Hembree Highlights

Hello Hawks!

This week was filled with countless reasons why I feel thankful to be able to serve the students, staff, and families at Hembree Springs. It was heartwarming to see students, family members, friends, staff, and community members sharing a meal at our Thanksgiving Feasts. We hope you know how thankful we are for you and the role that you play in our school community!

Not only has this week been filled with gratitude, but it has also been filled with change. Although this week marked our first week with Ms. Smith transitioning to her new role, I was reminded time and again of how thankful I am for the impact that she has made on our school. She has created something special here at Hembree that I am grateful to be a part of. With that being said, I want you all to know that I will continue to work to support the vision and mission that Ms. Smith has established for our school. She has set us up for success!

I would like to share the contact information for all members of the Hembree Springs Administration. We will work together to continue the important work happening at Hembree. We are here for you!

Morgan Tew ● Assistant Principal ● tewm@fultonschools.org ●

470-254-9452 (office) ● 404-226-6487 (cell)

Carrie McAtee ● Curriculum Support Teacher ● mcatee@fultonschools.org

Shannon Reynolds ● School Counselor ● reynoldsSN@fultonschools.org

Lani Davies ● Instructional Support Teacher ● daviesL@fultonschools.org

Jenn Mizzell ● Literacy Coach ● mizzellj@fultonschools.org

Joey Waller ● Math Coach ● wallerj@fultonschools.org

We will also have district support from Dr. Ritu Ahuja until a new principal is named. She is a former Hembree Springs teacher and CST, as well as a former Hembree Springs parent. She has served Fulton County as an assistant principal and principal for many years. She is currently the Director of Principal Leadership for Fulton County Schools.

I hope you enjoy next week! I know I will be soaking up time with my family and extended family while eating way too much of my dad’s turkey and gravy, my mom’s sweet potato casserole, my Nona’s stuffing, and my aunt’s gooey butter cake.

We will see you on Monday, November 27th.

Sincerely,

Morgan Tew

Assistant Principal

11/20-11/24 Thanksgiving Break

11/30- School Picture Retakes 8-10am

12/4-12/8 No visitors or volunteers (testing)

12/12 Title I/ PTA Language Exchange and Holiday Coffee

School picture retakes are November 30th from 8-10am. New and absent students will be able to get their pictures taken for the yearbook and will be sent home with a picture payment envelope for purchase. Students who already bought a picture but were unhappy with theirs must return the entire package on retake day. Be sure to fill out the back of the envelope with your student’s information. The picture will be printed with the same background as the original. Ordering online is not available.

We would love your SUPPORT! We are looking for adult male role models to volunteer as a Dad’s Club Mentor, serving as a group mentor to our Hawks boys in grades 3rd-5th. The purpose of the Dad’s Club program is to provide students with an additional adult who will encourage them to feel good about themselves, make positive choices, positively connect with one another and give back through various actions of helping others! The mentors will meet as a group with the boys every Friday before school from 7:10-7:40 am. It’s okay if you’re not available every Friday. Any time that you have is greatly appreciated! If interested or if you have additional questions, please reach out to Shannon Reynolds (School Counselor) at 470-254-9456 or reynoldssn@fultonschools.org. Thank you for your support!

November is National Native American Heritage Month! Our Culture Corner Club wanted to share a few ways you can honor the heritage, history, and culture of Native American and Indigenous people.

*Did you know that there are three Native American Tribes that are officially recognized in Georgia? They are the Cherokee of Georgia Tribe, Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee, and the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe. The Cherokee Tribal Lands in St. George, GA includes a museum with cultural displays and a dance arena. It’s open to the public and is free to visit! You can learn more fun facts about each Tribe here: Georgia tribes | Georgia Indian Council

*Corn is very important to Native American culture and is used in lots of different ways, even for fun crafts! If you are looking for a great activity over the break, give corn husk dragonflies a try. Watch this video for the craft and history behind it: Cornhusk Dragonfly Activity - YouTube

*Thanksgiving is much deeper to many Native American Tribes than the one-day feast we typically think of. The Wampanoag practice daily and seasonal traditions of giving thanks. Learn about one of their ceremonies, Cranberry Day, from the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian by watching this video with your family: Cranberry Day: Traditional Harvest Festivals | Resource Overview (si.edu)

*You can talk about the history of fry bread and what it means to Native American culture while reading the book Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Want to make it at home? Here’s a link to the recipe: Kevin's Fry Bread Fr9 (centerforfiction.org)

. You can listen to Kevin read his book to you as well! Here’s the video: Virtual Storytime: FRY BREAD with Kevin Noble Maillard - YouTube

Enjoy your Thanksgiving break!

Join us on December 12th, for our PTA/Title I Holiday Coffee. The event will be social and fun, with games, prizes and more! You'll learn how to play educational math games that you may borrow for the winter break. We'll also have the opportunity for our ESOL families to practice their English and more. Come and spend an hour with us and feel free to bring a fun treat to share!

Join us on December 18th for a night out with ATL Hawks. See link below for more details.

You may want to purchase parking through Ticketmaster or ParkMobile in advance. You can also pay for parking when you get there.

We hope this message finds you well and in high spirits. As the holiday season approaches, the Hembree Springs PTA wanted to bring your attention to an incredible opportunity to give back to our school community.

This year, in honor of Giving Tuesday (November 28th) we are asking that everyone consider donating to HSES PTA - and if available - check with your company for a gift matching program that will benefit Hembree Springs Elementary PTA!

We are a 501c3 non-profit, and we support the school in so many ways. You may notice that we don't ask you to sell wrapping paper or popcorn. We also don't charge for our events! But that doesn't mean we don't need money.

Your donation will directly support various programs and initiatives that enhance the educational experience of our children.

Donate here:

https://hembreespringselementary.memberhub.com/store/items/48153

If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to PTA President Cathy Sparks at casparks31@gmail.com. She has personal experience working with corporate matching.

Hembree Community, we are once again asking for donations to restock out Giving Closet during this holiday season. Through your generous support we can provide emergency clothing for ALL of our students. From syrup accidents in the cafeteria to muddy falls on the playground- your donations allow us to quickly solve these issues without needing to call parents for a new set of clothes. Additionally, we are able to support our students who may need a little extra, in order that they can come to school ready to learn. We cannot do this without you- our community! There are several ways to support us- below is a list of our needs, you may also order directly from Walmart https://www.walmart.com/registry/RR/b693e222-69fd-4e7f-962a-63c08a81ddb4 or simply donate at https://hembreespringselementary.memberhub.com/store/items/873436. These funds are used exclusively to support our giving closet to stock personal items, clothing and school supplies. See the flyer for more details.

Parents! Please sign up to moderate book club for your child! We need parents to come in at lunchtime the last week of November to discuss the assigned book with the classroom. We provide discussion questions, but the kids always have a lot to say! Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FADAD2FAAFD0-45791375-november#/

One way to support our dedicated teachers and staff is by easing their workload, and we have a fantastic opportunity for you to do just that! We're looking for parents who have some time to make copies for our amazing teachers.

If you can spare a few hours on Thursdays or Fridays and want to be part of this rewarding volunteer opportunity, please get in touch with Julie Burnley at jkburnley@gmail.com to express your interest or ask any questions.

Do you 'like' the Hembree Springs PTA page on Facebook? We have a lot of new families this year, and we encourage you to check out The Hawks Nest on Facebook to find out about all the latest happenings, see photos of our events and stay "in the know." Check out our recent Trunk or Treat pics!

Find It Here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HSEHawksNest

Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/hembreespringses
Location: 815 Hembree Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 470-254-2902