Welcome to St. Marys Elementary
Home of the SMES Sharks

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2020-21  school year. St. Marys Elementary School (SMES) continues to out-perform the state and RESA district on end of the year assessments. We are dedicated to upholding that tradition and will continue to meet the needs of students through a variety of strategies and scheduling options. We are extremely excited about working with each of you and your children to provide the best educational experience possible. We are committed to fulfill our school's mission of preparing all of our students to become lifelong learners and positive contributors to society. SMES teachers and staff work diligently to plan effective instruction to help students acquire the skills needed to achieve mastery of the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). Enrichment opportunities in the arts, technology, STEM civic organizations and health and fitness contribute to the "whole child".

We believe parental involvement is crucial to success. Working together, we can create a team of support for each of our students. Please feel free to call us at any time if you have questions or concerns. We look forward to working with you in the upcoming school year.

Sincerely,
Principal Dr. Robert Narvell and the Faculty and Staff of SMES

St. Marys Sharks Always Remember to:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
and Be Safe

NEW FACE COVERING REQUIREMENTS
FOR CAMDEN COUNTY SCHOOLS

The impact of COVID-19 on our community and the measures our school system has put in place to protect against the virus have both been evolving since the virus first appeared in our county. Due to the increase in the number of positive tests for the COVID-19 virus, Camden County has been designated as a hot spot area in Georgia. After meeting with the Georgia Department of Public Health, Camden Emergency Management Agency, and the Chief of Staff for Southeast Georgia Health System-Camden, Camden County Schools is issuing a mandatory face covering requirement for the safety of our community. The Georgia Department of Education, Camden County Schools Board of Education and Camden County Schools System Steering Committee are all in agreement with this new protocol as a necessary means to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

The mandatory face covering requirement will be in effect for all students, staff, and visitors. Face coverings will be required beginning Monday, August 17^th.  All students and staff will be required to wear face coverings while on school campus and while riding on our school buses. Exceptions based on medical needs for students and staff must be documented by a physician and that documentation will be treated as confidential and retained in the office of the principal. Some students with disabilities may be exempt based on individual needs as determined by the Director of Special Education. Staff members may remove their face coverings when students are not present and social distancing from other adults is possible. Students and adults may remove their face coverings when they are eating or drinking, or other activities approved by the principal.

From the first day of school, many of our families have already chosen to have their children wear face coverings to school and we appreciate their partnership in working to keep our staff and students safe. We ask parents to provide reusable face coverings for their students, but we will be able to provide face coverings for students who are unable to provide one on their own. We are grateful for the cooperation of our students, staff, and visitors as we work together to keep our schools and community safe.

Parents - Check out these helpful resources in the
"Counselor's Corner"!
       

*Available in English and Spanish