Dear Chestatee Families,

Last month, I shared that both of our assistant principals, Dr. Angela Perry and Mrs. Abby Gaines, will serve as principals for the 2025-26 school year.

We have more exciting news to announce this month. On February 11, the FCS Board of Education named Mr. Nick Sexton as the Assistant Principal at Chestatee Elementary for the 2025-26 school year.

Mr. Sexton has been an assistant principal for the past six years at both Whitlow Elementary and most recently, South Forsyth Middle School. He has 15 years of experience with Forsyth County Schools, including 10 years at North Forsyth Middle School, teaching Special Education, English/Language Arts, and Social Studies while also coaching basketball and golf and leading collaborative teams at the grade level.

Mr. Sexton is a proud graduate of Forsyth County Schools and a native of Cumming, Georgia, graduating from North Forsyth High School. He earned a degree in Communications with a focus on Public Relations from Kennesaw State University. After discovering his passion for working with students, Nick pursued a Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Middle Grades English/Language Arts from the University of North Georgia, followed by master’s and specialist degrees in middle grades education from UNG and Piedmont College.

Mr. Sexton is a proud parent of two Chestatee students. We are grateful that he has returned to serve in our community.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Sexton to the Chestatee family! Together we are Chestatee!

With gratitude,

Jennifer Williams

We will be celebrating reading all week. There will be amazing assemblies, readers, authors and illustrators on Friday, March 7th!

Save the Date! Chestatee's Art Show is coming up March 18th in the Gym. There will also be an online show from March 11th-23rd. We are so excited to celebrate the students' amazing artwork. More info to come!

• Please remember to send in your child’s excuse within 5 days.
• Families can send up to 10 notes from home for absences before doctor notes are required.
• On email excuses to the teacher, it’s easy to add Ms. Stacey (Sholbrook@forsyth.k12.ga.us) to make sure she gets the excuse.
• Any time you go to see the doctor, please ask for a school excuse. If you forget, contact the doctor and ask them to email or fax the excuse. Fax: 770-781-2281.
• Georgia law requires the school to send attendance letters after 5 or more unexcused absences.
• If your child is checking out from the clinic, the absence is excused.
• When you check your child in/ out on Checkmate, the absence will be unexcused. Please provide a medical excuse if you'd like the absence excused.

Students can be "written up" for showing the Chestatee Way! Ms. Williams calls each student to the office to get a prize and picture. She loves seeing these role models in her office.

Each month, we have a ceremony to recognize students in each classroom for showing the Chestatee Way. Families are invited for these special events. We love when students are responsible, respectful, problem solvers.

Ms. Mitchell was surprised on the morning news with an announcement of being named FCS Counselor of the Year! Her family came to join in the celebration.

We need your input! Please let us know if there is a staff member who is making a difference for your child!

Our leadership team met great candidates at the Job Fair on February 1st.

Yesterday was a special field trip for some of our fifth graders already interested in a career! They visited the Career Expo at the World Congress Center. A special thanks to Construction Ready for sponsoring this event.

Our first-year orchestra students showcased their progress and skills to their families this afternoon. We are very proud!

Students enjoyed celebrating with friends.

We celebrated SRO Day on February 15th. A special thanks to Officer Angie.

A special thanks to Mrs. Fitzpatrick, the Science Ambassadors and Mathnasium for making STEAM Night a great one!

Click here to complete the Georgia Family Climate Survey.

March 3-7: Read Across America Week

Friday, March 7th: Read Across America Day: Special Assemblies

March 10-14: Teacher Appreciation Week (sponsored by PTO)

Monday, March 10th: Live to Give Club

Tuesday, March 11th: High Flyers, 9:00-9:30 AM

Friday, March 14th: Student Holiday (Parent Conferences and Professional Development)

March 17-27 Book Fair

March 18: Fifth Graders Visit the Middle Schools

March 27 Spring Concert

March 31- April 4 Spring break

Resources from our Counseling Department.

Resources for Food Help

Food Help- Spanish

Mentoring Info

President- Kandi Wetzel

Co-Vice Presidents- Jennifer Grindle, Liana Hall, and Nicole Tierney

Secretaries- Meg Killingsworth and Christy Pittman

Treasurer- Emily Morgan

Parliamentarian- Julia Weart

Contact our PTO here!

Boosterthon Fundraiser- over $30,000

Successful School Events, Biscuit Tuesdays, Spirit Nights

Well Established Board

Volunteer and Family Involvement

Items Purchased with PTO Funds 2023-24

2 Water Bottle Fillers

New Stage Curtains

Decorated and Designed Staff “Haven”

Decorated and Designed Professional Learning Room

$4000 in Teacher Grants

Refreshed Reading Garden and Kindergarten Garden

Carline Upgrades/ Pavilion

Clinic Supplies

Supported Vertical Alignment and Family Events

Indoor Recess Games for ALL Homerooms

Staff Morale/ Teacher Appreciation

Items Purchased So Far with PTO Funds 2024-25

4th grade STEM bins for entire grade level

Over $3000 in teacher grants so far (11/24)

Bus driver appreciation

New Camera in newsroom

Refreshed Outdoor Gardens

Staff Morale

Teacher Appreciation Items

Reading is my thing! I love a good story, and sometimes I even enjoy reading to learn. For the past few years, we have read different books in a Chestatee Book Club. This year, we are going to read The Anxious Generation. Our Board of Ed is actually reading this too, and it came highly recommended by one of our parents. Here is more information about the book. You're invited to join if you have the time!

Our meeting dates will be: February 19, March 5, March 19, and April 9 at 11:30.

Email me if interested!

Sincerely,

Meg Killingsworth

Family Engagement Coordinator

mkillingsworth@forsyth.k12.ga.us

If you ask to connect your Kroger Plus card to Chestatee Elementary, they will donate a certain percentage of the profits to our school. You can find out more about how to do this if you CLICK HERE.

Publix Partners with Chestatee also. You only need to put your phone number in as you checkout. Publix will donate a certain percentage of their profits to Chestatee from your purchase!

We love our Partners in Education!

Email: chestateees@gmail.com
Website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/site/default.aspx?domainid=260
Location: 6945 Keith Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA, United States
Phone: 770-887-2341
Facebook: facebook.com/ChestateeES
Twitter: @chestateees