Friday, March 10 - 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, March 10th! Lost and Found has been moved to the main hall for more visibility, so please try to obtain lost items today!

The following are dates of upcoming donation dates:

Friday, March 10th

Friday, April 21st

Thursday, May 25th

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

Saturday, March 11 - Spring Parent Social-Casino Night and Raffle benefitting Morningside Elementary PTA

Casino Night is this Saturday! Here’s everything you need to know before getting there:

When: Saturday, March 11th, 2023

• 6pm-7pm: VIP reception for Business and Family Sponsors (Krazy Craps and above)
• 7pm-11pm: Casino Night General Admission!

Where: The Carlyle - 1919 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

• Parking is very limited on site, please consider taking a rideshare service to the event.

What to wear:

• Cocktail Attire

What do I need to know before I get there?

• There is very limited parking on site, so please consider taking a rideshare service to the event (there's no on-street parking on Piedmont Road; if lot is full, you’ll have to find side street parking). Let's leave the parking spots for our teachers who may have a longer commute to the event.
• Your tickets will be available at check-in (in addition to play money and raffle tickets if applicable)
• VIP packages including Krazy Craps and above are invited to a pre-party VIP reception (6:00-7:00pm). General admission will start at 7:00pm.
• This is not a real casino - we'll be playing with 'Play Money'. If you purchased individual tickets, please consider pre-purchasing 'Pay Money' to avoid lines at the event.
• Towards the end of the evening, we will finish up the games and each player will cash in their 'Play Money' for raffle tickets. (Important note: 'Play Money' cannot be cashed back in for cash/real currency).
• Players will receive one raffle ticket for each $500 of 'Play Money' they have retained or won. The raffle closes at 10:25pm and winners will be drawn at 10:30pm. Winners must be present to win!
• Several fabulous silent auction items will be available! Silent auction closes at 9:15pm. Please keep in mind that the silent auction is a real silent auction - all silent auction bids will be in REAL money/dollars.

Click here for Full Details!

Can I still get tickets?

• For sure! Tickets will be available for pre-purchase until 8pm on Friday, 3/10 - click here to Purchase Your Tickets! We’ll also have tickets available at the door starting at 7:00pm on Saturday.

Bring A-game and see you Saturday!



Casino Night Committee: Rafael Morales, Lori Brown, Justin Hubbarth, Jamie Morales, Halley Blythe, Fabricio Moraes, Stuart Lake

Monday, March 13 - Parent University: MES Media Center 101

We're excited to host our next MES Parent University event that will give our parent community an opportunity to hear from our fantastic (and district-renowned!) school library media specialist, Michael Rawls, about our MES Media Center and raising our students to be readers! 

This Parent U session will be in the MES@Inman Media Center at 11:30am as a "Lunch and Learn" format, so please bring your lunch if you wish!

For questions, please contact Dawn Rutherford.

Monday, March 13 through Wednesday, March 15 - MES Waves - Create Your Own Path Live Auditions

The WAVES Arts Showcase will be taking place on April 23, 2023 and will feature a variety of live acts. Live acts and videos must be five minutes or less and can include but are not limited to: singing, dancing, instrumental, cultural performances, gymnastics, karate, stand up comedy, magic acts, and TikTok-like submissions. Your creativity is the only limitation!

Please note that in order to perform live on the show, you must audition first during one of the following time slots:

• In-person auditions will take place on March 13th-14th from 3:00-6:00pm
• Zoom Auditions, by request, will be held on March 15th from 3:00-6:00pm

To sign up to audition in person, please complete the online permission form and sign up for a time slot as soon as possible.

Information about how to submit recorded performance entries, as well as written work and other art work can be found on the WAVES webpage.

Are you an adult that would like to help? We are looking for (adult) volunteer JUDGES for our live auditions! This is a super fun, easy way to get involved with WAVES & see all the amazing, unique talents our MES students have. No experience necessary. If you are interested, please email [email protected].

Monday, March 13 through Wednesday, March 15 - Rising Kindergarten Round Up

Mark your calendars - Kindergarten registration for the 2023-24 school year will open on Monday, March 13th, and the annual APS Kindergarten Round-Up at MES will take place in person from Monday, March 13th through Wednesday, March 15th!

APS Kindergarten Round-Up is an opportunity for parents to register their child (or children) for kindergarten in person at their future elementary schools and take the first step towards a smoother transition to kindergarten for both the children and their families. If you would like to register your children in person during this event, please join us at MES@Inman on March 13th through 15th from 8am to 1pm. Information about the required documentation needed for registration can be found here as well as on the flyer below.

If you are unable to register your children in person during APS Kindergarten Round Up, you can always register your children for Kindergarten online any time after March 13th using this link.

Any questions regarding Kindergarten registration can be directed to our school secretary, Maise Parham, at [email protected] or at (404) 802-8950. Additional information can also be found on the MES website, here.

Are you (or other parents you may know) looking to connect with other Rising K parents ahead of the next school you? If so, please consider joining the private MES Rising K 2023/2024 Facebook Group where we will be posting details about events focused on Rising K, sharing information specifically for our new families, and much more over the coming months. You can also join our dedicated Rising K mailing list by completing this online form.

Wednesday, March 15 - Midtown Cluster Art Show Opening Reception

Please join families from across our cluster at the 3rd Annual Midtown Cluster Arts Show, which will feature artwork from students at all of the Cluster schools, including MES!

