to Tax-FreeInside:2022WeekendBeginsFridaySchoolInformationandSchedulesCleverTipsforOrganizingYourLocker
LOCAL DEALS IN ADDITION TO TAX-FREE SALES
B2 | AUGUST 4, 2022 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL THE SUMTER ITEM K 8th grade WHERE KIDS EXCEL AFTER THE BELL! Afterschool Care Homework assistance, physical activity, art, & transfer to other Y programs. YMCA bus pick up available at select schools in Sumter School District. SUMTER FAMILY YMCA 510 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150 ymcasumter.org803.773.1404 Preschool TapTapIntroductionCombinationtoDance&BalletCombo&JazzCombo of 'Performing Established Now offering: tr �ool Combinati trIntroduction to Dance trTap Ill Ballet Combo trTap Ill Jazz Combo tr Classical Ballet • trtrtrJazzTapBogs Class www.freedschooLcom of 'Performing Arts Established /955 Now offering: tr �ool Combination (ages 3-5) tr trIntroduction to Dance (ages 6-9) tr trTap Ill Ballet Combo (ages 6-9'1 trTap Ill Jazz Combo (ages 6-9) tr tr Classical Ballet • Pointe trtrtrJazzTapBogs Class www.freedschooLcom 527 N. Guignard Or. Sumter, SC ( 803) 773-2847 trtr Classes start Monday, August 22nd 803-773-2847• freedschool@gmail.com • freedschool.com REGISTER TODAY!!! Piano VoiceKarate $5 mentionregistrationOfffeeifyouthisad. Tax-free weekend begins Friday School supplies, clothing, shoes and more on ‘no-sales-tax list’ for 3 days BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com It’s that time of year again. The state’s annual tax-free weekend begins Friday morn ing, Aug. 5, and runs through Sunday night, Aug. 7. State Department of Reve nue spokesman Tim Smith and local retailers spoke re cently about the three-day, tax-free holiday set aside for the purpose of helping fami lies and teachers get ready to go back to school. Each year at this time, South Carolina eliminates its 6% sales tax for the entire weekend on dozens of items. The exemptions also include local sales taxes, including any penny Back-to-schooltaxes. supplies are always popular sales items this weekend, but many other items also make the “no-salestax list,” including clothing, accessories, shoes/footwear, computers and printers. Cloth face masks and neck gaiter face masks – considered cloth ing accessories – also are on the list if shoppers are looking to purchase additional ones to restock their supply, given COVID-19.Therehave been no changes this year to what is tax-free and what is not exempt, ac cording to Smith, and that means the answer on smart phones is again “no.” Cell phones and smartphones are not tax free. As is normally the case, lap top computers and tablets will offer some of the best savings overall of exempt items for shoppers, given their general price ranges. Families who purchase lots of clothes can also rack up big savings. The state agency also em phasized if an item is eligible, it is tax free whether pur chased in a physical store or online with the retailer during theTheweekend.online purchase, though, must be made and completed during the week end to be tax free, according to the Department of Reve nue. That means an online shopper must check out of their online shopping cart by Sunday night. The item does not have to be delivered this weekend, but shoppers do ac tually need to make the pur chase this weekend. If a shopper waits until Monday to purchase and make their order complete, it’s no longer tax free, accord ing to the agency. With online purchases during the weekend, ship ping/handling and delivery fees on qualifying items are also tax free.
Items that will have no sales tax: • Clothing • Clothing accessories (including cloth face masks, neck gaiters) • Shoes/footwear • School supplies • Computers/printers • Computer accessories when sold as a package with a computer • Diapers • Earbuds and headphones • Some bed and bath items, including blankets, pillows & towels Non-exempt items: • Jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear • Furniture • Digital cameras • Digital music players • Cellphones, smartphones • Cleaning supplies • eReaders • Video game consoles • Office supplies used in a business • Computers used in a business • Sports equipment (baseball mitts, helmets, mouth guards, pads, etc.) • Mattresses and box springs For a full listing of exempt and non-exempt items, go to www.dor.sc.gov/taxfreeweekend. READY TO SHOP? WHAT COUNTS AS A SUPPLY?SCHOOL School supplies are items used in the classroom or at home for school assignments. They include -- but are not limited to -- pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, backpacks, lunchboxes and calculators and will have no sales tax during the Itemsholiday.such as refrigerators and toiletries purchased by college students are not used for school assignments and are not exempt. Similarly, these items purchased for office, business or non-school use are not exempt. Source: S.C. Department of Revenue DIDKNOW?YOU In past years, shoppers across the state have saved between $2 million and $3 million during the tax-free weekend. Source: S.C. Department of Revenue Demarcus Hayes at Bates Middle School tries on cleats for foot ball at Simpsons on August 2. Simpsons and Office, Church, School Supplies offer tax-free on their supplies at Sumter stores during tax-free weekend from Aug. 5-7. PHOTOS BY CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM
Like many stores, Simpson Hardware and Sports has some discounts during the tax-free weekend, according to Marketing Manager Grant Watson. The entire shoe de partment – men’s, women’s and kids – will be 10% to 60% off on Friday and Saturday. Graphic T-shirts will be buy one, get one 30% off. Book bags will be 15% off. Simpson also has other summer closeout sales this weekend, especially clothing items, up to 40% off. Watson added most adver tised deals will also be avail able for purchase online Withwww.shopsimpsons.com.atonlinesales,Simpson of fers curbside pickup service, “ship to home” and “pick up in store” options as well, he added.And it would not be back to school locally without men tioning Office Church School Supply Co. With so many school dis tricts in the state now starting school before the tax-free weekend, owner Faith Goins held her annual back-toschool bash last week. She said the store will offer the same discounts on Friday and Saturday as it did during theWithbash.any purchase, teach ers will receive a free desk calendar while supplies last, sheAdditionaladded. discounts will be available on all educational supplies this weekend, Goins said, and the 780 S. Pike West supply store will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. The local school supply store has served teachers and school families for teacherthisarea.roundingtheonlyanddecadesistheoneinsurPopularitemsyearincludedecorative items for classrooms, includ ing the brand Schoolgirl Style. Numerous other bulle tin board sets and bulletin board paper are also avail able.Office Church School Sup ply also offers laminating for posters, Goins added.
Monday, Aug. 15, is the offi cial first day of school for all students. Monday/Tuesday, Aug. 15-16 will be designated as our “RISE” Camp. Students will receive their schedules, take ID pictures, review school-wide behavior expecta tions/procedures, tour the building, update Chrome books and explore STEM through a variety of prob lem-based learning activities. School pictures will be taken on Tuesday, Aug. 16. Informa tion will be sent home with dates for Open House! Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Parents who bring children to school should enter campus using gate one off of Universi ty Drive by making a right turn only. The earliest stu dents may be dropped off in the mornings is 7:10 a.m. To avoid congestion, parents are asked to make a left-turn only when exiting campus out of gate two. Walkers should enter the designated entrance in the gym foyer. In the inter est of student safety, please do not drop students off on Uni versity Drive, at the front of the school or in the bus load ing/unloading area.
