USC String Project

Instruction on violin, viola, cello and bass

Flyer with additional information

Thu., Sept. 5, 2019

6:30 p.m.

String Project Bldg.

851 Park Street

Columbia, SC 29208

Classes begin the week

of September 17.

Student Handbook Snippets - Birthday Celebrations & Non-School Related Parties

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AND NON-SCHOOL RELATED PARTIES

The way student birthdays and non-school related parties are celebrated at school has changed dramatically over the years.  Following the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Round Top made a decision not to allow parents and visitors to bring any snacks or other food-related “treats” for the class for birthday celebrations.  Instead, we suggest activities such as reading to a class, playing an organized game at recess, or providing a pencil for each student (or other similar suggestions).  This decision was not made lightly and was based in part on a number of important factors:  (1) food allergies, (2) individual student and family preferences for eating snacks/sweets, (3) the very broad interpretation of what constitutes a “healthy snack” and (4) the additional time required to “celebrate” during a limited lunchtime period.  

Additionally, no balloons, flowers, toys, or other gifts can be presented/given at school.  Please note that you can bring an outside meal or treat for your own child. Guidelines on non-school parties help to ensure that birthday and other celebration remain fun and do not inadvertently result in hurt feelings. With this in mind, parents are required to send part invitations directly to individual children’s homes rather than distributing them in school. An exception can be made to this policy when the entire class is invited.  

Student Handbook Snippets - Playground & Safety Procedures

Knowing our school and class procedures is the best way parents can help reinforce these expectations each day. New and returning students receive extensive training, practice, and review of procedures during the first two weeks of school. They are also provided reminders throughout the year on WING-TV announcements, within their classrooms, during bi-weekly grade level community meetings, and scheduled grade level meetings with Administrators after school holidays that last longer than a week (ie. Winter Break). Every adult at RTE is responsible for modeling our expectations of students, and every adult is expected to monitor and reinforce these expectations with every student in the building throughout every day of the school year. 

SAFETY DRILL Procedures

• Quickly and silently line up.  Help create synergy by using active listening and following procedures.
• Stay in a straight silent line following your class outside to your assigned area.
• If you are not with your class when the alarm sounds, find the closest adult and proceed outside with them.
• Remain silent until the all-clear signal is given to return to class.

PLAYGROUND Procedures

• During the school day, students may use the playground and its equipment only when supervised by a member of the Round Top faculty or staff.
• Protect the safety of others by leaving sticks, stones, and other forms of outdoor debris on the ground.
• At the conclusion of a recess period, students will line up in a safe, orderly manner in the appropriate area to re-enter the building.
• Avoid using the “overhead bars" and other playground structures including swings, slides, ropes, and climbing poles when wet conditions (rain or morning dew) create dangerously slick surfaces.
• Use the LIFESKILL of Common Sense and Habit 2 – Begin with the End in Mind on the playground and avoid practicing gymnastics, i.e. flips, somersaults, cartwheels on the playground or flipping and jumping from elevated equipment.
• Alert an adult if you witness a dangerous act by another student or have knowledge of an injured student.
• Faculty members on playground duty will carry the following items: walkie-talkie, whistle and gloves for attending to emergencies involving blood.
• Students or faculty members should not move severely injured students. The nurse will be notified in these instances to activate the school's Emergency Plan, if warranted.

Student Handbook Snippets - Daily Procedures/ Expectations for Behavior

Knowing our school and class procedures is the best way parents can help reinforce these expectations each day. New and returning students receive extensive training, practice, and review of procedures during the first two weeks of school. They are also provided reminders throughout the year on WING-TV announcements, within their classrooms, during bi-weekly grade level community meetings, and scheduled grade level meetings with Administrators after school holidays that last longer than a week (ie. Winter Break). Every adult at RTE is responsible for modeling our expectations of students, and every adult is expected to monitor and reinforce these expectations with every student in the building throughout every day of the school year.

