Middle School 101

PARENT UNIVERSITY: All parents and families are invited to join us at "Middle School 101."

• Date: August 1, 2024
• Time: 6:30 PM online.
• Location: Microsoft TEAMS meeting online link:
• Questions? Please email Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles at ohanlon@fultonschools.org
  

• There is lots of info...we wish to respect your time!
• Use the back of the Agenda to take notes and to jot down your questions

• Have a specific question about your child? Email additional questions to Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles at ohanlon@fultonschools.org

To help parents understand Family Engagement at Elkins Pointe.

• Come to school every day, on time, ready to learn.
• Complete assignments, turn in projects/homework.
• Check the Student Portal in Infinite Campus
• Check Canvas and Outlook email for assignments,

How can parents partner with the school?

• Make sure students come to school every day, on time, prepared to learn.
• Help students stay on task by making sure they turn in assignments
  
• Check Infinite Campus frequently
• Come to Parent Workshops to learn about the tools used in school.

How can the school and teachers help students be successful and be a partner to parents?

• Be prepared to provide instruction every day and have a positive learning environment.
• Educate parents at Parent Workshops.
• Provide information on assignments through teacher email, websites, extra-help sessions.
• Use Infinite Campus to communicate grades, progress, missing assignments, and messages.

MEET THE TITANS:

• Meet the Admin Team
• Who to Contact?

TWO- WAY COMMUNICATION:

• Website
  
• Newsletter
• Canvas for Families
• Blackboard and teacher emails
• Social Media - Facebook Parent Group

• Infinite Campus: Parent Portal - Set-up and Account (monitor grades, attendance, assignments, school announcements, and more).

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT & TITLE I SCHOOL-WIDE PROGRAM:

• Title I Documents and Resources
• Parent University Workshops and Parent Resource Center

"A TO Z" - SCHOOL INFO & PROTOCOLS

• Arrival/Dismissal, Bell Schedule, Bus Info, Carpool, Transportation Changes
  
• Meal Account and Free & Reduced Lunch
• Music Connections – Band, Chorus, Orchestra
• Technology – Devices, Digital Citizenship, ClassLink
• Titan Prep Time for the 6th Grade Academy & WINN (What I Need Now) for 7th & 8th grade

GET INVOLVED!

• Activities & Clubs for Students
• Business & Faith Partners
• Parent Workshops and Family Nights
• Volunteer
  
• PTSA - Team Up with the Titans!

Front Office Staff - (770) 667-2892

• Mrs. Ainara Sorozabal - Reception Desk (Miss Ainara)
• Mrs. Denise Lewis - Reception Desk (Miss Denise)
• Ms. Teri Dixon - Data Clerk
• Ms. Lekita Morgan - Bookkeeper

Clinic - 470-254-2892

• Ms. Leah Davy-Kennedy, Clinic Assistant - (470) 254-8373

Head Custodian

• Ms. Edith Woodruff, Head Building Custodian

Media Center & School Technology - (470)-254-8376

• Mrs. Patricia Hutchison, Media and Educational Tech Instructor (METI), and Device Coordinator
• Mrs. Sapana Singh, Assistant Media Specialist

Parent Liaisons

• Ms. Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles - Title I (470) -254-8379
• Sra. Maria Shuford - Bilingual Community Liaison (470)-254-8380

School Resource Officer

• Office Gerald Hightower, FCS Police Office, 470-254-8375
• Brandon Young, Campus Security Associate, 470-254-2892

Student Support / Counseling Office

• Ms. Jody Glude - Counselor - 470-254-8367
• Ms. Jennifer Hawkins, Substitute Counselor - 470-254-8366
• Ms. Sheba Raju - Counselor Clerk - (470) 254-8365
  
• Mrs. Erryn Burcham, Graduation Coach - 470-254-2892
• Ms. Sabrina Jackson - Teacher-Instructional Support - (470) 254-8362
• Ms. Megan, School Psychologist - 470-254-9684
• Ms. Tina Cairo, School Social Worker - (404) 302-7893, at Elkins Pointe Middle School on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and at Crabapple Middle School on Tuesday & Thursday.

Fulton County Official email, phone, text message updates

• The school may issue messages directly from the FCS District
• The administration, teachers/staff, or school may issue messages directly to parents and students.

• To create a Parent Portal account, please go to https://www.fultonschools.org/infinitecampus.

• The Parent Portal provides access to student schedules, grades, attendance, and announcements.

