Mt. Pleasant Academy
Jane Davis, Principal
Opening School Information 2014-2015
Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year. Please read this information carefully as we work
together to have a smooth opening and a successful school year.
1. Opening Day – Monday, August 18, is the first day of school for all grades except 4 year old
CD. School hours are 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Parents may park and walk in with their child, meet
the teacher and visit the classroom. After the first day, please follow the traffic procedures as
detailed in this mailout.
2. No Fact and Fee Day –You will receive a Parent packet on the first day of school. Please
review the information carefully and return all required forms and fees the next day.
3. Class Rolls will be posted at the traffic circle (ball field side) on Friday, August 15, at 3pm.
ABSOLUTELY NO CLASS CHANGES WILL BE MADE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ASK.
4. Kindergarten Parent Orientation will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13. Please
refer to the Kindergarten Opening School Information included in the mailout if you have a
kindergarten student.
5. Students/Parents new to MPA Grades 1-5
Orientation and School Tour - Wednesday, August 13 - 1 pm in the Media Center
6. Four year old Child Development – If your child was selected for this program, you have
already been notified by mail. Parent Orientation will be held on Wednesday, August 20, at
6:00 p.m. in Room 137. This meeting is for parents only and attendance is required. Please
make arrangements for childcare. The first day for the entire class is Wednesday, August 27.
Your child will also come on either August 25 or 26. Mrs. Steele, CD teacher, will contact you
with this information.
7. Back to School Parent Orientation – This meeting is for parents only.
4 Year Old CD
Wednesday, August 20
6:00 p.m.
Kindergarten
Wednesday, August 13
8:00 a.m.
Grades 1 and 2
Monday, August 25
6:30 p.m.
Grades 3 and 4
Wednesday, August 20
6:30 p.m.
Grades 5
Wednesday, August 27
6:30 p.m.
E. Smith & A. Daguet
Wednesday, August 13
4:30 p.m.
Unless you are notified otherwise, these meetings will be held in your child’s classroom.
8. SAIL Parent Orientation for grades 3-5 will be held during the first few weeks of school.
Ms. Graham will notify you of the details.
9. Supervision There will be no adult supervision in the mornings until 7:20 a.m. Do not allow
your child to be at school unattended. There also is no supervision after 3:00 p.m. Students
who are still at school will go to Kaleidoscope at a cost to parents.
10. Unlawful Absences Absences due to family vacations, attendance at sporting events, etc.
are considered “unlawful absences” and appear on your child’s record as such. We have a nice
long summer and plenty of vacation during the school year. When planning travel, please use
school vacation time.
11. Absences – Excessive absences will be addressed by the principal and guidance counselor.
Documentation for illness will be required. In order for an absence to be considered excused,
you must send a note or email Mrs. Williams (susanf_williams@charleston.k12.sc.us). Text,
emails, etc. to teachers do not count. Your child will be marked unexcused unless you directly
communicate with Mrs. Williams.
12. Tardies – It is important that students be in the classroom and ready to begin instruction
before the 7:45 tardy bell. The principal and guidance counselor will address excessive tardies.
13. Communication with Teachers – Please be respectful of instructional time in the classroom.
Teachers will not be able to continuously check for texts and emails and respond to you. They
will do this during their planning period and after school. If you have an emergency message,
you need to call the school office at 849-2826. We will not accept responsibility for problems
that occur because the teacher did not check texts or emails during the school day. Please be
respectful of teachers’ personal and family time.
