Kingsley ES Principal Newsletter
September 19, 2021
"Individually Unique, Together Complete"
Title 1 Survey for our Parent & Family Engagement Program
This survey/feedback form will take approximately 6 minutes to complete. Your input is vital in the planning and implementation of the parental engagement program and activities in our school. The focus of all Title I programs is to help eligible students meet the same high academic achievement standards expected of all children. The following survey is confidential and will be used to assist us with future planning for parental involvement activities and events at our school. We appreciate your feedback and thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Click the link below for the FY22 Title I Parent & Family Engagement Survey Link.
What's Happening This Week - Week of September 5th
Here's our Week-at-a-Glance:
9/15-10/15 - Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
9/20 - Spanish Impact Huddle (6 PM -7 PM)
9/22- First Day of Fall
9/22 - Medical Advisory Roundtable (6 PM -7 PM)
9/24 - September Breakfast of Champions (BOC) Ceremony
2021 Book Character Parade Day and More
KES first Walking Wednesday was absolutely amazing! A big Thank You to the Smith Family and all of the parents involved for organizing a safe Walk to School Day for students. We have been looking forward to this event all year. Also, another thank you to Ms. Briggs and the Dunwoody Cheerleaders for cheering on the students as they arrived on KES campus. A shout out to Dr. Hamilton and the front office staff for assisting with transportation of our buses to the drop off site for Walking Wednesday. It takes the entire village to pull off a successful event. I am grateful for supportive community.
We kicked off our Derby Day Pep Rally last week. Captain Kingsley was out help us get into the spirit as we prepare for one our biggest fund raisers of the year. Thank you to Captain Kingsley and all of the parents for making this an exciting start to an amazing event.
Thank you to the Rotary Club for their donations to Kingsley Elementary School. A big shout out to Ms. Phillips for organizing this partnership between KES and the Rotary Club.
We've had a very busy two weeks. Check out the Book Character Parade, Derby Day Pep Rally, The Rotary Club and Walking Wednesday Video (below).
Cognia Accreditation Renewal Stakeholder Feedback Surveys
Family and Community Stakeholder Survey
The Family and Community Stakeholder Survey is designed for Parents, Guardians, and Community Members of DeKalb County School District. The survey is divided into three sections: a demographic section, a family/parent/guardian section, and a community member section. One of the demographic questions asks the participant for their role in DCSD. The answer to that question determines which questions the parent/guardian/community member views. The survey is translated into fifteen different languages and takes approximately ten minutes to complete. School leaders may want to send out a parent letter announcing the survey (see attachment), place the survey link on the school’s website, or schedule a Parent Night or PTA meeting where parents and guardians can take the survey.
El Distrito Escolar del Condado de DeKalb (DCSD, según sus siglas en inglés) está actualmente en proceso de renovar su acreditación. Parte de este proceso es recolectar comentarios de las partes interesadas. Les invitamos a participar en la encuesta para las familias y las partes interesadas de la comunidad. Los resultados de esta encuesta, junto con otros artefactos de las partes interesadas, serán utilizados en el proceso para renovar la acreditación del distrito.
La encuesta para la familia y las partes interesadas de la comunidad estádisponible en los siguientes idiomas: amárico, árabe, bengalí, birmano, chino, inglés, francés, hindi, nepalí, somalí, español, swahili, telugu, tigrinia y vietnamita. La encuesta es confidencial y le tomará aproximadamente 10 minutos el completarla. La encuesta estará disponible del martes, 7 de septiembre del 2021 hasta el jueves, 30 de septiembre del 2021 a las 5:00 pm.
Usted puede tener acceso a la encuesta para la familia y las partes interesadas de la comunidaden el siguiente enlace: https://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/eY7O00
Edulog Parent Portal Smartphone App
DeKalb County School District announced today the launch of the Edulog Parent Portal smartphone app. The app is designed to give parents and guardians information about their child’s school bus ride.
The app allows parents and guardians to follow their child’s bus on a real-time map and stay up-to-date with notifications when that bus nears the bus stop, the school, or a custom alert zone. Parents and guardians only receive access by registering with data unique to their child.
How to Get Up and Running:
1 – Review the “Getting Started” video
2 – Download the app, sign up, and check your email to authenticate
3 – Enter your student’s student number
4 – See your student’s bus stop time and location
Congratulations 🎉 to the new STEM Gems of the school year!
