community newsletter

Thank you to all the families who joined us for Rock Your Locker, Grizzly Adventure, Open House and the Ice Cream Social—it was wonderful to meet so many of you on campus and to kick off the school year together.

Just a reminder that the first day of school is Tuesday, August 5th, and we are so excited to welcome our Grizzlies back for the 2025–2026 school year! This year, our #PineyPointofView is We Work Hard. We Are Family. There is no doubt that this is going to be an an amazing year.

We hope to see our 6th grade parents at Curriculum Night on Wednesday, August 27th and our 7th and 8th grade parents on Thursday, August 28th—both events will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 PM.

Our administration is especially excited to partner with you throughout the year to support your child’s growth and success.

With #pineypride,

Lori

August 5 - 1st Day of School

August 27 - 6th Grade Curriculum Night

August 28 - 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night

August 29 - Early Release

December 15-18 - Midterms

May 18 - 22 - Finals

Students who participate in clubs, teams, and school activities often find greater success both in and out of the classroom. Being involved helps build confidence, responsibility, time management skills, and strong relationships—all of which support academic growth.

Encourage your Grizzly to try something new this year! Whether it’s a sport, fine arts, or a club, getting involved is one of the best ways to build a sense of belonging and become a stronger student.

Click HERE for our Club & Activities Brochure to find out what clubs are offered, who are the sponsors and when/where they meet! Don't forget to pick up a Club Participation Form outside the sponsor's classroom.

Thank you to everyone who came to our 6th Grade Grizzly Adventure. Below are the presentation links and resources from our sessions.

Piney Grove 101

Interdisciplinary Studies

Thrive

Please make sure students ARE NOT bringing glass Tupperware/containers to school for lunch.

Water bottles are encouraged. However, make sure water bottles have lids that are leak proof.

Come out and show your Grizzly pride this football season by cheering on your friends under the Tuesday Night Lights. All games are played at local high school stadiums, so be sure to check the schedule for the exact location each week.

Tickets are $6 and available for purchase on GoFan.

Kickoff is at 6:30 PM, and we kindly ask that all student fans are picked up by 8:00 PM.

Thank you for helping us keep our Grizzlies safe and supported—we’ll see you in the stands!

We’re proud to see our Grizzlies cheering on their feeder high schools during Friday night football games! To ensure a safe and positive experience, all middle school students must attend these games with an adult, and school rules remain in effect while on high school campuses.

Tickets are available for purchase on GoFan. Thank you for your support and school spirit!

If your child has PE for any of the four 9-week periods, they will need to purchase a PE Shirt and wear it each day. Students are also required to wear athletic bottoms (preferably black in color), including but not limited to leggings, athletic shorts, or sweatpants. Students are also required to wear proper athletic shoes to PE each day. Please no jeans, dresses, Crocs, sandals, boots, slippers, etc. This is required to promote proper hygiene and safety. The PE Pack is available on School Pay and includes your child's PE locker (located in the gym) and their PE shirt. You also have the option to pay for just the locker (if you already have a shirt from a sibling or years past) or just another shirt (to have multiples). Shorts are also available on school pay, but are optional. Please reach out to any of your child's coaches if you have any questions.

We are excited to announce that beginning this school year, all students in grades 6–12 will receive a district-issued Chromebook as part of our new 1:1 Chromebook Program.

In alignment with the new Forsyth County Schools Distraction Free Education Policy, personal cell phones and smart devices will no longer be allowed for student use during the school day. By providing Chromebooks, we are ensuring that students have the appropriate tools for learning while reducing distractions and improving focus.

Each middle school and high school student will be issued a Chromebook that is managed and monitored by the district. This means your child can safely and consistently access the tools they need both in and out of the classroom.

Parent Acknowledgement: Before a device can be issued to your student, you must acknowledge the FCS Chromebook Responsibility Guide. This will be included in your Beginning of Year forms in Parent Portal.

Device Accidental Damage Coverage: We strongly encourage all families to purchase the optional Chromebook Accidental Damage Coverage to protect against accidental damage. The cost is minimal compared to potential fees. The deadline to sign up for Accidental Damage Coverage is August 18, 2025. Click here to learn more about the Accidental Damage Coverage option and here to pay via School Pay.

Middle School Chromebooks will come with a protective case.

