Dear Walnut Grove Families,

What an exciting start we’ve had to the school year! September was filled with wonderful achievements, and I’m thrilled to highlight some of them. I’d like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Courtney Toland, our 2024–2025 Walnut Grove Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Toland, one of our exceptional special education teachers, will represent our school in various roles throughout the year. We are incredibly proud of her dedication and passion, and we know she will continue to shine in this role.

Looking ahead to October, we have some important dates to remember. GCPS will be on Fall Break from Thursday, October 10th through Monday, October 14th. I hope everyone takes this time to rest, recharge, and enjoy quality time with loved ones.

As a reminder, Parent Conferences will be held on Wednesday, October 23rd and Thursday, October 24th. These will be early release days, with students being dismissed at 12:50 p.m. You have the option of meeting with your child’s teacher either in person or virtually via Zoom. Conferences are a great opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and partner together to ensure a successful school year. Be sure to schedule your conference by Monday, October 21st.

We are also looking forward to PTA’s annual Eagle Fest fundraiser and family event on Friday, October 18th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This is always a fun and engaging event for our community, and we hope to see many of you there!

Additionally, we were saddened to have to cancel the Grandparents Day Luncheon this year. We know this is a cherished event for many of our families, and we will share updated information as soon as it becomes available.

I look forward to continuing our great work together as we move into the fall. Thank you for your ongoing support of Walnut Grove Elementary!

Sincerely,

Dr. Dale Pugh

Students at Walnut Grove will have parent conferences on October 23rd and October 24th. This is an opportunity for you to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss his/her progress in school. October 23rd and 24th will be early release days for students. Students will be dismissed at 12:50 P.M.

This year conferences will be held in-person or virtually using a Zoom meeting. Should you choose a virtual meeting, your teacher will provide the zoom link.

We will be offering the convenience of online conference scheduling to our parents. This allows you to make your conference appointments easily and choose times that best match your family’s schedule.

· Open the teacher’s conference schedule and select a time for a conference.

· If you want a Zoom conference, please click on the box that says “I would like a virtual conference.” Type Zoom into the box.

· If you choose to meet your teacher in person, you only choose a time to meet and submit your reservation.

· If you have other children attending Walnut Grove, you will need to make an appointment with each child’s homeroom teacher.

All conferences should be scheduled by Monday, October 21st. If you have not scheduled your conference by this date, you will receive an assigned conference time.

Parents, just a friendly reminder: when you visit your child for lunch, we have reserved visitor seating at the back two tables. We kindly ask that you enjoy lunch with your child only and refrain from inviting other friends to the table. For the safety of all our students, please avoid taking photos or videos while in the cafeteria.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our students safe and our lunchroom a comfortable space for everyone!

Walnut Grove Elementary students believe in living a positive and healthy lifestyle. We are committed to staying Bully and Drug Free by making healthy choices.

*Note: Costumes are acceptable on Oct. 31. School dress code will be enforced, and no masks or accessories (swords, sunglasses, etc.) are allowed. Students wearing disruptive or offensive costumes will be asked to change them immediately. Students choosing to wear costumes must be able to sit in their desk without distracting others and participate fully in all class activities.

The Walnut Grove Elementary School yearbook order is open. There is no guarantee that there will be extra yearbooks to purchase later. Secure your yearbook by ordering one today!

Eagle Fest is an annual fall festival hosted at Walnut Grove. Check out the video below that showcases the fun from last year.

Gwinnett community members are invited to review and provide input on proposed instructional resources for select grades and courses in Career and Technical Education and Health (Sex Education).

Before adopting instructional resources for classroom use, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) held an extensive review. Multiple committees involving various stakeholder groups reviewed resources submitted by publishers for alignment with the school system’s Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) standards. During the ongoing review process, selected resources are piloted in GCPS classrooms. Data from the reviews and pilots will be considered in making adoption recommendations to the Board of Education in 2025.

This year’s virtual public review is open now through October 31st. To begin, please visit this link.

What: Instructional Resources Public Review Opportunity

When: September 30 - October 31

Where: Begin the virtual review.

Collins Hill High School will host a Fall Festival on October 24th from 5-7 PM

October

• October 10th-14th: Fall Break- no school
• October 15th: PTA Meeting at 6:30 PM
• October 18th: Eagle Fest 5:30-7:30 PM

• October 22nd: PTA Fundraiser Fun Day
• October 23rd & 24th: Early Release for Parent Teacher Conferences, dismissal at 12:50 PM
• October 23rd-31st: Red Ribbon Week
• October 24th: Collins Hill Fall Festival at Collins Hill High School
• October 28th: Village Burger Spirit Night 4-8 PM

November

• November 5th: Digital Learning Day (Students will learn from home).
• November 5th: Spirit Night at Sparkles at 4-8 PM
• November 6th: Little Learner's Academy 10 AM
• November 7th: Grandparent's Luncheon
• November 14th: Thanksgiving Lunch
• November 20th-24th: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

• Authorized visitors are welcome to sign in at the front office and join their child for lunch. However, outside food and packages are not permitted.
• Checkouts are not permitted past 2:45 PM
  
• Taking photos and videos are strictly prohibited.
• Outside birthday treats are not permitted, but we would love to celebrate your child's birthday through our Hooray, Hooray Birthday program. 🥳