Hembree Highlights

Greetings Hembree Families,

As we approach the end of the semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and families. Our administration team has been diligently analyzing the iReady mid-year diagnostic data to set goals for the second semester, and I’m grateful for the continued support in ensuring our students were prepared for these assessments.

On December 6th, the state released the 2024 Georgia Milestones Assessment results, and I am incredibly proud of the gains we’ve made here at Hembree Springs. The data reflects our students' continued growth and achievement in key areas:

Content Mastery (Achievement Scores)

These scores represent whether students are performing at the level necessary to be prepared for the next grade.

• English Language Arts: 81.94%
• Mathematics: 78.14%
• Science: 80.33%

Progress (Growth Measures)
These scores reflect how much growth students demonstrated, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics, and how English learners are progressing towards English proficiency.

• English Language Arts: 91.08%
• Mathematics: 66.48%
• Progress towards English Language Proficiency: 99.49%

Closing the Gap (Improvement in Subgroup Achievement)
This score reflects the progress made by all students and subgroups toward higher achievement.

• Closing the Gap: 100%

Readiness (Preparation for Next Level)
This measure reflects whether students are engaged in activities that prepare them for the next grade level, such as participation at or above grade level, student attendance, and involvement in beyond core subjects.

• Readiness: 89.7%

As we wrap up the first semester, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your ongoing partnership in ensuring our students’ success. I am filled with joy this holiday season, knowing that I have the privilege of leading such a wonderful community of students, staff, and families.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our holiday parties on Friday, December 20th!

Have a great weekend!

Nancy Lahey

Principal

12/19 School Spelling Bee grades 3-5

12/20 Class Winter Parties

12/23-1/3 Winter Break

1/6 Teacher Work Day (no school for students)

1/7 First Day of Second Semester

1/7 @ 7:40am Verifications Workshop for Rising Elkins 6th graders

1/16 STEM & Star Night @ 5:30-7:30pm

2/6 General PTA Meeting on TEAMS @ 6:30pm

2/11 Title I Assessment Workshop (Donut Stress About the Test!) @ 7:40am

2/13 Annual Title I Input Meeting and Soaring to New Heights Learning Celebration

Dear Hembree Families,

December is a month of celebration, reflection, and connection. Here are some tips to help your family navigate this busy season while fostering joy, mindfulness, and togetherness:

1. Practice Gratitude Together

• Take time as a family to share what you’re thankful for each day. A gratitude jar or a nightly “thankful thought” can make this a fun habit.

2. Encourage Acts of Kindness

• Find small ways to help others, like donating toys, baking for neighbors, or writing kind notes. Modeling generosity teaches children the joy of giving.

3. Focus on Connection Over Perfection

• It’s easy to get caught up in holiday pressures. Remember, children value time and attention more than perfect decorations or gifts.

4. Create Calm Amid the Hustle

• Incorporate quiet moments into your day, such as reading holiday stories, taking a family walk, or practicing deep breaths to help everyone stay grounded.

5. Talk About Holiday Emotions

• Holidays can bring a mix of feelings for children. Encourage them to share their thoughts, whether it’s excitement, stress, or sadness, and reassure them it’s okay to feel a range of emotions.

6. Stick to Routines Where Possible

• Maintaining consistent bedtime, meal, and screen time routines can help children feel secure during the busyness of the season.

7. Celebrate Differences

• If your family observes holidays, take time to learn about and celebrate other traditions. This fosters inclusivity and helps children appreciate diversity.

This season is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships and create lasting memories. Wishing you and your family a peaceful, joyful December!

Warmly,

Shannon Reynolds

School Counselor

Volunteer for parties; say thanks to Hembree staff

Grade level room parents have sent out details for the upcoming Winter Parties next Friday, Dec. 20. Also included is a Signup if you'd like to help with setup, a craft, snack or cleanup.

Our teachers and staff have worked so hard this semester! They would love a heartfelt note or card if you are able to send one in. If you'd like to get a gift, the PTA has made it easy by asking them their favorites! See this helpful spreadsheet below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wSIUV80vaNLgr30uWwwOPBpem8oOVUejfRW6rI3aovo/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Please join us for our Transitions Workshop for parents of 5th graders who will attend Elkins Middle School. The date for the event is January 7th @ 7:40am. This is the first day back for students from winter break- so mark your calendars TODAY!

Parents,

It’s time! The time has arrived for your child to decide if he/she wants to participate in our 6th Annual Hembree’s Got Talent! The talent show is scheduled to take place on March 20th. If your child would like to participate, please either print the attached consent form, or have them stop by the Media Center to pick up a paper copy. Details about rehearsal dates can be found on the consent form. This year for rehearsals, preferable dates will be taken into consideration. We will do our best to accommodate your 1st choice for rehearsal dates. Don’t delay! The audition videos are due January 10th! If you have any questions regarding the talent show, please email Ms. Tejada tejada@fultonschools.org and Mrs. Soberanis soberanis@fultonschools.org.

SAVE THE DATE! The PTA Together We Soar Silent Auction and Glow Party is Feb. 28. That's right! Get ready to "glow crazy" for this neon-tastic event.

Back by popular demand is DJ Ronnel, also a Hembree parent, who is going to get us all on the dance floor for some fun. Peruse the auction tables that will be showcased in the halls because we have a lot of good things in store. Grade-level basket themes are getting a makeover and we'll have a lot of new and exciting items to bid on! We're raising our funding goal to help support such things such as teacher grants, staff appreciation events, math nights, parent workshops and making ALL our events free of charge. Stay tuned for more details.

