HMES NEWSLETTER

HAPPY SMORE DAY!! One more week until your Fall break!!!

Last week recap.....

• Our Track Team represented HMES with determination, sportsmanship, and pride. Thank you to our coaches and families for your support!
• Picture Day was successful! Thank you to the parents, students look so nice!
• Thank you all parents that attended conference week. Strong schools are built through strong school-family partnerships, and we appreciate you taking the time to connect with your child’s teacher.

This week is our Hispanic Heritage Month Spirit Week. Students are encouraged to participate.

This Tuesday is our FINAL Attendance Challenge Tuesday, but our commitment to strong attendance continues ALL YEAR LONG! We are still working toward our 95% schoolwide attendance goal. Every minute matters! When students are absent or arrive late, they miss valuable SOAR Time, intervention, enrichment, and core instruction that cannot be fully replaced.

We are hopeful that we will welcome new staff members to HMES this week! Thank you for your continued patience as we work through the final HR steps. We are excited about the additional support coming to our students and school community.

Please check out the entire newsletter below, we have some new announcements, new upcoming school events, new resources to help your child at home, new parent engagement events, important reminders, new student leadership opportunities, new volunteer opportunities, and more, just click on the table of contents!

Let’s keep moving FORWARD TOGETHER!

-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!

Your feedback will help us celebrate what is working well and identify opportunities for growth that are within our control at the school level.

I have a new suggestion, and it is an AWESOME one!! We are going to have our new SAC representatives obtain 1 question from each grade level to share during our upcoming meeting this week.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to grow, improve, and make Henderson Mill the best it can be!

Vote for our 2026–2027 Principal Advisory Council (PAC) representatives!

Voting: Sept. 22 at 8:00 AM – Sept. 29 at 5:00 PM

Check your email or text for your secure ElectionBuddy voting link. Do not forward your link. If you don’t see it, check your spam/junk folder.

If you experience difficulty accessing your ballot or require interpretation services or support in your home language, please contact the School Innovation Department:

Email: schoolgovernance@dekalbschoolsga.org
Phone: (678) 656-6997

Our first PAC meeting of the year date will be in October after voting. Your voice matters, please VOTE!

We are excited to share that we hope to welcome new teachers for our impacted 1st and 3rd grade students this week!

Once they officially join the HMES family, they will spend approximately one week preparing their classrooms, learning our routines, and getting ready to provide a strong transition for students.

💻 Virtual Meet the Teacher & Parent Q&A

📅 Monday, October 5th
🕚 11:00 AM–11:30 AM - FIRST GRADE & 11:30 AM- 12:00 PM- THIRD GRADE
A virtual link will be sent directly to the families and classes impacted by the transition.

🏫 In-Person Meet the Teacher for 1st & 3rd Grade
📅 Wednesday, October 14
🕒 3:00–4:00 PM

Please mark your calendar! We know you have been patiently waiting for this transition, and we sincerely appreciate your flexibility, understanding, and continued support as we work to make this transition as smooth and successful as possible for our students.

We are excited to grow our Hawk family!

Parent Walkthroughs are brief, scheduled visits with the Admin Team that allow families to see teaching and learning in action. Thank you to the 10 parents that are scheduled to visit this week. Parents will quietly observe instruction, student engagement, and classroom routines without interrupting learning. Feedback will be collected to support continuous school improvement. We’re excited to welcome our families into our classrooms!

Henderson Mill Elementary School proudly celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15, honoring the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Throughout the month, our Instructional Advisory Committee will provide engaging instructional activities and fun experiences for our students.

Every Day Matters. Stay Connected. Keep Learning.

Did you know?

Missing just 2 days a month can make it harder for students to stay on track with learning and reading. Even 1–2 absences every few weeks can add up and impact academic success.

Tardiness also affects learning and can lead to poor attendance habits. Regular attendance helps students build confidence, develop friendships, and succeed in school. At Henderson Mill Elementary, we encourage every Hawk to be present, on time, and ready to learn each day.

Join us for the last Tuesday attendance challenge. This Tuesday is HAT DAY! In addition, back by popular demand is the 100 students on time challenge. Only the first 100 students that enter through the front door at 7am will earn a prize. See flyers for details. We have another opportunity to raffle a brand new scooter by giving all students that arrive to school before or by 7:30am a raffle ticket to win. Together, we can build strong attendance habits that lead to lifelong success!

