available each day. This item is for the student/parent to order BEFORE 7:59 am. For example, if the student left their lunch in the car, forgot it at home etc. they can log into the Mama's site and order from the late menu. There will be only 1 item available, no substitutions allowed. This menu has a $2.00 additional charge.
Please review the arrival and dismissal procedures below:
🚙 Arrival (7:45–8:12 AM; school begins 8:15 AM)
K–5 Students
Unload on the side of the building ↔️
Applies even if middle/high school siblings are in the vehicle
K-5 Self-Contained Students
Unload at the back (door across from K–3 playground) 🔙
Use inside lane closest to building
Middle & High School Students (no K–5 student in car)
Unload in front of the school 🏫
Middle & High School Self-Contained Students
Unload in front of the school 🏫
🚗 Dismissal (3:10 PM)
Afterschool Programs, Carpools, Families with 3+ Students🧒🏼🧒🏼🧒🏼
Load in front of the school 🏫
K–5 Students & Any Single Middle and High School Student with a K–5 Sibling 🧒🏼🧒🏼
Load on the side of the building ↔️
Parents: Enter back loop, inside lane, follow to the side
Middle & High School Students (loading 2 or fewer) 🧒🏼🧒🏼
Load at the back of the building 🔙
Parents: Enter back loop, outside lane, follow to the back
General Reminders 📝
Turn signal = ready to pull out; wait for staff direction 🛑
No pickup number? Give student’s last name to staff 🔢
If you have specific bus or transportation concerns, please reach out to Care Cab Kidz directly.
https://www.ciscomets.com/athletics/athletics-calender
October 21: RTA Assessment (Reading Retained 4th Graders)
October 21: Pre- ACT (10th Graders) All other high school students remote
October 22: Pre- ACT Make-ups (10th Graders)
October 23: Turn it Pink Day ($2.00 Dress Down- wear shades of PINK)
October 26: On-site Dental Clinic- Day 2
October 30: K-5 Book Ball 12:00-3:00 (K-1: 12:00, 2-3: 1:00, 4-5: 2:00)
October 31: Last Day to Order Caps and Gowns (2027 HS Graduates)
November 3: Make up Picture Day
November 4: NHS Inductions 6:00 PM
November 11: Veterans' Day- No School for Students and Staff
November 20: Blood Drive- 8:00 AM- 12:30 PM
November 23-27: Fall Break- No School for Students and Staff