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Principal's Message

Greetings Eagle Families,

It was another wonderful week at Alpharetta Elementary! We were excited to celebrate our amazing bus drivers and thank them for the care and dedication they show our students each day. They were treated to breakfast & snacks by our wonderful PTO and delightful messages from our Eagles.

We were also thrilled to celebrate a very special milestone, Alpharetta Elementary’s 70th Anniversary! We heard from guest speakers such as Mayor Jim Gilvin of Alpharetta and Bobby McCrease, one of the first students to attend AES. Seventy years represents generations of students, families, educators, and community members who have helped make our school such a special place.

This week we'll show how we're drug-free with Red Ribbon Week and end the week with our annual Book Character parade. As the cooler fall weather arrives and students wear layers, please make sure they bring all clothing items home that they came to school with--the lost & found is already quite full!

Yours in partnership,

Ms. Crawford

Important Dates

October:

26-30 Book Fair

26-30 Red Ribbon Week

29 Literacy Night/Family Book Fair Night 4-6pm

30 Book Character Parade

Save the Date

AES Spelling Bee

Our annual AES Spelling Bee is coming up! Students in grades 3–5 will have the opportunity to participate in their classroom spelling bees. All students will receive a study word list to bring home and practice, but participation is optional. Please check your child's grade-level newsletter for the specific date and time of their classroom spelling bee.

The winner from each classroom will advance to our AES School Spelling Bee on Thursday, December 3rd! The time and additional details will be shared soon. We can't wait to see our Eagles show off their spelling skills!

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Literacy Coach, Lauren Chiodo, or CST, Jodi Bassett.

What You Need to Know

Morning Carpool & Arrival

Due to the population growth of the Alpharetta area, more & more drivers are using Mayfield Road as a means to get to their morning destination. Please take note of the "No left turn from 7:10-7:40am" signs that are now located at the main and bus rider entrances. By helping to adhere to this, the flow of traffic can continue while ensuring that our students who arrive by car are in their class by 7:40am.

Beginning this school year, morning carpool will end at 7:35 am. Ending at this time allows for students to walk to their class and be in their seat by 7:40am, which is the start of our instructional day. If you are arriving after 7:35 am, you will be directed to park and walk your child to the front door. If the bell rings during this time, you will need to sign you child in on our Checkmate system which is located outside the front doors.

*Please note, we have several families with students who participate in our Autism classes and use our main carpool drop off area after 7:35am. This is to help ease their transitions and limit distractions.

AES FAMILY HANDBOOK

Please take a moment to review information in our AES Family Handbook. In coming weeks, we will highlight pertinent information you need to know about.

This week's spotlight is on accessing your Parent Portal account in Infinite Campus.

Read below for more information.

Supporting Positive Student Behavior Through SOAR Expectations

At our school, we are committed to creating a safe, positive, and productive learning environment for all students. To support this goal, we teach and reinforce our school-wide behavior expectations through SOAR:

Safe in actions and choices
Taking Ownership of behavior and learning
Being Attentive and ready to learn
Showing Responsibility to peers, staff, and school property

Throughout the school day, students are expected to demonstrate these behaviors in classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, playground, buses, and all other school settings.

What is a SOAR Reminder?

When a student does not meet one of our SOAR expectations, a staff member will provide a SOAR Reminder. A SOAR Reminder serves as an opportunity for the student to reflect on their choices, understand the expected behavior, and make positive adjustments moving forward.

Our behavior system is designed to give students multiple opportunities to correct their behavior before administrative intervention becomes necessary.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd behavior infractions: Student receives a SOAR Reminder.
4th behavior infraction: Student receives an office referral/write-up, which is submitted to the Assistant Principal for review and follow-up.

This process allows teachers and staff to address minor behaviors consistently while providing students with opportunities to improve and demonstrate our SOAR expectations.

We ask that parents/guardians review the SOAR reminder, sign the form, and return it to the homeroom teacher. See below for what the form entails:

How Families Can Help

We encourage families to discuss SOAR expectations at home and reinforce the importance of being:

Safe in actions and choices
Taking Ownership of behavior and learning
Being Attentive and ready to learn
Showing Responsibility to peers, staff, and school property

By working together, we can help all students develop the skills necessary for success both in and out of the classroom. Please reach out to Jenna Silverman, AP, with any questions (silvermanj@fultonschools.org)

Thank you for your partnership and support as we continue to foster a positive school culture where every student can SOAR!

