The Parsons Happenings
January 29, 2021
In this edition...
Administrative Message
AKS At Home
Dual Language Immersion Zoom Meetings
Kids Heart Challenge
Parent Survey
2021-2022 GCPS Calendar and Calendar Adjustments
Music in Our Schools Month
E-PLEX Afterschool Program
Autism Awareness
Weekly Events
COVID Guidelines
Media Center Updates
PRYAA Youth Spring Baseball Registration
PTA News
Business Partners
Message from Your Proud Principal
I come from a baseball loving family and I have been to my fair share of baseball games from T-Ball to Major League. After the recent loss of baseball legend, Hank Aaron, my mother and I had a conversation over the phone this week about him. She shared with me that she and my dad went to a Braves games to watch "Hammerin' Hank" and his home run hits. I could tell in her voice how much she admired him for what he did on the field, but even more for what he did off the field. She went on to share with me that she and my dad actually met him in McDonough, Georgia when they went to buy a new car at one of his dealerships. She said he came across as a humble, gentle man and she was star struck when he spoke to her. She said she was proud she had the opportunity to watch him play, but also to see his success as an entrepreneur. She was amazed at how he broke racial barriers throughout his life. My mom went on to remind me (just as all mothers do, no matter how old their children are) the important role I play as a citizen, leader, colleague, mother, and friend.
As we celebrate Black History Month, I hope that each of us continue to strive for success in all that we do. The wise words of Hank Aaron, "My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging."
Our Parsons' community is doing just that...we keep on swinging for our future and our students' futures. We are truly #STRONGERTOGETHER!
Proud to be your Principal,
Mrs. Clark
- As part of Gwinnett County Public Schools’ family engagement initiative, the school district seeks to empower parents with tools that allow them to help their children at home. Our AKS at Home Project provides math and language arts resources to support families so that they truly are partners in their children’s learning. This support is available for families to access in the format that fits them and their schedule best. They can attend live virtual meetings, view recorded information at a time that best fits their schedule, or gain tips and suggestions on how to best help their students through tip sheets on a wide variety of topics.
We invite our families to sign up for a virtual session to learn more about how they can help their child. Please click on the link below for your child’s grade level and subject area to register.
Kindergarten
English/Language Arts, Mon. Jan. 25, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Math, Tues., Feb. 2, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.1st Grade
English/Language Arts, Wed., Jan. 27, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Math, Wed., Feb. 3, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.2nd Grade
English/Language Arts, Thurs., Jan. 28, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Math, Thurs., Feb. 4, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.3rd Grade
English/Language Arts, Thurs., Feb. 4, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Math, Thurs., Jan. 28, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.4th Grade
English/Language Arts, Wed., Feb. 3, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Math, Wed., Jan. 27, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.5th Grade
English/Language Arts, Thurs., Feb. 4, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Math, Mon., Jan. 25, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Dual Language Immersion Parent Meetings
Kids Heart Challenge: There is still time to join!
Calling all Heart Heroes! Our Kids Heart Challenge is in full swing! We’re having a blast learning
about our heart health and saving lives with the American Heart Association! Here’s how you can help...register and choose a challenge online at http://www2.heart.org/goto/parsons or search “Kids Heart Challenge” in your app store. See the flyer below for more information.
RBES Parent Survey
District shares 2021-2022 Calendar and Calendar Adjustments for Spring 2021
Second semester calendar changes: all students will learn at home on digital learning days (January 26, March 2, March 16 and April 20). GCPS School Nutrition Program will provide lunches through curbside pick up on January 26, March 2, March 16, and April 20th from 11:15am to 12:30pm.
The new 2021-2022 calendar features an August 4th start, staggered return of students, and digital learning days throughout the year.
Music in Our Schools Month
During the month of March, schools across the nation celebrate "Music in Our Schools Month" (MIOSM) as an opportunity to bring awareness to school music programs. "The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children...MIOSM is an opportunity for music teachers to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and the community, and to display the benefits that school music brings to students of all ages." - from the National Association for Music Education.
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfr9Wl_X03vQFjvwZSx9f-nlTjfbeeYPbPDn4NDZncqzJMc1Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
E-PLEX Afterschool Program
Autism Awareness
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
- A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and socially interact
- An estimated 1 out of 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls are diagnosed with ASD
- More than 3.5 million Americans live with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability
- ASD now affects 1 in 59 children
What can we do to help?
