Parent Power @ Banneker
The Parent Newsletter That Informs, Engages and Empowers!
Volume 1, Issue 7: October 6, 2021
In This Issue:
- Our Trojans Triumph!
- School Is Out
- SAT/PSAT Prep
- Grading and Progress Reports
- Upcoming College Visits
- Support Applying to College
Engagement Reminders:
- Review the Annual Title I Parent Meeting presentation and submit the evaluation (be sure to select "Annual Meeting" in the dropdown menu).
- Review Banneker's School-Family Compact, Parent-Family Engagement Plans (PFEP), and the District's PFEP. Please send an email that you have received them to neale@fultonschools.org.
- Join PTSA!
OUR EXTRAORDINARY NAMESAKE!
BENJAMIN BANNEKER HIGH SCHOOL: HOME OF THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY TROJANS!
Dr. Jason Stamper
Principal
6015 Feldwood Road
College Park, GA 30349
Main Phone: 470-254-3410
Student Services: 470-254-3479
Parent Liaison: 470-254-3474
Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/bannekerhs
Find Us On Facebook @Benjamin Banneker HS
Dr. Jason Stamper, Principal
Trojan Strong!
Where Trojans Are Made
The Principal's Office
Our Principal's Charge
THERE IS NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS MONDAY AND TUESDAY OCTOBER 11-12, 2021
Let's Be Clear On Backpacks
Parents, please be reminded that clear or mesh backpacks are required for all students at Banneker High School. This includes bags for athletics. We have distributed more than 1,000 free clear or mesh backpacks to students who were in need of one. At this point, all students have now had the opportunity to receive or purchase their own clear or mesh backpack and we can no longer provide clear or mesh backpacks free of charge. It is not cost-effective to do so.
As a result, going forward, we will provide backpacks at a low cost of $5.00 to students. To purchase backpacks, students should see our staff in the main office or click here. Students can pick them up from the main office.
SAT/PSAT Administration
We will be administering the PSAT for all Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. On this same day, all seniors who have pre-registered for the SAT will take the SAT at this time.
Only Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and pre-registered Seniors for the SAT, report to school on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
Pre-registration is not necessary for our Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors, only Seniors were required to pre-register (because it is the actual SAT).
On that day, students will report to school during the normal time (8:10 am), however, dismissal will be at 1:00 pm following testing. Students will get a grab-and-go lunch before boarding their busses or riding/walking home.
The Grades Are In!
Student progress reports have been uploaded to Infinite Campus. Please spend time with your child reviewing their progress in each class as we need your partnership in this to ensure their success. Please reach out to your child's teachers with specific questions regarding each course grade.
OUR TROJANS TRIUMPH!
Tutoring Resource For Scholars in Quarantine
Scholars who are quarantined can receive free tutoring. The service is virtual, just complete the student enrollment form below:
• Enrollment Form: https://forms.gle/mzwLvkeDyJQxcocR8
• Enrollment Form Tutorial Video: https://vimeo.com/588977294
How Do I Make a Report If My Scholar Gets COVID-19?
COVID-19 Cases and Awareness
Use the District link created to monitor COVID cases at each school using the following link https://www.fultonschools.org/coronavirusreport
Fulton County Schools works very closely with the Georgia Department of Health and are advised on quarantine procedures and next steps in all cases. Again, please be assured that we will always contact parents directly if your child has been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID.
COVID Reporting for Parents
The Fulton County Board of Health (FCBOH) and Fulton County Schools have developed an online portal for FCS parents/guardians to report student COVID-19 related cases.
Please make a report to the FCBOH when your student is COVID-19 positive, has a pending COVID-19 test result, or has been in direct contact with a COVID-19 positive person. Also, please use this resource for official reporting rather than alerting the school and/or teacher. If you must engage the school/teacher, please do so after you have made an official report to the FCBOH.
To ensure the protection of our school community, please do not allow your child to attend school or school-sponsored events when he/she is ill and/or has any of the above COVID-19 concerns. Please reference the attached flyer and consider posting it in a visible location for easy access.
For easy access, you can also use the link below to report any student-related COVID-19 issues. COVID-19 related issues include students testing for COVID-19 for any reason, being exposed to or having direct contact with an individual testing positive for COVID-19 or students testing positive for COVID-19 themselves.
Parent (Student) COVID-19 Reporting Portal
A Special Note From Dr. Stamper on Mitigating Student Conflict
How To Teach Students to Solve Their Own Conflicts
What is the School-Family Compact and What is the Parent-Family Engagement Plan for?
The School-Family Compact:
The School-Family Compact is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. The Compact explains how parents and teachers will partner together to ensure that all students receive the individual support they need to reach and exceed grade-level academic standards. It is jointly developed with input from parents, staff, students, and the community to support the academic success of our scholars. To provide your input, click here.
How the Parent-Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) is used?
