Ware Shoals Primary School

Here is our revised schedule, approved by Region I Class A. The first varsity home game will be Monday, October 12th. All tickets sold for the Whitmire game are still valid. There will be no refunds. Homecoming and Senior Night are tentatively planned for the second home game vs McCormick on October 23rd.

2020 CENSUS...only 14 days remain! The census impacts schools, educators, students, and families for the next 10 years. We're below our 2010 response rate, which could decrease funding for schools for the next ten years. It only takes 10 minutes...please be counted! Help us share this message, too. https://my2020census.gov/

D51 Bus Station Ribbon Cutting Today bus drivers moved to their new "home" at 42 Sparks Avenue. This property has been used for storage for several years, but a portion of it has been renovated as the D51 Bus Station. This space provides the facility needs for sanitizing buses each day - power, water, and storage space. We appreciate our drivers and all they will be doing to keep our students safe. "The Wheels on the Bus" will go "'round and 'round" beginning Monday, as students return to school on the A/B schedule. Purple Hornets attend Monday (Group A) and Gold Hornets attend Tuesday (Group B). Pictured, from left: Mr. Wooten, Rev. Davis, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Story, Ms. Wells, Dr. Sprouse, Ms. Wagner, Ms. Hellams, and Ms. Thomas.

Be sure to take a look at the resources here on our website. Under the COVID-19 link, found on the district website's banner, you'll find Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and the Hotspots/Internet Connections, the DHEC Exclusion List, Quick Facts, and many others. The A/B Calendar is found under the Reopen 2020 link, showing the Purple Hornet and Gold Hornet days. If you have any questions, reach out to us. We're happy to help!

WSSD 51 has been approved to provide FREE MEALS to ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community. Children do not have to be enrolled in WSSD 51 to be eligible. All Distance Learning students and children not enrolled in our district must sign up (use link below) to receive the free meals for pick-up Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 am – 11:00 am. SIGN UP TODAY OR TOMORROW by 3:00PM to ensure meals for next week. Sign up is required each week for all meal requests and will begin after 3:00 pm each Thursday and end the following Tuesday at 3:00 pm. Sign up here for next week's meals: https://rb.gy/6voqf4

Elearning and Distance learning meals will be ready for pickup and delivery starting Thursday August 27th. Bus delivery meals will go out from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm at the Ware Shoals High School. Beginning Monday, August 31st, we will start our meal pickup and delivery of meals on Mondays and Wednesdays while elearning and distance learning programs are in progress. Please contact our Food Services Supervisor with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

WSSD51 E-Learning/Distance pick up & delivery meal plan REMINDER: After 3 pm today, all requests need to be completed for breakfast and lunch meals for enrolled students of WSSD 51 to receive meals for the week of Aug 31st to Sept 8th. This plan requires families to sign up prior to the Thursday of each week at 3:00 pm. Please sign up using the link below. Please read the form carefully for more detailed information. Thank you! https://rb.gy/6voqf4

WSSD 51 has implemented a meal plan for students to participate in pick up/delivery of breakfast & lunch during eLearning or Distance learning. This plan requires families to sign up in advance using the form in the link below. Sign up now! https://rb.gy/6voqf4

At the board meeting yesterday, our regional DHEC Director, Dr. Kandi Fredere, presented the weekly COVID-19 data report from 8-10-2020. (These reports are released each Monday.) All counties of SC are still “HIGH RISK” based on the Incidence Rate, Trend in Incidence Rate, and Percent Positive. Our Reopening Plan, approved by the State Superintendent and our School Board, follows the AccelerateED Task Force recommendations. After Dr. Fredere presented the data, our board affirmed its previous decision to begin the year with the Hybrid: eLearning instructional plan, based on the HIGH RISK rating for our area. As we continue to assess the conditions, we will decide when we can transition to the A/B model, then on to the Traditional. Our ultimate goal is to have all under one roof, being educated by our terrific teachers, but right now we are committed to providing high quality instruction virtually, engaging students in learning each day. LEAP days for students in 5K-8th grade will still be August 17-21, but students will be scheduled to come meet with their teacher individually. Teachers will set up parent/teacher/student conference times to prepare them for eLearning days and to do some assessments. 4K orientation plans will be shared with parents by Principal Morrison.

Registration for school begins tomorrow, the 11th, from 2-7 at each of our schools. Please remember to bring your child so that we may issue his/her laptop or iPAD for instruction this year. The technology and agenda fee is $30. If you cannot make it tomorrow, registration will also be held Wednesday, the 12th, from 7:30 until 12:30. ALL students must register in person at school, including those who are in the Distance Learning Academy and those who have pre-registered online so that we may issue technology devices. THANKS!

