Cartersville Elementary School

We trust everyone is off to a great start with the new school year! While I have left several things in our newsletter from the summer, there are several new things to review. Many of our clubs have submitted information about signups and next steps. Our PTC has a fall Canes spirit wear link available to purchase new Canes gear, and our first spirit night is at Bruster's - flyer below! We are also looking for a new member of our School Governance Team. If you or someone you know may be a good fit, please nominate them at the link below! And we also encourage you to sign up to run (or be a ghost runner) in our Backpack Buddies 5k on August 29th! There is a friendly competition each year between schools. We won last year, and we would love to win again! You don't have to run - or even show up. You will receive a t-shirt, and the proceeds support our students! Thank you for your patience with traffic and bus times the first few days of school. The first of this week may be a little slower than usual, as well, but we should be in a routine in no time. Lunch visitors may begin Monday, August 17th. We do not have designated visitation days by grade - you are welcome to visit at any time. Please remember your ID! We are looking forward to a wonderful school year and appreciate your support!

Go Canes!

~Mrs. Bryant

Our school day is from 7:40-2:40. Doors open at 7:15 each morning.

· Early checkouts are not permitted after 2:10 pm for student safety.

· Please remember to send in a written and signed note for all transportation changes.

· All visitors must come through the main office and bring a photo ID to sign in.

· If your child is absent from school, a note must be turned in within 3 days of the absence. You may e-mail doctor's excuse notes to Sabrina McWhorter at smcwhorter2@cartersvilleschools.org. (Note: Text messages to staff will not excuse an absence.)

· All medications requiring administration at school must be brought to the school by a parent or guardian.

· No outside food or drink may be ordered and sent to the school for students; however, parents may bring food with them for a lunch visit with their child in our cafeteria.

· Be sure to check your child's grades frequently on Infinite Campus. Progress reports will go home at 9-weeks, and report cards will be issued at the end of the school year.

· We kindly request all families picking their students up in cars, use the car rider line each afternoon. Car tags are available in the front office. This is for the supervision and safety of our students.

August 3rd - Open House 3:00-6:00

August 5th - First Day of School!

August 10th - School Board Meeting at BOE Office

August 13th-14th - Fall MAP Assessments - ELA/Math

August 17th - Lunch visitation begins

August 21st - Bruster's Spirit Night 4-7

August 25th - Purple Rain Singers auditions - returning members only

August 27th - First PTC meeting at 8:30 in CES Cafeteria

August 27th - Purple Rain Singers auditions - new members

August 28th - Purple Rain Singers auditions - new members

August 28th - CHS home football game

August 29th - Backpack Buddies 5k - Please join us!!

September 7th - Labor Day - No School

**Information about Purple Rain Singers, Tech Club, A/V Club, TOME Reading Club, and our Disc Golf Club is below. Information about Art Club and student council will be shared when available and shared with students during morning announcements.

Please note the information below is meant to help with planning; however, dates are still subject to change should the need arise. Please check each month's newsletter for updates to school events.

NOTE: Printed copies will be available at Open House.

Our teachers would love extra funds to extend students' learning. If you are interested in adopting a teacher/team, please click on the link below! As we continue our journey to becoming a STEAM certified museum school, your contributions can support this innovative work and student success!

https://sfnd.io/453jn

Whether you are a rising 4th grade family or have a student new to 4th or 5th grade at Cartersville City Schools, we invite you to take a few moments and read through our FAQs for new students. Contents include how to navigate our car rider line, student cell phone expectations, lunch visitor guidelines, and more!

Tons of Delicious Options - Many Are Made from Scratch!

Our school meals are made fresh with wholesome, nutritious ingredients that fuel students’ learning and growth, while offering delicious flavors everyone loves.

See Our Menus

Paying for Meals Has Never Been Easier!

You can pay for meals online using MySchoolBucks or by sending cash or a check with your student. Lunch prices by school are posted below.

**Please note that elementary school students are allowed to use their available funds to purchase extras such as chips, cookies, and flavored water/drinks. Please discuss your lunch expectations with your child.

Learn More

Qualify for Free or Reduced School Meals?

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program that provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to qualifying children each school day.

We encourage all families to complete the application online

Apply Today

Check out our August menu below!

26-27 CES School Governance Team parent nomination form – Fill out form

10th Annual Backpack Buddies 5K will take place on August 29!