Every Day Counts... Every Hawk Matters!

Strong4Life is HERE this week, Hawks!

We’re excited that our Strong4Life Fall Pep Rally is happening this Thursday, October 1, from 1:00–2:00 PM!

Through Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life Challenge, our Hawks will learn simple ways to stay active, drink more water, eat well, and build healthy habits for strong bodies AND strong minds!

📅 Mark Your Calendars!

🌱 Strong4Life Spring Follow-Up Visit: Friday, March 26, 2027

This is more than a one-day event! Throughout the year, we will work together to encourage our Hawks to develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime.

Be sure to watch the video below to learn more about the Strong4Life Challenge!

Get ready, Hawks, the Strong4Life Challenge is coming to Henderson Mill this October!

As mentioned previously on ClassDojo, HMES had a Level Lockdown Drill scheduled for last Wednesday. We will redo this safety drill this week to ensure our students and staff have an opportunity to practice our safety procedures.

For safety and security reasons, lockdown drills cannot be announced to students in advance. However, please know that safety drills are intentionally scheduled throughout the school year so our students and staff can practice how to respond calmly, quickly, and appropriately in the event of an actual emergency.

These are practice drills, and our goal is always to help everyone know what to do while maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students.

Thank you, HMES families, for partnering with us as we continue to make student and staff safety a top priority!

Hello, DCSD Community! Click the link below for The DCSD Weekly Digest – September 28, 2026 Newsletter.

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

• DCSD Celebrates Graduation Champions
• Meet the Finalist: Virtual Meeting with Dr. Norman C. Sauce III
• Voter Registration
• Student Assignment Project Engagement Session 2 Survey
• Weekly and Monthly Recognitions
• Unity Fest - Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
• Title I Octoberfest 2026
• Gifted Education Information Night
• Elementary Basketball
• Elementary Competitive Dance
• Newsletter Highlights Spanish Video
• Photos & Videos of the Week

- Nikolai J - 4x100 relay (🥉)

Thanks to Mrs. Sayegh, our amazing PTO Co-President, Henderson Mill has a bike rack again! She connected with Free Bikes 4 Kidz Atlanta, an organization committed to helping children experience happier, healthier childhoods through biking. We want to encourage students who are able to ride their bikes to school as a fun way to stay active and promote healthy habits.

Free Bikes 4 Kidz Atlanta is geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. They do this by collecting bikes from communities, organizing volunteers to refurbish them, and giving them to carefully vetted organizations that service children and families. They hope to give about 1,000 bikes (and helmets) away this year.

Please click the link to learn more: http://fb4katl.org/

Important: If your Hawk plans to use the bike rack, please make sure they bring a bike lock so their bike can be properly secured throughout the school day.

Thank you again, Mrs. Sayegh, for helping us bring another wellness opportunity to our Hawks!

As DeKalb continues to evolve, enrollment patterns have shifted across our district. Some schools are serving more students than they were designed for. We strongly encourage all families to click on the links below. Your participation matters. This process can help shape decisions that impact our students, families, schools, and communities.

Engagement Session 2: Consider Multiple Options

• Meeting of Community Advisory Teams - September 29 and October 1

• Would you like to register to speak at an Engagement Session 2 Public Comment Meeting? If so, click here!

• Online Public Survey - Opens September 21, Closes October 5

• Online Focus Groups Available - Stakeholders will be able to sign up for focus groups once they have completed the survey.

Click here to view the pdf version of the Engagement Session 2 presentation. (Spanish)

Explore the presentation materials below.

• ES Options Comparison
• Elementary Option 1 Map
• Elementary Option 2 Map
• Elementary Option 3 Map
• Unit Map (Geographic student data used to develop the options)

Click here to access the Interactive Options Locator. Enter your address to see which school your student is assigned to under each option.

Please take the time to learn, engage, and make your voice count!

DCSD stakeholders will have the opportunity to meet virtually with Superintendent Finalist, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norman C. Sauce III on Monday, September 28, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Click the button below to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

OUR HAWKS ARE HEADED TO THE DISTRICT-WIDE CHAMPIONSHIP!

We are SO PROUD of our HMES Track & Field athletes for advancing to the DCSD District-Wide Championship! A huge thank you to Mrs. Bierman and Dr. OD for their dedication, and to our student-athletes for their hard work all season!

