2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR!

Good Afternoon, I hope all is well.

We’ve made it to Week 10!

👏 Congratulations to our Track and Field Team on wrapping up the season at the District Final Game this past Saturday! Our scholars gave it their all, showcasing incredible dedication, perseverance, and teamwork. We are so proud of the way they represented our school with both talent and true sportsmanship. A huge thank-you to Mrs. Bierman and Dr. OD for their outstanding leadership and coaching, you built an amazing team! We also appreciate the families and staff who came out to support; your cheers and encouragement made a world of difference for our athletes.

☕ Thank you, Sunshine, for celebrating National Coffee Day! And a special thanks again to our Custodial Team—we hope you felt appreciated last week with the cards, treats, and the lunch that Ms. Vela and I purchased for you. Thank you, Ms. Bailey, for preparing it for us.

📌 As we move closer to Fall Break, please keep in mind that there are several important due dates this week. Be sure to stay on top of deadlines.

🌎 This week is Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week! Let’s celebrate together by showing our school spirit and honoring the rich culture, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Be sure to check the daily themes and encourage your scholars to participate!

🎈 This week is also Pre-K Week! We celebrate our amazing Pre-K team, Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Escalante for preparing our students for kindergarten and laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

💻 A reminder that Monday, October 13th is a Virtual Day. It is the expectation that all staff join virtually. If you are unable to attend, you must notify Admin immediately, this is not an approved leave day. Please review your work calendars in the HMES Notebook.

Be sure to read the full SMORE for additional details, and don’t miss our weekly STEAM video, you may just spot yourself in action during my walkthroughs!

Have a great week on purpose!

Dr. B

#missonpossible

• Take attendance in Infinite Campus
• Benchmarks. See schedule below.
• National Instructional Coach's day
• Georgia PREK Week begins
• 🎉 Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week
• ESOL Work on ILPs
• Work on grades

• Take attendance in Infinite Campus
• Meet with Potteiger in rm. 115**
• TUESDAY TEACHER TUTORIALS - Media Center @2:30pm
• Special Education Staff will work on goals/IEP support with Mr. Rowan during your planning.
• Santos Baby Shower 3pm
• PTO Virtual Meeting 7pm. See link below. Reminder to sign in the chat for your early leave pass for attending.
• ESOL Work on ILPs
• Work on grades

• Take attendance in Infinite Campus
• Walk/Bike to School Day
• Meet with Academic Coach be ready to finalize lesson plans in rm. 115. Please be ready to collaborate and add differentiation to your small groups.
• Hispanic Heritage Luncheon
• Guiding Coalition Leadership Meeting 3pm
• ESOL Work on ILPs
• Work on grades
• PBL Planning 2nd and 3 grade plan to meet with connections in STEAM Lab at 2:30

• Take attendance in Infinite Campus
• Collaborative Planning PLC- be ready to discuss data and bring student writing in rm. 115. It is the expectation that everyone has student writing. If you are departmentalized writing is a non-negotiable for the Reading/ELA Teacher however writing can be in other contents as well.
• ESOL Work on ILPs
• Work on grades
• Fire Drill Time TBD

Dress Code Reminder- Please wear your HMES shirt/school colors or PINK for every Friday in October. Jeans and workout pants must be work-appropriate (no distressed jeans, no holes, no rips, no tears, When wearing workout pants, your shirt or top must be long enough to fully cover) ❌ No shorts, no leggings. 👗 Dresses/skirts must be an appropriate length for work. Thank you for helping us maintain a professional and unified appearance!

• Take attendance in Infinite Campus
• Grades DUE
• ILPs DUE

Upcoming Events

--October 12-19 Earth Science Week

-Indigenous People's Day October 13th see resources below

-Monday, October 13th Teacher Work Day (draft of agenda below)

-Fall Break October 12th - 17th (see agenda link below. PL links coming soon)

-October 16- Boss's Day

-STEAM Professional Learning October 22nd 3pm in Cafeteria

-Red Ribbon Week October 23 to October 31 (schedule coming soon)

-October 22nd- Sunshine Salad bar

-October 22nd Lung Health Day

-District CCV October 24th

--Conference Night October 29th TBD**

-Fall Trunk or Treat October 30th

-Spooky Subject Door Due October 30th see details below.