This is a wonderful opportunity to support the students in our community! We'd love to have you sign up under Cartersville Elementary School! We won the "friendly competition" last year, and we'd love to win again!

🏃‍♀️ The Downtown Cartersville 5K—along with a 1K Fun Run—supports Backpack Buddies by helping provide food for students in both our City and County schools.

The "Downtown Cartersville 5K" (and a 1K Fun Run) to support Backpack Buddies

Not a runner or walker? No problem! Join us as a Ghost Runner—you’ll still get the t‑shirt, and no one will ever know whether you ran or not 😉👕

👟🏆 Be sure to join our friendly competition between schools to see which one can register the most participants!

This is the largest race in Bartow County, and we are so grateful for the continued support that makes it such a tremendous success. Thank you for always showing up for our students and our community!

👟 “Run for a cause, because every mile makes a difference.” 💚

Please see the information below to learn more about auditions for our Purple Rain Singers! For questions, please reach out to our music teacher, Mr. Bowman, at lbowman@cartersvilleschools.org.

You can see the picture below of our 25-26 Purple Rain Singers!

New Member Audition: Purple Rain Singers - NEW MEMBER Audition

Returning Member Audition: Purple Rain Singers - NEW MEMBER Audition

Tech Club
Tech Club will be open to all students who are interested in participating. This year, students will have the opportunity to research, design, and create their own technology-based projects. Students will be responsible for developing their projects and working on them during their own available time.

Mrs. Harris and I will be available to assist students with their projects as needed. However, it will be the students’ responsibility to find time to meet with us to discuss their ideas, ask questions, and get help with their projects.

AV club

We will also be starting an AV Club this year. The club will help with morning announcements as well as other video and media projects at CES.

AV Club will meet every Monday from 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Students interested in joining will complete an application/interest form. Students selected for AV Club will be notified by Mr. Ruff and will receive a permission slip to take home.

CES Disc Golf Club Information

Disc golf is an outdoor sport where players throw a flying disc toward a target, typically a

metal basket, aiming to complete each “hole” in the fewest throws possible. It is easy to learn,

requires minimal equipment and can be played by students of all skill levels. Disc golf

promotes physical fitness by encouraging walking, throwing, and coordination, while also

fostering important life skills such as focus, patience, and sportsmanship. Because it is often

played in parks or open green spaces, it also gives students a chance to enjoy nature and

develop an appreciation for outdoor recreation.

When: Disc Golf Club will meet on Wednesdays from 2:35 to 4:00, alternating grade levels each week.

Disc Golf club will begin August 26th with 5th grade and alternate each week. First 4th grade meeting will be September 2nd.

Where: Students will stay after school and learn basic disc golf skills on campus. Students

will need to be picked up at CES no later than 4:00 p.m. in the bus loading area. Students

enrolled in the ASP program will be dropped off there. There will not be any transportation

provided for this club.

Cost: Each participant will need to purchase a beginner disc golf set. This will be purchased

from me through the school. Please do not go out and purchase discs on your own. The disc

that you purchase from me are designed for younger players. Each participant will also

receive a CES Disc Golf t-shirt. The total cost will be $35.00. Do not send money until order

forms are sent out.

**Disc golf club will be limited to 25 in each grade level. If more than 25 sign up, there will

be tryouts during the first club meeting. Students will participate in several skill tests and

be evaluated.**

Registration: Please follow the link or QR code below to the registration page and answer all questions.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/d0pkKis57c

TOME Reading Club Interest

See the link and flyers below to purchase your fall 2026 spirit wear! Every Friday is Canes Friday, so get your spirit wear and show off your Canes pride!

https://stores.cedarstream.com/cartersvilleptc/shop/home

We will send home a flyer with each student. Be sure to bring it with you to ensure the proceeds benefit our students!

If you'd like to know a little more about our school goals, progress, and accountability please visit our website at the link below.

School Improvement Plan

CCS Mission - We inspire all students to build the skills and confidence to find their passions and achieve their goals.

Each month we will share the Capturing Kids' Hearts Newsletter for the month. Attached is an introduction to the CKH Monthly newsletters. Please take a few moments to review the monthly content to help you capture your child’s heart!

As we begin the new school year, we wanted to reach out with a reminder about something that truly makes a difference in student success: consistent attendance. Research shows that regular attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic achievement. When students are present and engaged from day one, they build strong foundations in their learning, develop positive relationships with peers and teachers, and establish routines that support their growth throughout the year.

