Panther Press
New Prospect Elementary School Newsletter
July 11, 2023
Summer is not over yet!
Hello Panther Families!
Although summer is not over yet, we are getting closer and closer to the beginning of the school year! I hope you have enjoyed a summer vacation filled with fun and exciting memories with your loved ones (and will continue to do so over the next couple of weeks).
We are thrilled to welcome all of you back to a new school year where learners grow, success is celebrated, and everyone matters. I personally cannot wait for school to start. I miss your kids so much and am very excited about this school year for so many reasons. I look forward to continuing to serve this amazing school and community!
In this summer issue of Panther Press, you will find a lot of “Save the Dates” for school events and new staff bios. It also highlights some of the exciting things that have happened with our staff and with the school building!
Our theme this year is Embrace the Challenge. All of us have different challenges to face this year. Some of us are coming from different schools and joining the New Prospect Family. Some of us have been here, but want to continue learning and growing in our new classrooms! We are all are going to face the challenge of collaboration and working together! This is so important to our future and we can't wait to focus on it this year!
With our theme in mind, part of our collaborative work will be academic but also through games during recess time! Whether this be outside or inside (depending on the weather) we will work on playing games together while working on social skills, problem solving, self-control and attention. WE NEED YOUR HELP to do this!
Starting tomorrow through July 28th, we are having a Game Drive!!! Please see flyer below for details! All games will be given out to teachers before the school year starts! Please help us make this happen and let me know if you have any questions!
Please email me if you need anything from me in the coming weeks and see you soon!
Amy Lemons
Principal
Upcoming Events:
*Click Gray Button Below for the calendar of the WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR
July 28th-New Families Scavenger Hunt-10:00am
August 4th- Sneak Peek *Times based on Last Name
9:00- A-D
9:30-E-K
10:00-L-R
10:30-S-Z
August 7th-First Day of School
August 7th- Andy's Custard Spirit Night 5:00-7:00
August 18th-Back to School Bash-5:30-8pm
August 24th- PK, K & 1st Curriculum Night 5:30
August 25th-Pep Rally (Wear House Colors)
September 1st- Panther House Day (Wear House Colors)
September 4th-6th-No School for Students
September 7th- 2nd-5th Curriculum Night @ 5:30pm *parent event only
Order your House Shirts and NPE Shirts Now!
Please ORDER your House Shirt for the 2023-2024 school year for $8 ($10 for Adult XXL and XXXL sizes)
ALL students will wear House Shirts to pep rallies, field trips, field day and more!
Each year, our P.B.I.S. (“Positive Behavior Interventions and Support”) Team assigns each class a “HOUSE” (i.e., Air, Earth, Water or Fire) to promote and reward positive behavior. Students and staff wear the shirts for pep rallies, class competitions, spirit days, field day, fun run and field trips.
Your student(s) house shirt color will be determined by their assigned teacher in the first weeks of school and shirts will be handed out before our first pep rally on August 25. This year's shirt design contest winner was rising 5th grader, Emma Betti.
Click here to order: https://newprospectpta.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/6477
NPE Staff Congratulations over the Summer
Coach Stokes Got Married
Congratulations to Coach Stokes, P.E. Teacher who is now Coach Jessica Brooks on her marriage over the summer!
Ms. Spencer got Married TOO!
Mrs. Oliver had her BABY!!!
Ezra Oakes Oliver was born on Saturday July 8th at 8:01 PM. He is the absolute cutest little boy! Amanda is doing well and sends her love!
Welcome to New Prospect!
Bethany Smith, Kindergarten Teacher
Hi! I’m Bethany Smith, and I am so excited to be returning to New Prospect! I have lived in Alpharetta almost my whole life and graduated from Kennesaw State with a Secondary Education degree but my heart belongs in Elementary Ed. My husband and I have 3 girls who definitely keep us busy. I look forward to being a Panther and watching all the growth that comes each year.
Annie Walker, Kindergarten Teacher
My name is Annie Walker, and I am excited to be joining the amazing Kindergarten team at New Prospect! I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia and have many fond memories of hiking, camping, blackberry picking, hunting for crawdads and catching fireflies! I am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) and received my Masters in Elementary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. I taught Kindergarten, 1st grade, and Reading Intervention in Ann Arbor, Michigan prior to moving to Georgia. In my spare time I enjoy reading, playing the piano, camping and spending time with my husband and our 4 children. As a parent and a substitute teacher this past school year, I have come to know first-hand what an amazing and welcoming community of families and educators we have at NPE. I have a passion for literacy education and believe in helping students develop the skills to become creative problem solvers, academic risk-takers and compassionate community members. I look forward to a wonderful 2023-2024 school year!!
