ARES Rocket Report

December was a month filled with joy, celebration, and community at Austin Road Elementary! From spirited school events to academic achievements, our Rockets closed out 2025 on a high note. Here’s a look back at some of the memorable moments we shared:

✨ 10 Days of Holiday Cheer
Our school transformed into a winter wonderland as students and staff joined in daily themed dress-up days and activities. The halls were buzzing with excitement, color, and holiday spirit!

💃 Winter Wonderland Family Dance
Families kicked off the holiday season at our free family event, enjoying music, dancing, and festive fun. Thank you to all who attended and helped make the night magical!

🎶 Holiday Chorus Concert
Our talented Rocket singers took the stage and delivered an unforgettable performance filled with holiday cheer. We are so proud of their hard work and musical growth!

🎤 Schoolwide Holiday Sing-Along
One of our favorite annual traditions! Students and staff came together for a joyful sing-along to close out the semester. Check out the video below to relive the magic!

🎉 Class Holiday Parties
Families joined us for classroom celebrations, treats, crafts, and year-end activities. Thank you for making these moments so special for our students!

📈 MAP Growth Success
We wrapped up December celebrating tremendous academic growth on our MAP Growth assessments! Our Rockets demonstrated outstanding progress and we are excited to continue building on this momentum in the new year.

December was filled with community, achievement, and celebration — and we can’t wait to see what 2026 brings for our Rocket family! 🚀💙

This month, we will begin two important assessments that help us better understand and support our students: ACCESS for ELLs and Gifted Eligibility Testing.

ACCESS for ELLs:
This assessment measures English language proficiency for students who are multilingual learners. It evaluates skills in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing, and helps determine the level of support each student may need. Families of students who will take the ACCESS test should have already received a letter at home with more information.

Gifted Eligibility Testing:
Students who are being screened for the Barrow County Gifted Program will participate in a series of assessments that measure academic achievement, mental ability, creativity, and motivation. Like ACCESS, families of students participating in gifted testing have already been notified by letter.

What Families Can Do to Help Students Prepare:
✔ Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before testing
✔ Eat a healthy breakfast
✔ Arrive to school on time — testing generally begins early in the school day
✔ Offer encouragement! Remind them to try their best and take their time

We appreciate your partnership in helping our Rockets shine. If you have any questions about testing, please contact your child’s teacher.

Families, we need your help to ensure a safe dismissal for all students.

It has come to our attention that during afternoon car rider dismissal in the front parking lot, some parents are parking or stepping out of their vehicles and approaching the fenced playground area to speak with students at recess. While we know this is done with good intentions, this is not permitted for safety reasons.

Here’s why this practice is unsafe:

✔ Student Supervision: During dismissal, staff are actively monitoring student movement and vehicle flow. When adults approach the playground fence, it can distract students and staff.
✔ Unexpected Movement: Students may try to run toward the fence, creating a dangerous situation with moving vehicles in the lot.
✔ Controlled Release: Car rider dismissal is structured so students are only released when their name is called and staff confirm the vehicle. Any alternative pick-up disrupts that system and increases risk.
✔ Emergency Protocols: For emergency and security purposes, dismissal procedures must remain consistent and controlled.

What Parents Should Do Instead:

🚗 Remain in your vehicle and in the car rider line at all times
👋 Wave from inside your car if your child sees you — they will be called when it is their turn
👨‍👩‍👧 If you need to pick up your child differently, please go through the office before dismissal

Your cooperation ensures that dismissal runs smoothly and safely for all students.

Thank you for helping us keep our Rockets safe!

Did you know that regular school attendance is one of the most important factors in your child’s success? When students are present every day, they stay on track academically, build strong learning habits, and feel connected to their school community.

Why Attendance Is Important

• Missing just two days a month can add up to 18 days a year, which can impact learning.

• Students who attend regularly are more likely to:
  ✔ achieve higher grades
  ✔ master academic skills
  ✔ build confidence
  ✔ feel socially connected

• Consistent attendance helps students prepare for future success in school and beyond.

How Families Can Help

• 🗓 Schedule appointments outside school hours whenever possible.

• ⏰ Make sure your child is ready and on time each morning.

• 📧 Send any excuse notes or doctor’s notes to:
  ARESattendance@barrow.k12.ga.us

• 💬 Communicate with your child’s teacher about needs, concerns, or obstacles.

Thank you for partnering with us to make attendance a priority! Together, we can help every student succeed. 🚀