July 15, 2022

Dear ECMCS Parents, 

In a little over a month, we will be ready and waiting to welcome your children to the 2022-23 school year.  Please take a moment to read our back-to-school news, so that you have the most up-to-date information about starting the year. 

Parents, it's up to you!

To ensure that you and your children are prepared for the first week of school, please carefully review the enclosed information. It is critical that each family, new and returning, familiarize yourselves with the Family Handbook and Code of Conduct. For specific Dress Code questions, please refer to our handbook, page 14. 

Parents can click on each heading below to directly link to the form that is due.  Forms are also available on our website under the For Parents menu. All forms and fees are due by Friday, July 29th. As always, please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jody Swanigan, Principal            

Lisa Klus, Montessori Instructional Coach & Administrator 

Enjoy the rest of your summer!  

PS: We have started an archive of past Office Notes emails on our website. You can see the July 1st Office Notes there.

• New Powerschool Registration!
• FORMS
• Summer Reading Assignments
• FORMS and FEES are Back with a Click or a Knock!
• Meet and Greet Is Back!
•  
• Overnight Trip Deposits 
• Technology Updates
• Student Absences Change
• Fees
• Important Dates
• Arrival and Dismissal
• On Time Arrival vs. Tardy
•  Morning Drop-Off
• Afternoon Dismissal
• PikMyKid
• Lunch Choices
•  Sport Opportunities
• After School 

New Powerschool Registration!

*** Students WILL NOT be permitted to start school without registration completed which includes medical information no later than August 8th. Any parents who need help should contact Ms. Lori at lori@montessoricharterschool.com or 843-216-2883 for assistance. The computer lab will be available for you to use during Forms and Fees  if you need help with registration. 
 

• Returning Students in grades K-8 can access the registration system here ccsdschools.com/2022registration
• Newly accepted students and returning students in grades 3K and 4K can access the registration system through an email sent by CCSD with a “snapcode”. Please search your email for the term “snapcode”. 
• Registration requires a browser. You CANNOT complete registration using a cell phone.
• Ms. Lori will be out of the office until the week of July 25th. You can contact registration@charleston.k12.sc.us with general questions until she returns.

Items to gather for registration:

Registration Document Informationlick here to see information regarding Residency Documents

FORMS

Policies Agreement Form - must be filled out for each family (you do not need to complete one per student, just one per family please).

Dismissal Plan - must be filled out for each family. 

Summer Reading Assignments

Remember Summer Reading Assignments! Information is available on our website.

FORMS and FEES are Back with a Click or a Knock!

What do I have to do to make sure my kids are ready for school? Forms and fees have been revamped to meet your needs. You can come in person or if you are traveling, it can be done virtually with or without assistance. Not only will you and your child be able to see your child’s classroom spaces, connect with old friends while meeting new ones,  you will also be able to get information about curriculum, technology, overnight trips, and volunteer opportunities. You will also have access to technology and a help desk to complete the new registration process if you were unable to complete the process at home.

Please feel free to stop in to pay your fees and ask any questions that you may have. If you are not able to come to school in-person to pay fees, you are welcome to pay online: 

Click Here to Pay Fees

Meet and Greet Is Back!

We are excited to welcome parents and students in for a meet and greet on Tuesday, August 16th from 1:30 - 3:00 PM. The computer lab will be available to complete registration which is required before starting school on August 17th for 4K and older. 3K students will start school on Monday, August 22nd.

We are transitioning to a new dismissal program called PikMyKid. ALL families will be getting a NEW dismissal number and tag. In addition to meeting teachers, staff and classmates, Meet and Greet is an ideal time to pick up your new tag and learn about our new dismissal system. For those who can’t pick up their car tag on August 16th, they will be available in your child’s locker or cubby on the first day of school. Informational videos will also be available about Pik My Kid.
 

Overnight Trip Deposits 

Below is a breakdown of the trips we have planned so far for each level.  More details about these trips will be shared in early August.  Families who qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch are eligible for free or reduced school trips. You must apply here.

Lower Elementary - Back by popular demand! Camp St. Christopher/Barrier Island Program - October 5-7th, 2022

Students will learn about life in the estuary, ponds, marsh and wetlands as they touch, discover and learn about birds, marine life, wetlands, adaptations and all things nature.  They will also play outdoor cooperative games, sing campfire songs, and camp overnight. 

A $100 deposit is due by September 9th. You can pay this fee on our website under the “School Store” tab, linked here. 

Upper Elementary - Camp Green River Preserve - the UE trip to GRP is confirmed for October 5-7th, 2022. Green River Preserve is a private wildlife preserve located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. 

A $100 deposit is due by September 9th. You can pay this fee on our website under the “School Store” tab, linked here. 

Middle School (6th-8th) 

Fall, 2022

Our Middle Schoolers will begin the year with an Odyssey trip.  The Odyssey trip for the adolescent is a time to build community and tackle adventure.  MS students will be spending a few days and one overnight at Nature’s Adventures in McClellanville.  Their adventures will consist of kayaking, a scavenger hunt, camping, bonfire and various activities involving team building!

http://www.natureadventureoutfitters.com/

A $100 deposit is due by August 5th. You can pay this fee on our website under the “School Store” tab, linked here. Final payment will be due on August 19th. More details will be sent in upcoming office notes. 

