🎃 October Tech-Tip 🎃
Don’t Get Tricked by Digital Strangers!
The Tip:
🎃On Halloween, we enjoy spooky ghosts 👻—but online “ghost” friends can be a trick! If you don’t know someone in real life (at school, on your team, or in your neighborhood), don’t add or chat with them online. Even if they seem nice in a game 🎮, they are still a stranger.
Why it matters :
🎃Children often believe online interactions are safe, especially in games or kid-friendly platforms. However, people can pretend to be someone they’re not 🎭. Teaching kids early to recognize and avoid digital strangers builds lifelong online safety habits.
Pro Tip (Teach Your Child):
Share these simple “ghost-busting rules” 🛑👻:
Don’t share personal info (name, school, phone number) 🚫
Don’t move chats to other apps 📵
Don’t keep secrets from trusted adults 🤐➡️👨👩👧
If a “ghost” friend asks for any of these—tell an adult right away!
Parent Connection 🤝:
🎃Keep conversations open and judgment-free ❤️. Instead of asking “Are you talking to strangers?” try:
“Who did you play with today?” 🎮
“Do you know them from real life?” 🤔
🎃Many school ITRTs have read Chicken Clicking 🐔💻 with students. Ask your child what happened in the story and what the character learned about online strangers—it’s a great way to reinforce this lesson in a familiar, non-threatening way.
👉 Watch it together at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSasSWwi5Tk
Try This at Home 🏠:
Do a quick “Ghost Check” together 👻:
Look at friends/followers lists 📲
Remove anyone not known in real life 🚫
Check game chat settings 🎮
Practice what to do: Ignore ➡️ Block ➡️ Tell ✋
💬Conversation Starter:
“If someone you didn’t know came up to you while trick-or-treating and asked personal questions, what would you do? The same rule applies online.” 🎃
Don’t Get Tricked by Digital Strangers!
The Tip:
🎃On Halloween, we enjoy spooky ghosts 👻—but online “ghost” friends can be a trick! If you don’t know someone in real life (at school, on your team, or in your neighborhood), don’t add or chat with them online. Even if they seem nice in a game 🎮, they are still a stranger.
Why it matters :
🎃Children often believe online interactions are safe, especially in games or kid-friendly platforms. However, people can pretend to be someone they’re not 🎭. Teaching kids early to recognize and avoid digital strangers builds lifelong online safety habits.
Pro Tip (Teach Your Child):
Share these simple “ghost-busting rules” 🛑👻:
Don’t share personal info (name, school, phone number) 🚫
Don’t move chats to other apps 📵
Don’t keep secrets from trusted adults 🤐➡️👨👩👧
If a “ghost” friend asks for any of these—tell an adult right away!
Parent Connection 🤝:
🎃Keep conversations open and judgment-free ❤️. Instead of asking “Are you talking to strangers?” try:
“Who did you play with today?” 🎮
“Do you know them from real life?” 🤔
🎃Many school ITRTs have read Chicken Clicking 🐔💻 with students. Ask your child what happened in the story and what the character learned about online strangers—it’s a great way to reinforce this lesson in a familiar, non-threatening way.
👉 Watch it together at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSasSWwi5Tk
Try This at Home 🏠:
Do a quick “Ghost Check” together 👻:
Look at friends/followers lists 📲
Remove anyone not known in real life 🚫
Check game chat settings 🎮
Practice what to do: Ignore ➡️ Block ➡️ Tell ✋
💬Conversation Starter:
“If someone you didn’t know came up to you while trick-or-treating and asked personal questions, what would you do? The same rule applies online.” 🎃
As a reminder, Halifax County Public Schools will host a Night of Innovation tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at HCHS. Attendees will experience technology through interactive experiences, informational displays, and hands-on exploration. A general session on being kind online will be presented by the Halifax County Public Schools Instructional Technology Specialists. Attendees can also experience the Pink Bus, a mobile cybersecurity classroom with interactive, game-based activities.
The school with the greatest percentage of students in attendance will win a prize for the school.
Food trucks will be onsite for attendees to purchase food and drinks.
The doors and food trucks will open at 5:30 PM, and the general session will begin at 6:00 PM. All attendees should enter through the front door.
🏃♀️🏃♂️ Meet our September P.E. Exercise Leaders!