Kindergarten
Charlotte Prellwitz
Isabella Zepeda Ordonez
Emirah Williams
Mary McKeever
Suheera Bhuyia
Emma Reyes
Gia Guerrero
Skye Hardemon
First Grade
Eliana Poulopoulos
Lauryn King
Emma Human
Sophia Alvizures
Addison Campelo
Taylor Perich
Savannah McGraw
Alisson Zuniga
Eriana Williams
Naama Norman
Madison Edge
Millie Lopez
Second Grade
Kai Jeffers
Sydney Perich
Jade Guerrero
Isabella Reyes
Elle McClure
Nicoleta Cox
Zoe Sousounis
Ally Borders
Shriya Satish
Olivia Smith
Madison Bachler
Third Grade
Soleidy Tax
Maria Poulopoulos
Noa Borders
Mia Salazar
Carrie Young
Fourth Grade
Katythleen Panchi
Miriam Norman
Anita Roblero
Emily Perez
Darolin Vasquez
Genesis Roblero
Hanny
Tillan Hyde
Alison Roblero Ortiz
Fifth Grade
Jenifeer Mancia
Clarissa Embrey
Isabella Paredes
Lydia Bennacer
Carol Vazquez
Scarlet Lopez
Yesenia Martinez
Gianna Smith
Londyn King
Samantha Aguiar
Perla Gomez
Kaoly Gonzalez
Sophie Clements
Leslie Martinez
Eliseth Hernandez
Zoli Grissom
STEAM News - Sept. 13-17
We are all STEAMing ahead in the STEAM Lab!
Kindergaten learned about makersapce and the importance of using our imagination! They were inventors and created robots, airplanes, etc.
First graders learned about the different seasons and what you can do and wear! We are getting gready to be Meteorologists!
Second graders were able to see if their greenhouses were successful or if they needed to improve on their designs. They also started on their background for their stop motion animation.
Third graders are creating their dioramas for their Georgia Regions! They will also use green screens to make them come to life!
Fourth graders made their mini ecosystems with a habitat that worms would love! They also planted Chia seeds to give the worms more food. They will put in their worms this week!
Fifth graders started to create their own genetically modified animals with materials in the STEAM Lab!
Kiddos in aftercare painted their volcanoes and will watch them erupt thus week! They will learn about chemical reactions to help them understand behind the eruption!
STEM Gems learned about the science behind Orbeez and made Orbeez Ball!
Check out the fun:
STEAM News - Extra, Extra, Read All About It! Sept. 7-10
Each week the excitement builds in the STEAM Lab!
- Kindergarten started on the 2nd unit of the school year - living and non-living! Students learned that living things need air, food, and air. Try to play a living and non-living things game while in the car! Can you spy living and non-living things? We will continue to learn more about this unit throughout the next few weeks!
- First graders learned about Makerspace! They were inventors and exploring different materials in the STEAM Lab!
- Second graders finished up their mini greenhouses and "planted" their seeds! Let's see how they grow!
- 3rd-4th graders are finally going on to the Create part of the Engineering Design Process! They completed their research and they came up with a plan! Can't wait to see their end products!
- Aftercare now has a STEAM enrichment class! We learned about volcanoes and started building one!
Check out some of the projects:
Check out our kids and their teamwork!!!
Thank you!
As always thank you so much for your amazing support in all the donations!
Keep the recycling items coming!
- Paper tubes
- Cardboard
- Water bottles
- 2 liter bottles
- Gallon containers
- Newspaper
- Tin cans
Let's keep STEAMing ahead!!!
Extra, Extra, Read All About It...PTO News
Things to Know from Your Kingsley PTO
KINGSLEY DERBY RETURNS
2021 Derby Day is October 6th. Students love Kingsley Derby! They earn prizes by raising funds and enjoy the excitement and camaraderie of the day. Look out for fundraising information after the pep rally on Sept. 15th.
SPIRIT WEAR STORE IS OPEN
The Kingsley Spirit Wear Store is open for pre-orders and with new shirt designs available this year! Guarantee your size (both child and adult available) by pre-ordering your shirts HERE. Remember, every Friday, Comets are invited to wear their best KES spirit wear!
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK NOW
Don’t forget to order your 2021-2022 Kingsley Elementary Yearbook before prices increase. Order your yearbook HERE for $40. Recognition ad sales coming soon!
ROOM PARENTS NEEDED
This unique volunteer opportunity is a great way to be involved, get to know your students’ teachers, and support Kingsley. Time commitments are flexible, and the duties can be performed primarily from home. Please contact kingsleyelementarypto@gmail.com if you are interested!
