Sawnee Elementary
July 2026
United States of America's 250th Anniversary of Independence
250 years of America's History
- The Stamp Act (1765) and the Boston Tea Party (1773) ignited colonial resistance against British rule. "Taxation Without Representation"
- July 2, 1776: Continental Congress voted for independence; July 4th marked adoption of the Declaration's final wording.
- Only two signers (John Hancock, known for his large signature and Charles Thomson) signed on July 4th. The engrossed document was officially signed in Philadelphia on August 2nd, 1776.
~John Hancock - First to sign and largest signature.
~Edward Rutledge was the youngest to sign at the age of 26.
~Benjamin Franklin was the oldest to sign at the age of 70.
🍨You're Invited to an Ice Cream Social🍨
Sawnee students and families are invited to join us for an Ice Cream Social!
August 1st
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Near the picnic tables by Gym 1
We hope to see you there for a sweet treat!
Kindergarten Bus Round Up
Kindergarten Bus Round Up will be on August 3rd. Your child's bus driver will contact you with more information as the date gets closer.
Open House
Open House will be August 4th! We can't wait to see both new and familiar faces as we kick off the 2026-2027 school year. Please look for your child's grade level to determine your Open House time.
Kindergarten & 3rd:
A-L 8am-9am
M-Z 9am-10am
2nd & 5th:
A-L 10am-11am
M-Z 11am-12pm
1st & 4th:
A-L 1pm-2pm
M-Z 2pm-3pm
Cafeteria News
Harvest of the Month
The Harvest of the Month for June is.... Tomatoes!!
Believe it or not, tomatoes aren’t always red. They can be yellow, pink, purple, black, and even white!
Found at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, USA, the largest single tomato plant in the world covers an area of 56.73 metres sq. That’s bigger than an Olympic size swimming pool!
La Tomatina is an annual festival in Spain, where people throw 150,000 tomatoes at each other. Sounds messy!
In Ohio, USA, they love tomatoes so much that tomato juice is the official state drink!
There are around 10,000 varieties of tomatoes worldwide!
Classic Tomato Basil Pasta
Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 15 minutes cook time
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
8 oz Spaghetti or your favorite pasta
2 tbsp Olive oil
4 cloves Garlic, minced
4 Tomatoes, fresh, diced
1/4 cup Basil, fresh, leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions:
1. Wash and prepare fresh ingredients.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften and release their juices.
6. Stir in the fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
7. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine with the tomato mixture.
8. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to heat through.
9. Divide pasta among 24 small plates, making sure to include all components on each plate.
10. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Audra Deese, Cafe 1 Manager (3rd-5th)
770-887-6161 ext. 771191
Phyllis Silvers, Cafe 2 Manager (KK-2nd)
770-887-6161 ext. 772149
Clinic News
The first day of school is fast approaching and we are so excited to get started! You can visit our Sawnee Clinic link below to learn more about the school clinic and the services we offer. Please stop by the clinic during Open House and visit with Nurse Robyn (K-2) and Nurse Kate (3-5) to discuss any concerns or questions you may have. You may also drop off medication to keep in the clinic at that time.
Please note that all Allergy and Asthma Care Plans need to be completed and signed by a physician June 1, 2026 or later to be accepted for the 26-27 school year. All forms and Care Plans can be found link below.
Per Forsyth County Schools policy, all over the counter and prescription medications need to be brought to the clinic by a parent or guardian and a Request for Administration of Medication form must be completed. Students are NOT permitted to carry any medication on school grounds in any Forsyth County school without written consent from a physician.
Clinic Wishlist: sandwich ziplock bags, bandaids , puff peppermints and 8 oz water bottles.
We always welcome your calls and emails. Nurse Robyn (K-2) RFreeze@forsyth.k12.ga.us and Nurse Kate (3-5) F36415@forsyth.k12.ga.us
We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Counseling Information
How to Prevent Your Kids from Losing What They Learned in School During Summer Vacation
“Summer break is typically a time for kids to kick back, indulge in a little extra screen time, play outside, and embrace the kind of freedom that only comes with being young and having zero responsibilities. However, all of this free time can lead to the summer slide, a regression in academic proficiency due to summer break, and experts warn it is hindering kids’ progress when they head back to school.” Check out this article from Scholastic to learn about the “summer slide” and how to avoid it! Click Here for Article
FAMILY CONNECT NIGHT IDEA
Beat the summer heat with a fun family ice cream night and a movie together at home or under the stars!
