Panther Press

September 1, 2026

Hello Panther Families!

At New Prospect Elementary, we have something called Brain Building Time, a monthly enrichment and instructional support program that provides students with dedicated learning experiences in guidance, media center, creative thinking, and health. Through six structured sessions each year, students receive specialized instruction that enhances their overall educational experience while preserving core classroom learning. Brain Building Time also provides teachers with valuable collaborative planning time to analyze student data, design targeted instruction, and strengthen learning opportunities that support student growth and achievement.

Each of your children (K-5) have had Brain Building in the past month. Read below to see what they did!

Amy Lemons

Principal

Guidance with Mrs. McLeod

This month during Brain Building, students learned about the role of a school counselor and when & how to get help when they need it.

Kindergarten, first, and second grade students identified various feelings and when they might need to talk to a counselor, while older students in grades 3-5 discussed “sizes of problems” and counselor confidentiality.

Health with Mrs. Friedman

Welcome to Health at NPE! We are starting off the year strong, energized and ready to learn! During our introductory session, we focused on understanding what health truly means, explored the topics we will learn this year and brainstormed healthy habits we practiced over the summer.

After previewing our year, we jumped into our first health topic- germs! In kindergarten and first grade, we used glitter to see and understand how easily and unknowingly germs can spread. Students saw firsthand how quickly germs travel to shared surfaces and other people! In second through fifth grade, we observed how germs (using black pepper to represent germs) in water react to soap. After watching the pepper scatter away from a drop of soap, its hard to deny the power of soap!

Following these experiments, students learned everyday strategies to help keep our school healthy. Ask your student to demonstrate proper handwashing techniques and to show you how to use their inner elbow to shield coughs and sneezes.

Creative Thinking (TAG strategies) with Ms. Anderson

During our creative thinking session, students explored the idea that there isn’t always one “right” answer using the imaginative picture book Duck! Rabbit! as our inspiration. After reading the story aloud, we discussed how different people can look at the same thing and see something completely different—and that having multiple perspectives is a wonderful part of creative thinking! Students in 2nd–5th Grade were challenged to imagine what the mysterious character could be if it weren’t a duck or a rabbit, then brought their ideas to life by drawing what they envisioned. Kindergarten and 1st Grade students played a “What Do You See?” this-or-that game, looking at a variety of fun, pictures similar to the duck/rabbit and choosing between two possibilities for what they saw. Through these activities, students practiced looking at things from different perspectives, embracing diverse ideas, and discovering that sometimes the most creative answer is the one that no one else thought of!

Media Center with Ms. Spitzner

In the Media Center, grades K-1 practiced being "Book Buddies." We talked about the importance of taking care of our library books, since they are shared with everyone in the school. Students were taught to read with clean hands, turn pages gently, and make sure they return borrowed books to the library. We also practiced browsing the shelves responsibly, using our "I don't know where this book goes" cart (to help Ms. Spitzner keep reshelving organized), and carrying our books carefully throughout the building.

Grades 2-5 learned how to access and use Beanstack! Beanstack is an app kids can use to keep track of minutes spent reading. We know that our Panthers do so much good reading both in school and at home, so let's celebrate it! Starting in September, we'll be having a monthly competition to see which homeroom can read and track the most minutes. The winning classroom will receive custody of our Beanstack Trophy and Benny the Bean for the following month. They will also get a shout out on PNN!

Top individual readers will also win prizes!

PK-1 parents, don't worry! As they settle into the year, PK, K & 1 will be included — if not in the schoolwide competition, then certainly in fun competitions of their own. 🙂

On top of that, the district celebrates the top elementary, middle, and high school (in all of Fulton County!) each month. There is so much opportunity to celebrate our reading when everyone participates! I'm hopeful this will encourage students to spend more time reading wonderful books — not just from our library, but also from home.

If your child wants to access Beanstack and track minutes at home, you can click here to visit the Media Center page on our school website. Scroll down and you'll see a graphic that shows how to log in, step by step.

Since simply introducing Beanstack to our Panthers — without competitions starting yet — we've already tracked over 13,000 minutes! Our goal for the school is to read 250,000 by the end of the year. I know we can do it!

Upcoming Events:

Thursday September 3rd- 3rd-5th Grade Curriculum Night 5:30pm *parents only

Monday September 7th-No School-Labor Day

Thursday September 10th-Bookfair Kickoff Night 5:30-7:00

Friday September 11th-Grandparents Day Celebration 7:30-9:00am

Friday September 18th-House Day-Wear House Colors

September 21st-25th-Fall Break-No School

September 30th- Parent Safety Workshop (see below)

Raider Fest 2026 5:00pm

2025-2026 New Prospect Calendar

Click Here

Wondering about School Pictures??

We had a GREAT picture day! You are going to be so impressed with the shots they got! The portraits from last years sessions are still being processed and should be available for viewing by early next week! Spoiled Rotten Photography will notify YOU via email and text message as soon as pictures are ready to be viewed and ordered!

Save the Date for our Book Fair Kickoff Party: Thursday, September 10th from 5:00-7:00pm!

It's almost time for our annual Scholastic Book Fair!

Our big Kickoff Party will take place on Thursday, September 10th from 5-7pm. Join us for a celebration of reading that includes dinner (Taco Truck!), dessert (King of Pops), and a special appearance by our local library branch!

The button below will take you to our school Book Fair website, where you can set up an e-wallet and preview some of the books. If you set up an e-Wallet, it allows students to shop with a set amount of funds already in our system. If you have an e-Wallet from last year, funds should automatically transfer. You can also purchase books online from 9/9-9/22, including books in other languages! So many great titles to choose from!

Meanwhile, we still have volunteer slots open! If you're able to help us, trust us: It's a really fun gig. 🙂 Sign up for open slots here!

Bookfair Website

Click Here

Buy Breakfast Tickets Here

Click Here-Only Grandparents Need to Buy

Homecoming at Alpharetta High School!

Kick off Homecoming Week right with one of our biggest traditions of the year, Raider Fest, happening on Wednesday, September 30th, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Alpharetta High School!

Admission is 100% FREE for everyone. We’re bringing in delicious food trucks, local vendors, and over 75 interactive booths packed with games for all ages.

The fun kicks off right at 5:00 PM, so make sure you and your families arrive early to grab some food, play games, and secure a prime spot for the annual Homecoming Parade featuring AHS sports teams, clubs, and loads of special guests.

Let's show up big and show off that Raider Pride!

Donate your Old Spirit wear!

Did your child switch houses and now refuses to wear last year's house shirt? (We get it...apparently cheering for another house is a serious offense! 😉) Or maybe they've simply outgrown their spirit wear. Instead of letting those shirts sit in a drawer, consider donating them to our school!

Donated spirit wear and house shirts will be given to students who may not be able to afford them, as well as students who have unexpected wardrobe emergencies during the school day, such as muddy playground adventures, lunch spills, or other accidents. Your donation can help a student feel comfortable, included, and school-proud.

Please drop off any clean, gently used spirit wear or house shirts in the front office. Thank you for helping us care for our students!