From the Clinic

We are in need of extra girls' clothing to keep in the clinic--tops and bottoms in all sizes ranging from XS/3T through size L/10-12. If you have any items (new or gently used) that you'd like to donate, please send to the front office.

From the Counselor

We are excited to begin planning two engaging career-focused events for our students and are looking for volunteers from our school and community to participate!

💼 Career Exploration Day (Grades 3–5) – Spring 2027 (April/May)

Our older students will learn about different careers and pathways by hearing directly from professionals in our community. We are seeking volunteers from all career fields who would be willing to share information about their profession, education, skills, and experiences.

If you, a family member, friend, or community partner would be interested in participating in either event, please complete the interest form below:

2026-27 AES Touch-A-Truck & Career Exploration – Fill out form

Your willingness to share your time and expertise helps our students connect their learning to future possibilities. We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to partnering with our amazing Alpharetta Elementary community!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Turquisha Lasker-Smith (laskersmitht@fultonschools.org)

From the Media Center

Scholastic Book Fair: October 26-30, 2026

News from the Media Center: Book Fair & Volunteering

The Scholastic Book Fair is back! It runs Monday, October 26th thru 12 PM Friday, October 30th in the old STEM Lab (room 1027) across from the Media Center. PreK-1st and AU/MOID grades will visit with their homerooms while 2nd-5th grades will shop during their reading class. Families are also invited to shop during the AES Family Literacy Night on Thursday, October 29th from 4 PM - 6 PM.

The fair accepts credit card, cash, and e-Wallets. The e-Wallets are highly encouraged for speedier check outs and to ration coin change. Families can create / update their e-Wallets by visiting http://www.tinyurl.com/bkfr26

Interested in volunteering? All help is welcomed by signing up at this link: http://www.tinyurl.com/bkfrv26 . Volunteers are especially needed during the lunch hours (10:30 AM-1:15 PM).

ALL IN ON ATTENDANCE – 95% TO THRIVE!

Attendance Matters ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. Student absences, whether excused or unexcused, will impact a child's ability to succeed in school. Some absences are unavoidable. The important thing is to get your children to school as often as possible and on time! Students who miss fewer than 5 days in the first semester are 3 times more likely to stay on track in reading and math.

The late bell rings at 7:40. Students should be in their classroom ready to learn at that time. Please email the school data clerk/ attendance email and copy your child’s teacher when your child is absent.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in ensuring the success of your child's education. For more information on FCS attendance policies please visit the FCS Attendance Matters Website If you have any questions or concerns regarding your student’s attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out, Randi Downey, LCSW 470-317-8530, downeyr@fultonschools.org.

From the Cafeteria

Regular account monitoring helps prevent low or negative balances and ensures a smooth meal service experience for your child. It also helps avoid situations where your child may not be able to purchase snacks, ice cream, or other available items they may want during the school day.

Please reach out to Lawanda Blyther, Cafeteria Manager (blyther@fultonschools.org) with any questions.

ArtsNOW!

ArtsNOW is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit with more than 20 years of experience reshaping education. Through programming that integrates visual arts, music, dance, digital arts and drama into academic lessons, ArtsNOW sets the stage for educators to become effective in their teaching — and for students to achieve greater academic and personal success.

This month in STEAM

Students are learning visual art strategies and vocabulary as a way to engage with math. Students will show mastery of addition/subtraction or multiplication/division fact families through creating mosaics.

Parent Resources

ArtsNowLearning.org provides materials and activities for at-home connections. You can also find a weekly activity that aligns with the week's STEAM class highlighted in your homeroom teacher's weekly newsletter. See https://artsnowlearning.org/resources/at-home-lessons/ for more resources.

