Titan Talk

Dear Titan Families,

We have so many celebrations and wonderful things happening here at The Pointe! This week alone, we hosted a successful Parent Technology Workshop, raised a new flag, celebrated our first soccer game of the season, and received an incredible donation of books for our students. And honestly, that's just the highlight reel. There are so many amazing things happening each day across our campus.

Our district support staff visited the building multiple times this week, and each visit included praise for the outstanding work being done by our teachers and students. Hearing that positive feedback filled my heart with pride. I truly felt like a proud mama this week.

Speaking of being a proud mama, I want to share a special story about my oldest daughter, Jazlyn, who is a junior at Milton High School this year. During the first week of school, she asked if she could help host training sessions for students preparing for volleyball tryouts. I agreed, thinking it was simply an idea she was excited about in the moment. Before I knew it, she had designed a flyer, connected with coaches and the athletic director, and created a complete plan for the sessions.

Curious about her motivation, I asked, "Why do you want to do this so badly?" Her response was simple: "Mom, you know you have amazing students. I love Elkins Pointe."

Her words reminded me just how special our village truly is. The impact of this school extends far beyond our building and reaches the hearts of the students and families who are part of it. Knowing that, I was more than happy to adjust my schedule and spend time in the gym each day supporting our students as they prepared for volleyball season.

As we head into this long weekend, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the many things that make our community so special. There is greatness all around us, and I am grateful every day to be a part of it.

I hope you have a wonderful and restful weekend!

With gratitude,

AJ Smith

Principal of Elkins Pointe

"It takes a village."

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

• Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

• Open Gym (7th Grade) at 8:25 AM - 8:40 AM
• Train for tryouts - Volleyball training from 4:30 - 5:30 in the gym

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

• Wear College T-Shirts for AVID Wednesday
• Train for tryouts - Volleyball training from 4:30 - 5:30 in the gym

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

• 🩵💜 Wear Teal or Purple for World Suicide Prevention Day
  
• The 4.5-Week Progress Reports Available in Parent Portal
• Open Gym (6th Grade) at 8:25 AM - 8:40 AM
• Reading Bowl Club: Time: 8:00 AM, Location: Room F-113, Meeting Type: Interest Meeting
• Train for tryouts - Volleyball training from 4:30 - 5:30 in the gym

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

• Patriot Day: On this day we we remember those affected by September 11, 2001, and honor the courage of first responders and helpers.

• Open Gym (8th Grade) at 8:25 AM - 8:40 AM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

• B-Ballers at 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM in the Gym

Elkins Pointe Middle School proudly refreshed our United States of America and Georgia State flags with the help of Boy Scouts Axel Sparks, Ryder Sparks, and Nathan Daigle of Troop 1717. The Scouts respectfully folded the worn flags in the honored tradition. The flags were taken to the Scout House, where they will be properly disposed of according to tradition.

At Elkins Pointe, as we are very proud of our school’s commitment to community and country. We thank Troop 1717 for helping us honor this meaningful tradition. 🇺🇸

Mamma Mia! Ms. Catherine Simpson’s sixth-grade mathematicians were served up winning slices as a treat to celebrate their outstanding achievement on the assessment. 🍕π✨ Pictured below are the "math pizza boys" delivering a mountain of pizza pies from the front office and proving that hard work plus Pi equals a delicious reward!

FCS School Resource Officer Hanse and his canine partner, Earnie, visited Elkins Pointe Middle School, where Earnie enjoyed plenty of pets and attention from students in the hallways. As "Officer Buckle and Gloria" reminded readers, "Safety First!" and Earnie helped makes safety fun, friendly, and memorable. Thank you for stopping by, and we look forward to Officer Hanse and Earnie visiting again soon.

Mrs. Hayley Shanteau's 6th Grade Academy Science students became mineral detectives this week! After learning about the properties of minerals in class, students put their knowledge to work by examining real mineral samples and identifying characteristics such as color, luster, hardness, crystal shape, and streak.

Reading teachers Mrs. Blair Helvey and Mr. Richard Everette brought their classes to the media center, where Media Specialist Mrs. Patricia Hutchison helped students discover their next great read. With literacy as our school-wide goal, every book checked out is a step toward student success! Showing their love of reading, Mrs. Hutchison and Parent Liaison Mrs. Lisa O'Hanlon Cowles snapped a selfie while Mrs. Hutchison formed a heart symbol, celebrating the power of books, literacy, and a lifelong love of learning. Come check out a book, Titans!

A huge thank you to 2nd & Charles for partnering with the Elkins Pointe PTSA for a special community book drive! Thanks to the generosity of Elkins Pointe families, parents, and community members who purchased books for our school, an incredible eight boxes containing more than 500 books were collected and donated to benefit our students.

