Gallman Elementary School

Congratulations to our August Teacher of the Month, Mrs. Laney Cobb, and to our Support Staff of the Month, Mrs. Johnette Gary!

🐊Attention Parents and Families🐊 In case you missed tonight’s phone call, here’s all the information. 🐊 Parents, if your child is absent due to a regular illness like a cold or allergies, please send in a parent excuse or a doctor’s excuse. If they are absent due to having 2 or more symptoms and you are getting them a Covid-19 test, please send the negative test result. That will serve as an excuse. Please include the dates of the absences.  Just be aware that some type of note needs to be sent to the school if your child is absent for any reason. 🐊Interim Reports will go home on Wednesday.  🐊All fundraiser money will need to be turned in on Wednesday. Please be sure that money collected in sealed in an envelope and counted with the amount written on the envelope. Be sure customer names are written clearly as well.    🐊Fall Make-up Pictures will be taken on Thursday, September 30. If you child was on quarantine, absent, or was not attending school on August 27 when pictures were taken, this will be your chance to purchase their school picture. Teachers will be sending home order forms with these students on Wednesday.    🐊Riding on other buses will be denied due to the passenger capacity on buses and to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It will not be allowed for a student who may ride Gator 2 to ride to their cousin’s house who rides Gator 4.  We apologize for any inconvenience.   🐊Parents please make sure your child brings their device with them to school every day. 🐊Any change in transportation, must be done by writing a note in the child’s agenda or in person. There are no changes done over the telephone. This is a safety protocol.    🐊Students should not be picked up after 2. We will not disrupt classes because this is a hectic time. Teachers are finishing up lessons, children are packing up, and it’s too much going on. Calling classrooms are disruptive and may lead to safety errors to occur so any early pick-ups must be done BEFORE 2:00.   🐊Remember to send water bottles with your children. Only water should be placed inside the bottle—no juice, tea, koolaid, soda, or coffee can be in his or her bottles. 🐊 Thank you for all you have done to keep your children and other children safe. You all have done a great job self-screening. We all have to work together to slow and stop the spread of Covid-19. We strongly recommend the use of masks and we will continue to maintain social distance and adhering to health guidelines to keep all of us safe. Our Gallman Gator family continues to work and learn together. You are appreciated.  🐊We hope you all have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatoriffic week! 

Just a reminder that today, Wednesday, September 15th, is an Early Release Day. Students will be dismissed at 12:15pm. Please make arrangements for car riders to be picked up at 12:15 or for someone to be home to meet the bus.

🐊Attention Parents and Families🐊 In case you missed tonight’s phone call, here’s all the information. 🐊 Wednesday, September 15 is an Early Release Day for students. They will be dismissed from school at 12:15 pm. Please be sure car riders have someone at the school on time to pick them up and please be sure someone is at home for bus riders.  🐊 Parents, we ask that you continue to screen your children for symptoms prior to sending them to school. If they have two or more symptoms they should not come to school, and should be tested for Covid-19 prior to returning to school—sharing the results with Nurse Fran.  🐊 If your child is placed on quarantine, their teacher will contact you within 24 hours. Their assignments will be ready for pick-up in the outside container 2 days after being placed on quarantine. This gives time to ensure meaningful work is provided and parents with multiple students will not have to make more than one trip to the school. You will receive a salmon-colored paper giving the due date for assignments. Completed work will determine if the absences will be excused or unexcused.   🐊 Thank you to families who are selling and participating in the fundraiser. The fundraiser will continue until next Wednesday. We will be using funds raised to help us with student supplies and playground activities for our students.    🐊Riding on other buses will be denied due to the passenger capacity on buses and to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It will not be allowed for a student who may ride Gator 2 to ride to their cousin’s house who rides Gator 4.  We apologize for any inconvenience.   🐊Parents please make sure your child brings their device with them to school every day. 🐊Any change in transportation, must be done by writing a note in the child’s agenda or in person. There are no changes done over the telephone. This is a safety protocol.    🐊Students should not be picked up after 2. We will not disrupt classes because this is a hectic time. Teachers are finishing up lessons, children are packing up, and it’s too much going on. Calling classrooms are disruptive and may lead to safety errors to occur so any early pick-ups must be done BEFORE 2:00.   🐊Remember to send water bottles with your children. Only water should be placed inside the bottle—no juice, tea, koolaid, soda, or coffee can be in his or her bottles. 🐊 Thank you for continuously communicating with us about your children’s health. It has helped to reduce quarantines and isolations in our school. Your support is appreciated. We cannot do any of this without you. Thank you! 🐊We hope you all have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatoriffic week! 

