Greetings Eagle Families,

What an incredible week we had at AES! From the Holiday Sing-Along and class celebrations to our 1st ever Day of Play, our students showed us the meaning of what elementary school is all about.

We are so proud of our Eagles! A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has donated items for class and grade-level activities. I'd also like to give a huge shoutout to families & community members who contributed to our holiday help. Your generosity and support mean the world not only to us, but to those who need it. We are grateful for your partnership in making the holiday season so special for our students, staff, and families

Be sure to rest, relax, and recharge! We'll see everyone back in the nest on TUESDAY, JANUARY 7th.

Yours in partnership,

Ms. Crawford

December:

23-31 - Winter Break

January:

1- 3 Winter Break

6 - Teacher Workday (no students)

16 – Chorus Cluster concert at @6:30pm at Northwest MS

20 – MLK Holiday/No students or staff

21 – Frog and Toad Performance (1st & 2nd) - TMN @ 11:30

27 - 2nd semester clubs begin

27 - Atlanta Opera performance @9am in cafeteria (PK-2)

31 – Bingo Night

Reminders about Book Care

One of the fundamental lessons in the library is book care and responsibility. Recently, books have been returned damaged by water, juice, or other means. Please help your child practice care by putting books in a safe material (reusable bags, plastic bags, etc.) and keep books safe from mealtime. Please note that it is school and district policy to pay for lost or damaged books. Contact Ms. Falkenberg (falkenberga1@fultonschools.org) with questions or concerns.

In an effort to continue to keep the safety of our students and staff as our top priority, I wanted to take a moment to remind our school community of the following processes we already have in place:

• Ringing the bell (now located on the right side of doors) when needing to come to the front office
• Having your ID on you and prepared to show prior to entering the building
• Please note, if you do not have your ID, you will not be allowed to enter the building
• Not holding the front door open for others
• Checking in and out at the front office
• Exiting the building through the front doors only

Report any safety concerns

Safety in Fulton Schools - Fulton County School System

Please reach out to Ms. Silverman, AP, (silvermanj@fultonschools.org) with any questions regarding safety in our building.

As some of you know, we have recently partnered with the City of Alpharetta to house a sub-station here at AES. Now Alpharetta PD can come into our building, work in a dedicated space and get to see our Eagles in action. This opportunity has been made possible by Alpharetta PD's community officer, Savannah Morton. If you have any questions, you can reach out to her directly at: smorton@alpharetta.ga.gov

In order to ensure safety across all areas of our school, we are now asking the following:

If visitor is here to have lunch with student:

• Visitor will show ID at the camera outside. Once let in- Front Office will greet the visitor and ask who they are here to have lunch with.
• Front office will look the student up on Infinite Campus
• If the name of the visitor is not listed on the Infinite Campus contact list, the primary contact will need to be called to get permission for the visitor to eat lunch.
• If the visitor is approved, they will need to sign in like normal and then sign back out.

Students can substitute up to 5 absences per semester (a max of 10 per year) with a remote learning day by meeting the remote learning participation benchmarks listed in FCS policy. This would result in the student being counted as present for the day(s) they participate remotely.

• To be marked present, work must be submitted within 2 days of absence.
• Students may not use a remote learning day on a test day.
• Parent/guardian or student must notify teacher in advance to the start of the instructional day to utilize the participation benchmark rule.
• Schools will make their best effort to provide instruction given early notice.
• For security reasons, students who are out of the country may not participate in remote learning.

Please reach out to your child's teacher directly to start this process. You can click here for more information.

Click here for link to 2024-25 AES Family Handbook

A few important reminders about morning arrival:

• No left turn is allowed onto Mayfield between 7:10 and 7:40 a.m. Please adhere to the posted signs and traffic laws.
• Carpool ends at 7:35 a.m. If you arrive after 7:35 a.m., you will have to park and walk your child in the front door. If the bell rings during this time, you'll need to sign your child in on the Checkmate system outside the front door.

Transportation Changes:

Transportation changes should be provided to your child's teacher on the "Notes from Home" pad you received in your red folder during open house. Please keep in mind that changes in transportation must be in writing and EMAILED to the front office (toppint@fultonschools.org).

Early Pick-Up:

When picking up your student early for appointments, you will need to present your driver’s license for safety and security. Early checkout will end at 1:30 pm.

AES Family Handbook:

CLICK HERE to access our Family Handbook and take a moment review some of the practices we adhere to here at AES. By doing so, that helps all of us be (and stay) on the same page!

The new 2024-2025 Student Code of Conduct is available on the Fulton County Schools website. Click Here for quick access. Ensure that you and your Eagle review this important document.

Please check your child's meal balance in their mypaymentplus account. Students with negative balances need to be paid as soon as possible.

