
The Corley Cheer
Community Edition: March Newsletter
Message from Mrs. Duckworth
Principal
Greetings Corley Community!
What a wonderful February it has been! We extend our thanks for your ongoing support of our Corley Scholars. As we move into March, we're excited about the upcoming events and activities that await us.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are this month, and we can't wait to partner with you! This is a great opportunity to connect with your child's teacher(s) and learn about ways to support your student at home. Remember, we're here to partner with you.
We're also excited about the Shamrock Shake event. Please remember that tickets must be purchased in advance through MyPaymentsPlus, as we won't be selling them at the door. Be sure to secure yours promptly to avoid missing out!
Your feedback is important to us. Please continue to let us know how we can support your child. Have a fantastic March! We can't wait to see you soon!
Corley Administrative Team
Mrs. Hollace Ervin- Special Education Services and Specials
Mrs. Tammy Knox- Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and ESOL Services
Mrs. Morgan Mendieta Hudson- 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, and ESOL Services
Mr. Gregory Jackson- 4th Grade and 5th Grade
Proud to be your principal,
Mrs. Aleshia Duckworth
March News
Spring picture day is coming up on March 1st
We are excited to announce that our spring picture day is coming up on March 1st. This is a great opportunity for your child to capture some memories of this school year and show off their personality.
GCPS Blueprint For The Future
- Goal 1.B—Staff and Student Wellbeing.
Read Across America
Parent Teacher Conferences
- Parent Teacher Conferences will take place the week of March 4-8, 2024. The window to sign up for conferences has closed. If you still need to schedule a conference with your child's teacher, please contact him or her directly via ParentSquare.
- Wednesday 3/6 and Thursday 3/7 are Early Release Days. Students will dismiss at 12:45pm on these days. (Please note: We will not be able to accommodate lunch visitors on Early Release Days.)
- There will be NO afterschool clubs or extracurriculars in the afternoons during conference week.
- If you are in need of an interpreter, please attempt to bring a family member who can support. While we do have available interpreters, we are not able to guarantee they will be available for each conference that's in need.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.A- Multi-tiered System of Support.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
Saturday School Dates
If your child received an invitation for Saturday School, please make note of the following dates and times. You won't want to miss out on this enriching opportunity for your child!
- Saturday School Dates: 2/24, 3/2, and 3/9
- Student hours: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Drop off & pick up will take place by the Cafeteria entrance.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.A- Multi-tiered System of Support.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
Book Fair
The Book Fair is here! It will be open during Parent Teacher Conferences next Monday through Friday, March 4-8th. Create an eWallet for your student for safe and easy shopping. CLICK HERE to create your eWallet. Cash or debit/credit card will also be accepted.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
SEL Day
The goal of the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program is to help build healthy, strong minds and hearts. At Corley Elementary, we want to cultivate a place where our students feel heard and have an opportunity to become successful in all areas of their lives. Through providing the SEL curriculum here, we believe that this program helps enhance the whole child’s well-being. One way this is achieved is by exposing each student to life-coping strategies. In addition, each member of our team engages in staff development courses to help identify and discuss best practices related to our students becoming “PurposeFull People.” We review the outcome of “Be Kind” and reflect on how we can best support developing skills needed for kindness. We also find it important to work on student cooperation and review the outcome of “Be Well” and reflect on students’ input and feedback with this school-wide initiative.
Please take a look at the diagrams below to gain better insight on the skills SEL provides our students.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
District Assessments
District Assessments are a part of Gwinnett County Public School’s Balanced Assessment System. They are developed to align to the Academic, Knowledge, and Skills (AKS) and GCPS instructional calendars in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies and are a blend of both formative and summative assessments administered at the classroom level to measure student learning of the AKS. These assessments allow students to demonstrate what they know, understand, and are able to do and help teachers determine whether students are performing as expected or need additional support to be successful. Please ensure your child is present and on time to school these days!
