Pulse on Peachtree
Feb 26th Newsletter
Principal's Message
Thank you Mr. Shrader
After 30+ years of service in education, most of which at Peachtree, we share a bittersweet goodbye to William "Scott" Shrader as he begins his journey into retirement. He has served as a teacher, coach and assistant principal with us and while we are very sad to lose him, we are also extremely excited for his well-deserved retirement. He will now spend his time with family by the water and enjoy his favorite drink, a cold Coca-Cola.
On a personal note, Mr. Shrader has been a mentor, a friend and has always been willing to help. I thank him for his contributions to many lives, including mine, and the legacy he leaves behind.
Welcome to 6th Grade Interim Assistant Principals
- Ms. Ann Culbreath
- Email: ann_culbreath@dekalbschoolsga.org
My name is Dr. Ann Culbreath and I am excited to serve as the sixth grade Interim Assistant Principal for PCMS! I retired from Austin Elementary in November 2020 where I served as the principal. Most recently, I served as the Interim Principal and Asst. Principal for Oakcliff Traditional Theme School. I am very excited to be working back in Dunwoody and look forward to working with the students, faculty, and parents.
- Ms. Mindee Adamson
- Email: mindee_adamson@dekalbschoolsga.org
With 30 years of experience in education, I retired from DeKalb in 2015. 25 of my years in education have been with the DeKalb County School District. While most of my experience has been at the high school level, I have taught middle school and worked as an administrator in high school and elementary.
For the last couple of years, I have served as an interim administrator for DCSD. I am excited about the opportunity to join the administrative team at Peachtree Charter Middle School. I am committed to supporting Ms. Perez, the faculty and staff to ensure we are providing the best educational experience for our students.
What does the change in visitor policy mean for Peachtree?
Below is information from DCSD on the update to our visitor policy that allows visitors into our building now. Many parents have asked me what that means at Peachtree and I'd like to provide specific guidance:
- All visitors must sign in with a picture ID in our front lobby. A visitors sticker will be provided. Masks are required while in the building.
- Visitors meeting with teachers and/or staff are asked to setup appointments in advance. A school staff member, can welcome you in the front lobby and serve as a host for our facility.
- Our school-sponsored clubs and extracurricular activities that have parent volunteers may contact Ms. Natalie Cowart to coordinate when/where inside the building they'd like to meet. Practices and events are booked on an internal calendar based on availability.
- Non school-sponsored clubs or organizations that would like to use our facilities need to go through the DCSD facility use process linked here.
Celebrating BHM
Thank you to all the students, staff and parents that participated in our Black History Month activities. We love to celebrate the many staff members that attended HBCU's!
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been at the center of our American history having played an integral role in the education of African Americans and establishing universal schooling in the United States. Many influential Americans have attended HBCUs including Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, Thurgood Marshall, Lionel Richie, Earl Graves, Sr., David Banner, Althea Gibson, Toni Morrison, Jacque Reid, Susan Kelechi Watson, and some of our very own Patriots as shown in the photo below!!
Student Safety - Arrival and Dismissal
We understand that the car pool line takes time and we do our best to speed up the process. We urge parents to use our carpool for arrival and dismissal. We don't have the amount of personnel to supervise the area behind the trailers, beside the bus loop and at brook run. Additionally the cars lined up along Barclay block our buses from entering our bus lane. Our admin team and our school resource officer will do our best to remind parents not to block the road, but we ask for your partnership in keeping our students safe and getting them to/from school in a timely manner.
Skateboards on Campus
Many of our students are spending time at the skate park in Brook Run (next door) after school and are bringing their skateboards with them. While we love that students are playing outside, socializing and practicing a fun hobby, we ask for your support in reviewing the info below with them.
We are reviewing the need for a skateboard rack (like a bike rack) where students can lock up their boards throughout the day. In the meantime, students are asked to drop their skateboard off in a classroom or office in the morning, typically their 7th period. Students will not be permitted to walk around campus throughout the day with their skateboard in their possession. We appreciate your understanding and support!
Upcoming Dates
February 26th: Boys & Girls Soccer Game v. Chamblee Middle
February 26th: Track Meet @ North DeKalb Stadium
March 3rd: PAC Academics Sub-Committee Meeting (date updated)
March 5th: Boys & Girls Soccer Game v. Lithonia
March 5th: Track Meet @ North DeKalb Stadium
March 9th: PAC Meets with DCSD about CMP 3:00pm
March 10th: Chorus Concert
March 11th: Peachtree Awards Day (more information coming soon to those receiving awards)
March 11th: No school (Teacher Work Day)
March 12th: Boys & Girls Soccer Game v. Druid Hills Middle
March 12th: Track Meet @ Buck Godfrey
March 14th - 18th: School Board Appreciation Week
March 17th: All Roads Lead to Dunwoody Event at 5:30pm
March 19th: Boys & Girls Soccer Game v. Chapel Hill Middle
March 19th: Track Meet @ James Halliford Stadium
March 22nd: PAC General Meeting
March 24th: Special Olympics @ James Halliford Stadium
March 26th: Boys & Girls Soccer Game v. Stone Mountain Middle
**All dates are subject to change.
Visitor Policy Update
In an effort to further recognize the importance of our parents and community members to the overall success of our schools, the District’s guidelines are being adjusted to allow visitors to enter facilities. The general district-wide restrictions are lifted. (Refer to Board Policy KM: Visitors to School.)