KINGSLEY DERBY ALERT
We have 3 weeks to meet our goal of raising $30,000 for Kingsley Elementary. In the past, the Derby has paid for our playground, the teachers lounge renovation, outfitting the STEAM lab and SO much more.
Parents, be on the lookout for paper instructions in your student’s STAR folder. We encourage everyone to to raise at least $100 in donations, earn fun prizes and be ready for Derby Day on October 6th.
Donations can be logged either on the paper list included in the handout today OR by creating a profile on https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pledgestar.com%2FKingsley&data=04%7C01%7CTyra_Harris-Thompson%40dekalbschoolsga.org%7C42056a25638c4d12144808d979c8580b%7C312b238ac08341c1a18b736b02696f79%7C0%7C0%7C637674724543640727%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=IB2nXXdxzaiiM9eOaswStRsDGqjyW1GnB4gjGNEJNSI%3D&reserved=0
Oh, and did we mention that the top raising student gets to throw a pie in Ms. Bishop’s face?
The Lemonade War
Counselor Corner - Dr. Hamilton
COVID RESOURCES AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The school year is off to a great start! As we start the new school year with five days a week of instruction, it’s important that we continue with our mitigation efforts to keep COVID-19 out of our building. As a school community, we did an amazing job in the Spring, and we will continue to do so this Fall. To help us keep our students and staff healthy, we are asking all of our families to keep your child home if he/she is not feeling well or if he/she is sick. We are highly encouraging ALL KINGSLEY FAMILIES to conduct a morning temperature check prior to coming to school each and every morning. It only takes a few seconds, and it will help us immensely to get ahead of any outbreaks at school.
Additional COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies
As a reminder, all students and staff are required to wear masks while indoors at school and on the school buses. Students will sanitize when they come in every morning. Hand washing is always required before students leave the restroom. For lunch, we are encouraging teachers to take their classes outside, if the weather permits, for lunch so students can space out more to eat. Be sure to check with your child's teacher to see if he/she will need to bring a yoga mat/blanket for eating lunch outside. While masks are not required outdoors, we will still use safety protocols during recess such as washing/sanitizing hands before and immediately after recess. Our custodial staff will continue to provide a robust and comprehensive cleaning protocol. We will continue to follow DCSD, DPH and CDC guidelines on COVID-19 mitigation strategies whenever possible, and we hope things will improve as we move through the year.
Reporting Protocols and Procedures
I want to review the protocols and procedures in place when a positive case is reported to me and when a student needs to quarantine.
What Happens When a Positive Case is Reported?
- All positive Covid cases should be reported directly to Dr. Harris-Thompson at tyra_harris-thompson@dekalbschoolsga.org .
- Once this information is received, Dr. Harris-Thompson will report it to the school district and await guidance.
- Dr. Harris-Thompson will begin contact tracing to determine if there are any close contacts according to CDC guidelines. Close contacts may not include the entire class. Close contacts could include individuals within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Per newly released CDC guidance there is an exception (Exception: In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) if both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
- Close contacts will be notified via a phone call from Dr. Harris-Thompson or the assistant principal, Ms. Bishop.
- Close contacts will also be notified via email.
- Quarantine and Return to School Guidance from the school district will be sent to the individual who tested positive and all close contacts. I understand that this is a lot of information, so I will always include a contact number for you to reach me if you have any questions.
- Once approved for distribution, a community letter will be sent to the entire school community.
*Please note: before the community letter is sent out, all contact tracing will be completed and individuals would have been notified.
Additionally, this is the CURRENT process. If anything changes, staff and the school community will be notified.
What Happens When a Student Needs to Quarantine?
1. The teacher will provide the student with a learning work packet.
2. The teacher will make contact with the student daily to provide instructional support (this will be done during a teacher's planning period, before, and/or after school).
3. The student will be counted as present in Infinite Campus attendance.
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), if a student is quarantined, the individual will be provided with asynchronous work until he/she is able to return. This is to protect the privacy of the student who may have tested positive for COVID 19.
I encourage everyone to click the blue rectangle button below to review DCSD Covid-19 resources to stay informed.
Safety is our top priority! Let's work together to ensure all students, staff, and families remain safe and healthy.