Autism Awareness at Parsons Elementary School
- Help bring awareness and support this great cause
- Watch out for various ways to raise funds
- Register online to donate or join our team @ Team Parsons https://www.autismspeaks.org/
- Be on the lookout for our annual t-shirt coming soon
- Join us for the annual Autism Walk. More information will come later.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Monday, 2/1/21
Kids Heart Challenge
American Heart Month
National African American History Month
National Children's Dental Health Month
National Freedom Day
Tuesday, 2/2/21
Kids Heart Challenge
Groundhog Day
Wednesday, 2/3/21
Kids Heart Challenge
Statewide Tornado Drill
Thursday, 2/4/21
Kids Heart Challenge
Friday, 2/5/21
Kids Heart Challenge
Box Top Collection Day
Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) (Buddhist)
Doing our part to stop the spread of Covid-19
Please use the COVID-19 Morning Checklist to help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Please continue to follow the guidelines each morning when sending your in person student to school. We have seen a slight increase of cases in Gwinnett and we want to make sure we are ALL doing our part.
Each school in our district has a trained Health Response Team (HRT). If a suspected case of Covid-19 is reported at our school, the team follows set guidelines and procedures. Please be assured that you will be contacted by an HRT member if your child has been identified as 'close contact' to someone in our school who has tested positive for COVID-19.
The most important thing we can do is continue to wear our masks, practice social distancing, and wash hands regularly. We are #STRONGERTOGETHER when we all do our part.
Media Center Information
All students can still get library books during digital days using curbside checkout. When ANY student is digital, curbside checkout is available. Curbside is not available for in-person students when they are actually in the school building. The Media Center staff always wears gloves and a mask when they handle books and also quarantine books based on GCPS guidelines. It is easy to check out books even if students are at home learning digitally. Here are some guidelines:
- Books must be placed on hold by midnight each Sunday night for pickup that week. They will go off hold if they are not picked up. All books are shelved each Friday and not held over to the following week. Students should only place books on hold if their parent/ neighbor/relative is able to pick up the books that particular week.
- Parents will receive an email on Monday morning letting them know the books are ready to pick up.
- Parents drive through the car rider lane on Wednesday or Thursday between 11:30 - 1:00 based on the first letter of their last name. A-M come on Wednesday & N-Z come on Thursday. Library books will be given through the window or placed in the trunk as requested. Parents will not exit their car.
- Students should place only one graphic novel and one book from a series on hold at a time so others can enjoy these books too.
Library books can be kept for 2 weeks before they need to be returned. When students are finished with a library book, they can return it either to curbside checkout or to the book return outside the front of the school. Books must be returned before new books are checked out. If students checked out books this week at school, those books need to be returned before getting new books.
- Students who are digital get to place one extra book on hold since they might not be able to get library books as often as in-person students. When students are learning from home, they are all considered digital learners for library curbside pickup.
- The Gwinnett County Public Library also offers curbside pickup with later hours and weekend pickup options. Students can login to the Public Library using their student number and 4-digit birthday as their pin just as they use for Beanstack to log reading minutes for the Parsons Schoolwide Reading Challenge.
- Visit Ms. Britt's eCLASS page for more information about curbside checkout along with videos to learn how to place a book on hold.
Peachtree Ridge Youth Spring Baseball Registration
PTA News
Photo round-up
PTA wants to include you! This is your last chance to send in pictures for the yearbook. Please click here: https://forms.gle/TjNQN3q1PTPPzxEp6 to fill in a Google form to upload pictures and answer a few short questions. Please fill in the form today.
Yearbook
Order your Parsons yearbook by January 31, 2021 to get the early bird discount and only pay $30 for the yearbook. After January 31, 2021, the yearbook costs $40 and is subject to limited availability. Yearbooks are on sale at www.mypaymentsplus.com. Beat the rush and guarantee your child receives a yearbook! Early Bird Special price is $30 only until 1/31/2021. Yearbooks will be delivered in May. Feel free to e-mail yearbook.parsons@gmail.com with any questions or comments.
Parsons Business Partners 2020-2021
Proud Principal Laura Clark
Email: laura.j.clark@gcpsk12.org
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org
Location: 1615 Old Peachtree Road Northwest, Suwanee, GA, USA
Phone: 678-957-3050