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Our spring buy-one-get-one-free book fair will be open from May 10th to May 14th! In order to have an in-person event, we have made some adjustments to the format. Students will attend the book fair during the school day and there will be no parent volunteers or after-school time. There will also be a virtual book fair open at the same time as the in-person event. Please visit the school's book fair website to shop at the virtual fair from May 2nd-May 15th. Our media center will receive 25% back in rewards from each purchase.
Remember to check with your teachers to find out when your class is attending the book fair.
Click here to go to our school's book fair website.
**Parents, please consider using the new eWallet option for payment. This will prevent your student having to bring cash for the fair while also limiting the spread of germs.**
Click here to sign up for eWallet.
Spring testing begins the week of May 3. Specific testing dates are indicated below:
Monday, May 3 – Grades 3-5 ELA – Day 1 – Writing
Tuesday, May 4 – Grades 3-5 – ELA – Day 2 - Reading
Wednesday, May 5 – Grades 3-5 – Math
Thursday, May 6 – Grade 4 – Science
Friday, May 7 – GCS Virtual Students only - Math
Please be reminded that Friday, May 7 is a final eLearning day for grades 3-5. This day is designated for testing GCS virtual students in our building. It will be a normal attendance day for all other grades.
Remember to send all students in Grades 3-5 to school with Chromebooks fully charged for testing. This includes brick & mortar and virtual students.
Parents can help students feel better prepared for testing by doing the following:
- Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep.
- Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast. Breakfast will be offered at school for all who want it.
- Be sure your child is prepared – Chromebook is charged; pencils sharpened, etc.
- Remain positive and calm. Reassure your child that they are well prepared for the test and that you know they will do well.
Virtual parents, please remember that you will need your dismissal pick up card when you come to pick your child up for dismissal from testing.
May 3-7 is Teacher Appreciation Week. Please join me in thanking every Blythe Staff Member for their work on behalf of our students this year. They have truly done an amazing job of keeping our students safe and providing quality instruction.
Please be reminded that April 29, April 30, and May 7 are eLearning Days for students in Grades 3-5. During these days, GCS Virtual Students from Blythe will be in our building to complete their required state-wide tests. Our brick and mortar students in grades 3-5 will have eLearning on these days. Teachers will provide live instruction in addition to time for students to complete work independently. Teachers will maintain a schedule that mirrors the regular school day as much as possible. Related arts classes will be offered during those days as well. Please feel free to contact your teacher with any questions you have about the schedule for those days. Brick and mortar students in 4K – grade 2 will attend as normal.
Teacher Appreciation Week will be observed the week of May 3-7. Our teachers and students have all worked so hard this year in an effort to recover any learning lost due to school shut-downs. Our benchmark testing tells us that our students are showing strong growth in ELA and Math. Please join me in thanking our teachers for their hard work on behalf of our students this year. They have done much to help keep our students safe by observing all required safety protocols, have helped them to grow academically, and have given them new tools and strategies to ease social and emotional stress related to Covid-19. It has been a challenging year world-wide, but we have seen our students and our staff rise above these challenges and make this a positive year for all.
Parents, we thank you for the trust you have placed in us to keep your children safe and to meet their academic needs this year. We are truly honored by your trust and your support of our school.
Please remember that Friday, April 16 is an eLearning Day for all GCS students. This day will be used to administer Covid vaccine dose #2 to all GCS employees. Teachers will communicate the schedule for the eLearning day to students and parents, and will include the time they will be away from eLearning in order to receive their vaccine.
As we approach statewide testing dates in the spring, please be aware of the need to send students to school with their Chromebooks fully charged in order to be ready for online testing each day. Testing dates are listed below. Please be aware of upcoming eLearning Days on April 29, April 30, and May 7 for students in Grades 3-5 only. Students in 4K – Grade 2 will attend B & M schools on those days.
