The Stingray Review
Seaside Elementary
Dear Seaside Families,
I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful and restful weekend! As we step into the month of March, we are excited about all the great learning and special moments ahead for our students. Don’t forget that this Monday is our Character Book Dress-Up Day—we can’t wait to see our Stingrays bring their favorite book characters to life for Read Across America Day. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making our school community so special!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and we will see all of our Stingrays back on Monday, March 2, 2026.
Andrew Ball Ed.D
Principal
Seaside Elementary
RAYS
R-Respect yourself and others
A-Always do your personal best
Y-You are special and you matter
S-Spread kindness
RAYS
💙Please make sure that you talk to your student about what it means to be a StingRAY! At Seaside Elementary we always are showing respect, always doing our personal best, knowing that they are special and matter, and spreading kindness at all times! 💙
RAYS
R-Respect yourself and others
A-Always do your personal best
Y-You are special and you matter
S-Spread kindness
Mark your Calendar
March 2- Book Character Dress up day to celebrate Read Across America
March 5- Yearbook orders due
March 8- Clocks "Spring Forward" one hour
March 18-PTO Bingo Night in the gym. Pizza from 5-5:30. Bingo starts at 5:30
March 19- Club Showcase and Art Show at 5 P.M.
March 19- **Updated Times** First Grade Music Performance at 8:45 A.M. and 5:30 P.M.
March 20-First Day of Spring
March 24- End of the 3rd 9 weeks
April 2- 3rd Quarter Report Cards Available
April 3-10- Spring Break
Yearbook Sale
Be sure to get your Yearbook Orders in! They are only on sale until Thursday, March 5th, 2026 and cost $20. Please send money in the envelope marked for Yearbooks if you don't purchase through MyPaymentsPlus. We are so excited to see this year's school memories!
Questions or need help? Please call or email our bookkeeper Hillery Hall at hhall@horrycountyschools.net
New School Calendars!
Two calendars. Two school years. One place to find them.
Horry County Schools is excited to announce that the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 school year calendars are now live online. This marks the first time we’ve released two years at once, giving families and staff more time to plan ahead.
Visit www.horrycountyschools.net/calendar to view both calendars!
📣Student Council Service-Learning Project 📣
Student Council is collecting items for Easter Hero Boxes! We were able to fill twenty boxes last year and our goal is to try and double that this year. Please send any items marked for Student Council and/or Ms. Morris room 107.
Student Council THANKS you dearly for your continued support in our service-learning projects! We could not be as successful as we are without YOU!
Reminder of Car Rider Procedures
Thank you to everyone for following our car rider procedures. This has made everything much smoother. We really appreciate it!
Please follow all signs that is out in front of Highway 17 (Please see picture). The sign gives you times when you cannot turn left when going on to Highway 17. We want all of our families to please be safe. Thank you.
I have been asked to share with our parents to please slow down when coming up the road and leaving Seaside Elementary. Thank you for being safe.
**Please be mindful and do not park in a handicap spot unless you have a handicap sticker on your license plate. Guests who need to park there are unable to use those spots due to those spots being taken up by cars that do not have a handicap sticker. Thank you for your attention to this.**
Child Development Registration
📢📢Child Development registration for the upcoming 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 school year opened on 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟗𝐭𝐡. Share the word!
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For more information go to: www.horrycountyschools.net/CD
Rise with Reading
We're already quickly approaching Chapter 4 of our Rise with Reading Challenge! Join us in celebrating these individual readers and classes for keeping up with logging pages in Beanstack!
We are so proud of all of our students for continuing to turn those pages and enjoying the adventure of reading! Keep going strong Stingrays! 📚
HCS Rise with Reading
#RiseWithReading: The 1,000 Page Challenge
This school year, Seaside Elementary is set to #RiseWithReading with Superintendent Jones’ 1,000 Page Challenge. Every HCS student is challenged to read 1,000 pages per quarter for a total of 4,000 pages for the 2025 - 26 school year. Here at Seaside, we have created challenges for students that will be rewarded if goals are met. Further information can be found in the packet sent home with students or on the SSE Library Learning Commons website. Please contact Amy LaValley with questions about the reading program, or if you need your student’s log in credentials.
