FERNBANK'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER - MONDAY, MARCH 9
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THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
click an event for more details^^ (if there are any!)
Good Morning! We had a very successful & amazingly fun Auction on Friday! If you were not able to make it, keep it in mind for next year—it is such a great evening. I would like to thank our Auction Chair, Stephanie Everett, Foundation President, Anna DeVries, and all our dedicated auction committee members who helped make the event an engaging & entertaining way to raise money for our school. Thanks so much everyone for coming out and making it such a success!
News and talk about the coronavirus (COVID-19) is almost unavoidable right now. DCSD has created a page on its website to provide us with the latest news on the virus as it pertains to school. The anxiety that many of us feel about this global health issue can trickle down to kids as well and may affect their stress levels. Please be aware of how social media and news reports may affect your kids. For ideas on how to speak to your children about COVID-19, please see this article from the National Association of School Psychologists. I think it has some helpful, practical tips on how to handle this complicated health issue.
I also wanted you to know that we have put daily precautions in place to keep our school as safe and clean as possible. Please help us in this process by keeping your children home when they are sick or even if they don’t feel well. If they have a fever we will be calling you to come get them. Please reinforce appropriate hand washing technique at home and practice it regularly and often, just as we are doing at school.
We will keep you informed with up to date information as soon as we receive it so please watch for any special messages from myself or the district.
Thanks so much for being the fabulous Fernbank Nation!!!
Friday, March 13 is a Teacher Workday! No school for students.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
WONDERFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
PROGRAM PERFORMED 2/28: VIDEO ONLINE!
Thank you to Ms. Setrana (3rd grade teacher) and the many talented Fernbank staff and students who worked with her to create the 2020 Fernbank African American History Program-- "One Tribe"-- performed for the school on February 28. A 20 minute video with most of the group musical/dance numbers is currently posted on Hal Jacobs' Vimeo site:
https://vimeo.com/395193068/d2656dad48
LATER THIS WEEK the full-length performance video (1.25 hour) will be posted on the Fernbank PTA Vimeo site:
https://vimeo.com/user62307003
6 FLAGS READ TO SUCCEED ONLINE PROGRAM: PARENTS MUST FINISH ONLINE BY APRIL 1
Want your child to earn ONE FREE TICKET to Six Flags Over Georgia by reading for 6 HOURS? This year, the Annual Six Flags Read To Succeed Program is online, different from in years past. April 1, 2020 = DEADLINE for parents to finish registration/reading-time-listing.
Over the past weeks, Fernbank teachers have put instruction forms in courier (or emailed them) giving parents access to the teacher-specific login and registration/book-listing system.
If necessary, here is an alternate way to access the registration web site:
--- Visit: https://feedback.sixflags.com/rts/parents/welcome.aspx
---- Use Fernbank Elementary School's code: HSMRE
---- You will be asked to select a Teacher's name from list... if you do not see your teacher's name, please select MS. JACOBS
---Register online... keep track of your child's reading (since Feb. 1) and be sure to list/add reading time ONLINE
--- If 6 hours of reading is registered/listed by April 1, then student ticket will be sent by teacher in mid-May.
Questions? Please contact Ms. Jacobs, 6-Flags-Reading school coordinator, alicia_m_jacobs@dekalbschoolsga.org
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK
The yearbook has been completed and gone to print! Thank you to those who submitted photos.
Order Your Yearbook
Remember the classmates and teachers, Field Day, the musicals, clubs and so many fun events in the 2019/2020 Fernbank Yearbook. Did you know that Fernbank’s yearbook is all color pages with a hard cover? Every grade is featured. Each class has a page of portraits, and each grade has a page of candids. We place the order based on purchases, and when they are gone, we cannot order more.
School: enter Fernbank, click on Fernbank Elementary School that pops up
Click on 2020 Yearbook
Click on Order Now
Please note that the yearbook was for sale on the Super Bill at Open House and online through the student store in August for the Back to School special price. Since then, it has been for sale online at Jostens. Each teacher has recently received an email listing the orders for that class.
PROOF OF RESIDENCE DUE
Each year, we ask you to send in a proof of residence (copy of a utility bill or lease/mortgage statement) to let us know that your child will be returning next year. This helps with planning for class size and make-up for the following school year. Please send a utility bill or copy of a lease/mortgage statement to your child's teacher as soon as possible.
FIFTH GRADE BAND CONCERT TUESDAY, MARCH 24
Band students should be seated on stage with their instrument already assembled no later than 5:45 p.m. The performance will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will last about 30 minutes. Please look for the flyer sent home with your band student last week or an e-mail from Mr. Mason for more details.
DHMS AMBASSADOR NIGHT (FOLLOWING THE 5TH GRADE BAND CONCERT) TUESDAY, MARCH 24
The 5th grade band students will perform from 6-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday March 24. Following the concert, Ms. Jackie Taylor, DHMS Principal, and Fernbank Alumni will speak to share their thoughts and wisdom with the current 5th grade students and their parents. Come hear some great music and learn about DHMS!
WILLY'S ALL DAY DINE-IN MARCH 25
Willy's Decatur is celebrating turning 20 by donating 10% of all sales on that day to Fernbank! They will be featuring $5 burritos and bowls and $7 favorites on March 25. Eat at Willy's and help support our school! See here for more information.
KINDERGARTEN ROUNDUP MARCH 26 AT 9:30 AM
If your child will be attending kindergarten at Fernbank next year, mark your calendar for our Kindergarten Roundup on March 26 at 9:30 a.m. You and your child will visit the school, meet kindergarten teachers, and even take a ride on a school bus! Look for more information in an upcoming Flash.
SPIRIT NIGHT AT DRAGON BOWL COMING UP MARCH 30-APRIL 1
Dragon Bowl restaurant at Emory Village will be hosting a 3-day dine-out for us from Monday, March 30th to Wednesday, April 1st! Includes lunch, dinner, take-out and dine-in from 11 am to 9 pm.
Please remember to mention FERNBANK when you dine to ensure that 25% of the purchase is donated back to the Fernbank Foundation.
RED DEVIL DASH ON MARCH 22
Red Devil Dash, a great 5k race/1 mile fun run through Lullwater Park trails is Sunday, March 22, at 9 am. All ages are encouraged to come on out and support the Druid Hills Athletic Association. If you participate, wear a Fernbank shirt! Register for the event here:
PRE-K LOTTERY APPLICATION ENDING THURSDAY
DCSD has changed this year's Pre-K lottery process. The 2020-2021 Pre-K lottery application and drawing will be completely online for the first time. See an overview here. The application process is open now through March 12, 2020. Required documents must be uploaded during the application window. See here for list of required documents. The Pre-K lottery drawing will take place on March 23, 2020 and parents will be notified after March 27, 2020. Students must be four years old on or before September 1, 2020. Fernbank will have two Pre-K classes with 22 students per class.
GET READY FOR MILESTONES!
DCSD has released the testing schedule for the Georgia Milestones tests that our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will take in the spring. If possible, please avoid scheduling non-essential doctor or dentist appointments on these days. The dates are as follows:
For 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders:
April 15, 16, and 17 (ELA sections 1, 2, and 3)
April 20 and 21 (Math sections 1 and 2)
For 5th graders only:
April 23 and 24 (Science sections 1 and 2)
April 27 and 28 (Social Studies sections 1 and 2)
For any questions related to PTA programs/events or to provide feedback, please email our co-presidents Cassie Strawn and Adam Francois Watkins at fernbankelementarypta@gmail.com
If you need to publish any information in the Flash digest, you can do so by emailing us at fernbanknewsletter@gmail.com