Congaree Elementary
Enter to Learn, Depart to SOAR
Happy National Coaches Day!
Today we’re celebrating three incredible members of our Congaree family—our two amazing Instructional Coaches, Mrs. Cusey and Mrs. Mazzola, and our fantastic PE Coach, Coach Cox!
Whether they’re coaching teachers, supporting students, sharing new ideas, building confidence, or encouraging our Aviators to stay active and give their best, each of them plays an important role in helping our school SOAR!
Thank you for your encouragement, leadership, teamwork, and dedication to making Congaree a better place to learn and grow.
Help us give our coaches a BIG Aviator shoutout today!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Today we’re celebrating three incredible members of our Congaree family—our two amazing Instructional Coaches, Mrs. Cusey and Mrs. Mazzola, and our fantastic PE Coach, Coach Cox!
Whether they’re coaching teachers, supporting students, sharing new ideas, building confidence, or encouraging our Aviators to stay active and give their best, each of them plays an important role in helping our school SOAR!
Thank you for your encouragement, leadership, teamwork, and dedication to making Congaree a better place to learn and grow.
Help us give our coaches a BIG Aviator shoutout today!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Today we celebrated Hispanic Heritage Week with “Siesta Like There Is No Mañana!”
Mrs. Thomas’s 4th grade class took a cultural journey through Mexico, Central and South America, and other Hispanic regions and communities. Students learned about countries including Guatemala, Costa Rica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, while also exploring islands such as the Bahamas and Jamaica.
They discovered colorful fiestas and parades, learned about different traditions, and—maybe the favorite part—explored Hispanic cuisines!
We definitely had a hungry group of Aviators eager to learn about and taste new flavors!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Mrs. Thomas’s 4th grade class took a cultural journey through Mexico, Central and South America, and other Hispanic regions and communities. Students learned about countries including Guatemala, Costa Rica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, while also exploring islands such as the Bahamas and Jamaica.
They discovered colorful fiestas and parades, learned about different traditions, and—maybe the favorite part—explored Hispanic cuisines!
We definitely had a hungry group of Aviators eager to learn about and taste new flavors!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Our Aviators are SOARing with attendance! Several of our classes have officially reached 15 BONES in our A.C.E. Attendance Challenge — Attendance Creates Excellence!
Today, those classes celebrated their accomplishment with Ace’s Bone Snacks! Way to keep showing up, being on time, and making every school day count!
But we’re not finished yet! Our attendance challenge continues through October 14, and we have one BIG goal in sight…
EVERY CLASS = 20 BONES!
THE REWARD = SILLY STRING MR. DICKEY!
Families, you can help us get there by making attendance a priority each day. Every day your Aviator is at school gives their class another opportunity to earn a bone and move closer to our school-wide celebration!
Keep it going, Aviators!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Today, those classes celebrated their accomplishment with Ace’s Bone Snacks! Way to keep showing up, being on time, and making every school day count!
But we’re not finished yet! Our attendance challenge continues through October 14, and we have one BIG goal in sight…
EVERY CLASS = 20 BONES!
THE REWARD = SILLY STRING MR. DICKEY!
Families, you can help us get there by making attendance a priority each day. Every day your Aviator is at school gives their class another opportunity to earn a bone and move closer to our school-wide celebration!
Keep it going, Aviators!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
It’s time to celebrate some amazing Aviators!
A big congratulations to Ms. Wysong, our newest Pilot of the Month! Her hard work, encouraging spirit, and dedication to our students and school community shine through in everything she does. We are grateful to have her as part of the Congaree family!
We are also excited to recognize our Aviators of the Month! These students were chosen by their teachers for consistently showing what it means to SOAR through being Safe, On Task, Always Respectful, and Responsible.
We are so proud of Ms. Wysong and each of these outstanding students for setting a positive example and helping make Congaree a wonderful place to learn and grow.
Congratulations, Aviators — keep reaching new heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
A big congratulations to Ms. Wysong, our newest Pilot of the Month! Her hard work, encouraging spirit, and dedication to our students and school community shine through in everything she does. We are grateful to have her as part of the Congaree family!
