Deadline to Submit Parent Input Form for Class Assignments for the 2023-24 School Year



So far, only 65 families have filled out the parent input form for Class Placement next year. We value and seek your parent input into this process with this optional form. Whether you complete the form or do not complete the form, you can place your trust in your child's teacher(s) to make careful choices.  If you wish to give additional information regarding your child, please complete the following input form by spring break, Friday, March 31st.

Your child’s school experience and success throughout each year is very important to us. Parent input is always an option as we make the best choices possible for your child for next year!

Click HERE to provide feedback for your students attending MES in the fall.

Are Your Students Attending Virginia Highlands Elementary School Next Fall? You can submit a Student Placement Input Form for VHE between now and May 5th at midnight. Additional information about how this process will work can be found on the VHE website, here.

Friday, March 24 - Principal's Coffee Talk

Please join Principal Sofianos for the March Coffee Talk in the MES Auditorium on Friday, March 24th at noon!

This coffee talk will also be livestreamed on the MES YouTube page, and the recording will also be available there afterwards.



As always, you can catch up on everything MES straight from Principal Sofianos by bookmarking her Principal's Blog and checking back often!

CLICK HERE for the latest blog.

Friday, March 24 - SWAG Playground Cleanup (rescheduled from last week!)

After two weeks of rain outs, our campus could use some love! Please join us for an outside clean up starting at 2:45pm. If you would like to join us, please meet at the walker pad after school. There will be gloves, bags, and snacks available for everyone who comes to help out!

Please visit the SWAG Campus Beautification webpage for more information and contact Heather Low with any questions.

Friday, March 24 - WAVES Deadline for ALL Content Submissions

Auditions last week were incredible - this year's show is going to be bigger and better than ever! On Saturday, April 23rd, WAVES will showcase 32 acts by 67 performers including:

• Four BRAVE Kindergarteners,
• Twelve Fearless First Graders,
• Five Spectacular Second Graders,
• Ten Tremendous Third Graders,
• A whopping 22 Fantastic Fourth Graders, and
• Fourteen FABULOUS Fifth Grade performers!!

Missed the auditions but still want to be part of the show? NEVER FEAR! This is our LAST CALL FOR ART WORK, WRITTEN WORD, AND VIDEO ACTS. All entries MUST be received by Friday, March 24). Has your student been debating their entry? The time is now to show us what makes their artistic voice one of a kind!

Please use https://bit.ly/WAVESdigital for submissions. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to write [email protected].

Saturday, March 25 - APS is Taking Action Against Violence

APS is taking action against violence by hosting a violence prevention event titled P.A.C.E. (Parents Aiding Children Through Empowerment), on Saturday, March 25th from 2-5 p.m. at Benjamin E. Mays High School. We're calling all parents and guardians to partner with us to identify ways to address the issue of violence.

Through P.A.C.E., APS is bringing together parents to connect them with local partners in an effort to stop gun violence. During the event, you can participate in various breakout sessions/workshops and attend a vendor fair. You will have the opportunity to browse, ask questions, seek assistance, and receive support. Some workshop topics include Depression/Anxiety, Grief and Trauma, Anger/Conflict Resolution, Parental Support, Gang Involvement, Mentoring, and more.

If you're a parent or guardian concerned about the violence in our community, join us on March 25th as we work together to implement strategi

Once to stop violence before it happens. Click HERE to register today!

Monday, March 27 through Friday, March 31 - Teacher Appreciation Week!

Teacher Appreciation Week is almost here! During the week of March 27th - 31st, the PTA Teacher Appreciation Committee will be showering the MES teachers and staff with love!  Here are some opportunities to help the Teacher Appreciation Committee make that week a success:  

• Wednesday March 29th. We Love You Wednesday! Encourage your students to write messages or draw pictures of love to as many teachers as they like to (don’t forget specials, GATE, etc.) Bring them in on Wednesday. See Room Parent communication for more details.
• Thursday March 30th. Treat Yourself Thursday! Help stock the Self Care Cart by purchasing items from an Amazon Wish List. When ordering, simply select the address “MES teacher appreciation's Gift Registry Address”
• Friday March 31st. Frosty Friday! Ice Cream Sundae Staff Party. Please help provide supplies and sign up for shifts to help organize an Ice Cream Sundae Party. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/MESIceCreamBar. Please deliver supplies to the front office no later than Wednesday, March 29th.

