Falcon Flyer

Ms. Hanson's Notes

• Picnic Update - Weather Plans
• Upcoming Events at a Glance

F.AVE News

• Book Fair Starts Today - Hours & eWallet Information
• Specials Spotlight - Spanish
• FIT GA Physical Fitness Assessment
• Gifted Review Information
  
• Author Visit Third & Fourth Grades - Peter Brown/The Wild Robot
  

F.AVE PTO News

• Adult Recess - Buy Tickets Now!
• Fall Family Picnic - TODAY
  
• Business & Family Sponsorships Wanted
• Sponsor's Corner
• Walk & Roll
• DEI Information

Scroll down to learn more!

BOOK FAIR IS OPEN! STOP BY TODAY RAIN OR SHINE FROM 4:30-6:30 p.m.

September

Latino & Hispanic Heritage Month: 9/15 -10/15

Thursday, September 12, 5-7 p.m.: F.AVE PTO Fall Picnic

Thursday, September 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Fall Book Fair Grand Opening

September 12-19: Fall Scholastic Book Fair - closes at 10 a.m. on 9/19

Friday, September 20: School-wide Cast Gathering

• ​​5th Grade: 8-8:50 a.m.
• 3rd Grade 9-9:50 a.m.
• 4th Grade: 11:05-11:55 a.m.

Friday, September 20: Early Release at 12:15 p.m.

September 23-27: Fall Break

Students have been previewing our book fair this week and making their wish lists. Our fair opens today, Thursday at 4:30 p.m.! Come shop, rain or shine, grab dinner from one of the food trucks provided by PTO starting at 5, sign up for PTO's Adult Recess and have a great time. A portion of the proceeds from our book fair go to support our school.

One of the easiest ways for students to purchase books is for you to set up an eWallet. Students just need to tell us their name, and they can shop with funds you add to their wallet. Set up your Scholastic Book Fair eWallet here. We will accept cash, checks, credit/debit/Greenlight cards, and digital payment options, in addition to eWallet funds.

Book Fair Hours:

• September 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Grand Opening!

• September 13, September 16-18, 7:20 a.m.-3 p.m.

• September 19, 7:20-10 a.m.

My name is Lina Peñuela-Rannazzisi but the students call me Señora Peñuela. This is my first year teaching Spanish here at F.AVE. I was born and raised in Cali, Colombia and I am honored that I have the opportunity to share my language and culture with the amazing students here at F.AVE! Outside of the classroom I love to enjoy the outdoors and my favorite thing to do is to go paddle boarding on the lake. Some other outdoor activities that I enjoy are gardening and hiking.

This month, our students are diving into language and culture. We are focusing on essential vocabulary and conversational skills, with engaging activities. My goal is to provide a challenging and fun experience for the students as I believe the more engaged and interested the students are during the foreign language learning process, the better success they will have in eventually acquiring the language.

In third grade, students are learning the names in Spanish for animals that we share our planet with. The activity required students to actively search through a sandbox to find a plastic animal. Once they found the animal, their team had to vocalize the name of the animal in Spanish.

In fourth and fifth grade, students are learning how to communicate time in Spanish. The activity included one student asking another “¿Que hora es?” and the other would answer in Spanish to describe the time that the manual clock is showing. All students would take turns to practice both reading the clock, asking “¿Que hora es?” and answering with the appropriate time in Spanish.

Hello! As part of your child’s P.E. program, F.AVE is participating in the FIT Georgia physical fitness assessment. All students in grades K-5 will participate in this assessment, which aligns
with the state law requiring schools to measure areas of fitness related to the health of students, including cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

The following FIT Georgia fitness assessments will be used to measure the various areas of health-
related fitness:

- 15M or 20M PACER or 1-mile run (Cardiovascular)
- Curl-Up (Abdominal Strength)
- Push-Up (Upper Body Strength)
- Sit and Reach (Flexibility)
- Body Mass Index (Body Composition)

It's important to note that the assessment does not compare your child to anyone else, nor does it
measure skill or athletic performance. Instead, it compares your child to health standards established by researchers as the level of fitness all students should reach to attain health benefits.