Happy Reading!
ALaValley@horrycountyschools.net
843.650.3617
Coffee and Conversations with Cliff
Horry County Schools Superintendent, Mr. Clifford Jones, invites you to join informal listening sessions throughout the school year. These events are a great opportunity to share your ideas and concerns, hear district updates, and connect directly with Mr. Jones.
No registration needed — just come when you can!
Breakfast and Lunch Free for ALL Students
Free breakfast and lunch during the 2025-2026 school year
All HCS students will receive free breakfast and lunch during the 2025-2026 school year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a non-pricing meal service option for qualifying schools and school districts. CEP allows breakfast and lunch to be offered to all enrolled students at no cost. Schools and school districts that qualify are reimbursed for meals using a formula based on the percentage of students that are categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other State assistance programs. Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/nutrition-services/cep-program for more information.
🌮 Weekly Lunch Menu 🍕
Lunch Visitors Welcome
Dear Seaside Families,
When coming to eat with your child please park in the front school parking lot and come to the front office to check in. You will then meet your student in the cafeteria. We have visitor tables set up. Please sit with your child only at one of the visitor tables that have been put out for parents. Friends are not allowed to come sit with you and your child. Your child is only allowed to come sit with you. Please make sure to not travel anywhere else throughout the building. Visitors are only allowed to travel to the lunch room and back down to the office. Parents are not allowed to walk around with or without their student around the building unsupervised. Please do not photograph any other children other than your child. We have a do not photograph list and we have students who cannot be photographed. We thank you so much for following our guidelines when coming to eat with your child. We love having parents coming to eat with their child.
Outside Food Reminder
📣Dear Parents,
Please remember that any food items sent in to share with others must be prepackaged and include a clear label of ingredients. This helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all our students, especially those with allergies.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!🍎
Seaside Elementary PTO Family Bingo Night
When: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Where: Seaside Elementary Gym
Doors Open: 5 P.M.
Pizza 5-5:30
Bingo starts at 5:30
Be a sponsor for the PTO Snack Cart!
Rent the Seaside Spirit Rock!
Safety Drills
📱Horry County Schools Cell Phone Policy📱
Seaside Families,
Please take the time to read through the cell phone policy that went into effect last January 22, 2025, the first day of the second semester. (Link Below) Earlier this year, the South Carolina legislature passed the General Appropriations Bill, H. 5100 of 2024. This bill includes Proviso 1.103, which requires each local school district to adopt a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day. Please use the link below that will take you to the Horry County Schools website detailing everything. Thank you for reading through everything.
**Please note that all Smart watches worn by students will not be allowed any longer under this new law and policy.**
Horry County Schools Clear Backpack Policy
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Horry County Schools requires clear backpacks for all students (who choose to carry backpacks).
Clear backpacks have become a common practice in schools across the country as they allow for easy identification of any items being brought onto campus. By implementing this protocol, we are taking proactive steps to create a safe and secure learning environment for our students.
Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/policy-and-legal-issues/clear-backpacks for more specifics and FAQs regarding the clear backpack protocols. Please check out all of the clear backpack policies. Everything is answered for you when visiting that website that I have provided for you. If the clear backpack that your child brings does not meet the requirements we will give them one that does meet the correct requirements. We do not want anyone upset with us and we are here to help if you need a clear backpack.
Weapons Detection Scanners
All Horry County Schools use weapon detection scanners to screen all students and guests including all elementary schools. Use the link below to view a brief video.
https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/school-safety-and-security/opengate-security
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
Our doors open for our students at 7 A.M.
•Our doors open for our students at 7 A.M. Please do not let your child out of the car until 7 A.M.Our staff will be on duty starting at 7 A.M
- We politely ask that parents stay in the car. A person on duty will open the door for your child to exit the vehicle if needed.
- We do ask that your student has everything ready to get out of the car. Please have shoes on and tied, backpack zipped up ready to go, and anything else ready so that we can have a smooth car rider line.
- Please only park in the parking lot if you need to bring something to the nurse, front office, or need to meet with one of our staff members. We do allow our parents who have special needs students who struggle to get out of the car to park. You may park if you have a child that is struggling with getting out of the car in the morning, but please work on independence with them so that everything can be smooth in the morning time.