Thank you for partnering with us to support safe and focused learning.

We’re excited to partner with you to help your student feel safe, connected, and thrive this school year. One important way we’re doing that is by creating distraction-free classrooms that allow students to stay focused and engaged.

To support this goal, Forsyth County Schools has adopted the Distraction-Free Education Policy (JCDAF) for all students. It also reflects new statewide guidance from Georgia and incorporates input from Forsyth County families and educators.

See below for important information for our middle school families:

• All personal electronic devices — including phones, earbuds, smartwatches, laptops, and tablets — must be turned off and stored away during the entire school day, from the first bell to the last.
  
  

• Devices should be placed in a backpack, locker, or designated storage location. They should not be in pockets, hands, or worn during class.
  
  

• Students may use a classroom or front office phone if they need to contact you.
  
  

• If you need to reach your child during the day, simply call the front office — we are always happy to help.
  
  

How can you help at home?

• Talk with your student about the importance of staying present and focused in class.
  
  

• Encourage them to store devices before the first bell and leave them alone until the school day ends.
  
  

• Reassure them that you’re just a phone call away if needed — and that school staff is always available to help.

We appreciate your support in helping students focus on what matters most — learning, growing, and making the most of their time in school. Thank you for being an essential part of our school community!

As we begin a new school year, it’s important for all parents and students to read and understand the Forsyth County Schools Student Code of Conduct.

This document outlines the expectations for student behavior and the consequences for actions that do not align with those expectations. By reviewing it together, families can help ensure a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment for everyone.

Clear understanding of the guidelines helps students make positive choices and reinforces our commitment to a strong school community.

As part of our efforts to promote a positive learning environment, students can earn GRIT Coins by demonstrating positive behavior and showing GRIT throughout the school—whether it’s in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, technology or beyond.

Students can save up their coins and redeem them for fun prizes throughout the year. We can’t wait to see our Grizzlies showing generosity, responsibility, integrity and teamwork all across campus!

Please see the 2025-2026 Transportation Letter from FCS Transportation Department HERE.

As a reminder, we kindly ask that cars do not line up before 3:00 PM in order to keep our fire lane clear. Buses will begin dismissal at 4:17 PM, and all car riders should be picked up by 4:35 PM.

We can’t do any of this without YOU! We have a few open positions on our PTSO board including Co-President, Vice President, VP of Fundraising, and VP of Programs. We also welcome parents who want to get involved in any capacity, big or small. If you have any questions, please email us at pineygroveptso@gmail.com.

To join the PTSO, click HERE.

Families can conveniently purchase all school-related items—like field trips, spirit wear, and class fees—through SchoolPay, the school's secure online payment system. Just log in, select your items, and check out in one easy place—no cash or checks needed!

Click HERE to get started.

Students can buy lunch in the cafeteria using their student account, which families can add money to online through the school’s payment system. Families who qualify can also apply for free or reduced-price lunch to ensure every student has access to healthy meals each day.

For information on school lunch accounts, please click HERE.

We are excited to welcome Nurse Jha to Piney Grove this year! If your child needs to take medication at school, please drop off all medications with the completed forms to the clinic as soon as possible. Families of rising 7th graders should also ensure required immunizations are up to date—more information is available on the district website or by contacting the clinic directly.

Students who need to check in or check out during the school day must be accompanied by a parent or guardian with proper photo ID. Please note that no student check-outs are permitted after 3:30 PM; for all attendance-related questions or concerns, contact Anita Seay - aseay@forsyth.k12.ga.us - in the front office.

Only essential items like eyeglasses or medications will be allowed to be dropped off to students during the school day. Parents may leave forgotten items on a small table in the office, but students will not be called out of class; instead, they can stop by the office on their way to lunch to check if anything has been dropped off. No outside food or drinks are allowed to be dropped off (only lunchboxes left at home).

Want to celebrate one of our AMAZING Piney Grove Staff Members? Please use THIS FORM to shout out our staff and celebrate the incredible ways they support our students!

We are incredibly grateful for the support of our business partners, whose generosity helps enrich the educational experience for all Piney Grove students. If you or your business would like to join our Partner Connect program and make a difference in our community, please reach out to Dr. Missy Marsh, f44895@forsyth.k12.ga.us, for more information.