The CPES BobChat

Our Canned Food Drive wraps up the end of this week. As a school, we want our children to take the strategies and content they learn (in Spanish/French, English, Math, Science, Social Studies and more) and use them for greater good throughout our world. The holiday season can be a challenging time when we try to model important values for our children such as gratitude, generosity, and kindness. Through this season, how can we show our kids to appropriately connect "thanks" and "giving?" 1. Help them see the blessings. It is all too easy to take health and family and home for granted. Our children can be much more enamored with the next shiny toy advertised on TV than what they already have. Our most important treasures should be the relationships and talents and opportunities that come our way each day. Our children need to know what is most important and how to appreciate that. 2. Show them how to connect gratitude with contentment. How much more does anyone really need? (Our culture's answer to that question is "just a little more," but I think we are better than that.) When our kids pause long enough to realize the abundance of their blessings, it always reorients them to be satisfied with what they have. It helps them to accurately see their perceived "needs" more realistically as "wants." Our children need our perspective to help see that more clearly. Most likely, they have toys they never play with and more clothes than they can wear. For most of our families, there is usually more than enough. Hopefully, that can lead to a sense of contentment and appreciation for all they have. 3. Model the opportunity for giving. When children see the abundance they already have, it opens their minds and hearts to be generous. The natural reaction to a mindset of "more than enough" is a willingness to share. This can be a hard connection for our children to make. They need our guidance to know that it is good when we can care for others because we have more than we need. That care can be given through gifts of time, effort, talents, possessions and money. Often, our little ones simply need to know from us what and how they can give to make a difference in others.

"Thanks" best leads to "giving" when our children know how to be content. This is such an easy "say" and a hard "do." Every week I hear stories how our children use their French and Spanish (and their other gifts and abilities) to serve others. They do this because they follow the example of the adults around them. By your actions and commitments and sacrifices that I see all throughout our community, I think you are doing an amazing job of leading your children to be generous and kind. You are the backbone and heartbeat for so many non-profits in Rock Hill. Our children are blessed to see your example. I want to thank you for all the giving that you do. Hear my applause.

Strength and Blessings,

Mr. Maness

1. Reminders--a. Book Fair Follow Up--Thanks so much for all your support for our Book Fair. Please see the button below for information how to use any unspent eWallet Funds. You can also still order books until 11/24 from our CPES Book Fair Site (see button below) and they will be delivered to your house. b. Makeup and Group Pictures--Will be Wednesday, November 20. More information was sent home about this. c. Thanksgiving Holidays--Will be Wednesday through Friday, November 27-29.

2. November Teacher Appreciation--In honor of the upcoming Clemson/Carolina game, we are having our annual cookout tailgate for the teachers and staff on Friday, November 22nd.There are opportunities for parents to bring in food, drink items and also to volunteer setting up, replenishing food and cleaning up on November 22nd. Students are also encouraged to wear their favorite team colors.

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. All donated food and drink items should be dropped off to the front office with your name and PTO written on them no later than Wednesday November 20th. Please bring in any crockpot items already warmed on Friday November 22nd by 9:30 am. Here is the link to Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A4A923AAFBC70-45518270-november#/

3. Thanksgiving Food Drive--We are hosting a food drive of non-perishable items the month of November that will benefit the Hope of Rock Hill food pantry. The class that brings in the most donations will win ice cream and the teacher will win a gift card. Please bring in donations of non-perishable food items in jars, boxes and cans. We recommend sauces, soups, beans, oatmeal, rice and pasta as an example. Monetary donations are also accepted, $1 is equal to 1 can. Please make your check out to Hope. Inc or label your cash donations food drive along with your child's name and teacher in an envelope. Below is a sign up genius if you would like to volunteer your time counting cans for the classrooms. Thank you for helping to give back to those in need within our community. Sign up here to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A4A923AAFBC70-45656860-food#/

4. Spirit Wear--The online Spirit Wear store is now open and will remain open through December 2nd. The link to order is below. All orders will be delivered to school by December 17th. We will not be able to accept late orders and we are not able to offer returns or exchanges. Click on the following link to order: Products - Cherry Park Elementary - Metro Print

5. Yearbooks--Families may now order a yearbook. All sales are online only and to guarantee your child receives a yearbook, all orders must be placed by March 30, 2025. The early bird discount is available and then prices will increase on January 1st. All yearbook orders are online only and there will be no additional orders after March 30, 2025. Please see the flyer below. Click on the following link to order: https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/index.cfm/job/24915 (Use order #24915 if you are asked for it.)