Spring, 2023: MMUN 

We have decided to move our Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) work back to 6th grade.  This year will be a transition year, so MMUN curriculum and work will be offered to both 6th and 7th grade students for the 2022-2023 school year. 

MMUN Video 

6th Grade - Montessori Model United Nations: March 15-18, 2023

7th Grade - Montessori Model United Nations: February 15-18, 2023 

A parent information zoom will be held early August. We will discuss the curriculum leading up to the conference, details of the trip, overall cost, etc. Details about that parent Zoom will be shared in our Office Notes, sent directly to your email address(es) on file.

Each family is expected to bring in a $500 business sponsorship to offset the student cost for the trip. Non-refundable $250 deposit is due by Sept. 2nd.  You can pay this fee on our website under the “School Store” tab, linked here. 

http://montessori-mun.org 

Technology Updates

All students in grades 1st-8th will be issued a school-owned device. See the Technology Acceptable Use Policy of the Family Handbook and Code of Conduct. Students may bring cell phones or smartwatches to/from school; however, they must be stowed in the silent or off position and placed in a teacher designated area. Students are not permitted to use personal communication devices on school property unless pre-authorized by their teacher. Lastly, student digital content subscriptions such as iReady, Dreambox, Seesaw and Canvas will still be in use and utilized for additional practice for homework in lieu of specific homework assignments or workbooks. 

Student Absences Change

ECMCS now proudly serves approximately 435 students! When students are absent, parents MUST fill out the Attendance Reporting form which is available on the homepage of the website or the button at the bottom of most staff emails.  A doctor’s note is preferred if your child has an appointment and can be uploaded directly to the Attendance Form. Please do not email the teacher only as the front office has to officially record lawful and unlawful absences. 

Fees

Registration Fee - $45 (all students)

Registration fees are used for consumable materials such as personalized student dictionaries, educational magazines, science equipment, art supplies, supplemental reading materials, class reference books, math manipulatives, etc.

School Supply Bulk Order - $50 (all students)

Additionally, in order to simplify and reduce the cost of school supplies for parents, we are once again ordering supplies in bulk resulting in a cost of $50.00 per child. In our research, parents usually spend approximately $80-$100 per child so we hope parents are excited about the savings and not traveling to multiple stores to get everything on the list. Backpacks should NOT have wheels and should fit in a cubby 10.5" wide x 12.5" deep x 20" high.

6th grade students should purchase the following supplies:

• Pencil pouch
• Earbuds

7th and 8th grade students should purchase the following supplies:

• Sturdy 3-inch binder (can be clear-vue, solid, or decorative)
• Planner/Calendar of student choice
• Earbuds
• Pencil pouch

 Technology Fee - $30 (students in K - 8th grades)

This fee covers instructional software and programs that students can use at school, and in many cases at home and a device surcharge. Information regarding specific learning programs that students will have access to for home and school will be shared at Back to School Parent Information Night. 

Primary Fee - $30 (Primary students - ages 3-4)

This fee covers our preschool practical life consumable activities, including food preparation works, flower arranging works, consumable sensory works, art materials, etc. 

If you qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and are unable to pay the registration fee, please contact Billy Koll (billy@montessoricharterschool.com) in the business office.

Fees can be paid on the School Store.

A Note about Free and Reduced Meals and Fees

This coming school year funding will not be available to offer ALL students ALL meals FREE of  Cost. If you think your family may qualify for free or reduced meals, we encourage you to apply for free and reduced meals. Other benefits include free or reduced prices for field trips, school pictures, registration fees, after school fees, and items offered by middle school businesses.

Important Dates

We have created a calendar of 2022-23 event dates for next school year.  We will be updating this document as more events are added throughout the year. 

Arrival and Dismissal

On Time Arrival vs. Tardy

School begins at 8:00 am. School-aged students can arrive as early as 7:30 am and should be inside the building by 7:55 am. Any student arriving through the front door at 8:00am or later will be tardy.  Students arriving at 8:00 am or after must be escorted by a parent to the front office (Rifle Range Rd entrance) to sign in.  Complete “Attendance and Tardy” information is located in the Family Handbook/Student Code of Conduct.

 Morning Drop-Off

A detailed drop-off and pick-up map can be found in the Family Handbook/ Code of Conduct linked in this Summer Mailing. Parents may drop off at the roundabout facing Rifle Range Road -OR- the school entrance facing Myrick Road.  Either location can be utilized for morning arrival.  To expedite the flow of traffic, parents may only make a RIGHT HAND TURN when exiting back onto Rifle Range Rd when exiting the morning drop-off circle.

A staff member will be in the carpool line to greet families from 7:30-8:00. If a staff member isn’t there, walk your child into the office at Rifle Range Rd. Should you need to enter the school, please park in the designated parking lots (not in the carpool lane).