Monday, March 27 through Friday, March 31 - K-3 MAP Fluency Testing

Kindergarten through 3rd grade will be reviewed using the MAP Fluency assessment during the week. This helps give insights to our young readers progress which helps our educators maximize instructional focus and time.

Want to learn more on what the assessment looks like? CLICK HERE. 

Tuesday, March 28 - Wednesday, March 29 MES Orchestra and Chorus & Band Concerts

Please join us for our second Orchestra/Chorus and Band performances of the year:

Orchestra and Chorus

Date: March 28th

Location: MES Auditorium

Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Band

Date: March 29th

Location: MES GYM

Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Friday, March 31 - Deadline to Submit Parent Input Form for Class Assignments for the 2023-24 School Year



So far, only 65 families have filled out the parent input form for Class Placement next year. We value and seek your parent input into this process with this optional form. Whether you complete the form or do not complete the form, you can place your trust in your child's teacher(s) to make careful choices.  If you wish to give additional information regarding your child, please complete the following input form by spring break, Friday, March 31st.

Your child’s school experience and success throughout each year is very important to us. Parent input is always an option as we make the best choices possible for your child for next year!

Click HERE to provide feedback for your students attending MES in the fall.

Are Your Students Attending Virginia Highlands Elementary School Next Fall? You can submit a Student Placement Input Form for VHE between now and May 5th at midnight. Additional information about how this process will work can be found on the VHE website, here.

Friday, March 31 - Dress the Decades Spirit Day!

Show your school spirit and have some fun with an outfit or hairstyle from your favorite decade! Let's roll into Spring Break in poodle skirts and bell bottoms!

Friday, March 31 - Deadline - Registration for Summer Programs

Is your elementary or middle school student in need of some extra support this summer? Registration is now open for Academic Recovery Academy's (ARA) Summer Programs which address learning loss and unfinished learning. Summer help is also available for high school students. For high school, contact your school counselor for options.

• To register your elementary school student, click HERE!
• To register your middle school student, click HERE!

Please note that the deadline to register for APS ARA is Friday, March 31st, so don't delay!

Volunteer to Support Teachers During Lunchtime!

We have a new volunteer opportunity to help classroom teachers have a special off-campus lunch! Please consider sharing two hours of your day to help in one of our classrooms as our teachers take a well-deserved grade-level team lunch break away from MES@Inman! Each grade level will have their own "lunch date" on the dates and times listed below. Please sign up for specific homeroom classes or as an alternate volunteer via this SignUp Genius (you're welcome to volunteer in your student's class or any other homeroom!): 

• Friday, March 24, 9:20-11:20am - 2nd Grade Team
• Monday, March 27, 11:40am-1:40pm - 3rd Grade Team
• Friday, March 31, 9:55-11:50am - Kindergarten Team
• Wednesday, April 12, 11:05am-1:05pm - 4th Grade Team
• Friday, April 28, 12:15-2:15pm - 5th Grade Team

Each homeroom will need two parents to assist during the two-hour "lunch" shift; volunteers will report to the MES Main Office for an orientation with Principal Sofianos at the beginning of their shift. Students will have lunch in the café during the two-hour window and teachers will leave a schedule and list of activities to do. An MES staff member will also visiting each of the rooms to support the parent volunteers.

Thank you for volunteering your time for this effort! Our teachers are so excited to have this time with their fellow teachers and to have lunch out in our community!

Questions? Contact Dawn Rutherford

Bricks to Support Our New Outdoor Learning Space Are On Sale Now!

Last week, the MES PTA officially launched our month(ish)-long brick sale to raise funds for the E. Rock Springs garden! While the rest of our E. Rock Springs campus has gotten a considerable refresh during the renovation, our outdoor learning space/courtyard/garden could still use some love. So to raise funds to help nurse it back to life, we are selling bricks that will be used in the new walkways through the garden. If you'd like to support this space and leave your mark on the MES garden, here are all the details:

• Bricks are available in two sizes: Standard (4x8; 3 lines of text) for $250 and Large (8X8; 5 lines of text) for $500.
• When completing your order, please be sure to add your cell number in case we have questions. We want to make sure we get everything just right!
• We will not be able to honor any placement requests. But finding your brick in the path is part of the fun anyways!
• If you opt to have a line blank on your brick, please put “none” on the form to hold the space.
• Ignore the request for shipping, as we're unable to remove that from the square site. All bricks will be taken care of at the school.

Bricks can be purchased via the MES PTA Square Site, here: http://bit.ly/3ZwC89P

Field Day Volunteers Needed!

The moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived - FIELD DAY VOLUNTEER SIGN UP! Start up those great weather vibes now! Please see the sign up link below, it’s a always a blast. Coach Corso has outdone himself with his vision and planning this year, and we can use your help bringing it all to life on event day, Thursday, April 13th. If you'd like to help out, please sign up here for a slot - it's always a blast!

We will see you on the field!

For questions, please contact Jackie Townley.

The PTA's Cultural Arts Committee Needs Your Input!

As we start planning for the Inaugural MES International Festival we want to know who we are representing! Please fill out this Two Question Survey to let us know. 

Save the date for September 30, 2023!

Morningside After School (MAS) Program Registration Dates for the 2023-2024 School Year

My After School Program (aka "Morningside After School" or MAS) registration for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year will be opening soon! Please note the following dates:

• Saturday, April 1 at 9am: PreK and Kindergarten registration opens for the 2023-24 school year
• Saturday, April 15 at 9am: Registration opens for current MAS families wishing to return for 2023-24
• Monday, May 1 at 9am: Registration opens for NEW families wishing to join MAS in 2023-24
• Saturday, August 5 at 9am: Fall Extracurricular Programs registration opens

Please visit www.myafterschoolprogram.com to register and find out more about My After School Program after-school care and extracurricular programs at MES (and other APS schools).

Donate Prizes to the MES Go B.L.U.E. Weekly Raffle!

Donate prizes to the MES Go B.L.U.E. weekly raffle! Select an item (or items) from our wish-list, and have the item(s) sent to the school address: Behavior Committee 774 VIRGINIA AVE NE. ATLANTA, GA 30306-3631. US.

Every Friday, we hold a raffle to celebrate two of our amazing students for upholding the school code of conduct. Your donations help motivate our learners to Go B.L.U.E! (Be respectful, Listen and Learn, Use self-control, and Embrace diversity). Our wish-list is HERE if you'd like to contribute.

Excellence in Arts Education Award Nominations

Do you know an exemplary arts student, an innovative art teacher, or an administrator who advocates for the arts? The Fine and Performing Arts Division is hosting the APS Excellence in Arts Education Awards to celebrate and recognize students, teachers, and leaders around our district who excel in the arts.

Help us recognize our APS artists and art advocates by nominating someone you know for an award.

Nominate a student HERE by April 14th

Saturday, March 25 - Howard Middle School Spring Wine and Dine

The David T. Howard Middle School would like to extend an invitation to our current 5th grade parents (aka the "Rising Rams" families) to join them for their Spring Wine and Dine fundraiser on Saturday, March 25th. Details are on the flyer below and ticket information (including a link to purchase) can be found here.

Tuesday, March 28 - Midtown High School Soccer Community & Senior Night

Midtown High School Soccer will host its annual Senior & Community Night on Tuesday, March 28th when the varsity teams take on Riverwood at Midtown's Henderson Stadium, 929 Monroe Dr NE. The Varsity Girls kick off at 6:00 pm while the Varsity Boys kick off at 8:00 pm. Midtown Soccer will also recognize our graduating seniors with a ceremony between the girls’ and the boys’ games, at 7:30 pm.

Youth soccer players from IAFC will escort Midtown HS players onto the field and serve as Ball Girls & Ball Boys during the games.

Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome. Come hungry, as food, drinks and snacks will be available for sale. Please come out to support our Midtown Knights!

Stay Up to Date with the APS Midtown Cluster

Click HERE for resources directly related to our cluster.

Stay Up to Date with the 2022-2023 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.

The NEW VHE Mascot is the...

OWLS

Let's give a big MES "Hootie Hoo!" to our neighbors and friends. Isn't this just the cutest?

Stay Up To Date with the VaHi Elementary PTO

The newly formed PTO for VaHi Elementary School is off is running! To keep up with everything they are rolling out (including details about how to best support the library at the new school), please check out the following communications channels:

• Sign up for the VHE Newsletter HERE
• Follow the VHE PTO on Instagram and Twitter
• Check out the VHES Facebook Page

VaHi Elementary Website Updates

For our future VaHi Elementary families - if you looking for information about the new school, please be sure to check out the growing website for the school, as new information is being added on a regular basis! Be sure to use the drop down menus at the top of the page to navigate to the various areas of the page, including a new About Page, information on school policies and procedures for the new school (under the New Students tab), a section dedicated to academics (under the Academics tab), and pages for the school's GO Team and the PTO.

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

For more information about Dolphin Donors, please click HERE.