Greetings Families,

As we prepare to close out the first semester of the school year, we wanted to share some updates with you about several things.

Georgia School Climate Family Survey - Due December 20th

This is a state generated survey that seeks to identify family perception of our school. We are asking all families to take a moment to complete the survey as we continue to look for ways to create the best school environment for your students.

Please click here to access the survey.

Holiday Parties

Each class/grade level will have their holiday party on either Thursday, December 19th or Friday, December 20th. Please see the schedule below for specific times. While we love celebrating the holiday season with everyone, with these parties taking place in the classroom, we can only accommodate 2 individuals per student.

Thursday, December 19th

• 3rd Grade 10:00-11:00
• 4th Grade 10:20-11:20
• 5th Grade 11:00-12:00
• MOID 11:00-12:00

Friday, December 20th

• PreK 11:00-12:00
• Kindergarten 9:30-10:30
• 1st Grade 10:30-11:30
• 2nd Grade 12:30-1:30
• ASD K-2 11:00-12:00
• ASD 3-5 11:30-12:30

Have a wonderful weekend.

Your principal,

Dr. Yearby

Mulberry Elementary's Student Council is sponsoring a food drive to support Nothing but the Truth's "Weekend Food Bags". This initiative will help support over 1,200 children weekly in local schools to make sure they have food to eat over the weekends.

The following items are needed: Canned Pasta, Ramen Noodles, Individual Easy Mac-n-Cheese (Microwavable), Pop Tarts, Granola Bars, Individual Bowls/Boxes of Cereal, Crackers, Cookies, Chips, Instant Oatmeal, Individual Fruit Cups/Applesauce, Individual Sweet Snacks.

Donation boxes will be located around the school building, Mon. 12/9 - Thurs. 12/19. If you are planning on attending Holiday Hotcakes on Saturday, 12/7, there will be a station for you to drop off your donations there as well.

Thank you for all your support!

MES Student Council

Monday-Thursday, we have stories read by various staff members at our school. This is one way to share our love of reading with our Mulberry families. Make sure that you "like" us on Facebook!

Featured readers this week:

• Mrs. Payne (Kindergarten Teacher)
• Mrs. Garrett (Instructional Coach)
• Mrs. Blakely (Assistant Principal)
• Mrs. Parham (Fifth Grade Teacher)

Don't forget to tune in each Monday-Thursday to hear our featured story and reader. The story usually goes out around 5:00 PM. The students will be able to view the stories on their eCLASS main landing page as well each Monday-Thursday.

Remember, something magical happens when you read!

The calendar for this spring’s Milestones Assessments has been posted. Please click this link to access the calendar. Schools are encouraged to share dates with parents and staff as soon as possible.

Families can see when afternoon buses have left our school. Please go to the Mulberry Announcements section from the school's homepage then select Live School Bus Dismissal Times. **To see real-time updates, you will need to refresh that page every few minutes..**

Holiday help resources. Please see the below list that was generated by United Way (211). GCPS is not endorsing nor recommending these resources. This is a list for your convenience. Please direct any questions directly to the agency.

What is a STEM Exhibition? A STEM project is a demonstration of a solution that students have developed for what they deem a “real world” problem. These projects showcase ingenuity, student self-reflection and products that solve a problem. STEM Exhibitions allow students to share their work and receive feedback on their solution.

Here is a link to the Birth to 5th Grade STEM Fair Project Parent's Guide

• 2024 STEM Fair How Might We Questions
• Mulberry Elementary STEM Exhibition Website

There will be two after school "Help Sessions" on Tuesday, 11/19 (Getting Started), and Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 3:15-4:00. Parents are welcome to join these "Help Sessions".

MES STEM Exhibition Timeline

• 11/11 Google Interest Form Due
• 11/18 STEM Problem Solving Question Due (<--- Click link)
• 11/19 Getting Started "Help Session"
• 12/17 Check-in "Help Session"
• 1/13 STEM Exhibition Project Due
• 1/15 STEM Exhibition Judging
• 2/27 Gwinnett Regional Science and Engineering Fair @ Gas South District

Feel free to contact Heather Nevius (heather.nevius@gcpsk12.org) or Jessica Szymanski (jessica.szymanski@gcpsk12.org) with any questions.

Be sure to check out this reading log and return it to the media center when you are finished!

Do you want to help celebrate your child's birthday on our digital marquee?

Check out https://www.mypaymentsplus.com

You can wish your favorite student, teacher, or staff member a Happy Birthday on the Digital Mulberry marquee sign in front of the school!

The Parent Teacher Association provides an opportunity for parents to actively engage in their child’s education. It allows parents to connect and build relationships with other parents, while offering opportunities for parents to take part in school activities, attend meetings, and the most important part is being able to be a part of the wonderful team here at Mulberry and collaborate with teachers and administrators so that we together can provide all the keys to success your child needs. Being apart of the PTA does not mean you have to volunteer every single day, you decide what you want your PTA experience to be and how often you would like to be involved, even if that simply means sending in supplies for a classroom activity your child is doing. Our goal this year is to get back to the basics of what the PTA was founded on: advocating for children. The PTA is one of the oldest and largest child advocacy associations in America. The PTA has a legacy of doing amazing things within schools, its surrounding community and passing national legislation that has made major impacts on the lives and education of children.

• MULBERRY ELEMENTARY PTA MEMBERSHIP $10
• https://jointotem.com/ga/auburn/mulberry-es-pta

We are so excited to offer weekly Play to Learn Sessions for children birth to five years of age. This program will take place every Friday from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM and provides an opportunity for parents to engage in meaningful play with their child working on age-appropriate skills. Please contact the school at 678-226-7460 for more information on how to register for this program. (No walk-ins will be accepted; all children must be pre-registered)

Be sure to check out the school menus!

What: Spanish Reading Club

Sra. Puente, DLI Kindergarten Spanish Teacher, is starting a Spanish Reading Club for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade fluent Spanish speakers and readers. Students who join this club will have the opportunity to read texts written in Spanish, host discussions in Spanish, and participate in creative activities associated with them.

Who: 3rd, 4th, 5th grade students fluent in Spanish

When: Wednesday afternoons, 3:15-4:00pm

Where: Sra. Puente’s classroom Mulberry ES

Pick Up time: 4:00pm in the front bus lane.

Dates: Every Wednesday November 13th – April 2nd

Sponsor: Sra. Puente, DLI Kindergarten Spanish Teacher

Who: 4th & 5th Grade Students

What: Witzzle Pro Club is for fourth and fifth grade students who enjoy solving number puzzles. The children will be challenged to use critical thinking skills and computational skills while playing a fast-paced game

When: Wednesday mornings from 7:15 am- 7:45 am in Mrs. Nevius' classroom (D-Hall)

• October 23, 30
• November 6, 13, 20
• December 4, 11
• January 8, 15, 22, 29 (Third – fifth grade)
• February 5, 12, 19, 26 (Third – fifth grade)

The following are expectations for all club members:

« Exemplary behavior

« Prompt arrival

« Weekly Attendance Expected

Parents are responsible for their child’s transportation. Please drop your child off at the front entrance at the designated time. Unfortunately, supervision is not available for brothers, sisters, and friends who usually arrive together. Other arrangements will have to be made for them to come to school during the regular arrival times: 7:45-8:15 a.m.

Club Sponsors: Heather Nevius and Emily Tyson

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Our Mulberry Moments stories are posted on our Facebook page.

Don't forget to stay connected this year through our Social Media!