HMES NEWSLETTER
2025-2026
Happy Sunday!!
What an incredible first week of school! It has been such a joy welcoming our Hawks back to campus. Our students have been enthusiastic, kind, and eager to learn, and we couldn't be more proud of the amazing start they have made!
Thank you to our amazing PTO for hosting a fantastic meeting last Tuesday. We were thrilled to have our largest PTO meeting turnout yet! Thank you also to our families for helping students arrive on time each morning.
As we continue to finalize beginning-of-the-year enrollment, we are currently about 30 students below last year’s enrollment. However, our first-grade classes are experiencing very large class sizes, with only one class currently below the maximum class-size limit. We will work with the district to seek support in balancing our first-grade classes as enrollment continues to settle.
Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we navigate the changes and challenges that come with the beginning of a new school year. We remain committed to making thoughtful decisions with our students at the center of every decision.
As we begin Week 2, let's continue learning, growing, and moving Forward Together!
Go Hawks!
Dr. Blanton
TIKIZ SURVEY
Parents, thank you so much for participating in our schoolwide incentive survey! We truly value your feedback and would love to hear from more of our school community. So far, we have received 34 responses, and your input is important.
Please note that TIKIZ is not our only incentive for recognizing positive behavior. Last week I checked with all 20 homeroom teachers, and 17 currently have a classroom treasure box and classroom incentives to support positive behavior. As a school, we are working to ensure that our approach to recognizing positive behavior is consistent, equitable, and systematic across all classrooms. Moving forward we will be sure that all classes have a treasure box and/or a token economy system that provides opportunities to recognize positive behavior without relying solely on tangible rewards.
Our goal is to develop a schoolwide system that is meaningful, consistent, motivating, and accessible to all students. I will close the survey on Friday, August 14th.
Thank you for your continued feedback, partnership, and support as we work together to create the best experience for our students!
🚨 Safety Drills at HMES
Last week, our students and staff participated in a fire drill and a level 2 lockdown drill. These important practices help ensure everyone knows how to respond calmly and safely during an emergency. This week all students and staff will practice again.
Thank you to our students and staff for taking these drills seriously and helping us keep HMES safe and prepared!
The DCSD Weekly Digest
Hello, DCSD Community! Click the link below for The DCSD Weekly Digest – August 10, 2026 Newsletter.
Stay Connected and Stay Informed: https://bit.ly/4fZzoij.
- DCSD Celebrates Multi-Year Academic Growth
- DCSD Communications Department Earns International Recognition with Six Communicator Awards and Two Telly Awards
- DCSD Remembers the Life of Legendary Football Coach William "Buck" Godfrey
- Free & Reduced Meal Applications
- DCSD Implements New Visitor Management System
- Transportation Help Hotline
- Fall 2026 PAC Elections
- Community L.E.A.D. Academy
- Lexile, Literacy, And Career Planning Workshop
- DCSD Kickoff Classic
- International Parent Engagement Series
- Newsletter Highlights Spanish Video
- Videos & Photos of the Week
Let's continue moving forward together because the strength of our community lies in unity and continuous communication.
Parents' Right to Know
At Henderson Mill Elementary School, we believe that informed families are empowered partners in their child's education.
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), parents and guardians have the right to request information about the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teacher and any paraprofessional providing instructional support.
Upon request, you may receive information regarding:
- Whether your child's teacher meets state certification and licensure requirements.
- Whether your child's teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status.
- Whether your child's teacher is teaching in the field of his or her certification.
- Whether your child receives services from a paraprofessional and, if so, the paraprofessional's qualifications.
If you would like to request this information, please contact the Henderson Mill Elementary School front office. We value our partnership with families and are committed to providing a high-quality education for every student.
WHAT IS BEANSTACK? HOW DOES IT HELP MY CHILD?
Just 5 minutes a day of logging your child’s reading on Beanstack can help us climb even higher on the county-wide leaderboard!
📖 What Is Beanstack?
Beanstack is our school’s reading-tracking program. Students can access Beanstack from their school computers and log the minutes they spend reading. Families may also download the Beanstack app so students can continue logging their reading at home. Students will learn more about Beanstack during library lessons in August and September. Our monthly class challenges will begin in September, when classes will compete to see who can log the most reading minutes!