Important Championship Reminders:

• 🎒 Clear Bag Policy for all guests.
• 🍎 Food/drinks for athletes must enter with the team through a coach or school representative.
• 👟 Athletes must remain with coaches and in designated team areas.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Parents/spectators must remain in the stands.
• 💙💚 Positive sportsmanship and respectful behavior are expected from everyone.

Congratulations, Hawks! You worked for this, now let’s finish the season STRONG!

This October, our Hawks are coming together for a special cause! Every Wednesday in October, students, staff, and families are encouraged to WEAR PINK as we raise awareness for breast cancer, honor survivors, remember those we have lost, and support continued research.

Whether it’s a pink shirt, socks, bow, tie, or accessory PINK it out with us!

Together, we are promoting wellness, compassion, and community, one Wednesday at a time!

DCSD will recognize GA Pre-K Week, Monday, October 12–Friday, October 16!

Henderson Mill is excited to celebrate our youngest Hawks and all the amazing learning happening in our Pre-K classrooms! Throughout the week, students will enjoy special read-alouds, creative projects, fun learning activities, and memorable experiences celebrating the joy of early learning.

📖 Parents & Staff We Need YOU!

We invite our staff and parents and families to sign up as special guest readers for our Pre-K students! If possible, make it extra fun by dressing as a character from the story you plan to read!

Click below to sign up! Let’s celebrate our Pre-K students and teachers as we continue Forward Together

HAWK FAMILIES… WE NEED YOU!

PLEASE join us for our next PTO Meeting!

We have so many exciting things happening at Henderson Mill, but we cannot do this work without our families. PTO is not just about volunteering or fundraising, it is about having a voice, building community, supporting our students, and helping us make HMES even better!

The meeting is virtually, ZOOM IN! Even if you can only listen, WE WANT YOU THERE!

📅 Tuesday, October 13
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 VIRTUAL — Join from anywhere virtually.

Don't forget to add your child's name in the CHAT! Please, please, PLEASE join us! We want more parent voices at the table because HMES is stronger when our families are involved.

See you on Zoom, Hawk Families!

PBIS Day is all about recognizing our students for positive behavior, great choices, respect, and responsibility.

Tikiz Shaved Ice & Ice Cream will be back on campus all day Wednesday, October 14th, as we celebrate PBIS Day!

What to Expect:

• Hawaiian shaved ice, ice cream, and hot beverages for optional purchase
• Special privileges/Tangible items from their Teacher’s Treasure Box as positive incentives
• DOJO Points Reminder: Please check with your child’s teacher for the DOJO points needed to purchase and your child’s assigned time. Students can also use their points to shop in their Teacher’s Treasure Box!

Let’s keep making great choices and celebrating the positive behaviors that make Henderson Mill shine!

Henderson Mill Elementary is a Distinguished PBIS School!

Join us for Walk and Roll at Henderson Mill Elementary on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 7:00–7:40 AM — rain or shine!

Bring your family and walk or bike to school as we celebrate International Walk to School Month! Bike riders can take advantage of our NEW bike rack, located at the front left of the school. Be sure to stop by the picnic tables for a special treat!

Walking and biking are great ways to get our bodies moving, support healthy habits, boost energy, and start the school day ready to learn! Let’s get active together and start the morning with movement, smiles, and Hawk spirit!

A special THANK YOU to Mrs. Parsons for facilitating this wonderful event each year and continuing to promote healthy, active habits for our HMES students and families!

Let’s WALK and ROLL into a healthy day!

Henderson Mill is proud to celebrate Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign that encourages students to make healthy, safe, and positive choices and remain drug-free.

Throughout the week, our Hawks will participate in fun activities that promote healthy decision-making, confidence, and positive choices!

See details about Red Ribbon Spirit Week!

Henderson Mill Elementary families, join us for a special Spirit Night on October 23rd! We want this to be more than just a night out, we hope it will be a wonderful opportunity for our families to come together, connect, bond, and enjoy quality time as one HMES community.

Thank you to all the parents and staff that came to last month's Spirit Night! See flyer for details. Bring the family, invite a friend, and let’s make it a night of fun, food, fellowship, and Hawk pride!

Get ready for a SPOOKTACULAR day of literacy, creativity, and learning at Henderson Mill!

Friday, October 30th
Book Character Parade: 7:45–8:00 AM
Spooky Subject Day: All day

Students are invited to dress as a character from a favorite book AND bring the book with them as we parade through HMES celebrating our love of reading!