14. School lunches will be available for $2.25 per day and breakfast for $1.40. Individual food
items and milk are also for sale. Students may not purchase chips, cookies, etc. from the
cafeteria unless they first eat a school lunch or lunch from home. If you do not want your
children to purchase these items, you must notify the cafeteria. You may apply for free or
reduced lunch and breakfast. Applications are in the Opening School Parent/Student Folder
and online. Lunch and breakfast will be served beginning the first day of school. Please be sure
your child has money, if applicable. The cafeteria does not lend money. Please keep up with
the balance on your child’s account. The school is not responsible for calling you. This
information may be accessed online (ccsdschools.com)
15. Healthy Schools – Mt. Pleasant Academy supports the USDA Standards for Smart Snacks for
School. PTA ice cream sales will be on Friday. All ice cream products sold meet the guidelines
for Smart Snacks. We will not celebrate birthdays with cupcakes or any other food and we will
not have Friday treats. Any food items sent to school for these purposes will be sent back
home. You may send non-food treats.
16. Student Instructional Fees - Detailed information will be in the opening school folder.
CD (4 year old) - $20.00
Grade 2 - $30.00
Grade 5 - $30.00 SAIL fees - $10.00
Kindergarten - $35.00
Grade 3 - $30.00
Ms. Arielle Daguet - $20.00
Grade 1 - $30.00
Grade 4 - $30.00
Ms. Lizzie Smith - $20.00
17. School Supplies A student school supply list is included in this mailout. Pleases make sure
your child has the supplies he needs for school. Bring the supplies on the first day of school.
Please label. If you purchased supplies from the PTA, they will be delivered to your child’s class
before the first day of school. Let the school know if you need assistance.
18. Visitors No adult who is not a CCSD employee is allowed on the school grounds until they
report to the office, are scanned in through our visitor ID system and receive a visitor pass.
Enter at the Center Street door. All other exterior doors are locked. Parents and other visitors
are welcome in our school, but please remember that we are a place of business. In order to
maximize instructional time, do not disturb teachers while they are teaching and do not take
preschool children into the classroom during instructional time. The MPA Office will deliver left
items to your child’s classroom; do not disturb class for this purpose.
19. Lunch visits Our cafeteria is small, overcrowded and we are on a tight lunch schedule. It is
important that we establish lunch time routine and behavior. Please do not plan to eat lunch
with your child until after Labor Day and then only for special occasions.
20. Uniform Policy All MPA students are required to wear uniforms. Parents who choose not to
follow this policy must meet with the principal to sign a waiver. We highly recommend that
your child wear uniforms. We have found that uniforms encourage a more serious attitude at
school. Students who do not wear uniforms must follow the MPA Dress Code which is in our
Parent/Student folder along with more detailed information about uniforms.
MPA Uniforms
Navy or Khaki Pants, Shorts, Shirts, Jumpers
Red, White or Blue shirts/blouses with collar
Official MPA T-Shirts (no other t-shirts allowed)
It is very important at MPA that our students dress appropriately. Shorts must be fingertip
length and girls must wear shirts that are not revealing and do not have spaghetti straps. All
clothing must fit; clothes cannot be oversized, baggy, or too tight. Hoods and hats may not be
worn inside the building.
21. MPA Short Sleeve T-shirts/Green Day T-shirts, Water Bottles - cost $10.00 Will be on sale
in the office . An order form will be in the opening packet or you may stop by to purchase shirts
before school starts. You will need the correct amount; the office has no change.
22. Afternoon Plans Please be sure your child knows how he is getting home each day. Try to
follow the same routine. Please make after school pick up arrangements before your child
comes to school. We will work with you in an emergency, but will not deliver messages on a
regular basis. It is important that you call before 1:30 p.m.
23. Kaleidoscope – Registration Date: August 11 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The deadline to register
is Friday, August 15th. If you have any questions, please contact Faye Westwood 849-2877 or
Ashley Peters 881-8274.
24. AM and PM Traffic Procedures
We are required to follow the traffic guidelines that were established for MPA by the State
Department of Transportation for our building. Please do not deviate from these required
procedures. The safety of your children is our #1 concern. We appreciate your patience and
willingness to follow procedures.
AM -The horseshoe in front of the school is reserved for Buses and Handicapped Students. No
other traffic is to use the horseshoe for drop off except PTA Honor Roll and Seewee sponsors.