There will be an opening reception on Wednesday, March 15th at the Midtown High School Gallery from 5-8pm. We'd love to see you there to support our young artists!

Thursday, March 16 - Updates and Community Feedback on PTA-Led Projects for MES E Rock Springs Campus

Please join the MES PTA on Thursday, March 16, at 8pm via Zoom to learn about some initiatives that the PTA is working on with MES leadership to enhance the East Rock Springs campus. 

Get involved and share your feedback as we rally for the exciting return of our MES dolphins to our home!

Link to register in advance for the Zoom Session

Friday, March 17 - SWAG After School Clean Up

Come clean up with us on Friday, March 17th after school! If you would like to help out, please meet at the walker pad. Gloves, bags, and edible treats will be availabe for all who attend. In the event of rain or muddy field we will try to reschedule for later in the month.

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

Friday, March 17 - Deadline to Submit the State of Georgia Student Health & Parent Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete the Georgia Parent Survey. It will remain open through Friday, March 17, 2023. This survey makes up a part of our school climate STAR rating and is confidential. 

The results 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. Students in grades 3 – 5 do a Student Health Survey, with a link to the survey questions below including the opt-out process. Our Morningside staff will complete a survey as well. Please complete the parent portion of the survey! 

More information can be found on our Morningside website, with links to the direct state information.  

Parent/Guardian Survey: CLICK HERE  

Georgia 3rd – 5th Student Health Survey: CLICK HERE

Georgia 3rd – 5th Student Health Survey Opt-Out Forms (Print, fill out and return or pick up form in front office): CLICK HERE

Saturday March 18th - Rising K Playdate

If you have a Rising K student for the 2023/2024 school year, please join us on Saturday, March 18th from 3-5pm at Noble Park for our first playdate! This playdate will also be an informal opportunity to ask questions and meet some of the current MES PTA, Foundation, and GO Team members as well as fellow future MES parents and Rising Kindergarteners!

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!): 

• Thursday, March 16, 10:30am-12:30pm - 1st Grade Team
• 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

The 2022/2023 Book Drive is Complete!

Thanks so much to the MES community for all of your children's book donations this year! Through our collection bin the MES Media Center, we collected amazing books for our teachers' classroom libraries and Children Read Atlanta throughout this school year.

As we are approaching Spring and all the school transitions that will bring, this year's book drive is now over. If you still have books for children ages 0-5 (baby board books, rhyming books, picture books, etc.), you can donate them anytime to Children Read Atlanta - please contact Marla Johnson for additional details.

Class Assignments 2023-24 School Year - Parent Input Form

This spring, MES will be creating class groupings for the next school year. The process for placement into a class for the next school year takes many hours. We value and seek your parent input into this process with an 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. 

There may be additional guidance on class placement from other staff your child may work with, including input from our counselor, special education teachers, English Second Language teachers, as well as the administrative team. 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.

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!

Call for Nominations for the PTA Executive Board for the 2023-24 School Year!

The MES PTA Nominating Committee is currently seeking nominees for the PTA Executive team for the 2023-2024 school year. We need your help in identifying qualified individuals for the positions to be filled. All MES parents are encouraged to take an active role in this process by notifying the committee of potential candidates; self-nominations are welcomed.This is an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact on your school.

If you or someone you know would be a good fit, please email a letter of interest or nomination to [email protected].

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.

Principal's Blog

Be sure to catch up on everything MES straight from Principal Sofianos by bookmarking her Principal's Blog and checking back often!

Also, please be sure to save the date for the next Principal's Coffee Talk on Friday, March 24 at noon.

CLICK HERE for the latest blog.

Wednesday, March 15 - Principal Hiring Debrief for Midtown Cluster

Interested in having a better understanding the principal hiring processes at your school? CINS is facilitating a panel to discuss recent hiring decisions in the Midtown cluster.

Location: MES@Inman Auditorium

Time: 12:00 - 1:00PM

Panelists will include representatives from the Atlanta Board of Education, City Council, District and School-level leadership, and PTO/Foundation leadership.

Registration for Summer Programs NOW OPEN

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!

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

Nominate a teacher HERE by March 20th.

Nominate an administrator HERE by March 20th.

Road to the 2023 Special Olympics Games!

Each year, APS student-athletes demonstrate their courage, skills, and strengths during the annual Special Olympics tournament at Lakewood Stadium. This year's Special Olympics Track and Field event will take place on Tuesday, March 21st, and WE NEED YOU! It takes a team of passionate and energetic volunteers to make this event a success every year. Not only do our team of volunteers assist with the logistics of this event, but they play a vital role in putting a smile on the faces of every one of our athletes.

Sign up to support our champions by serving as a volunteer.

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

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.

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.

Pre-K at VaHi Elementary

It was recently announced that VaHi Elementary will have an onsite Pre-K program starting in the Fall of 2023! The Pre-K lottery application window is open now through March 12 at 11:59pm, with the lottery drawing to be held on March 27. Additional details about the program, including the program requirements can be found here.

VHE Family Park Meet Up - March 12

Zoned VHE students and their families are invited to a VHE PTO-hosted meet up at the playground at John Howell Park from 2-4pm on Sunday, March 12th. Get ready to meet some new friends and chat about all things VHE!

What to expect:

• King of Pops will have popsicles available for purchase
• VHE PTO will have tees, stickets, and magnets available for sale
• VHE will make the official announcement of the new school mascot!

Please RSVP here if you plan to attend!

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.