TwitterbatesmiddleFacebookbms.sumterschools.net-www.facebook.com/-@WeAreBates
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 15. Bates Middle School will host a mini camp for sixth grade students as fol lows: Sixth Grade Mini-Camp Aug. 10 from 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. No bus transportation will be provided for the mini-camps. Meet the Teacher Night is scheduled for Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: For the safety of students at Bates Middle School, all cars picking up and dropping off students should enter the drive from Scotkins Court and exit on Bailey Street. Stu dents are not to be dropped off or picked up on Bailey Street. Gates will open at 7:15 a.m. and will close at 7:55 a.m. At approximately 2:30 p.m., gates will be opened for after noon pick-up. Parents are not permitted to park in the front of the building to pick up stu dents from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
School Information and Schedules
Alice Drive Middle School, a nationally accredited STEM school, is ready to RISE in the 2022-2023 school year! There will be a “Hawk Jump Start” for sixth graders on Wednesday, Aug. 10. All sixth graders are welcome to drop in the Nest between 8:30 -11:00 a.m. to help with transi tion to middle school. Tables will be available in the gym with general information and staff will be available to an swer any questions.
Alice ElementaryDrive School Principal: Eric Masaitis 251 Alice Drive, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 775-0857 Fax: (803) 775-7580 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ade.sumterschools.net Jump Start Camp Student Orientation will be held Thursday, Aug. 11 for prekin dergarten through grade two and Friday, Aug. 12 for third through fifth grade according to the following schedule: Thursday, Aug. 11: prekin dergarten: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. or 2 - 3 p.m.; kindergarten 12:30 p.m.; first grade 1:30 p.m.; sec ond grade 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12: third grade 12:30 p.m.; fourth grade 1:30 p.m.; fifth grade 2:30 p.m. Class rosters will be posted in the hallways and by the classrooms. Students and par ents will report to the child’s assigned classroom to meet with the teacher. Tables will be set up in the cafeteria to join the PTA, register for PERK, order school shirts or pick up other information. Additional parking will be available at Westminster Pres byterian Church across the street from the school. The first day of school for first through fifth grade stu dents is Monday, Aug. 15. The first day of school for prekin dergarten and kindergarten students is Monday, Aug. 22. Kindergarten teachers will use the week of Aug. 15 through Aug. 19 to conduct the academic portion of the Kindergarten Readiness As sessment. Teachers will con tact the parents of each en rolled kindergarten student to let them know their child’s date to attend the assessment. Drop-off/Pick-Up Procedures: All first through fifth grade students should be dropped off and picked up at the circu lar drive on Alice Drive. Pre kindergarten and kindergar ten students should be dropped off and picked up at the circular drive on Miller Road. Parents who need to park to enter the school build ing are asked to park in the parking lots in front of the school. The parking lot at Westminster Presbyterian Church may also be used if additional parking is needed. For safety reasons, parents are asked not to drop off a child on Reynolds Road, at the sidewalk to the left of the main entrance or behind the school. Please do not park in the staff parking lot behind the cafeteria. We ask that all parents and students utilize our sidewalks at all times and do not walk through the traf fic flow.
ElementaryCherryvale School Mrs. Pamela D. Rhodes Address: 1420 Furman Drive, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: (803) 494-8200 Fax: (803) 494-8233 School Day: 7:20 a.m. - 2:10 p.m. ces.sumterschools.net Cherryvale Elementary School is a school where staff and students Believe, Serve, Lead and Achieve! On Thurs day, Aug. 11, from 5:30 until 7 p.m., Cherryvale Elementary School will hold Meet the Teacher and Orientation. During this session, parents will receive back to school in formation, review policies and procedures and meet staff members. Also, on Thursday, Aug. 11, our kindergarten team will hold their “Jump Start to Kindergarten” session from 5 - 5:30 p.m. An Open House event will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 56:30 p.m. More information for the events will be placed on Cherryvale Elementary School’s website and social mediaChromebookpages. distribution for new students in prekinder garten through grade 5 will take place on Thursday, Aug. 11 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and during the Meet the Teacher and Orientation event that same evening. Chromebooks can be picked up in the school’s media center. Student uniforms at Cher ryvale Elementary School will be optional. Uniforms will not be mandatory for the 2022-2023 school year due to the school uniform shortage from the various vendors. If students choose to wear uniforms, stu dents must wear pants, skirts,
THE SUMTER ITEM 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL AUGUST 4, 2022 | B3 Large Group Boutique Clothing 40%OFF15%OFF LargeBookbagsGroup 40%OFF Large Group Clothing Adult & YouthXTRATUFShortsBoots On BrooksCloud,&HokaRunningShoes HeyDude Shoes 10-60%OFF Entire Shoe Department 20% Large Group Flip-Flops DrinkwareTruckerCaps Scout bags 25%OFF Champion hats,Bookbags,Agendas,clothing,shoes&more!GREATSELECTION WOW SHIPMENTNEW Large Group OFF Large Group Toddler Clothing 40%OFF Men’s Khakis & JEans Graphic Tees 30%OFFBuy One, Get One Large Group Graphic Tees 30%OFF ShopSimpsons.com Not all items available at all locations Thursday, August 4 - Tuesday, August 9 40 W Wesmark Blvd. Sumter 803-773-3397 350 Pinewood Rd Sumter 803-774-2275 110 N. Brooks St. Manning 803-435-2651 320 W. Liberty St. Sumter 803-773-9381 GET NOTIFIED ABOUT OUR NEWEST DEALS! TEXT “SIMPSON” TO 202-980-8157 Monday, Aug. 15 is the first day of school for grades 1-12. Monday, Aug. 22, is the first day of school for all prekin dergarten and kindergarten students. Elementary schools in Sumter School District will stagger kindergarten start dates for the 2022-2023 school year. This will allow each classroom teacher to use Aug. 15-19 to conduct the academic portions of the KRA testing with a smaller group of stu dents each day. Your child’s kindergarten teacher will con tact you to schedule the ap pointment time and date for testing.
Bates Middle School Principal: Jeff Barrineau 715 Estate Street, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 775-0711 Fax: (803) 775-0715 School Day: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Alice MiddleDriveSchool JeanniePrincipal:M.
Pressley 40 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 775-0821 Fax: (803) 778-2929 School Day: 8 a.m. to 3 adm.sumterschools.netp.m.
eSTEAM e Sumter Festival
Crestwood High School
Free FamilyInteractiveAdmissionFestival or shorts that are black, navy blue or khaki. They must also wear collared shirts, blouses or sweaters that are white, light blue or navy. Breakfast is from 6:50 a.m. until 7:20 a.m. In order to par ticipate, students must arrive before 7:15 a.m. Breakfast and lunch are free for all students. Monday, Aug. 15, is the first day of school for students in grades 1-5. Monday, Aug. 22, is the first day for kindergar ten and prekindergarten stu dents. The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) will be administered during the week of Aug. 15-19. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures for students who are car rid ers will remain the same when we return for the 20222023 school year. During morning hours, parents must drop off car riders at the front entrance of the building. During afternoon hours, they must pick up students at the back of the building. The school building opens daily at 6:50 a.m. to welcome students. Cherryvale Elementary School is a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) school and an Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) school. Parents and students will re ceive more information re garding these initiatives at the parent orientation. Compo nents of these initiatives will be embedded into the core curriculum. Administrators, teachers, and staff invite fam ilies, stakeholders, and com munity members to visit the school and invest in our fu ture—invest in our students! The administration and the staff of Cherryvale Elementa ry School are #ALL IN, #Sum terSDProud and we have our Falcon #TalonsUp as we are Excellence Under Construc tion!
