WELCOME BACK

Greetings and Welcome Back to the 2026–2027 School Year!

We are so happy to be back! “To STEAM and Beyond: Forward Together,” reflects our commitment to collaboration, innovation, and ensuring every student and staff member thrives. As the first STEM/STEAM school in Georgia, we are excited to continue creating hands-on, real-world learning experiences that inspire curiosity and prepare our students for the future.

Special thank you to our amazing PTO, community partners, and families for your continued support. Together, we will make this an incredible year!

Please be sure to complete the OPEN HOUSE registration link below even if you are not able to attend. We need this information for all our students.

🚀 The runway is ready… Henderson Mill Hawks, it’s time for takeoff tomorrow! Let’s go To STEAM and Beyond: Forward Together!

Here's to an incredible 2026–2027 school year. Go Hawks!

Dr. Blanton

At Henderson Mill Elementary, we are committed to growing, improving, and providing the very best experience for every student and family. Your voice matters, and your feedback helps us celebrate what's working while identifying opportunities to do even better. Please take a few moments to share your thoughts using the links below. Thank you for partnering with us to make Henderson Mill the best it can be!

A new school year brings new opportunities. New goals. New possibilities. And at DCSD, we're All In. All In for learning. All In for growth. All In for supporting every student, every day, every way.

Together, we're building a future where every learner can succeed. This year, we're ALL IN. Join us. Show up. Get involved. Support our students. Celebrate successes. Create opportunities. Make a difference. Whether you're a student, family member, employee, volunteer, community/business partner, or resident, your commitment matters. Because when we are all in, our students can achieve anything.

Beginning this school year, all DCSD schools are phone-free zones. Students must power off and put away all personal devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and headphones, during the school day.

Our Disconnect to Reconnect initiative helps reduce distractions, increase student engagement, strengthen learning, and encourage meaningful connections with teachers and peers.

Thank you for partnering with us to create a focused, distraction-free learning environment for every student!

To enhance school safety, DCSD has implemented a new Visitor Management System at all schools. All visitors must present a valid state-issued ID upon entry. After a quick security screening, a visitor badge will be printed and must be worn while on campus. Click below to learn more. Thank you for your cooperation as we work together to keep our students, staff, and schools safe.

Every day counts! Georgia has compulsory education laws (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1. Regular attendance is essential for academic success, social growth, and building lifelong skills. Every absence or tardy is a missed opportunity to learn. Georgia law requires students ages 6–16 to attend school regularly. We encourage families to make attendance a priority and partner with us to ensure every student is present, on time, and ready to learn. Click below to learn more. Thank you for helping our Hawks soar!

Georgia's Early Literacy Act strengthens reading instruction for all K–3 students by requiring:

• Science of Reading instruction
• Reading screenings three times a year
• School-based literacy coaches
• Specialized teacher training
• Timely parent notification if a student is reading below grade level

These changes are designed to ensure every child develops strong reading skills early and receives the support they need to succeed. Click below to learn more!

Hey there, Hawk Families! We invite you to share the heartwarming story The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn with your child. This beloved story is a wonderful way to help children explore feelings about new experiences, changes, and moments when they may feel nervous or unsure. It reminds children that they are always loved, supported, and connected to their families, even when they are away from home.

As you read together, take time to talk with your child about their feelings, celebrate their excitement, and reassure them that your love goes with them wherever they go. These special reading moments help build confidence, strengthen family connections, and nurture a lifelong love of reading.

Please click on the book and enjoy the Dr. Blanton read-aloud video above and explore the attached activities you can complete together as a family. We hope this story brings comfort, joy, and meaningful conversations to your home.

Happy reading, Hawk Families!

Thank you GADOE for our book titled, Forever Loblolly!!

To help your child feel confident and excited for the first day of school, we've created a Student Orientation Video for both new and returning students! We encourage you to watch the video together before school begins. It will help your child become familiar with our school, learn important routines, and get excited about an amazing year ahead at Henderson Mill Elementary.

📹 Click the link below to watch the Student Orientation Video.

Thank you for partnering with us as we prepare for an incredible school year. We can't wait to welcome all of our Hawks back to the nest!

To STEAM and Beyond: Forward Together!

Hello, DCSD Community! Click the link below for The DCSD Weekly Digest – August 3, 2026 Newsletter.

Stay Connected and Stay Informed: https://bit.ly/4wxPz9T.

• First Day of School: Welcome Back!
• Free & Reduced Meal Applications
• DCSD Implements New Visitor Management System
• Disconnect to Reconnect
• Transportation Help Hotline
• Fall 2026 PAC Elections
• Community L.E.A.D. Academy
• Lexile, Literacy, And Career Planning Workshop
• DCSD Kickoff Classic
• International Parent Engagement Series
• Newsletter Highlights Spanish Video
• Photos & Videos of the Week
• Weekly and Monthly Recognitions

Let's continue moving forward together because the strength of our community lies in unity and continuous communication.