These students should use the door near the flagpole. No parking is allowed in the horseshoe.
The car drop off line will enter the ball field parking lot at the entrance near Simmons Street.
The parking lot entrance nearest the school/crossing guard will be closed at arrival and
dismissal times. There will be 2 way traffic so drive carefully. Follow the arrows around the
perimeter of the parking lot to the drop off circle and main entrance midway down the building
on the ball field side. We will be there to open car doors beginning at 7:20. Children will enter
through the main entrance and go either to breakfast or to their designated waiting area near
their classrooms.
Cars will continue around the circle and bear right to exit the same place you entered. Again:
Be careful of narrow lanes and 2 way traffic. Right turn only at the EXIT - Do not go straight
on Simmons Street or turn left.
There are limited parking spaces in the parking lot. These are reserved for employees. Do not
under any circumstance park in the traffic lanes that run around the perimeter. No drop offs
are allowed in the parking lot. There will be no adult supervision in the parking lot. The only
student drop off is at the traffic circle.
If you feel it is absolutely necessary that you park and walk to the entrance with your child, you
should park across Center Street, cross with the crossing guard and follow the sidewalk.
Walkers and bike riders must cross at the crossing guard. Once you reach the crossing guard,
bikers must push their bikes and follow the sidewalk to the bike racks and entrance. Once
students cross Center Street, they must move away quickly from the congested area.
We have only one regular school bus. The bus schedule for bus #237 is included. Students in
Mrs. Lizzie Smith’s and Ms. Daguet’s class will be contacted by their bus driver.
The main entrance at the traffic circle will be locked during school hours. If your child is tardy,
the tardy sign will block the entrance and you must bring your child to the front office for a
tardy slip. Use the front entrance for any business during the school day. All other exterior
doors will be locked.
PM- The morning traffic procedures for cars apply to afternoon pickup also. Remember RIGHT
TURN ONLY onto Center Street from exit.
Parents should follow the traffic flow around the parking lot to the circle at the main entrance.
We will have adults on duty to open car doors. You must have a MPA parking placard with your
child’s name in the front window. Placards are available in the office and at kindergarten and
new student orientations. We discourage you from parking your car and walking in to meet
your child. There are simply no parking spaces and the 2 way traffic in and out poses a safety
risk. There will be no supervision in the parking lot. Do not park along the perimeter of the
parking lot.
Parents who walk, ride bikes or park across Center Street and walk in to meet their children will
pick them up from the flag pole area. These students will be supervised, but once you get
them, please pay close attention to their safety. We are in a small area with lots going on.
No pickup or parking is allowed in the horseshoe except buses and handicapped students.
No child will be allowed to cross traffic to go to the parking lot.
Students and parents who are walking or riding bikes will follow the sidewalk and cross with the
crossing guard. No one can ride a bike, skate, or skateboard on the school grounds or at the
crossing guard area on Center Street.
Mt. Pleasant Academy
6:35
6:38
6:40
6:41
6:44
6:46
6:48
6:52
6:54
6:58
7:01
7:05
7:11
3:02
3:04
3:05
3:07
3:10
3:11
3:13
3:17
3:19
2:56
2:53
2:49
2:45
Bus Route #237
**Subject to change
Lakeview Drive @ W. Lakeview Drive
Cliffwood Drive @ Palm Street
Palm Street @ Lansing Drive
Shannon Drive @ Tall Pine Road
W. Coleman Blvd @ Provincial Circle
Harbor Pointe Drive (Mailboxes)
301 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Red Roof Inn
Bayview Drive @ Quince Street
Harborgate Drive @ Queens Ct.
118 Royall Avenue (Boys and Girls Club)
Bank Street @ Greenwich Street
King Street @ Erckman Drive
Mt. Pleasant Academy
Durham School Services
P.O. Box 81105
Charleston, SC 29416
Voice: (843) 216-6621
Fax: (843) 849-2869 www.durhamschool services