Generals eNews
March 2022
Principal's Message
Happy March!
We are well into the second semester of school and engaged in so many exciting learning opportunities around Annistown!
Black History Month was AMAZING! Thank you to all our staff members and students for helping us celebrate Black History Month. It was full of many learning opportunities filled with excitement and fun! Students shared facts about historical African Americans who made contributions to society each morning on our announcements, students created projects sharing information about historical African Americans, student projects are displayed throughout the school, bulletin board presentations throughout the school, Black History Month Spirit Dress-Up Week, and an amazing program which showcased our awesome chorus and students from each grade level. Thank you all for making this year's celebration memorable for our students!
Last week we celebrated Read Across America Week! Our students enjoyed many exciting activities while learning about the importance of reading. Thank you to all our parents that came out to read with our students.
The next few months will be very busy. We will continue to keep our focus on teaching and learning. We administered district assessments this week and are looking forward to reviewing each student's progress and supporting them in small groups. This assessment lets us see just how much our students have learned. Please go to the parent portal to see how your child is doing. Have they turned in all their assignments? How is their behavior? Are they passing their tests? Your help will go a long way!
As always, I thank you for partnering with Annistown for your child's academic success. It continues to be an honor and privilege to serve as the principal of such an amazing learning community.
Gwenda Nimmo - Smith
Proud Principal
Upcoming Events
March 7 -- District Assessments (DAs) begin
March 17 – Title I Planning Meeting 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Zoom)
March 18 – All Pro Dads Meeting – 7:30 AM
March 24 – Local School Council Meeting 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
March 24 – STEM NIGHT – 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
March 22 -- DIGITAL LEARNING DAY #6 (all students learn from home)
March 25 -- Career Day
March 29 – Field Day - Kindergarten and First Grade
March 30 – Field Day – Second and Third Grade
April 1 – Field Day – Fourth and Fifth
April 4-8 -- SPRING BREAK
GCPS Needs Your Input
Gwinnett County Public Schools needs your input on two School Board policies. To gather your feedback, the school district is using a tool called ThoughtExchange. All of our voices matter, so your participation is crucial and valued.
1) Click here to provide your thoughts regarding the district’s discipline policy. (This exchange will close on Monday, March 14, at 11:59 p.m.)
2) Click here to provide your thoughts regarding the policy that deals with public participation in Board meetings. (This exchange will close on Monday, March 14, at 11:59 p.m.)
When you select each link above, you'll be asked to respond to one open-ended question, consider and assign stars to some of the ideas shared by others (20 to 30 is ideal), and learn what's important to the group.
Your thoughts and stars are confidential. You can come back as often as you'd like to participate and, in fact, we ask that you do come back to star (or rate) some of the new ideas shared since you first participated. The ratings will help us understand the most important areas to focus on.
We welcome your comments, including constructive criticism. We also strive for as much transparency as possible; however, we recognize the need to ensure the conversation is safe and respectful. As such, GCPS makes use of ThoughtExchange's automated moderation that reviews items before public posting. More on the moderation criteria appears within the exchanges and on the GCPS ThoughtExchange webpage.
If you need technical help, please call ThoughtExchange at 1-800-361-9027 ext. 4 or email help@thoughtexchange.com.
What's Going Down at Annistown
Read Across America Week
Read Across America Week Guest Reader
Read Across America Week Guest Reader
Black History Program
Black History Month Trivia Winner
Black History Month Spirit Week
CDC Guidance Update
On Friday, February 25, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance and the prevention steps that should be taken based on the spread of COVID-19 in communities. As part of the changes announced, the CDC is dropping its recommendation for universal school masking and instead will recommend masking only in communities at a high level of risk.
According to the CDC, Gwinnett County is currently in a “Low” level of community spread. At this level, individuals are encouraged to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and to get tested if they have symptoms.
In light of this updated guidance and Gwinnett County’s designation in the “Low” level of community spread, Gwinnett County Public Schools will transition from requiring masks to strongly recommending the use of masks in its facilities.
In the coming days, school district leaders will be reviewing and updating quarantine and isolation procedures to account for these changes.
Mobile Walk-In Vaccination Clinics in Gwinnett County Public Schools
GCPS encourages our community to learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations and take advantage of opportunities to get vaccinated. In an ongoing partnership with the Gwinnett Health Department and other health partners, GCPS continues to host vaccination clinics at high schools around the county during February, March, and April. No appointment is necessary.
Participants will receive the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two shots. Those who are eligible for a booster shot may attend a vaccine clinic to get a booster. (The CDC recommends booster shots five months after receiving your second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, six months after your second dose of the Moderna vaccine, and two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson shot.)
One of our health partners—CORE—has been approved to provide vaccinations to children ages 5-11. For other clinics, children must be 12 or older to be served. Note that children ages 5 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Interpreters will be on site.
For more information on COVID vaccinations, go to the health department website or contact your healthcare provider. In addition, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is working with Viral Solutions to provide vaccinations to children ages 5-11. Online, learn more about "no appointment COVID-19 vaccinations" for children and adults, including boosters.
Thursday, March 10, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—McClure Health Science High School
Friday, March 11, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Mountain View High School
Tuesday, March 15, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Archer High School
Monday, March 28, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Dacula High School
Thursday, March 31, 2022 (3-8 p.m.) —Brookwood High School
Friday, April 1, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—Collins Hill High School
Thursday, April 14, 2022 (3-8 p.m.)—McClure Health Science High School
Friday, April 15, 2022 (4-8 p.m.)—Mountain View High School
Experts tell us no single tool is going to stop the pandemic. However, we can all do our part to slow COVID-19 transmission. The best protection from COVID-19—for yourself and others—will be a combination of strategies, including getting a COVID-19 vaccine if eligible, wearing a mask, maintaining distance when you can, staying home when ill, and washing your hands often. GCPS will continue to employ these and other established mitigation efforts, including continued use of enhanced ventilation practices, our Health Response Team process, and recommended cleaning and disinfecting practices in schools and on buses.
Career Day at Annistown
Annistown Elementary School will be hosting a Career Day on Friday, March 25, 2022.We are inviting speakers to join us to share their professions with our students. This will be a great opportunity for our Generals to begin pondering their futures and setting long-term goals. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer your time speaking to our students, we would love to have you. Please contact Mrs. Peterson at (678) 344-6779 or via e-mail at Tiffany.Peterson@gwinnett.k12.ga.us. Your cooperation in making this day a success is greatly appreciated!
Annistown Elementary Celebrates Women's History Month
Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March. The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978.
A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.
Georgia Milestones Assessment System
- Students in 3rd-5th grade will take the Georgia Milestones Assessment this year.
- The purpose of this assessment is to measure student achievement of the grade level standards and inform efforts to improve teaching and learning.
- Results from the assessment are utilized to identify students failing to achieve mastery of content and to provide us with feedback about our instructional practices.
- The Georgia Milestone testing window opens on April 21st.
- Please click on the link below to access Study/Resource Guides for the Georgia Milestones. These guides are intended to serve as a resource for parents and students.
Click the link below to sign up for the Title 1 Planning Meeting
Connect With Us
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org/AnnistownES
Location: 2950 Spain Road, Snellville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-979-2950
Facebook: facebook.com/AnnistownElementary
Twitter: @AnnistowES