The Blast

Thanks to the family members who attended our Family Literacy Night on October 22nd. We reviewed the Alabama Literacy Act, practiced being data detectives with student i-Ready reports, and received resources to use at home with students. If you missed Family Literacy Night, the video will give an over view of the Alabama Literacy Act, and the links below provide excellent ideas for building literacy with your student at home.

Family Video Resources:

Grocery Store Conversations: ARI Literacy FRESH for Family and Community Empowerment - YouTube

Conversations in the Car: ARI Conversational Turns to Promote Oral Language Development - YouTube

These videos remind families that supporting their child's language and literacy development doesn't require extra time or special materials. Everyday routines provide meaningful opportunities to build vocabulary, encourage thinking, and strengthen family connections.

Small moments can lead to BIG conversations!

The afternoon of October 28th is reserved for parent-teacher conferences. See your child's teacher to sign up.

Pre-K will dismiss at 10:45 AM and K-3rd 11:15 AM

Buses will depart at each school’s early dismissal time. Please plan for your bus rider to arrive home earlier than usual. Latchkey will NOT be available. If you have any questions, please contact the school office at 256-233-6627.

The schedule for party day is as follows:

Pre K party 1:15-1:30
Pre K trunk or treat 1:35-1:45

Kindergarten & 3rd grade party 2:05-2:25
Kindergarten & 3rd grade trunk or treat 1:45-2:05

1st & 2nd grade party 1:45-2:05
1st & 2nd grade trunk or treat 2:05-2:25

Cars will leave by 2:30 for carline gates to open.

Please follow the costume guidelines listed below:

1) No masks

2) They must be able to get in and out of them by theirselves (ex going to bathroom)

3) No "weapons"

4) No heavy face paint

We call our school-wide expectations being a Super SPARKLER. SPARKLERS are Supporting, Persevering, Academic, Responsible, Kind, Leaders, Enterprising, and Respectful. When we catch students being SPARKLERS, we give them a sparkle. They get to sign our banner for the month, and they have a chance to become SPARKLER of the Month and earn a gold coin for the book vending machine. When a whole class meets the expectations, they can earn a Sparky Ticket. Enough Sparky Tickets earns the class additional SPARK Lab time. Ask your child if they have earned any sparkles or Sparky Tickets this year.

Want to Learn more? Check out the attachment with the full School-wide Expectation Matrix.

Spirit items are on sale the Wednesday or Thursday before every home game. Students can purchase

• Tattoos
• Beads
• Ribbons

All items are $1.00

• Oct. 28 - Early dismissal (parent conferences)
• Oct. 30 - Halloween Parties (1:45-2:15)
• Nov. 4 - 1st Grade to Nashville Zoo
• Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day (School is closed.)
• Nov. 23-27 - Thanksgiving Break (School is closed.)

Click here to access the Alabama Reading Initiative Family Newsletter. It's full of great information and reading resources.

Students pre-K through 3rd grade may attend Latchkey from 2:45-5:00pm. The cost is $10 per day ($12 for pre-K students). A snack is provided. See the document linked below to learn more.

Are you wondering when to take a vacation? This planner provides a summary of the school calendar along with the number of days available to travel that will help you plan ahead. The goal is to plan family time in a way that minimizes the time students miss from school.

When kids miss too many days in Kindergarten though 3rd grade, that can fall behind fast. Missing just one day can cause a child to lose more than two days of math learning and over a day of reading progress. This makes it much harder for them to read at grade level by the end of third grade, which is a major milestone for future success. Coming to school every day builds strong habits, protects classroom learning time, and gives your child the best foundation for the years ahead.

Apply Now

Free and Reduced Lunch Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 school year. Families must submit a new application each school year to be considered for benefits. Only one application per family is required.

2026-2027 ACS Student Daily Lunch Pricing:

• $2.75 – Paid Meal
• $0.40 – Reduced-Price Meal (eligibility determined by application)
• FREE – No-Cost Meal (eligibility determined by application)

Please note, unless you receive an email confirming that your student has been approved for Free or Reduced-Price Meals, your child will be charged the full paid meal price.

If you need assistance with the Free and Reduced Lunch Application, contact Dr. Tandy Blackwell, Child Nutrition Program Coordinator, at tandy.blackwell@acs-k12.org or (256) 233-6600. Learn more about our ACS Child Nutrition Program at acs-k12.org/nutrition.

Visit acs-k12.org/freeandreduced to complete your application. Be ready for the first day of school - apply today!

**NOTE: SPARK has the Wednesday menu on Tuesday and pizza day is Wednesday.

Have you ever wanted to know more about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? Participants in this training designed specifically for teachers and parents will gain a working understanding of how IDEA functions, identify common areas of conflict between parents and school district personnel, and learn proactive strategies to prevent disputes and support effective implementation of the IDEA for the benefit of children with disabilities.

Dates for the North Session's are below. See the attached flyer for more information.

North:

10/27/26 - Athens State Regional Inservice Center, Athens

10/28/26 - Marshall Technical School, Guntersville

10/29/26 - ALSDE Birmingham Office, Birmingham

Registration 8:00 am. Program 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

You can help support our schools every time you shop! Through Food City’s School Bucks Program, $800,000 is awarded to participating schools to support classrooms, equipment, supplies, and more. Simply link your Food City ValuCard to the ACS school of your choice. Every dollar you spend earns points for your selected school. The more points earned, the greater the school’s share of School Bucks funding! Visit foodcity.com/schoolbucks to log in or create an account, link your ValuCard, and select your ACS school. Thank you, Food City, for investing in our students, schools, and community!

ACS has implemented an extra measure of safety for students and parents. The "See Something, Say Something" Tip Line is a new way for students and families to anonymously share a potential safety concern toward an individual or school, including suspicious activity, bullying, and other student-related issues and safety concerns. This tip line is monitored by ACS Administration. Dial or text (256) 206-3065 or visit acs-k12.org/tip.

Athens, AL 35611

Email: lorian.charles@acs-k12.org
Website: acs-k12.org/CES
Location: 1701 West Hobbs Street, Athens, AL 35611, USA
Phone: 256-233-6627
Facebook: facebook.com/SPARKAcademy
Twitter: @SPARK_STEM