Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School

Picture Day is Wednesday!
Can’t wait to see all of our unicorns smiling bright! 📸🦄❤️

Huge Thank You to all the volunteers this past week who helped with tie dyeing the Fun Run shirts. It was a lot of prep and work but the kids absolutely loved it and that is what it is all about!! PTA, Families, Staff…We could not have done it without you! - sincerely, Mrs. O’Keefe and Mrs. Bergen!

Today Ashley River Creative Arts was recognized at the Fall Arts in Basic Curriculum Institute meeting as their flagship school and received a banner for being an ABC school for over 30 years. Ashley River is also the only elementary ABC lab school in the Charleston County School District where others from around the state can come learn more about arts integration. We are proud of this recognition and our steadfast commitment to educating all children through and with the arts.

Thursday, September 21 is ARCAE Spirit Night at MOD Pizza!

The Fall Scholastic Book Fair begins Monday and runs through Friday! Check the link for more details.

It's Book Fair Time! Visit our school's homepage to get the latest Book Fair news, shop our Online Fair, and more!

ARCAE students and staff celebrated International Dot Day on Friday!

In Mrs. Gilston’s 3rd grade class, students participated in a design challenge to celebrate Dot Day! Students worked in teams to build a free standing structure using only cheese balls and toothpicks. The winning team had the opportunity to throw cheese balls in Mr. Sullivan’s mouth. 🦄🤣

Our Kindergarten classes paraded around the school today to celebrate their Community Helpers unit. It was a great way to kickoff our day!

Ms. Miles, our STEAM teacher, used a really neat app, Quiver, to celebrate Dot Day and create cool 3D images! The students got to see their 2D colored dots turn into 3D images that even moved! They explored how their Dot image created a shadow. AMAZING!

Tomorrow is International Dot Day!! Wear your DOTS!
Let’s see those creative ARCA unicorns and their Dot clothes!
Prize for the most outrageous, unique Dot inspired outfit!

The Fall Scholastic Book Fair will run from Monday, September 18, through Friday, September 22, in the media center.

An easy way to send money for your student is to load money into an eWallet. No paper is required; we can search for the student's name and see their eWallet funds. To set up an eWallet or to shop online, visit our book fair page at: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ashleyrivercreativeartssch1
Hope to see you at the fair!

Only 12 days into school and our fabulous fourth graders performed on stage at tonight’s PTA meeting. 4th grade students wrote “I Am” poems to describe their hopes, dreams, and personalities. They shared excerpts of their poems along with songs from The Greatest Showman, a movie that celebrates differences and unique talents. This was a great example of integrating literacy, social emotional learning, and the arts. Way to go 4th grade!

Congratulations to the Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary Unichorus for being accepted to perform at Disney World this Spring! 🗣️🎶🦄

Kindergarten working on their 🦄 unicorn drawings! This mixed media is inspired by the book Never Let a Unicorn Scribble. I am so impressed by these young artists!

K4 showing off their first art project! I’m in love.

Following the academic calendar development process in spring 2023, a group of 56 members of the CCSD community volunteered to serve on a 2024-25 calendar planning committee. All members of the CCSD community were invited to participate on the committee via a district-wide call/email, web posting, and via social media in March 2023.

The planning committee is comprised of teachers, principals, district office personnel, and parents. The group held their initial meeting on Friday, May 26, 2023, and collaboratively adopted a timeline for the group’s work as outlined here.

The committee surveyed the community from June 9 - June 21, 2023. The survey garnered over 5,000 responses.

The results of the survey led the team to develop the four options presented to trustees and approved by the Board for selection by the community. For more information visit ccsdschools.com/academiccalendar.

Voting will begin earlier than usual. To select the calendar option that you most prefer for the 2024-25 Academic Calendar, PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY at the link below. The survey should only take 5-7 minutes of your time to complete.

The survey will be open on September 1, 2023, and will close on September 15, 2023.

SURVEY:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfgiIua2ujbptkqPMhngwvMQG986KpjgLn-gXwDsDr44NkKA/viewform

Today is a half day of school. Dismissal is at 11:30.

Thursday is an e-Learning Day. Please check email for communication from your child’s teacher or your child’s binder/backpack for specific assignments.

Friday is a normal school day.

Stay safe and dry! ❤️🦄

Due to the forecast for inclement weather this week related to Hurricane Idalia, all district schools and offices are now moving to a half day on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and an eLearning/remote work day on Thursday, August 31, 2023. School and district buildings will be closed on Thursday, August 31, 2023.

The half-day bell times can be found on our website; click on the “Bell Schedules” icon on the main page. Your child’s teacher or school will provide direction about the process for learning later this afternoon.

On Wednesday, August 30, 2023, a take-home “protein pack” or “brunch kit” will be offered for $2.75 for students who do not qualify for free lunch and provided free of charge for those who do. Modified hot school lunches will be served in all schools as well.

Kaleidoscope and all other extracurricular activities and afterschool programs scheduled for Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and Thursday, August 31, 2023, are canceled. The Constituent District 3 community meeting for James Island is also canceled. The district will be in touch once the event is rescheduled.

Subject to change, pending conditions, high school athletics (only) are still being held Thursday, August 31, 2023, with an arrival time no earlier than 3:30 PM on campuses.

https://www.ccsdschools.com/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=488&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=53133&PageID=1

Annual Yearbook Cover Contest!!

Attention ALL Ashley River Students! We need your amazing artwork for the yearbook cover!

