Eagle Wings

Week of January 19th

Principal's Message

Greetings Eagle Families,

What a way to end the week—with our newest Eagle! Madelyn Silverman was born on January 15th at 10:43pm. 7 lbs & 7oz. Mom & baby are doing well.

Last week I saw 5th grade students annotating text during reading, students receiving individualized instruction during 3rd grade AES time and differentiated small group writing in our 2nd grade co-taught class. We also ended our week with Cambridge HS basketball players reading to our Eagles throughout the building.

Next week several of our grades will enjoy field trip experience and all our students will enjoy a hands-on STEM experience on Friday.

As the winter weather continues, please check the Fulton County Schools webpage for any pertinent information.

Yours in partnership,

Ms. Crawford

Welcome Ms. Erickson

Please help me welcome Anita Erickson as our substitute AP while Ms. Silverman is on maternity leave. Ms. Erickson is a former elementary & middle school assistant principal and recently retired from Autrey Mill MS. We are excited to have her in the nest!

Her email is: ericksona@fultonschools.org

Cambridge Boys Basketball Team Visits AES

Important Dates

January:

20 – MLK Holiday/No students or staff

21 – Frog and Toad Performance (1st & 2nd) - TMN @ 11:30

27 - 2nd semester clubs begin

27 - Atlanta Opera performance @9am in cafeteria (PK-2)

31 – Bingo Night

Upcoming STEM Lab Activity

STEM Lab Update:

Over the next few weeks, our students will be making - Ice Cream In a Bag - in the STEM Lab. For this activity, we will be using dairy-free products in order to meet the needs of our students with possible allergies. Please see the list of ingredients below and let your child’s teacher know, by January 24th, if they cannot participate due to an allergy to one of the materials being used.

Materials:

-almond milk

-sugar

-vanilla

Club Information-2nd Semester

From the Counselor

This semester, the small group will focus on self-advocacy. Students will learn how to effectively advocate for themselves, seek or accept help when needed, and practice social skills related to self-advocacy. The group will last six weeks and meet from 7:10 to 7:45 a.m. on the following grade-level assigned mornings:

Monday: 5th Grade
Tuesday: 4th Grade
Wednesday: 3rd Grade
Thursday: 1st/2nd Grade
Thursday: Kindergarten

Please ensure all submissions are completed by January 24th. Submit Student for Small Group

Contact Ms. Lasker-Smith with any questions (laskersmitht@fultonschools.org)

Attendance Matters

Attendance Matters ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. Excused and unexcused absences easily add up to too much time lost in the classroom, putting students at risk academically. In order for students to learn and achieve their fullest potential, it is critical that they attend school and are engaged in the learning process. Student absences, whether excused or unexcused, impact a child's ability to succeed in school.

Some absences are unavoidable, especially this time of year! Health-related absences are one of the top reasons students miss so many days of school. Occasional absences related to health reasons are to be expected. But absences can quickly add up! The important thing is to get your children to school as often as possible and on time! Please don’t forget to email the data clerk (Ms. Gupta) and cc the teacher when your child is absent.

Additionally, please remember that the late bell rings at 7:40. Students need to be in their classroom ready to learn at that time. If you are a car rider, please leave a few minutes earlier in the morning to get your child to school on time. Lateness causes disruptions in learning, and it has an impact on academic success. You will receive an emailed letter from your school social worker once your child has accumulated 12 tardies.

If you have any questions, please reference FCS Attendance Policy, https://www.fultonschools.org/attendancematters, reach out to the school, or contact Randi Downey, LCSW, school social worker: downeyr@fultonschools.org

Safety Reminders

In an effort to continue to keep the safety of our students and staff as our top priority, I wanted to take a moment to remind our school community of the following processes we already have in place:

Ringing the bell (now located on the right side of doors) when needing to come to the front office
Having your ID on you and prepared to show prior to entering the building

Please note, if you do not have your ID, you will not be allowed to enter the building

Not holding the front door open for others
Checking in and out at the front office
Exiting the building through the front doors only

Report any safety concerns

Safety in Fulton Schools - Fulton County School System

Please reach out to Ms. Silverman, AP, (silvermanj@fultonschools.org) with any questions regarding safety in our building.