CLASSROOM Procedures

• Use LIFELONG Guidelines, LIFESKILLS, and 7 Habits.
• Be a responsible, proactive learner by having your materials ready for each class including pencil, paper, books and homework.
• Outside deliveries of celebration items are not allowed; Birthday celebrations (see page 5 for more details) are scheduled during cafeteria time only.
• Individual party invitations must include 100% of your child’s class, or they may not be passed out at school.

HALLWAY Procedures

• Quietly walk in a straight, single file line.
• Face the back of the person’s head in front of you.
• Keep your hands by your side in the hallway without touching the walls.
• Always walk on the right side of the hallway.
• Walk to your destination using the LIFESKILLS of Integrity and Responsibility, as well as Habit 6 – Synergize (together is better).

Propeller Place café Procedures

• Enter Propeller Place Café quietly and go to your assigned table.
• If you are buying lunch, remember to get your napkin, eating utensils and milk as you go through the line.  If you are buying extra milk, purchase it at this time.  Be proactive and make sure you have everything you need.
• Teachers are unable to heat food for students without a medical need.
• Carbonated canned or bottled drinks are not allowed.
• Students should be silent while the ambient music is playing, but low talking is permitted when the music is off (5 minute intervals).
• Eat only what you bring from home, or what is on your tray, to avoid germs being spread by trading food with others.
• Use the LIFESKILL of Responsibility and clean up your area after you eat.  This creates a win-win situation for others as well as our custodians.
• At the end of your lunch, pick up all paper trash and put it into the trash barrel. All leftover food on your tray should then be dumped into the trash receptacle.  Milk cartons should be emptied into the proper receptacle and recycled.  Empty trays should be stacked on the counter.
• Silverware is put in the proper container and collected by a student before trays are emptied.
• Remember to separate all recyclable items.

RESTROOM Procedures

• If possible, avoid going to the restroom during direct instruction.
• Keep restroom areas clean and litter free.  This creates a win-win situation for everyone.
• Only two students (one boy and one girl) will be allowed to go to the restroom at any time from each class. 
• Only three students will be allowed in the restroom at one time when on a group restroom break with teacher supervision.
• Please wash your hands or use sanitizer after each bathroom break.
• Be responsible and turn water off after each use and flush toilets after each use.
• Begin with the end in mind – be quick, be clean, and be quiet while in the restroom.

Student Handbook Snippets - Breakfast/ Lunch Program & School Fees

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM 

Good nutrition is a vital part of your child's day and is one way we practice Habit 7 – Sharpen the Saw. Breakfast and lunch are both sold daily. Research proves that a hungry child cannot learn. Students are encouraged to eat full lunches or to make wise food choices in order to get a nutritious meal. Please refer to www.richland2.org for more information about monthly menus and fees.  Begin with the end in mind and make sure your child has access to nutritious meals daily.

                                                                SCHOOL FEES

Fees can be paid online through the ParentPortal.  If you prefer to pay your fees at RTE, we will gladly accept your check. Please include your full name, street address, phone number with area code, your child’s name, and your child’s homeroom teacher’s name on your check.

Student Handbook Snippets - School Counseling & Health Services

SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

Round Top Elementary offers a comprehensive, developmental school counseling program that has been recognized at the national level by the American School Counselor Association’s Recognized ASCA Model Program Award.  The school counseling program is implemented through classroom lessons that address state and national standards, small group counseling sessions, and individual counseling sessions.  Classroom lessons offered by the school counselor include, but are not limited to the following topics:  understanding and expressing feelings appropriately, self-esteem, LIFESKILLS and 7 Habits, manners, conflict resolution, anti-bullying,  decision-making, goal-setting, coping strategies, career awareness, personal body safety (good touch/bad touch), understanding and appreciating diversity, and basic social skills.

