Mr. Sloop's Comet Connection
"Igniting Minds for a Brighter Tomorrow"
Week of October 9, 2022
Good evening, Comet families!
First of all, thank you so much for your incredible support of our PTA's Color Adventure Dash. this year. Through your incredibly generous donations and the support of your network of friends and families, our PTA was able to raise over $61,000 to support initiatives at our school and events for our families this year. We are so grateful for your participation and support!
October is an incredibly busy time at schools because quarter 1 is ending, which means our first report cards are coming home AND it is time for parent-teacher conferences. We expect every single family to schedule a conference with their child's teacher so that we can update you on their progress and ensure we are all on the same page. If you have not heard from your child's teacher, yet, regarding a parent-teacher conference in October, please reach out proactively NOW to schedule a conference. We want to meet with the parents of every single Comet so we can tell you how amazing your child is!!
One additional quick reminder...as students start wearing jackets to schools, please don't forget to write their names in their jackets so if they are left at school or on the playground, there is a chance they might make it back to them! We already have a TON of water bottles and jackets in our lost and found, so check it out next time you visit the school for lunch or to volunteer. Ms. Meredith can direct you to it!
Here are the important topics covered in today's newsletter:
- SCES Chorus Singing at October 22 Gladiators Game
- Time for Holiday House
- September Shining Stars
- Flu Shot Information
- Love and Logic Parenting Classes
- Upcoming North United Events
- Using the Website to Submit Absence Info
- Info on Negative School Lunch Balances
- Does Your Child Need a Chromebook at Home?
- Celebrating a Birthday?
- News from our Counselors
- Upcoming Dates to Know
- Want to be a 2022-23 Business Partner?
- Community Events
We are Stronger Together!
Mr. Sloop, Ms. Lamb, and Ms. McCannon
Mr. Sloop and Our Top Color Adventure Dash Fundraisers Enjoying a Pizza Party
SCES Chorus Singing at October 22 Gladiators Game
6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy
Duluth, GA 30097
Saturday, October 22nd at 7:00 PM
Tickets can be purchased here...From $18
The Atlanta Gladiators invite all Comet students, friends, family and staff out to cheer on the Atlanta Gladiators as they take on the Florida Everblades. This night will feature the SCES chorus performing the national anthem and the first 1,500 fans in the door will receive a limited edition 20th anniversary hockey puck. A portion of each ticket sold will be returned to Silver City to support their Music Department. When you're done buying, you'll receive a unique link to share with your friends. Everyone who buys from your link will sit with you at the game so you can pay separately but sit together!
Time for Holiday House (see the flyer below)
Celebrating our September Shining Stars (click on the image to see presentation)
Flu Shot Information
Love and Logic Parenting Classes at EFHS
Upcoming North United Events
Coat Drive - Wraps up this Friday, October 14
Ready to clean out your closets? The North United family of schools will be collecting gently used/new jacket, coats, and hoodies for families in need in our community. We will be collecting items until October 14. We are accepting all sizes. If you choose to donate, we will have a collection bin in the front lobby of the school. These items will be available for our North United families to shop for during our Trunk or Treat event at North Forsyth Middle School on October 25th, 2022 from 5:00–6:30pm.
Family Connect Nights
Also, recognizing how busy life can be and how hard it is for families to slow down in the middle of a typical week, our North United cluster of schools has teamed together each month to promote FAMILY CONNECT NIGHT. Our teachers refrain from assigning homework in order to create time and space for our families to plan a fun night together. As added encouragement, we also offer a raffle prize for families who participate and share how they spent their evening together. Enter HERE each month. You and your family could win a prize basket, gift card, etc., funded by our great partners at United Way. Our upcoming Family Connect Nights are as follows:
- November 9, 2022
- December 7, 2022
Using the Website to Submit Absence Info
Please do not forget to use the form on our Silver City homepage to easily upload student absence information for your child when they are out. You will need to upload information on each day absent. If you need to submit a medical note, please email it to Meredith Warren at MWarren@forsyth.k12.ga.us within five (5) school days of the absence(s). Unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of unexcused absences and we will be sending letters home once students reach 5 unexcused absences, if we have not been informed on the reason for the absences. Thanks for understanding and making sure your child is at school all day, every day!