Each month, a student from each grade level is chosen to help lead exercises during P.E. These students have shown great sportsmanship, kindness toward their classmates, and good behavior.
Each student received an award and a special coin to use in our Book Vending Machine! 📚🪙
Congratulations to our September P.E. Exercise Leaders! We are proud of you! 💙🐾
Each month, a student from each grade level is chosen to help lead exercises during P.E. These students have shown great sportsmanship, kindness toward their classmates, and good behavior.
Each student received an award and a special coin to use in our Book Vending Machine! 📚🪙
Congratulations to our September P.E. Exercise Leaders! We are proud of you! 💙🐾
Our 4th and 5th graders had a great time learning with Team 977 Cometbots! 🤖
Students explored different areas of STEM as they learned about binary code and robotics, put their engineering skills to work building bridges with LEGOs, and explored science by designing and testing paper airplanes. It was a fun afternoon filled with hands-on learning, creativity, and problem-solving!
A big thank you to Team 977 Cometbots for visiting and sharing their knowledge with our students! 💙
Students explored different areas of STEM as they learned about binary code and robotics, put their engineering skills to work building bridges with LEGOs, and explored science by designing and testing paper airplanes. It was a fun afternoon filled with hands-on learning, creativity, and problem-solving!
A big thank you to Team 977 Cometbots for visiting and sharing their knowledge with our students! 💙
Congratulations to Scottsburg Elementary’s recent retirees, Denise Culley, Jeannie Toombs, and Joann Wade! 🎉💙
Thank you for your many years of dedication and service to our students, staff, and school community. We wish you all the best as you enjoy this next chapter!
Thank you for your many years of dedication and service to our students, staff, and school community. We wish you all the best as you enjoy this next chapter!
Miss Freeman’s kindergarteners had so much fun practicing number bonds within 5!
🍪🥨 Our students used cookies and pretzels to build and break apart numbers while learning how numbers can be put together in different ways. They used hands-on materials to show their thinking, explore different number combinations, and practice their math skills, all while having a little fun!
🍪🥨 Our students used cookies and pretzels to build and break apart numbers while learning how numbers can be put together in different ways. They used hands-on materials to show their thinking, explore different number combinations, and practice their math skills, all while having a little fun!
Interim reports for the first nine weeks are available for viewing on the Campus Portal. If you need assistance with the portal or need a paper copy of the report, please contact your child's school.
❤️🤍💙 Patriot Spirit Day! ❤️🤍💙
On Friday, our students and staff showed their Patriot spirit by wearing red, white, and blue! We loved seeing everyone come together and show their spirit throughout the school. Check out some of our pictures from the day! ❤️🤍💙
September is Attendance Awareness Month.
All schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026 in observance of Labor Day.
🦴🔎 Fossil Fun! 🔎🦴
Third graders in Miss Bomar’s class have been learning about fossils and how they provide evidence about organisms that lived long ago! Today, they put their learning into action by creating their own imprint fossils while exploring what fossils can teach us about ancient life. 🦖🪨
Learning is always more fun when you can dig in and get hands-on! 💙
Third graders in Miss Bomar’s class have been learning about fossils and how they provide evidence about organisms that lived long ago! Today, they put their learning into action by creating their own imprint fossils while exploring what fossils can teach us about ancient life. 🦖🪨
Learning is always more fun when you can dig in and get hands-on! 💙
Back to School Night was a huge success! 💙🐾 We had a wonderful turnout and loved seeing so many of our Scottie families come out for the evening. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a great night! Take a look at some of the fun! 📸✨
September is Attendance Awareness Month.
Save the Date!
The Night of Innovation will be held October 6, 2026 at HCHS. More details to come.
The Night of Innovation will be held October 6, 2026 at HCHS. More details to come.
🍂September Tech- Tip🍂
Don’t Fall for AI Tricks
Tip:
🍂 Talk with your child about how some images, videos, and answers online are created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and may not always be real or accurate. Encourage them to slow down and think about what they are seeing and hearing.
Why it matters:
🍂Elementary students often believe what they see and hear online. AI can create very realistic pictures, videos, and even voices, making it harder to tell what is real. Without guidance, this can lead to confusion, misinformation, and poor decision-making.
