Paws for News

We had a wonderfully busy September, filled with learning and growth at Cotton Belt Elementary! Now that October is here, we are excited about Red Ribbon Week, Cotton’s Hall Crawl, and much more. Our staff is dedicated to collaborating, designing personalized instruction, and supporting our students every day. We are incredibly proud of how hard our students are working!

Thank you so much for participating in parent-teacher conferences. Building strong relationships with our students and their families is a top priority for us, and we deeply value and appreciate your partnership. Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher for resources, questions, or feedback. We are here to help in any way we can and would love to celebrate your child’s successes, discuss goals, and develop strategies for growth together.

We have already achieved so much this year, and I am excited to see what we can accomplish together in the second quarter. As always, thank you for your continued support.

Megan Hoyt, Principal

Due to the residential growth occurring within the York School District One attendance zone, the district is experiencing capacity challenges.

As of March 2024, approved residential development in the City of York will create 2376 new homes.

On June 11, 2024, the YSD1 Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing the district to pursue a Bond Referendum at the November 5th General Election. In the state of SC there are only three mechanisms for a school district to generate funds for building or renovating schools. The three ways are listed below:

· Impact Fees

· 8% Capacity

· Bond Referendum

The School Board authorized the district to seek Impact Fees. However, York County Council denied the district’s request.

The district's 8% Capacity does not generate enough revenue to be able to build a school. Therefore, the district's only mechanism for generating the funds needed to build new facilities is to pass a General Obligation Bond.

Currently, one elementary school and middle school is at 90% capacity or above, and three elementary school are at 80% capacity or above.

The proposed bond is for $90 million and, if approved, would be used to renovate Pinckney Street Learning Center and build an additional middle school. Renovations to Pinckney Street Learning Center, turning it into an early childhood center, will free up classroom space at all elementary schools.

The estimated impact on homeowners would be:

· Homeowners (4% property valued at $100,000) $36/year

If the referendum is not approved our existing schools will experience:

· Increased classroom ratios

· May need to purchase mobile classrooms to accommodate growth; and

· Decentralized early childhood programs.

For additional information, please visit our website at https://www.york.k12.sc.us/services/growth

If you have any questions about the proposed YSD1 Bond Referendum, please contact Amy Hagner, Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations, at 803-684-9916.

We are entering cold and flu season. Please make sure you follow the SC DHEC guidance regarding when to keep your child at home. https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/Library/CR-010752.pdf

Please keep your child at home if experiencing:

· Fever: temperature of 100.4 or greater. Student may not return until fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication like Tylenol, Advil or Aleve

· Diarrhea: 3 or more loose stools in a 24 hour period

· Vomiting: 2 or more times in a 24 hour period

· Strep Throat: students may return to school when they have no fever and at least 12 hours after treatment has been initiated

If your child is experiencing other symptoms not mentioned and if you have further questions, please review the School Exclusion List https://scdhec.gov/health/child-teen-health/school-exclusion.

If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact your school nurse. We hope you and your family have a safe and healthy season.

We are so excited for our Hall Crawl this year! This PTO-sponsored event will be held on Thursday October 24 from 6-7 pm. Because of our huge yearly turnout, we are asking for donations of bags of candy. If you are able to contribute, please send in your donation with your child. Students will then feed our "monster" in the hallway with bags of candy. Schoolwide prizes will be awarded by our PTO when we reach certain goals. Thank you so much for helping us make this event a SPOOK-TACULAR success!

We are excited to celebrate Red Ribbon Week at the end of the month. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention awareness campaign that was started to educate students about drugs, encourage them to make healthy choices, and honor Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.

This year's theme is "Life Is A Movie, Film Drug Free" and we have a week full of spirit days if your child wishes to participate. For more information and resources, please visit www.redribbon.org.

• We need your help! Please help us preserve our playground area and new fencing by not allowing your children to play unsupervised. Our fence has already sustained damage in several areas due to climbing, pulling up at the bottom, etc.
• Car Rider Pick-Up: Please ensure your car rider pick-up tag is prominently displayed to help us with an efficient and safe dismissal.
• All early dismissals and transportation changes must occur before 1:45 pm.