Parents, we want YOU to join the fun! Come cheer on our Hawks during the parade, or spend some time in a classroom by reading a spooky/fall story or leading a fun STEAM activity.

Please contact your child’s teacher to sign up for a time to participate.

Costumes + Books + Literacy + STEAM + Families = A SPOOKTACULAR Day of Learning!

Let’s make reading come ALIVE at HMES!

Get ready for a spooky, funny, and SWEET night at Henderson Mill! Join us Thursday, October 29 from 6:00–7:30 PM in the HMES parking lot.

🚗 Decorate Your Trunk Contest
👻 Costume Contest
🍬 Hand Out Candy
🏚️ Haunted House, tickets will be sold
🍔 Food available for purchase

We need our HMES parent volunteers to help make the magic happen! Sign up using the link below to decorate a trunk, pass out candy, or lend a helping hand.

Families attending the event should park on the field.

Come dressed, come hungry, and come ready for a SPOOK-TACULAR night with our Hawks!

Media Center Family Update - Resource Spotlight: Sora - Sora is our digital reading app where students can access eBooks, audiobooks, read-alongs, magazines, and more from school or home.

Students can access Sora in two ways:

• On a computer: Sign in through Clever
• On a phone or tablet: Download the Sora app and log in using the student’s district email (their student number followed by @dekalbschoolsga.org - example: S1234567@dekalbschoolsga.org) and school password

Sora is a great option for reading at home, listening to audiobooks, and finding books even when students are away from the Media Center.

Need help getting started with Sora? Send Ms. Pitts a message on ClassDojo!

-Ms. Pitts & Mr. Barreto

The DeKalb County School District partners with Cartwheel to provide virtual mental health and wellness support to families, and all school staff.

Cartwheel is here to help if you notice changes in your child, student, or yourself, such as changes in mood, energy, or behavior; struggles with anxiety or frequent worries; difficulty with sleep or eating routines; challenges keeping up with schoolwork or staying motivated; pulling away from friends or activities you or they typically enjoy; talking about feeling down or discouraged; navigating a major change at home, at school, or with friends; or struggling with self-harm or having difficulty coping.

This month, our HMES counselors will visit classrooms to provide Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons focused on Belonging and Growth Mindset. Students will learn strategies to build positive relationships, feel connected to our school community, persevere through challenges, and understand that mistakes are part of learning and growing!

Family SEL Read-Aloud of the Month: The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld. Families are encouraged to read this book together at home and talk about empathy, listening, feelings, and how we can support others when they are having a difficult day. See read aloud video above.

Greetings, Families!

K–3 students will be bringing home their Dyslexia Screener results on or before October 2nd. Our students use the AMIRA platform for Georgia’s K–3 Universal Reading Screener.

As part of Georgia’s Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act, public schools are required to administer a universal reading screener to students in K-3 three times each school year. The screener is designed to provide valuable information about students’ foundational reading skills and to help identify students who may be at risk for significant reading difficulties, including characteristics associated with dyslexia.

We encourage families to review the results with their child and reach out to your child’s teacher if you have questions or would like additional information about the results.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s reading growth and success! https://gadoe.org/learning/literacy-dyslexia/

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!

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.

Do you have questions about Gifted Eligibility or Gifted Testing at Henderson Mill? Join us for a virtual Q&A session designed especially for our families!

Parents will have an opportunity to ask questions, better understand the gifted eligibility and testing process, learn what to expect, and receive clear next steps for supporting their child through the process.

📅 October 5, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM
💻 Virtual Session

Bring your questions, we want you to leave informed, confident, and clear about what comes next!

Please review the 2026–2027 DeKalb County School District Code of Student Conduct, which outlines students' responsibilities in helping to maintain a safe, respectful, and orderly learning environment.

• The Code of Student Conduct is available here:
  https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1784819613/dekalbschoolsgaorg/texavyab7ldnwczh6trp/2026-2027StudentCodeofConduct.pdf

The handbook includes important information regarding student records, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), reporting concerns such as bullying and harassment, the rights of students with disabilities, and other student rights and responsibilities.

• After reviewing the Code of Student Conduct, please sign, date, and return the
  2026–2027 Parent/Guardian Signature Page, available here:
  https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1784039413/dekalbschoolsgaorg/judxxd374x0gowgodgse/2026-2027SCOCConfirmationofReceipt.pdf

• https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1785780722/dekalbschoolsgaorg/xp5mgmiv6fjmukigwi1v/Spanish_2026-2027Parent-GuardianSignaturePage.pdf

Parent Walkthroughs with our Admin Team are scheduled, brief visits that allow families to see teaching and learning in action during the school day.