-Spooky Subject Day/Book Character Parade October 31st (7:45am)

-Independent Learner/Prof Development Day-Tuesday, November 4th

-November PTO Board and Committee Meeting-Tuesday, November 4th

-Family STEM Night-Thursday, November 6th

-National STEM Day-Friday, November 7th

-Movie Night/ Fall Teacher Conferences (3pm-5pm)- Friday, November 14th (6pm)
-Thanksgiving Luncheon (PreK, K, 2, 4th)-Thursday, November 20st (times vary per class)

-Sunshine Presents, Fall Festival- November 20th 5pm-7pm.

-Thanksgiving Break (No School)-November 24th – 28th

Benchmark Testing:

Please plan to administer the Social Studies and Science Benchmark on Monday and Tuesday.

Grades Window Opens Monday:

The grade entry window opens on Monday. Please enter grades consistently throughout the week — do not wait until the last minute on Friday.

Gifted Testing Begins – October 25th:

The first day of Gifted Testing will be Friday, October 25th.

We are so proud to celebrate our Kindergarten Team for showing true H-Pride every single day:

✨ Humanization – They make every child feel valued and cared for.
✨ Professionalism – They set high standards and lead by example.
✨ Respect – They honor each other’s ideas and voices.
✨ Integrity – They do what’s right, even when no one is watching.
✨ Dignity – They carry themselves with pride and grace.
✨ Empathy – They connect with both students and colleagues with genuine care.

This amazing team always completes tasks in a timely manner, works together seamlessly, and brings joy and dedication to everything they do. Their teamwork, creativity, and commitment to excellence make them true role models for our school community.

🌟 Being Team of the Month means they’ve gone above and beyond—not only supporting our students, but also supporting one another. It’s about collaboration, positivity, and the belief that together we can achieve great things.

👏 Please join us in celebrating our Kindergarten Team for their hard work, heart, and H-Pride! (Ms. Frazier not pictured)

Thank you to Ms. Muhammad, Ms. Horne, Mrs. Patillo, Ms. Raygoza, Ms. Bailey, and Ms. Corrales for signing up already – we appreciate you!

🌟 Hispanic EXPO This Week! 🌟

Teachers, we invite you to bring your classes to the stage from 12:00–1:30 p.m. to enjoy our Hispanic EXPO! 🎉

Students will have the opportunity to learn more about Hispanic culture through engaging displays and activities. This is a great way to extend classroom learning and celebrate together as a school community.

We look forward to seeing you and your students there!

GA PRE-K WEEK is Oct. 6th-11th! This is a statewide celebration of early learning and literacy! Get ready, get involved, and let’s make this Georgia Pre-K Week one to remember! Pre-K would love to have multiple staff members read to our class! We love SILLY (dressing up is always their favorite)! Mrs. Murphy is happy to help with ideas too! She has placed a sign-up in the teacher's lounge!

🎃 The Instructional Advisory Committee is excited to announce our Spooky Door Contest! Doors will be judged on Spooky Book Character Day, October 31st. Along with your creative and spooky design, be sure to showcase standards-based student work that ties in with your theme.

🕸️ Important: All doors must be completed and ready before October 31st. The winning door will receive a special prize, so bring your best ideas and creativity. See ideas on a click below.

👻 May the best (and spookiest) door win!

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 staff 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!