Please encourage your child to log reading minutes regularly and honestly. See the attached flyer for directions and additional information.
Together, we can build a powerful culture of reading at HMES, one page at a time!
Curriculum Night
📢 Mark Your Calendars, Henderson Mill Families! 📢
We are excited to welcome our Hawks back for another amazing school year!
🎓 Curriculum Night
🗓️ Wednesday, August 26, 2026
⏰ 5pm - 7pm
Curriculum Night provides a more in-depth look at what your child will be learning this year. Families will have the opportunity to learn about grade-level curriculum, academic expectations, grading practices, homework, communication, and much more.
This event is another opportunity to partner with us in your child's success. We look forward to seeing all of our Henderson Mill families there as we prepare for an incredible year of learning!
To STEAM and Beyond...
📚 Assessment Window Opens August 24!
Our AMIRA and MAP Growth assessment window opens August 24. These beginning-of-the-year assessments provide valuable information about your child's current academic strengths and areas for growth.
The results help our teachers personalize instruction, set meaningful learning goals, and ensure every student receives the support and enrichment they need to thrive throughout the school year.
Please help your child do their best by ensuring they arrive at school on time, well-rested, and ready to learn each day during the testing window.
Join the Henderson Mill Elementary PTO!
🚗✨ Arrival & Dismissal Reminders ✨🚶♀️
As we continue a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students. Thanks to our survey, it has come to my attention that our late arrival students are a huge parent concern as well. This is a disruption to our classrooms and teaching/learning. Please try your hardest to have your child to arrive to school on time, please see below.:
🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins. Please be sure your child has parent supervision if they arrive on campus before 7am.
🍽️ After breakfast – SOAR TIME (Intervention & Enrichment) starts (FREE TUTORING FOR YOUR CHILD). This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin. Students should be in their classrooms.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins in this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ car riders
➡️ aftercare
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:30 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!
Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all learners.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation!
🏃♀️ 2026–2027 Elementary Track & Field Registration is Open! 🏃♂️
Registration is now open for 4th and 5th grade students interested in joining the Henderson Mill Elementary Track & Field team!
Register by using the link below or by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer:
https://survey.sogolytics.com/r/eSN5do
Reminder: Students must have a current athletic physical on file with the school before they can participate. Led by Mrs. Bierman and Dr. O'D, Track & Field is a great opportunity for students to build fitness, teamwork, confidence, and sportsmanship.
Wednesday, August 12th at 4pm will be a VIRTUAL parent meeting. We encourage you to join to learn more!
📣 After-School Club Registration Is Open!
Thanks to PTO, we are excited to offer after-school clubs on Mondays and Fridays from 2:30–3:30 p.m. Please note that students must be picked up at 3:30. Transportation is not available.
Clubs are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early! Students may choose only one club on Monday and/or one club on Friday. Once a club reaches capacity, registration for that club will close and no additional students can join.
If you signed up for a club during Open House, you do not need to sign up again.
ALL CLUBS WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER!
✨ Space is limited so sign up early to secure your child’s spot!
🏈⚽🏀 Henderson Mill Families: i9 Sports Fall 2026 Registration Is Open! 🏐🥍
We are excited to share an opportunity for our students to participate in i9 Sports’ Fall 2026 season! i9 Sports provides fun, safe, and engaging sports experiences for children of various ages and skill levels. Fall programs include:
🏈 Flag Football (Ages 4–13)
⚽ Soccer (Ages 3–8)
🏀 Basketball (Ages 4–12)
⚾ Baseball (Ages 3–6)
🥍 Lacrosse (Ages 5–10)
🏐 Volleyball (Ages 9–14 | Girls Only)
Programs are available at locations throughout the area, including Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Tucker, and more! A new soccer location will also be available this fall at St. Pius X Catholic School.
📅 Fall Registration Deadline: August 17, 2026
Families are encouraged to register early to take advantage of early registration savings. Please see the attached digital flyer for additional details and registration information.
We are excited to continue partnering with i9 Sports to provide our Henderson Mill students with opportunities to learn teamwork, build confidence, and stay active for wellness!
Hello parents of boys and girls K-5 grade! I'm one of the Cubmasters for Pack 007 based out of Embry Hills United Methodist Church. On August 10 at 6:30pm we'll be hosting a welcome night for new families in the Family Life Center.
