October 26, 2023

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Friday, October 27th - Last Day of Red Ribbon Week!



Each year schools across the United States show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free lifestyle by wearing or displaying the red ribbon. October 23rd through the 31st marks Red Ribbon Week, which raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs faced by individuals, families, and communities. During Red Ribbon Week, students around the nation pledge to increase their knowledge by learning more about the destructive effects of drug abuse, and renew their commitment to live a healthy, drug free lifestyle.

All throughout this week, the counseling department along with the administrative team have been working together to bring forth awareness by celebrating each day of Red Ribbon Week. Each daily theme has promoted sound decision making, strengthening unity, and employing a healthy lifestyle. Please plan to have your students dress in their best MES Spirit Wear and/or school colors on Friday, October 27th to mark the final day of this year's Red Ribbon Week!



Friday, October 27th - Principal Coffee Talk

The next Principal Coffee Talk will be held on Friday, October 27th at 8am in the MES Auditorium! All coffee talks will also be live streamed to our YouTube channel if you cannot attend in person. This meeting will feature a VERY special speaker - Principal Hollis from Howard Middle School! This coffee talk will be of interest to not just the 4th and 5th grade parents, but to everyone. It is never too early for our K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade families to learn about life in middle school. Principal Sofianos (a huge Howard Middle School/all things middle school fan!) is very excited about this opportunity to hear directly from Principal Hollis about our present and future kids at Howard. See you then!

Please save the date for the remaining Principal Coffee Talks for this school year (all at 8am in MES Auditorium unless otherwise noted): January 19th, February 9th (BYO Lunch & Learn at Noon), March 15th, and April 26th. There will also be a special coffee talk, to be scheduled, which will be focused on Howard Middle School.

Saturday, October 28th - Monster Bash!

The Monster Bash is this Saturday, and the excitement is palpable! Make sure you've secured your wristbands for this unforgettable event on October 28th from 11am to 4pm. With vendors, games, and a haunted house, it's a day you won't want to miss. Here are some important details to know:

Wristbands are on sale now!

Entrance to the Monster Bash is FREE, although there is a small fees for the rides and games. General Admission Wristbands can be purchased for children ages 4 and up to gain unlimited access to Monster Bash games and rides. Wristbands also include five tear-off tabs that can be used for popcorn, cotton candy, a haunted house trip, and other spooky and fun surprises. Kids three and under are free and do not require a wristband for activities.

Prepay for your wristbands at the MES Online Store at a discounted price using the button below, or you can purchase them full price on the day of the Monster Bash at the wristband sales desk/entrance.

**Note that for this year, Square (credit card/debit card) purchases will need to be greater than $5. Cash will need to be used for purchases under $5**

Pricing for General Admission Wristbands:

• Presale: $20 (ends Thursday, October 26th at 5pm) (Credit / Debit only)
• Day-of: $25 (Credit / Debit preferred)

Volunteers Needed!

An event full of this much fun is dependent on volunteers to ensure the event is a success! We are looking for volunteers to assist with set up on Friday, October 27th as well as during and after the event on Saturday, October 28th. Please click through to the Monster Bash Volunteer SignUp Genius using the button below to review the open volunteer opportunities and to sign up for one or more slots.

We are grateful for any and all the support you can provide in the week leading up to the event and on the day. Please contact the Monster Bash Volunteer Coordinator Stephanie Brooks with questions.

More details about these opportunities and much, much more is available on the Monster Bash webpage.

Tuesday, October 31st – Book Character Day

On Tuesday, October 31st, we will have our annual “Book Character Day”. Students and staff (and parents!) are invited to dress as their favorite book characters! This is an annual event with many teachers already planning their attire. 

We are also collecting any costumes, hats, props for our gently used “Book Character Day Closet” for students who may forget or need something to join in on the fun for this special day. Please put those in a bag labeled Book Character Day and send those to the front office by October 30th. Book Character Day is a great event to promote our love of reading! 

*Reminder* that costumes including any form of play weapon are not allowed.

If you have any questions, please email Principal Sofianos.  

Tuesday, October 31st - Our Chef's Table

We are excited to announce that a Chef’s Table event will be coming to our school!

The Chef’s Table is a taste testing event held during lunch on October 31st. Students can try small samples of new menu items that may be offered in the cafeteria in upcoming weeks!

The process is informal, and students can pick up a sample of the featured food item during lunchtime and give their feedback. Please note that these small samples are not intended to replace your child's regular lunch.



Questions can be directed to Ms. Clems for assistance.

November 1st - Deadline to Pre-Order Meals for the 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).

**NOTE** If you are aware of a student(s) whose family is unable to attend, you may invite students in the class to join with you and your own student**

IMPORTANT!!!! PREPAYMENT IS REQUIRED BY NOVEMBER 1, 2023. Meals are $6.50 per guest. Students who purchase lunch will enter their lunch numbers. Thanksgiving Luncheon orders can be placed in one of two ways:

Online:

1) Visit MySchoolBucks

2) Once you visit the site, click on the school store, then the featured item with the Nutrition Department logo. Note that if you do not have a MySchoolBucks account, you will need to create one there first.

Check/Money Order:

Guests who are not able to make an online payment may send in a money order or cashier’s check made payable to “APS Nutrition.” Please place the money order or cashier’s check for the total amount ($6.50/meal x number of guests) in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, teacher’s name, and the number of guests on the envelope. Checks/money orders must be turned in to make the deadline of November 1, 2023.

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

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 on Tuesday, November 7th due to Election Day. However, students will still be given assignments to do at home during this asynchronous learning day. Homeroom teachers will share additional information about what to expect on this day soon!

Thursday, November 9th - Boosterthon Kickoff!

Our annual Boosterthon and Dolphin Dash are just a few weeks away! Boosterthon is 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. For those families who are new to MES, check out this “Boosterthon in a nutshell” video.  Full details will be coming next week!

For now, please make sure you save the date for the Dolphin Dash Fun Run on Friday, November 17th, when families and friends are encouraged to join ius on the lower playground to cheer on their runner(s)! We'll also need some volunteers to help us during this fun-filled event - a SignUp Genius will be available soon.

Please share any questions with Mallory Rahman.

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. Scanning the QR code will take you to a secure donation page. The donation link will remain active until November 14th, allowing ample time for your contribution.

Additionally, 100% of the proceeds from this weekend's Monster Bash Bake Sale will go directly towards our gratitude initiative. Please stop by the Bake Sale tent to purchase a tasty treat or two! Your purchase will directly help families in need of assistance.

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].

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!

You're Invited to the Million Bazillion Live Tour at David T. Howard Middle School!

Our friends at David T. Howard Middle School have been chosen as one of just 60 schools nationwide to be awarded a visit from Million Bazillion Live, the podcast about money for kids and families. Howard would like to extend an invitation to Morningside families to come attend the show on Friday, October 27th at Howard Middle School. Guests should plan to arrive by 6:00pm for the 6:30pm show.

If you'd like to join us for this unforgettable evening of family fun, financial literacy, games, prizes, and more, please RSVP here. This game show-themed event is a great way for you and your kids to learn about money and have fun doing it!

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.

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.