February 1, 2024

Ver esto en español

用中文（简体）查看

Friday, February 2nd - Volunteer Opportunity to Support the Comfort Bags for People Experiencing Homelessness: A Dolphins Do Good + No Place For Hate® Project

In January and February the entire MES community will have the opportunity to take part in a community-wide service project to provide a comfort bag of hygiene items to people experiencing homelessness. This is an expansion of a program that MES has participated in for many years called Homeless at Heart. This year there is a classroom learning component and an opportunity for parents and caregivers to pitch in!

Classroom Activity: On February 7, MES will participate in the Global School Play Day and students will pack comfort bags which will be donated to various organizations that provide resources to people experiencing homelessness in Atlanta.

We need your help!

Please donate items by helping us fulfill a 'wish' registry found HERE to gather the needed items to create comfort bags for people experiencing homelessness. All items will be shipped directly to the PTA Dolphins Do Good committee.

On February 2, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, families are invited to come to MES to help sort the items to get ready for the in-class service project. This is a GREAT do-it-together, hands-on activity for you and your students. This is a drop-in event and we appreciate any assistance your family is able to provide.

On February 7, from 7:45-9:30 AM, we need floaters and in-class volunteers to help students pack the bags. Parent Volunteer Sign-up HERE

Questions? Email Lorraine Hatch or Ashley Tucker.

Monday, February 5th - Teacher Lunch/Brunch Out Starts!

In February, we are honoring our teachers and staff with a lunch out with their teams! This was started last year and was one of our most popular events - loved by both the volunteers and the teachers alike. With approval from Associate Superintendent Brown, we have created a schedule where teachers can enjoy an extended lunch and collaboration time with colleagues. This is very special to our staff!

During this time, volunteers will work in groups of two to three people per class to oversee the classes for a short time while the teachers enjoy their lunch break with their colleagues. Volunteers will be supported by an administrator or other staff member who is assigned to the volunteer team and will be close by if needed. Volunteers will receive a short training from the contact as well as spend a few minutes with the classroom teacher for organization. Volunteer teams will have one hour in the classroom with work provided by the teachers and one hour of lunch and recess supervision. Altogether, volunteers will spend ~2 hours and 20 minutes for these roles. There are FIVE Teacher Lunches taking place next week, so please do not delay in signing up to volunteer! The full schedule for these lunch breaks is as follows:

• Special Areas Teachers: February 5th (no lunch or recess supervision needed)
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Relyea, Coach Corso (2-3 needed), and Ms. Connolly!
• Kindergarten: February 6th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Rafi, Ms. Schill (2 needed), and Ms. Snapp
• Paraprofessionals: February 7th (lunch duty ONLY)
• Volunteers needed for 2nd grade, Kinder, 1st grade, and 4th grade lunches - come join the café fun!
• 1st Grade: February 8th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. K. Davis (2 needed), Ms. S. Hamilton, Ms. Roetger, and Ms. Warren (2 needed)
• 4th Grade: February 9th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Ahmed (2 needed), Mr. Hatcher, and Ms. Hood (2 needed)
• 2nd Grade: February 13th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Holmes and Ms. Nordmann (2 needed)
• 3rd Grade: February 15th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Milam (2 needed), Ms. Varino, and Ms. Waye (2 needed)
• 5th Grade: February 16th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Slater, Ms. Taylor (2 needed), and Ms. Tyner
• GATE Teachers: February 29th
• Volunteers still needed for Ms. Cherry (2 needed), Mr. Duncan, and Mr. Hatcher

Please click here to view the exact dates and times and to submit the volunteer form to sign up. Our teachers are so appreciative of this very generous effort by volunteers, contacts, and organizers. Volunteers are welcome to volunteer for multiple days in order to get an inside glimpse of the life of a teacher!

Please contact Principal Sofianos with additional questions.

Monday, February 5th - MES GO Team Meeting

The MES GO Team will meet on Monday, February 5th at 5pm for their regular monthly meeting. This meeting will be held virtually as well as livestreamed on the MES YouTube page for those who would like to watch. Recordings from past meetings can also be viewed on the YouTube page at any time. Please note that this date is updated from the previously announced February meeting date as voted on during the meeting that took place on Monday, January 22nd.

The agendas for these meetings, 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.

Wednesday, February 7th - Global Day of Play!

Sometimes, you just need a day to PLAY! On Wednesday, February 7th, MES will mark our 3rd annual Global Day of Play when our students will set aside their pencils and books for a day of learning through play. Classroom teachers will be sending home more specifics about how each class will be enjoying the day, so please be sure to check your email!

Wednesday, February 7th - Deadline to Purchase a MES Yearbook for 2023-2024

The deadline to purchase your 2023-2024 MES yearbook is approaching quickly. Please make your purchase by Wednesday, February 7th! The cost is $45. Click here to order your MES yearbook today!



The Yearbook Needs Your Photos to be Amazing!