Afternoon Dismissal

Provided that our driveway construction is complete by the first day of school, we will follow the procedures below.  Updated information on this project will be shared with you in our Office Notes before school starts. 

School ends at 3:00. Carpool will begin at 2:55 and end promptly at 3:15. 

NEW! All families except primary will enter the carline from the Myrick Road’s new entrance and follow the traffic around the school property. Primary students and siblings will be picked up on Rifle Range Road entering and exiting from the Rifle Range loop.

Myrick carpool pick-up families will enter the carline from Chuck Dawley turning into the entrance. Right turns into the new entrance coming from Rifle Range Rd cannot be permitted during carpool dismissal. 

When exiting afternoon dismissal, families must turn RIGHT onto Myrick Road heading back towards Chuck Dawley Blvd. Making a left hand turn out of the carpool lane onto Myrick Road heading towards Rifle Range Rd is not permitted.

Note:  Students may not be checked out of the front office past 2:30 as dismissal preparations are already underway. If a student needs to be checked out for an appointment you must arrive at the school before 2:30 or wait in the office until the Pik My Kid dismissal process is completed. 

Please be a courteous carpool driver and do not block driveways or pull over into the grass of our neighbors.  Note: Do not arrive for afternoon pick up before 2:50 PM. Dismissal, the first week of school, is always bumpy as we have new families joining us and learning the system. Please be patient. We are always superstars by the 2nd week of school and it is smooth sailing from then on out.

PikMyKid

As a reminder, we are transitioning to a new dismissal program called Pik My Kid. ALL families will need a NEW dismissal number and tag. Dismissal tags from past years will no longer work with the new system.

 Sport Opportunities

New sports teams are also forming at ECMCS!  Joining a sports team can be an enriching and rewarding experience for children of all ages and we are absolutely thrilled to share some upcoming opportunities this coming school year. We will offer volleyball and basketball in the fall. Golf, tennis, and baseball are in the spring. Sports programs rely on parent support through coaching and volunteerism to be successful. Each team we put together will require two parent volunteers.  The more volunteers we have, the more opportunities our students will have to compete. Click this link for additional information. 

We need parent coaches/assistant coaches in the following areas:  

• Basketball (Upper El and Middle school)
• Tennis (all levels)
• Baseball (Middle School)
• Volleyball (Middle School)

Fill out the Volunteer form if you are interested in being a volunteer coach. Contact Coach Laughton for more information. laughton@montessoricharterschool.com

More details will follow once the school year begins. 

After School 

Great News: We have extended the AfterSchool Care until 5:30 Monday-Friday.  Please note: AfterSchool Care is not provided on Early Dismissal Days.

Please fill out the AfterSchool Form in the Forms section to let us know your intention for using the program. In addition to guiding our staffing needs, new families will be contacted by Rebecca Hyatt, AfterSchool Coordinator, to set up an account with our AS payment system. More information about AS is available on the AfterSchool tab on the website.

We offer a wonderful array of AfterSchool enrichments by a combination of vendors and teachers. The enrichment opportunities (afterschool and on school campus) and registration information is located on our website. Opportunities include NEW theater program through Charleston Academy of Musical Theater, Yoga & Mindfulness, Youth Choir, etc… 

Please note that some programs are available per semester (18 weeks) or per quarter (9 weeks). However, some programs may fall on holidays or other school closings and that is taken into consideration when planning the class.  Therefore, there may or may not be 18 sessions in a semester or 9 sessions in the quarter. Parents enroll in Enrichments on the ECMCS “Afterschool Tab” of the website once they are available prior to the first week of school. Sample enrichment classes may include Theater, Robotics, Archery, Science, etc. Other opportunities may become available and parents will be notified through school-wide Office Notes.

AfterSchool Staff

Rebecca Hyatt, AfterSchool Coordinator

With over ten years of combined teaching experience from diverse schools, Ms. Rebecca brings her knowledge and passion for Montessori education to ECMCS. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Ms. Rebecca began her teaching journey as an assistant teacher at a Montessori school in her home city of Rock Hill, South Carolina. Following her passion for travel and education, Ms. Rebecca taught as a Montessori Primary lead teacher in Fort Collins, Colorado, was an ESL teacher in South Korea, and taught as a primary years program co-teacher at an International Baccalaureate school in the financial district of New York City. Ms. Rebecca obtained her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Center of Minnesota (2018) and a Master of Arts in Education from St. Catherine University (2019). Since moving to Charleston, Ms. Rebecca was a lead primary teacher at Charles Towne Montessori and was a lead primary teacher at Hursey Montessori School in Park Circle. Rebecca is a crochet artist who loves all things crafty. She enjoys riding her bike downtown, traveling, and spending time outdoors. 

Courtney Duffy, AfterSchool Teacher & Staff Substitute

Courtney comes to East Cooper with a variety of experience as a camp counselor, preschool teacher, and various work in the service industry.  She obtained two Bachelor's degrees, from the University of South Carolina and Temple University, in Biology & Psychology and Public Health. We are excited for Courtney to join our staff!