The Dolphin Times

Dear Dacusville families!

This week was fabulous! We were able to spend the week with the kids during related arts time, teaching them about the 5 Essential Social Behaviors for Success, and they did awesome! We also kicked off our new, experiential 4K program as part of the SDPC Academy of Early Learners. It was amazing seeing those little learners learn routines as they engaged in so many hands-on activities, not to mention eating lunch "family-style." I can't wait to get next week started! Students in 5K - 5th grade will be taking their Fall i-Ready test next week. Reading i-Ready will be on Tuesday (8/12) and Math i-Ready will be on Thursday (8/14). Please help us ensure that the data from this assessment is accurate and helpful to our teachers by making sure your child is at school and by encouraging them to give their very best effort.

Shout out to all of our parents for their patience with the afternoon car line. It has improved so much. Another shout-out as well for coming early and helping us get all of our students here and in the building on time to start our day! Thanks again, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

If you ever have any questions or want to provide feedback, please email me at travischapman@pickens.k12.sc.us, or you can call me directly at 397-2810.

Sincerely,

Travis A. Chapman

Tech It Home Fee - $25 for 2025-2026

The School District of Pickens County views the use of digital resources as central to the delivery of its educational program and expects that all students will use digital resources as an essential part of their learning experiences. Students using a mobile learning device at school and at home are expected to follow the SDPC Tech It Home Mobile Learning Device Guidelines and all SDPC Technology Acceptable Use Policies. Tech It Home Fees will be $25 for the 2025-2026 school year. For more on Tech it Home please click HERE.

Students are not issued their Chromebooks until fees are paid and this is not optional.

*** You can pay this fee online using myschoolbucks.com!

PLEASE READ BEFORE SIGNING UP.... 🙂

Please do not paint on the back of the rock. We have added a plaque in honor of our donor. If damaged, you will be responsible for any cost to fix/replace.

You may reserve the Dolphin Spirit Rock for $15 (pay directly when signing up). You can give a shout out to your favorite student! When you sign up, you can paint the rock starting at 4pm the day before your reserved date.

The cost to reserve The Dolphin Spirit Rock is $15 + processing fee for a total of $16.25. You will have the rock for 24 hrs (4pm-4pm). The day your reserve is the day for your rock to be seen. You MUST paint the rock the day prior to your actual sign up. For example, if you reserve Monday, 8/19, you'll be able to start painting on Sunday, 8/18 at 4PM so that it's up and ready for your student to see on your sign-up date of 8/19. We had several issues last school year with people painting the rock on the wrong date. The DSO is not liable if you painted on the wrong date. If you paint on the wrong date and cover another's design. You will be blocked from further reservations and will be responsible for the charges of the repaint of the original design.

Payments can only be made directly through this app when making your reservation. Dates are available on a first come, first serve basis and you may NOT reserve the rock for consecutive days.

Spirit Rock reservation is valid rain or shine!

*There will be no refunds for weather or school closures*

You are responsible for the painting of the rock. You can do this yourself (see tips below) or hire someone to paint for you. The DSO does not provide the paint or paint this for you.

TIPS: Three or four cans of spray paint will cover the front of the rock, or you can roll on paint as well. If you want to paint words or designs in multiple colors, you can buy small sample jars of any color paint anywhere paint is sold. You can always use some left over house paint you have at home. Please do not use oil based paints!

This year we are blessed with a local painter for hire. Mrs. Miller is the parent of children at Dacusville Elementary and does a wonderful job. She painted our welcome back rock this year. If interested you can contact her directly through the QR code linked below.

Spirit Rock was donated by

Dustin Brown @ Palmetto Upstate Group

If you have any questions you can reach us by emailing dacusvilledso@gmail.com

Thank You,

Dacusville Elementary DSO

We are looking for business partners or sponsors in our community who would be willing to help sponsor events or celebrations for teachers and/or students. If you own a business, lead a church, or know of someone who does that may be willing to be one of our business partners please complete this form or pass it to someone who might. We would love to be to partner with you!