Lunch Visitors

In order to ensure safety across all areas of our school, we are now asking the following:

If visitor is here to have lunch with student:

Visitor will show ID at the camera outside. Once let in- Front Office will greet the visitor and ask who they are here to have lunch with.
Front office will look the student up on Infinite Campus
If the name of the visitor is not listed on the Infinite Campus contact list, the primary contact will need to be called to get permission for the visitor to eat lunch.
If the visitor is approved, they will need to sign in like normal and then sign back out.

AES Family Handbook Spotlight

Request for Remote Days

Students can substitute up to 5 absences per semester (a max of 10 per year) with a remote learning day by meeting the remote learning participation benchmarks listed in FCS policy. This would result in the student being counted as present for the day(s) they participate remotely.

To be marked present, work must be submitted within 2 days of absence.
Students may not use a remote learning day on a test day.
Parent/guardian or student must notify teacher in advance to the start of the instructional day to utilize the participation benchmark rule.
Schools will make their best effort to provide instruction given early notice.
For security reasons, students who are out of the country may not participate in remote learning.

Please reach out to your child's teacher directly to start this process. You can click here for more information.

Click here for link to 2024-25 AES Family Handbook

General Reminders

Morning Carpool & Arrival

A few important reminders about morning arrival:

No left turn is allowed onto Mayfield between 7:10 and 7:40 a.m. Please adhere to the posted signs and traffic laws.
Carpool ends at 7:35 a.m. If you arrive after 7:35 a.m., you will have to park and walk your child in the front door. If the bell rings during this time, you'll need to sign your child in on the Checkmate system outside the front door.

Transportation Changes:

Transportation changes should be provided to your child's teacher on the "Notes from Home" pad you received in your red folder during open house. Please keep in mind that changes in transportation must be in writing and EMAILED to the front office (toppint@fultonschools.org).

Early Pick-Up:

When picking up your student early for appointments, you will need to present your driver’s license for safety and security. Early checkout will end at 1:30 pm.

AES Family Handbook:

CLICK HERE to access our Family Handbook and take a moment review some of the practices we adhere to here at AES. By doing so, that helps all of us be (and stay) on the same page!

Code of Conduct

The new 2024-2025 Student Code of Conduct is available on the Fulton County Schools website. Click Here for quick access. Ensure that you and your Eagle review this important document.

From the Cafeteria

Please check your child's meal balance in their mypaymentplus account. Students with negative balances need to be paid as soon as possible.

Reach out to our cafeteria manager, Ms. Blyther (blyther@fultonschools.org) with any questions.

From the PTO

PTO Newsletter

PTO now has their own newsletter. Be sure to click on the link and read all about the great things PTO does to help AES!

https://secure.smore.com/n/s6zfp

From FCS

January 15, 2025

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 for its regularly scheduled work session at the North Learning Center. The full agenda is available online via simbli, a website replacing the district's former BoardDocs, which makes the School Board agenda and all supporting documents available online. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Mike Looney began his report by thanking Chief of Staff Cliff Jones for his valuable service to Fulton County Schools. Mr. Jones is leaving the district after 23 years to become the superintendent of Horry County Schools in South Carolina. Reflecting on his time at FCS, Mr. Jones expressed how much the district has shaped his professional journey and enriched his life, thanking the Board and district employees for the privilege of working for Fulton County Schools.

Board Officer Elections Held
Each January, the Board holds elections for Board officers. At the meeting, District 5 Board member Kristin McCabe was unanimously elected as Board president for a two-year term. District 4 Board member Franchesca Warren was also unanimously elected as Board vice president. The office is held for a one-year term.

Recommendation for School Closure/Consolidation
The Board reviewed agenda items regarding the proposed closure, consolidation, and redistricting of attendance zones for two elementary schools: Parklane Elementary in East Point and Spalding Drive Elementary in Sandy Springs. Both schools face declining enrollments and aging facilities.

Supt. Looney expressed empathy for the communities affected. “Few decisions are as difficult as recommending school closures,” he said. “This is not a reflection of the dedication or success of students and staff. Parklane and Spalding Drive have shown heart and resilience, and these communities are more than their physical buildings.”

Dr. Looney emphasized financial stewardship as the primary reason for his recommendation. “Data guided this process with transparency. Unfortunately, these schools are operationally inefficient and costly to manage, averaging $20,000 per student compared to $13,000 the district average per student cost. This imbalance is unfair to the remaining 87,000 students and our taxpayers.”

He noted similar challenges nationally, citing declining enrollments and aging facilities. “Fulton’s enrollment has dropped by over 5% in recent years, and rising home prices, declining birth rates, and alternative school options exacerbate the issue. Our district must remain fiscally sound, as expected by the Board and community. The alternatives are to raise taxes or consolidate these schools to ensure sustainability.”