Reach out to our cafeteria manager, Ms. Blyther (blyther@fultonschools.org) with any questions.

PTO now has their own newsletter. Be sure to click on the link and read all about the great things PTO does to help AES!

https://secure.smore.com/n/fwzqd

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Thursday, December 19, 2024, for its regularly scheduled work session at the South Learning Center. The full agenda is available online via BoardDocs. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Dr. Looney Named Georgia Superintendent of the Year
Board President Kimberly Dove announced during her comments that Dr. Mike Looney has been named Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia School Superintendents Association. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his unwavering commitment, vision, and leadership within our district. Dr. Looney thanked the Board for nominating him for the honor, saying it is a ‘team award,’ and congratulating all the team members who make Fulton County Schools so special for students.

Swearing In Ceremony
The Hon. Eric Dunaway of Fulton County Superior Court officiated the swearing-in of Katie Gregory, who has represented District 3 since 2022, to serve a four-year term on the Board beginning on January 1, 2025. The Hon. Njeri B. Maldonado of Atlanta Immigration Court officiated the swearing-in of Franchesca Warren, who has represented District 4 since 2021, to serve a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2025.

Legislative Update
Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes presented information about the upcoming 2025 Georgia General Assembly. He began by recapping the 2024 legislative priorities established by the Board and key bills passed last year. He then reviewed topics being considered as potential priorities for the upcoming legislative session, including school safety, mental health, funding, local control, and literacy. See the full presentation here.

School Allotment Guidelines (SAG)
Each fiscal year as directed by the Board, FCS develops allotment formulas and guidelines for all schools within the district. School-based budget outputs are based on these allotment guidelines, which are developed with principal input. The Board approved the proposed school allotments and guidelines as presented, while deferring allocations to schools for IB, 3DE, and magnet programs until the Board finalizes and approves a revised magnet formula at the January 2025 Board meeting. See the school allotment guidelines for fiscal year 2026 here.

Instructional Calendar for 2026-2027 Approved
At the meeting, the Board approved the 2026-2027 instructional calendar. This calendar was developed in partnership with staff and members of the calendar committee. Features of this calendar include the following:

• 179 Total Instructional Days (S1: 88, S2: 91)

• Pre-Planning begins on July 27, 2026

• First day for students is Monday, August 3, 2026

• Full Fall Break for students and Mid-Break for staff in September

• Full Winter Break for students and Mid-Break for staff in February

• 11 Professional Development and Teacher Workdays (includes pre-and post-planning)

• Last say for students is May 27, 2027

Click here to see the calendar.

FY2026 Budget Parameters
The Board approved the following budget parameters for fiscal year 2025-2026, providing essential guidance to finance staff in crafting the proposed annual budget. Along with the approval of the School Allotment Guidelines, this marks the official kickoff of the multi-month budget development process, culminating in final board approval in June.

• Seek alternative funding sources

• Continue to maximize revenue from State QBE via improving FTE count coding

• Allocate at least 75% of the General Fund to schools

• Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies

• Maintain a competitive compensation structure

• To the extent possible, remain revenue neutral as defined by the tax rollback form

• Maintain at least two months of fund balance

• Continue with a transparent Modified Zero-based budgeting process

• Continue to demonstrate sustainability related to budget recommendations

Pre-Work Session
Fulton County Schools’ pre-work session is a public meeting that takes place before each monthly work session. It is an opportunity for the Board to receive policy drafts, provide feedback, and give presentations or focus on topics of interest. Audio recordings of the pre-work session are available within 48 hours. Topics discussed at this week’s pre-work session include:

• Program evaluation update: PEAK

• Board Policy JBFB Work-Based Programs

• Board Policy JQK Foreign Exchange Students

Board Recognitions
Each month the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level.

• Congratulations to the Fulton County Schools budget and grant services department for receiving the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for fiscal year 2024-2025 from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO).

2024-25 Community Meetings with Board Members
Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.

Join us in making a difference by mentoring and empowering young girls to build confidence, self-esteem, and a positive body image through fun, engaging activities and physical fitness. Be a role model, inspire growth, and experience the joy of watching these girls thrive!

• New Coach Training: January
• Spring Season Practices Begin: Week of February 10 (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-4 PM at AES)- coaches need to be available for at least one practice a week
• Season Finale: Girls on the Run Spring 5K – April 27

Ready to inspire? Register as a coach today: https://www.girlsontherunga.org/coach.

Interested in having your 3rd-5th grade girl participate? Registration is open now at https://www.girlsontherunga.org/3rd-5th-grade-program-details.

Questions? Contact Angela Thompson, Girls on the Run Site Liaison, at amcfar2@gmail.com.

Click on the link below for more information on how you can submit your poster.

202425 NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY POSTER CONTEST.pdf

Check out GA Tutor Home for more information.