These are not formal observations or conferences. We give parents the opportunity to observe instructional practices, student engagement, and classroom routines, while gaining a better understanding of curriculum and school initiatives.

Feedback will be collected to support school improvement. Based on your feedback, we are excited to welcome parents to participate in Parent Walkthroughs on the dates and times listed below.

Tuesday, October 20

6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Please join the Division of Student Services for its Gifted Education Information Night. This virtual session is designed to provide you with insight into the gifted identification process and the unique ways we support gifted students across all schools.

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) School Choice Open Enrollment is an annual window that allows parents to apply for their children to attend a public school outside of their designated neighborhood attendance zone or enroll in specialized Magnet and Theme programs.

For the 2027–2028 school year, the primary application window runs from October 1, 2026 – December 11, 2026.

Primary Lottery Results Date: February 5, 2027

Late Application Window

• March 1, 2027 – July 15, 2027

Greetings DCSD Families,

You’re invited to join the 2026-2027 Community Tech Café, a free monthly webinar series hosted by the DCSD Instructional Technology Department.

The Community Tech Café is designed to help families, students, and community members learn more about the digital tools that support teaching, learning, communication, and online safety across the district.

Upcoming topics include:
• Your Digital DCSD Ecosystem
• Safety, Smarts & Success Online
• Helping Students Get the Most from Their Device
• Staying Connected through Campus Parent Portal
• Effective Digital Communication with Teachers
• AI Awareness

Sessions will continue monthly through May 2027 via Microsoft Teams.

Visit bit.ly/TechCafeDCSD to view the full schedule, meeting links, resources, and recordings.

We look forward to connecting with you at the Community Tech Café!

Families are invited to join the fun with our Famous Hispanics Poster Contest! This project is completely optional, but we encourage families to work together to research, create, and celebrate the amazing contributions of Hispanic leaders and changemakers.

Learn together. Create together. Celebrate together! We can’t wait to see your family’s creativity!

Your membership directly supports our teachers and school by funding our Alliance Theatre partnership, STEAM programming, teacher appreciation events, afterschool clubs and so much more. Every membership makes a difference!

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.
🕝 2:20 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

Our cafeteria manager would love your support in encouraging all students to go through the lunch line each day, even if they bring lunch from home. This ensures every student has the opportunity to receive a nutritious meal and helps support our school nutrition program.

Please encourage students to participate in the lunch line each day. Thank you for your support!

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!

Pack 007 is a Cub Scout Pack chartered at Embry Hills United Methodist Church. Our pack is open to K-5 boys and girls. The Pack (all age groups) usually meets once a month. The Dens (single grade level) generally meet two or three times a month.

ALWAYS ACCEPTING NEW SCOUTS!

Please email pack007ehumc@gmail.com

See flyer for more details. To learn more about cub scouting, please read the Cub Scout Parent Orientation Guide found below.

Event & Registration Logistics

• Program: DCSD Elementary Competitive Dance
• Who Can Join: All 4th and 5th-grade students
• Cost: FREE for all students
• Registration Deadline: November 17, 2026
• Season Dates: November 30, 2026 – February 6, 2027
• Key Requirements: Valid Sports Physical required to participate

The Pack is a family pack, welcoming boys and girls in grades K - 5th. We meet at Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA. Pack members cross into Troop 534.

Starting as early as Kindergarten, Pack 534 provide opportunities for the entire family to participate in day trips, overnight camping, and hand-on activities such as archery, civics, crafts, pioneering, and stem activities.

Pack 534 holds Den Meetings most Tuesday nights from 7 - 8pm. One Tuesday each month is the Pack Meeting where Cub Scouts are awarded belt loops, badges, and pins for completing Adventures toward rank.

Students can enroll at any time of year and participate as much or little as their schedules allow.

We typically meet in the Great Hall and classrooms inside Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 2375 Shallowford Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30345

For enrollment information or any questions, please email scoutpack534@gmail.com

Hello, here is a great opportunity for sports for all ages!!! The earlier you register, the more they'll save on registration fees.

The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management is hosting its 22nd Annual Art Calendar Contest for students in grades K–5!

Theme: “Everyone’s Experience With Water Is Unique – How Are You Inspired By Water?”