The recommendation follows data presented in September 2024 showing schools meeting closure thresholds. Community forums held from October to December provided feedback, with the final decision expected after public hearings in February.

Board members expressed their gratitude to the community, stating that the voices of stakeholders are invaluable in the deliberation process. They emphasized their commitment to continuing engagement with stakeholders and addressing concerns before reaching a final decision. The Board underscored the seriousness of their responsibility, striving to make the best decision for students, families, and the district's future.

State of the Charter System
Dr. Ryan Moore, executive director of strategy and governance, presented a comprehensive update on the FCS charter system. The presentation highlighted increased engagement from school governance councils (SGCs), with a record number of election candidates and a significant allocation of charter dollars used to fund school initiatives. The district has expanded school flexibility and fostered a culture of innovation, while prioritizing fiscal responsibility.

A key achievement was the development of school-level strategic action plans by all SGCs, providing a roadmap for each school's success. The district has also implemented a robust accountability model to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Looking ahead, the focus will be on continued collaboration among SGCs, enhancing leadership development, and preparing for the upcoming charter system renewal process. The full presentation can be viewed here.

State of Independent Charter Schools
The Board authorizes charter schools to provide high-quality, innovative, and standards-based opportunities for students and inform the replication of successful practices throughout the system, thus accelerating student learning districtwide. Director of Charter Schools Andrea Cooper-Gatewood informed the Board of FCS charter schools’ enrollment, academic, and financial performance, reflecting on the charter school sector of seven autonomous charter schools serving almost 4,000 students.

Ms. Cooper-Gatewood highlighted some key accomplishments. Content mastery addresses whether students achieve at the proficiency level necessary to be prepared for the next grade, college, or career. Academically, she noted that two charter schools outperformed the district. Some charter schools’ progress scores were more significant than the district's. Further, individual schools perform on par with the district regarding closing the gap and readiness scores. Finally, all charter schools have completed an independent financial audit and received an unqualified opinion. The charter school sector as a whole reflects positive financial stability. The full presentation can be viewed here.

Summer Learning Update
The Summer Learning experience bridges skill gaps, accelerates growth, and ensures every child thrives, offering tailored instruction, enrichment, and mastery of essential skills. Rebecca Williams, executive director of academic programs, shared updates on the district's Summer Learning initiatives, including highlights from 2024 and plans for 2025.

Summer 2024 outcomes show the program’s success in closing academic gaps and providing opportunities for acceleration through high-quality instruction:

10,000+ students gained additional learning time to improve essential skills

High school students earned 8,000+ credits, staying on track for graduation

80% of parents felt the program prepared their child for the next grade level

88% of educators expressed confidence in the program and were willing to return in future summers

Data showed that Summer Learning students closed the gap with their peers, making greater gains in math than reading. For 2025, Ms. Williams outlined enhancements including improved attendance monitoring, expanded leadership roles, better parent communication, and continued successful practices. Click here to see the full presentation.

Policy Update
The Board is committed to establishing and maintaining policies, procedures, and operating guidelines that maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of all district divisions.

This month, staff is recommending a waiver for all retest requirements for students who fail their Georgia Milestones Assessment. Board Policy IHE Promotion and Retention was presented for first read and will be voted on next month.

Pre-Work Session
Fulton County Schools’ pre-work session is a public meeting that takes place before each monthly work session. It is an opportunity for the Board to receive policy drafts, provide feedback, and give presentations or focus on topics of interest. Audio recordings of the pre-work session are available within 48 hours. Topics discussed at this week’s session include:

School allotment guidelines: magnets

Program evaluation update: attendance/everyday labs

Board Recognitions
Each month, the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level. The following teams and individuals were honored at the meeting:

Milton High School boys cross country team won the Georgia High School Association 5A State Championship

Alpharetta High School volleyball team won the Georgia High School Association 6A State Championship

Cliftondale Elementary School beta club students won first place win at the Georgia Elementary Beta Club State Convention

Asa G. Hilliard Elementary School beta club students won first place win in multiple categories including campaign skit, creative writing, fourth grade science, fourth grade Spanish, and fifth grade social studies.

Asa G. Hilliard Elementary School beta club student Shiloh Williams was selected as the Georgia Elementary beta club vice president

2025-26 Community Meetings with Board Members
Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.