Principal: Dr. Jayson Leach 2000 Oswego Road, Sumter, SC 29153 Phone: (803) 469-6200 Fax: (803) 469-7678 School Day: 8:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Crestwood High School (CHS) will host its Jump Start for all rising ninth grade/ newly enrolled students and their families to tour the building Wednesday, Aug. 10, based on the following sched ule: Welcome - 5:30 until 6 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center. Meet the Teacher – 6 until 7 p.m. in the main Upperclassmenbuilding.cantour the main building from 6:30 – 7 p.m.Parking is available in the parking lots located in front of the school, fine arts center andStudentgymnasium.schedules and a newsletter will be mailed on Monday, Aug. Additionally,1.students and parents may access schedules via the student and/or parent portal.Schedule confirmations will be conducted in person or vir tually from Aug. 8 – 12. Please call the CHS Guidance Office to schedule your appointment time.Courses will be changed by appointment if there are one of the following legitimate needs:1.Scheduled for a class in which credit has been re ceived; 2. Not scheduled for eight classes; 3. Course(s) required for graduation are needed; 4. Failed a course and pre requisite is required. Schedules will be reviewed based on the following sched ule: Monday, Aug. 8 – Senior Con firmation Day (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) Tuesday, Aug. 9 – Junior Con firmation Day (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) Thursday, Aug. 11 –Sopho more Confirmation Day (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) Friday, Aug. 12 – Freshman Confirmation Day (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.).Student handbooks, which include school and district ex pectations, will be distributed on the first day of school. Par ents are respectfully request ed to review the handbooks with their children. The first day of school for students is Monday, Aug. 15. Drop-off and Pick-up Proce dures: Parents who drive their children to school should arrive no later than 8:35 a.m.; the building will open at 7:30 a.m.; the pick-up time is no later than 4:15 p.m. Students are required to ar rive at the designated parking lot no later than 8:30 a.m. Student drivers must com plete the school driver safety course and complete the ap plication before driving privi leges will be granted. Permits will be sold on a first-come/ first-served basis. Parking permits may be purchased at school; mail-in registration fees do not include parking permits.
Crosswell ElementaryDriveSchool Dr. Shawn P. Hagerty 301 Crosswell Drive, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 775-0679 Fax: (803) 778-2857 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Principal: Bertha Timmons 3440 Ebenezer Road, Sumter, SC 29153 Phone: (803) 469-8571 Fax: (803) 469-8575 School Day: 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. ems.sumterschools.net Welcome to Ebenezer, where we promote Tiger P.R.I.D.E. – Perseverance, Re spect, Integrity, Discipline, and Excellence!
Furman Middle School Michael Riggins 3400 Bethel Church Road, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: (803) 481-8519 Fax: (803) 481-8923 School Day: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. sIndiansFacebook:fms.sumterschools.netwww.facebook.com/fm
10:00OctoberSaturday1,2022am-2:00pm Downtown www.eSTEAMsumter.comSumter
Important Dates • Wednesday, Aug. 10, 9 - 11 a.m. – Orientation for sixth grade students and stu dents new to Ebenezer. Bus transportation will not be provided.
Orientation for sixth grade will be held Thursday, Aug. 11, from 4 – 6 p.m. Sixth grade students will have a two-hour mini-camp where they will be provided with an in-depth ori entation and tour of the school. Parents may walk their student to their home room class to meet the teach ers then return at 6 pm to pick up their sixth grade students.
• Monday, Aug. 15 – First day of school • Thursday, Sept. 15, 5:30 to 7 p.m. – Open House Student handbooks, which include school and district ex pectations, will be distributed on the first day of school. Par ents are respectfully request ed to review the handbooks with their children. School uniforms will not be worn this year; however, stu dents are required to follow the Sumter School District Student Dress Code. This poli cy can be found on the dis trict’s website and in the stu dent handbook. The policy can also be accessed from Ebenezer’s webpage. All Ebenezer students are encouraged to carry clear book bags. The school will make available one clear book bag per Breakfaststudent.starts at 7:40 a.m. and will end at 8:25 a.m. Stu dents desiring to eat breakfast should arrive before 8:15 a.m. The first period begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Parents who drive their chil dren to school should enter the south gate and drive around the back of the school to the drop-off/pick-up area located on the north end of the building. The building will open at 7:40 a.m., and students should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m. All children should be picked up no later than 3:45 p.m. Students who are not picked up by 3:45 p.m. will ride the bus home.
Chestnut Oaks Middle School Principal: Mrs. Jenaii D. Edwards 1200 Oswego Road, Sumter, SC 29153
Presented By: Join Us to Celebrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math
Phone: (803) 775-7272 Fax: (803) 775-7601 School Day: 8 a.m. - 3 http://coms.sumterschools.netp.m.
Welcome parents and stu dents to an amazing year where Falcons SOAR! The first day of school is Aug. 15. The instructional day is 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Chestnut Oaks Middle School “Jump Start” for sixth grade parents and students will be Wednesday, Aug. 10, from 8:30-10 a.m. Seventh and eighth grade orientation will be held in the gym for parents and students from 10:30- 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 10. Parents will receive pertinent information such as schedules, bus routes, meet the teacher, etc. We are excited and look forward to meeting you at the times list ed above! Information will be sent home with dates for Open House.Student handbooks, which include school and district ex pectations, will be distributed on the first day of school. Par ents are respectfully request ed to review the handbooks with their children. School uniforms are no lon ger required this year due to the low availability; however, students are required to fol low the Board of Trustees Pol icy on the student dress code. This policy can be found on the district’s website or on the Chestnut Oaks Middle School FacebookStudentspage.areexpected to use a school district issued Chromebook to engage in learning activities and com pletion of assignments. Stu dents new to Sumter School District will be issued a dis trict Chromebook from Chest nut Oaks Middle School during orientation or the first week of school. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Car riders should be picked up and dropped off on the cir cular driveway at the front of the school on Oswego Road. Students are not to be picked up or dropped off in the bus port area.
