The Colt Chronicle

Dear CCES Families,

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! We are thrilled to begin another exciting year of learning, growth, and success with our Colts. There is something truly special about the start of a new school year, and our staff has been working hard to prepare a welcoming, engaging, and supportive environment for every student. We cannot wait to see our hallways filled with smiling faces as we begin this journey together.

If you attended Open House this morning, you also got an unexpected bonus: a live demonstration of our fire alarm system! While we certainly didn't have that on the agenda, our students, families, and staff handled it like pros. Let's just say we've already completed our first safety drill of the year and everyone earned an A+! Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigated that little bit of excitement.

Before we kick off the year, I am excited to share some wonderful news. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and families, CCES was recognized with two prestigious awards this summer. First, we received the Governor's Office of Student Achievement Silver Award for Demonstrating High Academic Achievement, a testament to our commitment to student learning and academic excellence. Additionally, CCES earned the Five-Star Climate Excellence Award for fostering a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment. These honors reflect the incredible partnership between our school and community, and I could not be prouder of all that we have accomplished together. Thank you for the role each of you plays in making CCES such a special place.

As we begin the school year, please remember that students may enter the building beginning at 7:10 a.m. each morning. Our tardy bell rings at 7:40 a.m., and we ask for your support in ensuring that students are in their classrooms and ready to learn by that time so instruction can begin promptly. Our school day concludes at 2:20 p.m. with dismissal.

I would also like to ask for your partnership in helping us establish some healthy habits from the start. Please send water only in student water bottles. Other beverages should be reserved for breakfast or lunch times. Water helps students stay hydrated, focused, and ready to learn throughout the day.

Additionally, we know many students enjoy a special Starbucks or other coffee shop treat on the way to school. We kindly ask that students finish these beverages before entering the building each morning. Limiting classroom drinks to water helps us maintain a clean environment, avoid spills, and keep the focus on learning. As much as we'd all enjoy a daily caramel ribbon crunch, our classrooms run best on water and hard work!

Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and commitment to our school. Together, we will make this a fantastic year filled with meaningful learning experiences, lasting memories, and continued success for our Colts.

It's going to be a great year at CCES!

Go Colts!

Working Together,
Laura Butler

August 3- First Day of School

August 7- First Walk to School of the Year

August 10- PTO Executive Board Meeting 9am and General Meeting 10 am

August 12th- K, 2nd, & 4th Curriculum Nights (see times below)

August 13th- 1st, 3rd, & 5th Curriculum Nights (see times below)

August 18- Watch Dog Dad Kick Off

August 19- Welcome Back Kona Ice 5-6:30pm

August 28- Colts Campaign Kick Off

August 31st- Science Lab, Mystery Readers, and Lunch Visitors start back for the 26-27 School Year

We welcome you to walk your child into the building on the first day of school. We know there will be lots of special memories and great pictures to capture, and we are excited to see you in our halls!

Pre-K and Kindergarten Families: We also welcome you to walk your child to class during the entire first week of school if you would like. We understand that those last-minute hugs and goodbyes can help everyone feel a little more comfortable as we begin the school year together. We are excited to partner with you in making this a wonderful start for our youngest Colts

As we begin another exciting school year, we kindly ask families to refrain from planning lunch visits or volunteering activities during the first few weeks of school. This important time allows our teachers and staff to establish routines, teach expectations, and build strong classroom procedures that set our students up for success throughout the year.

We appreciate your support as we focus on helping our Colts learn these procedures and settle into their new learning environments. This investment of time at the beginning of the year helps ensure a smooth, safe, and successful experience for everyone.

We look forward to welcoming families back to campus as Mystery Readers, Lunch Visitors, and Science Lab Helpers beginning August 31st. Thank you for partnering with us as we work to get our Colts ready for a fabulous school year!

• Meal Payment Site: MySchoolBucks -> www.myschoolbucks.com

To help improve the efficiency of our afternoon dismissal process, we will be transitioning to a carpool number system. We appreciate your patience as our students learn and adjust to this new procedure during the first few weeks of school.

Families should have picked up their carpool/walker tag at Open House. If you did not get yours, you can get it on Monday. Please make sure your tag is clearly displayed and ready to go when you enter the carpool line or arrive to pick up your child. Having your number visible will allow staff to quickly identify students and help dismissal run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Walker Update: Beginning this school year, students designated as walkers will be dismissed from the end of the 5th Grade Hall. Parents or guardians picking up walkers should line up in this area and have their walker tag displayed and ready for staff to see.

Reminder: As we prepare for another great school year, we would like to share an important reminder about afternoon carpool procedures. For the safety of all students, families, and staff, we ask that vehicles do not line up past the designated Friendship Park crosswalk while waiting for afternoon dismissal.

When cars line up in front of parking spaces, it prevents other families and visitors from safely entering and exiting their parking spots. This creates unnecessary congestion and can create unsafe conditions for both pedestrians and drivers.

This is where we will share directly affiliated events and CCES PTO Business Partner information throughout our school year. The Colt Chronicle will not run ads for anyone who is not a PTO Business Partner or directly affiliated with Fulton County Schools.