Eagle Family Weekly News

I hope you had a wonderful break! We are looking forward to an exciting day of learning tomorrow.

A few friendly reminders:

• It's a great idea to check your child's backpack before returning to school to ensure no items are sent to school in error. (i.e. toys, electronics, etc.)
• School starts at 7:35 a.m. In order to be counted present (and not tardy), students should be in class by that time.
• The bus lane closes for morning drop-off at 7:30 a.m. Please plan accordingly.
• Afternoon checkouts end at 1:50 p.m. After that, please wait until dismissal begins and join the car lane.
• All students should be picked up by 2:45 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you bright and early tomorrow!

I read the social media post pictured here and thought, "Yes. I have seen all of that in my own kids. If I'm honest, I have seen that in me too at some points!"

I have been enjoying the posts and forms completed for the More Talk: Less Tech challenge issued. Thank you for those that are finding ways to increase personal communication within your families. I love that some of the stories included Nana, PawPaw, and cousins too! If your household is like the Flowers family, that only happens when we are purposeful in scheduling our time. Some of the photos I've received are included below. According to the surveys this week, some of our families also enjoyed time together by doing the following over Fall Break:

• Drew animals on our dry erase board!
• Went to Six Flags!
• Swam in the pool!
• We played tennis, soccer, and swam!
• We volunteered at church!
• Took a walk in the park!

We will draw more prize winners this week. I'm leaving the survey open...I think this can be the start of a positive movement! We know that #ChampionsAreMADE and I love that our East Lake families are here for it!

More Talk, Less Tech: Will You Give me 20?

As my son is heading off to the Navy soon, I find that our moments with both kids at home are precious. I also find that, if we are not intentional with our time, we lose them while scrolling, texting, snapchatting, or shopping on our cell phones. Do you see that at your house too?

It's a habit to reach for the phone, even while watching tv. So...I have a challenge for you: can you put your phones down, turn off the tv, and spend 20 minutes as a family every day this week? 20 minutes. JUST TWENTY MINUTES. You can play a board game, read a book, have a dance marathon, walk outside, write a thank you note, eat dinner around the table and TALK as a family. Whatever you decide, I encourage you to set a timer as you build this new habit.

For every day that you enjoy 20 minutes of tech-free family time, please fill out this brief form. I will personally provide some prizes for families that are randomly selected by drawing. Each form is one entry, so the more days you honor the More Talk: Less Tech Challenge, the better your chances are at winning.

Monday:

• Feel free to join our staff: Wear a shirt from your recent vacation spot, a favorite trip, or somewhere you'd like to go. Where do you want to travel?

Tuesday:

• Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night
  
• We are raising money for Relay for Life!
• Only orders via that app will be added to our Spirit Night fundraiser. Whether you drive-thru or eat in the restaurant, please use the app and agree to support East Lake Elementary. All proceeds will be added to our Relay for Life team and our fight against cancer!
  

Wednesday:

• Picture Day! Class photographs will be taken (all students included).
• Please look for information on purchasing class pictures or call the Front Office.
• Make-Up photos are also available this day

Thursday:

• Beta Club Induction Ceremony
• Union Grove Cluster Conversations, 6:00 p.m.
  
• We are offering a work session for Henry Connects. This is an incredible tool that will help your family with academic resources at home and so much more! Please bring a device and make sure you have a parent portal account.

Friday:

• August Student of the Month Lunch
• Pink Out Game: ELE will have a Relay for Life booth at the football game (see flyer below)
• All Cancer Fighters & Survivors Walk, 6:45 p.m.

Dear Wonderful Parents,

As we embark on another exciting week of learning, we want to sprinkle a little fun into a very important lesson: learning our home address! 🗺️

Why is knowing our address so important, you ask? Well, it’s not just about finding our way home after a day of adventures; it’s also a key part of safety and independence for our little explorers! 🚀

Here are some whimsical ways to make learning the address a delightful experience:

1. **Sing It Out Loud! 🎶**: Create a catchy tune or jingle with your address. Singing makes everything more memorable!