Kelly Crotsley, 1st Grade Teacher
Hi! My name is Kelly Crotsley, and I cannot wait to join the first grade team at New Prospect this year! I have been teaching for 24 years in almost every grade from Pre-K through 8th grade. I enjoyed every grade level when I taught it; however, my heart is in the primary grades. I love seeing how excited students in the younger grades are when they learn something new. Most recently, I taught first grade at Shakerag Elementary just down the street in Johns Creek. I was born in the Chicago area, but also lived in Washington state and Connecticut before moving to Roswell in high school, so I am a proud product of Fulton County Schools. I attended the University of Georgia and love how well the Dawgs are doing in football now! When I’m not at school, I spend time with my family. My husband works at River Trail Middle School, and we have 2 teenage boys, a junior in high school and an eighth grader. They keep us busy with their sports activities! We also have several pets at home including a dog, a cat, a guinea pig, and a turtle. I am very excited to meet my new Panthers soon!
Krissany Tauber, 1st Grade Teacher
My name is Krissany Tauber. Some of you may already know me, for the last 2 years I’ve been a substitute teacher at New Prospect. I am so excited to be an “official” panther this year. I am married and have two daughters who attend NP. I hope they continue to think it’s cool! As someone who firmly believes we should never stop learning, I’m currently working towards my Master’s in Elementary Education. I love using hands on learning activities to keep students engaged. I also believe children learn from our example so it’s best to lead with love and understanding. I’m looking forward to another great year at New Prospect.
Emily Brown, 3rd Grade Teacher
Hi!! My name is Emily Brown and I am so excited to join the New Prospect Elementary family this year! I recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a Masters degree in Elementary Education - Go Dawgs! In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends, reading, shopping, and being outside. I grew up in Cumming GA with my mom, dad, two younger sisters, and my dog, Piper. This will be my first year of teaching and I am over the moon to pursue my lifelong dream of being a teacher. I cannot wait to meet you all and have a great school year!!
Beth Starling, 3rd Grade Teacher
Hello! My name is Beth Starling and I am so excited to be joining New Prospect this year as a 3rd grade teacher. This will be my 9th year teaching; I have previously taught kindergarten and 2nd grade. I grew up right down the road in Roswell, GA and bought my first home in Milton last summer. I went to college at Valdosta State University and am finishing up my masters in reading education with Georgia Southern this summer. My parents retired and moved to Big Canoe in North Georgia a few years back, and I love to spend time visiting them in the mountains whenever I get a chance. When I am not teaching, I love to read on my back porch, go for walks when the weather is nice, find new restaurants to try, and spend time with my friends and family. I believe that relationships are one of the most important things about teaching, and I am looking forward to building new relationships this year!
Jenny Hunter, 4th Grade Teacher
Hello! My name is Jenny Hunter! I am excited to start my first year of teaching at New Prospect Elementary! I grew up wanting to be a teacher and I am grateful that my dream is coming true! I was born in Atlanta, and I grew up in Canton, Georgia. I attended Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and I am currently still attending Georgia Southern for my Masters in Elementary Education. I love traveling, and my favorite place to travel is the beach. I am a big family person, as I spend a lot of time with my family and my fiancé, and I am excited to become a part of this school’s family!
Lex Johnson, 4th Grade Teacher
Howdy! My name is Alexis Johnson and I am so excited to officially join New Prospect's 4th grade team! Last year I was lucky enough to be a part of this community as an intern, and now I'm back! Hooray! I graduated from Kennesaw State University with my Bachelors in Science in Elementary Education with an endorsement in ESOL. For fun, I like to play video games with my friends and volunteer at conventions on security teams! I am a proud dog mom and I consider passion to be one of my greatest strengths. As a nerd, I have a lot of passion for a lot of different subjects and I am excited to share the passion for learning with this year's students!