After the assessment, you will receive a student report that includes a brief explanation of each fitness assessment, details on the importance of each assessment, and your child's actual scores. You can use this report as a tool to support your child in leading a healthy and active lifestyle.

Here are a few ways to support your elementary child:
- Stress the importance of fitness for feeling good
- Help your child identify a time and place for daily physical activity
- Limit screen time (TV, video games, devices, etc.)
- Be a role model for your child
- Praise and encourage your child to be active
- Involve your child in after-school or recreation programs within your community

We are very excited about participating in FIT Georgia and hope you will support and help your child
reach his/her/their potential. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s physical education teacher.

Each fall semester the Gifted Review Team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and determine if further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form (found at the website below) and turn it in to the Gifted & Talented Specialist at your child’s school before Wednesday, October 2. No additional information is needed.

The Gifted & Talented Specialists for Fifth Avenue Elementary are Jennifer Broman-Fulks, Edwin Ellis, Stephanie Tolentino, and Charee Waugh. For more detailed information about the review process and to obtain a copy of the Recommendation for Review Form, please contact the Gifted & Talented Specialist for your school (jbroman-fulks@csdecatur.net, edellis@csdecatur.net, stolentino@csdecatur.net, cwaugh@csdecatur.net) or visit the Gifted and Talented Services webpage.

We are so excited to officially announce that Peter Brown, author of The Wild Robot series will be coming to F.AVE on October 8th to visit our 3rd & 4th grade students! Mr. Brown is also the illustrator of the Creepy Crayon series!

If you would like to order a copy of The Wild Robot book (the new movie cover edition) to be autographed, please click here, print and fill out this order form and send it into your child's teacher. Order forms must be sent in no later than September 20th!

TONIGHT! (we hope) 5-7 p.m.

While we're really, really really, hoping for nice weather this afternoon/evening - we're also realists... Should the rain be stubborn this afternoon, the picnic will pivot to to-go meals from the food trucks. Book Fair will be open regardless of weather, so keep those wish lists handy and bring them to shop beginning at 4:30 p.m.!! Food trucks will be open at 5 p.m.

• PLAN A: Book Fair open, picnic, staff marketplace, DJ and more! As planned outside at FAVE

• PLAN B: Book Fair open, grab to-go dinner from food trucks

The school will send an e-blast today at 4 p.m. with the final plan. But please, please, please plan on coming out to support our school and PTO regardless! At the very least, you won't have to cook dinner.

*All tickets bought before Fall Break will enter your student in a raffle for Principal AND Media Center Teacher for the Day!!*

We are thrilled to announce that our 2nd Annual Adult Recess will take place on Friday, October 4th! This is your chance to unwind, have fun, and connect with other parents—all while supporting our school. This year’s event is a no-auction fundraiser at Twain's, featuring a full open bar, a casual dinner buffet, and plenty of games. Tickets go on sale next week via the PTO website. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable evening!

Buy your tickets HERE ASAP!

We’re seeking to partner with businesses, organizations or brands that would like to support our school through sponsorship, while also benefiting by connecting with the local Decatur community! Don’t have a business but want to sponsor as a family or individual? Check out all PTO sponsorship opportunities! Contact sponsorship@favepto.org with questions.

Chad and Christina Carter Real Estate! C&C Carter Real estate is honored to serve City Schools of Decatur families and their friends, neighbors and extended families for their real estate needs, whether that’s buying or selling, giving a data-based estimate on what a home is currently worth, providing advice about proposed renovations and what value those renovations will bring – or generally providing information about the local real estate market.

The PTO would like to give a huge shout out to Chad and Christina Carter, for stepping up to be one of our Sky level sponsors!! Hopefully you will get to pop by their table at the picnic tonight and say thanks!!

