
Titan Talk

SEPTEMBER 8 , 2024
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Good evening Titan families,
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you! You all have shown up in big ways the past three days. Safety is our collective focus for our students and staff; our school is safer because we are a strong community! Thank you for letting me serve this community. I am ready to come to school tomorrow and see each of your children. It will be a good day!
Thank you even more for standing strong and in a united way. I want to give a shout out to the 8th grade student who sent me the email literally minutes after the post was made. Within the hour, Fulton County Schools Police Department, Roswell Police Department, and school officials had a screenshot of the post with the information. The lack of hesitation of this student in sharing this information allowed the arrest to take place in less than 12 hours. Also, thank you to the hundreds who shared what they knew as soon as they knew it because this led to quick action by law enforcement.
Over the past three days, I received hundreds of texts and even more emails. If you sent me a text and did not include your name, please feel free to send your contact information along with your student’s name and grade so I may save it to my phone. If I did not respond to your text or email, please know I was completely focused on the safety of students and staff, and working around the clock with the authorities. Thank you for the endless communication; it was all very much appreciated.
In closing, I want to say that I hope that our community stays vigilant. This is not the time to sit back and relax. I believe this is the time for us to examine everything we do regarding safety. Please be on the lookout for a survey in the coming week. I want to know your thoughts. Also, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) urges parents to continue to monitor their children's social media AND to stop them from posting threatening images and sharing them with other students. I will include the communication from the GBI when I share the survey for further details.
Thank you for your support this weekend, and I will see you tomorrow.
AJ Smith
Principal of Elkins Pointe Middle School
UPCOMING DATES....
THE CURRENT WEEK:
Monday, September 09, 2024
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
- FCCLA Club Meeting (Thomas) in the FACS room from 8:25 AM - 8:55 AM
- "Pizza with the Principal" Student PTSA Meeting - Lunch with the Principal in the Media Center from10:55 AM - 12:45 PM
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Thursday, September 12, 2024
- Student Council Meeting in Room D-112 (Graves/Dillard) from 8:25 AM - 8:55 AM
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
- Bad Daddy's Burgers Spirit Night! Mention Elkins Pointe and earn 15% for our school!
Friday, September 13, 2024
- Progress Report for 4.5 weeks - Grades posted in Infinite Campus Parent Portal
- EPMS Soccer vs. Holcomb Bridge MS: Away game from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Location: Holcomb Bridge
IMPORTANT DATES
SEPTEMBER 10
PTSA STUDENT MEMBERS HAVE PIZZA WITH THE PRINCIPAL
* Your child can JOIN PTSA and one of the benefits is
to have pizza and a chat with the principal.
SEPTEMBER 12
BAD DADDY'S SPIRIT NIGHT!
Bring the family for dine in or take our.
Mention Elkins Pointe for 15% of the proceeds to go to the school!
OCTOBER 4
REFLECTIONS ENTRIES DUE
*Turn in all entries by 4:00 pm to the Media Center
VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS COMING SOON!
VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS COMING SOON! Volleyball is starting soon here at EPMS. See the links below for information regarding sign-ups for tryouts. Open Gym will be on Monday, 9/23, and Tuesday, 9/24. Tryouts will be on Wednesday, 9/25, and Thursday, 9/26. All forms must be filled out and uploaded to Rank One before players can attend an open gym or tryout.
Please ensure any student who wants to try out fills out the interest form and uploads the required FCS athletic documents to Rank One. All information must be received to be able to try out. Rank One is an FCS Athletics portal that keeps track of all information for student-athletes.
Volleyball Interest and Participation Forms:
Volleyball GIRLS Interest Form – https://forms.office.com/r/PAcDEdxrNK
Volleyball BOYS Interest Form – https://forms.office.com/r/8sZApnqr9L
Rank One Login – https://www.rankone.com/Parent/Parent
Rank One Instructions: Click the Rank One Log In link above and follow the instructions to set up a parent account.
Please contact or see Mr. Pickering at pickeringb@fultonschools.org with any questions.
Thank you,
Mr. Ben Pickering
7th/8th Grade Math & Athletic Director
Teacher | Elkins Pointe Middle School | Fulton County Schools
CELEBRATIONS
GOLD MEDAL PBIS!
Elkins Pointe hosted a PBIS Olympic-themed Spirit Week with the motto "Go for the Gold!" What a roaring success it was from August 26th to 30th! The Titans triumphantly racked up a whopping 10,286 points during the exciting "We are the PBIS Champions" Kick-off event. Congratulations to the 6th grade for winning the GOLD for the most points. The 7th grade won SILVER, and 8th grade came in on the podium winning a BRONZE medal for third place!
THINGS TO KNOW!
CANVAS Observer Account
Parents/Guardians can set up an observer account to be able to view all of their student's classes. Please follow the directions in the attachments below. Your student will need to be with the parent to log into Canva!
AVID TUTORS WANTED!
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at Elkins Pointe guides students toward a college and career path. One key aspect is teaching students effective study techniques through the AVID Tutorial Method. To support this initiative, AVID is looking for adults interested in learning this skill who work twice weekly as AVID tutors.
To apply to be an AVID tutor:
- Please get in touch with Mrs. Okiyama at okiyama@fultonschools.org or
- Registration can also be done online at https://bit.ly/3MuZ6t8.
ORDER SPIRITWEAR!
