What a wonderful opening to the 2023-24 school year! Just one month ago we opened our doors to nearly 1000 Baggett Titans and approximately 20 new staff members, each and every one a tremendous asset to our community. I want to thank you, our community, for all that you have done to make the start of the school year a success!

If you are new to the Baggett family, welcome! You've landed in a great community, unlike any other school. We see our school as the heart of the community. We're here for you no matter what the need is, and if we can't meet your need ourselves, we're certain to be able to point you in the right direction! Every day at Baggett, we're working to become an innovative STEAM school that promotes an environment in which all students feel a sense of belonging and are inspired to become creative, impactful members of society. A few weeks ago we welcomed to our campus 2000 trout eggs. Our 4th graders are taking the lead to raise them until they become small-fry trout. On October, the grade level will be heading to the Chatahoochee River to release them. In just a few days, we're expecting four of the chickens that hatched last spring to return to campus to take residence in our new outdoor coop. Each grade level is currently working on a social-action connected project-based learning activity integrating objectives from across the curriculum into a hands-on activity of 4-6 weeks in length.

After and before school, we're expanding our offerings for our students. New for this year is our Future Entrepreneur Club, soccer, and volleyball. We're super-excited for this year's school musical, "Bots!", STEAM club, Readers' Rally, and STEAM club as well as basketball, cheerleading, and our dance/step team.

Baggett is happy to announce a relaunch of our relationship with the Alliance Theatre. Funded in part by a grant from the Georgia Council of the Arts, our K-2nd grade teachers and students will be welcoming a teaching artist into their classrooms over 10 weeks to further integrate the arts into our curriculum.

This school is simply amazing, and it's only getting better!

To Cultivating Community!

Mitch Green

Principal

Baggett Elementary School

September 6 & 7 - Dance/Step Team Auditions

September 7 - Soccer 1st Practice

September 8 - Coffee & Conversation (8:30 - 9:30 AM)

September 11 - Readers' Rally Practice

September 11 - 1st day of after-school tutoring

September 11 - Girls Scouts Parent Meeting (6:00 PM)

September 14 - Cheerleading 1st Practice

September 14 - PTA Spirit Night - Stevi B's Pizza - Pleasant Hill, Duluth

September 15 - Digital Learning Day

September 15 - 1st Day of Hispanic Heritage Month

September 19 - Boy Scouts Parent Meeting (6:30 PM)

September 20 - 1st day of Volleyball (7:00 AM)

September 20 - Fall Picture Day

September 21 - Title I Annual Parent Meeting (5:00 PM) - Via Zoom

September 22 - Fall Festival (6:00 PM)

September 25 - Book Fair Browsing begins

September 29 - School Council (8:30 - 9:30 AM)

As we open this school year, there are a couple of changes and a few reminders that we want you to be aware of. Our morning car rider line off of Cruse Road opens at 7:40 AM. The best time to arrive seems to be around 7:50 AM when there seems to be a slight lull in the flow of traffic. This line closes at 8:10 AM. New for this year, our front doors, off of Old Norcross will open at 8:10 AM. Students who arrive at 8:15 AM or thereafter will be marked tardy and need to be escorted by a parent into the front office to be signed in. Thank you for being on time to school every day.

Our afternoon car rider line opens shortly after afternoon announcements at 2:45 PM. In order to ease the process, please make sure that you have your car rider number with you and please remain in your car. Please follow the directions of the school staff members who are outside. They are out there to be sure that everything ruhns smoothly and that everyone is safe.

As you exit the Cruse Road parking lot, every car must take a right turn. Left turns are both illegal and dangerous.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Banner Blurb

In August, we introduced the role of the counselor to our students and jumped into class lessons! Our focus for the end of August and moving into September is problem-solving. We all experience conflict in life. Whether we are frustrated with a friend or in an argument with a family member, we need tools to help us navigate conflict successfully. This month, students will practice using the Tree of Choices, which is a simple tool to lead us toward successful conflict resolution.

1. The Roots of the Tree

1. Identifying if the problem is big or small.

2. Big problems require assistance from an adult, which usually means someone is being hurt physically or emotionally.

3. Small problems can be solved on their own without adult assistance.

2. The Heart of the Tree:

1. Naming the emotions you are feeling.

3. The Branches of the Tree:

1. Make a choice to:

1. Move it out (step away from the problem)

2. Talk it out (talk through the issue or connect with a friend/trusted adult)

3. Breathe it out (practice some strategies that help us calm our emotions before responding in the heat of the moment.)

Do you have questions about Baggett Elementary School. Have a question, concern or idea to share, join Principal Green on September 8th at 8:30 AM in the Baggett Family Center for Coffee & Conversation!