The F.Ave Walk & Roll to School Committee kicked off this year's activities on Wednesday, September 11. Students (and their grown ups) are encouraged to walk, bike, or scooter to school on Walk & Roll days, even if that is not their typical way of traveling. Consider driving to the Oakhurst Village, parking, and then walking the remainder of the route to school. If you are curious about the best way to walk or bike to school, the City of Decatur has mapped out Safe Routes to School for your convenience (map attached). These routes are typically staffed by crossing guards and/or have pedestrian crosswalks.

We promote walking and rolling to school to give students and families a chance to enjoy the benefits of stepping out of the car. Walking and rolling is not only great exercise, but it is also great for your mental health and for the environment. Walking and biking gives us a chance to clear our minds and observe nature. It also gives us a chance to talk with neighbors and feel connected with our community. When we have fewer cars driving around the school, the air contains fewer pollutants and the area is less congested. Walking and rolling typically only takes about 30 minutes round trip, but you will enjoy the benefits well beyond your commute.

We are thrilled to share that we counted 283 students who walked and rolled to school on Wednesday. Congratulations to the fifth grade who had the most participants with 111 walkers and cyclists. Thank you to the volunteers who joined us!

Volunteers are still needed for this committee. If you have wanted to get involved, this is a great way to support F.Ave. The commitment is typically only 1-1.5 hours/month, and you are welcome to bring your children. Sign up HERE!

Next month's Walk & Roll is scheduled for the National Walk & Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 9. Please mark your calendars, and we hope to see you on The Ave!

Committee Co-chairs Jeff Carter and Jill Wandstrat

Our Diwali celebration is coming up. If you’d like to help in any way please let us know. More details to follow. Thank you for your support!

¡Vamos a comer! FAve continues our celebration of Latino and Hispanic Heritage with the Annual FAve Flavors. This event will be Wednesday, September 18, 2024. In honor of the many unique cultures and cuisines of Latin America and Spain, we would like to offer students a small taste of Latino & Spanish flavors. Students will also experience a dance performance from Calo Gitano on October 2.

We are looking for support from F.AVE families to help make this event a big success. If you have culinary skills and an interest in sharing your favorite Latino and Spanish-inspired recipes with our students, we would love for any family to participate! Feel free to pair up with a friend, too. We would recommend simple savory and sweet bites similar to dishes such as Dominican dulce de leche, Puerto Rican plantains, Peruvian bean and cheese pupusas, Venezuelan corn arepas, Mexican churros or conchas, Cuban arroz con frijoles, Uruguayan chajá, and agua fresca. Please no chips and salsa or tacos. We are excited to have our families help build F.AVE's tradition of celebrating our students and community ALL YEAR LONG!

Support us by signing up for a dish or to volunteer during the event.

A Season of Giving is a neighbor-led organization that brings joy to local children and seniors through gift-giving.

For Assistance: To apply for gift assistance, please complete our online application at Apply by October 31st. We are excited to support children through 12th grade again this year.

Sponsor a Gift: Donors can purchase gifts based on individual wish lists for children or seniors. If you would like to be a sponsor, please fill out the form at Sponsor.

Donate Directly: If you prefer, you can make a donation, and we will do the shopping for you. Simply Donate at our website!

Volunteer: We would greatly appreciate your help! If you're interested in volunteering, please go to Volunteer and sign up.

Need Help or Have Questions? If you encounter any issues with the forms or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at aseasonofgivingdecatur@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support and generosity of the Season of Giving!

Principal

Lynn Hanson

lhanson@csdecatur.net

Assistant Principal

Meagan Ferguson

mferguson@csdecatur.net

Assistant Principal

Shannon Stewart

sstewart@csdecatur.net

School Manager

Malik Morrow

mmorrow@csdecatur.net

Bookkeeper

Shronda Edwards

sedwards@csdecatur.net

Who Do I Contact?

Email: fave@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/FAVE
Location: 101 5th Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371-6680

Please do not reply to this newsletter. See the Who Do I Contact link above and direct your inquiries to the correct individual.