State-wide Testing Dates:
April 29: GCS Virtual Program students will test in our building - ELA/Writing Day 1. This will be an eLearning day for Brick & Mortar (B & M) students in Grades 3-5.
April 30: GCS Virtual Program students will test in our building - ELA/Reading Day 2. This will be an eLearning day for B & M students in Grades 3-5.
May 3: Grades 3-5 - ELA/Writing Day 1 (B & M ONLY)
May 4: Grades 3-5 ELA/Reading Day 2 (B & M ONLY)
May 5: Grades 3-5 SC Ready Math (B & M ONLY)
May 6: GCS Virtual and B & M Grade 4 Students - SC PASS Science
May 7: GCS Virtual Students Math Test - eLearning day for Grade 3-5 B & M students.
Week of May 10 - AAPPL Testing for Grade 5 Immersion Students (additional information forthcoming)
Monday, May 31 is Memorial Day and a school holiday.
June 3 & 4 are half days for students. School will be dismissed at 11:45 am.
The final day for EDP this year is June 2.
If you are traveling internationally during spring break, please read the message below. Please do not send your student back to school at the end of spring break. Contact the school prior to allowing your child to return to school.
Per the CDC, beginning January 26, all air passengers entering the US from a foreign country are required to produce written proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than three days before departure or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Air travelers will also be directed to get tested again 3-5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days post travel. These requirements went into effect January 26.
April 16 is tentatively scheduled to be an eLearning day in order to complete vaccinations of GCS employees. Please make appropriate plans for your children on that day. Please continue to watch for updates from the district should this date change.
Year-end award ceremony dates and times are listed below. All award ceremonies will be held virtually. Teachers will send additional information and links for the ceremonies to parents later in May.
Thursday, May 27
· 8:30AM – 4K
· 12:00PM – 5K
Friday, May 28
· 8:30AM – Grade 1
· 12:00PM – Grade 2
Tuesday, June 1
· 8:30AM – Grade 3
· 1:00PM – Grade 4
Thursday, June 3
· 8:30AM – Grade 5
Monday, May 31 is Memorial Day and a school holiday.
June 3 & 4 are half days for students. School will be dismissed at 11:45AM.
SC State Testing dates have been announced. All testing will be conducted at the schools’ physical locations. Remote testing is not available. Students will be required to follow all established safety measures, including mask-wearing and social distancing.
The South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessment (SCREADY) program is a statewide assessment in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics for students in grades 3-8. The South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) is a statewide assessment in science that must be administered to students in grades 4 and 6.
All students are required to participate in SC READY and SCPASS at the applicable grades with exception of students who qualify to participate in Alternate Assessments.
Virtual Program students in grades 3-8 will attend school IN PERSON to take the SCREADY test for English Language Arts on Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30, and SCREADY math test on Friday, May 7.
While Virtual Program students are in school facilities for SC READY testing, third through eighth grade students currently attending brick-and-mortar school will participate in eLearning on April 29, April 30, and May 7. It is important that parents prepare now for childcare on these eLearning days.
Virtual Program students in grades 4 and 6 will attend IN PERSON on Thursday, May 6 to take the SCPASS science test.
We will share specific testing dates for Blythe brick and mortar students in the very near future.
Below you will find the document which will be used as the official immersion magnet pathway document for GCS moving forward. It will be included in the Immersion Programs folder of the shared Magnet Academies drive. We hope this will provide clarity to the scope and sequence of each level.
The pathway plans for 100-120 minutes of immersion instruction at each level.
For parents of rising Sixth Grade French Immersion Students:
Greenville Middle School has shared an information video link with us for rising sixth grade students and parents. Click the link below to view!
Rising Sixth Grade French Immersion Students - Greenville Middle School
Magnet Immersion Students at Blythe Academy, Hughes Academy, and Greenville Middle Academy - Immersion students who enrolled in the GCS K8 Virtual Program for the 2020-2021 school year will maintain their magnet slots at their magnet schools for the 2021-2022 school year. Upon re-enrollment, these students will be scheduled to take an assessment in their target language of study to determine how the school can best support their re-entry into the immersion programs. However, if an immersion student plans to re-enroll in the GCS K8 Virtual Program for the 2021-2022 school year, the student will forfeit his/her magnet spot. Upon any subsequent return to a brick and mortar school setting, the student would attend their home-based school.