Orientation for seventh and eighth grade students will be held on Friday, Aug. 12, from 4 – 6 p.m. Students and parents can go to their homeroom to meet the teacher and pick up a schedule.Schooluniforms will be waived this year due to the low availability; however, stu dents are required to follow the Board of Trustee’s Policy on the student dress code. This policy can be found on the district’s website or on Furman’s Facebook page. The first day of school for
Ebenezer Middle School
CrosswellDriveElementaryFacebook:cdes.sumterschools.netwww.facebook.com/ The faculty and staff of Crosswell Drive Elementary welcome all students and fam ilies to our 2022-2023 school year. We are committed to ac ademic excellence and contin ually strive to meet the needs of each individual student. The instructional day will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m., and we will begin dismissal procedures at 2 p.m. daily. Breakfast will be served from 6:50 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. each morning. “Meet the Teacher Night” will occur on Aug. 17 from 3 - 7 p.m. Information packets about our school, policies, procedures, health related documentation and many more items will be provided during that time. All student supplies (except bookbags) will be provided throughout the school year. For up-to-date information please like our Facebook page or contact the school directly. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Drop-off time for car riders will begin at 6:50 a.m. Car rid ers should be dropped off and picked up from designated drop-off and pick-up areas only. No front entrance dropoffs or pick-ups are allowed during on-time arrival and dismissal procedures. Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook for further infor mation.
B4 | AUGUST 4, 2022 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL THE SUMTER ITEM
High ElementaryHills School Principal: Dr. Mary Kay Norton 1705 Frierson Road, Shaw AFB, SC 29152 Phone: (803) 499-3327 Fax: (803) 499-9553 School Day: 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. hhes.sumterschools.net
Drop-off/Pick-Up Procedures: All students may be dropped off in the morning at the traffic circle in front of the school’s entrance on Ful ton Street and exit on the Boulevard Road. Parents are reminded to not drop students off before 6:50 a.m. For stu dent’s safety, parents are re minded not to drop their child off in the grassy area across the street from the school on Fulton Street. During pick-up, all car riders will be dis missed through the gate under the breezeway using their car number. Each stu dent will be provided with numbered car tags and book bag tags. Parents arriving without a car tag number will be asked to go into the office to have their credentials veri fied. Parents will not be al lowed to walk up to the car pick up gate to retrieve stu dents, and students will not be permitted to cross Fulton street to walk to their rides, for safety is our number one priority.
Kingsbury Elementary School will host a Jump Start Camp/ Orientation program for students and parents Thursday, Aug. 11, according to the following schedule: 8:30 a.m. for kindergarten and third grade students; 9:30 a.m. for first and fourth grade stu dents; and 10:30 a.m. for pre kindergarten, second and fifth grade students. Parents and students are asked to come to the commons area upon arriv al. Classroom assignments will be posted there. Then, you will report directly to your child’s classroom. Monday, Aug. 15, is the first day of school for grades 1-5. Elementary schools in Sumter School District will stagger kindergarten start dates for the 2022-2023 school year. This will allow each class room teacher to use Aug. 15-19 to conduct the academic por tions of the KRA testing with a smaller group of students each day. Your child’s kinder garten teacher will contact you to schedule the appoint ment time and date for test ing. Monday, Aug. 22 is the first day of school for all pre kindergarten and kindergar ten students. Additional infor mation will be shared at Jump Start Camp/ Orientation. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: All students should be picked up and dropped off in front of the school off Kingsbury Road. Parents who need to leave their car to enter the building are asked to park in the designated parking areas and not along the curb. The prekindergarten and kinder garten drop-off/pick-up loca tion is for prekindergarten and kindergarten students only. Lakewood High School
Upcoming Events: Student registration will be held from 9 - 11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center on the following dates: Freshmen– Tuesday, Aug. 2 Sophomores– Wednesday, Aug. 3 Juniors & Seniors– Thursday, Aug. Students4 or parents may pick up schedules during reg istration. Schedules will also be available via the Power School Parent Portal. Freshmen and New Stu dent Orientation will be held Wednesday, Aug. 10 from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center). Any new upperclassmen who would like to attend are also invited. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Students should not arrive or be dropped off to school be fore 8 a.m. and should be off campus no later than 4:15 p.m. Student drop-off and pick-up is located in the front of the auditorium, the third en trance on Old Manning Road. The student parking area is located in the third entrance in front of the gym area. Stu dents must complete an inhouse defensive driving course before applying to get a driver’s parking decal. Due to safety concerns, the first driveway is designated ONLY for buses and is there fore off limits. Please do not use the bus driveway for stu dent pick up or drop off.
New Student Orientation
THE SUMTER ITEM 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL AUGUST 4, 2022 | B5 We would like to wish all the students a safe and schoolhappyyear! www.newmansautomotivesumter.com • Oil Changes • Tune-Ups • Computer Diagnostics • Tires • AC Service • Brake Service & Repair • Wheel Balance • Starters • Radiators • Shocks & Struts • Belts and Hoses • Alignments Call Today! (803) 773-3379 1109 Florence Hwy, Sumter, SC 29153 Voted Best of Sumter 4 years in a row! WE HAVE YOUR STUDENTS’ INSTRUMENTS FOR SCHOOL Trumpet, Saxophone, Trombone, Clarinet, Flute, Pianos, Keyboards, Drums, Hammond Organs & Leslie Speakers 9 N. Main Street, Sumter (Downtown) Store: 803-773-1908 Cell: 803-491-7122 www.IMPORTSLIMITEDSC.com Sales or Student Monthly Rental students is Monday, Aug. 15. Homeroom assignments will be located on the walls in the hallway and outside of the classrooms. Staff members will be available to assist stu dents with finding their homerooms. Also on the first day of school, all students who will be bus riders should plan to ride their assigned bus in the morning so the bus driver will know the students, and the students will become familiar with their bus num ber and driver. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Students who arrive by car should be dropped off be tween 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. at the student drop-off area lo cated in the fenced area be side the school. (Please see our Facebook page for direc tions and map). Students may be dropped off at the main of fice entrance after 8:30 a.m. Students may be picked up in the afternoon in the fenced area beside the school at 3:30 p.m. Parents must pick stu dents up no later than 4 p.m. As a safety measure, all par ents, students, and smaller children are asked to remain in their vehicles while waiting to pick up students.
ElementaryManchester School Principal: Maria Dantzler 200 West Clark Street, Pinewood Phone: 803-452-5454 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. mes.sumterschools.net Welcome Back to the 20222023 school year Manchester Panther Families! We would like to announce for the 20222023 school year we will im plement Advancement Via Individual Determina tion (AVID) schoolwide (pre kindergarten through Grade 5). The goal of AVID is to uti lize best practices and sys tems to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college readiness and suc cess in a global society. An important part of our imple mentation will be our school agendas (calendars) and three-ring binders for all stu dents.The first day of school for first through fifth grade stu dents is Monday, Aug. 15. pre kindergarten and kindergar ten students’ first day of school is Aug. 22. Our Prekin dergarten and kindergarten teachers will contact you to schedule appointments to complete early screening and beginning of the year assess ments during the week of Aug. 15-19. Registration is open for all students in pre kindergarten through grade 5. To help prepare for the new school year, we would like to cordially invite all of our fam ilies to attend our Jump Start Camp and Parent Orientation on Thursday, Aug. 11. Prekin dergarten, kindergarten and first grade students and their parents/guardians may dropin anytime between 2 – 3:30 p.m. Second through fifth -grade students and their par ents/guardians may drop-in between 3:30 - 5 p.m. Each classroom teacher will send a postcard to welcome all of our students to their new class rooms.During our Jump Start Camp and Parent Orientation, parents and students will have the opportunity to meet their child’s homeroom teach er, learn more about AVID, prepare your child’s AVID binder, complete student pa perwork and receive grade level expectations. Parents will also be able to meet other faculty and staff members, sign up for the Parent Teach er Association (PTA), receive parent portal information, bus route information, meet with the school nurse, regis ter for car-rider pick up num bers and get technical assis tance for Chromebooks. We are pleased to announce that once again this year, all necessary school supplies will be purchased through our Title I project. The only thing not provided are student backpacks. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Students may be dropped off under the awning in our par ent drop-off/pick-up line as early as 6:50 a.m. All students will be offered a free, nutri tious breakfast beginning at 6:50 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 7:30 a.m. Students arriving after 7:30 a.m. must be signed in at the front office. Student pick-up begins at the front of the school under the awning at 2:15 p.m. In order to keep all students safe, we ask par ents to remain in their cars and use their assigned parent pick-up number when picking upForstudents.more information, please call our school. You may also like our Facebook page or go to our school web site. We look forward to seeing all of our Manchester Pan thers very soon.