HEALTH SERVICES

The health of all students is a vital concern if children are to reach their maximum learning potential. The school's health program is designed to help students develop good health habits. The school is staffed with a registered nurse five days a week. The health room is staffed by school personnel who have been trained in CPR and First Aid by the American Red Cross, and functions under the supervision of the school nurse. The nurse coordinates the health program (i.e. vision and hearing screenings) and acts as a liaison between school personnel, community organizations and medical resources. If a child becomes sick at school, a parent will be contacted and will be responsible for taking the child home or to the doctor. It is extremely important that the school have on file the home and business telephone numbers of both parents and an emergency name and phone number in the event of an emergency situation.  Please be proactive and make sure we have your correct contact information to create a win-win situation for everyone.

Student Handbook Snippets - Parent Conferences & Grades

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

Regular conferences between parents and teachers provide an opportunity to discuss details about your child's school experience, which cannot always be conveyed through report card grades. Regular contact between the home and school will help each child see that parents and teachers care about their progress and success. Conferences may be requested by either the teacher or the parent, in order to share knowledge about the child and gain a better understanding of his/her needs and interests. Conferences provide a perfect opportunity for adults to use Habit 5 – Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood (listen before you talk).  

Please note:

• All conferences must be scheduled. Drop-in conferences or visits are not permitted, either before, during, or after school hours.
• Parents wishing to request a conference should contact their child’s teacher via email or telephone. 
• Always allow up to 48 hours (or two school days) for a response from any correspondence. If you need further assistance, you may also call the school at 691-8676.
• Parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled to avoid conflict with instructional time.

Check out this parent resource: "5 Keys to a Great Parent-Teacher Conference."

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Student grades and quarterly report cards can be accessed by logging in to Parent Portal, located on www.richland2.org. Parents of students in 2^nd through 5^th grades can monitor their child’s progress daily by registering for a Parent Portal account.  Student assessment, both formal and informal, is an on-going process. Interim reports will be accessible in the middle of each report period. Interims and report cards are printed only upon request. Check the RTE school calendar for dates report cards will be issued.

Student Handbook Snippets - Visitors and Volunteers

VISITORS TO Round Top

Safety is our #1 priority. RTE requires all visitors to sign in through our Lobby Guard system and receive a visitor tag before entering any other part of our building. Please understand that any visitor who is not appropriately identified will be viewed as a potential intruder. Our staff is required to redirect visitors back to the office if they are not properly identified with a visitor's badge. We appreciate your cooperation with this very important matter. We encourage and enjoy having our parents and other members of the community visit our school regularly.  When visitors follow our safety procedures and guidelines, a win-win situation is created for everyone.

CLASSROOM VISITS

While we encourage parents to visit and volunteer often, RTE does have procedures in place for parent and family visitors. Here are some frequently asked questions:

·    Is it OK to visit my child’s classroom? Well, yes and no.  While we welcome visitors to RTE, it is always best if you plan your visits around your child’s lunch time. As unobtrusive as you mean to be while in the classroom, even just being in the room can be a distraction for some of the other children, altering the dynamic of learning in the classroom.  Please be proactive and plan your visit ahead of time.  Alert your child’s teacher and the main office.

·    But I really want to see my child in action!  We understand that it is fun and exciting to watch your student learn each day! If you choose to visit, your observation will be limited to 20-30 minutes. Please remember that your role as observer is “fly on the wall” status and not an active participant in the classroom. To speak with the teacher, you will need to schedule a follow up appointment at another time. 

·   What if I want to volunteer in the classroom? Wonderful! Please schedule this prior to your arrival with your child’s teacher. This way he/she can have materials and instructions planned for you. This way, both your time and their time is maximized and utilized fully – a win-win for everyone!

·   Can I take photographs and/or record video while in the classroom?  In order to preserve the special dynamic that exists in classrooms and also to protect the confidentiality of all students, we do not allow parents and/or visitors to take photographs or record video while in a classroom without prior permission from an administrator.