Reach out to Ms. Wilkinson (wilkinsonrm@fultonschools.org) for more information

Join the PTO

Please consider joining the PTO--they provide incredible resources and support to our students, staff, and community. For more information, click here: Alpharetta Elementary School PTO - Home

To read October's PTO newsletter, click here

Support Our Business Partners

From FCS

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Thursday, October 22, 2026, for its regularly scheduled Board Meeting at the South Learning Center. The full agenda is available on Simbli, a website that provides the Board agenda and all supporting documents online. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Mike Looney began the Superintendent's Report by calling on Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins to discuss the district's accelerated and advanced learning programs. Mr. Gaskins provided an overview of opportunities available to students, highlighting initiatives designed to challenge learners, support academic growth, and expand access to rigorous coursework across the district.

Accelerated Learning

According to Mr. Gaskins, more students are participating in opportunities such as Continuous Achievement, earning high school credit in middle school, and taking Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Dual Enrollment courses in high school.

At the high school level, participation in college-credit opportunities continues to increase reflecting the district’s commitment to preparing students for college and career success. More than 61% of graduates in the Class of 2025 earned at least one college credit before graduation, an increase from 54% among the Class of 2022. Students can earn these credits through AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment programs, providing multiple pathways to prepare for college and future careers.

Mr. Gaskins emphasized that the district’s goal is not only to offer advanced coursework but also to identify students early, remove barriers to participation, and ensure that all students have access to challenging learning experiences that prepare them for success after graduation. Future updates will focus on student outcomes, including ACT and SAT participation and performance, as part of the district’s ongoing work to support college and career readiness.

Board Approves 2027 Millage Rate

The Board approved a millage rate of 17.95 mills as the district continues working to maintain financial stability amid rising costs and other financial challenges.

Through its GLIDE effort, Fulton County Schools has developed recommendations to reduce expenditures through cuts and savings, along with strategies to increase revenue. The millage rate decision is part of this broader effort to keep the district’s financial position stable while supporting students and schools.

Click here for more information.

Deadline to Fill Vacant Board Seat Extended to November 6

Following District 3 Board Member Katie Gregory’s decision to resign effective September 18, 2026, the Fulton County Board of Education invites community members to submit their candidacy for fulfilling the unexpired term and extend the deadline for submissions to November 6, 2026. The term expires on December 31, 2028.

Click here to review the requirements to fill a vacant Board seat, including the candidate submission process.

Board Policy Update

This month three policies were presented for action, one policy for rescission, and two regulations for information, including one regulation for rescission.

JCAB Interviews and Searches of Students: Establishes a Board policy addressing student searches, safety screening procedures, and interviews by district staff and external agencies.
GAD Professional Learning Opportunities: Expands and clarifies expectations for a coordinated professional learning program for all employees aligned with district priorities and employee needs.
GAK(1) Criminal Background Check: Consolidates background check provisions and clarifies the district’s authority to conduct subsequent checks of current employees.
GCD Classified Personnel Hiring: Recommended for rescission because its content is incorporated into GAK(1).
IHEC-R Course Credit: Updates guidance on high school credit earned in middle school, course names, and honors points.
JCAB-R(1) Interviews and Searches of Students: Presented for rescission because the subject is now addressed in Board Policy JCAB.

Board Recognitions

Each month, the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level. The following teams and individuals were recognized at the meeting:

Cliftondale Elementary student earned first place at the Elementary Beta Club National Convention
The Chattahoochee High School baseball field was selected as the National High School Baseball Coaches Association (NHSBCA) Turface Region 3 Field of the Year for 2026
FCS’ GLIDE Strategy Team earned the 2026 Pinnacle Award from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)
Fifteen FCS schools were named 2026 Title I Reward Schools

2026-27 Community Meetings with Board Members

Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.

Introducing SchoolCash Online for Fulton County Schools

Fulton County Schools is excited to introduce SchoolCash Online—a convenient and secure way for families to pay for school-related fees. With this new system, you can easily pay for items such as field trips, classroom activities, parking permits, yearbooks, and more—all from the comfort of home.

SchoolCash Online helps reduce the need for cash and checks in our schools while giving families a safe and simple way to make payments using a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Getting Started

Beginning July 1, 2026, please be on the lookout for a registration email from:

"KEV Group at noreply@stagingschoolcashonline.com."

The subject line will read: “Fulton County Schools shared a student with you.”

For step-by-step registration instructions, please visit the SchoolCash Online webpage at https://fultonschools.schoolcashonline.com/.

Learn more about SchoolCash Online on the FCS district website at www.fultonschools.org/schoolcash.

Eagle Wings