Paris Panther Page

Dear Paris Elementary Families,

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Meet the Teacher Night! It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces as students met their teachers, explored their classrooms, and began the excitement of a new school year. We are grateful for your time, enthusiasm, and support as we kick off what promises to be an incredible year at Paris Elementary.

We believe that strong communication is the foundation of a successful school-home partnership. To help keep you informed throughout the year, here is what you can expect:

• The first Friday of each month, you will receive our Paris Panther Page, highlighting important school news, celebrations, and upcoming events.
• Each Friday after that, I will send a weekly email with reminders, highlights, and important information for the week ahead.
• Teachers will also send a weekly classroom newsletter to keep you updated on learning, classroom activities, and important grade-level information.
• Our school website is another great resource where you can access our school calendar, announcements, forms, and other important updates throughout the year.

I also encourage every family to become involved with our amazing PTA! Our PTA plays a vital role in supporting our students, staff, and school community through volunteer opportunities, family events, and special programs. Your involvement—whether big or small—helps make a lasting difference for our Panthers. Please see your child's folder this week with additional information.

At Paris Elementary, we know that when schools and families work together, students thrive. Thank you for partnering with us as we support, encourage, and inspire every child. We are excited for an outstanding year ahead and can't wait to see all that our Panthers will accomplish. And as always, it's a great day to be a Panther!

Mrs. Cook

Proud Principal

We are excited to welcome our Panthers back for the first day of school on Tuesday, August 11!

To help make the morning special, parents and guardians are welcome to park and walk their child into the building and to the classroom door on the first two days of school only. Please park only in designated parking spaces. The right lane in the front car line must remain open at all times for families using morning drop-off.

To spread out traffic and limit crowding, we respectfully ask that, if possible, students arrive the first day according to the following schedule. Parents/guardians will be able to walk their child/children to their classroom door the first two days of school (Tuesday and Wednesday).

• Fourth & Fifth Grades 7:15 am

• Second & Third Grades 7:25 am

• First Grade 7:35 am

• Kindergarten 7:45 am

Before arriving on the first day, please make sure your child knows how they will be getting home each afternoon (car rider, bus rider, daycare, or after-school program). If you need bus transportation information or have questions about your child's dismissal plan, please contact our main office prior to the first day of school.

Before the school year begins, please take a few minutes to review and update your Parent BackPack account. It is important to verify that all information is current, including:

• Emergency contacts
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Individuals authorized to pick up your child

The information in Parent BackPack is used by our school for daily dismissal procedures, so it is essential that it is accurate to help ensure your child's safety.

If you have not yet created a Parent BackPack account, please visit our school's website or contact the main office for assistance. Thank you for helping us start the school year with up-to-date information!

As we prepare for a successful school year, we encourage all families to review the Student & Parent Handbook. The handbook includes important school policies, procedures, and expectations that help ensure a safe, positive, and productive learning environment for all students.

Spanish Version HERE.

The safety of our students is our highest priority. Please help us ensure a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal by following these important procedures.

Morning Arrival:

• Do not merge when entering campus.
• If you enter in the right lane, you must pull all the way forward to the next available Safety Patrol member.
• The left lane is for vehicles entering the parking lot only.
• Do not park or unload students at the crosswalk.
• Students should exit the vehicle on the passenger side closest to the curb whenever possible.
• Students crossing the street must be accompanied by an adult.

Afternoon Dismissal

• All dismissal changes must be communicated to the front office prior to 1:45 PM.
• Every vehicle must display this year's green dismissal car tag to pick up a student.
• If you do not have a car tag, please park and report to the main office with identification.
• Both dismissal lanes may be used and will merge at the traffic barrier as directed by staff.

Please note this is a change from previous years. If you choose to park and walk to the crosswalk or the main entrance to pick up your child, you must report to the main office and present your dismissal card before your child will be called or number placed into our dismissal system. For the safety of all students, we will not enter dismissal numbers into the system for walk-up families.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation. By following these procedures, you help us provide a safe, orderly, and efficient arrival and dismissal for all of our Panthers.