Children can join at any age! Our Pack Committee Chair Rebecca will walk you through everything you need to know while adult leaders take the kids outside for games. Our goal is to provide a fun and safe environment that is open to all.
Yours in Scouting, David Harvey- Co-Cubmaster, Pack 007
Email: pack007ehumc@gmail.com
🎉 Show Your School Spirit! 🎉
Most Fridays are Spirit Wear Days for our staff, and we would love for our students to join in too! This is a fun way to celebrate our school pride and highlight our amazing school community. 💚
Want to get your student ready for Spirit Wear Fridays? Click the link below to purchase official school spirit wear from our PTO. Let’s make Fridays a sea of blue and green and school pride we can’t wait to see everyone showing their Hawk Pride!
HMES Hawk Rock is Back!!!
The Hawk Rock is ready to be rented and we already have four sales!
🎨 Make your mark on the Hawk Rock! Henderson Mill families can rent our school spirit rock for three days to celebrate a birthday, milestone, achievement, or other special event.
Rentals are $30, and families are responsible for providing all painting supplies and painting over the previous design. It’s a fun way to celebrate someone special while supporting our amazing school!
Support Henderson Mill While You Shop at Kroger! 🛒
It’s quick, easy, and free to help our school earn rewards!
Here’s how:
Create a Kroger digital account (if you don’t already have one): https://www.kroger.com/account/communityrewards/
Link your Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card.
Go to Community Rewards in your account settings.
Search for Henderson Mill Elementary and select our school.
Every time you shop and use your Kroger Plus card, a percentage of your spending is donated to Henderson Mill, at no extra cost to you!
💚 Thank you for supporting our students, one grocery trip at a time!
PARENT CORNER
We are happy to share that we will have a small pantry located in our Parent Corner, generously sponsored by our PTO. The pantry will include some food and very basic toiletry items for families who may need a little extra support. If your family could benefit from these resources, please contact Ms. Vela (678-874-3106) for assistance. All requests will be handled with care and confidentiality. We are always here to support our Henderson Mill families.
Volunteer at Henderson Mill!
We love our volunteers! To volunteer at school or chaperone field trips, you must meet DeKalb County School District (DCSD) volunteer requirements below:
- Level I: Front Office Support, Cafeteria Support, Recess Support, Classroom helpers, Mystery Readers, class parties, Career Day, cafeteria, library, and other supervised school activities.
- Level II: Required for daytime field trip chaperones.
- Level III: Required for overnight field trip chaperones and volunteers who may work with students without direct supervision. Includes fingerprinting and is valid for 5 years (annual badge renewal required).
Please click link below to begin the volunteer registration process. If you need assistance, please send an email to: DCSDvolunteer@dekalbschoolsga.org or Demone_Gunter@dekalbschoolsga.org
We look forward to partnering with you this school year!
🎨🦅 HMES Parents—We Need Your Creativity! 💙💚
As we prepare for Curriculum Night, we are inviting parents to volunteer and partner with a teacher to create a fun, welcoming classroom door!
Teachers would LOVE your creativity and support with this special project. Help create a door that reflects the teacher’s grade level, content area, personality, and classroom culture.
🏆 There’s a prize! PTO will judge the doors, and the winning teacher will receive a gift card! 🎁
📅 Deadline: Monday, August 24
Let’s make our hallways welcoming, creative, and full of HMES pride! Please reach out to your child's teacher to support.
Our Sister School has a Fundraiser
📅 Sunday, August 30th, Lakeside HS Fine Arts Lobby, 10am to 5pm!
🛋️ We'll set up a real showroom with more than 28 name-brand mattresses and friendly staff to help you find what you need. Prices start at $199 and go up into mid & premium options. Every purchase benefits the Choral Department & STUDENTS!
✅ $0 down, 12 months same-as-cash (with approved credit)
💵 Cash or Card
🛏️ Brand new mattresses in every size, style, and comfort level (full warranties included!)
🚚 Delivery, setup, and haul-away in 3 to 5 weeks Brands: Purple, Southerland, Tranquility, Beauty Rest & Malouf adjustable power bases
Tell them Henderson Mill Elementary Sent you there!
Henderson Mill Elementary
Email: regina_smiley-blanton@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hendersonmilles.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2408 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 678-874-3102
Twitter: @henderson_mill