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
🍀ShamROCK Shake🍀
Shamrock season is approaching, which means it's almost time for our 3rd annual "ShamROCK Shake!" We can't wait to ShamROCK the night away with our very own "DJ Leprechaun" and so much more! Tickets are on sale now in MyPaymentsPlus. Please see the flyer for more details.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Digital Learning Day
Friday, March 15, is a Digital Learning Day (DLD) for all students. On scheduled DLDs, students access lessons in eCLASS but do not have virtual class time with their teachers. To ensure that students have a nutritious breakfast and lunch to fuel their learning, our bus drivers will be on the road and at every bus stop to deliver meals prepared by School Nutrition Program staff. Families should expect buses to run their routes from approximately 10:45 am to noon, beginning at the first stops on the route. These delivered meals are provided at no cost to families, and are provided to anyone 18 years old and under.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Title I Parent Workshops (GMAS)
If your child is in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade at Corley, you won't want to miss our upcoming parent workshop! It will cover Georgia Milestones testing for ELA and Math in two sessions:
• English & Language Arts: Wednesday, March 20 @ 9:30 am
• Math: Thursday, March 21 @ 9:30 am
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.A- Multi-tiered System of Supports.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
Fine Arts Week
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Career Week
Career Week will be held from March 18th through March 22nd, hosted by our school counselors and committee participants! This event promises to be an engaging and informative opportunity for our students to explore various career paths and gain insight into the world of work.
Career Week is designed to inspire and empower our students as they think about their futures and the possibilities that lie ahead. Throughout the week, we will offer a wide range of activities and presentations to introduce students to different professions, industries, and career opportunities. We still need more staff and parent volunteers. Please complete the form below if you want to volunteer for Career Week.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B-Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Spring PAC Meeting is March 28
The Department of Federal Programs' Office of Family Engagement invites all families to join the “Spring Family-School Partnership Advisory Council (PAC)” meeting on March 28, 2024, from 6:00 until 7:30 PM.
The meeting will take place in person with families in the Grayson Room at the Instructional Support Center (ISC). GCPS families will receive information about Multilingual Learners, Early Learning and School Readiness, the Homeless Education Program, Migratory Students, and the Foster Care Program, and have the opportunity to provide input on how these funds are utilized to support students, staff, and schools.
February Highlights
College/University Spirit Week at Corley Elementary
This week, we are celebrating our college and university spirit at Corley Elementary School! We want to inspire our students to dream big and pursue higher education. We hope students and staff enjoy this week, learning more about the amazing opportunities that colleges and universities offer. Remember, you are never too young to start planning for your future!
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Celebrating School Counselors
Corley Elementary is exceptionally lucky to have two OUTSTANDING counselors! Thank you to Ms. Huston and Ms. Lewis for the great work and dedication that you do for our Corley Scholars, the community and the staff. All counselors were celebrated at the ISC for the greatness and service that they have provided to so many. Words can not describe how thankful we are for their support.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Atlanta Opera’s production of The Bilingual Barber of Seville
Our second graders had the opportunity to watch the Atlanta Opera’s production of The Bilingual Barber of Seville. They were thrilled to see the performance and even got to ask the actors questions afterward. Special thanks to the second-grade team for organizing this enriching experience for our students!
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Volleyball Club
This semester marks the first Corley Club Volleyball season! Corley Elementary School's 4th and 5th grade girls are learning about teamwork, sportsmanship, fitness/health, and how to play volleyball. This club is a great way for students to start preparing for middle school girls' volleyball programs.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Media Center Updates
See what's happening in Corley's Media Center!
Title I Parent Meeting
Anna Elliott and Lyzbet Castillo led a Title I parent meeting to discuss the Access testing. They explained the purpose, format, and benefits of the test, and answered the questions and concerns of the parents. The meeting was informative and productive, and helped the parents understand how the test can support their children's academic growth.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is a time to celebrate with family, friends and culture. At Corley Elementary, we are proud to share the traditions and customs of our diverse students and staff and to learn about the history and significance of this important festival. Here at Corley Elementary we never miss the opportunity to experience the richness and beauty of diversity!
CPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.A- Cultural Competence.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
All Pro Dad Chapter
The Corley cafeteria hosted the All Pro Dad Chapter breakfast for February this morning. The event was led by Counselor Lewis and Mr. Jackson, who shared their insights and experiences on fatherhood and family. The breakfast was attended by many dads and their children, who enjoyed donuts and the fellowship. The All Pro Dad Chapter is a monthly program that aims to strengthen the bond between fathers and their kids.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.B- Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Local School Council Meeting
The monthly meeting of the Local School Council took place on a gloomy Monday morning in February, with rain pouring down outside. The council members gathered in the Parent Meeting Room to discuss various issues. The meeting was chaired by Gretel Guillen de Mari, who welcomed the attendees and thanked them for participating. The meeting lasted for about one hour, with lively debates and constructive suggestions from the council members.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 2.B- Opportunity and Access.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Valentine's Day for Faculty and Staff
The faculty and staff of Corley Elementary School enjoyed a festive morning on Valentine's Day with Dunkin Donuts and coffee. The school administration organized the event to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff members. Everyone had a great time socializing and indulging in some sweet treats. It was a lovely way to celebrate the day of love and friendship at Corley Elementary School.