VOLUNTEERS MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Parents are encouraged to become actively involved in their children's education. If you would like to volunteer, please go to the Richland 2 website and follow this path: Explore / I’m a Richland 2 Student or Parent / Volunteer Services (read the information provided) and then click the button that accesses the Secure Volunteer Site. In order to have a safe school, all volunteers must sign in through the office using our Lobby Guard system and wear a volunteer sticker. There is a SLED check form completed on each individual signing up as a volunteer.  Keep in mind that some of your volunteer time may be needed in areas other than your child's classroom. Always remember to record your volunteer hours with the main office as these hours are reported annually to the South Carolina State Department of Education.

Student Handbook Snippets - Before & After School Care w/ Boys & Girls Club

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB BEFORE/AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM

The Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands program is available from 7:00 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. Monday – Friday, beginning the first day of school, August 21st.  Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club Program provides after school child care from school dismissal until 6:30 p.m. The After School Program provides nutritious snacks and an enhanced program filled with fun and purposeful age-appropriate activities. After completing their homework, participants will choose from many fun programs including sports, cultural enrichment, educational enhancement, and leadership development. If you are interested in the After School Program, applications and other information is available in the office or online at www.bgcmidlands.org.  Meet our campus BGC Director and register your child at our Meet and Greet on August 15th from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Student Handbook Snippets - Home-School Communication

HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

It is the parent's responsibility to inform the school of any changes in phone numbers or parent information. This must be done by completing a new Student Information Form and submitting it to the front office. Changes cannot be made over the phone or via email as we cannot verify this information is coming from the parent/ guardian. This procedure will help us to keep your child safe and secure! Student Information Forms may be picked up in the office at any time you need to make a change.  Be proactive and let us know when your contact information changes.

Faculty Summer Scrapbook - Mrs. Pendarvis

Meet Mrs. Pendarvis (4th Grade Teacher)
Mrs. Pendarvis' summer included a girls' trip to Las Vegas with her sister & cousins, meeting a wonderful Gullah folk artist during a week of professional development at Penn Center, spending time with nieces in Birmingham, and a family trip to Myrtle Beach, where she, her husband, Tyrone, daughter, Aniya, and son, Jordyn, got in some rounds of mini-golf. 

Student Handbook Snippets - Car & Bus Transportation

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION

Changes in transportation (i.e. how your child is going home in the afternoon) can only be accepted by handwritten note. Leaving a voicemail message or emailing a message to any teacher/ employee is not an option. 

CHILDREN TRANSPORTED TO SCHOOL BY CAR

Each school day many children are transported to and from school by car. RTE’s most important concern is the safety of all children. To ensure safe and smooth movement of traffic while on campus, begin with the end in mind by following these guidelines:   

Morning

·     Children should not be dropped off at school prior to 7:30 a.m. unless enrolled in the Early Bird (Boys & Girls Club) Program. 

·     Observe the speed limit on campus (10 mph) and follow the blue line closest to the curb.

·     Pull forward as far as possible in the right lane before dropping off a child, to allow other vehicles room to do the same.

·    Remind children to exit your car only along the sidewalk/passenger side of your vehicle.

Afternoon

·      Have child’s name and grade visible on dashboard.

·     Pull forward as far as possible in the right lane before picking up a child, to allow other vehicles room to do the same.

·     Do not leave your car parked in the lane along the sidewalk.

·     Do not leave your car to look for your child in the pick-up area. Your child will identify your car at the car rider area and will be allowed to enter your car when it is safely stopped.

·     Remind your child to enter only along the sidewalk/passenger side of your vehicle.

Reminders

·     Students will not be allowed to cross the parking lot unless at the crosswalk.

·     Please remember to be courteous.  Do not cut in front of others or drive in an unsafe manner.

·    If you must come into the building, park in the designated visitor area, come into the office, sign in and receive a visitor badge to enter the building.

·    Use the sidewalks and designated crosswalks at all times when coming into the school and when departing from the school.

·        Follow the directions of the traffic officer on Rimer Pond Road.

·        It is a violation of state regulation for cars to enter a designated bus loading area.

·        Students cannot be dropped off or picked up by a car in the bus loading area.