• * If you are having difficulty, please contact Ms. Teri Dixon, Elkins Pointe Data Clerk, for help.

• Watch a vIdeo on Infinite Campus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKFZ4IcqPq4

• Parent emails for 6th, 7th and 8th grade will be imported into the Titan Talk database.
  
• If you do not wish to receive Titan Talk, you can unsubscribe at any time. * However, if you unsubscribe you will also unsubscribe from Principal AJ Smith's important messages.

• Facebook - Find us here.
• Join the closed Elkins Pointe Parent Group to see updates and photos
• "Friend" or "Follow" the Elkins Pointe Parent Liaison
• Ask questions or share helpful information
• Our online community includes EPMS parents, teachers, community business partners, feeder school contacts and is a great resource.
• Members are asked to read the Mission Statement and adhere to the guidelines.

• Twitter ("X")
• https://x.com/ElkinsPointeMS
  
• EPPMS Parent Liaison @EPMSParentLisa
• Many teachers at our school use Twitter, and we encourage you to "follow" to see all the cool things they are doing!

• Website, https://elkinspointe.fultonschools.org/
• Bookmark and use the EPMS site
• View links to the PTSA, SGC, Title I page, and teacher websites/email addresses
• Links to subscribe to Titan Talk, Bell Schedule, etc.

What is a CANVAS Observer account?

The observer role can be given to parents, family members or guardians to give them visibility into the student's Canvas courses. Family members and guardians can set up an observer account and pair it with student account(s) using a student pairing code. Once the observer is paired with their student(s) they will be able to see the courses that those student(s) are in.

CANVAS For Families Information Sessions

To learn more about how to use Canvas as a parent, please join one of the Fulton County training sessions online:

Title I is a federally funded program designed to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic standards and state academic assessments. The Title I program focuses on the academic needs of the most disadvantaged students.

How are Title I Funds used?

Title I schools receive federal money to provide additional resources to:

• Support student instruction
  
• Improve teaching strategies
  
• Increase family engagement

Annual Title I Parent Meeting: The Annual Title I Parent Meeting is on Wednesday, August 30th at 5:30 pm. All parents and families are invited to the Annual Title I Parent Meeting. The Admin Team will discuss all of the items below in detail.

• Title I Schoolwide Plan: This is the school's strategy to increase student academic achievement using support, intervention, and family engagement. The School-Wide Plan outlines how we spend our Title I Funds (approx. 224K), our school-wide goals, and the metrics we use to measure student success. Parents, families, students, teachers/staff, and community members can find this document on the Elkins Pointe website.
  

• School-Family Compact: This is an agreement on how the school supports you in assisting your child at home to achieve the school and district goals. It outlines ways to communicate with parents about student learning, core content areas to provide the most help for your child, and means for our school to build partnerships to support student success.
  

• Parent and Family Engagement Plan: This plan is created using parent input. It outlines ways the school effectively communicates with parents, Parent University workshops would you like the school to provide, ways the school partners with parents in building ties between home and school, and implementing family engagement parent programs.
  

• Title I Budget/Parent Engagement 1% Set-Aside: What instructional materials, supplies, and/or learning games would you like to have available in the Parent Resource Center? Should we receive additional Title I funding during the year, how should those funds be spent to support student learning and parent engagement?
  

• Building Staff Capacity: The steps our school takes to communicate more effectively, reach out to and work with parents as equal partners in their child’s education, and implement and coordinate parent programs. It is important to value our parents and families. We actively opportunities for our families to be utilized in the school.
  

• Feedback Always Welcome on the Family Engagement Program: Please tell us if you have suggestions, would you rate our school’s overall parental involvement program, and if our parent activities and meetings are held at convenient and flexible times, etc.

• Parent Resource Center: Elkins Pointe has a Parent Resource Center in the Media Center. The Title I Parent Liaison has an office in the Parent Resource Center. If you would like to visit the Parent Resource Center or the Parent Liaison, please come by during school hours: Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. You can also make an appointment with our Parent Liaison.

• Parent University / Parent Workshops: This is a series of workshops for parents throughout the year. The workshops focus on ways to help your child at home. Workshops are presented at varied times of day, in person, and on Microsoft TEAMS. Trainings include three Curriculum workshops (i.e., Math and Literacy), Technology ( i.e., Infinite Campus, and "The Harms of Copy Right Piracy"), Testing & Assessment, Workshop for Parents of English Language Learners (ELL)/ESL, School Transition, and Spring Input Meetings.