At Henderson Mill Elementary School, we believe that informed families are empowered partners in their child's education.

In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), parents and guardians have the right to request information about the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teacher and any paraprofessional providing instructional support.

Upon request, you may receive information regarding:

• Whether your child's teacher meets state certification and licensure requirements.
• Whether your child's teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status.
• Whether your child's teacher is teaching in the field of his or her certification.
• Whether your child receives services from a paraprofessional and, if so, the paraprofessional's qualifications.

If you would like to request this information, please contact the Henderson Mill Elementary School front office. We value our partnership with families and are committed to providing a high-quality education for every student.

We know that parents and family members play an essential role in students’ educational success. When schools and families work in partnership, children will succeed at new levels.

The link below, parents and family members of students in Georgia’s K-12 public schools can explore the wealth of resources and services offered through GaDOE. Discover important information on Georgia’s K-12 standards, programming to support your student, ways to get involved, and more.

Just 5 minutes a day of logging your child’s reading on Beanstack can help us climb even higher on the county-wide leaderboard!

📖 What Is Beanstack?

Beanstack is our school’s reading-tracking program. Students can access Beanstack from their school computers and log the minutes they spend reading. Families may also download the Beanstack app so students can continue logging their reading at home. Students will learn more about Beanstack during library lessons in August and September. Our monthly class challenges will begin in September, when classes will compete to see who can log the most reading minutes!

Please encourage your child to log reading minutes regularly and honestly. See the attached flyer for directions and additional information.

Together, we can build a powerful culture of reading at HMES, one page at a time!

Our first PTO Meeting of the 2026–2027 school year is Tuesday, August 4, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Our PTO plays a vital role in supporting Henderson Mill by providing resources, volunteering, organizing events, and showing appreciation for our students and staff. Staying informed is one of the best ways to support our school community.

Please plan to join us to learn about exciting initiatives for the year and discover how you can get involved. Click the Zoom link below to attend.

We look forward to seeing you there!

📢 Mark Your Calendars, Henderson Mill Families! 📢

We are excited to welcome our Hawks back for another amazing school year!

🎓 Curriculum Night
🗓️ Wednesday, August 26, 2026
⏰ 5pm - 7pm

Curriculum Night provides a more in-depth look at what your child will be learning this year. Families will have the opportunity to learn about grade-level curriculum, academic expectations, grading practices, homework, communication, and much more.

This event is another opportunity to partner with us in your child's success. We look forward to seeing all of our Henderson Mill families there as we prepare for an incredible year of learning!

To STEAM and Beyond...

Our AMIRA and MAP Growth assessment window opens August 24. These beginning-of-the-year assessments provide valuable information about your child's current academic strengths and areas for growth.

The results help our teachers personalize instruction, set meaningful learning goals, and ensure every student receives the support and enrichment they need to thrive throughout the school year.

Please help your child do their best by ensuring they arrive at school on time, well-rested, and ready to learn each day during the testing window.

Please complete the form below before your child arrives on the first day of school. This information is essential and helps us know your child's dismissal plan, medical needs, emergency contacts, and other important information to ensure a safe and successful start to the school year. Please click the link below to complete the form as soon as possible. Thank you for your prompt attention!

As we continue a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students. Thanks to our survey, it has come to my attention that our late arrival students are a huge parent concern as well. This is a disruption to our classrooms and teaching/learning. Please try your hardest to have your child to arrive to school on time, please see below.:

🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins. Please be sure your child has parent supervision if they arrive on campus before 7am.
🍽️ After breakfast – SOAR TIME (Intervention & Enrichment) starts (FREE TUTORING FOR YOUR CHILD). This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin. Students should be in their classrooms.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins in this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ car riders
➡️ aftercare
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:30 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!

Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all learners.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

• Free or reduced-price school meals

• Reduced ACT, SAT, and AP exam fees

• Reduced college application fees

• Increased access to scholarship opportunities

Know someone passionate about education and leadership? Encourage them to declare candidacy now.

PAC members:

• Promote transparency & shared decision-making

• Review the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP)

• Help shape the school’s vision

• Serve as liaisons between school and community

If you are interested in serving, please complete the declaration form by Friday, September 4, 2026:

👉 Declare candidacy here:

https://form.jotform.com/electionbuddy/2026-dekalb-fall-pac-declarations

Questions? Contact schoolgovernance@dekalbschoolsga.org or (678) 676-0718.

Let’s build strong parent and staff leaders across DeKalb!

Registration is now open for 4th and 5th grade students interested in joining the Henderson Mill Elementary Track & Field team!