November 18-22--Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive

November 20--Makeup Picture and Class Picture Day

November 22--Carolina/Clemson Faculty Tailgate (Everyone can wear their favorite team colors)

November 24--Last Day to Order Books Online from the CPES Book Fair Site (see link above)

November 26--2nd Grade to Winthrop Basketball Game

November 27-29--Thanksgiving Holidays

December 2--Last Day to Order Spirit Wear

December 20--Early Dismissal before Holiday Break

December 23-January 2-Holiday Break

January 3--Teacher Workday (No Students Attend)

January 6--First Day Back for New Semester

School Improvement Council--This group seeks to determine how Cherry Park Elementary can be the best school it can be. It is a sounding board and feedback group for the school and district. Members are elected for two year terms. Members of this year's Council include Chelsea Eichorn, Jennifer Hutchinson, Matthew Query, Bernice Huskins, Heather Kagey, and Emily Parrish. Ex-Officio Members are Mr. Maness (Principal) and Mrs. Futrelle (Assistant Principal). Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 PM. All parents are invited to attend.

Parent Teacher Organization--This group has three main goals: Raising funds for the school, appreciating the staff and securing volunteers as needed. The Cherry Park PTO is a 501c3 tax deductible organization. Meetings are held at Cherry Park on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM (right after the SIC meetings.) All parents are invited to attend. All financial records are distributed and updated at each month's meeting. Officers this year are Amanda Winters (President), Emmanuel Daniel (Vice-President), Celia Kerr (Secretary) and Shannon Martin/Caroline Stubbs (Co-Treasurers). We appreciate all of our sponsors (above) who contributed to our Bobcat Dash this year.

"What Do Parents Need to Know about Our Book Fair" November 10, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/36azws

"How Can We Help Our Children Make Good Decisions?" November 3, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/tj863

"Who Made a Difference at the Bobcat Dash?" October 27, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/v7pxu

"What Do You Need to Know about the Bobcat Dash?" October 20, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/jecu8

"How Do We Help Kids Process Difficult Events?" October 13, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/nefrt

"How Can We Help Kids 'Handle Hard Better?'" October 5, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/brh0j

"What Should We Remember When We Have Bad Weather?" September 29, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/28hfx

"What Do Great Coaches Do?" September 22, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/cuktn

"How Can We Support the Bobcat Dash on 10/25?" September 15, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/vs3uwm

"What Are We Thinking about Safety This Week?" September 8, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/pxhd6

"What is the Difference between PTO and SIC?" September 1, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/syh3t

"How Are We Doing?" August 25, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/b2a9s

"What Lessons Can We Learn from the Olympics? (Part 2) August 18, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/9fe7s

"What Lessons Can We Learn from the Olympics? (Part 1)" August 11, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/ejr3s

"How Can We 'Be' Ready for the First Day of School? (Final Reminders) August 4, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/0wvx9

"What Do Families Need to Know about Open House" August 3, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/3wx9d

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 4) July 28, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/59pwv

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 3) July 21, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/y0w1e

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" (Part 2) July 14, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/x5hed

"How Can We Start Getting Ready for School?" July 7, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/6x9vk

"Who's and What's New at Cherry Park? (Part 3) June 30, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/ksd0u

"Who's New at Cherry Park? (Part 2) June 2, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/8cuf1g

"Who's New at Cherry Park? (Part 1)" May 26, 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/c0pnvt