As a reminder, the survey for the 21-22 school year will close on Monday, March 15 at 8 am. All parents are requested to complete one survey per child regarding your preference for your child’s instructional setting in a non-pandemic year. The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/3jHOw2t.
Pandemic EBT Benefits Information
All households with potentially eligible students are strongly encouraged to validate their address in the DSS P-EBT Address Portal on or before March 19, 2021. The P-EBT Address Portal is located on the DSS website, at: https://benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov/#/pebt/addressverification . To locate a child in the Address Portal the parent must have: Student Last Name, Date of Birth, Student ID, School District and School Name. If a parent or guardian does not know the Student ID, they must obtain this information from the child’s school.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is an option the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food & Nutrition Service (FNS) has offered to states as an emergency program for the COVID-19 pandemic. The general premise behind the program is that with prolonged school closures, children are consuming meals at home that they otherwise would have had at school through national free or reduced-price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, further straining families’ financial difficulties during this time.
The primary difference between last year’s P-EBT and the current program (P-EBT 2.0) is that the first round was a one-time benefit based on the initial statewide school closures. For the 2020-21 school year, P-EBT 2.0 is a monthly benefit based on the number of days each child is attending school virtually.
Children must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for P-EBT benefits for the 2020-21 school year:
1. Enrolled in a free and reduced-price school meals program or attending a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. The attached listing of South Carolina public and private schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, including CEP schools, is available on the DSS website.
2. Attending a school experiencing pandemic-triggered closures or reduced attendance/hours.
3. Attending school virtually, either full-time or on a hybrid schedule.
The benefit amount for each child is based on a daily rate of $6.82, multiplied by the number of days the student attends school virtually each month. South Carolina will issue P-EBT benefits retroactively and on a staggered issuance schedule. The initial round of P-EBT cards will be mailed out by April 16, 2021, to qualifying students who were eligible based on at least one day of virtual school attendance between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. If a student remains eligible through the end of the school year, additional P-EBT benefits will be loaded onto that same P-EBT card in April, May, and July 2021.
Prek and kindergarten registration for the 2021-2022 school year opens on March 8. If you have a student that will be 4 or 5 by September 1, 2021 please register your student online using the 2021-2022 Pre-K & Kindergarten registration link found on our district web page. You will need three required documents – two proofs of residency and your child’s birth certificate. These documents can be uploaded online.
Dial 4 testing will be required and your child’s zoned school will contact you for a scheduled time to take the test . If there are questions please call 803-321-2600 and ask for Dr. Beth Brooks or Ms. Jan Redden or contact your child’s zoned school.
In preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, all parents are asked to complete the following survey regarding instruction in a non-pandemic school year - https://bit.ly/3jHOw2t. Please complete one per child. Surveys must be completed before March 15.
Information for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten Registration (English) - https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1142859/Pre_K_and_K_Registration_Poster_2021__2_.pdf
Information for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten Registration (Spanish) - https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1142860/Spanish_PreK_poster__2_.pdf
The State Department of Education has released a Frequently Asked Questions Document regarding Pandemic EBT Cards. Please visit https://5il.co/q0ut.
The School District of Newberry County Board of Trustees Meeting on February 22, 2021, will be closed to the public. Only Board Members and Cabinet Level Staff will be in attendance. The public may view this meeting through the district website, https://www.youtube.com/ncsdliveevents
Friday, February 12 is a Teacher Professional Development Day - No School for Students
Help celebrate Bus Driver Appreciation Week - we thank all of our bus drivers for all they do!
The Shriner’s Hospital did an amazing job putting together a series of three very brief videos targeting parents of virtual students, focusing on pediatric obesity prevention and reinforcing healthy orthopedic habits. https://www.newberry.k12.sc.us/article/387960?org=sdnc
The School District of Newberry County Board of Trustees Meeting on January 25, 2021, will be closed to the public. Only Board Members and Cabinet Level Staff will be in attendance. The public may view this meeting through the district's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/ncsdliveevents
The School District of Newberry County will no longer send non-close contact letters to parents informing them that a case of COVID-19 was identified in our schools. We will continue to inform parents if their child has been identified as a close contact (within 6 feet for 15 or more cumulative minutes). Please be reminded that you can access information regarding COVID-19 activity in our district on the COVID-19 Dashboard located on the District’s webpage.
The School District of Newberry County continues to remind parents to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms each morning prior to coming to school. If your child displays any of the following symptoms, tests positive, or is identified as a household contact or close contact, please complete the COVID-19 questionnaire located on your child’s school website and a school nurse will follow up with you.
COVID-19 Symptoms:
o Any one of these with or without fever:
New or worsening cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Loss of taste or smell
o OR two (2) of the following:
Sore throat
Muscle Aches
Chills
Fatigue
Headache
Congestion or runny nose
Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting
It is important that we all maintain heightened awareness as it pertains to monitoring for symptoms, maintaining social distancing and wearing masks as any of us can be around a positive case in any situation in our lives and not know it. Thank you for your continued support of our school district. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school nurse or Tricia Ulch, School Nurse Coordinator (803-321-2620).
The School District of Newberry County Board of Trustees Meeting on January 25, 2021, will be closed to the public. Only Board Members and Cabinet Level Staff will be in attendance. The public may view this meeting through the district's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/ncsdliveevents
SDNC Delays Four Day Return to School for High School Students (Grades 9-12)
The School District of Newberry County, out of an abundance of caution, will delay the return to four days of face to face instruction for high school students to Monday, February 1, 2021. This change only affects our students in grades 9-12. The district will remain on a hybrid (2 days of face to face instruction) schedule for high school students until February 1, 2021. Pk-Grade 8 students are not affected by this change and will remain on their present four day face to face instruction schedule.
High school students who are changing their instructional setting (moving from virtual to face to face or hybrid to virtual) will make this instructional setting change on January 22, 2021, as originally scheduled. However, the students who are moving from virtual to face to face will do so on a hybrid schedule. Students will be contacted by their high school to inform them of their group assignment (Group 1 Monday/ Thursday or Group 2 Tuesday/Friday).
The School District of Newberry County will host its annual Recruitment Fair on Saturday, February 20 from 9 am - 11 am at Mid-Carolina High School. All open positions are posted at www.teachatnewberry.com. All Attendees will be required to wear a mask and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
The School District of Newberry County Board of Trustees Meeting on December 14, 2020, will be closed to the public. Only Board Members and Cabinet Level Staff will be in attendance. The public may view this meeting through the district's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/ncsdliveevents
To contact technology support for the School District of Newberry County please email virtualhelpdesk@newberry.k12.sc.us
Celebrating the Holidays Safely: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1012510/safe_holidays.pdf