Students are encouraged to get creative and participate! 12 winners will be selected, with winning artwork featured in the 2027 calendar and displayed at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center.

📅 Deadline: November 6, 2026
📎 Please review the attached contest rules and entry form, as there are changes this year.

Let’s encourage our Hawks to showcase their creativity!

To inspire your students and encourage participation, we’ve included videos of the winning entries from the past few years. Feel free to share these with your students:

• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2026
• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2025
• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2024
• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2023
• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2022
• DeKalb Watershed Art Calendar Contest 2021

Best of luck to all students!

Students will have the opportunity to build their skills, learn teamwork, and compete with schools across the district throughout the season.

Registration Closes: Thursday, Oct. 29

First Day of Practice: Jan. 25, 2027

County Championship: Apr. 17, 2027

Register today: bit.ly/4gTp8pT

We look forward to another great season of DeKalb elementary athletics!

#DCSDAthletics #TheDeKalbDifference

CLICK LINKS BELOW TO ACCESS THE SCHEDULES FOR EACH SPORT

• 2026 Track Schedule
• 2026 Soccer Schedule
• 2026-27 Competitive Dance Schedule
• 2027 Basketball Schedule
• 2027 Flag Football Schedule

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!

The Hawk Rock is ready to be rented and we already have four sales!

🎨 Make your mark on the Hawk Rock! Henderson Mill families can rent our school spirit rock for three days to celebrate a birthday, milestone, achievement, or other special event.

Rentals are $30, and families are responsible for providing all painting supplies and painting over the previous design. It’s a fun way to celebrate someone special while supporting our amazing school!

Our 5th graders are preparing for an exciting annual overnight field trip to the Fortson 4-H Center, where they’ll experience hands-on science, outdoor education, live animals, campfires, and memories that will last a lifetime!

The cost is $125 per student, and we are fundraising to help lower the cost for ALL of our 5th grade students.

Every donation makes a difference, no amount is too small! Whether it’s $5, $10, $25, or more, your support will help make this incredible experience more affordable for our families.

Scan the QR code on the flyer to donate.

Thank you for helping our 5th Grade Hawks SOAR beyond the classroom!

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

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.

💚 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.

Henderson Mill Families, if you are in need of affordable internet service or a low-cost computer for your household, we encourage you to explore Everyone On.

EveryoneOn provides a free Offer Locator Tool that allows families to enter their ZIP code and search for available low-cost internet and computer options in their area. Families may also find additional digital learning resources and information about programs for eligible households. EveryoneOn – Find Offers

Having reliable technology at home is an important part of keeping our Hawks connected.

Click here👉 Explore Affordable Internet & Computer Options

At Henderson Mill Elementary, we care about our families and our community! Our Jr. Beta Club is excited to offer Spaghetti Meal Kits to HMES families who may need a little extra support.

Each kit will include pasta, pasta sauce, and Italian bread to help provide a family dinner at home.

If your family is in need, we encourage you to complete the link below to reserve a kit. Please remember that quantities are limited, so we kindly ask that this opportunity be reserved for families who truly need the assistance.

A special THANK YOU to our amazing PTO for supporting this initiative and to our Jr. Beta Club members for facilitating this service project and demonstrating what it means to lead by serving others! (REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON)

Hawks Helping Hawks, because at HMES, we take care of one another!

Henderson Mill families, we need your help bringing our 2026–2027 Haunted House to life! We are accepting donations or loans of Halloween decorations, props, lights, and other spooky supplies. Families who donate or lend decorations can earn FREE Haunted House tickets!

Please see the flyer for donation details and items needed. Donations will be accepted through Monday, October 12th. Thank you for helping us create an unforgettable experience for our Hawks!

Together, we make Hawks SOAR, even in the dark!

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!

Henderson Mill Elementary is looking for parents, guardians, family members, and community members who would be willing to share their knowledge and career experiences with our students and/or teachers.

Many careers are connected to STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics—even if “STEAM” is not in the job title! Careers in healthcare, construction, business, finance, agriculture, transportation, public safety, design, communications, skilled trades, culinary arts, and many other fields use STEAM skills every day.

You might speak to a class, demonstrate a skill, help with a hands-on activity, provide feedback on a student project, participate in a career event, connect virtually, or serve as a resource for teachers. Completing this form simply helps us learn about your expertise and interest; it does not commit you to participating.

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