HMES NEWSLETTER

Hello Henderson Mill Families,

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend!

On Tuesday, we will begin our fifth week of the 2025–2026 school year can you believe how quickly time is flying? We are so grateful for your partnership and support.

✨ A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for Curriculum Night. Your involvement is key to student success, and we truly appreciate your time and commitment.

✨ Thank you to our amazing PTO for providing snacks for our staff last week. If you have not yet joined PTO, we encourage you to do so your membership makes a difference!

✨ Thank you to all students and families who participated in PBIS Spirit Week. Your energy and enthusiasm truly show what makes our school such a special place.

📌 Important Reminder:
Our next Virtual PTO Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 2nd. We invite you to join us as we stay connected, share ideas, and continue to strengthen our school community.

📌 Attendance Awareness Month: September is Attendance Awareness Month! Being at school every day and on time is one of the biggest factors in student success. Please help us by making sure your child is present daily, arriving on time, and that absences are only for when absolutely necessary. Every Friday for this month, students are able to dress up as their favorite Avenger/Super Hero. Every day counts!

We are excited to move forward in partnership with you as we remain focused on academic excellence, student well-being, and strong school family connections.

Here’s to another successful week of teaching, learning, and growing together.

Go Hawks! 🦅

Dr. Blanton

September is Attendance Awareness Month, and this year our theme is “Attendance Avengers!” We are excited to celebrate students who show up to school every day and on time.

As part of the celebration, every Friday in September, students are invited to dress up as their favorite Superhero Avenger! This is a fun way to recognize consistent attendance and remind our students that showing up is a superpower.

📌 Reminder: At the end of the semester, we will host our NBA (Never Been Absent) Party to celebrate students who have maintained perfect attendance.

Let’s work together to build strong attendance habits and make this month a success. We can’t wait to see our students in their superhero attire!

We are excited to announce that Tikiz Shaved Ice & Ice Cream will be on campus on Wednesday, September 3rd for PBIS DAY! Tikiz is a mobile food business serving Hawaiian shaved ice, ice cream, and hot beverages—a sweet treat for our students to enjoy.

• Prices: $5.00 and up

• DOJO Points: Check with your child’s teacher to see how many DOJO points are needed to participate.

We can’t wait for our students to enjoy this fun treat!

PTO is excited to invite you to our September Spirit Night at Tucker Brewing Company! Spirit Nights are a wonderful way for our school community to come together outside of the classroom, enjoy delicious food and time with friends, and raise funds to support our students.

📍 Location: Tucker Brewing Company
📅 Date & Time: See flyer for details

A portion of the evening’s proceeds will go directly back to Henderson Mill to benefit our students and school programs.

Thank you again to Ms. Ford for organizing our Spirit Nights—your dedication helps make these events possible and successful!

We can’t wait to see you there!

We are excited to announce that Monday, September 8th will be our Literacy and Family Day/DEAR Day (Drop Everything and Read) at Henderson Mill! 📚✨

This special day is dedicated to celebrating the joy of reading with our students and families. Throughout the day, students will participate in reading activities, enjoy shared stories, and have the opportunity to “drop everything and read” together as a school community. To make the day even more fun, students are invited to wear their pajamas while we cozy up with our books! In addition, parents are welcome to sign up with their child’s classroom teacher to come in and read aloud to the class.

We encourage you to also continue the celebration at home that evening by setting aside time for family reading.

Thank you for your partnership in building strong readers! Together, we are helping our students SOAR to success.

We are excited to invite all grandparents to Henderson Mill on Monday, September 8th as we celebrate Grandparents Day!

Our wonderful PTO is sponsoring a delicious breakfast just for you. Breakfast will be served from 7:00 am–7:45 am in the cafeteria. Your grandchild will pick up their regular school breakfast from the breakfast line and join you to enjoy this special time together.

We look forward to celebrating our grandparents and hope to see you there!

We are excited to announce our annual Multicultural Night will take place on Thursday, September 11th from 6-8 PM! Celebrate our school’s diversity and learn about cultures from around the world through delicious foods, drinks, desserts, and live performances! Please see the link below to sign up to volunteer at the event and to sign up for an exhibitor's table! Show off your favorite traditional foods, drinks, or desserts from your culture!

Get ready to dive into a world of books! Our Book Fair will be at Henderson Mill Elementary School from September 8-12.

Volunteers Needed: We’re seeking volunteers to help make the Book Fair a success. Sign up using link below.

🌿✨ HMES Families – We Need Your Help! ✨🌿

Our community is growing stronger thanks to amazing student projects and school pride! 💚

➡️ Saturday, September 13th – Join us for our Fall Play in the Dirt Day/School Beautification event! Come out and support an Eagle Scout service project right here at Henderson Mill!

This is a wonderful opportunity to get involved, lend a hand, and help make our school grounds shine. Whether you can pull weeds, spread/purchase mulch, or simply cheer on the efforts, every little bit helps. 🌸🌳

Bring your gloves, water bottles, and school spirit, we can’t wait to see you there!

Our friends at United Community Bank Henderson Mill are hosting a First Responder Appreciation Lunch and they have invited our students to participate in a special way! Students of all grade levels (PreK-5th) are encouraged to create artwork of a first responder that will be proudly displayed at the bank.

✅ Artwork Guidelines:
Must be drawn on regular white copy paper only. On the back of the paper, please label with:
• Your child’s favorite first responder
• Student’s name
• Grade
• Teacher’s name

📌 Deadline: All artwork must be submitted by Thursday, September 5th at 3:00 p.m (no art will be accepted after this date)
📍 A collection bin will be placed outside the front office for students to drop off their work.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to show appreciation while sharing their creativity with the community.