Did you know that starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, regular attendance is essential for students gaining the academic and social skills they need to thrive? Research shows that when students are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year or 18 days over an entire school year), they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school, and graduate from high school.

• Socially: They are truly missed! Staff and fellow classmates notice when your child is not at school. We take a personal interest in the well-being of our students. We want them here so that they can learn the social skills, along with the academic skills, that lead to productive lives. Practicing those skills begins early.
• Academically: In the typical school day, a student receives between 90 and 120 minutes of language arts instruction, 60-75 minutes of math instruction, and 30-45 minutes of science and social studies instruction. Students miss out on discussion, collaboration with peers, and assistance from their teacher; all of which are so crucial for a deep understanding and application of skills. When they come back the next day, they have a gap in their learning and are not ready to move to the next step with their classmates.

Is there a time you should keep your child at home? Absolutely! When your child is sick, we certainly do not expect him/her to come to school. We also have a full-time nurse on staff. She will be able to help you if you have questions.

Your child will be the most successful when we work together. Please help us by insuring your child attends school regularly, and we will deliver the best possible instruction while he/she is here! Three things to keep in mind:

• Even if the absence is "excused," your child still missed the instruction.
• Even if the absence is "excused," the days count toward "chronic absenteeism".
• Chronic absenteeism is tracked by the state.

Understanding Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy. What's the Difference?

Chronic absenteeism is legally defined as "any students who misses 50% or more of the instructional day for any reason for 10% of the enrollment period." For elementary students, that equates to being absent for 18 days - whether excused or not - during the school year. Again, all absence types contribute to this number - excused, unexcused, suspensions, tardy arrivals, and early dismissals.

Another consideration with absences is whether they meet the threshold of truancy, which then becomes a legal matter. Truancy is defined as "a student between the ages of 6-17 who has accumulated 3 consecutive or a total of 5 or more unexcused/unlawful absences during the academic year. Continued unexcused absences after the truancy intervention process begins may result in referral to family court and/or the involvement of the Department of Social Services."

We understand that circumstances at times can be challenging. If you are in need of some assistance, please reach out. It is our desire to work with you and help you if you are in need. We have access to resources that may be able to provide support for you and your family.

We want and need your child at school each and every day!

Written Excuses for Absence

When your child must be absent, you have a maximum of 3 days to send an excuse. Excuses may be sent to the teacher, or you may click the button below for our convenient online form. Please note that per YSD 1 policy, excuses will no longer be accepted after the 3-days.

Week of October 7-11 - Intersession

Week of October 14 - National School Lunch Week

October 14

Teacher PD Day - No School for Students

CogAT Testing - Oct 15-17

October 15

SIC Meeting at 5 pm

October 16

Unity Day - Wear Orange

October 17

PTO Meeting at 5 pm

PTO Spirit Night at Scoops Ice Cream in York (3-8 pm)

October 18

4th Grade Field Trip to Museum

CogAT Makeups

Hats Off to Cancer - $1 Hats

Pink Out Day

Week of October 21 - School Bus Safety Week

October 21-22

IOWA Testing

October 23

Fall Pics - Makeup Day

October 24

October Birthdays Treat Table during lunch

Cotton's Hall Crawl from 6-7 pm

October 26

YCHS/FDJTC Fall Fest

Week of October 28 - Red Ribbon Week

October 29

Lion's Club Vision Screenings

October 31

Halloween (No costumes at school please!)

November 4-14 - Benchmark Testing Window Grades 2-4

November 4

$1 Pajama Day!

November 5

No School - Election Day

November 8

Veteran's Day Breakfast

Week of November 11 - National School Psychology Week

November 12

School Board Meeting at 6:30 pm

November 14

PTO Meeting at 4:30 pm in Media Center

Week of November 18 - American Education Week

November 19

School Improvement Council Meeting at 5 pm

November 21

November Birthdays Treat Table during lunch

PTO Meeting at 5 pm

November 26

Career Day

November 27-29 - Thanksgiving Holiday