We are so grateful to 2nd & Charles for their support and partnership in helping expand reading opportunities for our school community. Special thanks to PTSA Co-President Cathy Sparks, PTSA Board Member Linda Alfani, and Principal's Assistant Ashley Russ for helping coordinate and transport this amazing collection.

Now, Media Specialist Patricia Hutchison is hard at work cataloging the new titles so they can be added to our library shelves and checked out by students soon. We can't wait to see our readers discover their next favorite book! 📖✨❤️

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this community-wide effort such a tremendous success! 🙌📚

Thank you to all the parents and families who joined us for our Title I Technology Parent Meeting! A special thank you to Mr. Seth Gamba, Canvas Champion, for sharing valuable information about Canvas, Infinite Campus.

PRESENTATION MATERIALS:

• Recording: https://youtu.be/d9HgS2oDHwU
• PowerPoint Presentation: https://tinyurl.com/Tech-Presentation-02SEP2026

EVALUATION INSTRUCTIONS:​

1. Click on the link https://bit.ly/FCSEvaluation_Survey​

2. Please select your school type: "Middle School"​

3. Please select the Middle School: "Elkins Pointe Middle"​

4. Please indicate who you are: "I am a parent at this school"​

5. Select the meeting you attended: “TECHNOLOGY NIGHT/WORKSHOP."​

6. Please finish the evaluation! Thank you!

Parents, families, and community members are invited! Find out how Title I supports students and families at Elkins Pointe. Get connected with school leaders and valuable academic resources.
Mark your calendar and plan to join us for this important workshop!

Take a look at the portrait of an AVID student and discover the qualities that lead to success. Mrs. Jennifer Okiyama's AVID class helps motivated students build the organization, confidence, and academic skills needed for success in middle school, high school, and beyond.

• Questions? Contact Mrs. Catherine Simpson, Simpson1@fultonschools.org, or Mrs. Jennifer Okiyama, Okiyama@fultonschools.org.
  
• Be on the lookout for AVID applications coming this fall!

SEPTEMBER 14

• JUNIOR BETA CLUB: at 8:00 AM, Room E-109, Meeting Type: Interest Meeting - Be sure to COMPLETE JR. BETA APPLICATION FORM HERE!
• INTERACT CLUB: at 8:05 AM, Room E104 (Cooper; 6th Grade Academy)

SEPTEMBER 15

• K-POP: Afterschool from 4:20 PM to 5:20 PM, in profe Mejia's classroom.

SEPTEMBER 17

• READING BOWL CLUB: After School until 5:15 PM, Room F-113, Meeting Type: First Regular Club Meeting
• FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES (FCA): from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM, Room A-152

SEPTEMBER 28

• INTERACT CLUB: at 8:05 AM, Room E104 (Cooper; 6th Grade Academy)

• 🚀 TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION CLUB
• ⭐ JUNIOR BETA CLUB (ongoing meetings not yet announced)
  
• 🌎 SOCIAL STUDIES FAIR CLUB (ongoing meetings not yet announced)
• 🎭 DRAMA CLUB (regular meeting schedule not yet announced)

Interested in playing volleyball for EPMS? We will have both a girls team and a boys team this year! Tryouts are open to 7th and 8th grade students.

✅ Complete the appropriate Volleyball Interest Form: a

• 🔗 Girls Volleyball Interest Form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/eXCgUAtgei
• 🔗 Boys Volleyball Interest Form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/kLN5XUezvq

Upload all required FCS athletic documents to Rank One as soon as possible.

Students cannot try out unless all forms are completed.

Schedule:

• Train for tryouts with Coach Jaz on September 8, 9, and 10th from 4:20 - 5:30 PM
• Open Gym with Coaches: September 14
• Girls Tryouts: September 15 & 16
• Boys Tryouts: September 17
• Time: 4:30-5:30 PM for all sessions
• 🚗 Parents, please pick up students promptly at 5:30 PM.

Questions? Contact:

• Coach Sneed: sneedll@fultonschools.org
• Coach O'Connor: oconnort@fultonschools.org
• Coach Pickering: pickeringb@fultonschools.org

Dear Parents/Guardians of Elkins Pointe Middle School,

Elkins Pointe Middle School PTSA knows that a strong partnership among our families, school leaders and community members is critical to the success of our students and school. That’s why we’re excited to participate in the National PTA School of Excellence program, which strengthens family-school partnerships to enrich the educational experience and well-being of all students.

As part of this process, we’ll use best practices from the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships to gather feedback from our community and develop an Excellence Action Plan. This plan will help us improve how we collaborate and engage with families and community members to support student success.