A Message From the Principal
January 29, 2021
Please join me in welcoming Mr. Steven Sokohl as the newly appointed Principal of Blythe Academy beginning with the 2021-2022 school year! Mr. Sokohl and I will be working together throughout the remainder of this year to make this a smooth and seamless transition for our students and staff. Please read his letter of introduction below.
Blythe Academy of Languages
Greenville County Schools
Dear Blythe Family:
Words cannot describe how blessed I am to join the Blythe family as its principal for the 2021-2022 school year. Blythe has a rich history of providing a rigorous education grounded in supporting the needs of all students, developing a strong immersion program, and, most importantly, recognizing that family is at the center of who we are and who we wish to become. Growing up, I was blessed to attend schools that challenged me academically, took time to know me as an individual, and prepared me for success beyond the classroom. These experiences, coupled with my passion for making a difference in the lives of future generations, are why I felt called into education from an early age. It is truly my privilege to serve as an educator and to serve the community of Blythe as its principal.
Although my profession is rooted in education, I am first a son, brother, uncle, and friend to those I hold most dear. Having grown up in Lawrenceville, Georgia (Go Dawgs!) with my younger brother Joe and both parents, Ray and Mary Ellen, my adolescent years were spent on the basketball court, baseball field, and at Turner Field cheering on the Braves! I am blessed to be an uncle to my best friends’ three-year-old twins, Logan and Lily Grace. Although we are not family by blood, there is no question that we share the same familial bond as our loved ones. When able to, I find myself getting on a plane for a new adventure to experience the beauty that our world has to offer. I am passionate about creating new experiences and am eager to immerse myself in the community of Blythe as well.
Professionally, I have challenged myself to obtain a variety of experiences across Greenville County Schools. I began my career as a 5th-grade teacher at Monarch Elementary in its inaugural year. For five years, I was able to call Monarch my second home as I developed unbreakable relationships with students, parents, and staff. To this day, I remain in touch with many of those former parents, students, and staff. Currently, as the Assistant Principal at Berea Middle, I have watched thousands of students enter our halls as sixth-graders, nervous about the change and excited for the opportunity to soar. Watching our students create their own journey through middle school and depart from us as young adults has brought to light the connectedness of my career experiences and the purpose of a global education.
As we embark on this journey together, my mission is to create relationships built on trust, honesty, and transparency with each of you. I am excited to meet all of our students, staff, and community members over the next few months so that collectively, we can build upon the already established excellence that exists at Blythe. As the transition process unfolds over the next few months, I will be at Blythe to develop and strengthen relationships with the students, staff, and community. I am grateful to Greenville County Schools and the Blythe community for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of serving as its next principal. I know that together, we are One Blythe!
Deepest Gratitude,
Steven Sokohl
100 Blythe Drive
Greenville, SC 29605
864-355-4400 (phone) 864-355-4412 (fax)
5TH GRADE PARENTS
For information regarding middle school registration and curriculum nights for various schools, check out the following website created by our wonderful counselors, Mrs. Barnett and Mrs. Atkinson!
Getting Ready For Middle School Website
Notice before withdrawing to attend non-public school:
Before withdrawing a student to attend a private/homeschool co-op it is HIGHLY recommended to check the accreditation on the possible enrolling institute. If your student returns to Greenville County schools from non-accredited (e.g., non-AdvancED) institution (home-school, private school, international school, out-of-state school, etc.), he/she must demonstrate proficiency in the credit bearing courses they are transferring in for HS credit. If a school is unsure whether the institution is accredited, they can use the accreditation agency list and Lookup to determine whether they are accredited.