We are also excited to recognize our Aviators of the Month! These students were chosen by their teachers for consistently showing what it means to SOAR through being Safe, On Task, Always Respectful, and Responsible.
We are so proud of Ms. Wysong and each of these outstanding students for setting a positive example and helping make Congaree a wonderful place to learn and grow.
Congratulations, Aviators — keep reaching new heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Our second-grade Aviators have some important testing dates coming up, and we want to make sure our students are ready to SOAR!
Iowa Assessments: October 6–7
The Iowa Assessments are achievement tests that help us understand how students are performing in important academic areas such as reading and mathematics. These results give teachers valuable information about student strengths and areas where additional support or enrichment may be needed.
CogAT: October 15, 20 & 21
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) looks at different types of reasoning and problem-solving skills. Students are asked to think about relationships, patterns, and how information connects. CogAT helps us learn more about how students think and learn.
How Can Families Help?
- The best way to prepare is to make sure your child is at school and ready to learn!
- Get a good night's sleep.
- Eat a healthy breakfast.
- Arrive at school on time.
- Encourage your child and remind them to simply do their best.
- Avoid scheduling appointments or other activities during testing whenever possible.
- Most importantly, remind your Aviator that one test does not define them. We want students to come to school feeling confident, rested, and ready to show what they know!
Iowa Assessments: October 6–7
The Iowa Assessments are achievement tests that help us understand how students are performing in important academic areas such as reading and mathematics. These results give teachers valuable information about student strengths and areas where additional support or enrichment may be needed.
CogAT: October 15, 20 & 21
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) looks at different types of reasoning and problem-solving skills. Students are asked to think about relationships, patterns, and how information connects. CogAT helps us learn more about how students think and learn.
How Can Families Help?
- The best way to prepare is to make sure your child is at school and ready to learn!
- Get a good night's sleep.
- Eat a healthy breakfast.
- Arrive at school on time.
- Encourage your child and remind them to simply do their best.
- Avoid scheduling appointments or other activities during testing whenever possible.
- Most importantly, remind your Aviator that one test does not define them. We want students to come to school feeling confident, rested, and ready to show what they know!
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Physical Education
Pilot: Coach Cox
Our Aviators were SOARing together in PE with parachute activities!
Parachute play is more than just fun—it helps students build teamwork, coordination, listening skills, upper-body strength, and spatial awareness. Students must communicate, follow directions, and work together to keep the parachute moving!
What a fun way to stay active, build important skills, and learn the power of teamwork!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Physical Education
Pilot: Coach Cox
Our Aviators were SOARing together in PE with parachute activities!
Parachute play is more than just fun—it helps students build teamwork, coordination, listening skills, upper-body strength, and spatial awareness. Students must communicate, follow directions, and work together to keep the parachute moving!
What a fun way to stay active, build important skills, and learn the power of teamwork!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Today, our Aviators participated in a school lockdown drill with support from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and Officer Rodriguez, Lex2 Coordinator of Safety & Risk.
These drills are an important part of keeping our school community prepared. Using the I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol (SRP), our students and staff practice clear, consistent procedures so everyone knows what to do and how to respond during an emergency.
We are incredibly thankful to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and Officer Rodriguez for being on campus, observing our procedures, and helping us continue to strengthen our safety practices.
Keeping our Aviators safe takes all of us, and we appreciate the strong partnership between our school, district, and local law enforcement.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
These drills are an important part of keeping our school community prepared. Using the I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol (SRP), our students and staff practice clear, consistent procedures so everyone knows what to do and how to respond during an emergency.
We are incredibly thankful to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and Officer Rodriguez for being on campus, observing our procedures, and helping us continue to strengthen our safety practices.
Keeping our Aviators safe takes all of us, and we appreciate the strong partnership between our school, district, and local law enforcement.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
A huge THANK YOU to the Airport High School football players for welcoming our Aviators this morning by opening doors, giving high-fives, and starting the day with smiles!