The MES yearbook team is hard at work on the 2023-2024 yearbook! We would love to see all our students represented in the book, so we need your help. Please send pictures you have taken this year to [email protected]. This includes candids taken at MES, any MES events (e.g. Monster Bash, Thanksgiving feast, book character day, red ribbon week, international fest, Boosterthon, spelling bee), and class events (holiday parties and field trips). If you have great pictures from the year, we would love to include them in the yearbook!

When you send us your pictures, please tell us the names of the children pictured, grade and the event it was from. We can't wait to see what special memories you've captured.

Please contact Martha Decker before February 7th with any questions.

Friday, February 9th - Principal Coffee Talk

The next Principal Coffee Talk will be held on Friday, February 9th at 12pm in the MES Auditorium - please join us for this special BYO "lunch and learn" session! All coffee talks will also be live streamed to our YouTube channel if you cannot attend in person.

Please save the date for the remaining Principal Coffee Talks for this school year (all at 8am in MES Auditorium unless otherwise noted): March 15th and April 26th. There will also be a special coffee talk, to be scheduled, which will be focused on Howard Middle School.

Friday, February 9th - 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, February 9th! 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.

Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th - Dine Out for MES at Casseroles

Need an easy dinner option over the weekend? Please consider picking up dinner (or lunch!) from Casseroles in Morningside Village on Friday, February 9th or Saturday, February 10th. Simply mention "MES" during check out and 25% of the proceeds will be donated to the MES PTA.

Thanks for your ongoing support of the MES PTA through these community partnerships!

Tuesday, February 12th - Last Day to Submit Artwork for Street Expressions: MES Street Art Showcase for Black History Month

We welcome every student, parent, and faculty member at Morningside to take part in Street Expressions, our new MES Street Art Showcase! This is not a contest, but simply an optional display of the wonderful talent we have here at MES through the many colors of culture and expression of our young artists in our celebration of Black History.

You can create your street artwork on paper, canvas, posterboard, cardboard, fabric, small plastic sheets, recycled objects, small acrylic sheets, or other materials. You must attach a brief description/artist statement on your creation with your submission. Additional information, including a sample Artist Statement form and links to examples of Atlanta Street Art can be found here as well as in the flyers sent home in this week's Wednesday Take Home Folders. Artwork will be displayed through the “streets” of MES during the entire month of February - we can't wait to see what our talented community creates!

Submit your artwork for display no later than Monday, February 12th to the front office. There will be a box for drop-off. For questions you may reach out to Ms. Nelson and/or Mrs. Relyea with the MES Cultural Awareness Committee.

Tuesday , February 13th & Thursday, February 15th - Family Science Night!

Can I get a robot to clean my room? What's the perfect motion to break a karate board? How are big heavy airplanes able to stay up in the sky? Find out the answers to all these questions and more at MES's Family Science Night (FSN)!

This year's event will take place at MES over two nights in mid-February:

Grades K-2: February 13th 6:00 - 8:00pm

Grades 3-5: February 15th 6:00 - 8:00pm

Please note that pre-registration for this event is now CLOSED. Families who pre-registered for this event will receive their personalized session schedules for the evening from their students' classroom teachers prior to the event.

As with prior FSN events, volunteers are a key part of making sure this event runs smoothly and is a wonderful experience for all involved. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering or have questions about the event.

February 19th to 23rd: No School for Winter Break!

Remainder! Winter break is coming soon. We'll all miss each other while we are away, but wish you and your family a wonderful break.

School is back in session on Monday, February 26th.

The Amy Snowden Mather Library is Getting a New Mural!

Professional muralist Lenia Castro will be installing a new mural in the Amy Snowden Mather Library throughout the week of February 5th. Lenia is the artist who designed and painted the mural outside the library over the summer - and this time she'll be working while students are in school.

Talented fourth grader Reid Johnson helped create a video to help us get to know Lenia and learn about her process. The entire Dolphin community is invited to come by to see the new mural in progress.

Check out the video, "Meet Lenia Castro - MES is getting a new mural!" which will be shared with students in their classrooms as well. Thank you, Reid!

Thanks to MES librarian Mr. Rawls and the PTA for their support for this exciting project! It's going to be a very beautiful, colorful and inspiring addition to our beloved library at MES!

Student Council Canned Food Drive

We are proud to say that our student council has set a new record of cans donated from the annual Morningside canned food drive - we collected over 4000 pounds of canned goods! We would like to thank our Student Council along with everyone who has contributed to helping our school help others in need. Thank you parents here at Morningside, and again, our Student Council members. We are proud members of the Midtown cluster and hope to continue this canned food drive tradition for many years to come!

Save the Date for the MES Bust A Move Bash and Auction: Saturday, March 16th at The Carlyle

We're throwin' it back to the 80s and 90s - the days of neon windbreakers, boomboxes blazin', and gravity-defying moves. Clear your calendar, as we'll be rappin' about the good old days!

Our posse's been workin' hard but we need your help to make this a killer event! If you have or know someone that has potential interesting items or experiences to donate (i.e. sports tickets, fine art, sports memorabilia, gift cards, concert tickets, summer camps, private chef experiences, summer homes, etc) please contact our silent auction lead, Lori Brown at [email protected].