The faculty and staff of High Hills Elementary School excitedly welcome all return ing and new students and their families to the 2022-2023 school year. The new school year begins Monday, Aug. 15. High Hills, a proud Leader in Me School and Home of the Panthers, serves fourth and fifth grade students only. In order to accommodate par ents with children at multiple schools, a drop-in orientation will be held Thursday, Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Parents may visit at their con venience to meet their child’s teachers and tour the school. Panther Pride T-shirts will be on sale. Classroom supplies and materials have been pur chased through Title 1, how ever, some additional items may be requested by the indi vidual teacher. Visit our web site for the generic Supplies List. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Breakfast begins at 7 a.m. In struction begins at 7:30 a.m. Students will be marked tardy after 7:30 a.m. Parents are able to access the school through the Frierson Road gate and the 441 open-access gate. Drop-off time for car rid ers will begin at 6:50 a.m. when adult supervision is pro vided. Car riders should be dropped off and picked up at the designated and supervised area in front of the school. For your child’s safety, please do not drop students off in the school parking lot or on Frier son Road. Walkers and bike riders from Base Housing will be able to enter from the back gate starting at 6:50 a.m. We look forward to a “PAW SOME” school year!
Principal: Dr. Maggie J. Wright 350 Old Manning Road, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 506-2700 Fax: (803) 506-2708 School Day: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. lhs.sumterschools.net
Lemira Elementary School Principal: Stephanie Gregg, Ed.S 952 Fulton Street, Sumter, SC 29153 (803) 775-0658 Fax (803) Office7:30Instructional778-2730Day:a.m.–2:15p.m.Hours:6:50a.m. – 3 p.m. lme.sumterschools.net Orientations: Lemira Elementary School is excited to open its doors to students for the 2022-2023 school year. To kick off the school year, we will host our “New Student Jumpstart Camp” for all new students to Lemira on Aug. 11, from 4:305:30 p.m. Both parents and students are encouraged to at tend. Following, we will host our grade level orientations and the Back to School Bash for all returning and new stu dents Thursday, Aug. 11 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Class rosters will be available and posted. In ad dition, the school supply wish list for the 2022-2023 school year has been posted on the school’s website and will be available at the orientation. We look forward to an excit ing year of learning and growing! Instructional Day: The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 15, for grades 1-5. Monday, Aug. 22, is the first day for prekindergarten and kindergarten. Instruction begins daily at 7:30 a.m. for all grade levels. Students should arrive on campus no earlier than 6:50 a.m. and no later than 7:30 a.m. to avoid being tardy. Chromebooks will be used for the 2022-2023 school year. Students are encouraged to bring charged laptops to school on a daily basis. If you are in need of technical assis tance, please call the school for technical support. Uniforms: For the 2022-2023 school year, school uniforms will be come optional. Although stu dents are not required to wear uniforms, they must follow the district’s student dress code. Please reference the dis trict’s dress code policy (Poli cy JICA) Key Factors: 1. Please refrain from buy ing jeans that have holes above the knees. 2. No Slides - Crocs must be worn in sports mode. 3. No leggings/jeggings, un less worn with a skirt or shorts. 4. Shorts and skirts must be knee length. Office Hours: If you are in need of assis tance, office hours are from 6:50 a.m. – p.m.
Panthers Have AVID-TUDE! ElementaryMillwood School Principal: Jessica C. Wright, Ed.S. 24 Pinewood Road Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 775-0648 Fax: (803) 436-2987 School Hours: 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m. mwe.sumterschools.net Millwood Elementary School, the school where At tendance, Academics, and Be havior are our top priorities by always putting students first in a safe learning envi ronment, is gearing up for an exciting 2022-2023 school year! Our theme for this school year is Embracing the N.O.R.M. - Navigating Oppor tunities, Relationships and Morale.Thisyear we are enthusias tic about welcoming our new principal, Jessica Wright. She comes to us with multiple years of experience from Sumter County and surround ing districts. A “Meet the New Principal ‘’ and other Mus tang Administration and Staff members has been scheduled for Aug. 5. Additional infor mation will be sent out about this event as the time comes closer.School information regard ing prekindergarten through grade 5 will be discussed at the Meet the Teacher orienta tion on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m. − 2 p.m. The an nual school-wide drive-
ElementaryKingsbury School Principal: Phillip Jackson 825 Kingsbury Road, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: (803) 775-6244 Fax: (803) 775-7021 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. kbe.sumterschools.net
New Student Orientation will be held Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 8:30 am. During orienta tion, the faculty will be intro duced, an overview of the stu dent handbook will be provid ed, and other important infor mation concerning the open ing days of school will be cov ered as well. Open House Open House will be held Aug. 25, from 5 - 7 p.m. All students and parents are wel come to attend. Parent University Parent University is sched uled for Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. Questions regarding how to maneuver through Schoology, Google, and our other school programs as well as informa tion regarding student expec tations will be addressed. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Drop-off time for car riders is no earlier than 7:30 a.m. Ade quate supervision is not avail able before this time. Car rid ers should be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school at the student drop-off/ pick-up area. The entrance to the student drop-off/pick-up area is on Old Highway 521 and goes around to the back of the school. Please do not use the teacher parking lot to drop-off/pick-up students.
Hillcrest Middle School Principal: Tarsha B. Staggers 4355 Peach Orchard Road, Dalzell, SC 29040 Phone: (803) 499-3341 Fax: (803) 499-3353 School Day: 8 a.m. - 3: hillcrestmiddlewildcatsFacebook:hms.sumterschools.netp.m.www.facebook.com/
Wilder Elementary Principal: David Wright Address: 975 South Main Street, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: 803-773-5723 Fax: School803-778-2918Day:7:30a.m. to 2:15 p.m. 1st Bell: 7:30 a.m. Tardy Bell: 7:35 wld.sumterschools.neta.m.