The Gators are going “Hog Wild” with fundraising this year! Students should have brought home a letter and envelope containing information about this year’s cookie dough fundraiser. Students can earn hedgehog characters and other prizes. Register your child for the fundraiser online at Fundshoppe.com (code 3575) and enter 7 texts or emails to help your child earn their first hedgehog! The fundraiser runs for two weeks and our goal is to earn money to purchase playground equipment for classes to use at recess.

🐊Attention Parents and Families🐊 In case you missed tonight’s phone call, here’s all the information. 🐊 No school on Monday, September 6th in observance of the Labor Day holiday. 🐊Our Cookie Dough Fundraiser kicks off this week! Students will be bringing home information about it on Wednesday, September 8th. 🐊You should have received a call on Friday regarding making sure the school has updated contact information (phone number and email address). If your child is placed in quarantine, you will receive an automated phone call directing you to check your email for more information. It is very important that the school has your most current contact information. If your phone number or email address has changed since the start of the school year, please call or send a note to update it. 🐊Please screen your child daily to make sure they are not sick. Please check for these symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If they have two of these symptoms, please keep them at home. They need to be tested it should not return unless they have negative test results. If it is positive, please notify the school. If they display 2 or more symptoms at school, you will be asked to pick them up from school and may return with a negative covid test or the evaluation of a doctor.    🐊Riding on other buses will be denied due to the passenger capacity on buses and to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It will not be allowed for a student who may ride Gator 2 to ride to their cousin’s house who rides Gator 4.  We apologize for any inconvenience.   🐊Parents please make sure your child brings their charged device with them to school every day. 🐊Any change in transportation, must be done by writing a note in the child’s agenda or in person. There are no changes done over the telephone. This is a safety protocol.    🐊Students should not be picked up after 2:00. We will not disrupt classes because this is a hectic time. Teachers are finishing up lessons, children are packing up, and it’s too much going on. Calling classrooms are disruptive and may lead to safety errors to occur so any early pick-ups must be done BEFORE 2:00.   🐊Remember to send water bottles with your children. Only water should be placed inside the bottle—no juice, tea, koolaid, soda, or coffee can be in his or her bottles. 🐊Please talk with your children about making good decisions—being respectful, successful, and responsible. We must work as a team because we all have a role in educating your child. Thank you for your support! Thank you for assisting us when may need to call on you for your help.  🐊We hope you all have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatoriffic week! 

Parents and Families- Please remember to screen your children each morning for COVID-19 symptoms. If your child has symptoms, or has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks, please DO NOT send them to school. You can report symptoms, positive cases, or close/household contacts by using this link: https://bit.ly/COVID19_GES

The Parent/Guardian Toolkit has been updated. View the newest version by clicking the link below. English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vi_zwclt5fDXijdfs2B1X6gBUC6Jkc2n/view?usp=sharing Spanish: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D5A9xbOyTGGPC9lh-xDcsZx0BRMSNkF4/view?usp=sharing