Exciting news the PTSA is offering Elkins Pointe Spiritwear! To order your very own designed EPMS shirt or hoodie, click on the link: https://elkinspoint.itemorder.com/shop/home/
PIZZA WITH THE PRINCIPAL - STUDENT PTSA MEMBERS ARE INVITED!🍕
Student PTSA Members! Mark your calendars for September 10th because that's when students can chow down on pizza with the principal! But wait, there's a catch - only student PTSA members get an exclusive invite to this cheese and pepperoni affair. When you have pizza with Principal Smith, students can share their thoughts and inspire some changes! Even if you're not part of the PTSA yet, you can join the excitement for just $10 and voice your opinions, too!
JOIN TODAY & HAVE PIZZA 🍕 ON SEPT. 10TH!
To have your student JOIN PTSA, use this link:To have your student JOIN PTSA, use this link:
REFLECTIONS! ENTRIES ARE DUE 10/4
Does your student have a passion for creative expression? Encourage them to take part in the National PTA Reflections Art competition! This year's theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” Students can compete in various categories, including Dance, Film, Literature, Visual Arts, Photography, and more. "The Reflections program offers opportunities for recognition and access to the arts, which enhances student confidence and success both in the arts and in life." For more information and to watch videos, visit the National PTA website at https://www.pta.org.
Entry forms will be available at school and can also be found in the media center. Additionally, you can visit georgiapta.org for rules and submission guidelines. Click on the events tab, locate Reflections, then click on submissions. Scroll down to the Rules and Forms section on the left side of the page to access the student entry packet and specific guidelines for each category.
All entries must be submitted to the Media Center by Friday, October 4th, at the latest. After submission, entries will be judged, and winners in each grade/category will advance to the District level, with the possibility of moving on to the state level competition.
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK!
To buy the YEARBOOK Link to purchase: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1277758/Elkins-Pointe-Middle-School/
YOU OUGHT TO BE IN THE YEARBOOK PICTURES!!
The Elkins Pointe YEARBOOK is looking for Summer Trips, summer vacation, first-day pictures, and Open House pictures of your TITANS!
- Use this LINK for parents to share photos: https://photos.jostens.com/97YQTY.
- Or use the QR Code to share photos from your phone!!
CLUBS AT ELKINS POINTE
FBLA CLUB - 9/18 Meeting
The first meeting of the Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club will take place on Wednesday, September 18th, during 3rd Period. For any questions, please contact Dr. Wiley in the Business classroom located in the Connections Hall.
FCCLA CLUB - 9/10 Meeting
The first meeting of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America will be on Tuesday, September 10th. After the introductory meeting, the FCCLA club will meet on the second Tuesday of each month. For more information, please see FACS Teacher Mrs. Chelsea Thomas.
*Please download the application form below.
READING BOWL CLUB - MS. CARTER - Meetings on Fridays!
Embark on an adventure with "The Reading Bowl Club!" We are looking for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to join the team. The club is led by Ms. Leighann Carter, a 7th-grade ELA teacher. For further information, please reach out to her via email at carterl2@fultonschools.org.
Club meetings take place on Friday mornings from 8:25 to 8:50 in Room F101, which is located in Humanities Hall, Ms. Carter's Room.
INTERACT CLUB FOR 7TH & 8TH GRADES - 1st & 3rd Fridays!
The Interact Club meetings take place on the first and third Friday of the month during lunch/advisement from 12:10 noon to 12:35 PM. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Susan McClelland, mcclellands@fultonschools.org, or Mrs. Srinivasan, srinivasan@fultonschools.org. The meetings will take place in Mrs. McClelland's classroom located in the STEM Hallway.
JR. BETA CLUB - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays!
Junior Beta meetings will be held monthly on the first and third Wednesdays from 8:30 am -8:55 am. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, September 18th in Room F112. Please check Teams for updates or if you want to contact Ms. Young. If you're interested in community service, leadership and maintaining good grades, you are welcome to join!
STUDENT COUNCIL CLUB - 9/12 Meeting
All grades are invited to participate in the Student Council Club. The club sponsors and Ms. Megan Graves, gravesm4@fultonschools.org, and Ms. Daria Dillard, dillardd2@fultonschools.org. The I Interest Meeting will be on September 12th at 8:30 am in Ms. Graves classroom located in the STEM Hall. After the first meeting, the Student Council Club will meet on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 8:30 AM in Ms. Graves classroom.
FEEDER HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
FREE TUTORING
UPCOMING IN SEPTEMBER...
Monday, September 16, 2024
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
- SGC Meeting @ 7:40 AM in the EPMS Media Center from 7:40 AM - 8:40 AM
- PTSA Meeting from 8:15 AM to 9:15 AM in the Teachers' Lounge from 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
- Interact Fundraiser in the Morning in the Atrium from 8:15 AM - 8:55 AM
- EPMS Soccer vs. Haynes Bridge - Home Game from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Come cheer for the Titans!
Thursday, September 19, 2024
- Interact Fundraiser in the Morning in the Atrium from 8:15 AM - 8:55 AM
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Friday, September 20, 2024
- 8th-Grade Night @ Milton HS (Band & Chorus) from 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM
EPMS Soccer vs Autrey Mill - Home Game from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Come cheer for the Titans!
Monday, September 23, 2024
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
- Bio Bus Georgia State University in House Field Trip (Day one of two)
- EPMS Soccer Home vs Taylor Road - Home Game from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Come cheer for the Titans!
Thursday, September 26, 2024
- Bio Bus Georgia State University in House Field Trip (Day two of two)
- Soccer Practice on EPMS Field, after school
Friday, September 27, 2024
- EPMS Soccer Home vs Sandy Springs - Home Game from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Come cheer for the Titans!
Monday, September 30, 2024
- Band Fundraiser begins
- Soccer Practice - EPMS Field, after school
- Volleyball Try-outs in the Gym, after school (tentative).