To mitigate the risks of transmission of COVID-19 in our community, the DeKalb County School District is committed to maintaining safety and health policies and protocols throughout the school district. Visitors accessing school facilities are expected to adhere to these policies and protocols.
In accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, all visitors are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and must adhere to DeKalb County School District’s established safety protocols and wear a mask appropriately covering the mouth and nose while on campus. Prior to entry, all visitors should be free of COVID-19 symptoms.
Definition of Visitor
Visitors, in general, are not active members of DeKalb County School District’s faculty, staff, or student populations.
Disclaimer
The District 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 and Prevention (CDC). Decisions will be made in collaboration with the Medical Advisory Committee and Learning and Leading with Excellence Team (formerly the COVID-19 Think Tank).
Testing Updates - Important
The Department of Education (ED) has stated that all accountability and school identification requirements under ESSA are in effect for the 2021-2022 school year. Therefore, ED is not expected to grant any testing waivers this school year. All students, including those receiving virtual instruction, are expected to participate in Georgia Milestones/GAA/ACCESS in-person this school year. ED has indicated they will not waive the 95% participation requirement.
So, what does this mean for your child concerning the Spring 2022 End of Course (EOC) and/or End of Grade (EOG) Assessment?
End of Grade (All students)
The Georgia Promotion, Placement, and Retention Law and SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.11 mandates the following:
- All third-grade students must achieve grade level scores on the state-adopted assessment (End of Grade-EOG) in Reading to be promoted.
- All fifth-grade students must have achieved grade level scores in Reading and Mathematics on the state-adopted assessment (EOG) to be promoted.
- All eighth-grade students must have achieved grade level scores in Reading and Mathematics state adopted assessment (EOG) to promoted.
Students who score Below Grade Level in reading and/or in Beginning Learner achievement level in mathematics are retained under these provisions and must participate in the EOG retest administration.
End of Course (only students in 8gr Physical Science and 8gr Coordinate Algebra)
- A student’s final grade in an End of Course (EOC) course will be determined using a combination of the student’s grade in the course and the EOC score. The final grade in the course will be calculated using the teacher grade as 80% and the EOC score as 20% of the final grade.
- Students must earn a 70 or higher as the final course grade to pass the course and earn course credit (SBOE Rule 160-4-2.13 Statewide Passing Score).
- Non-participation in an EOC will result in a 0%.
If you have questions regarding any aspect of testing, please contact Ms. Andrea Merrick at andrea_merrick@dekalbschoolsga.org
PAC Upcoming Meetings
PAC General Meeting
March 22nd at 7:15am.
Offered hybrid. In- person will be in our conference room. Virtual link is included in agenda below.
PAC Academics Sub-Committee
March 3rd at 4:30pm.
The agenda drafts below include the link to join. All families are welcome to join and listen. To participate in the meeting, non-PAC members are able to speak during public comment.
http://www.peachtreems.dekalb.k12.ga.us/PrincipalAdvisoryCouncilPAC.aspx
PAC to Meet with DCSD Regarding CMP
Event Type:
Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP) Office Hours
Event Date/Time:
03:00pm - Wednesday, March 9, 2022 (Eastern Time - US & Canada)
The PAC at Peachtree Middle will present concerns about isolating two schools in the region as K-8 schools while also not addressing building concerns (HVAC, roof, condition of trailers) at Peachtree.
Non-PAC members are welcome to join and listen.
Location:
This is a Microsoft Teams web conference.
Attendees can join this meeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://calendly.com/events/52927c4d-136c-4e71-a2bb-f1688c3463d2/microsoft_teams
They can also dial in using a phone.
US: +1 470 440 4499
Conference ID: 993 530 289#
All Roads Lead to Dunwoody - Save the Date!
North, South, East, and West - all roads lead to DHS! Save the date for a Wildcat rally for all future students!
ALL elementary and middle school students from the Dunwoody Cluster are invited to a special event at Dunwoody High School on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 5:30 pm - All Roads Lead to Dunwoody! Students from Peachtree Middle School, Austin Elementary, Chesnut Elementary, Dunwoody Elementary, Hightower Elementary, Kingsley Elementary, and Vanderlyn Elementary are invited to join us on the turf field behind Dunwoody High School. Kickball games between students, staff and administration will be ongoing as well as the option to enjoy concessions. See a special presentation at 6:30 pm to kick off the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Dunwoody High School for the 2022-2023 school year followed by the DHS Powder Puff football game.
This is an outdoor event where covid mitigation strategies will be able to be implemented; masks are required.
All Roads Lead to Dunwoody T-Shirt - https://www.allforeonedunwoody.org/
Share your pride and show your spirit for the Dunwoody cluster schools! We're all on the same road leading to the home of the Wildcats! Wear your shirt any and every day you choose but especially on March 17 at the special event and Wildcat rally, All Roads Lead to Dunwoody, at DHS. Elementary, middle, high school students, all faculty and staff, alumni and anyone in the community is able to purchase a shirt(s) here.
With our community spirit shirts, we will UNITE and show how we are all for one on our road to Dunwoody!
Reunion de Padres
Sports Spotlight: Track Team
Learning Spotlight: Ms. Bustamante 7gr Science
This week students learning about protists in their life science class with Ms. Bustamante. They created comparison posters while listening to music and seeing protists "dance" on the board.
Check it out for yourselves below:
Peachtree Middle School
DCSD Website: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/
Instagram: @Principal.Perez
Website: www.peachtreems.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Location: Peachtree Middle School, North Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: (678)676 - 7702