GCPS Blueprint For The Future
- Goal 1.B—Staff and Student Wellbeing.
- Goal 4.A - Preferred Education Destination
Black History Month Display Competition
As we draw to the end of Black History Month, we want to take a moment to express our appreciation to all of you who participated in our Black History Month display competition. Creativity and dedication to honoring Black individuals and communities' rich heritage and contributions have been inspiring.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.A- Cultural Competence.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Black History Month Spirit Week
During the final week of Black History Month, we celebrated the achievements and contributions of African Americans in the United States. Students and staff dressed up according to different themes that reflect the culture and heritage of African Americans.
The themes for this year are:
- Monday: College Shirt Day
- Tuesday: Neon Day
- Wednesday: Unity Day
- Thursday: Throwback Thursday
Spirit Week was a fun and educational way to learn more about the history and culture of African Americans and to show respect and appreciation for their achievements. Corley Elementary is proud to celebrate Black History Month and to promote diversity and inclusion in its community.
GCPS Blueprint for The Future
- Goal 1.A- Cultural Competence.
- Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
Important Reminders
Play 2 Learn
The Play 2 Learn program focuses on building the capacity of parents and caregivers to be their child's first teacher, as well as providing an opportunity for children to learn and play in a group setting. Caregivers are invited to bring children (ages birth to five) to a 90-minute session each week.
Join the PTA Today!
PTA is coming to Corley, and we need your support! We'd like to encourage all staff and families to join PTA! Please scan the QR code or CLICK HERE to pay the $5.00 membership fee and show your support for PTA @ Corley!
While this is not a requirement, we would love for you to join our Parent-Teacher Association to help build community. You can give your time, talent, and resources to join our collective efforts in promoting quality education, arts, and community involvement to build a healthy environment and safe neighborhood for all of our families.
GCPS Blueprint For The Future
Goal 1.A—Cultural Competence.
Goal 4.B—Post-secondary and Workforce Readiness.
Goal 4.A—Preferred Education Destination.
MyPaymentsPlus
My Payments Plus is a multi-purpose website we use here at Gwinnett County Public Schools. Once you create an account, you can use the site to pay for school lunches and field trips or to review and sign important documents. For help registering for an account, you can watch this quick how to video.
Need help? Call the MPP Parent Support Phone Number: 1-877-237-0946.
Free & Reduced Lunch
Children need healthy meals to learn. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.50; lunch costs $2.25 for elementary and $2.50 at middle and high schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. The reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process. Click HERE for complete the online application.
WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?
- All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP or TANF are eligible for free.
- Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free.
- Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free.
- Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Chart.
Safety Reminders (Student Arrival)
School Hours
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- All visitors must check in at the welcome desk and please be prepared to provide some form of identification upon request.
- Students should arrive between 8:15 am - 8:50 am.
- Morning announcements and the tardy bell rings at 8:50 am.
- Dismissal bell rings at 3:15 pm.
- If you are checking your child out early, please do so before 2:30 pm. This leaves our bus lanes open for bus arrivals. Also, please remember that a picture ID is required for all student check-outs. Thank you!
Important Dates
- March 2nd: Saturday School
- March 4th-8th:
- Parent Teacher Conferences
- Read Across America Week
- Book Fair
- March 6th-7th: Early Release Days
- March 8th: SEL Day
- March 9th: Saturday School
- March 11th-14th: District Assessments (1st-5th)
- March 14th: ShamROCK Shake
- March 15th: Digital Learning Day
- March 18th-22: Career Week
- March 20th: Title I Parent Workshop (Reading GMAS)
- March 21st: Title I Parent Workshop (Math GMAS)
- March 25th-29th: Fine Arts Week
- April 1st-5th: Spring Break