We are busy preparing for the reopening of school. You’ve had to consider whether your child will return to school on a hybrid schedule or participate in virtual learning. The hybrid model is an A day / B day schedule. If the COVID statistics are favorable for a safe return, students will have face-to-face instruction 2 or 3 days a week. If not, students will eLearn under the direction of their teachers. Our goal is to get students back to school 5 days a week as soon as possible, and we hope the virus will subside soon so we can do that. If you want your child in the Distance Learning Academy, the all-virtual option, the deadline to enroll is today. If you need additional information, please check our district website, and give us a call if you have any questions. Cleaning equipment and supplies are arriving weekly, and we’re rearranging classrooms for social distancing. All staff will receive training on our new district cleaning protocols. Our School Board meets today to approve final reopening details including a new start date, We will share the details Friday. We will release more updates in the coming days. Please understand that all plans are subject to change as we ensure the safety of our students. Thanks for your patience, your support, and for choosing our district. We will achieve our goal….DESTINATION GRADUATION…for the class of 2021 and all those to follow!

VACANCIES: We are in need of Special Education (SPED) instructional assistants at Ware Shoals Primary. SPED programs are structured to meet the unique needs of students. Experience in Applied Behavior Analysis is preferred. An application and interview is required. Please contact Jason Morrison, Principal, if interested. 864-456-7496, Extension 4300.

Yesterday, the school board approved a flexible Hybrid Model for reopening school. This model will allow the district to make adjustments to instructional delivery based upon current health conditions. Within the hybrid model are 2 options: A/B Schedule: Students will be placed in cohorts and will receive some face to face instruction and some virtual assignments each week. This allows our district to more effectively implement social distancing and new safety protocols. eLearning: If the risk is too high for students to receive face to face instruction, learning will take place virtually until conditions improve. Parents have the option of enrolling child(ren) in a 100% virtual program for the semester or for the year. We will provide information and an application this week. The board will hold another meeting soon to decide the start date, which will be delayed from August 17th. Alternate start dates to be considered are August 24, 31 or September 8. Five LEAP days for students in 4K-8th grade will be scheduled prior to the start date. Students will report to school in small groups for orientation and assessments. The dates for LEAP will be announced after the start date is determined.

VOTE TOMORROW...Tuesday, July 14th...in the Board of Trustees election. Two seats must be filled. The candidates are: Genie McDill, Cody Quinn, Joey Ward, and Andy Wood. All registered voters who live in WSSD51, whether in Abbeville, Laurens, or Greenwood Counties may vote for school board! You don't have to live in the Town of Ware Shoals. Please remind your friends and family members. Show your support of education in our district by voting to elect our leaders!

VOTE in the election to select two school board members for WSSD51 school board. Two of four candidates will be chosen for three-year terms. All registered voters of WSS51 in all three counties we serve need to come out in support of our students and our district. Precautionary measures will be in place for your protection from COVID-19! Pictured is the list of precincts for this election.

Please remember to vote next Tuesday, July 14th! Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Board of Trustees. Genie McDill, Cody Quinn, Joey Ward, and Andy Wood are the candidates. All registered voters who live in WSSD51, whether in Abbeville, Laurens, or Greenwood Counties may vote for school board! You don't have to live in the Town of Ware Shoals. We will post the voting locations soon. Please help us spread the word. We need a good turnout next Tuesday. Show our students you care enough about them to get out and vote!!!

DHEC data shows Greenwood and Laurens Counties at a HIGH level of COVID-19. For our students” and staff safety, we are postponing summer school for K-3 and athletics conditioning until further notice. We will continue to monitor the data and to keep you informed. Please help stop the spread by taking all recommended precautions! Here is a link to view each county’s data. https://www.scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/COVID-19-Dz-Activity-Assessment-by-County-for-Dept-of-Ed_6.22.20.pdf

VACANCY: We are in need of a Part-Time Food Service Operator at Ware Shoals Primary (20 hours per week). Job duties include food prep and service, maintaining cleanliness of kitchen and cafeteria, and other related duties. Anyone interested should contact Elaine Edens at 864-861-3453 or Jason Morrison at 864-861-2261. Applications should be submitted by Tuesday, July 7th.

Please join us in giving a warm Ware Shoals welcome to the newest members of our district family, Savanna Keefe (WSE/M) and Andrea Taylor (WSE/M). We welcome the return of Dede Brownlee to teach English at Ware Shoals High, after three years spent in retirement.

Ware Shoals Elementary/Middle seeks a School Nurse who, under the supervision of the Principal and District Nurse, promotes the health and well-being of all students by providing services such as assessments, first aid, counseling and emergency care. Apply online or in person. If you have questions, contact Principal Nancy Brown, nbrown@gwd51.org or 864-456-7496.