Info Blast
SPARK Academy Newsletter - August 13, 2021
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Team SPARK
Important Dates
Monday, August 16: Kindergarten Phase-in Day
Tuesday, August 17: First full day for ALL Kindergarten students
Tuesday, August 17: SPARK PTO Launch Breakfast in cafeteria, 7:45-8:30
Thursday, August 19: AHS Spirit item sale. All items, including Spirit Ribbons, are $1 each. Sale occurs first thing in the morning. It is best to send money on Wednesday in envelope/ziploc bag clearly marked with your child's name and "spirit sale items"
Thursday, August 19: Early dismissal for AHS Pep Rally on the Square at 3:15 pm
- PreK will dismiss at 1:45 pm
- Elementary Schools will dismiss at 2:15 pm (Latchkey is still available until 5:00 pm)
- AIS will dismiss at 2:30 pm
- AMS will dismiss at 2:40 pm
- AHS will dismiss at 2:30 pm
- ARS will dismiss at 2:00 pm
Friday, August 20: Spirit day "Rep the A"; wear black and gold
Thursday, August 26: AHS Pep Rally at SPARK (on the blacktop at 2:00 pm)
Friday, August 27: Spirit day "Jam the Jets"; wear rock & roll
September 6: Labor Day Holiday (no school)
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS
Breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost to students for the 2021-2022 school year. If your child qualifies for free/reduced meals, we still need you to apply. Most of our federal funding depends on the percentage of students who qualify.
To complete the 2021-2022 online application, visit: http://athenscitylunchapplication.schoollunchapp.com. For more information or to download/view the paper application, visit: https://www.acs-k12.org/Page/219.
Kindergarten Phase-In
Athens City Schools will use a “Phase-In” schedule for kindergarten students during the first four days of school. The schedule below is for students who have chosen the "traditional" option.
Wednesday, August 11 ― All Kindergarten students attend from 7:45 am to 11:00 am
Thursday, August 12 ― 1/3 of kindergarten students attend from 7:45 am to 2:45 pm
Friday, August 13 ― 1/3 of kindergarten students attend from 7:45 am to 2:45 pm
Monday, August 16 ― 1/3 of kindergarten students attend from 7:45 am to 2:45 pm
Tuesday, August 17 - All kindergarten students will begin attending school from 7:45 am to 2:45 pm
Helpful Tips for Carline
***Please make sure child can buckle/unbuckle themselves without adult help.
- whenever possible , have student(s) exit from the driver's side of the car
- wait for an adult or student safety team member to open car door before student exits
- pay close attention to teacher directing traffic
Dismissal:
- make sure your child knows their carline number
- always approach campus from the south on Bullington Rd
- make sure carline number is clearly visible to teacher calling numbers via radio
- pay close attention to teacher directing traffic
Watch our carline video...
Athens City Schools COVID Mitigation Plan
Based on guidance from the CDC, ADPH, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and most importantly from our local health professionals, the Athens City School board approved the recommendation requiring masks be worn while inside school buildings by employees, students, and visitors over the age of two. Based on the CDC’s order, passengers and drivers must wear masks at all times on school buses.
We will continue to monitor our local COVID data in hopes that conditions improve quickly and the mask requirement will become optional in the very near future. We have already seen how fast things can change, and we are prepared and ready to respond.
Our desire is for all students who have been in our traditional schools to return to in-person learning. Those who have a need for virtual learning can apply for Athens Renaissance School here. Please read the guidelines carefully as virtual learning is a semester commitment (unless you choose virtual learning for the year).
Remote learning will not be offered at our traditional schools. E-Learning will be utilized for students who need to isolate or quarantine. Here are some important things to note that are different from last year:
- Asymptomatic vaccinated close contacts do not need to quarantine but should monitor for symptoms and isolate if symptoms develop.
- Asymptomatic close contacts who have tested positive for and recovered from COVID-19 in the prior 3 months do not need to quarantine unless they develop symptoms.
- Unvaccinated individuals who are at a minimum of 3’ distancing from positive cases and are wearing masks do not need to quarantine.
For information concerning mask safety, click here.
For more information on the proposed ACS 2021-2022 COVID Mitigation plan, please visit https://www.acs-k12.org/domain/2198.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact beth.mckinney@acs-k12.org.
LatchKey is available this year
We are happy to announce that we will be offering a latchkey program this year after school. The cost of LatchKey is $6.00 per day. Students must be picked up by 5:00 pm. Please complete the form below and return it to school.
Latchkey will begin on the first day of school.
Label, Label, Label
SPARK Academy Front Office Staff
Dr. Beth McKinney, Principal
Darran Alexander, Assistant Principal
Stacey Hart, Counselor
Vicki Waldrep, Registrar
Cindy Sharp, Bookkeeper
Lori Vaughan, Nurse
Traducir sitio web al español
2021-2022 School Calendar
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Never miss a weather alert, school closing or important update. Download the ACS mobile app to stay connected at all times. Use the app to can check calendars, lunch menus, and receive "push" notifications about school events and weather emergencies. Download the free app today at the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android devices. Search "Athens City School System."
Be sure to allow alerts, pushes and banners in your phone settings under "notifications" to properly receive notifications. In the app settings, please select the schools from which you wish to receive updates. Contact our office with any questions. 256.233.6600.
SPARK Academy at Cowart
Email: beth.mckinney@acs-k12.org
Website: www.acs-k12.org/CES
Location: 1701 West Hobbs Street, Athens, AL, United States
Phone: 256-233-6627
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SPARKAcademyCowart/
Twitter: @SPARK_STEM