Principal: Brandon Wells 4100 Highway 261 North Rembert, SC 29128 Phone: (803) 432-2994 Fax: (803) 425-7386 School Day: 7:30 a.m.–2:15 p.m. rces.sumterschools.net Meet the Teacher event will be held Thursday, Aug. 11 from 6 until 7 p.m. Informa tion concerning expectations, policies and procedures, new initiatives, and buses will be discussed.Parents are encouraged to form a partnership with Raft ing Creek and to participate in as many activities as their schedules will allow. We in vite parents to have lunch with their children as often as possible. Please notify the of fice one day in advance of your plans to eat lunch. All guests must report to the of fice upon arrival. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Parents who transport their children to school must follow the signs to the rear drop-off point. The student drop-off is open from 7 a.m. until 7:20 a.m. daily. Please do not drop students off before 7 a.m. as there will be no supervision. Car riders reporting after 7:20 a.m. must use the front entry. Students must report to homeroom by 7:25 a.m. Stu dents are tardy after 7:30 a.m. and must be signed in at the attendance office by an adult.
Rafting ElementaryCreekSchool
Principal: Anita L. Hunter 345 Eastern School Road, Sumter, SC 29153 Phone: (803) 495-3247 Fax: (803) 495-3211 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Tardy at 7:35 a.m. Website: com/REDavisCPA/Facebookschools.net/redcpa/homesites.google.com/sumterpage:www.facebook.
Shaw ElementaryHeightsSchool
The school day begins at 7:30 a.m., and the tardy bell rings at 7:40 a.m. Car riders and walkers should arrive be tween 7 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. if they would like to eat break fast. Class rosters will be post ed the morning of Aug. 11, the day of our back to school drop-in. Copies of the school supply wish list can be found on the school’s website or Facebook Page. We have also placed copies at Wal-Mart. The back to school drop-in will be held Thursday, Aug. 11, from 1 - 3:30 p.m. Feel free to come by the school during this time to meet your child’s teacher, see the classroom, join the Shaw Heights Ele mentary PTO, purchase a Shaw Heights t-shirt, and sign up for parent pick-up cards. PT0 dues and fees owed previ ously will be accepted at this time. If you have any text books from the previous year, please bring them with you so that we can credit your child’s account. Parents may also purchase a school t-shirt for $10 for youth sizes and $15 for adult sizes as well as ACE water bottles for $3. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Drop-off time for car riders will begin at 7 a.m. when adult supervision is provided. Car riders should be dropped off and picked up at the desig nated area to the left of the school in front of the cafete ria. Please do not drop off or pick up in front of the school; this area is designated for buses only.
Sumter High School Principal: Anamaria Sandor 2580 McCray’s Mill Road, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: 803-481-4480 Fax: School803-481-4021Day:8:40a.m. to 3:45 p.m. shs.sumterschools.net Sumter High School faculty and staff welcome students to a great 2022-2023 school year. The first day of school for stu dents is Aug. 15. Students in grades 9 - 12 may pick up schedules and student Power School login information on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 8 a.m.4 p.m. in the Commons area following the schedule: 8:3010 a.m. ninth-grade students, 10 - 11:30 a.m. 10th-grade stu dents, 1 - 2:30 p.m. 11th-grade students, and 2:30 - 4 p.m. 12th-grade students. Sumter High School will host its Jump Start/Orienta tion for freshmen and all newly enrolled students on Wednesday, Aug. 10, according to the following schedule: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Session I) - stu dents with last names begin ning A-L and 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. (Session II) - students with last names beginning with M-Z. Students will meet the administration team in the Sumter High School Gymnasi um at the start of each ses sion followed by a transition into the Commons area and to their respective classrooms. Orientation will conclude at 7:30 p.m. Parking will be avail able in the front of campus using Gate 1 and at the rear of campus using Gate 5. All Sumter High School students new to the district and new freshmen need to have their pictures for the stu dent identification cards taken. A schedule will be an nounced and posted on the school website. All students must pay class fees during the first two weeks of school. Class fees are $5 for freshmen and sophomores and $10 for juniors and seniors. Students or their parents must pay for lost or damaged textbooks from the past year before any additional textbooks can be is sued to a student. All checks for fees should be made pay able to Sumter High School. Fees can be paid at orienta tion or see the bookkeeper to pay during regular building hours. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: Parents who drive their chil dren to school should drop off students in the front of cam pus using Gate 1 off McCray’s Mill Road no later than 8:30 a.m.; the pick-up time is no later than 4:15 p.m. using Gate 1. In the interest of student safety, please do not pick up students in the student park ing lot, in the bus loading/un loading area, or outside the school premises on McCray’s Mill Rd. or Stadium Rd. Students who drive must arrive at the designated stu dent parking lot no later than 8:30 a.m. The parking permits will be issued during the first week of school. Permits must be obtained in person at Sum ter High School in the main office during lunchtime. Stu dents will need to present the vehicle registration and a valid driver’s license. Please see the new driving/parking procedures on the school web site and in the student/ parent handbook.
Principal: Dr. Melissa Morris 1495 Frierson Road, Shaw AFB, SC 29152-1427 Phone: (803) 666-2335 Fax: (803) 666-3719 School Day: 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. shes.sumterschools.net
Willow ElementaryDriveSchool
Welcome to Pocalla Springs Elementary! We are anticipat ing an amazing 2022-2023 school year filled with excite ment and learning.
R. E. Davis AcademyPreparatoryCollege
Oakland Primary School Principal: Joshua Campbell 5415 Oakland Drive, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: (803) 499-3366 Fax: (803) 499-3361 School Day: 7:30 a.m.– 2:15 p.m. ops.sumterschools.net
B6 | AUGUST 4, 2022 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL THE SUMTER ITEM through Back to School Bash Supply Giveaway will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Chromebook distribution for new students in kinder garten through Grade 5 will take place on Aug. 11 during the Meet the Teacher orienta tion event and on Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. during the Supply Giveaway. The first day of school for students in grades 1-5 is Mon day Aug. 15. The first day of kindergarten has been stag gered. During the meet teach er day your child’s teacher will give you a schedule of the arrival day and time for your individual student. The first day for prekindergarten is Aug. 22. Below is pertinent in formation as we begin to wel come all of our students back into the building. Drop-off and Pick-up Proce dures: For the safety of our students, the earliest drop off time is 7 a.m., and the latest pick-up time is 2:30 p.m. Students in grades PreK, first and fifth will be dropped off and picked up at the Horseshoe, which is located across from Food Lion on Wedgefield Road. Students in grades second, third and fourth will be dropped off and picked up on Mustang Drive off of Pine wood Road. If there are mul tiple children attending Mill wood, older siblings will be dropped off and picked up with the youngest sibling in the family. Breakfast and Lunch: All students are eligible to receive breakfast and lunch daily. Breakfast will begin at 7 a.m. Breakfast typically ends at 7:30 a.m. Each teacher has a designated time for his or her class to eat lunch and partici pate in recess. Breakfast and lunch will be served in the cafeteria.Millwood Elementary School is a partner with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the Univer sity of South Carolina Aiken @ Sumter. Parents will re ceive information about our partnerships during Meet the Teacher orientation. Students will receive information per taining to our school wide pol icies and procedures at our school-wide assembly on Fri day, Aug. 19. The administra tion and staff look forward to another successful year as we reflect, refocus, and re-ener gize all of our efforts to en sure academic excellence for each of our students.