‼️Attention Gallman Families‼️ In case you missed tonight’s phone call, here’s all the information. 🐊We do not notify all parents just because someone tested positive in our school. You will be notified if your child was a close contact to a positive case. We pride ourselves on keeping parents informed. We would never withhold information from you that is pertinent to the safety and all around wellbeing of your child. If you are interested in the covid-19 cases in our schools, visit the district COVID dashboard, https://www.newberry.k12.sc.us/page/covid-dashboard-2021-2022 🐊 We are doing everything we know how to keep students and staff safe by strongly recommending the use of masks, social distancing, and by washing hands consistently throughout the day. This virus is very contagious so it’s important that you have this same conversation with your children daily. Remember to follow these safety precautions everywhere your child goes outside of school as well. 🐊Riding on other buses will not be allowed due to the passenger capacity on buses and to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It will not be allowed for a student who may normally ride Gator 2 to ride to their cousin’s house on Gator 4. We apologize for any inconvenience. 🐊Parents, the deadline for paying the technology fee is Saturday, September 4. You may pay online by going to gallmangators.org. Click on Pay School Fees. The option will come up for you to select Pay for Technology. The fee is $25 per student. You may also send it with your child to school. 🐊 Parents please make sure your child brings their charged device with them to school every day. 🐊 Any change in transportation, must be done by writing a note in the child’s agenda or in person. There are no changes made over the telephone. This is a safety protocol. 🐊 Students should not be picked up after 2:00pm. We will not disrupt classes because this is a hectic time. Teachers are finishing up lessons, children are packing up, and it’s too much going on. Calling classrooms is disruptive and may lead to safety errors, so any early pick-ups must be done BEFORE 2:00. 🐊 Please screen your child daily to make sure they are not sick. If they display 2 or more symptoms you will be asked to pick them up from school and may return with a negative covid test or the evaluation of a doctor. 🐊 Remember to send water bottles with your children. Only water should be placed inside the bottle—no juice, tea, koolaid, soda, or coffee can be in his or her bottles. 🐊 Please talk with your children about making good decisions—being respectful, successful, and responsible. We must work as a team because we all have a role in educating your child. Thank you for your support! Thank you for assisting us when may need to call on you for your help. We hope you all have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatoriffic week!

😁SMILE!😁 📸Picture Day is TOMORROW!📸 All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook. You can order by sending the envelope and money in to school or online at www.strawbridge.net using the code FM363466. If you order online, please let your child's teacher know (you can send in the Online Payment Code) so teachers can make sure the photographers know! Thank you!

The last day to purchase Technology Insurance is this Friday, August 27th. Devices will be coming home and back to school every day. The Technology Insurance costs $25 and must be paid in the first 10 days of school. For more information: English- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jjj3Le8NLsLKXsPLoEzi_FolkRIfnoQN/view?usp=sharing Spanish- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Om2H_KIJ75HBKjbwsJHiFQ6NDYZaMAi2/view?usp=sharing

❗️❗️Attention GES Families ❗️❗️ In case you missed tonight's phone call, here's all the information. 🐊Monday, August 23rd - All students will be attending school! We will welcome back our Kindergarten students, who will begin full-time this week and our 3-year-old Montessori students will have their first day! 🐊 If your child is a car rider in the morning, please follow the cars in the car rider line. Parents or friends are not allowed to walk students in the building. There are staff members that will get your child to their classroom. 🐊Please make sure that you sign the Technology Agreement that came home last Wednesday. Students starting school on Monday will get this from their teachers to bring home. Please sign and return immediately. It is front and back. Please do not sign the opt out section if you want your child to have a device. 🐊Devices will go home every day with students. There is a page in the front section of your child's agenda with tips for taking care of devices. Students should not be playing with it like it’s a toy. This is an educational resource. They should not be eating or drinking near it. It should stay clean. 🐊If you have not purchased the technology insurance yet, you have until the end of the week to get it paid in order to receive the perks. There were lots of cracked screens last year—especially with devices going home. The technology insurance fee is $25 and must be paid by Friday, August 27. This fee can be paid online by going to www.gallmangators.org and clicking on Pay School Fees. 🐊Students have been encouraged to bring water bottles (with their names on them) since they cannot use water fountains. We have a water filling station at school. Only water should be in their bottles. They should not come with Kool-Aid, soda, tea, juice, or flavoring with color. This is to protect them from spillage in their book bags or onto school property. Those types of drinks have sugar and spillage would cause stickiness and the possibility of attracting bugs. So only water should be in their bottles. 🐊Please update your contact information. If your phone number or home address has changed, please let the office know as soon as possible. It is important that we are able to get in touch with you if there is an emergency. We need working phone numbers. If you get a new phone, send that number with your child to school. If you move, call or send the address with your child. 🐊Please screen your child daily. If they say they are not feeling well, please keep them at home. If your child tests positive, you may go to gallmangators.org to report it. I would also suggest you call the school at 803-321-2655. 🐊Picture Day is Friday, August 27. If you are purchasing school pictures, send the money in the envelope that was sent home last Wednesday (it will be sent home Monday for students starting on Monday). You may also order online, but PLEASE send a note to your child’s teacher if you order online. Everyone will take a picture for the yearbook. Make up pictures will be September 30 for students who will not be here on Friday. 🐊If you are having issues with the bus your child rides, contact the bus office at 803-321-1002. If you call first thing in the morning or at dismissal, it will be hard to get in touch with someone. You may contact Mr. Gartman, the Director of Transportation by email at jgartman@newberry.k12.sc.us. Our staff at Gallman does not have anything to do with buses. We just get them off when they arrive and put them on when they leave. 🐊If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call us at 803-321-2655. Please check our website: gallmangators.org regularly as well as our Facebook page. 🐊We appreciate all that you do to ensure that your children stay safe and you do all that you can do to keep others safe. This is definitely a trying time, but we will get through this together. We are all a part of the Gallman Gator Family, learning and growing together. We appreciate you and thank you for entrusting us with your children. We hope you have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatoriffic week!

