Panther Press
New Prospect Elementary School Newsletter
October 27, 2020
Assistant Principal's Message
I can't believe we are almost at the end of October. This year has been like a time warp where January feels ages ago and at the same time I feel like the school year just started! I wonder what it will feel like when December rolls around!
We are so grateful to our families who partner with us to ensure that all students get the education they need. Take a look at our "Parent Shout Outs" section below. I know these only represent a small number of parents who deserve a shout out, but we wanted to start somewhere.
Those of you who are keeping your kids home have the extra work of making sure your children are logging in to their classes and small groups and turning in their assignments in the right location, while at the same time, letting them have as much independence as possible. This is no easy feat and we appreciate your efforts!
All the best,
Stephanie Haga
Assistant Principal
Upcoming Events
October 19-November 1: Online Book Fair
October 26-30:Red Ribbon Week
November 1: Daylight Savings Time (Fall Back 1 hour)
November 3: Election Day-No School
November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break
Election Day
A reminder that Tuesday, November 3, is a national Election Day and schools are closed to serve as polling places. Students will not attend virtual or in-person classes. Teachers will be working remotely and will not be on campus.
Parent Shout Outs
Thank you to Alyson Coffman for always willing to help whenever I need it!
Thank you to Palak Trivedi! She started our conference out with kind words that truly made my day! She has been amazing at communicating, and even helping out online sometimes when I need it! (Hint, the fire drill 😂)
Thank you to all of the wonderful parents who took the time to meet with us teachers to discuss how make our students successful!
A huge shout out to Carolyn Jacobs who continues to support her daughter’s Kdgn teachers in the classroom, and who also exudes kindness and compassion at every turn!
To Lyndsey Spencer who seems so calm as she stays on top of her son's assignments, live virtual lessons, and life in general! She even made a chalkboard wall for red words and current Math instruction!
I would like to shine a bright light on Jamie Friedman. She is a very dedicated mom that supports the teachers that work with her daughters. As a former school counselor, she knows the challenges educators face each year, and she goes out of her way to make sure we know we are appreciated by her family.
Thank you to Mrs. Pass for my amazing clear mask and the Dawn soap to keep it from fogging up. The kind gesture was so thoughtful of you and your boys and is so appreciated!
Thank you Mrs. Bansal for the donations of chalk and balls to help 2nd grade with their socially distanced recess!
Thank you Mrs. Eskreis for the kind gift and card.
Thank you Mrs. Gardener for the kind card.
Mega shout out to Mrs. Tyler for donating to our class!
Thank you to all of the parents in Mrs. Slimming’s class! I am so lucky to work in a partnership with you guys this year.
Thank you Mrs. Ulmer for providing donations to our classroom. That is a huge help
Shout out and thank you to Nikki Pollack! She has been so welcoming to me this school year and has donated so many goodies for our class!
Bus Rider Limitations
Adjustments to the Grading Scale
The District has announced the following adjustment to the grading policy, which will go into effect for any assignment given on or after November 2, 2020.
- Students will be eligible for ONE redo/retake who achieve a score of 89 or less.
- Students will be eligible to earn a replacement grade on a redo/retake with a score no more than 89.
- Student redo/retakes must be completed 10 school days prior to the end of the semester. This means that the last day redo/retakes can be submitted is Friday, December 18, 2020.
- Quizzes are to be considered summative assessments and can be given and counted.
Please make sure you are checking your child's grades. If your student has an “Incomplete” or “I”, that assignment is currently not factored into your student’s grade but, at some point, it will be changed to a “Zero” if it is not completed. For instance, if your student has a “95” in a class but there are three “I’s,” your child really does not have a 95.
Giving Thanks to Our Education Heroes
Parent COVID Reporting Portal
Thank you to those of you who have asked about how the notification process works if a student or staff member at New Prospect tests positive for COVID.
If we have any report of a case, nurses with the school district reach out to the Fulton County Board of Health with information about the case. The Board takes the information provided by the nurse and advises the District and the local school administration regarding whether any parents or staff members need to be notified and what information that notification should contain. This may be based on whether the COVID positive person entered the building, who the person may or may not have interacted with, and if people were wearing masks.
Here is where our community’s role in this process is so very important. If you suspect that your student has had any interaction with a person who may be positive for COVID, please report that to the portal (see below). This could include contact at home, at school (with another student or staff member), with your family, or even at the store. This information helps our school nurses accurately communicate with the Board of Health and makes sure we are giving the appropriate people all the information they need to make the best decisions they can.
Please submit a COVID-19 report if your child is returning face to face and:
- has tested positive for COVID-19
- is waiting for the results of a test for COVID-19
- has been in direct contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 (including household members who have tested positive).
You are our first line of defense against the spread of COVID at school. If your student is ill or has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 individual, please do not allow the student to come to school or to any school-sponsored events.
Click here to see the COVID-19 flyer printable version.
Click here for direct access to the COVID-19 Parent Reporting Portal.
FYI
We take the health and safety of our students and staff very seriously in the Fulton County School District. It is a shared expectation that parents, guardians and students not only take their own health and safety seriously, but that they make the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff THE priority now that we have resumed face to face instruction in our schools. Unfortunately, there have been some instances where students have entered our school buildings with observable and measurable symptoms of illness and/or knowingly awaiting COVID test results. And in some rare cases, they have even lied about this. I cannot stress enough how irresponsible this behavior is, as it compromises the health and safety of every student and staff member in a school building and jeopardizes all students’ ability to receive face-to-face instruction.
As a result, if a student comes to school knowingly experiencing illness or symptoms of COVID-19, we may take the following actions to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and the community:
- Moving the student to virtual learning for a specified time, including the remainder of the semester;
- Removal of the ability to participate in athletics or other extracurricular activities or events; and/or
- Referral to the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) in cases of suspected abuse or neglect.
Thank you to Atlanta Beats Covid
Online Scholastic Book Fair
Have you heard the news?! Our book fair is going to be completely online this year!
October 19- Nov 1 the book fair website will be available for shopping and all proceeds will benefit the NPE Media Center.
Reflections Deadline Extended
Encourage your child to participate in our PTA Reflections Competition
The deadline for Reflections projects has been extended. The new deadline for students to turn in their projects is Wednesday, October 28th. A new entry form is linked below. There is a bin by the front desk and outside the building for students to turn in their work.
This year’s Reflections program theme is “I Matter Because.” The key to the Reflections program is the student interpreting the prompt any way they want to - this is yours to think about and express however you desire!
We invite everyone to tell your story through dance, a short film, a poem or story, an original song, a photo or visual work of art. The Reflections program is for ALL students! You do not need to be proficient in the arts to participate!
Entries must be submitted using this form by October 28th, 2020.
You can submit to:
- The BIN OUTSIDE New Prospect / FRONT DESK at New Prospect October 5-28th or electronically, email: erinjanovitz@aol.com
Reflections Video: https://www.georgiapta.org/reflections/reflections-submission-info
Questions about Reflections? Contact Erin Goldmann by email erinjanovitz@aol.com.