As we kick off the school year, we encourage you to:

• Establish a consistent morning routine to ensure your child arrives on time each day

• Plan vacations and appointments outside of the school calendar when possible

• Communicate with the school promptly if your child will be absent so we can support their learning

Starting the year strong sets the tone for everything that follows. Your partnership in prioritizing attendance sends a powerful message to your child about the value of education and commitment to their success. We appreciate your continued support.

As we begin the school year, children are excited to share ideas and experiences—but unfortunately, they also tend to share germs. Illnesses among students and staff are expected, but there are simple steps we can all take to reduce the spread of infectious diseases:

· Keep children home when they are sick

· Know when it's appropriate to return to school

· Encourage frequent handwashing with soap and water

· Use personal protective equipment when caring for ill students

A child should remain home if their illness interferes with their ability to participate in school or may put others at risk. While schools and families may not always know the exact illness, certain symptoms are clear signs that a student should stay home:

· Fever of 100.4°F or higher, especially if accompanied by a new rash. Student’s must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

· Vomiting more than twice in the past 24 hours. Students must be vomit-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

· Diarrhea that causes accidents, contains blood, or is significantly more frequent than usual. Students must be diarrhea-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

· Draining skin sores that cannot be covered, or mouth sores causing drooling.

· Respiratory symptoms that are worsening or not improving, and not explained by allergies

While we maintain a strict attendance policy, student health is a top priority. It is important to protect other students from getting sick if your child is sick, so please consider keeping your child home during illnesses that could be contagious.

If your child stays home, please remember to send a written excuse. Also, if your child sees a doctor, please request a school excuse note and send it to your child’s teacher. Please notify the teacher if your child stays home to prevent them from getting behind in school.

Thank you for helping us keep our students and staff safe and healthy. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns about your child!

Marcie Garrett, RN, BSN

Cartersville Elementary School Nurse

Phone: (678) 535-6133

Email: mgarrett@cartersvilleschools.org

Welcome Parents!

We are delighted to invite you to join your children for lunch at our school. To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone, we kindly ask that you follow these guidelines:

1. Sign In at the Office: Upon arrival, please sign in at the school office and present a valid ID.
2. Lunch Visitors: Parents and other guests on a student's pickup list may sign in and join their child for lunch. If a guest is not on the pickup list, they may still join for lunch if a parent/guardian sends a note giving permission. This ensures that all visitors are known to the parents/guardians, maintaining a secure environment.
3. Friends at visitor lunch tables: Students may invite one friend to eat with their guest(s) provided the friend’s parent/guardian sends a note giving permission prior to their scheduled lunch time.
4. Team Lunches: To keep the focus on academics during the school day, we are unable to accommodate team lunches for recreational sports.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We look forward to seeing you!

All students are expected to be neat, clean, and appropriately dressed for all school activities. Clothing and appearance should not distract from the instructional program. Good judgment should be a key word. Please note the following guidelines:

• Shoes must be worn at all times. Sandals are allowed; flip flops and high heels are discouraged.

• Halter tops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, see-through clothing, and clothing which shows the midriff are not permitted.

• Shorts are acceptable provided they are not too short.

• Jogging shorts, Lycra-Spandex cycling shorts and swimwear are not permitted.

• Hats and other head coverings are not to be worn in the building.

• Articles of clothing which advertise or display the symbols of drugs, weapons, tobacco products or alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

• Clothing which displays obscene language or symbols is not permitted.

• Emblems, insignia, badges, or other symbols, which unreasonably distract students or disrupt the operation of the school, are prohibited.

• Students should avoid extreme hairstyles and colors which may distract from the learning environment.

• All clothing must be worn in the manner in which it was intended to be worn.

• Belts must be worn if pants/shorts are oversized.

• Pajamas, including pajama pants, should not be worn to school unless it is a designated pajama day.

• Costume attire should be reserved for designated dress up days only.

• Students should wear athletic shoes in P.E. (ex. tennis/running/sports shoes).

• Shoes that contain roller devices are not permitted.

• No see-through holes above the knees that show the students' skin or under garment can be seen.

Administration reserves the right to determine if items of clothing or student appearance are too casual, too revealing or too distracting. In the event of an infringement of the dress code, parents may be called to bring appropriate clothing.

The number of students with cell phones and cellular watches in grades 4 and 5 has grown tremendously over the past two years. In order to minimize distractions during the school day and prepare our students for middle school expectations, the following rules for student electronic devices will be in place at CES.