Share YOUR Voice!

We are looking for volunteers to help us gather feedback from families and community members, build our action plan and—the fun part—implement our plans. How? Take this short survey!

• English: https://forms.gle/j6DziCVNQMdndP979
• Spanish: https://forms.gle/Mg7owv4HpqhKgYGr8

Research shows that family engagement leads to greater student success. Students who feel supported by their school community earn higher grades, attend school regularly, develop stronger social skills, and are more likely to pursue higher education. We believe Elkins Pointe Middle School and our PTSA can achieve this together—and earn national recognition and community-wide visibility for the improvements we make.

If you're passionate about creating a welcoming, inclusive school environment, we’d love to have you on board. Please complete the survey by 9/30.

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration as we work toward becoming a National PTA School of Excellence!

Warm regards,

Cathy Sparks

PTSA.EPMS@GMAIL.COM

The Elkins Pointe Middle School PTSA is seeking donated items and experiences for the 2026 Silent Auction. Proceeds support programs that benefit our students, teachers, and school community.

Think restaurant gift cards, car washes, cleaning services, event tickets, spa or beauty certificates, gift baskets, vacation stays, and more. Every donation, large or small, makes a difference.

Interested in contributing or promoting your business while supporting EPMS? Contact Auction Chair Sara Fuchs at sfuchs@gmail.com.

Every donation counts. Every bid supports our students.

Your PTSA membership helps support the people and programs that make our school thrive.

Just $10 per person. Upgrade for special perks and VIP event benefits.

👉 Join today! Click here to sign up and donate

Elkins Pointe families, we only have days left in our Spirit Wear Back-to-School Sale! Make sure to shop now and take advantage of our biggest discounts!

Click here to shop now: https://1stplace.sale/108004

Call for Student Entries: Reflections Art Competition! Does your student love to explore the arts and express themselves creatively? Encourage them to participate in the National PTA Reflections Art competition. This year's theme is “What My Culture Means to Me.” Students can participate in several categories, including Music, Dance, Film, Literature, Visual Arts, and Photography. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts and is a great opportunity for your student to showcase their skills!

Entry forms will be distributed at school and can be found in the Media Center. Click below for entry forms and submission guidelines. Entries are due to the Media Center by Friday, October 16. Submissions then will be judged, and winners in each grade/category will move on to the next level.

Any questions -- please reach out to Ashley Mixon at ptsa.epms@gmail.com.

• GA PTA Student Entry Packet
• GA PTA visual-arts-rules_reflections
• GA PTA special-artist-division-rules_reflections
• GA PTA photography-rules_reflections
• GA PTA music-rules_reflections
• GA PTA literature-rules_reflections
• GA PTA dance-rules_reflections
• GA PTA film-rules_reflections
• Spanish- GA PTA dance-rules_reflections

🚍 Get ready to attend the FCS All Access Expo! Elkins This is a fantastic opportunity for the Titans to explore exciting programs, pathways, and opportunities that can help shape their future.

• WHAT: All Access Expo: Explore Your High School Options
• WHO: Current 8th grade students and their parents/guardians
• WHEN: Saturday, October 3 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
  
• WHERE: North Springs High School, 7447 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs, GA 30328
  
• QUESTIONS? Email Mrs. Shannon Reynolds, Elkins Pointe 8th grade Counselor, at ReynoldsSN@fultonschools.org

Let us know if you plan on going by complete the form:

FCS All Access Expo - 8th Grade Family Interest Form – Fill out form

* Give your 8th grader a head start on high school! Learn about high school programs, meet CTAE representatives, and find the best fit for your future high school student.

Open Gym: Open gym is coming to the mornings on select days starting next week! We will host basketball open gym starting at 8:25 to 8:40 AM on the week listed below.

• Tuesdays – 7th Grade
• Thursdays – 6th Grade
• Fridays – 8th Grade

School-wide expectations should still be followed when open gym is occurring. Please reach out to Coach Pickering with any questions, (pickeringb@fultonschools.org)

Ho to upload all required FCS athletic documents to Rank One. Students cannot try out unless all forms are completed. Rank One is an all-inclusive athlete management system. The program allows parents to import their student athletes and keep track of all the necessary forms and paperwork. Fulton County no longer uses DragonFly to house athletics physicals and information.

• Rank One Parent Tutorial
• Rank One Account Set-up
• Physical Forms
• Student Accident Insurance (English)
• Student Accident Insurance (Spanish)

💕 Girls in grades 2-12 are invited to be part of a mentorship program that promotes confidence, leadership, personal growth, and sisterhood. For more information, call 678-800-1767 or follow @sos_mentoring_group on Instagram. ✨💖