Our students love seeing the Airport football team at Congaree! These visits give our younger Aviators positive role models to look up to while strengthening the connection between our schools.
We are so thankful for this partnership and for the way our schools continue to support one another!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Our students love seeing the Airport football team at Congaree! These visits give our younger Aviators positive role models to look up to while strengthening the connection between our schools.
We are so thankful for this partnership and for the way our schools continue to support one another!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
We are growing, changing, and soaring together!
Take a look at our beautiful center area! Every leaf on our tree represents a Congaree student—because every student is an important part of who we are and who we are becoming.
Our tree is also growing with creativity! Students who attended our SOAR Celebration created special art pieces that are now part of our display, making this space truly theirs.
Just like a tree, our school community continues to grow and change—but we grow stronger when we grow together.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Take a look at our beautiful center area! Every leaf on our tree represents a Congaree student—because every student is an important part of who we are and who we are becoming.
Our tree is also growing with creativity! Students who attended our SOAR Celebration created special art pieces that are now part of our display, making this space truly theirs.
Just like a tree, our school community continues to grow and change—but we grow stronger when we grow together.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: VIP
Pilots: Ms. Emerson, Ms. Thompson, Ms. Young
Ms. Emerson’s students were busy learning through independent, interactive play! Through hands-on exploration, our Aviators are building important skills like independence, creativity, and social-emotional development — all while having fun!
At Congaree, we believe every student has strengths, every student can grow, and ALL Aviators can SOAR! We love seeing our students gain confidence, celebrate successes, and reach new heights in their own special way.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: VIP
Pilots: Ms. Emerson, Ms. Thompson, Ms. Young
Ms. Emerson’s students were busy learning through independent, interactive play! Through hands-on exploration, our Aviators are building important skills like independence, creativity, and social-emotional development — all while having fun!
At Congaree, we believe every student has strengths, every student can grow, and ALL Aviators can SOAR! We love seeing our students gain confidence, celebrate successes, and reach new heights in their own special way.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Congaree Elementary is now accepting nominations for Parent Representatives to serve on our School Improvement Council (SIC)!
Parents and guardians are invited to nominate themselves or another Congaree parent/guardian who would be interested in serving. The School Improvement Council is an advisory council that works alongside the principal with a focus on school improvement and supporting the continued success of our students and school community. Serving on the SIC is a great opportunity to have a voice, share ideas, and help make Congaree Elementary an even better place for our Aviators to learn and grow!
Interested in serving? Nominate yourself or another parent/guardian using the following link: https://forms.gle/tdSQiuWN3AjHRmGq6.
Together, we can continue helping our Aviators Enter to Learn and Depart to Soar!
Ms. Chasteen's Aviators have been busy thinking, observing, experimenting, and sharing their learning!
Students used flashlights to investigate apparent brightness, discovering how a star can appear brighter when it is closer to Earth—even when it is an average-sized star like our Sun.
Students then headed outside to observe and track shadows, using their findings as evidence of Earth’s rotation.
Students practiced one of the most important skills scientists use—observation! They carefully examined objects around the room and recorded what they noticed, building the skills needed to think and work like scientists.
From scientific observations to mathematical thinking, our students are learning to ask questions, investigate, explain, and collaborate.
That’s how our Congaree Aviators continue to SOAR!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Students used flashlights to investigate apparent brightness, discovering how a star can appear brighter when it is closer to Earth—even when it is an average-sized star like our Sun.
Students then headed outside to observe and track shadows, using their findings as evidence of Earth’s rotation.
Students practiced one of the most important skills scientists use—observation! They carefully examined objects around the room and recorded what they noticed, building the skills needed to think and work like scientists.
From scientific observations to mathematical thinking, our students are learning to ask questions, investigate, explain, and collaborate.