The school day begins daily at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:15 p.m. Students reporting later than 7:30 a.m. will be marked tardy. Breakfast is served daily from 6:50 until 7:20 a.m. Note: Students who wish to eat breakfast should be dropped off no later than 7:10 a.m. in order to have time to eat before going to class. Stu dent drop off begins at 6:50 a.m. Jump Camp: Class rosters will be posted Friday, Aug. 12, the day of our Back to School Jump Camp, which is sched uled for 12 - 3 p.m. The teach er will contact you with the time to come during those hours, as we will be having small groups from each class come. You will be able to sign up for parent pick-up cards ei ther before or after your scheduled time. We will also have booths set up with infor mation regarding bus trans portation and day care for be fore and after school care if needed. Copies of the school supply wish list can be found on the school’s website or Facebook page. The first day for PreK stu dents is Aug. 22. For the 2022-2023 school year, kindergarten students will start on a staggered schedule, coming to school one day the first week. This time is being set aside for mandatory Kindergarten Readiness Assessment testing. Teachers will contact par ents/guardians to let them know which day they will come the first week of school to complete the testing. All kindergarten students will begin on a regular schedule the following week, Aug. 22. The first day for first grade students is Aug. 15. Parents are asked to pin a small piece of paper on their child the first day of school with the child’s name, tele phone number and bus num bers if applicable. If the child will be picked up daily, please indicate parent pick up or the name of the daycare that will pick the child up. Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures: For drop off, please stay in the right-hand lane and pull up as far as you can to a staff mem ber if you are only dropping off. If you wish to park and walk your child to the door, please stay in the left-hand lane and park in the parent parking lot and cross to the sidewalk at either end of the parking lot. You may then walk to the door to drop off your child. An OPS staff member will assist your child to his/her classroom. For parent pick up, you will be issued two cards with a number specific to your child. Please make sure to have that daily to pick up your child. If you do not have the card, you will be asked to go to the main office to pick up your child with a valid ID. You may either wait in the line that forms from the right lane, or walk up to pick your child up from a classroom lo cated near the drop-off/pickupOnlocation.thefirst day of school, the students will receive a packet of information to share with parents. Please complete all requested forms and re turn them to the school the following day, especially con cerning emergency contact/ allergies information. Please check the school’s website (ops.sumterschools. net) or the Oakland Primary School Facebook page for the supply lists and other perti nent information as we get closer to the start of the 20222023 school year. We are look ing forward to an exciting and rewarding school year as we continue to educate the whole child!
Pocalla ElementarySprings
Jump Start Orientation: Wild er Elementary School will host a “Jump Start” orienta tion for all students and par ents Thursday, Aug. 11, from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Our Prek-second grade focus will begin at 8:30 a.m. followed by our thirdfifth grade focus which will begin at 9:30 a.m. Classroom assignments will be posted in several locations throughout the school. Parents and stu dents will be invited to go di rectly to the classrooms and participate in our Jump Start activities. School Hours of Operation: Breakfast is served for bus students as they arrive and for car riders from 7 a.m. until 7:25 a.m. The first bell rings at 7:30 a.m., and the tardy bell rings at 7:35 a.m. Instruction begins promptly at 7:35 a.m. Office hours are from 7:15 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures: The horseshoe on South Main Street is the only drop-off and pick-up area for car riders. Drop-off is no earlier than 7 a.m. in the front of the school. Parking spaces are provided for parents who must walk students to class or pick them up in the afternoon. If a par ent has a conference, they should park in the parking spaces provided in the front of the school. All parents must report to the main office for a visitor pass. Walkers Procedures: All walkers will enter and exit through the two gates located on South Main Street. (Gates are located on the picnic shel ter side of South Main Street and at the corner of South Main Street and Newberry Street.) The student’s address will determine which gate he or she will use in the after noon. Parents should not park along the fence or in the church parking lot. Parents should not walk through the exit to receive children. Daycare/Bus Riders Proce dures: All daycare students and bus riders report to the bus port at the end of the 100 Building on Floral Avenue. All Exceptional Education bus riders will report to the bus port on Floral Avenue (this is located at the back of the school).
Orientation: Orientation in grades PreK5 will be held on Thursday, Aug. 11 according to the fol lowing schedule: Orientation will begin at 1 p.m. for grades PreK-2. Orientation for grades 3 – 5 will begin at 3 p.m. Stu dents and parents will meet teachers, view bus schedules, locate classrooms and receive other information. Post cards will be sent home prior to ori entation with the teacher’s name. Staff members will be available to assist students with finding their home rooms. PreK- second grade (Gate 2) will enter through the main entrance. Third through fifth grades (Gate 1), will enter through the doors by the red flag. Chromebooks will be issued during the ori entation hours for kindergart ners and new students. Instructional Day: The first day of school for students in grades 1 - 5 is Monday, Aug. 15. Prekinder garten and kindergarten stu dents will be testing during the week of Aug. 15-19. There will be a staggered schedule for prekindergarten and kin dergarten students. Parents will be given appointment times during orientation. Pre kindergarten and kindergar ten students will only come to school during their appoint ment time for testing. Aug. 22 is the first day of school for all Prekindergarten and kinder garten students. The school day is from 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. Drop-off/pick-up procedures: To drop off students, enter (Gate 1) nearest the marquee and continue straight and fol low the drop-off signs. Dropoff time for car riders begins at 6:50 a.m. for students who wish to eat breakfast. Stu dents are tardy after 7:30 a.m. After 7:30 a.m., parents will need to go to the main en trance and walk their child to the Attendance Office. Dis missal is at 2:15 p.m. Car rid ers in throughprekindergartenfirstgradeand their siblings are picked up at the colored fences (drop-off area). Car riders in second through fifth grade (Gate 2) are picked up at the covered area behind thePocallacafeteria.Springs is a Title I school, and school supplies will be furnished by the school throughout the year. Parents are only responsible for purchasing book bags. Take-home school supplies will be given to parents duringOpenorientation.Housewillbe held on Thursday, Sept. 29. All stu dents and parents are wel come to attend. This informa tion is subject to change. Please visit our website, Face book, and twitter often for the most up-to-date information.
We are excited to start a new year of learning at R.E. Davis College Preparatory Academy, where we Seek ex cellence, Work Hard, Observe rules and procedures, Respect ourselves and others and Do the right thing. Orientation for students in prekindergar ten through grade 5 will be held Thursday, Aug. 11, from 9 – 10:30 a.m. Students in Grades sixth – eighth will have orientation on Wednes day, Aug. 10, from 1 - 2:30 p.m. During the start of each ori entation, parents/guardians and students are asked to join the administration team in the gym. Students and par ents/guardians will then have an opportunity to report to the child’s assigned classroom to meet with the teacher. School will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m. and dismiss at 2:20 p.m. Student uniforms are not mandatory this year. Students should adhere to the Sumter School District board policy on dress code. We look forward to an ex citing year of learning and growth. The first day of school for grades 1-8 is Aug. 15. Students in prekindergar ten and kindergarten will start on Aug. 22. Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures: Morning drop-off time for car riders is 7–7:30 a.m. at the front entrance near the gym. The afternoon pickup location is the same as the morning drop-off. Dismissal is from 2:20 to 2:35 p.m.