Thank you for supporting this special project!

We are excited to share that on Friday, September 12th, we will continue a special tradition!

Players and Cheerleaders from Lakeside High School will join us here at Henderson Mill to help with morning car duty and to read with our students.

To show our school spirit and celebrate the Lakeside Vikings, we encourage students to wear purple and gold along with their Avenger outfits on Friday, September 12th.

Thank you for your support in making this a fun and memorable day for our students!

We are excited to announce that International Dot Day 2025 will be celebrated on Monday, September 15! This annual event encourages creativity, courage, and collaboration, inspired by the beloved children’s book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. The story highlights the journey of a girl who “makes her mark” with a single dot, showing that even small efforts can lead to big accomplishments.

Millions of people around the world—including students, teachers, and families—participate by creating their own marks and sharing them with others.

Here’s how your family can participate:

1. Learn – Read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds to discover the story behind the celebration.

2. Register – Visit the official International Dot Day website to access free resources and a downloadable educator’s handbook.

3. Create – Make your own mark! Share your creations online using #InternationalDotDay and #MakeYourMark.

4. Join – Become part of a global community celebrating creativity and positivity.

We hope your child will join us in celebrating International Dot Day and making their mark on the world!

Henderson Mill has the BEST events—hands down! From unforgettable family nights to fun fundraisers, spirit wear, staff appreciation, and more… our PTO is behind it all!

But we can’t do it without YOU.

Whether you can volunteer your time, share your ideas, or simply stay connected, your involvement makes a huge difference in our school community. Every parent and guardian is welcome—and every voice matters!

✨ Why join the PTO?
✔️ Help plan amazing events
✔️ Support teachers and students
✔️ Build community
✔️ Stay in the loop

Let’s work together to make this the best year yet at Henderson Mill!

Afterschool Clubs that still have spots available!!!

Opportunities include:

• EIM Dance (Various grade levels)

Use the links below to explore all options and sign up today, spots may fill quickly!

Dear Henderson Mill Parents, our COACH JOE will be running a club this year for fourth and fifth grade students. This club will be dedicated to sports training, team building, conditioning and mentorship. Students will be provided with an opportunity to grow as individuals and build lifelong qualities. Hawks Elite club is a special organization and will look to provide t-shirts along with other fun rewards to all members included. Spaces are limited so secure your child's spot in the club. Misconduct may be subject to removal from continued participation in the Program.

⚽ Ready to KICK OFF the season? ⚽

Attention #DCSD parents! Registration is OPEN for the 2025 Elementary Soccer season!

All 4th and 5th graders can join this FREE program, perfect for building teamwork, skills, and fun with friends on the field.

🗓️ Season: September 22 – December 13, 2025
✅ Requirements: Sports Physical

📲 Registration is open NOW through September 12, 2025. Don’t miss out! Sign up today below:

By signing on as a volunteer, you become a member of our team of professionals that proudly provides educational services to more than 93,000 students in our DeKalb County School District. Click on link below, this document was created by the District and is designed to assist you in registering to be a volunteer with the DeKalb County School District. Please complete the following steps to become a DCSD Volunteer. The process for volunteering takes about 30 minutes total and includes about 20 minutes of online mandatory child abuse reporting training required by the State of Georgia for all volunteers.

Know someone passionate about education and leadership? Encourage them to declare candidacy for the 2025–2026 Principal Advisory Council (PAC)! We need 1 more parent to join us!

Candidate declaration is open now through Friday, September 5, 2025.

PAC members:

• Promote transparency & shared decision-making

• Review the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP)

• Help shape the school’s vision

• Serve as liaisons between school and community

👉 Declare candidacy here:
Candidate Declaration Form

Questions? Contact schoolgovernance@dekalbschoolsga.org or (678) 676-0718.

Let’s build strong parent and staff leaders across DeKalb!

Save the Date!
The DCSD School Expo is coming up on Saturday, September 27th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM!

This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase all the amazing things happening at our school. 🌟 Come out, bring your Hawk pride, and help us REP OUR SCHOOL at this exciting district-wide event!

Let’s show the community why our school is the best place for students to learn, grow, and thrive. 💙💛

#DCSDExpo #WeRepOurSchool #TeamHawks

Reminder: As we kick off a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students:

🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins.
🍽️ After breakfast – Intervention & Enrichment starts. This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration—please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins in this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ car riders
➡️ aftercare.
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:30 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!
Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all learners. Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

As a Title I, Part A school, Henderson Mill Elementary—together with our students and families—shares a commitment to student success. The School Parent and Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent Compact, and the DeKalb County School District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan outline how parents, students, and school staff will work in partnership to support and strengthen student learning. These documents also highlight how we will continue building meaningful family-school relationships that help every child meet and exceed Georgia’s challenging academic standards.

We ask that you please take time to carefully review the attached documents for this school year. A copy of the School-Parent Compact will also be provided tonight at Curriculum Night, and all documents will be available in the next SMORE for your reference.

To acknowledge that you have received, reviewed, and agree to the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent Compact, and the District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan, please sign and date below. This commitment serves as a reminder of the vital role we each play in your child’s education. We will revisit this agreement together during school-family events throughout the year as we work to ensure your child’s success.

Attached below:
-Henderson Mill School-Parent Compact (hard copy at Curriculum Night)
-Family Engagement Plan for the current school year

-DeKalb County School District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan:
District Parent & Family Engagement Plan-https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/parent-family-engagement/

Email: regina_smiley-blanton@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hendersonmilles.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2408 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 678-874-3102
Twitter: @henderson_mill