Week in Pictures August 18, 2009
On Friday, August 14, Memminger School of Global Studies held a Welcome Back-to-School picnic. This event, sponsored by the School Improvement Council (SIC), was a wonderful way for students and families to meet their teachers and classmates and to obtain information on the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), volunteering at the school, bus routes, lunch, and other topics. Everyone also enjoyed delicious barbeque donated by Jim and Nick’s BBQ.
For the third consecutive school year, the Student Improvement Council (SIC) at Charles Pinckney Elementary has adopted the Teacher Supply Closet as one of their community outreach projects, and the school's students have organized the "Pinckney Provides Pencils Program." Through the program, Pinckney students have learned the importance of giving back to the community, and thousands of pencils have been donated to the Teacher Supply Closet. This non-profit organization provides supplies to teachers at high-poverty schools to ensure that students can focus on learning, and it currently supports 21 schools and approximately 300 teachers working with 6,000 students.
A steady stream of parents and students visited Fact Finding Friday held on August 14 at Hursey Elementary, and approximately 130 families attended the school's Montessori Orientation on August 12. Families participated in countless opportunities to get involved at the school and in their children's education. They were able to join the PTA, meet their children's teachers, sign up for the Hursey Hope Worldwide Extended Day Program, talk with Charleston Family Services of Charleston on financial literacy, discuss immunizations with the school nurse, check out books from the media center, and shop for used uniforms.
As an effort to strengthen parent and teacher communication, the faculty of Dunston Primary went door-to-door to welcome students to a new school year. Each family received a special gift bag that included popcorn (to reflect that the staff is "bursting" with excitement about the new year school year), an Almond Joy (to symbolize how each family is a joy to have at the school), a paper clip (to remind families that together families and schools make learning possible) and a mint (because every task big and small needs everyone’s commit-“mint”). Janice Malone, principal of Dunston Primary explains, “This is our way of reaching out in order to build a level of trust that will propel the entire community to higher heights of learning and working together. It was truly a wonderful experience!”
Students and parents came out to Meet the Teacher Night at Edith L. Frierson Elementary on Wadmalaw Island Thursday, August 13. This festive evening allowed the school's students and parents to meet and visit with their new teachers for the school year. Teachers introduced themselves, handed out snacks, and discussed their expectations. The opportunity was a great way for students, families, and staff members to prepare for great success throughout the school year.
The students at James Island Elementary School (JIES) are off to a great school year in part due to the school's stellar media team. The "Good morning, JIES!" morning news team is a tremendously talented group of students that starts each school day and keeps their classmates well-informed and up-to-date about events inside the school and in the community. On Tuesday, August 18, the team helped ensure that their fellow students felt prepared and welcomed for the first day of school by introducing the new interim principal, as well as establishing rituals and routines.