🌞 Join Sunshine! 🌞

Faculty and Staff, it’s time to spread a little sunshine! We would love for you to join and become a Sunshine Member for the 2025-2026 school year. Membership comes with perks and surprises all year long, think celebrations, special treats, and community-building moments that make our school family even stronger. 💛

✨ Membership Fees for 2025

• Administrators/Full-Time Staff: $40

• Classified Staff: $30

👕 Sunshine T-Shirts

• Sizes Small–XL: $12/ Sizes 2X and up: $14

Let’s keep our school spirit bright and make this year full of positivity, connection, and joy. 🌟

📌 Don’t miss out—sign up today and be part of the Sunshine family!

This week, we are beyond proud to recognize Mrs. Murphy, the BEST Pre-K teacher in the Universe—as our Wings of Excellence Award recipient! Mrs. Murphy is a shining example of teacher leadership, consistently going above and beyond for her students in every way.

Her commitment to excellence shines through in the joyful, engaging, and hands-on learning experiences she creates each day. She builds strong, loving connections with her students, ensuring every child feels safe, supported, and valued.

Whether it’s through creative lessons, nurturing guidance, or her tireless dedication to student growth, Mrs. Murphy radiates passion and purpose in everything she does. She not only inspires her little learners but also uplifts her colleagues with her warmth, professionalism, and big heart for teaching.

Please join us in celebrating Mrs. Murphy, the BEST Pre-K teacher in the Universe, for the incredible impact she makes on our school community each and every day. Congratulations, Mrs. Murphy! 🎉

✨Each week, we will highlight a classroom to showcase the remarkable teaching and learning happening across our school. This celebration is our way of honoring the dedication of our teachers, the growth of our students, and the strong community that makes our school shine. Together, we are soaring toward excellence!

This week during observations, I am excited to see the Case-Based Learning strategy in action across all instructional classrooms, including Connections!

How It Works:
In Case-Based Learning, scholars are presented with real-world scenarios or cases and challenged to apply their knowledge to solve problems or make decisions. These cases mirror authentic situations, encouraging scholars to analyze information, weigh options, and justify their reasoning. For example, after exploring a science concept, scholars might be given a scenario where they must determine the best solution to an environmental challenge, drawing directly on what they’ve learned. Instead of only recalling information, scholars are invited to think critically, apply theory to practice, and engage in meaningful problem-solving. This is really who we are as a STEAM school!

Why It Matters:
Case-Based Learning transforms abstract ideas into concrete, relevant experiences.

It helps scholars:

• Strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Apply knowledge to real-world contexts

• Build confidence in decision-making and reasoning

• See the relevance of classroom learning to their lives and future

• Develop communication and collaboration skills through discussion and debate

By situating learning in authentic contexts, Case-Based Learning makes content more engaging, relevant, and memorable, empowering scholars to see themselves as active problem-solvers in the real world. This should come naturally for our school.

✨ Let’s continue sparking curiosity, deep thinking, and real-world connections in every classroom! See video below that explains even more.

Looking for an effective way to quickly grab your students’ attention? Try Call and Response!

Ms. Owens does a phenomenal job with her “Waterfall, Waterfall!” call — and it works wonders!

Check out this great article for ideas you can try in your classroom below. Can’t wait to see your strategies in action!

🔒 Locked Doors – For student safety, all classroom doors must remain locked at all times, even while occupied. Please double-check your door before leaving. Safe Schools will be at our campus soon.

📝 Sign In/Out & Attendance – Time and Attendance is now fully operational according to the District the online method may not be working but the key pad does. Please use both required sign-ins with the correct links below. Staff must be signed in no later than 7:00 a.m. daily. Missed or late sign-ins cannot be corrected. In addition, student attendance must be submitted by 9:00 a.m. daily without exception.

🔑 Front Door Access – Updated entry procedures are in effect: swipe your access card twice (once for each door). The keypad has been relocated to the left side of the entry.

👔 Professional Attire & Badges – All District employees must dress in accordance with Board Policy GBRL and GBRL-R (2). For safety and security, your District ID badge must be clearly visible at all times while on campus.

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