| Test | Brick and Mortar | Virtual | Virtual Makeup |
| ELA Day 1 (Writing) | Tuesday, May 4 | Thursday, April 29 | Thursday, May 13 |
| ELA Day 2 (Reading) | Wednesday, May 5 | Friday, April 30 | Friday, May 14 |
| Science (Grade 4 Only) | Tuesday, May 11 | Thursday, May 6 | Friday, May 21 |
| Math | Wednesday, May 12 | Friday, May 7 | Thursday, May 20 |
Greenville County students have a second opportunity to enroll in the full-time GCS Virtual Program for the 2021-22 school year. The second enrollment window will be held from Thursday, April 1 through Friday, April 23. To register, students must be enrolled in Greenville County Schools and parents must have a BackPack account. Students who enroll after the second window closes will be placed on a waitlist and will be scheduled based on availability in the Virtual Program. Parents who enrolled their child in the 2021-22 Virtual Program during the first round but have since changed their mind and wish to return to brick-and mortar school should contact their child’s school by Friday, April 23 to make the change. Complete details are posted on the GCS website at www.greenville.k12.sc.us.
Parents ~ Do you know a child, who will turn 5 years old on or before September 5, 2021? If so, is that child registered for kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year? Please go to this website to register your child now.
It is extremely important that you enroll your child now to ensure we have enough teachers for every classroom on the first day of school. Virtual learning in GCS is an option, but parents still must have their child enrolled at the home-based school based on their current address. Also, please tell any neighbors, who have a child ready for 5K to register the child for kindergarten as soon as possible.
Greenville County Schools has released the 2021-22 student calendar.
Because Greenville County Schools is an approved eLearning district, the district is not required to build in makeup days for inclement weather. GCS will automatically operate on Attendance Plan 0 (eLearning) if school buildings are closed on a regular attendance day.
Sara Collins Elementary has been designated a “Grief-Sensitive School” by the New York Life Foundation, receiving a $500 grant to help create a bereavement support plan and encourage ongoing staff development as part of the national Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative.
Schools confront issues of grief and loss every day: 1 in 15 US children* will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Studies show that unresolved grief can have a social and emotional impact on children, leading to behavioral issues and poor performance in school. Yet educators often feel under-prepared to help, with the vast majority of teachers reporting they have not received any bereavement training.
Through the Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative – a pioneering effort to better equip schools to care for the grieving students in their midst – trained New York Life ambassadors connect with educators in their local communities to raise awareness and understanding of grief’s prevalence and impact among school-age children.
The program is an extension of the work of the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, a collaboration among leading K-12 professional organizations, to develop and deliver best-in-class grief support resources to educators. The New York Life Foundation founded the Coalition in 2013, in partnership with the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, as part of its commitment to improving schools’ ability to reach their grieving students.
After hosting a presentation on grief support resources, Sara Collins agreed to strive to become a grief-sensitive school, and received a $500 grant which will be used to help deliver support to bereaved students and their families.
About the New York Life Foundation
Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided nearly $280 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees and agents of New York Life through its Volunteers for Good and Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative programs. To learn more, please visit www.newyorklifefoundation.org.
*Results from the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM) developed by Judi’s House/JAG Institute www.judishouse.org/CBEM
Sara Collins Elementary received a generous donation from the family of Sara Collins, our school's namesake, in the amount of $500! This money will be used to purchase new books in the Ed Collins library at our school! A huge thank you goes to the Collins family for continuous support to our students, staff, and school community!
Students not residing in the Sara Collins Elementary School attendance zone may apply to attend Sara Collins in 2020-21.
On November 2, applications are available for the following school year. Applications must be picked up in our school office.
Applications fully completed by December 13 are considered "Round 1" and are sent to the district office for consideration. Slots become available based on student enrollment. Notification of open slots is usually made by April 1st. Applications received after Round 1 applications are submitted are considered "Round 2". Round 2 applicants will be considered after all Round 1 applicants.
Check out our IB Open House Virtual Video in the slides above to hear about what IB looks like at Sara Collins. Please contact Carrie Johnson at 355-3229 or cabjohns@greenville.k12.sc.us if you have any questions.
Parents - Please create a Parent Backpack account if you have not already done so. Important communications from the school and the school district come from this account. This is also a great way to keep track of your child's grades and attendance information. If you need to create a Parent Backpack account, you will find English and Spanish directions linked here. The Greenville County Schools website has a great video tutorial to guide you through the process.
All students are eligible for additional meals for the other days they are not present in school. If you are interested in ordering take home meals, please click this link to access the form.
Chromebook Repairs – Face to Face/E-Learning Students
On days that students physically attend school, students may turn in their Chromebook for repair at their school and receive a loaner device. Once repaired, the Chromebook will be returned to the school and must then be returned to the student.
On days when students participate in E-learning, students may call (864) 355-4357 for assistance with minor issues. If the Chromebook is not functioning properly, students should bring Chromebooks to the nearest career center (Mon-Thu, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM) for repair and to receive a loaner device. Once repaired, Chromebooks will be returned to the student’s home school and must be returned to the student in exchange for the loaner Chromebook.
Chromebook Repairs – Virtual Students
Virtual students may call (864) 355-4357 for assistance with minor issues. They may also bring Chromebooks to the nearest career center (Mon-Thu, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM) for repair and to receive a loaner device. Once repaired, Chromebooks will be returned to the student’s home school. The school staff will then contact the student to notify them that the Chromebook is available for pickup.
ETS loaner Chromebooks returned from students should be held at the home school until further notice from ETS.
Parents ~ If you would like to provide food for special occasions (i.e. student birthdays) please check with your child’s teacher prior to the event. For safety concerns, we cannot serve or give “homemade” foods, therefore, all food to be shared with other children must be store bought with visible ingredient labels and individually pre-packaged.
All students - check out this video so you can meet some of the special people who work at Sara Collins Elementary. We can't wait to see you soon!
Kindergarten students - check out this video so you can see where your classrooms are when you arrive to school.
Special Education Self-Contained
Click here to read Sara Collins Elementary's Annual Report to the Community.
We are proud to be named for Mrs. Sara Collins, an exemplary volunteer and PTA mom! Enjoy this interview with her son, Mr. Eddie Collins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf8YwLTn4ns&feature=youtu.be
If you would like to have access to this program, please contact your child’s ESOL teacher. The ESOL teacher will be able to provide you with a code to access the program and share general log-in instructions. Click for more information.