❗️❗️Attention Gallman Parents and Families❗️❗️ In case you missed tonight's phone call, here's all the information. 🐊We are so excited to welcome everyone to a brand new school year! We are looking forward to seeing old and new faces! 🐊Monday, August 16th is the first day of school for all 1st-5th graders. 🐊Kindergarteners whose last names begin with A-L will come to school on Monday, August 16th and Tuesday, August 17th 🐊Kindergarteners whose last names begin with M-Z will come to school on Wednesday, August 18th and Thursday, August 19th 🐊Pre-K and 4-year-old Montessori students will begin school on Wednesday, August 18th 🐊3-year-old Montessori students and all Kindergarteners will come to school on Monday, August 23rd 🐊Students can be dropped off beginning at 7:15am 🐊Parents, our policy does not allow for you to walk students into the building/to their classroom. This policy is in place to help us control the spread of COVID-19. Please take your first day of school pictures at home and be prepared to say goodbye in the car line. We know this is a special time, but we have to do everything we can to keep our students and staff safe. 🐊It is STRONGLY recommended that students wear masks, but we cannot mandate that they do. They will be required to wear masks on the bus. 🐊School supplies have been provided for students by the school. You only need to send students with a bookbag and a water bottle. 🐊Breakfast and lunch will be served. 🐊Dismissal begins at 2:40pm. Students will not be called out of class for early dismissal after 2:00pm. 🐊Any change in transportation must be made in person or by writing a note in your child's agenda. 🐊If you did not register your child for school prior to last Friday, you will not be able to register your child until after school on Monday. There will be no registration during the school day. Registration will be from 3:00-4:00 Monday, August 16th. If you are not in the building by 3:30, you will not be able to register. We encourage you to register online at www.gallmangators.org. If you need your child's snap code, please call 803-321-2655. 🐊Please be sure to visit our website, www.gallmangators.org, regularly and our Facebook page to get the latest information about our school. 🐊We look forward to working with you this year. Thank you for entrusting your children to us. We promise to teach them, support them, and love them. We cannot do this alone. It takes a team, and your help is needed to ensure they have a great experience at Gallman this year! We hope you have a CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP Gatorrific week!

As we prepare to return to school next week, please continue to report any positive COVID-19 cases and close contacts. You can report those using the link below. Nurse Fran will be in contact with you about next steps for your child. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXGUjhlPqIvCFD3VHqy6rnbgNkOtByFF8GsC0TZELzC5CJkg/viewform?usp=send_form

Registration for Be Great Academy’s 2021-22 after school program is now open! Come join us for award-winning fun programs focused on achieving academic success, healthy life styles, and character development! Participants will receive snack daily and have the opportunity to complete each day’s homework during our Power Hour program. Our curriculum focuses on STEAM projects and leadership skills all while providing a safe place for your child after school. After school care will begin the first day of school and run from school dismissal until 6:30 PM on school days. We offer care at select locations when school is out. Let us help your child discover their greatness within. Visit https://portal.begreatacademy.com for more information and to complete the online registration.