Pro Tip:
Teach your child to be a “digital detective” and ask:
👉 “Who made this?”
👉 “Is this real or computer-made?”
👉 “Does the voice sound natural or a little off?”
Let them know it’s okay to question what they see and hear.
Try This at Home:
Watch a short video together and practice noticing clues:
👉 Does the voice sound smooth or robotic?
👉 Do the mouth movements match the words?
👉 Does anything look or feel “off”?
👨👩👧 Parent Connection
Be mindful of what your child posts or shares online.
🍂AI tools can be used to edit photos, mimic voices, or alter videos in ways that may be misleading or harmful.
Helpful Reminder for Families:
👉 Avoid sharing personal photos publicly
👉 Use privacy settings when possible
👉 Talk with your child about asking permission before posting
Don’t Fall for AI Tricks
Tip:
🍂 Talk with your child about how some images, videos, and answers online are created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and may not always be real or accurate. Encourage them to slow down and think about what they are seeing and hearing.
Why it matters:
🍂Elementary students often believe what they see and hear online. AI can create very realistic pictures, videos, and even voices, making it harder to tell what is real. Without guidance, this can lead to confusion, misinformation, and poor decision-making.
Pro Tip:
Teach your child to be a “digital detective” and ask:
👉 “Who made this?”
👉 “Is this real or computer-made?”
👉 “Does the voice sound natural or a little off?”
Let them know it’s okay to question what they see and hear.
Try This at Home:
Watch a short video together and practice noticing clues:
👉 Does the voice sound smooth or robotic?
👉 Do the mouth movements match the words?
👉 Does anything look or feel “off”?
👨👩👧 Parent Connection
Be mindful of what your child posts or shares online.
🍂AI tools can be used to edit photos, mimic voices, or alter videos in ways that may be misleading or harmful.
Helpful Reminder for Families:
👉 Avoid sharing personal photos publicly
👉 Use privacy settings when possible
👉 Talk with your child about asking permission before posting
Please see the opportunities from the YMCA of South Boston/Halifax County.
We are partnering with Southside Behavioral Health and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office to bring Jermaine Galloway (Tall Cop Says Stop) to Halifax County for an important presentation focused on substance misuse prevention and recognizing warning signs.
We will also be hosting a community resource fair and would love for our local partners to participate and share resources with families.
Please join us on September 21, 2026 at 5:30 PM at HCHS.
We will also be hosting a community resource fair and would love for our local partners to participate and share resources with families.
Please join us on September 21, 2026 at 5:30 PM at HCHS.
🍎 September at Scottsburg Elementary! 🐾
September is going to be a busy and exciting month at Scottsburg! Be sure to check out our September newsletter for important dates, upcoming events, spirit days, and reminders.
We’re looking forward to a great month with our Scotties! 💙🤍
September is going to be a busy and exciting month at Scottsburg! Be sure to check out our September newsletter for important dates, upcoming events, spirit days, and reminders.
We’re looking forward to a great month with our Scotties! 💙🤍
📚🎉 **Back to School Literacy Night is coming up!** 🎉📚
Join us at Scottsburg Elementary School on **September 2 from 5–7 PM** for an evening of learning, laughter, and family fun!
⭐ Games
🚌 Gus the Learning Bus
🚒 Touch a Truck
💦 Dunking Booth with Mr. Lantor
🌭 Hotdogs & chips
🎉 And more!
Mark your calendars and come join the fun! We can’t wait to see our Scotties and their families! 💚🐾
Join us at Scottsburg Elementary School on **September 2 from 5–7 PM** for an evening of learning, laughter, and family fun!
⭐ Games
🚌 Gus the Learning Bus
🚒 Touch a Truck
💦 Dunking Booth with Mr. Lantor
🌭 Hotdogs & chips
🎉 And more!
Mark your calendars and come join the fun! We can’t wait to see our Scotties and their families! 💚🐾
💐🌸 A Sweet Surprise for Our Teachers! 🌸💐
Our teachers received a beautiful delivery today from Reese’s Farm! 💕 What a wonderful way to brighten their day and show a little extra appreciation.
Thank you, Reese’s Farm, for thinking of our teachers and bringing some beautiful blooms to Scottsburg! 🌷🐾❤️