Alena Locurcio, 5th Grade Teacher
Hey guys, my name is Alena Locurcio! I’m super excited to see what Elementary is all about as a 5th grade teacher! After graduating from the University of Georgia with my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Education, I started my career teaching 8th grade math and Algebra then transitioned into 6th grade math last year. Currently, I am finishing my Specialists in Teacher Leadership at Valdosta State University. Outside of school, I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family, going to Braves Games, and going on walks with my golden doodle, Milton! Go Panthers!!
Leslie Barnes, Kindergarten Paraprofessional
Hello, my name is Leslie Barnes. I am very excited to be joining the Panthers at New Prospect! I taught Special Education at Alpharetta Elementary in grades 1-4.
I am married and have two rescue pups, Molly and Shelby, who run the household. I have a son and daughter-in-law who have blessed us with two beautiful granddaughters. I am the oldest of six children and love spending time with my family. I am amazed watching children develop their minds and personalities as they grow. My husband, Mike, and I enjoy challenging walking trails and finding new adventures through travel. Although, you can always find me watching football during the winter months (GO DAWGS!) or on a beach in the summer listening to Jimmy Buffet and Bob Marley.
Bonnie Elseroad, Pre-K Paraprofessional
Hi, my name is Bonnie Elseroad, and I am looking forward to joining the New Prospect staff. I have worked with young children, in many different capacities, most of my life...most recently in a Fulton County Deaf & hard of hearing classroom. My husband & I will celebrate 47 years of marriage this year. We have 3 adult children and 11 grandchildren, ages 6 to 15 years. When not in the classroom, I enjoy travel(especially the beach), reading, walking, cooking and spoiling this grands!
It's going to be a fun year of learning!
Katie Lee Vander Velde, Tutoring Paraprofessional
Hi there! My name is Katie Vander Velde and I am so thrilled to be joining the New Prospect community. I have lived in the Atlanta area since 2009, first in Atlanta, then Tucker, and finally in Johns Creek for the last 7 years. I grew up in Arkansas but my previous career in public health allowed me to live in many places including New Orleans, Memphis, Washington DC, Thailand and Mozambique! I love to explore our world and travel every chance I can. My husband and I both attended Tulane University and have 2 amazing sons ages 11 and 15. We are a family of foodies and enjoy cooking together and discovering new restaurants. We are also a family of readers and our house is overflowing with books! I have volunteered extensively in my sons’ schools through the years and with the International Rescue Committee in Atlanta helping teach newly arrived refugee and immigrant children. I believe a good education is priceless and that every single child should have access to one. I look forward to helping your children reach their goals, grow their confidence and find joy in learning!
Megan Bailey
Hello! My name is Megan Bailey and I am so excited to join the New Prospect team! I was born and raised in Georgia, first Cumming and then Roswell, where I graduated from Roswell High School. I then moved to Auburn, Alabama (War Eagle!) and received my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. I moved back to Georgia after college and began teaching PreK and then 2nd grade with Fulton County Schools, while also getting my Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. I moved back to Auburn for a few years where I taught Kindergarten and then, my dream job, ESOL! I attended UAB for my Ed.S in TESOL and have loved every second of working with our multilingual learners. Outside of school, I love college football Saturdays, my pets (I have a dog and a hedgehog), reading, and traveling. I am so excited to be back in my home state and working with this incredible team!
Haylee Renouf, Speech Teacher
Haylee Renouf, M.S. CF-SLP, earned her undergraduate degree in Communications and Science Disorders from the University of Central Florida. She recently graduated with a Master's degree in Speech and Language from New York University with a 4.0 GPA. She is passionate about her work and is currently completing her clinical fellowship year, focusing on pediatrics. Haylee is highly skilled in areas such as articulation and phonology disorders, expressive and receptive language disorders, pragmatic language disorders, and dyslexia. She is also experienced with the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Barton Reading and Spelling System, and trained in Lindamood-Bell's Visualizing and Verbalizing Program. Haylee has a familiarity with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Outside the therapy room, Haylee enjoys picnics at Piedmont Park, cheering on the UCF Knights (Charge on!), cooking new recipes, traveling, loves all puppies, and spending time with her family and friends.
Does your child have medical needs??
Does your child have any medical conditions or concerns that we should know about?
Please contact
Tracylynn Wagner, RN
Alpharetta Cluster Nurse
404-401-5546
Sign Up to Volunteer for Brain Building Dates!
The volunteer spots are to help in the Enrichment rotation which will be a hands-on STEAM activity. Please review the available slots below and click on the link to sign up. Thank you!