DES Community Partners Form

Arrival -

Car rider doors open at 7:15 a.m. Breakfast is available and FREE to all again this year. Exterior doors to the school are closed at 7:57 a.m. and if there are no adults outside and the red stop sign is out, you must park, walk your child in the main office and sign them in.

Dismissal -

School ends at 2:30 p.m. and we will begin dismissal at that time. Please be patient the first week or so of school as many students and parents are new and learning these new procedures. Expect delays with bus drop off and pick-up also.

I have had several parents ask questions about school attendance. I am linking a page from our district's website that offers more explanations of various topics surrounding attendance including the law, regulations, and much more. I trust that every parent understands and supports the fact that students have to be at school in order for them to maximize their learning. We understand that sickness hits us all and that every time our kid is sick may not mean they have to go to the doctor. That is why each child can turn in up to 10 parent notes per year to be used as excused absences. If you have questions please let me know. Thanks!

ALL ABOUT ATTENDANCE

The School District of Pickens County has expanded its safety program to include the I Love U Guys Foundation’s "Standard Response Protocol" (SRP) to standardize how we communicate and respond to emergencies impacting our campuses and people.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) provides consistent, clear, and shared language and actions among all students, staff, and first responders that can be applied in any emergency. The SRP is used by schools and institutions across the nation, giving students, staff, parents, communities, and first responders a common language and course of action.

Through this approach, members of the campus community will utilize the five SRP actions to define their decisions when responding to an emergency situation.

These actions are:

• HOLD

• SECURE

• LOCKDOWN

• EVACUATE

• SHELTER

We invite you to read more about the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) on our website - www.pickens.k12.sc.us/page/standard-response-protocol

We realize that our main car line in the mornings is long. Here are a couple of ways that you can help us speed up our line.

• Please pull up to within 1-2 ft. of the person's bumper in front of you. If you are the first person in the next grouping of cars we ask that you pull past the crosswalk and all the way down to the white cone! - This change alone has allowed us to empty to car line by 7:57 each morning since we started. THANK YOU!

• Stopping traffic to allow a lot of folks to walk across the crosswalk slows down the car line. If you can stay in the car line instead of parking and walking over it will greatly help the line move faster.
• Please be sure your child has all of their things (book bag, lunchbox, etc.) ready to go as soon as you come to a stop.
• If you have a younger child or a child who doesn't want to get out of the car in the mornings please pull up to the white cone and someone will assist you in getting them out.

These 4 actions will help us tremendously. Thank you all for helping us ensure all students arrive on time and safely into the school building.

If you are picking up a PreK student, please remain in your car. Our staff will get your child inside the vehicle and then you may pull down to the stop sign labeled, "Buckle." to complete the car seat secure process. Also, if it is possible please have your child's car seat located behind the passenger seat for easy access in and out of the vehicle.

Also, please be sure to have your car tag displayed from your rear view mirror each day. Thank you for your assistance.

If you have been to DES before in the past to sign out your child for a doctor or dentist appointment you will remember signing our yellow cards. This year we have gone digital. Our sign-in / sign-out process is done by the parent scanning a QR code posted on the window facing the foyer and completing the Google Form on your phone. Please be sure to bring your phone as well as your Driver's License or photo ID in when you come to pick up your child or if you are dropping them off late.

This new 3 digit number was approved Thursday. This increases accessibility and reduces the stigma of utilizing mental health services.

• Allergies (if applicable)
• Transportation (How will your child get home in the afternoons?)
• Specific Needs (Do they have medication to take during the school day? Do they have any physical limitations? Other pertinent information)

Email: travischapman@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: http://des.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 200 Cherokee Trail, Easley, SC, USA
Phone: 864-397-2800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DacusvilleElementary

Instagram: dacusvilledolphins
Twitter: @DacusvilleElem

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dacusvilleelementaryschool7618