Register by August 14, 2026 using the link below or by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer:
https://survey.sogolytics.com/r/eSN5do

Reminder: Students must have a current athletic physical on file with the school before they can participate.

Led by Mrs. Bierman and Dr. O'D, Track & Field is a great opportunity for students to build fitness, teamwork, confidence, and sportsmanship.

Go Hawks!

We are excited to share an opportunity for our students to participate in i9 Sports’ Fall 2026 season! i9 Sports provides fun, safe, and engaging sports experiences for children of various ages and skill levels. Fall programs include:

🏈 Flag Football (Ages 4–13)
⚽ Soccer (Ages 3–8)
🏀 Basketball (Ages 4–12)
⚾ Baseball (Ages 3–6)
🥍 Lacrosse (Ages 5–10)
🏐 Volleyball (Ages 9–14 | Girls Only)

Programs are available at locations throughout the area, including Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Tucker, and more! A new soccer location will also be available this fall at St. Pius X Catholic School.

📅 Fall Registration Deadline: August 17, 2026

Families are encouraged to register early to take advantage of early registration savings. Please see the attached digital flyer for additional details and registration information.

We are excited to continue partnering with i9 Sports to provide our Henderson Mill students with opportunities to learn teamwork, build confidence, and stay active for wellness!

Hello parents of boys and girls K-5 grade! I'm one of the Cubmasters for Pack 007 based out of Embry Hills United Methodist Church. On August 10 at 6:30pm we'll be hosting a welcome night for new families in the Family Life Center. Children can join at any age! Our Pack Committee Chair Rebecca will walk you through everything you need to know while adult leaders take the kids outside for games. Our goal is to provide a fun and safe environment that is open to all.

Yours in Scouting,
David Harvey- Co-Cubmaster, Pack 007
Email: pack007ehumc@gmail.com

💻 Free Online Tutoring with Brainfuse

DeKalb County Public Library offers free live online tutoring through Brainfuse HelpNow for students in grades 3–12. Tutoring is available daily from 2:00–11:00 p.m. and includes help in a variety of subjects. Spanish-speaking tutors are also available. Brainfuse is chat-based, not video-based, and is free with a DeKalb County Public Library card. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Most Fridays are Spirit Wear Days for our staff, and we would love for our students to join in too! This is a fun way to celebrate our school pride and highlight our amazing school community. 💚

Want to get your student ready for Spirit Wear Fridays? Click the link below to purchase official school spirit wear from our PTO. Let’s make Fridays a sea of blue and green and school pride we can’t wait to see everyone showing their Hawk Pride!

Thanks to Mrs. Edwards, our PTO, and Atlanta Landscape Materials for supplying this beautiful boulder, we now have a fun way to celebrate special occasions! Families can “rent the rock” for $30 per three-day block to honor birthdays, holidays, achievements, or show appreciation for students, teachers, or staff. Click link below to learn more and rent the HAWK ROCK. For questions, email hendersonmillpto@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting this fun PTO fundraiser, we hope you continue to enjoy celebrating on the HMES Hawk Rock! 🦅

It’s quick, easy, and free to help our school earn rewards!

Here’s how:

1. Create a Kroger digital account (if you don’t already have one): https://www.kroger.com/account/communityrewards/

2. Link your Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card.

3. Go to Community Rewards in your account settings.

4. Search for Henderson Mill Elementary and select our school.

Every time you shop and use your Kroger Plus card, a percentage of your spending is donated to Henderson Mill, at no extra cost to you!

💚 Thank you for supporting our students, one grocery trip at a time!

We are happy to share that we will have a small pantry located in our Parent Corner, generously sponsored by our PTO. The pantry will include some food and very basic toiletry items for families who may need a little extra support. If your family could benefit from these resources, please contact Ms. Vela (678-874-3106) for assistance. All requests will be handled with care and confidentiality. We are always here to support our Henderson Mill families.

We love our volunteers! To volunteer at school or chaperone field trips, you must meet DeKalb County School District (DCSD) volunteer requirements below:

• Level I: Front Office Support, Cafeteria Support, Recess Support, Classroom helpers, Mystery Readers, class parties, Career Day, cafeteria, library, and other supervised school activities.
• Level II: Required for daytime field trip chaperones.
• Level III: Required for overnight field trip chaperones and volunteers who may work with students without direct supervision. Includes fingerprinting and is valid for 5 years (annual badge renewal required).

Please click link below to begin the volunteer registration process. If you need assistance, please send an email to: DCSDvolunteer@dekalbschoolsga.org or Demone_Gunter@dekalbschoolsga.org

We look forward to partnering with you this school year!

Email: regina_smiley-blanton@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hendersonmilles.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2408 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 678-874-3102
Twitter: @henderson_mill