CES Student Cell Phone/Smart Watch Expectations: In accordance with Georgia House Bill 340: Distraction-Free Education Act, CES has created the following expectations regarding cell phones and smart watches.

Student cell phones and smart watches are expected to be off and remain in students' backpacks during the school day. (This includes day and over-night fieldtrips) If a cell phone or smart watch is visible or used during the day, the following consequences will be put in place:

· First Offense - Student Warning

· Second Offense - Infraction: Warning - Parent Contacted

· Third Offense - Infraction: Teacher assigned consequence - Parent Contacted

· Fourth Offense - Infraction: Teacher assigned consequence - Parent Contacted

· Fifth Offense - Office Referral to Administration – ISS

*A student refusing to put away an electronic device when asked could result in an additional office referral for defiance.

*Smart phones/watches are exempt from this rule if the watch is used for medical reasons. Parents must contact the school nurse to put a plan in place for the device. Example: Diabetic

*Please note that if the device is being used for any other purpose than medical purposes, the student may be subject to the consequences listed above.

We are fortunate to be a one-to-one school, with a school laptop available for every student. In addition, all of our classrooms have phones and digital clocks.

Should you need to get in touch with your child during the school day, please call the school at 770-382-0983.

Hello and welcome to the CES/CMS After School Program. The ASP lead is Marcie Garrett, the school nurse at CES. She will be your primary contact for all things ASP. Her email address is mgarrett@cartersvilleschools.org.

Welcome to CES/CMS ASP

Thank you for your interest in the CES/CMS After School Program (ASP)! We are very happy to have your child with us and look forward to a fun, safe, and enriching year. Here is the link to sign your child up for ASP. This link/QR Code is only for students that are new to the program. Returning students should have already received a link to re-register for ASP.

https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/a474fc0e-6040-4d32-aa34-a66c83e787c5

Here are a few things to know about CES/CMS ASP:

· CES/CMS ASP is a separate program from CPS ASP. Even if your child attended CPS ASP previously, you will receive a new PIN for CES ASP this year in the Procare App for ASP.

· CES/CMS ASP serves students in grades 4-8.

· ASP begins immediately after school dismissal each day.
· The cost of ASP is $12 per day, per child, plus a $20.00 registration fee per child. The registration fee is capped at $40.00 per family per school. Please ensure that your child's emergency contact information is current and up to date.
· Children should be picked up by the designated closing time. If someone other than an authorized adult will be picking up your child, they will need to have a code and be on their list of authorized pickups in the Procare App.
· We provide a variety of activities, including homework time, arts and crafts, games, outdoor play, and other engaging experiences.
· Students are expected to follow school and ASP behavior expectations to help maintain a safe and positive environment for everyone.
· Please feel free to communicate any concerns, questions, or special needs regarding your child.

Thank you for trusting us with your child. We look forward to a wonderful year together!

The ASP Handbook can be found on the CES/CMS After School website at: After School Program - Cartersville Elementary School

The Cartersville Elementary School Parent-Teacher Cooperative (CES PTC) is a group of parents/family members, teachers, and staff who work together to make a great school even better. We host teacher appreciation events throughout the year, fundraise for school improvements, and create fun experiences for CES students through programs like the book fair, glow run, and holiday store.

PTC hosts monthly meetings in the CES cafeteria. Meetings are usually held at 8:30 a.m. on the last Thursday of the month. If you can't attend meetings in person, that doesn't mean you can't be involved in PTC! There are lots of opportunities to participate, whether you have time to volunteer in person or not.

PTC dues are $10 per family (not per child) per school year. Please click on the link below to join. Once we've received your registration, we'll reach out via emails to welcome you and link you to our GroupMe!
Click here to join PTC: https://sfnd.io/33rmw

You can also reach out to CartersvilleElementaryPTC@gmail.com any time with questions!

Our first PTC meeting is scheduled on August 27th at 8:30 am in the CES Cafeteria. We hope to see you there!

Hey fourth graders! See America's natural wonders and historic sites for free. You and your family get free access to hundreds of parks, lands, and waters for an entire year. See the link below to see how it works!

Every Kid Outdoors

Please visit the link below to learn how to access this voluntary opportunity.

K-12 Student Accident Insurance (kandkinsurance.com)

Email: bbryant@cartersvilleschools.org
Website: https://www.cartersvilleschools.org/ces
Location: 340 Old Mill Road, Cartersville, GA, USA
Phone: 770-382-0983