Summer Meal Programs:
Cumming First United Methodist Church
Address: 770 Canton Hwy, Cumming, GA 30040
Saturdays: 5/30/2026, 6/27/2026, and 7/25/20206; from 9am-10am
Every Wednesday: 9am-11am
YMCA
Sign up online prior to arrival
Address: 6050 Y St., Cumming, Ga 30040
When: First Thursday of Every Month; Time: 4:30-7:00pm
Cumming Elementary School- Mobile Pantry through the Place of Forsyth
Address: 540 Dahlonega St, Cumming, GA 30040
When: Second Saturday of Every Month
Time: 10:00am- 11:00am
Chattahoochee Elementary School - Mobile Pantry through the Place of Forsyth
Address: 2800 Holtzclaw Rd Cumming, Ga
When: Second Saturday of Every Month
Time: 11:30am-12:30pm
Chestatee Elementary- Mobile Pantry through the Place of Forsyth
Address: 6945 Keith Bridge Rd, Gainesville GA, 30506
When: Third Saturday of Every Month
Time: 10:00am-11:00 am
Ministries of Grace:
Address: 3540 Keith Bridge Rd, Cumming, GA 30041
Pantry on campus, call 404-426-4055 or email info@mealbygrace.org
for assistance prior to arriving
The Place of Forsyth:
Address: 2550 The Place Cir. Cumming, GA 30040
Pantry on campus
Sign up here: https://www.theplacega.org/food-pantry
May also be able to provide emergency financial assistance
City on a Hill Church
Address: 1645 Dahlonega Hwy, Cumming, GA 30040
When: Last Saturday of Each Month
Time: 10:00am- 11:15 Am
Call with any questions: 678-883-3512
Hightower Food Bank:
Address: 8630 Wallace Tatum Road, Cumming, GA 30028
When: Second Saturday of each month (June 14th, July 12th)
Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Call (770) 205-2464 throughout the month to receive additional help.
RESOURCES
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life: Link
FoodFinder Website: Link
2026-2027 PTO Executive Board
We’re thrilled to introduce the PTO Executive Board for the upcoming school year! These dedicated parents and community members are stepping up to support our students, staff, and school community in amazing ways.
Please join us in welcoming:
Aledra Slocumb, President
Meghan Brown, VP of Family Engagement
Monica Rewis, VP of Fundraising
Danielle Frady, VP of Events
Yasmeen Kalluri, Secretary
Connor Miller, Treasurer
Ellen Quesinberry, Member at Large
Samantha McClarity, Member at Large
We’re looking forward to a fantastic year. Thank you to our board (some old & some new) for volunteering their time and talents to make Sawnee the best it can be!
Spirit Wear
Over the summer we will be finalizing our new spirit wear store. Once that's complete, we will share the details on placing orders on our social media pages. Be sure you're following us on Instagram & Facebook to stay up-to-date!
Aug. 1 - Ice Cream Social
Aug. 3 - Kindergarten Bus Round Up
Aug. 4 - Open House
Aug. 6 - First Day of School
Birthday Ice Creams
Birthday Ice Cream packs are back and available on SCHOOLPAY.COM. Ice cream packs from our Hershey ice cream are available to purchase for your child’s birthday. The cost is $30. The only requirement is that we receive the order 3 school days in advance in order for us to get it set up. The packs give students a choice from 4 different ice cream bars. The teachers will have each student make a choice. All you need to do is log in to your SCHOOLPAY.COM and choose the Birthday Ice Cream option. Follow the steps for your order and you will be all set. We will do the rest! If you have questions please email Ruth at rallison@forsyth.k12.ga.us for K - 2nd grade and Gunjan at f44034@forsyth.k12.ga.us for 3rd – 5th grade.
If you prefer you may bring a treat for your child’s birthday. If you choose to bring a treat please remember that we only allow store bought items.
Eye Level Coal Mountain Learning Center
Eye Level is a systematically designed after-school supplemental education program catering to students from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. Have your child take advantage of Individualized Instruction while building a strong foundation in English and Math, and developing Critical Thinking and Problem Solving skills. To get a Free Consultation click HERE
Jeremiah's Italian Ice
Our vision is to be the coolest frozen dessert brand, by staying true to our Core Values with BOLD flavors, GENUINE guest service, a GENEROUS heart for our communities, VIBRANT locations, a Frog Squad ‘COOL‘ factor, and a STRATEGIC vision. So grab a spoon, unleash your inner cool, and get ready to Live Life to the Coolest! Jeremiah's Italian Ice
We are also working on setting up our Instagram account and will be coming very soon!
Contact Sawnee Elementary
Website: https://sawneeelementary.forsyth.k12.ga.us/
Location: 1616 Canton Highway, Cumming, GA, USA
Phone: 770-887-6161
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SawneeES/