The FAST Flyer

January is School Board Appreciation Month, a time to celebrate the individuals who dedicate countless hours to shaping the vision, policies, and future of our school. I invite you to join me in honoring their commitment and the positive impact they have on our students, staff, and community.

Dear FAST Board Members,

As the principal of Fulton Academy of Science and Technology, it is with immense gratitude and admiration that I write to express my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering dedication and volunteer service to our school community. Your commitment to our students, staff, and families is truly inspiring, and we are deeply fortunate to have such an extraordinary group of leaders guiding us.

The time, energy, and thoughtfulness you invest in our school do not go unnoticed. From attending meetings and shaping policies to supporting our programs and working to find us a more space, your contributions create a lasting impact that is seen throughout our classrooms and beyond. Your work is the foundation upon which we build a nurturing and innovative environment for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed.

Your collective leadership has been instrumental in ensuring that FAST continues to be a place where every person feels valued and supported. Whether it is your thoughtful decision-making, your willingness to listen to the needs of our community, or your passion for fostering excellence, your influence is felt in countless ways. You inspire us all to strive for greatness and to never lose sight of our shared mission: the success and well-being of every student.

On behalf of our entire school community, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your volunteer service. You give selflessly of your time and talents, and your efforts are a testament to your genuine care and concern for the future of our school. Please know that your hard work is profoundly appreciated and that you have made a meaningful difference in the lives of so many.

With deepest appreciation and respect,

Ms. Mary H Miller, MA. Ed.

Principal

Fulton Academy of Science and Technology

Attention soccer enthusiasts! FAST's Soccer Elite Team will be holding an informational session on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 4 PM in Innovation Hall. This in-person session is open to all students in 5th through 8th grade who are interested in learning more about joining this exciting program. Come meet the coaches, learn about tryouts, and get details on what it takes to be part of this elite team. We hope to see you there!

We are excited to announce that we have launched Online School Payments (OSP) for field trips, dances, etc. This will allow parents to pay for events without having to come into the school. You may already be familiar with OSP if you have a students at another FCS school. It is a very user friendly platform, but it will require you to know your child's student id number which can be found in the parent portal of Infinite Campus. The link is on our website. We will be adding events for payment as they come up.

We are excited to announce that this year’s yearbook is now available for pre-order! Our yearbook will be filled with special memories, class photos, and highlights from the 2024-2025 school year.

To reserve your student's yearbook or purchase an ad, please visit: https://shop.memorybook.com/ and reference School Code: 246825M. All users will have to Register the first time they access the site.

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to complete our Intent to Return Survey. Your response helps us plan for next year by giving us an accurate count of returning students, which in turn allows us to determine how many seats we have available for the lottery. We ask all families to respond to this by the end of the week with your current plans -- we understand that things can change, you can always update us later on.

If you have a child who will be new to FAST next year, you’ll have the chance to indicate that while reserving your currently enrolled child’s spot. The website will guide you to the lottery application for any new siblings.

Important Reminder:

• All siblings who are not currently enrolled at FAST must apply for the lottery.
• Sibling spots are not guaranteed and depend on seat availability.

Please ensure you complete the lottery application process for any siblings who wish to join FAST. Currently enrolled students do not need to enter the lottery.

https://www.abcenroll.com/fastk8-intent-to-return.html

Centennial High School will be holding an information session for rising 9th graders and their parents on January 29, 2025. Further information can be found at:

https://www.mycentennialcounseling.com/academics-2/rising-ninth-graders/

Alpharetta High School will be holding a transition night on 2/4/25 at 6:30pm. They will also be holding a 9th grade transition Q&A on 2/11/25 at 6:30pm. If you are interested in Alpharetta High School for your rising 9th grader, please reach out to them for more information regarding these events.

We’re partnering with Krispy Kreme to raise funds for our school, and you can help while treating yourself and loved ones this holiday season!

Here’s How It Works:

1️⃣ Purchase: Use the link to buy as many digital dozen vouchers as you'd like — they make great gifts for friends and family!

