The Crocodilian

Friday, April 3rd - HEC Field Day for 5K-5th grade

April 6th-10th - Spring Break, Schools closed

For the Future

April 15th - PTO Spirit Night at Flight Adventure Park (see PTO flyer)

April 21st - 4K Field Day, 8:45am-9:30am

April 23rd - Early Release Day, Dismissal 11:40

- Pirate Palooza Literacy Night, 5- 6:30pm

🌟 Celebrating Our Lighthouse Recertification! 🌟

We are proud to share some exciting news with our school community—our campus has been officially recertified as a Lighthouse School through FranklinCovey as part of the Leader in Me process! This distinction is a highly respected honor and reflects our continued commitment to excellence in leadership, culture, and student success.

This milestone is more than an award—it is a reflection of the intentional work happening every day in our classrooms and throughout our school. Our teachers and staff have worked diligently to create an environment where every child is seen as a leader with unique strengths, talents, and potential.

What This Means for Our Students and Families:

Leadership for Every Student: We believe every child can lead. Through opportunities like Leadership Day, school-wide assemblies, and classroom roles, students actively practice leadership skills and build confidence.
Ownership of Learning: Students set personal and academic goals (WIGs—Wildly Important Goals), track their progress, and reflect on their growth through leadership notebooks and digital portfolios.
A Focus on the Whole Child: We prioritize both academic and social-emotional growth through strong relationships, counselor support, and student-led initiatives like our Community Kindness Board.
Student Voice & Environment: Our campus reflects student leadership in action—from goal-tracking displays to student-created projects that promote a positive and inclusive culture.
Aligned Goals for Success: As a school, we use clear, data-driven systems to ensure all students are supported and progressing, with shared accountability among staff and students.

The Lighthouse Review Team specifically recognized our school for sustaining high levels of effective practices, including strong leadership systems, a collaborative culture, and a clear focus on continuous improvement.

We are incredibly proud of our students, staff, and families who make this work possible every day. Together, we are not only supporting academic achievement—we are developing confident leaders and responsible members of society who are prepared to make a positive impact.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we celebrate this achievement and look ahead to even greater success!

Our Corley family recently experienced a truly special moment of community, generosity, and remembrance. Through the Tank Gives Back initiative, in partnership with the Tank the Turtle Foundation and H.E. Corley, $7,000 was raised—double the original goal!

This initiative honors the late Sarah Harmon, a cherished former Kindergarten teacher who poured her heart into teaching, loving, and shaping countless Corley Crocs. Sarah courageously battled colon cancer and passed away last year, but her passion for children, literacy, and learning continues to inspire us all.

Friends, family, and supporters came together this past weekend to walk in her memory, celebrate her life, and present this incredible gift to our school. Because of this generosity, Corley will now have enhanced literacy resources for students and a mural near the red hall that reflects Sarah’s deep love for learning. This mural will be more than paint on a wall—it will be a daily reminder that the seeds we plant in children grow far beyond our classrooms.

Sarah’s impact is not only in the lessons she taught, but in the love she gave, the lives she touched, and the legacy she left behind. Through this partnership, her light continues to shine and will touch generations of Corley students to come.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated, walked, and supported this vision—whether near or far, your contributions are helping carry forward a legacy of love, learning, and hope.

Watch the story here: Tank the Turtle Gives Back Video

📣Your voice matters!

On Wednesday, March 25th, families received an individualized link from the State Department of Education and the Education Oversight Committee to complete the Parent Climate Survey.

Please take a few minutes to click on that email and share your feedback at your earliest convenience. Parent responses for students in grades 3–5 are included on our school report card, and your input helps us continue building an amazing school community.

Thank you for supporting HEC and for partnering with us to celebrate and strengthen all the wonderful things happening at our school! 💙

Welcome to HEC Ms. Lauzon!

Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw. Balance feels best.

We all feel better when we’re balanced, when we take time to renew the four parts of who we are: body, heart, mind, and soul. Just as a car has four tires, we, as people, also have four parts. And to be healthy and happy, all four parts need time and attention. If we focus on only one part, like exercising our mind through books, we neglect the other parts, body, heart, and soul. We become lethargic.

What can you do to teach your child to sharpen the saw at home?

1. For two nights in a row, go to bed early, and see how great you feel when you wake up!

2. For one whole week, read for 20 minutes every day.

3. Go play with someone who you haven't played with for a long time.

4. Do your favorite outdoor activity with someone you love.

5. Think about the things in your life that make you happy, like your grandma, your dog, a fun toy, or playing with your friends.

→Send in a photo of your child doing these things at home and we will feature some of them in the next issue of the Crocodilian. Email the photo along with the student’s name, teacher, and grade to Katye Wilkinson at kwilkinson@lexrich5.org by April 9th.

Hi HEC Families!

Mark your calendars for an out-of-this-world evening of fun!

Join us for Spirit Night at Flight Adventure Park (Irmo) 🚀 in support of the HE Corley Elementary PTO!

📅Wednesday, April 15th
⏰4:00–8:00 PM

This is a great chance for families and friends to come together, have a blast, and give back to our school at the same time.

Here are the details:

The PTO earns $9 for every paid jumper
Wear your HEC shirt to show your school spirit
Be sure to tell them you’re with HEC when you check in

The more participants we have, the more we raise, so spread the word and invite your friends! We hope to see you there for an evening full of energy, fun, and school spirit.

Thank you for supporting HE Corley Elementary!
HEC PTO

PTO Website

Looking for activities to keep your kids entertained while still learning new things this summer? The University of South Carolina offers a wide variety of summer camps for all interests — from performing arts to swimming and football to STEM.

Click here for a list of all camps: USC Summer Camps