2. **Treasure Hunt! 🗝️**: Turn it into a treasure hunt! Hide clues around the house that lead to different parts of your address. Each clue can be a fun fact about your home!

3. **Artistic Flair! 🎨**: Have your child draw a map of your neighborhood, marking your home with a big, colorful star. This will help them visualize where they live!

4. **Story Time! 📖**: Incorporate your address into a fun story. Maybe your house is a castle, and you’re the royal family living there!

5. **Practice Makes Perfect! 🏆**: Set aside a few minutes each day to practice saying the address together. The more they say it, the more confident they’ll become!

Let’s work together to make this learning journey enjoyable and memorable for our children. Thank you for your support and creativity in helping them master this essential skill!

Happy learning, and may your adventures be filled with joy! 🌟

Warm regards,

Mrs. Varian

Our first meeting is this Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

One of the most common complaints we get during events are related to the district Clear Bag Policies. It does not seem to matter how we advertise and request preparation, we frequently meet with disgruntled families who are inconvenienced and frustrated.

East Lake family, please know we do our very best to comply with these safety measures as required by Henry County Schools.

During all large events, clear bag policies will continue to be expected & enforced to the

Are we perfect? No.

Are district personnel exempt from this policy? No.

Should we all do our best in an effort of maximize safety for all during each event? Yes.

When attending an event, please know that we are doing our best to prepare for you in excellence. We want your full experience to be one that is fun and memorable. Please plan ahead and comply with the expectations. Please check out the images below for additional details on what is acceptable on entry. Please note that large bags, including diaper bags, should be clear.

In an effort to provide a special, most enjoyable lunch experience for our families, we have moved the Eagle Family Café to the front of the school. We had our first families join us this week! This does look a little different, but I hope that everyone will enjoy this dining experience with their students!

To clarify the process of the new café:

• Families will sign in at the front office the way they always did.
  
• Your student's teacher will be informed that they have a lunch guest.
• Your student will meet you in the café for lunch. You can hear each other talk and enjoy some conversation and laughter.
• Your student will rejoin their class at the end of the lunch period.
• Lunch Guests are not permitted to leave the front office or Family Café areas. At the end of the lunch period, guests will sign out at the front office and will exit those doors as usual.

Answers to questions we received this week:

Can students buy ice cream?

• As a general rule, the student should not plan to purchase ice cream on days they have lunch guests. This is simply due to the logistics of walking back and forth and losing conversational time with their lunch guests. If you feel it is imperative for them to purchase ice cream, you can notify the office at check-in. As long as ice cream is being sold that day, we can provide instructions on when to send your student.
  
  

What about Friday Feather Drawings?

• No one loves Feather Drawing Fridays as much as I do! If students are located in the Eagle Family Café and their name is drawn, they will still receive their visit to the prize cart. It is true that they will miss out on all the cheers from their friends, but we will still make sure to celebrate their awesomeness. If that is something extra important to your student, I encourage you to schedule lunch visits on any other day of the week.
  
  

Please let me know if you have any ideas to make this an even better opportunity for our students and lunch guests. We appreciate our families and look forward to seeing you soon!

• We recognize two parties per year in our classrooms. Outside of those school-planned events, parents may not bring outside food to share with students who are not their own.
• For birthday celebrations, parents may choose to send in Goody Bags for each classmate (without any food or candy within) for teachers to distribute. This allows all students to participate regardless of food allergy, etc.
• Neither teachers nor students are permitted to delivery birthday (or any other) invitations to students in the class.

• Student cell phones (and other digital devices, including AirPods and smart watches) are to be turned off and left in student backpacks for the duration of the school day, which includes transportation on the school bus.

Each year, there are adjustments made to the HCS Code of Conduct. This is the guide used to determine consequences for behavior violations, and can be a helpful reference tool for conversations with school staff and with families.