Info on Negative School Lunch Balances
As you know, school meals are no longer free this year. In order for your child to participate in school meals you must send in money to the cafeteria, use MyPaymentsPlus to add money to your child's lunch account, or participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch program.
At times, students' meal accounts may go negative if more is charged than is on their account. Silver City Elementary has a “House Account” set up for students that have negative meal balances.
Please know these are the steps we follow when students have a negative meal account balance:
- Parents/guardians are notified by phone and/or email when a student’s account goes negative (only if up-to-date contact information is provided in Parent Portal). This gives families a chance to apply money to the child’s account.
- When a child’s meal balance is negative, they may not purchase extras (ice cream, chips, etc.).
- If the negative meal balance exceeds $15, any additional charges will be supplemented by the House Account to keep the total negative balance at or below $15. At this time, a counselor or administrator will reach out to the family to review the status of the negative meal balance and discuss payment options.
- Students are only allowed to use the House Account for two days. If the child’s balance continues to be in excess of $15.00, the student will be given a courtesy meal moving forward until the negative balance is paid. Courtesy meals are as follows:
- Breakfast = A cereal and milk
- Lunch = A cheese sandwich and milk
Does Your Child Need a Chromebook at Home?
If you reserved a Chromebook for your child at the end of last year, our Instructional Technology Specialist (ITS), Matt Smith, has those ready for you to check them out for the year. Please reach out to him to reserve a time to pick-up your Chromebook.
If you did not request a Chromebook last year, but your child needs one at home, please reach out to Mr. Smith, as we still have ones that we can check out to families for the school year. We want to get these into the hands of our students!!
Celebrating a Birthday?
Birthday Ice Cream - This is an easy, convenient way to treat your child and their whole class for ice cream on their birthday. We invite parents to purchase class ice cream packs from the cafeteria for $1.25 per student (up to a maximum of $25 to cover the entire class). Simply send in a check or cash to the cafeteria or add funds to your child's lunch account through MyPaymentsPlus and we will take care of the rest! Email Lisa Gunter, our cafeteria manager, if you have any questions.
For class ice cream packs, please make sure you send in your order at least 2 weeks prior to the day you want the ice cream delivered so we can make sure we have enough in inventory.
News from our Counselors
[UPDATED] Mentoring - We are still looking for mentors for our Comets and there is one final training in October (see below). Please apply using this online application and then attend the training on the evening of October 18. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Restrepo or Ms. Narvil, our two school counselors.
Upcoming Dates to Know
- Friday, October 14 - PTA Family Movie Night starting at 6:00PM
Wednesday and Thursday, October 19 and 20 - Early Release Days/Parent Conferences - Dismiss at 12:30PM
Friday, October 21 - Teacher Professional Learning Day (No School)
November 7 - 11 - North United “Thank it Forward” Week
Friday, November 11 - Veterans Day Celebration starting at 9:00AM
Saturday, November 12 - PTA Mother-Son Event
Want to be a 2022-23 Business Partner?
We would like to thank our amazing NEW 2022-23 Partners in Education for their incredible support. We hope you let them know how grateful you are that they support the work we do at Silver City!
General Partnership - $100
Blue Partnership - $250
Silver Partnership - $500
Platinum Partnership - $1,000
Diamond Partnership - $5,000
- The Chantal and Tommy Bagwell Foundation Fund
- Mingledorff's
Extended Partnership - $10,000
Thank you ALL for your continued support!
Please see our flyer and information below and contact Mr. Sloop or Ms. Walraven if you or your company is interested in becoming a 2022-23 Partner in Education!