- If you do come to our parking lot please park in a parking space. Do not just let students out in the middle of the parking lot or park in the middle of the parking lot.This is a safety issue and we do not want anyone getting hurt. Safety is our top priority.
- Do not use the parking lot to skip the car rider line.
•We serve breakfast in the classroom. Breakfast begins at 7:20 A.M. Please make sure your child is on time so they can eat breakfast to get their day started.
•Tardy bell rings at 7:40 A.M. (Please make sure you are on time.) Our car rider line is empty from 7-7:25. Everything starts to pick up right at the last 10-15 minutes. We recommend that you come early. I promise that we have one of easiest car rider lines in Horry County Schools.
Attendance Matters!
Research shows that consistent attendance is a critical piece of student success.
Horry County Schools has an updated Attendance Policy for the 2025-2026 school year! Please make sure to visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/policy-and-legal-issues/attendance-policy-updates. This will give you all of the updates and has a Q&A section for parents/guardians. We are excited to announce that Wendy Guthy is our brand new Data Quality Clerk for attendance at Seaside Elementary. Her email address is wguthy@horrycountyschools.net.
Volunteers
Do you have an hour a week? Volunteering at a school can have a positive impact on the academic success of a child. click here to complete a volunteer application.
How you can help:
- Serve as an academic tutor or homework helper
- Serve as a literacy tutor
- Be a reading buddy, book buddy, or reading friend
- Help with writing assignments
- Play instructional games
- Be a penpal or email pal
- Be an ESOL coach or practice vocabulary with non-English speaking students.
- Share expertise in creative arts or recreational activities
- Answer phones
- Run copies
- Help in the library, guidance, or nurse's office
- Assist with developing teaching materials
- Monitor hallway, playgrounds, or cafeterias
- Monitor testing
- Assist in producing the school newsletter or student publishing center
- Chaperone school trips
- Help with fundraising activities
- Volunteer Application
Message from Nurse Hopkins
Please reach out to Nurse Megan Hopkins if your child has any medical issues that the school may need to know (severe allergies, asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc.) If you need to reach her please call the school at 843-650-3490 or by email at MHopkins002@horrycountyschools.net. It is imperative that we know about any medical issues so that we are able to keep your child safe at all times.Please make sure that your child's shot records are up to date.
Message from Nurse Hopkins
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Horry County Schools (HCS) performs student mass health screenings in selected grade levels. As recommended by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), these screenings include vision, hearing, dental, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure screenings. Health screenings play an important role in the health and health education of our children and help to identify students who may need a referral for medical/professional evaluations. HCS health professionals do NOT perform medical evaluations. If a referral is necessary based on the screening findings, the school nurse will send information home with the student. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to schedule the appropriate medical appointment.
All health screening information is maintained in the school nurse’s office and may only be shared with the child’s parent or guardian.
Parents may opt out of student health screenings by sending the attached Student Health Screenings Opt-out form to your child’s school nurse. Opt-out forms must be completed each school year. Additional information regarding health screenings can be found on our website at https://www.horrycountyschools.net/departments-services/student-services/student-health-services/health-screenings
Car Rider
Please use the link to watch this video on how to go around the car rider loop. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X2G-tnvNXbGSTFs13NOt3c32wOqI9ZJm/view?usp=drivesdk
Bus Office Information
Seaside Elementary is in the St. James Area cluster. If you have any questions about your student's bus or route please contact the St. James Area Bus Office at 843-650-1937. Please click on the HCS Transportation Page Bus Rules and Guidelines to help you with bus transportation information.
Please check your child's backpack!
Please check your child's backpack for inappropriate items, personal electronic devices, toys, stuffed animals, Pokemon cards, sports cards, plush toys etc. We do not want your child losing their personal items. We are not responsible for any lost items. We do not want any items coming to school that may cause a safety issue or cause your child to get into trouble for. Please only have your child bring school related materials. We thank you in advance for doing this! We really appreciate it!
Horry County Schools 2025-26 School Calendar
The 2025-2026 School calendar is available online!
Visit https://www.horrycountyschools.net/calendar to view