Let's bust a move for Morningside and make this the most bodacious bash the city's ever seen!

For questions about the Bust a Move Bash, please contact the event co-chairs Fabricio Moraes and Justin Hubbarth.

State of Georgia Parent Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete the Georgia Parent Survey. This survey makes up a part of our school climate STAR rating and is confidential. The results from this survey will arrive from the state of Georgia in either summer or fall of the next school year and are used to celebrate successes, as well as make improvements to the school experience for students, families, and staff. 

Parent/Guardian Survey: CLICK HERE

Prospective Student Opportunities!

With the flip of the calendar to 2024, many families are already starting to think ahead to the next school year, when a new group of Rising Kindergarteners and other incoming students will be joining our Dolphin Pod! Here are two opportunities to learn more about the school that may be of interest if you will have a new MES Dolphin during the 2024-2025 school year:

Sign Ups Open Now for Spring School Tours!

As Rising Kindergarten families begin to look ahead to next year, and friends and neighbors consider joining our MES Dolphin pod, we recognize that there is interest in touring the school to inform these important decisions. We will be holding school tours for interested families on the following dates this spring:



• Friday, February 16th
• Monday, March 18th
• Wednesday, April 10th

All tours will be led by MES administrators and will take place from 8:30 - 9:30am. If you are interested in joining one of these tours, please sign up in advance here.

Join the Rising K Facebook Group for 2024!

If you have a Rising Kindergartener or other incoming MES students that will be joining us in August 2024, please consider joining our private Rising K Facebook Group. Within this group, dedicated PTA parents and fellow Rising K parents will be sharing information over the coming months to ensure that all of our new families feel well prepared for the new school year, including information on:

• Key dates and instructions for registering for the 2024/2025 school year
• Meetings and events that may be relevant to new/prospective parents
• Everything you need to prepare for the first day of school

And much more! We're looking forward to getting to know everyone more within this private group!

Morning Carpool Drop Off Reminder!

Friendly Reminders: 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, especially as we are a major route to Emory. We have even noticed a few cars dropping off students in the middle of the street! This is extremely unsafe for our children during a very busy time of increased traffic. We also ask that you please be kind and considerate community members to our neighbors near the school. The use of their driveways is not acceptable and we have received direct complaints.

You can find the carpool route on the MES website Transportation page, as well as in the graphic below. Please note that there should be no "cut through turns" in the middle of the Barclay Median. Please drive to the end of Barclay and make the turn around there. Thank you!

MES Principal Blog

You may have noticed a bit more action on the Principal's Blog since the start of the year - that's because Principal Sofianos has set a New Year's goal for more blogging in 2024! Thus far, she has posted five blogs over the course of the 6 days we've been back at school. These posts highlight the latest happenings at Morningside, including an inside view of the work of our amazing students and wonderful staff.

Reminders about blog posts will continue to be sent through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal straight to your phones and email inboxes, but you can also bookmark her Principal's Blog and check it out at any time! If you are not getting blog notices on your email or phone, contact Charlette Jackson in the front office to update your information.

2024 Pre-K Lottery Coming Soon

Looking to jumpstart your child's educational journey? The Pre-K lottery application window for the 2024-2025 school year opens on February 1st at 9 a.m. through March 1st. The lottery drawing will take place on March 15th.



For more information on the application process, eligibility, and required documents, visit the APS Early Learning website.

Atlanta Board of Education Meeting - Monday, February 5th

The next monthly APS Board of Education meeting will take place on Monday, February 5th 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.

David T. Howard Middle School Principal Coffee Talk - Friday, February 9th

David T. Howard Middle School Principal Dr. Hollis will host her next monthly Principal's Coffee on Friday, February 9th at 9:45am in the Howard Middle School Media Center. All Rising Rams families (or "Ramilies") are invited to attend these meetings in order to learn about life in 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.

Community Opportunity to Support Grady Cares - Sunday, February 4th

Please join your neighbors for a fantastic live evening of Irish Music and a fundraiser for Grady Cares on Sunday, February 4th from 7-9pm at Red Light Café at Amsterdam Walk. 

Our community parent Bella Isaakova will be joined by her musical partner - as well as youth musicians from the neighborhood. Plus, it’s for a good cause (more about Grady Cares on the below flyer.) 

Tickets are free; a $25 per person donation is recommended. But any amount helps! 

Register at http://tinyurl.com/MusicforGradyCares

THANK YOU to our fabulous sponsors:

Balance Yoga Atlanta

Chris180

Thrive Center for Psychological Health

Talent Growth Advisors

APS Adult Education Classes Available for FREE

Discover APS's free Adult Education Program, where we support individuals in navigating the official Georgia High School Equivalency (HSE) Program, formerly known as the GED Testing Program. From selecting a high school equivalency pathway to test preparation, class enrollment, and short-term training opportunities, APS is dedicated to guiding adults through every step.

Additionally, our program extends beyond HSE with English as a Second Language and citizenship classes held at multiple Atlanta/Fulton County locations.



To learn more and enroll, click HERE and share the information with those who can benefit.

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 2024 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.