Family Engagement documents can be found on the Elkins Pointe website, under the Title I tab, in the school at the Parent Resource Center, and will be distributed at Information Day, through WINN classes, and electronically via parent emails. If you would like a copy emailed/mailed home, please contact Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles at ohanlon@fultonschools.org.

• Parent & Family Engagement Plan (English)
  

• Parent & Family Engagement Plan (Spanish)
  

• "Parent's Right to Know" Information
  

• FCS Student Code of Conduct
  

• FCS Title I Website
  

• Georgia Dept. of Education Parent Engagement Program
  

The Harms of Copyright Piracy

• Harms of Copyright Piracy
  

• Daños de la piratería de derechos de autor

• Welcome! Pointe Team will welcome the students when the door open at 8:25 a.m.

• Students will go to the gym or cafeteria for breakfast until 8:45 am

• All Titans will start in their FIRST PERIOD CLASS

• Students should be in the building by 8:45 am to have time to get to their classes.
• Bus riders will never be marked tardy. Please consider having your child arrive on the bus.

• The doors to car riders and walkers open at 8:25 am.
• Upon arrival, students can go to the cafeteria to get breakfast or go to the gym until 8:45 am.
• Breakfast is served until 8:50 am.
• The Titan Morning News (daily announcements) are at 8:50 am
• Students may drop off instruments in the Band/Orchestra room with a pass.
• Passes are required If a student needs to go to the media center, see a teacher, and attend orchestra/band practice before the doors open/first bell.

NOTE: The Bell Schedule is linked to the Elkins Pointe website.

• All doors will remain locked during the school day. Visitors must ring the bell on the camera pad to the right of the front door. If prompted, be prepared to display ID (driver's license) and state name and business.
• All visitors should report directly to the front office.
• Volunteers are required to register as a Mandatory Reporter with FCS and must check-in at the Volunteer Computer in the front office.

• To view the Fulton County Transportation page, click here.
  

• To find your child's Bus number, route, and time, use this link: http://edulogweb.fultonschools.org/livewq/webquery/
  

  * You do not have to "sign up" to have your child ride the bus because students are already signed up. FACT: Students who take the bus are never late, even if the bus is late!

HERE COMES THE BUS APP: https://www.fultonschools.org/all-departments/operations/transportation/quothere-comes-the-busquot

• The carpool lane is off of Elkins Road on the driveway closest to Elkins Rd. Please do not enter at the traffic light on Elkins Road—this entrance is for buses only in the morning.
• Students may be dropped off at 8:25 am; Students are released at 4:05 pm
• Do not park in the parking lot by the bus lane. The parking lot where buses load is off-limits from 3:15 pm to 4:30 pm.

• Car riders and walkers are dismissed at 4:05 pm
• The 6th grade carpool is on the side of the building in the afternoon.
• Bus riders are dismissed at 4:10 pm
• Parents are not permitted to wait in the Atrium or on the sidewalk in front of the school during dismissal.

• Email the front office at epmsfrontoffice@fultonschools.org
• Students must submit a note to the front office first thing in the morning for checkout.
• Arrange to have your child meet you in the front office at the scheduled time. Please check your child out in between class periods to prevent the front office from calling into the class.
• Students can NOT be checked out after 3:30 pm. Please check out your student before the last period of the day.
• Students riding home with a friend on a different bus must present two notes (one from each parent) upon arrival to school in the morning. Front desk personnel will call to verify the students are permitted to ride home together on the bus. Car riders are not subject to this policy.

• Email the front office at epmsfrontoffice@fultonschools.org
• Students must bring doctors' notes and notes from home to the front office.
  
• All notes from parents or doctors should be submitted in the front office and placed in the striped box (pictured) located on the front desk (pictured).
• Parents or students may deliver notes to the front office. Your child should NOT give the note to their WINN teacher or any other teacher.
  

The Free & Reduced Price Meal application is online for parents/guardians that wish to apply for meal benefits.

• Visit www.mypaymentsplus.com to prepay for student meals.
• Visit www.fulton.schoollunchapp.com to start a meal application.

• Families who qualify, can apply for for Free and Reduced benefits. It is recommended that all families set up a meal account for their child by completing the application or putting money in their child’s account.

• For information regarding meal applications, daily menu, meal prices, and online payments for your child’s account, please visit the FCS (Fulton County Schools) Nutrition Page.

• The application for Free and Reduced lunches will open on July 25th. To complete the Free & Reduced Meals application school year, go to https://www.nlappscloud.com/.

