WE LOVE FERNBANK TEACHERS + STAFF
Fernbank has been celebrating Black History Month throughout February... and continues to teach and share throughout the year.
Each morning in February, Ms Ray's Morning Announcement features biographies of important African American people, all connected to great books. Teachers school-wide are focusing on African American history and heritage in connection to studies that happen all year long. For example, 3rd grade has done their annual Wax Museum Biography project, students sharing their first-person speeches as famous African American people in their online classrooms.
Our library has just received a wonderful collection of new books with a focus on African American biographies and diversity in our picture and chapter books. Read-alouds of these books have been happening school wide.
The culmination for Fernbank over the past years has been a Black History Month program at the end of February.
This year, Ms. Setrana (3rd grade teacher) is once again producing and directing, but it will be a VIRTUAL CELEBRATION online.
This year's theme is "WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER"
Teachers and students school wide have been creating videos and photos of poetry, art, books, dance, music, biography, history...
Thank you, Ms Setrana, for putting it all together for us to experience online!
The live link will be shared on Friday via Classtag.
Learn about the new daily schedule and our new Guidance Special.
PE will now be everyday!
All of these changes in our new schedule will benefit our students' social, emotional, & physical needs as well as ensuring that, when we do open the schoolhouse to face-to-face students, our F2F and our Virtual Learners will already be in sync.
CONGRATS + THANK YOU!
Teacher of the Year
Peter Frederick has taught Special Needs Kindergarten at Fernbank for the past 5 years.
His teaching career began in 2002.
He holds a master's degree in Special Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Cambridge College. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on a full athletic track and field scholarship. He is a former Track and Field Athlete for Trinidad and Tobago and competed in the Olympics in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.
He is also an Assistant Track Coach at Druid Hills High School.
PETER FREDERICK
Educational Support Professional
of the Year 1
CAROLINE SPILLERS
Caroline Spillers has been a Counselor at Fernbank since 2016. She started her career at Canby Lane in 2011 and has also worked at Oak Grove and Sagamore Hills schools. She is an avid runner and a big fan of Auburn University, her alma mater.
Educational Support Professional
of the Year 2
AMANDA HICKEY
Amanda Hickey has been a paraprofessional at Fernbank ES since 2017 and became the Director of the Aftercare program in 2019. Originally from Staten Island, NY, Ms. Hickey chose to pursue a career in education after having been a Print Production Coordinator for 10 years in Manhattan NY.
RESERVE YOUR BOOKS
FOR PICK UP!
Do you have a student (any grade) who would love to check out REAL PRINT BOOKS from the Fernbank Library?
Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Richmond are launching a pilot program for contactless curbside checkout.
Students will be able to log on to the Destiny application to place books on hold, and we will pull those books, check them out to your student, bag them, and place them in bins outside the school for you to pick up at your convenience.
Please click the link to the Google Permission Form to get started!
Permission Form
Once you have completed the form, we will send instructions for placing books on Hold in Destiny.
(If you do not have a google account, please email Ms. Jacobs directly).
Questions? Please contact Ms. Jacobs, alicia_m_jacobs@dekalbschoolsga.org
Interested in exploring e-book online options? Visit our LIBRARY WEBSITE >
FUND THE FERN
The Fernbank Foundation Board is working alongside school leadership to put your generous donations to good use - whether it’s now in the form of online curriculums and add-ons for your kids while they are in virtual school, or it’s in the near future as we talk about safely returning to in-person school.
We appreciate you and thank you
for being a part of this amazing community!
All Back to school news and information will be posted and updated on our website.
If you have any questions, please email:
Fernbank is an IB World School
The International Baccalaureate (IB) aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
STUDENT MEAL SERVICE UPDATE
Meal Plan Update: Beginning August 17, 2020,
DCSD school nutrition services will provide
a two day meal package on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Students will receive a two-day meal package on each of those days;
2 Lunch Meals & 2 Snacks
Pick up at Fernbank from BUS #D4
Mon, Wed, Fri.11:00 AM – 11:30 PM
FOR MORE INFO AND SITE PICK UP LOCATIONS, CLICK BELOW
What's coming up:
Questions? Concerns?
We are here for you!
Please contact us with your questions and any concerns you may have. We will get back to you!
Fill out the form or send an email:
fernbankelementaryPTA@gmail.com
FUND THE FERN 2020
Thank you to our Family Donors
LEARN
($250-$499)
The Steel Family
The Merrill Family
The Francois-Watkins Family
The Ferguson Family
The Powell Family
The Tribbett Family
The Allen Family
The Watson Family
The Pace Family
Mr. Laurence Bjorklund
The Rushing Family
The Sekhon Family
The Greene Family
The Cadray Family
The Ciavatta Family
GROW
($500-$999)
The Caruso Family
The Stowe Family
The Boelhouwer Family
The Turner Family
The Wallace Family
The Rollins Family
The Johnson Family
The Medlin Family
The Bornstein Family
The Barrett Family
Mr. Tony DeSancitis
SOAR
($1,000 +)
The Dhaliwal Family
The James Family
The Russo Family
The Tester Family
The Haraway Family
The Pascale Family
The Kilpatrick Family
The Prickett Family
The Medlin Family
The Jacxsens Family
The Marquardt Family
Mr. Jamie Harper
Mr. & Mrs. John Love
Community Investors
A special thank you to our 2019-2020
These local businesses and corporate sponsors make a huge difference in the programs offered at Fernbank and the support each of our students receives. Make sure to thank them when you visit their business!