‼️ Attention Parents ‼️ Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 9) and Thursday, June 10 are Half Days for students! Dismissal is at 11:00am. Lunch is not served on half days.

Reminder for All Students- In-Person students- Please return all devices, chargers, and hotspots ASAP to avoid being charged for them. Virtual students- Please bring your devices, chargers, and hotspots to school tomorrow morning (Wednesday, June 9) from 8-10 to turn them in to your teacher.

Encuesta Comunitaria de ESSER III El Distrito Escolar del Condado de Newberry necesita información sobre el gasto de la asignación de ARP - ESSER III. El SDNC recibió más de $ 15,2 millones para abordar la pérdida de aprendizaje y las necesidades académicas relacionadas con la pandemia de Covid19. Los fondos no se pueden utilizar para bonificaciones. El 11 de marzo de 2021, la Ley del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense (ARP) se convirtió en ley. El Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos está proporcionando $ 121,9 mil millones adicionales para el Fondo de Ayuda de Emergencia para Escuelas Primarias y Secundarias (Fondo ESSER III). Esta legislación otorgará estas subvenciones a las agencias educativas estatales (SEA) con el propósito de proporcionar a las agencias educativas locales (LEA) fondos de ayuda de emergencia para abordar el impacto que COVID-19 ha tenido y sigue teniendo en las escuelas primarias y secundarias de todo el país. la Nación. Por favor complete la siguiente encuesta: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe68t0vop3zRC4n7gkjzBg00beljT0orT04uS5Pwd1jEcTAEQ/viewform

South Carolina Department of Education Office of Early Learning and Literacy College and Career Ready Division Survey: Dear Parents and Childcare Providers, Parents and caretakers of young children and the professionals who work with families are experts on the supports and resources available in communities around South Carolina. It is our job as state leaders to listen to you all. The “Transitions from Pre-K to 5K” survey is from the interagency Palmetto Pre-K Transitions Workgroup, and we aim to learn more about what's available around our state to support families in the transition into 5-year-old Kindergarten. We would be incredibly grateful if you would share your thoughts. Please take a moment to complete a very brief survey (about 5 minutes) found here: https://scfirststeps.surveymonkey.com/r/JMYM2J9. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Rachal Hatton-Moore, Two-Generation Coordinator, at rhatton@scfirststeps.org.

‼️ Attention Parents and Families‼️ If you missed tonight's phone call, here's all the information. 🐊Monday and Tuesday we will be selling snacks celebrating our last 2 full days. Everything will cost $1. 🐊Monday and Tuesday are our only full days of school this week. 🐊Wednesday and Thursday are half days. Students will be dismissed at 11:00 am. Lunch will not be served. 🐊If you have not paid your child’s fees, this is a good time to pay so it would accumulate into next year. Fees are $20 per child. 🐊Please double check for library books so you won’t be charged for them. 🐊Please pay attention to your what your child is wearing to school to make sure it is within the dress code. If something is too small, too short, or too revealing, someone will be called to bring a change of clothing. 🐊Another reminder for face-to-face students, please continue to turn in chargers and hotspots along with the cords. 🐊Please write notes in agendas if there’s any change in transportation. Changes of transportation from school cannot be taken over the telephone. This is a safety protocol. 🐊Virtual parents should have received information from their child’s teacher about technology drop off. 🐊This is the last message for the 2020-2021 school year! This has been one of the craziest years we’ve ever experienced, but we survived it. Thank you for your continued support of your children, our teachers, and our school. Thank you for your understanding, patience, and willingness to work with your children in ways you never imagined. We all have grown a lot technologically, personally, and professionally. We love our Gallman Gator Family. We hope you all have a chomp, chomp, chomp Gatorific week!