In support of strengthening student academic achievement, Benjamin Banneker High School receives Title I, Part A funds and therefore must jointly develop with, agree on with, and distribute to parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement plan that contains information required by section 1116(b) and (c) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The policy establishes the school’s expectations for parent and family engagement and describes how the school will implement a number of specific parent and family engagement activities, and it is incorporated into the school’s plan submitted to the local educational agency (LEA). The district has a similar plan.
Look for all three of these very important engagement tools to be delivered to you via email. They are also available via the school website.
When you receive your email, please reply with, "I have received Banneker's School-Family Compact, the Parent Family Engagement Plan (PFEP), and the District's PFEP." Also, include your scholar's name and grade.
Join the Benjamin Banneker PTSA!
Friend Us On Facebook
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
Annual Title I Parent Meeting Evaluation
Tips For Busy Parents
Helping Your Scholar With Writing
Building Relationships With Teachers
15 Questions to Replace "How Was School Today?"
How many times have you asked your child, “How was school today?” and been frustrated by the lack of response? As a parent, I’m guilty of asking my son this question all the time, even though I usually don’t get much in return. Sometimes (to be honest), I haven’t had the energy for a real conversation. Other times, I just can’t think of what to ask. As a teacher, I have often wished that kids would share stories of the awesome things we were doing with their parents, but I couldn’t figure out how to make that happen...for the full article, click here
Help Your Scholar Develop a Daily Routine
Help Your Scholar Be a Responsible Digital Citizen
Harms of Copyright Policy
It's College Visit Time!
- University of North Georgia: October 7th, 9:00--9:30 a.m., Banneker Auditorium
- University of West Georgia: October 8th, 9:30--10:00 a.m., Banneker Auditorium
- Art Institute of Atlanta: October 18th, 9:30-10 a.m., Banneker Auditorium
- Georgia South Western College: October 22nd at 0:00-10:30 a.m., Banneker Auditorium
Get Support With College Applications
Don't Miss This Workshop, Get Support With:
- The application process
- How to successfully get the right amount of funding
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- How to boost your value on your applications
- SAT/ACT strategies
- Click here to register
Now Is the Time to Apply For College Financial Aid
College Board Opportunity Scholarships
Counselor's Corner
Ashley Holmes Cosby, Head Counselor
School Counselors are responsible for assisting in the social, emotional, academic, and college and career development of high school students. Counselors engage in classroom guidance, individual student meetings, and small group lessons, to further develop our students. I am most excited about our College Friday series where we highlight our seniors who have been accepted to a college or earned scholarship dollars.
Who Is My Scholar's Counselor?
Students’ guidance counselors are assigned alphabetically, by last name. Please see below for your child’s assigned counselor. There are slight adjustments from last year.
Mrs. Holmes-Cosby: Students last names A-C
Ms. Sutherland: Students last names D-Johnakin
Ms. Muneer: Students last names Johnson-Ran
Mr. Lawrence: Students last names Rao-Z
Ms. Reid: Counseling Intern
How Many Credits Does My Scholar Need to Get Promoted?
Students must earn the following number of credits to be promoted to the next grade level:
- 10th grade: 5 credits
- 11th grade: 11 credits
- 12th grade: 17 credits
Banneker Social Workers Support Scholars
Carlton Silver and Quatrellyia Jones
School Social Work Services
What are the responsibilities of the School Social Worker?
The School Social Worker serves as the liaison between the home, the school, and the community at large. The School Social Worker also acts as an advocate for students and their families.
What does a School Social Worker do?
A School Social Worker alleviates obstacles at home and school that interfere with students’ learning capabilities. The School Social Worker works together with the school administration, teachers, staff, students, parents, on numerous issues in order for students to achieve academically.
What types of issues do School Social Workers address?
Academics Parent Support Community Resources
Health Attendance Abuse/Neglect/Domestic Violence
Economic Needs Homelessness Emotional /Social Issues
Mr. Carlton Silver Jr
470-254-3547
Grades 9th & 12th
Mrs. Quatrellyia Jones
470-254-3492
Grades 10th & 11th
(Tues & Thursday)
Family Counseling Available to Help You!
Fulton County Schools has partnered with the Odyssey Family Counseling Center to provide school-based counseling services to students! Students who may benefit from counseling should be referred regardless of their insurance status. Odyssey Family Counseling Center has an on-site mental health clinician that is here in the building two days out of the week. Please feel free to reach out to your School Social Workers if you have any questions or are interested in receiving services.
BANNEKER SCHOLARS ARE UPWARD BOUND!
INFORMATION IS POWER!
What's New at Fulton County Schools?
What Is Collaborative Structured Reading (CSR)?
Collaborative Structured Reading (CSR) is a multi-component reading approach developed to help students improve their reading comprehension. Its overall goal is to improve reading comprehension in a way that maximizes student engagement.