The Theme this year is “Catch the Wave”!

Some Guidelines and Tips to follow:

-Vertical/Portrait Orientation
-Full Color looks best
-Does NOT need the theme name in it
-Take your time and fill the page
-You can submit more then one entry
-No name on front of artwork (please put full name and class # on back)
-Be Creative! Does not need to look like our logo

Being your original artwork to Mrs.
O’Keefe, Art room, 418, by Wednesday, September 20th!

Teacher/Admin vote will be anonymously done on Fri. Winner will announced on the WUNI News show the following week.

First place Art goes on the Cover and 2nd place goes on First page.
Both will receive a free yearbook!

ARCA teachers and staff sported their finest tropical gear to celebrate Surf’s Up Friday!

Our Unicorn teachers, staff, and students had a great first day of school, and we can’t wait until tomorrow! 🦄

In preparation for the First Day of School on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, Charleston County School District is profiling many of the district’s offices, resources, and programs leading up to the opening bell.

TRANSPORTATION: We encourage parents and students to please visit our CCSD Transportation webpage and learn more:

Confirm bus stop information through the "School Bus Stop Lookup Tool"

Register for the First View app (instructions and school codes can be found on the CCSD Transportation webpage)

Please submit complaints/inquiries through our Complaint/Feedback form

https://www.ccsdschools.com/transportation

Please review the morning and afternoon pick-up procedures for Ashley River 🚘🦄

Our administration dream team, Mr. Sullivan and Ms. Capers-Ruiz, is ready to welcome our students and families back for a great year!

23-24 ARCAE Supply Lists 🦄✏️🎨📓

Please see the updates below for the upcoming month, we are happy to see you all very soon!🦄

All students enrolled at Ashley River may participate in the breakfast and lunch program at no charge to families each day of the 2023-2024 school year. Families will not have to fill out meal applications.
More information can be found here:

Operations / Nutrition Services Nutrition Services manages the federal programs for breakfast, lunch and summer meals. In addition to the federal programs, it coordinates the Mid-Morning Snack Program, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Head Start and Early Head Start Meals Program, as well as one of the largest supper program...

ECM's Summer of Arts Challenge day 2! In celebration of National Summer Learning Week 2023, we invite you to showcase how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities for a chance to ✨WIN✨ amazing prizes!!

How to enter:
⭐ Share a photo or video today showcasing how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. It could be a snapshot from a museum visit, a video of a performance, or any other creative expression.
⭐ Tag us in your post at and use the hashtag . This will ensure that we can see your submission and include it in the challenge.
⭐ The July 12th winner will receive a family pack of six tickets to the Charleston RiverDogs!

WOOHOO! We can't wait to see the creative ways you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. Get ready to share your artistic adventures and join us in celebrating National 2023! National Summer Learning Association
https://discoversummer.inplay.org

We are excited to share that Ashley River has been awarded an ABC grant for the upcoming school year. These funds will be used to provide all students with an artist in residence experience. Thank you South Carolina Arts Commission and Arts in Basic Curriculum Institute!

ECM's Summer of Arts Challenge begins today! In celebration of National Summer Learning Week 2023, we invite you to showcase how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities for a chance to ✨WIN✨ amazing prizes!!

How to enter:
⭐ Share a photo or video today showcasing how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. It could be a snapshot from a museum visit, a video of a performance, or any other creative expression.
⭐ Tag us in your post at and use the hashtag . This will ensure that we can see your submission and include it in the challenge.
⭐ The July 10th winner will receive a family pack of six tickets to The Charleston Museum. WOOHOO!

We can't wait to see the creative ways you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. Get ready to share your artistic adventures and join us in celebrating National 2023! National Summer Learning Association

ECM is excited to announce our Summer of Arts Challenge in celebration of National Summer Learning Week 2023! We invite you to showcase how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities for a chance to WIN amazing prizes.

Here's how you can participate:
📅 The challenge will take place on July 10th, July 12th, and July 14th, aligning with National Summer Learning Week 2023.

🎭 On challenge days, share a photo or video showcasing how you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. It could be a snapshot from a museum visit, a video of a performance, or any other creative expression.

#️⃣ Tag us in your post at and use the hashtag . This will ensure that we can see your submission and include it in the challenge.

🤑 Each challenge day, we will randomly select one winner from the submissions. The July 10th winner will receive a family pack of six tickets to theThe Charleston Museum , the July 12th winner will receive a family pack of six tickets to a Charleston RiverDogs game, and the July 14th winner will receive a family pack of six tickets to the the Gibbes museum.

We can't wait to see the creative ways you incorporate the arts into your summer activities. Get ready to share your artistic adventures and join us in celebrating National 2023! National Summer Learning Association

Jostens recently announced that 20 schools in CCSD earned the 2023 National Yearbook Program of Excellence awards. Ashley River earned a Silver level award!

Jostens’ National Yearbook Program of Excellence recognizes engaging yearbooks that reflect a broad representation of the student body while helping students develop 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration, and information and communication technologies literacy.

Way to go Unicorns!

Hey Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary Parents, This is it! It's the final weeks to order your back-to-school supply kit from 1st Day School Supplies! Ordering from 1st Day guarantees you the exact supplies your child needs for the start of the school year, with only the brands you trust and respect like Ticonderoga, Crayola, Elmer's and Clorox. Plus, you're going to save up to 30% over shopping at Target, Walmart or even on Amazon! Don't wait, buy early and save!

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