Student Placement
ALL of our staff members work hard to make school a positive experience for ALL students. As a school community, we will work together to make teaching and learning our primary focus and embrace new experiences that will allow our students to become global citizens. Also, please keep in mind that all student placements are to be considered tentative during the first few weeks of school due to unforeseen changes in enrollment. Should we encounter unexpected fluctuations in enrollment, teacher or class assignments may change. We are closely monitor classes that are currently at risk of not meeting or exceeding state guidelines for minimum/maximum class size. In the event that this occurs, we will communicate with parents and move quickly to make necessary adjustments to minimize the transitional impact on students. Your commitment to ensuring that Kingsley remains a celebrated and successful school is awe-inspiring.
Chromebook Device Agreement
https://dekalb.incidentiq.com/policy/2ec19bd9-15c9-4933-aaf9-0355a8a1e4e2/lookup
Water Bottles
IMPORTANT DISTRICT UPDATE
Out of an abundance of caution and due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, we will continue the visitor protocol that was in place for the 2020-2021 school year.
Visitors and volunteers will not be permitted in buildings until further notice. We will continue to monitor conditions and data provided by the Department of Public Health (DPH), the DeKalb County Board of Health (DBOH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). It is our sincere hope that conditions will improve, and we will be able to reopen our doors and benefit from the value that our committed volunteers add to our schools and centers.
We appreciate each of our volunteers and community partners. In the interim, we will look for and we invite you to help us identify opportunities for volunteers to support our school community virtually.
What Does This Mean For Kingsley Elementary?
1. No parent(s) will be able to walk their students into the building. We will have staff members outside in the halls to help walk students to class.
2. Volunteers- No visitors or volunteers are allowed in the school until the district changes the above guidance.
3. My child forgot his/her.... There will be a cart set up outside for supplies or forgotten items. The KES staff will get them to the classroom. In order to make this process work, please make the item is labeled as follows: student name, grade level, and teacher name.
5. Dismissal: No parents are allowed inside. Students will exit the building once dismissed.
6. Kingsley's After School Program (ASEDP) pick up: Parents will ring the bell at the front door of the school, and someone will be ready to assist you with pickup. Please have your ID ready to show.
Please know we are a team. Together we are going to have a great year. It is important that we take these extra steps for the safety of all our students and staff. Thank you for your understanding and support.
COVID SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Safety is our top priority. Masks are required for all students inside the building and on school buses. Masks will be provided to students who do not have one. All students will receive sanitizer as they enter the school building each day. Classrooms and restrooms will be sanitized throughout the day and at the end of each day. Students will socially distance to the greatest extent possible throughout each day. Students should bring a reusable water bottle to school each day and a yoga mat/blanket for eating lunch outside. Reusable water bottles can be used at our bottle refilling stations throughout the building.
*Please review the student/parent handbook for more information about our COVID Safety Precautions.
2021-2022 AFTER SCHOOL EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM (ASEDP)
We have open slots for our ASEDP which is available Monday-Friday from 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM and each day that school is in session. The ASEDP program offers the following:
- Homework help
- Recess
- Enrichment Activities
- Snacks
Our checkout system will be done through QR codes, therefore, bring your ID and your phone to the front door to scan the QR code.
Please contact our ASEDP Director, Pamela Jones, if you have questions:
HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED AND REVIEWED THE 2021-2022 STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK?
A comprehensive student/parent handbook was developed over the summer that outlines our school policies and procedures.
***Please download the handbook using the attachment below or click on the QR code below and save it to refer to throughout the school year.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR FAMILY ID HANGTAG?
Car Riders/Walker:
Family ID hangtags are required to be visible in your car (carpool) or hand (walkers) during dismissal.
If you are in need of a family ID hangtag, you may pick it up any weekday 8:00 AM - 1:30 PM from the school. Please email Mrs. Bari marian_lamson@dekalbschoolsga.org or Mrs. Yazmin Acevedo yazmin_acevedo-mendez@dekalbschoolsga.org .
SILENT DISMISSAL SYSTEM
An Inside Look into Afternoon Dismissal! Does it take longer? Yes. More importantly, is it safer? Yes! We will no longer use holding areas or call students in groups to dismiss. Students are all dismissed directly from their classroom. We started our dismissal system in March of 2021 when students returned back for face-to-face learning. The dismissal system ensures a safe exit for all. We use a live spreadsheets on all classroom Promethean boards. We have staff members stationed all over the school grounds working on the spreadsheets to dismiss students and ensuring students stay distanced and get to the right location. Once students see their name pop up on the spreadsheet, they exit the class. Bus riders are dismissed using the silent dismissal system. We have improved our dismissal system and will continue to make the process better. Thank you so much for your patience as we dismiss students safely from our school into your care.
