Friday, February 17 - Deadline to Order Your Yearbook!

TOMORROW (Friday the 17th) is the FINAL day we can guarantee you a copy of the 2022-23 yearbook. After that date, our print count is set and we will only have a limited supply of extra copies that may sell out quickly. No more time to delay - this is the LAST chance to secure your kids' yearbooks!

Get your child a year's worth of school memories HERE.

Friday, March 3 - SWAG Parents Campus Clean Up and Coffee

Come meet with the SWAG Campus Beautification crew at our next Parents Campus Clean Up and Coffee on March 3rd at 8am. We will meet after school starts to have coffee, chat, and work together to clean up the campus. Gloves, bags and coffee will be provided. If we work together, it will be a quick clean up and we will be finished by 8:45. Please sign in at the office first.

Additional campus clean up dates can be found on the MES website, here. Please contact Heather Lowe if you have additional questions.

Monday, March 6 and Thursday, March 16 - Updates and Community Feedback on PTA-Led Projects for MES E Rock Springs Campus

Please join the MES PTA at an upcoming session (two options: in-person or virtually) to learn about some initiatives that the PTA is working on with MES leadership to enhance the East Rock Springs campus. There will be two sessions (one in person and one virtual) for you to participate:

• Monday, March 6th, 12pm (at MES at E Rock Springs Campus)
• Thursday, March 16th, 8am (via Zoom, link to follow)

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

Tuesday, March 7 - Monthly MES GO Team Meeting

Be sure to tune into the next monthly MES GO Team Meeting on Tuesday, March 7th at 5pm. This meeting will be livestreamed on the MES YouTube channel, which can be found HERE.

Please contact Mr. Bookspun with any questions. For more information about the MES Go Team, please click HERE.

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, 2/3/2023! 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

8 Things you need to know about Casino Night: 

1. Saturday, March 11th, 7pm-11pm, The Carlyle.
2. Casino games, delicious food from our event sponsor Ibiza Event Catering, open bar, raffle prizes and dancing.
3. It is not a real casino – we’ll be playing with ‘Play Money’ which is included in Family Sponsorship packages or can be purchased separately.
4. Blackjack, Roulette, Poker and Craps tables will be set-up throughout the venue, manned with professional dealers ‘ready to roll’ or teach those who are not familiar with the games.
5. Several fabulous raffle prizes will be available. Attendees can purchase raffle tickets or use their ‘winnings’ toward raffle tickets!
6. Proceeds will benefit the MES PTA programs, activities and special projects.
7. There are a few Family Sponsorship opportunities with various benefits. Krazy Craps and above are invited to a pre-party VIP reception (6:00-7:00pm) and will participate in an exclusive special raffle for a chef-attended dinner for 10!
8. Please click HERE to purchase your tickets. Individual ticket prices will increase after March 7th.

Click HERE for full details!

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

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

It's been a busy week! If you happened to miss the MES GO Team meeting on Monday, February 13th or the Principals' Coffee talk with Ms. Sofianos & Dr. Hollis that was on Wednesday, February 15th, please consider visiting the MES YouTube Channel to watch the recordings.

If you would like to watch the recording of the virtual coffee talk with Principal Harness from the new Virginia Highlands Elementary School that was also held on February 15th, you can do so here.

BASC-3 BESS Universal Screener Parent Assessment

Atlanta Public Schools is committed to creating a culture of student support and supporting the needs of the whole child. One way we are addressing the whole child is by identifying student strengths and areas for growth relative to social, emotional, and behavioral well-being. In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all students, we will administer a universal screener of social, emotional & behavioral health.

The universal screener that was chosen by the District to help identify student strengths and areas for growth is the BASC-3 Behavior and Emotional Screening Scale (BASC-3 BESS). Parents of students in grades PK-12th grade are invited to submit screener information for their students via the following LINK.

Parents will need their student’s student ID number to complete the BASC-3 BESS parent form. This form is open until March 3rd. If you need more information on the BASC-3BESS, Click HERE

Class Assignments 2023-24 School Year - Parent Input Form

This spring, we will be creating our 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.

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

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

Now Accepting Submissions For MES Waves - Create Your Own Path

Waves LOVES to highlight art of the written word too! We’re looking for submissions of POETRY, SHORT STORY, SPOKEN WORD or ESSAY that showcase your child’s creative way with words. Students get the unique opportunity to give us a sneak peek into the world they can create with a pen. These submissions will be displayed with the art installation as well as a part of the program.

Please SUBMIT all entries by March 24.

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!

CLICK HERE for the latest blog.

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.

Math Curriculum Textbook Adoption Feedback - Deadline -Tuesday, February 28th

We need your input! A Core Committee of teachers, school leaders, district staff, and parents have identified the top three math textbooks for adoption this year. The public is now invited to review these three programs and provide feedback between February 6th and February 28th. Information about how to provide feedback will be available soon!



Click HERE for more information.

Academic Recovery - Summer 2023

Registration is now open through Friday, March 31st for Summer Learning through Academic Recovery Academy. Register HERE if you'd like your students to participate.

For more information, please contact Sedric Smith, Director of Afterschool and Summer Programs at [email protected] or 404-802-2742.

APS Board of Education Monthly Meeting - Monday, March 6

The next monthly APS Board of Education meeting will take place on Monday, March 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 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.

VaHi Elementary Parent Vision Casting Session - March 2

Vision casting allows students, teachers, parents/guardians and community members an opportunity to invest in the future of Virginia-Highland Elementary by setting the vision & mission for our school, establishing priorities and working together to decide upon long-term goals. 

We would like to formally invite all parents and guardians of VHE students to join us in this discussion as we work to move Virginia-Highland Elementary forward. We will meet on March 2nd at 6pm on Zoom as the APS Innovation Department will lead us through this important work. 

More information about this important session, including the Zoom call in information can be found on the VHES website, here.

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 VHES Newsletter HERE
• Follow the VHES PTO on Instagram and Twitter
• Check out the VHES Facebook Page

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.

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.