Elkins Pointe offers three options for year-round music Connections classes. Below are some frequently asked questions.

Q: Is it too late to add music to my child's schedule?

A: You can still place your child in Band, Chorus, or Orchestra! Please email the music teacher, and they will help your child get a seat in their class.

• Mr. Todd Wilson - Band
• Mr. Seth Gamba - Orchestra
• Ms. Emma Teems & Mr. Daniel Isaacs - Chorus

Q: What if my child does not play an instrument or know how to read music?

A: Our music teachers are prepared for beginners and teach your child how to play an instrument and music.

Q: How does instrument selection work in the band/orchestra?

A: Your child will be introduced to various instruments in both band and orchestra. Mr. Wilson and Mr. Gamba will provide various instruments for your child to try during the first 5 weeks of school.

Q: We don't own an instrument. How does that work?

A: It is not necessary to go out and purchase an instrument immediately. Both Mr. Gamba and Mr. Wilson will provide information on instrument rentals to parents.

Q: How are our music programs rated?

A: Our music programs, Band, and Orchestra are Superior Rated in LGPE (Large Group Performance Evaluation).

Elkins Pointe uses Smart Pass to give students hallway passes, restroom passes.

• Safety! We know where every students is at all times.
• Ensures the restrooms are not too crowded.

• Please allow 10 days for changes.

• Every student will receive a NEW printed schedule on the first day of school. *All students will be directed to either first-period or WINN on the first day. Don't worry there will be a master list for each grade for the students to check in the grade-level hallways.

• Keep in mind that on Monday, August 5th, some schedule changes may still be needed. This is common, and the school is prepared for it.

• Device Deployment:

• Instructions to shut down the laptop correctly Connect to the FCS WIFI

• Tips to keep the laptop running well

• Digital Citizenship - Schoolwide before October 31st.
  

• Students APPs in ClassLink

• Achieve3000, FastBridge, iiReady Math and Reading - Diagnostics
  

• Assessment - Georgia Milestones

• e-Library

• FCS Apps - Infinite Campus

• FCS Tip Line

• Illuminate

• i-Ready

• Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, TEAMS, Word, PowerPoint)

• PBIS Rewards
  

• rethinkEd (SEL)

• This is a period of the day where the 6th Grade Academy can focus on skills.
• What kind of skills? Executive function skills, Student Success Skills, help sessions, AVID skills (i.e., binder organizations.
• In the 7th & 8th grade this is called WINN (What I Need Now) and is is half the time.

Elkins Pointe Middle School offers clubs and sports for students. Information on clubs and sports is posted on the website, in the school newsletter "Titan Talk," and announced in the school on the "Titan morning News."

• CLUBS: All students from all grades are eligible to join a club. Clubs are offered in the morning, during WINN, and in the afternoon.

• SPORTS: Only 7th grade and 8th grade students are eligible for extramural team sports.

For more information on clubs and sports, please read Titan Talk!

Elkins Pointe is looking for dads to be part of the Dads Club. Please contact Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles at ohanlon@fultonschools.org to join Dads Club. Dads Club helps with Bus Driver Appreciation Week in October by passing out donuts and coffee. They also help with cleanup around the grounds, and other projects.

JOIN & DONATE to the ELKINS Pointe PTSA Link: https://membership-form-19962.cheddarup.com/

• Please join and donate to the PTSA annual campaign and “Team Up with the Titans!” by clicking on the link: https://membership-form-19962.cheddarup.com/

• Stop by the PTSA table in the atrium during Information Day to learn more about how our fabulous PTSA supports our Titans and how you can be part of the team!

Q: Who can join PTSA?

A: Parents, Teachers & Students are invited to join the PTSA.

Q: When can we join PTSA?

A: You can join PTSA today, during Information Day, at Curriculum Night or Online

Q: What kind of payment does the PTSA accept?

A: PTSA accepts cash, check, and credit cards. For Online memberships, you will be required to use a credit card. You can also print off a membership form and submit it with cash or check to the front office.

Support Student Success by Volunteering

There are many opportunities to volunteer in the school and the classroom.

Volunteer with the many PTSA events:

• Reflections
• Box Tops
• Red Ribbon Week
• Teacher of the Year Breakfast
• Teacher Appreciation Week
• Honor Roll Breakfasts

If you would like to volunteer, email Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles, Title I Parent Liaison, @ ohanlon@fultonschools.org.

Location: 11290 Elkins Road, Roswell, GA, United States
Phone: 470-254-2892