Carpool Guidelines
Parents are encouraged to use carpool when dropping off their child for school. Parents should not drop off students on Brendon Drive in the morning
- Get in the carpool line by 7:05 AM (morning) and 2:05 PM (afternoon) to ensure that you get through the line quickly.
- Be kind to the carpool staff that are taking their time to keep all children safe.
- Do not park on the opposite side of the street and send your child across the street alone.
- Do not drop off your child in front of the school during morning arrival.
2021-2022 BUS ROUTES
Bus routes can be found on the district website. https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/bus-routes/
Each bus is associated with a color (red, yellow, green, or blue):
Route 733 - Blue
Route 734 - Yellow
Route 735 - Green
Route 736 - Orange
Route 737 - Red
Route 738 - Purple
**The times you see listed on the bus routes are for the morning only. The bus runs in the reverse order (route) taking students back home each afternoon. Buses generally leave the school by 2:30 PM.
If you have any questions related to DCSD school buses, please contact Mrs. Johnson lawanda_johnson@dekalbschoolsga.org or Mr. Morrison james_morrison@dekalbschoolsga.org .
SCHOOL UNIFORMS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED FOR STUDENTS
Fridays are designated as Spirit Days. Students may wear an Kingsley Elementary t-shirt or the color red or blue, with denim bottoms.
MEDICATION FORM
If your child needs to have medication administered at school, please download the form below and have your physician to complete it.
You may drop off the medication and the documents for the medication on the first day back to school. A staff member will meet you at the front entrance of the school to collect the documents and medication or you may place the form and medication in a Ziploc bag clearly labeled with your child's first/last name and grade. You may send it by the student with the necessary document. Inform the teacher and Nurse Thomas (email address below) that these items are in your child's backpacks and we will be sure Nurse Thomas receives them.
Please feel free to reach out to Nurse Thomas by email or you may call the school 678.874.8902 if you have any questions. brenda_thomas@dekalbschoolsga.org .
We Have The BEST PTO! Have You Joined? Register with the PTO Website/Membership Toolkit.
Want to make sure you are up to date on all school news? Register with the PTO today!
1. Register with the PTO website/Membership Toolkit (this will ensure you receive PTO/Kingsley Newsletters).
(If you are a returning Kingsley family, update your information as necessary!)
2. Pay your School Dues of $40 per student to help with supplies, teacher stipends for materials, etc.
3. Donate to the Kingsley Annual Fund. Annual Fund donations help for major projects such as the recent playground renovation and the remodeling of the teacher's lounge.
Remember registering with the PTO website/Membership Toolkit ensures you’ll receive the PTO/Kingsley newsletter--- you need this newsletter--- it has LOTS of information about our school and other fun activities for your students!
Here’s the website: https://kingsleypto.membershiptoolkit.com/
Updates on DCSD Mask Wearing Protocols
DCSD MASK PROTOCOL (UPDATED JULY 12TH)
DeKalb County School District is committed to providing safe learning environments for students and staff. DCSD has amended the masks protocol to all students, staff, and visitors must wear a mask indoors. Students must wear masks on the bus. You can find the protocol here or below.
SCHOOL MEALS - Lunch Update
Breakfast and lunch are served each day of school. All meals are FREE through the 2021-2022 school year. Please review the School Cafe flyer below.
Students will be eating lunch in the cafeteria this year. ALL students will have access to free meals for the 2021/2022 school year. However, we ask that families who qualify for free and reduced lunch complete a lunch form so Kingsley can receive the funding associated with the program. The cafeteria is hoping to start selling a la carte items so please set up a School Cafe account for your child at schoolcafe.com if you would like your child to have the option to purchase additional a la cart items different from the provided school lunch.
Breakfast and lunch menus can always be found on this website: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/school-nutrition/menus/
Please contact our Cafeteria Manager, Mrs. Cataline Moreno-Ortega, if you have questions: catalina_moreno-ortega@dekalbschoolsga.org
2021-2022 SCHOOL CALENDAR
The school calendar is set by the Dekalb County School District. Please click the link below to view the 2021-2022 school calendar.
Sign up for School Messenger to stay informed with Kingsley ES and DCSD news and updates.
We are Kingsley Elementary School where our staff and students strive for the best and never accept anything less.
Email: tyra_harris-thompson@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: http://kingsleyes.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2051 Brendon Drive, Dunwoody, GA, USA
Phone: (678) 874-8902
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingsleyElementarySchool/
Twitter: @KingsleyComets