Greetings Pontiac families!

We hope you are having a great start to the school year! In order to meet the individual needs of students, we are required by the SC State Department of Education to administer assessments within the first 10 days of school. Richland Two will use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test to meet this requirement. We will administer the MAP test from September 8th through September 14th for students in grades 1st- 5th grade. We will use Easy CBM for kindergarten students.

MAP TESTING

Students in grades 1st-5th grades are encouraged to complete their MAP assessments remotely (at home); however, an in-person (at school) option was made available for students as well. A survey was sent previously to parents re: this option. The survey has closed and those parents that opted for on-campus assessment will be notified tomorrow re: a more detailed schedule for their child.

Students taking the MAP test remotely (at home) should follow these simple steps on your designated testing day. Your teacher will notify you of your testing day.

• STEP 1: Students using School issued Chromebooks should click the kiosk app from the login screen (called NWEA Secure Testing).

Please note: The student should NOT sign in to his/her account on the Chromebook.

• STEP 2: The student will need to use credentials (Session Name and Session Password) provided by their teacher to log in.

• STEP 3: Take the MAP Test.

Please watch the video below for a visual guide on how to complete these steps.

Please note: MAP is on a secure testing server. If the student attempts to open up another app or screen, the MAP test will end.

Only your child’s teacher will have access to the testing credentials (Session Name and Session Password) provided to your child to log in to the MAP test. Should you have any questions or need support, please contact your child’s teacher.

ON CAMPUS TESTING FOR MAP AND EASY CBM

Those parents who PREVIOUSLY signed up to have their child take this test on campus will adhere to the following schedule:

• Students with the last names A-L will test Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9.

• Students with the last names M-Z will test Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11.

• Please make sure your child come to school with the following on their assigned day:

• A mask.

• Water bottle.

• A fully charged school issued Chromebook.

• If you requested bus transportation, our transportation team will be in touch with you with the approximate time they will be there to pick your child up. The day will begin on campus at 8 a.m. and will end at 12 noon. Kindergarten students must complete this FORM before riding the bus.

• Car riders need to be at the school by 8 a.m. and picked up at 12 noon. Please do not get out of your cars to bring your child inside the building. Pontiac staff will meet you at the car and escort your child into the school.

If you have any additional questions regarding MAP testing, please feel free to contact me via email at jwilliams@richland2.org.

Thank you,

Mr. Williams

School Testing Coordinator

If your child is going to be in KINDERGARTEN this year, your child is required to have Two (2) Hepatitis A shots prior to entering Kindergarten. Yes, it’s true. These shots will help protect your child from Hepatitis A.

Please visit https://scdhec.gov/index.php/health/vaccinations/childcare-school-vaccine-requirements to read about South Carolina Immunization requirements.

Call your physician today to schedule an appointment. If you don't have a regular physician, you can call DHEC at 1-855-472-3432 to schedule an appointment. Did I mention these shots are required for next year?

If your child has already received Two Hepatitis A shots, please take a copy of their shot record to the school nurse or email the records to her at jlarck@richland2.org.

Your child will be unable to attend school without proof of having received Two (2) Hepatitis A shots.

Students are expected to attend "live" class sessions using Google Meet. Attendance is taken daily, just as it is when we are in the brick and mortar setting. Students who attend "live" class sessions will be coded as present. If a student does not attend a "live" class session, he/she will be coded as absent.

When a student is not able to attend a "live" class session, he/she should watch the recorded lesson and submit the Daily Participation Assignment (DPA). The student's absence will then be changed to present. The student will also be responsible for completing and submitting any make-up work.

Teachers explained this DPA in detail during our Back to School virtual sessions. If you need further explanation about this process, please ask your child's teacher.

If your child does not attend elearning classes on a specific date, please be sure to email an excuse to our attendance secretary, Mrs. Janice Watson at jawatson@richland2.org.

• Curbside meal service at eight schools

• Bridge Creek, Bethel-Hanberry, Joseph Keels, North Springs, Polo Road and Rice Creek elementary schools

• Dent and Longleaf middle schools
  
  

• Four bus routes with 13 total stops servicing community sites: Spring Garden/Hunters Way Apartments, Chimneys at Brookfield, Beldon Spring Lake, Parklane Apartments, Springtree Apartments, Greenbriar Apartments, Spears Creek Mobile Home Park, Charleswood (at JCC), KRC Wildewood, Regency Mobile Home Park, Inn Town Suites-

  Two Notch, Polo Estates, and Freeway Mobile Home Park.
  
  

• Meals served on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and all sites are open to all Richland Two students.

• Meals for Monday and Tuesday distributed on Monday

• Meals for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday distributed on Wednesday
  
  

• Students (or parents of students) can be identified several ways for accountability

  purposes: student ID card, student ID number, or student's name and school.
  
  

• The district can no longer provide free meals to all students because the Unanticipated School Closure Waiver from the USDA has expired. To avoid accruing debt on a student's meal account, parents are asked to either apply for free or reduced-price meal status or add money to their students' meal accounts through Parent Portal.

It’s very important that families who qualify for free and reduced price meals apply for this status as soon as possible. To find out more about the process please click here to read the parent letter that answers a lot of questions including who qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. The quickest and easiest way to submit an application for free or reduced-price meals is to use the online application. Click the link here to start the application.

As a reminder, families have to apply every year. That means students who attended schools in Richland Two in 2019-2020 and received free/reduced price meals MUST complete a new application for eligibility of extended benefits each school year. If you do not reapply, all meal prices will automatically change to full price.

If you do not have access to the online application form, you can submit a paper form. To turn in a paper application, you may

• FAX your completed application to 803-419-5839 OR
• RETURN your completed application to your child's school cafe manager OR
• MAIL your application to Richland School District Two Food & Nutrition Services, 124 Risdon Way, Columbia, SC 29223.

Website: https://www.richland2.org/pe/
Location: 500 Spears Creek Church Road, Elgin, SC, USA
Phone: 803 699-2700
Facebook: facebook.com/Pontiac
Twitter: @Pontiac

September 8 - MAP Testing Begins

September 18 - Picture Day