Update from Principal Boyd
March 10, 2023
From Principal Boyd
Happy Friday!
A few items for you to be aware of at EJ:
School Governance Council (SGC) Elections
Are you interesting in serving on Esther Jackson's School Governance Council? If so, we would love to have you. The window for parents to declare candidacy to run in this spring’s SGC election is now open. Interested applicants should complete the Candidate Declaration Form by March 24th, available on the Charter System Website. If you have any questions about what the position would entail, please reach out to me directly.
Quarter 3 House Party
And the winning house color is...
YELLOW HOUSE!!!
Congratulations to our yellow house scholars on your Q3 win!
Science Olympiad
Congratulations to our EJ scholars on their performance in the Science Olympiad competition. We earned 10th place in the Straw Egg Drop and 1st place in Barge Building! A special thank you to Kim Keisler and all of our EJ staff who supported our team. I'm a proud principal!
School Board Appreciation
Fulton County Schools is joining in a statewide celebration to acknowledge the work and dedication of our local school board members. The week of March 13-17, 2023 has been proclaimed School Board Appreciation Week in Georgia. Each member contributes her own strengths to the district, and these different contributions and perspectives make our Board a formidable group. We thank them for their leadership, their commitment to our students and our community, and for supporting our mission, “Where Students Come First.”
A special thank you to our Board Member, Katha Stuart, for her dedication to Fulton County Schools!
Book Donation
A special thank you to Crabapple Montessori for donating books to our EJ classrooms and scholars. I just love the excitement that comes from putting books in the hands of our students.
Centennial Community Support - Go Fund Me
Five families in our community have recently experienced a devastating apartment fire that has left them with nothing. As you can imagine losing your home and all your possessions in a single moment is a traumatic experience that nobody should have to go through.
The Esther Jackson Community Foundation is working with the Centennial Community Schools including Esther Jackson Elementary, Holcomb Bridge Middle and Centennial High, to coordinate relief for all the families involved. This is the only official fundraiser currently set for the families who lost their homes on March 3rd. We are committed to helping these families get back on their feet but we need your help. Your donation, no matter how big or small will go a long way in providing basic necessities such as clothing, food and shelter that these families desperately need right now.
Please consider making a donation. Your generosity will make a difference in the lives of those affected by this tragedy and help them move forward from this difficult time.
Attendance Recognition
Congratulations to the following classes for winning our February Attendance Challenge:
PreK - Smith
Kinder - Bivins
First - Kiess
Second - Feliciano
Third - Shook
Fourth - Drews
Fifth - Niles
Congratulations to the following students for winning the February Attendance Challenge. They took home a tablet!
Xavier Lebron - Ms. Kiess
Elijah Frederick - Ms. G. Keisler
Evelin Nava Alvarez - Ms. Whitehead
PreK Registration
The 2023-2024 Pre-Kindergarten Lottery application is scheduled for March 1, 2023 through March 17, 2023. Individual school lotteries will be held virtually March 27 – March 29 with notification from schools to parents by the end of the day on March 31, 2023.
Please see flyer below with more information about registration.
Jaguar Spotlight
This week I am highlighting a few amazing staff members and scholars:
Katelyn Bivins - Ms. Bivins is a ROCKSTAR teacher! She is masterful at providing our students with high level, engaging, instruction on a daily basis. When you enter her room, it is apparent that she loves her students and her job. Ms. Bivins has high expectations of her students and they work hard to meet them. Whenever I'm in her room, I don't want to leave. Thank you, Katelyn, for being Team EJ!
Vickie Long - Ms. Vickie and her team work hard to ensure that our students have breakfast and lunch each day. They have consistently been short staffed this year; however, they still prepare meals and serve our students with a smile. As the cafeteria manager, Ms. Vickie is always looking for ways to have the cafeteria be an extension to what is happening in the building. EJ is a better place due to her dedication and leadership.
Rebecca Martinez Rojas, Adamaris Trejo, Serenity Lowe, and Emmy Velazco - Congratulations to these scholars for earning Jaguar of the Quarter for their House Color! These jaguars have consistently followed PAWS by Practicing Good Manners, Always Following Directions, Working Together, and Selecting Safe Choices.
Teacher and Staff Recognition
The role of an educator is extremely rewarding and sometimes tough. it is so important that we always show appreciation to our EJ staff.
If you would like to recognize an EJ staff member, please complete this short form: https://tinyurl.com/StaffRecognitionEJ We would love to hear from you!
Principal Feedback
Parents, please use this link to provide feedback on how we can better serve you. I welcome questions, suggestions, concerns, and of course positive messages about EJ or any staff member. Please do not include questions about your student(s) performance. Instead, contact your student's teacher.
Dates to Remember
March 10 - Q3 House Party
March 13 - Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
March 14 - Teacher Workday - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
March 15 - College and Career Day
March 16 - Title I Parent Input Meeting
March 17 - Career Day
March 17 - Report Cards Distributed
March 21 - School Governance Council Meeting @4:30
March 23 - Donuts with Grown-Ups - (Bring your student to school and enjoy a donut with them)
March 28 - Spring Picture Day
March 30 - Cinderella Musical
March 31 - Assistant Principal Day
April 3-7 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
April 10 - Return from Spring Break