2️⃣ Receive: After purchase, you’ll receive a digital voucher via email for one dozen Original Glazed donuts. (Please allow a few days for processing.)

3️⃣ Redeem: Take your voucher to any Krispy Kreme location and enjoy fresh, delicious donuts at your convenience.

4️⃣ Share: Spread the word with family and friends! Your support helps our staff and students thrive.

Thank you for supporting our school and making this holiday season a little sweeter! 🍩✨

Looking for a fun way to get involved at school? Join us Friday morning to help out with carpool duties! Connect with other FAST fathers and positively impact our kids' school experience!

Curious to learn more or ready to jump in? Send us an email at ptoacademicenrich@fastk8.org or click below to volunteer. We’d love to have you on board!

International Festival is just around the corner, and we’re looking for volunteers to join our planning committee.

• International Festival, February 21: Share your culture, help coordinate activities, or assist with decorations and logistics for a celebration of our diverse school community.

Whether you have a little or a lot of time to give, your support will make these events unforgettable! Please reach out to ptoevents@fastk8.org to volunteer or learn more.

Jan. 20: MLK Day (SCHOOL CLOSED)

Feb. 7: Application deadline for lottery

Feb. 14: Lottery for 2025-26 admissions

Feb. 14-21: Random Acts of Kindness Week

Feb. 17: Presidents' Day (SCHOOL CLOSED)

Feb. 18: PD Day (STUDENTS OFF)

Feb. 21: International Night

FAST leverages various means of communications to keep our families up to date with what is happening at school. Since most people are on social media, we post to different platforms to keep you up to date. If you aren't already following us, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

All students are expected to be in full uniform every day. The full uniform code can be found on our website at: https://www.fastk8.org/fast-apparel-and-supplies/

Students who are not in full uniform will have their parents contacted.

As a reminder students are not permitted to use their cell phones or Bluetooth devices throughout the day. Students who have a cell phone out after school begins at 7:40am through 3pm will have their phone confiscated for the day. Please remind your students of this policy so that you will not have to come to the office to retrieve their phone.

ABSENCES: Please report student absences to both attendance@fastk8.org and your student's homeroom teacher. You may send doctors' notes for absences directly to attendance@fastk8.org

CURRICULUM/CLASSROOM CONCERNS: If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's class, your first point of contact should be your child’s classroom teacher. If further clarification or assistance is needed, you can contact the respective assistant principal (anesha.james@fastk8.org or elementary or demetria.walker@fastk8.org for middle school.)

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: If your student will have a change to their afternoon transportation (whether it is for a day or long-term), please be sure that you are communicating any changes to your student's afternoon dismissal to both their homeroom teacher and Ms. Cadogan (gail.cadogan@fastk8.org).

If your child is not feeling well, we encourage you to keep them home to avoid spreading illness at school. Please keep in mind that if a student is running a fever they are expected to remain out of school until they have been fever free without the use of medication for a full 24 hours.

Students must be in homeroom by 7:40am each day. Please be sure that you are allowing time to navigate carpool and your student to get to class on time. If you arrive after 8am, you will need to come into Innovation Hall to sign in your student.

Early dismissals are not permitted after 2:40pm (M-Th, 1:40pm Fridays). If you need to pick up your child for any reason, please plan accordingly.

Please remember that FAST is a nut free school. Students should not bring any foods for lunch or snack that contain any nut products including, but not limited to, peanut butter or almond butter.

This is a serious risk to those students with severe allergies. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated.

To keep up to date with the most recent information available from our district offices, please click on the image below.

Email: info@fastk8.org
Website: www.fastk8.org
Location: 11365 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 678-321-1100
Facebook: facebook.com/FASTK8.School/
Twitter: @fastk8charter

The FAST Flyer is the electronic newsletter at FAST. Feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions, please call the school (678-321-1100) or email the FAST Communications Director at marie.emerson@fastk8.org.