For the past four weeks, your 9th -11th-grade students have been using the CSR strategy in their Personalization Block classes. They work together in a collaborative setting to read grade-level informative text, identify unfamiliar vocabulary and use fix-up strategies to understand the text.
The texts are focused on a range of topics that are relative to the student's lives such as social justice, environmental issues, and personal development. An example of one of the fix-up strategies or clunk cards is below:
For more information and resources please reach out to your scholars’ teacher or grade level administrator.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is a temporary FCC program to help households struggling to afford internet service during the pandemic. Eligible households can enroll through an approved provider or by visiting GetEmergencyBroadband.org.
We are eager to assist you and value your time, so before you call the school have you:
2. Checked the School's Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/bannekerhs
3. Read Dr. Stamper's Weekly Email to Parents
These sources empower you with the information you need. Should you need further support, please reach out to us!
HERE'S A QUICK REFERENCE TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
What Does Being A Title I School Mean?
Title I is a federally funded program designed to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic standards and state academic assessments.
The Title I program focuses on the academic needs of the most disadvantaged students.
When Can I Drop My Scholar Off?
Parents cannot drop off students before 7:45 am as we need to ensure staff is available to provide appropriate supervision.
When Will My Scholar Be Counted As Tardy?
As of August 23, 2021, we will begin strictly enforcing our classroom tardy policy. Students will have had two weeks to learn their schedule and the school layout. We need our students in class and on time. There are always several staff members on the hallways to assist students if they need help navigating their way to class, but they must move directly to class and be ready for instruction; every minute is valuable. Please encourage your child to report to class each period, on time.
What is the Banneker Bell Schedule?
What Is Banneker's Dress Code?
Parents, we need your help to make sure your child adheres to the dress code daily to ensure no instructional time is missed. The Banneker High School dress code is based on the Fulton County Schools dress code. Based on the interest of climate and order, this dress code has been reviewed with them and is also in the Student Handbook.
The following will not be allowed:
- Spandex
- Leggings
- Jeggings
- Midriffs
- Shirts with backs out
- Spaghetti straps
- Sagging pants,
- Jeans with rips above the knee
- Do-rags
- Bandanas
- Bonnets
- Clothing related to gang paraphernalia or that promotes drugs, alcohol, violence, sex Any other prohibited item as identified by the Fulton County Schools dress code policy
Hats or hoodies may not be worn in the hallways or as students travel throughout the building. This is a safety issue that hinders our capability to quickly identify students, especially in this season where masks are required.
How Can I Access My Scholar's Schedule and Register for Infinite Campus?
You may access your child’s schedule in Infinite Campus. Please register for Infinite Campus using the below link/information. Infinite Campus is a wonderful tool that helps you to not only track your child’s schedule but grades, attendance, and overall progress. If you have any issues or questions, please contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Neal, at 470-254-3474 or NealE@fultonschools.org
Enter your email address below to receive parent portal activation information
https://campus.fultonschools.org/campus/K12_Custom/cParent/cParentLookUp.jsp?appName=fulton
What About My Scholar's Laptop/Device?
Please be sure that your child brings their Fulton County-issued device and charger every day. If they have a Microsoft Surface or iPad, we will begin switching those out for Dell laptops on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, as all students will use Dell Laptops this year. Please ask your child to boot up/turn on their computers tonight so that updates will being installing automatically.
How Can I Find My Scholar's Bus Number?
The Transportation Department has placed all bus information on the Fulton County Schools website. Simply type in your address, and it will give you all route information along with pick-up and drop-off times. Click here to get your bus information.
What Type of Book Bag Does My Scholar Need?
All students must carry CLEAR or MESH book bags. This is done to keep everyone safe. If your child does not have a clear or mesh backpack/bookbag, we can provide them one, free of charge. We will collect the backpacks/bookbags of all students who bring them to campus and return them to them when they exit the building. However, if the same students continue to bring backpacks/bookbags that are not mesh or clear, their bags will be confiscated and only returned to the parent.
Can My Scholar Bring Outside Food to School?
Please be reminded that Fulton County policy remains the same regarding outside food and homemade items. Outside food (this includes Uber Eats, Door Dash, Grub Hub, Postmates, etc.) is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Also, students are not permitted to bring outside food, for sale or distribution, for any reason. This includes homemade meals/dinners, treats, birthday cakes, prepackaged items, and meals provided by delivery services like those listed above.
Any violation of this policy will result in these items being confiscated by school officials and held until further notice or discarded. Violation of this policy is also a Tier II offense in our student code of conduct and could result in disciplinary action.
Students may certainly bring their own lunch from home for their individual consumption but must not share with other students. However, please do not send food to school for your child using any services like those listed above.
VOTING IS POWER! REGISTER ALL ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE BY OCTOBER 12TH!
Erika D. Neal, Your Parent Liaison
Email: neal@fultonschools.org
Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/bannekerhs
Phone: 470-254-3474
Facebook: facebook.com/BenjaminBannkerHS