Panther Press

New Prospect Elementary School Newsletter

December 10, 2024

Grateful for YOU!

Hello Panther Parents,

I hope you're having a wonderful week! I know we are at NPE!

This week, the 2024 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores came out for all schools in Georgia. We are very happy with our results which can be found here. Note: You have to search for New Prospect Elementary-Fulton County, then at the top you have to click "Elementary" to see all the data.

The CCRPI no longer includes an overall 0-100 score for schools, districts, or the state. This change was first implemented in 2022 under an addendum received from the U.S. Department of Education and made permanent last year under an amendment to Georgia’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan.

Each CCRPI component – Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and Graduation Rate (High Schools Only) uses 0-100 scores. The change was made to increase transparency and provide a more complete picture of school performance, ensuring that challenges and opportunities are not hidden behind a single score.

New Prospect

Content Mastery- 100

Progress-92.9

Closing Gaps-96.2

Readiness-94.8

We are doing amazing! Our students, you their families and our teachers' hard work is really paying off and it shows! We always have room to grow and will be dissecting this data to see where we need to grow more. If you want to look more into the what the data means and how it is calculated, you can check it out here, and of course I'm here if you have any questions!

Thanks for being such a great partner in this amazing school!

Amy Lemons

Principal

Upcoming Events:

December 10th-13th-Holiday Shop (students can buy gifts for family & friends)

December 16th-20th-Winter Fun Week (for students only during school)

Monday-Mad about Plaid Dress Up & Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt

Tuesday-Wear Something that Sparkles & Snowflake Craft

Wednesday-Wear Grinch Green, Rudolph Red or Frost White or Blue & Do you want to build a snowman?

Thursday-Wear a Holiday Sweater & "Snow" at Recess

Friday-Holiday Sing-Along Assembly, PJs & Hot Chocolate

December 23rd-Monday January 6th- Winter Break (no school for students)

Tuesday January 7th-First Day of Second Semester

Friday January 24th-25th-Peter Pan-School Play *Tickets on Sale January 10th

Add Money to Student Account: https://www.funhgs.com/

Sign up Genius Link-https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904084EACA72DA2F49-53319103-holiday/13248858#/

New Prospect Calendar 2024-2025

Click Here

Make sure your kids are prepared for recess!

Is it too cold for outdoor recess? In many cases, probably not. If it is 32 degrees or higher, we go out at least for 10 minutes. The staff will use their professional judgement but our goal is to get kids active and get some fresh air! Please make sure to send your children in with warm clothing.

PLEASE be on time to school!

That's it. Please do it. Carpool is getting out of control. Leave earlier.

If you pass the sign after 7:40, you MUST park (even if it's in the back) and walk your child in. There are no adults outside after 7:40 and the doors are locked. DO NOT drop your child off by themselves after 7:40..it is not safe!

New Prospect Yearbook-For Sale Now $40

Click Here

We're also looking for parents to submit candid photos of their kids when they are at New Prospect, either for a school day or event. Using the password ... Yearbook24! ... please submit the photos here

What has been happening in Brain Building?!?!

Health

Basic First Aid was the focus of the most recent Health lessons.

Students in kindergarten through second grade learned how to recognize when someone needs help, as well as strategies to assist a person who is injured. Students also practiced asking for help and brainstormed trusted adults who can assist.

During lessons in third through fifth grade, students also discussed strategies to help someone who is injured. Additionally, they learned how to begin to assess if an injury situation is more urgent, as well as how to respond and get the proper assistance.

All lessons included a basic first aid kit demonstration. Students learned about the contents of a first aid kit and how to put together a simple at-home kit with their family.

Creative Thinking

Brain building creativity during November focused on elements of flexibility and originality. In Kindergarten through second grade, we read “The Turn-Around Upside-Down Alphabet Book” by Lisa Ernst. Students saw letters turned in every direction and saw the pictures that could be made using these new shapes. They then were given one number from all four directions and given the challenge to use these numbers to create new shapes. This allowed students to use their flexibility (thinking about an object from different angles) and originality (trying to come up with a unique idea. In third to fifth grade, students learned how to make a scavenger hunt using elements of creative language, humor and poetry. I modeled with puzzles for the class to solve. Then, students worked in groups to create a scavenger hunt clue for a location in the classroom. They learned the tips for creating a scavenger hunt at home. Next brain building, we will focus on creativity in writing.

Guidance

In our last Brain Building Counseling lessons, students learned the DEBUG steps to deal with behaviors that “BUG” them. Ignore, move away, ask nicely, tell firmly, & get an adult to help.

Media Center

We are strong digital citizens!

As a school, we have officially completed our Digital Citizenship units! Here are the lessons each grade level participated in:

K: Media Balance, Pause for People, and Safety in our Online Neighborhood

1: Pause and Think Online, How Technology Makes You Feel, and Internet Traffic Light

2: That's Private!, Digital Trails, and Stop Online Meanness

3: This is Me, Power of Words, and Is Seeing Believing?

4: My Media Choices, Our Online Tracks, and Super Digital Citizen

5: You Won't Believe This!, Is it Cyberbullying?, and Reading News Online

Third graders wrapped up their unit by pledging ways to protect themselves or others online. Pledges included using kind words, keeping their personal information private, and being critical of images they see online.

As Brain Building resumes in January, grades 2-5 will be learning about the benefits and drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence, and K-1 will focus on research strategies.

From Mrs. Z-Your CST

Continuous Achievement Screening- Placement Levels + Classes

Once all of our iReady diagnostic testing has been completed, we will be screening every student in grades K-5 to ensure that their current placement level is appropriate for them to continue with second semester. During this screening process, we analyze multiple data points and talk with the teachers on how students are progressing and determine if an adjustment in placement is recommended for continued growth and success. This screening will occur between Dec. 11th-20th. If a placement change is recommended, then Mrs. Zarzour will contact you directly.

In addition, whenever placements need to be adjusted it can also impact courses offered from different teachers. We have to take into account the amount of students being served in each placement level, class sizes, and teacher knowledge for various courses. This means that there is always a possibility students and classes would need to be adjusted in January to ensure appropriate courses and classes for second semester for all students.

Young Ga Authors Competition:

It’s time for the annual Young Georgia Author’s Writing Competition sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education. The purpose of this optional competition is to encourage our K-12 students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, provide a context to celebrate their writing success, and recognize student achievement in the arts and academics.

WHAT TO WRITE

Unlike many writing competitions, the YGA does not provide a prompt to which students must respond or provide any other boundaries to their genre choice or creativity beyond a 1900-word limit. (if typed, double-spaced Times New Roman is preferred).

Entries may include:

Short Stories
Poetry
Essays/Literary Criticism/Analysis
Journalism
Academic/Research Reports
Personal Narratives
Any Other Original Student Writing

More information and details regarding this competition are below . Please ensure that student entries are completed independently without the support of teachers or parents. Entries must be submitted to Diana Zarzour, the CST, by Monday, Feb. 3rd and include the student entry form below.

A school committee will review all entries and select 1 grade level winner that will go on to district. The district committee will review and select 1 winner per grade level, and if a student wins that then they go on to the state level.

If you have additional questions please reach out to Diana Zarzour at zarzourd@fultonschools.org

Young Georgia Authors Writing Comp Info

Click Here