Please be advised that supervision for students is not provided prior to 7:30 a.m. or after 3:20 p.m. (unless enrolled in the Boys & Girls Club Early Bird/After School Programs). Children not picked up by 3:20 p.m. will be escorted to the Boys & Girls Club where a daily fee will be charged. Thank you for following these important guidelines in order to insure the safety of all children.

BUS TRANSPORTATION

If a child misses the bus, it becomes the responsibility of the parent to bring the child to school. If you have questions about bus transportation, you can call your local supporting transportation office giving the bus number, location and time:  Killian Hub at 803-699-2892 or Special Services Hub at 803-736-3774

Student Handbook Snippets - School Hours, Attendance, & Dismissal

SCHOOL HOURS

Instruction begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:50 p.m.  The tardy bell rings at 8:10 a.m. The parent or guardian of any student who arrives after 8:10 a.m. must come inside the main office with their child and sign them in. Students entering the classroom at 8:10 a.m. will be marked tardy and sent back to the main office for a late pass. There is no other adult supervision prior to 7:30 a.m. other than the Boys and Girls Club Program which is fee-based.  Students may not enter the building until the 7:30 a.m. bell rings.  Students who need adult supervision prior to 7:30 a.m. must enroll and attend the Early Bird Program, supervised by the Boys and Girls Club.  Be proactive each morning and make sure your child arrives to school on time!

 

ATTENDANCE / TARDIES

Children cannot complete required classwork successfully if their attendance is irregular, including absences, tardies, and early dismissals. A child should be in school every day that s/he is physically able to attend. An absence, tardy, or early dismissal could mean that the child will miss the introduction or development of necessary curriculum skills. When your child is absent, you must provide documentation with him/her the day s/he returns to school explaining the reason for the absence. It is imperative for academic growth that your child is actively involved in classes from 8:00 a.m. until 2:50 p.m. We are required by law to monitor student attendance. RTE will communicate with parents as students accumulate absences and tardies.

Student Absence Procedures

1. Provide your teacher with a note from your parent or doctor stating you were absent. Be proactive and provide this as soon as possible.
2. Check with your teacher(s) for assignments you missed and need to make up and follow their procedures/timelines for turning in missed work.

EARLY DISMISSAL OF CHILDREN

Teaching and learning continues until dismissal at 2:50 p.m. It is a procedure of all Richland 2 elementary schools not to permit early dismissal of students after 2:15 p.m. Each school day is important and we encourage you not to schedule appointments during school hours. However, we know this is sometimes unavoidable; please review classroom newsletters and the school blog for critically important dates like standardized testing to avoid interruptions on these days. If a child is sick and needs to leave school early, or a parent wishes to pick up the child during the day, an authorized adult must come to the office to properly sign the child out of school. When it is necessary for someone else to pick up a child, written authorization from the parent is required.  *Please note: The school reserves the right to require proper identification when a child is signed out.

Faculty Summer Scrapbook - Mrs. Dennis

Meet Mrs. Dennis (Teaching Assistant/ Interventions)

Mrs. Dennis' family traveled a lot this summer. They spent time in Myrtle Beach and went to see the Battleship North Carolina on her birthday. They also took a long vacation in Florida to visit family. They finished up their summer vacation in Atlanta with a family reunion!

Student Handbook Snippets - AVID Elementary

AVID Elementary at RTE

AVID stands for Advancement via Individual Determination. At RTE, we teach our Kindergarten through 5th grade students that no matter where they are in their educational journey, they can make progress based on their personal best effort. This is what we call "growth mindset."  AVID Elementary is an evidence-based program that teaches students strategies, that (if used consistently) can help them to develop habits that will support their school success.

Key components of the AVID Elementary program implementation at RTE includes:

• Student Success Skills – encompassing communication skills (e.g. listening, speaking, writing), self-advocacy skills, and study skills.
• Organizational Skills – both mental and physical; students are given organizational tools, as well as time management, goal-setting, and note-taking strategies.
• WICOR Lessons and L-WICOR Lessons – emphasize instruction on writing to learn, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading to learn in all content areas.
• Partnerships – among students, classrooms, grade levels, schools, feeder patterns, families and communities.