To put on these kinds of events, extra hands always help. Would you like to serve on our Silent Auction Committee? Janet Pelletier will be this year's auction chair and would love some help reaching out to the local business community for donations. All of this can be done remotely! Email her at janetr2626@hotmail.com.

Are you a business owner or have something to donate? You can also email Janet with details. Aside from this being a great cause, this is also great publicity for businesses, as our auction runs online for 10 days in addition to our in-person launch event. Don't have a business that lends itself to product donation? You can sponsor an item like an iPad or gift card. We'll put your logo on the listing!

Parents of 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders! Do you want your child to participate in book club? The students read the books on their own, and then an adult moderator joins them for lunch in their classrooms to discuss it.

The books this time around are:

3rd grade - Mia Mayhem is a Superhero by Kara West

4th grade - A Whole New Ballgame by Phil Bildner
5th grade - Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Fill out this form to sign up your child:

https://forms.gle/QfegnoXw42MZLkwY9

Dear Hembree Families,

As the holiday season approaches, we’re reminded of the incredible generosity that makes our community so special. This year, we’re asking for your help to stock our school’s Giving Closet, a resource that provides essential items to families in need within our school.

The Giving Closet relies entirely on donations, and together we can make a meaningful difference. Please see below for what we are currently in need of.

You can also order from our Wal-mart wishlist, and deliver it straight to the school!

https://www.walmart.com/registry/TR/37a36bf0-9c90-4a97-b66a-7462e68ae522

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps ensure that all of our students and families feel supported and cared for.

Together, let’s show the power of our community’s compassion. Thank you for your kindness and generosity—your support means everything to our students and their families.

Warm regards,
Sara Fuchs
PTA President

In reviewing the data from our survey and listening sessions, we determined the YOU (our families) are interested in obtaining more information regarding assessments such as the Milestones. Please see the infographic below on accessing last year's Milestone scores for your student. Reach out to Lucy Gilbert, Title I Parent Liaison, gilbertl2@fultonschools.org with any questions.

We'll also be hosting (2) Assessments workshops next semester. The first is on 2/11in person at 7:40am and the second will be online on 4/9 @ 6:30pm. Mark your calendars!

Have you heard your child mention anything about an app called Beanstack? It was introduced in the Media Center. Beanstack is a digital reading log that students can use to log the number of minutes they are reading. They can earn badges and rewards along the way. This year, we have a schoolwide reading goal of 50,000 minutes! We can’t reach our goal without the help of your child! If your child is reading at school, home, daycare, etc. they can log their minutes and help us get closer to our goal. The following is a video explaining how to use Beanstack from home. You can always find your child's lunch number/student number in infinite campus or email Mrs. Soberanis: soberanis@fultonschools.org. Happy Reading!

How To Video: https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cZQTbzVSAkv

Each week the PE department will choose 4 All Star Athletes (2 students & 2 staff members). If your student enjoys hiking, swimming, baseball, softball, football, biking, etc. Please email a picture to marzetti@fultonschools.org.

Thanks,

Ms. Marzetti

Family Engagement Thursdays

Families! YOU are your child’s first and most influential teacher. As such you have so much to offer your student! To encourage family engagement at home, we are offering family engagement Thursdays. Each week there will be (1) activity to do at home to be completed prior to Friday. We’ll list the activities for the month in Hembree Highlights and offer reminders via social media. Your student will have the opportunity to receive a *bonus* Hawk’s ticket for participating (look out for more details from your teacher) We’ll include tips and tricks to get the conversation started and reinforce learning from the school day. Please spend anywhere from 10-20 minutes with your child engaging with them around their day at school and encouraging their social and emotional skills. We’ll also encourage you to practice other skills inclusive of Math and ELA. Please feel free to reach out to me Lucy Gilbert, Title I Parent Liaison (gilbertl2@fultonschools.org) with any questions.

Del Título I

Jueves de Participación Familiar

¡Familias! USTED es el primer y más influyente maestro de su hijo. Como tal, ¡tiene mucho que ofrecer a su estudiante! Para fomentar la participación familiar en casa, estamos ofreciendo participación familiar los jueves. Cada semana habrá (1) actividad para hacer en casa que se completará antes del viernes. Haremos una lista de las actividades del mes en Hembree Highlights y ofreceremos recordatorios a través de las redes sociales. Su estudiante tendrá la oportunidad de recibir un boleto * extra* de Hawk's por participar (esté atento a más detalles de su profesor). Incluiremos consejos y trucos para iniciar la conversación y reforzar el aprendizaje de la jornada escolar. Pase entre 10 y 20 minutos con su hijo, involucrarse con ellos durante su día en la escuela y fomentando sus habilidades sociales y emocionales. También te animaremos a que practiques otras habilidades, como las matemáticas y Arte del Lenguaje en Ingles. Por favor, siéntase libre de comunicarse conmigo Lucy Gilbert, Enlace de Padres del Título I (gilbertl2@fultonschools.org) con cualquier pregunta.

We will begin to welcome lunch visitors the week of September 9th. Due to limited capacity, we ask that you sign up using the links below. Please do not sign up for the year to allow the opportunity for many families to visit. Thanks for understanding.

Pre-K

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50052915-preklunch

Kindergarten

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053187-kindergarten

1st grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053307-1stgrade

2nd grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053385-2ndgrade

3rd grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053488-3rdgrade

4th grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053597-4thgrade

5th grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053662-5thgrade

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