Principal: Jackqueline Thomas 26 Willow Drive, Sumter, SC 29150 Phone: (803) 773-5796 Fax: (803) 778-2847 School Day: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. wde.sumterschools.net Willow Drive Elementary School, home of the Soaring Eagles, will host an orienta tion for students in kindergar ten through fifth grade and their parents on Thursday,
Principal: Michelle Curry-McBride 2060 Bethel Church Road, Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: 803-481-5800 Fax: School803-481-5813Day:7:30a.m. - 2:15 p.m. pses.sumterschools.net
Registration Information: It is important to register new students, prekindergar ten and kindergarten students early. Registration can take place online on Pocalla’s web site pses.sumterschools.net or at the main office. All regis trations require the student’s birth certificate, immuniza tion record, picture ID of par ent/guardian and two proofs of address (utility bill or lease agreement, for example).
School Day: 8 a.m. – 4
Instagram:Twitter:sctcsumter/Facebook:sctc.sumterschools.netp.m.www.Facebook.com/twitter@sctcsumterInstagram@sctcsumter
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4. Arrange supplies wisely. Keep bind ers for each subject in alphabetical order to find what you need at a glance. Keep the matching textbooks nearby to save time before class. your local shops to stock up on every thing you need. 4
For Your Braces! Don’t
Sumter Career and Technology Center
THE SUMTER ITEM 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL AUGUST 4, 2022 | B7 Aug. 11, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. A “Jump Start Camp” will be held for our rising fifth grade students and their parents on Aug. 11. More in formation is forthcoming. Orientation for Prekinder garten will be held Thurs day, Aug. 18, at 9 a.m. Your child’s classroom teacher will make parental contact by Aug. 9. This contact will include information to schedule a classroom visit and back to school informa tion. Parents will receive bus schedule information, register for a car pick- up decal, and have an opportu nity to join the PTO. Class room assignments will be posted in the front lobby of the school and displayed on each classroom door. The first day of school for first through fifth grades is Mon day, Aug. 1. The first day for prekindergarten and kinder garten students is Aug. 22. Breakfast will be served each morning from 6:50 to 7:30 a.m. beginning Aug. 15. Students should not report to school before 6:50 a.m., as there will not be supervision available until that time. We highly encourage students to be on time for school each day. Students are consid ered tardy at 7:30 a.m. and must be brought into the front office by an adult to be signed in when tardy. Office hours are from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Drop Off/Pick Up Procedures: There are two areas avail able for students to be dropped off in the mornings and picked up if they are car riders. The front drive-thru area is for students in grades first, second, and third. The side drive-thru area (near big playground) is for stu dents in Kindergarten, fourth, and fifth grades. If your student has a sibling, then all can be dropped off or picked up at the drive-th ru of the youngest sibling. In the interest of safety, stu dents should not be dropped off at the front door of the school building. Afternoon pickup will be in the same location where students are dropped off in the mornings. Students will be dismissed by 2:15 p.m. Car riders should be picked up no later than 2:35 p.m.
2. Buy shelves. Some shelves are de signed to hang from the permanent shelf in your locker. You can also get ones made of fabric, which have extra pockets on the sides to maximize stor age. Additionally, metal or plastic ones can be placed in the bottom of the lock er to keep your bags separate from your boots and shoes.
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Serving the Clarendon and Sumter communities since 1972, Laurence Manning Academy is a private, Christian school committed
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here are four suggestions to
your book bag with tools for your braces. MouthguardRetainerPlakersRubberbandsMirrorProxyToothbrushWaxBrushOrthopicksCaseforSportsThomasW.Epps, DMD Orthodontics
1. Choose sturdy accessories. Use stur dy storage containers you don’t have to replace every This way, you’ll stay and won’t have to spend money on ones next
schedules
Principal: Dr. Shirrie B. Miller 2612 McCray’s Mill Road Sumter, SC 29154 Phone: (803) 481-8575 Fax: (803) 481-4323
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Sumter Career and Tech nology Center (SCTC) is a nationally certified STEM school as well as a Trans form SC center, a SREB Pacesetter CTE Center, and South Carolina Youth Ap prenticeship member. SCTC is where faculty, staff and administration invest in the future of our students by producing college, military and career ready students. The first day for students in grades 10–12 is Monday, Aug. 15. Open House for stu dents and parents is Tues day, Sept. 6, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Orientation for students is Thursday, Sept. 8. Morn ing orientation is scheduled for 9:15–10:15 a.m., and after noon orientation is sched uled for 12:30–1:30 p.m. Student handbooks, which include school and district expectations, will be distrib uted on the first day of school. Parents are encour aged to review the hand books with their children. Chromebooks will be distrib uted at each student’s home high school. Please check with your home high school for distribution dates. Students walk from Sum ter High School through the back gate while students from Crestwood High and Lakewood High schools are transported by bus to Sum ter Career and Technology Center. The school building opens daily at 9 a.m. to wel come students. Sumter County Adult Education Director: Dr. Vanessa Smith-Canty 905 North Main Street, Sumter, SC 29150 Telephone: (803) 778-6432 Fax: (803) 775-4665 Hours of Operation: Monday and Wednesday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Friday - 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Second & Fourth Saturdays - 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Adult Education classes will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Student Orientation will be held during the week of Aug. 23. The last day to en roll for session one is Sept. 1. to providing students in grades K3 through 12 with a high quality education within a safe, friendly, and morally rich environment. ...of Faith, Learning, and Family. www.laurencemanning.com 803-435-2114 forget to pack for Children and Adults 669-A W. Wesmark Blvd. (803) If you’re student, help you orga nize locker.
775-5500 Back to school means getting a new locker, especially in high school.
3. Maximize door usage. Magnetic ac cessories are extremely practical. For example, you can use baskets to orga nize pencils and other small objects. A dry-erase board or magnets can help you keep important notes like appoint ment times and exam in sight.
B8 | AUGUST 4, 2022 2022 BACK TO SCHOOL THE SUMTER ITEM Archway Academy South Carolina’s Premier Early Education Programs Our Award-Winning Private Preschool Programs! • Private 4-year-old kindergarten that exceeds SC Early Learning Standards • Degreed teachers • Creative curriculum fosters the development of the whole child • SC Farm to Preschool Program • Infant/Toddler Stimulation Program • 2- and 3-year-old kindergarten www.archway.academy 416 S. Wise (803)773-4300Drive2049 McCrays Mill (803)773-6480Rd. Two Convenient Locations in Sumter Open 6:30am - 6:30pm Free Book Bag with RegistrationFall While supplies last