5K and first grade students are tagged students. Meaning all students that are tagged must have an adult with a numbered card present at the stop in order to collect their child. If a 5K or first grade student is preparing to depart the bus at their assigned stop, whether alone or in a group, and the parent/guardian/designee with the numbered card is not present at the bus stop, the student will be returned to his/her elementary school. When a student is returned to the elementary school, school staff will contact the parent/guardian.

School supply lists for all grade levels are available at the link below. Please review your child’s grade-level list to help your student start the school year prepared and ready to learn!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Ge84cehv_3zFW6D6MJLA0MHAzkd3ArPr?usp=sharing

This school year, Greenville County Schools has made a few updates designed to better support student learning and success.

• Grades Matter: Students will earn the actual grade they receive on assignments and assessments. The previous "grade floor" has been removed, and assignments that are not submitted will receive a zero. Completing work on time is an important part of student success.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI tools will not be used by students in elementary school. Any instructional use of AI begins in grades 6–12 under teacher guidance.
• Technology Use: Students will continue to use technology in meaningful ways that support learning while maintaining age-appropriate screen time. Classroom devices will be used to enhance instruction, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving—not replace quality teaching.
• Content Recovery: While this update primarily impacts middle and high school students, it provides additional opportunities for eligible students to demonstrate mastery of course standards and recover credit when appropriate.

Thank you for partnering with us to encourage strong attendance, timely completion of assignments, and a love of learning. Together, we can help every Paris Panther have a successful year! 🐾

August 2026

6- New to Paris Meet & Greet at 4:00 PM

6- Meet the Teacher at 4:30-6:00

11- First Day of School (With Staggered Start Times)

25- MAP Testing- Reading (1st & 2nd Grades)

25- PTA Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A (Taylors Location)

26- MAP Testing- Math (1st & 2nd, & Selected 3rd-5th)

28- PTA Room Parent Mtg (By invite Only) @ 8:30 AM

September 2026

1- Boys Scouts Interest Mtg in Front Parking Lot @ 6PM

4- College Colors Day

4- PTA Board Meeting

7- Labor Day (No School for Students & Staff)

14- Charleston Wrap Fundraiser Begins

16- Fall Pictures

22- Donuts w/ Grown Ups (Last Names A-L) 7:15-7:45

23- Donuts w/ Grown UPs (Last Names M-Z) 7:15-7:45

Welcome to another exciting year with the Paris Elementary PTA! Our PTA is dedicated to supporting our students, staff, and families by creating meaningful opportunities to connect, volunteer, and enhance the school experience for every child. We invite you to join us as we grow together, build lasting partnerships, and make this school year one to remember. Whether you volunteer your time, attend an event, or simply cheer us on, your involvement makes a difference!

Welcome to a new school year at Paris Elementary! We are excited to serve as your PTA Board and look forward to partnering with our amazing families, teachers, and staff to make this a fantastic year for our students.

Our PTA is committed to building a strong school community by supporting student learning, celebrating our teachers, and creating opportunities for families to connect and get involved. Whether you volunteer at an event, attend a meeting, or simply cheer on our school from home, your support makes a meaningful difference. Please visit our website to join and look for our table at Meet the Teacher for more updates! https://www.parispta.com/

We can't wait to meet you, work alongside you, and make wonderful memories together this year. Here's to a year of learning, connection, and success—we're stronger when we work together!

Go Panthers!

Meet Our Board Members: (From Left to Right in Picture Above)

Secretary- Kate Bragg

Director of Sponsorship- Alex Langley

President- Sarah Thompson

Volunteer Coordinator- Angela Skwarek

Treasurer- Kim Miller

Our mission is to develop the whole child by partnering with families and the community to ensure students are college and career ready.

Traditions of Excellence.

• Educational goals are best accomplished in a safe and comfortable environment.
• Creative thinking and problem solving skills are essential for life-long learning.
• All children have individual strengths, needs, and learning styles.
• Education is a shared responsibility of home, school, and the community.
• Dignity, respect, and appreciation are vital.
• Students are the center of the learning process.