That’s how our Congaree Aviators continue to SOAR!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Music
Pilots: Mr. Thomas
Music is in the air! Mr. Thomas’s students are learning to play the recorder, building their skills one note at a time. Their focus, enthusiasm, and creativity are helping our Congaree Aviators soar to new musical heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Music
Pilots: Mr. Thomas
Music is in the air! Mr. Thomas’s students are learning to play the recorder, building their skills one note at a time. Their focus, enthusiasm, and creativity are helping our Congaree Aviators soar to new musical heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
A special shoutout to Mrs. Mazzola for sharing The Man Who Walked Between the Towers with Ms. Myers' class!
This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of Philippe Petit, a daring performer who walked on a tightrope between New York City’s Twin Towers in 1974. It’s an inspiring story of courage, determination, and dreaming big.
Thank you, Mrs. Mazzola, for bringing this unforgettable story to life and encouraging our students to reach for new heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of Philippe Petit, a daring performer who walked on a tightrope between New York City’s Twin Towers in 1974. It’s an inspiring story of courage, determination, and dreaming big.
Thank you, Mrs. Mazzola, for bringing this unforgettable story to life and encouraging our students to reach for new heights!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Computer Lab
Pilots: Mr. Blankenship & Ms. Farley
Our students are taking off in the computer lab! From practicing keyboarding and navigating digital tools to strengthening their problem-solving skills, our Congaree Aviators are becoming confident and responsible digital learners. The future looks bright!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Computer Lab
Pilots: Mr. Blankenship & Ms. Farley
Our students are taking off in the computer lab! From practicing keyboarding and navigating digital tools to strengthening their problem-solving skills, our Congaree Aviators are becoming confident and responsible digital learners. The future looks bright!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Ms. Welsh’s fifth-grade scientists measured the shadows on their sundials, collected data, and created graphs of their findings. What a fun, hands-on way to explore science and math in action!
Ace has been making his way through the hallways and spotted some AMAZING work from our Aviators! Several students earned an “ACE APPROVED” sticker for showing off their hard work, effort, and excellence! Keep SOARing, Aviators! You never know when Ace might spot YOU doing something amazing.
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: 3rd Grade
Pilots: Ms. Williams
Ms. Williams’ third-grade class has been hard at work learning how to decompose numbers. Students are breaking numbers into smaller parts and using different strategies to strengthen their understanding of place value and number relationships.
These young mathematicians are thinking critically, explaining their reasoning, and confidently solving problems. Through perseverance, teamwork, and a positive attitude, Ms. Williams’ students are experiencing success and soaring to new heights in math!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: 3rd Grade
Pilots: Ms. Williams
Ms. Williams’ third-grade class has been hard at work learning how to decompose numbers. Students are breaking numbers into smaller parts and using different strategies to strengthen their understanding of place value and number relationships.
These young mathematicians are thinking critically, explaining their reasoning, and confidently solving problems. Through perseverance, teamwork, and a positive attitude, Ms. Williams’ students are experiencing success and soaring to new heights in math!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: Art
Pilots: Mrs. Bailey
Mrs. Bailey’s art students are building strong creative foundations through shape coloring and tracing—important beginning steps toward mastering artistic skills. With every line, shape, and splash of color, our young artists are growing in confidence and creativity.
Thank you, Mrs. Bailey, for helping make Congaree a beautiful place to learn, create, and be inspired!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Taking you inside Congaree Elementary, one classroom at a time!
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: 2nd Grade
Pilots: Mrs. Washburn
Teamwork in action at Congaree! Mrs. Washburn’s 2nd graders worked together to identify the plot, setting, and characters of a text. Through meaningful collaboration and discussion, these young readers are building strong foundational reading skills. Engaging learning experiences like this are part of what makes Congaree such a great school!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
Cleared for Takeoff ✈️
Flight: 2nd Grade
Pilots: Mrs. Washburn
Teamwork in action at Congaree! Mrs. Washburn’s 2nd graders worked together to identify the plot, setting, and characters of a text. Through meaningful collaboration and discussion, these young readers are building strong foundational reading skills. Engaging learning experiences like this are part of what makes Congaree such a great school!
#ChampionsforChildren
#DestinationSchool