Faculty Summer Scrapbook - Mrs. Schanke

Meet Mrs. Schanke (Psychologist)

Mrs. Schanke's family visited NYC for the first time where they visited Coney Island. They also took a trip to Washington DC, traveled home to Illinois to visit family & friends, and made a few beach trips!

Student Handbook Snippets - Parent Involvement w/ PTO and SIC

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL

The School Improvement Council (SIC) is the liaison between the school and community. Its purpose is to gather community input and assist in school improvement. The Round Top SIC consists of:  

1) Four parents of students in the school, elected by the parents of the students enrolled in the school; 2) Three teachers; 3) and Three representatives appointed by the principal. In addition, the previous SIC Chairperson, Principal, Assistant Principals, and PTO President become ex-officio members. The school, home and community must cooperate to provide an environment that supports the optimal physical, emotional, social and academic development of each student at Round Top Elementary. Elections for the current school year will be held in September. 

                                                                PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

The PTO seeks to promote the welfare of children in the home, school and community.  By building a relationship between the home and school, the Round Top Elementary PTO encourages parents/guardians and teachers to collaborate in educating every child.  Any parent or guardian with a child attending RTE, teachers, and staff are automatically members of PTO. We encourage all parents to take an active role in the PTO and welcome all volunteer efforts. If you are interested in volunteering or helping with a particular event/activity, please forward your name and number to the PTO. There is a SLED check form completed on each individual signing up as a volunteer.  Email rtepto@gmail.com or call 803-691-8676 ext. 3026. Please join our PTO and support our school efforts!

Meet our PTO and SIC members at our Meet & Greet on August 15th!

Faculty Summer Scrapbook - Mrs. Bonds

Meet Mrs. Bonds (Child Development Teacher)
Mrs. Bonds enjoyed sunbathing in Hilton Head, North Myrtle beach, and at the pool with her husband James and her daughter Charlee.

Parent Portal Accounts & Registration

Parent Portal Accounts

Parent Portal accounts are created for students/ families when they enroll in any Richland 2 school, and these accounts remain active until they move or graduate. Parent Portal allows parents to complete annual registration, pay school/ lunch fees, access class schedules, and view grades as often as needed.

New parents will receive an email from our school registrar (Shirley Mastromichalis) with the Parent Portal account username and password by Friday, August 9th at 5 PM.

Returning parents should login to Parent Portal to complete required annual registration and view homeroom assignments by Wednesday, August 14th.

TIPS: You can set up email notifications to send you weekly progress reports via email AND you can download the Parent Portal app onto your Apple or Android smart phone!

Registration

Returning students are required to complete annual registration, located on your student's Parent Portal account. Once logged in, scroll down and click "Annual Registration Update and Verification" in the toolbar on the left side of the page. After completing the information update, you will be asked to click "Submit" two different times. You have successfully completed annual registration if you see "Submission Confirmation" when you login and click this link pictured to the right.

All students need to submit Proof of Residence after completing initial or annual registration. New students need to provide 3  Proofs of Residence; returning students need to provide 1 Proof of Residence.

Please bring/ send the following original documents to the front office:

• Cable bill
• Water/ Sewage Bill
• Electric Bill
• Settlement statement for a house closing (2 utility bills need to be provided within 30 days)

To ensure a smooth start to the new school year, please complete these tasks by Monday, August 12th.  Thank you!

Student Handbook Snippets - The Leader in Me at RTE

THE LEADER IN ME – 7 HABITS

RTE’s faculty and staff are certified in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and have participated in professional development to explore the philosophy and framework of the 7 Habits.  We believe that by demonstrating these habits in our personal and professional lives, students will observe, learn and emulate these skills themselves. Over time, this process will teach students specific leadership skills that will help them create their own future successes in school and life.  

The organization of the 7 Habits and overlying theme are: