November 2, 2023

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Friday, November 3rd - Lost and Found Donation Day

Are you missing a water bottle or coat? Please be sure to look for it before the next donation day on Friday, November 3rd! The Lost and Found is now located near the cafeteria, along the hallway to the library - simply check in the office before swinging by to claim your items. Please note that we will NOT donate any items that are labeled, as the front office staff will work to reunite all labeled items with their owners.

Please see opportunities to volunteer to help with Lost and Found HERE.

Tuesday, November 7th - Asynchronous Learning Day

Reminder that the MES school building will be CLOSED FOR STUDENTS on Tuesday, November 7th due to Election Day. However, students will still be given assignments to do at home during this asynchronous learning day.

We understand that each family will have their own unique childcare situation on this day, and some may not be able to complete schoolwork during the day on November 7th. We have strived to create an asynchronous plan that builds in flexibility for elementary-aged kids. For those who are able to complete schoolwork, we have provided assignments to do at home during this asynchronous learning day, including an MES Steam Day packet with directions and some supplies. These assignments and activities can be done both before and after the asynchronous day if needed. Most of the work was sent home in Wednesday Take Home Folders yesterday. Homeroom teachers and other teachers that work with your child will share more specifics with you via email as needed.

If you have any questions, please contact Principal Sofianos.

Thursday, November 9th - 1st Grade Veterans Day Performance

On November 9th at 9:00 a.m., our first graders will be participating in a performance for their families to honor our Veterans. The performance will take place in the auditorium.

Please fill out the form you received from your child's teacher before November 4th. A specific link for you to RSVP was sent to your email if you are a caregiver of a 1st grader. We hope to see you there!

If you are unable to locate the link, please reach out to your student's teacher.

Thursday, November 9th - Boosterthon Kickoff!

Registration for our annual Boosterthon fundraiser is OPEN NOW!

Boosterthon has been our primary fundraiser for the PTA every year since 2003, and this year promises to be the best one yet. Boosterthon will officially kick off on Thursday, November 9th with fun activities and challenges to roll out through the following week. To ensure that your students are ready, please visit MyBooster.com and register them for Boosterthon before the kick off pep rally on November 9th!

For more details about Boosterthon registration, please watch this short video.

How Does Boosterthon Benefit MES?

Boosterthon is our primary fundraiser during the school year during which our MES students are asked to help raise money for their school. They do this by collecting pledges and donations over the course of approximately eight days in support of their participation in the concluding Dolphin Dash Fun Run, which will be held on Friday, November 17th. For the 2023-2024 school year, our goal is to raise at least $100,000 for all of the amazing PTA-led programming we have planned for our students and staff. To read more about the programming this fundraiser will support, please visit the Boosterthon and Dolphin Dash webpage on the MES website.

But Boosterthon is not just a fundraiser! It's also a seven-day character-building program! This year's theme is World Changes Workshop, which will inspire students as they learn how to change the world in five steps: Find a Need, Write a Plan, Rally a Team, Launch it Now, and Grit it Out! For an introduction for new families (or just a refresher if you've done this before), please check out this fun quick video on Boosterthon.

MANY more details can be found on the Boosterthon and Dolphin Dash webpage, including the class schedule for the Dolphin Dash Fun Run on Friday, November 17th. If you have additional questions, please contact Mallory Rahman or Mark Griffith.

November 13th - Monthly GO Team Meeting

The next monthly MES GO Team meeting will be held on Monday, November 16th at 5pm. This meeting will only be live streamed via the MES YouTube channel, where you can watch the meeting live or watch the recording at a later time.

The agenda for this meeting, as well as past meeting materials and the protocol for signing up to speak during the public comment period can be found on the MES GO Team webpage.

Monday, November 13th and Wednesday, November 15th - MES Thanksgiving Family Luncheon

After a long hiatus, our annual Thanksgiving celebration is back! In the spirit of thankfulness, MES will be hosting the Nutrition Department’s annual Thanksgiving Family Luncheon the week prior to Thanksgiving Break. This special celebration will allow students and their families to enjoy traditional Thanksgiving menu offerings. Parents are invited to dine with their students on their class's assigned date, which will be either Monday, November 13th or Wednesday, November 15th (grade levels will be split in order to accommodate all visitors and guests; full class schedule here). If you are aware of a student(s) whose family is unable to attend, you may invite students in the same class to join with you and your own student.

Please note that the deadline to pre-order guest meals for this luncheon has now passed. However, you are still welcome to join your student and their classmates during their designated time even if you missed the deadline.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Assistant Principal Brian Baron.

Tuesday, November 14th - Parent University: Testing at MES

During this Parent University, we will be discussing all things testing, as our very own Mr. Brian Baron, Assistant Principal at MES, will be giving an overview of the various tests administered at our school. Please join him on November 14th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria.

Tests to be discussed (and acronyms to be defined!) include GKIDS, MAP, ACCESS, NAEP, and GMAS. Learn more about why these tests are administered and how they can help your MES student. Mr. Baron's overview will be followed by a question/answer session.

Questions can be directed to Mr. Baron for assistance.

Dolphins Do Good Gratitude Initiative

The Dolphins Do Good Committee organizes projects throughout the school year with the goal of giving back to both our Morningside Elementary community and the larger Atlanta Public School community. This Thanksgiving, we aim to collect funds to support Morningside families who may need assistance with their holiday meal purchase. Our ambition is to raise $2700 to ensure that these families can enjoy a warm and delicious meal with their loved ones during the holiday season.

How You Can Contribute: You can easily make a donation using this link or scanning the QR code which will take you to a secure donation page. The donation link will remain active until November 14th, allowing time for your contribution.

Teaching Gratitude: As part of the SEL curriculum, your children will be discussing gratitude. Being grateful for food and the importance of giving back will be among the topics they explore. Your donation can serve as a valuable example to them of how a small act of kindness can bring joy and comfort to others.

We genuinely appreciate any support you can offer to our Morningside families during the holiday season. Your generosity will help ensure that everyone in our community can partake in the Thanksgiving spirit.

Calling all STEAM Enthusiasts!

Share your passion for your STEAM-related work or hobby by volunteering to be a presenter at Family Science Night (or recommend a friend you think might be great!). This year's event will take place from 6:00 - 8:00pm on Tuesday, February 13th (for grades K-2) and Thursday, February 15th (grades 3-5).

If you are interested in being a presenter or just have questions about the event, please contact the Family Science Night Committee at [email protected].

Donate Your Gently Used Book Character Costumes

MES is collecting any Book Character Costumes that you no longer need, which will be saved for next year's event. Please bring in your gently used Book Character costumes to the front office if you'd like to contribute. Thanks so much!

Morning Carpool Drop Off Reminder!

Friendly Reminder: The ONLY safe and acceptable method of dropping off students in carpool is through our designated carpool route. There is no drop off allowed on East Rock Springs Road as it is extremely unsafe with traffic patterns. We have even noticed a few cars dropping off students in the middle of the street, which is extremely unsafe for our children during a very busy time of increased traffic. 

You can find the carpool route on the MES website Transportation page. Thank you!

STEAM Partner Interest Form 2023-2024

We need YOUR expertise, experience and help to shine a light on STEAM/STEM amazing Careers!!

We are looking for partners who are willing to share their STEAM/STEM career with students in any way that will help bring it to life:

• field trip opportunity
• in person speaker
• facilitated hands-on class project
• zoom speaker
• donation of supplies for a project
• OR sharing resources or contacts

If it is you or someone you know can help, please complete the form here or share it to help our MES students grow in their knowledge of diverse STEAM/STEM careers!

MES Principal Blog

Principal Sofianos has been busy updating her blog this year, with some help from Assistant Principals Dr. Sinclair and Mr. Baron. Be sure to keep up with all the school news straight from the principal's desk by bookmarking her Principal's Blog and checking back often!

Atlanta Board of Education Meeting

The next monthly APS Board of Education meeting will take place on Monday, November 6th from 2:30-8:00pm. All meetings are held at the Atlanta Public Schools Center for Learning and Leadership Auditorium and are typically livestreamed via the APS Board of Education Facebook Page. Interested parties are welcome to provide comments during the Community Meeting portion (which begins at 6:00pm) by signing up in person from 5:00-5:50pm.

Howard Middle School Principal Coffee Meeting

Howard Middle School Principal Hollis will host her next Principal Coffee Meeting on Friday, November 10th at 9:45am. All Rising Rams families (or "Ramilies") are invited to attend these meetings, which are held in the media center at David T. Howard Middle School.

Rising Rams families, and anyone interested in following events happening at the middle school can subscribe to the weekly Rams Report newsletter here.

Stay Up to Date with the APS Midtown Cluster

Click HERE for resources directly related to our cluster.

Stay Up to Date with the 2023-2024 APS Calendar 

Click HERE to view the district calendar and start planning for all the breaks.

Click HERE to view the Atlanta BOE 2023 Calendar.

Thank you to our 2023-2024 Diamond Dolphin, Dolphin, and Platinum-level sponsors for supporting our school!

For more information about Dolphin Donors, please click HERE.