Mustang Newsletter

Happy Friday!

It was another great week of teaching and learning at the VERY BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in all of Fulton County Schools!!!!! Please review our updates for the week ahead.

• MORNING ARRIVAL....SCHOOL STARTS AT 7:40 AM: We have a lot of tardy students. Our school day starts at 7:40 am daily. Students arriving as of 7:41 am will be marked tardy. In addition, students arriving after 7:40 am are missing instruction and don't have the opportunity to retrieve breakfast. Let's work to ensure all Mustangs arrive on time...I know we can do it! :)
  
  
• FAMILY BINGO NIGHT!!! We are excited to announce our upcoming family BINGO Night taking place on August 28th. Additional information is included on the flyer below. We look forward to seeing you there!

• SCHOOL HOURS are 7:40 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Our school front office is opened 7:00 am - 3:30 pm daily.
• MORNING ARRIVAL PROCEDURES: Morning arrival for students is 7:10 am-7:40 am. Students arriving after 7:40 am will be marked tardy as the instructional daily begins promptly at 7:40 am. ** Students should not be dropped off prior to 7:10 am as we do not offer before school care.
  

• BREAKFAST/LUNCH: 📌 We’re excited to share that breakfast and lunch are completely free for all Cliftondale students this school year! 🍽 Breakfast Hours: 7:10 AM – 7:40 AM

  Please note: Students arriving after 7:40 AM may not have access to breakfast, so we encourage timely arrival to ensure they start the day with a nutritious meal.

• During school hours, students may not have restaurant food in any FCS cafeteria at any given time.
  

• DISMISSAL: Parents can check students out early anytime up until 2:00 pm.

• TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: Please keep in mind that changes in transportation must be in writing and shared with your child’s homeroom teacher and the front office staff.

At Cliftondale, parents are permitted to escort students to class during the first five days of school only. Beginning Monday, August 11th, parents who wish to walk their child into the building should use the front office entrance, which will serve as our designated “Hug and Go” zone. Our staff members will be readily available throughout the building to support students who may need assistance transitioning to class. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure a safe, smooth, and independent start to each school day!

• Please be alert at all times! We have students exiting vehicles, parents and students crossing the street, and staff supporting students as they exit their vehicle. Please be attentive to all mustangs.
• Please do not park in the car rider loop. The car rider loop is for quick drop offs only. If you would like to exit your vehicle and escort your child into the school, please park in a nearby visitors parking space. Parents may escort students to class up until 7:35 am daily.
• For morning drop-off, parents are expected to ONLY use the car rider loop where staff members are monitoring students. Parents SHOULD NOT release students from their vehicles in the parking lot.
• Parents SHOULD NOT park along any red curb.
• Parents SHOULD NOT pass other vehicles in the car rider line or while in the school parking lot.
• Please have your student ready to exit from the passenger side of the vehicle. This means, make sure his/her bookbag and other belongs are ready and easily accessible. This speeds up the process tremendously!
• For car rider drop off & pickup, please pull all the way forward to cone #1.
• Help your student learn his/her car rider number for afternoon pickup.
• Please be patient!

AUGUST 2025

• August 4th : First Day of School
• August 2nd: APEC Community Back 2 School Bash 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
• August 28th: Family BINGO Night 5:00 pm-7:00 pm

SEPTEMBER 2025

• September 1st: Labor Day - School Closed/No School for Students and Staff
• September 5th: Mustang of the Month at 8:30 am
• September 12th: Grandparents Day Brunch - (For prepaid guests only)
• September 12th: 4.5 Week Progress Report (Viewable in Parent Portal)
• September 16th: Annual Title I Meeting at 5:30 PM
  Curriculum Night immediately following the Title I Meeting

OCTOBER

• October: Conference Month
• October 8th: Fall Picture Day
• October 10th: 9-Week Progress Report (Viewable in Parent Portal)
• October 13th-17th: Fall Break - School Closed/No School for Students and Staff
• October 22nd-31st: Boosterthon Fundraiser
  
• October 23rd-31st: Red Ribbon Week
• October 20th: District 4 Community Meeting - Cliftondale ES at 5:30 pm
• October 30th: Trunk or Treat and Math Event
• October 31st: Boosterthon Color Run

We’re excited to kick off the school year with a fun-filled Family Bingo Night and you’re invited!

🗓 Event: Family Bingo Night

🎉 What: A night of games, laughter, and connection

📅 BINGO Cards Available: Now through August 22nd

🔗 How to Purchase: Cliftondale ES

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to connect with our school community.
We can’t wait to see you

Although breakfast and lunch is free for all students, students may purchases extra food portions or snacks. As we are a cashless school, students should not bring cash to school for these purchases. All funds must be added online through MySchoolBucks. Parents should visit MySchoolBucks

to add funds to their child's account in order for students to purchase ice cream, snacks, or extra food portions during lunch.

Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a safe and efficient cafeteria experience!
FCS School Nutrition

Provided within this newsletter is important back to school information for Fulton County Schools and Cliftondale Elementary School. These items will help you as you prepare yourself and your student(s) for the school year ahead. Please review these items at your leisure. I also encourage you to visit our school website frequently as current and upcoming school happenings will be posted there. An additional source of information is Class Dojo. Teachers will connect you to their class and our school story during open house on July 31st.

• SCHOOL HOURS are 7:40 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Our school front office is opened 7:00 am - 3:30 pm daily.
• MORNING ARRIVAL PROCEDURES: Morning arrival for students is 7:10 am-7:40 am. Students arriving after 7:40 am will be marked tardy as the instructional daily begins promptly at 7:40 am. ** Students should not be dropped off prior to 7:10 am as we do not offer before school care.
  📌IMPORTANT - Visiting parents may accompany their children to class during the first week of school (August 4-8, 2025) only. This measure is to ensure the safety of all students and staff. All visiting parents will be required to exit the building using the front office entrance no later than 7:35 am.
  

• BREAKFAST/LUNCH: Breakfast and lunch are completely free for all Cliftondale students. Breakfast is available for all students 7:10 am - 7:40 am. Although breakfast and lunch are free, students may purchase extra portions or snacks. Parents should visit My School Bucks to add money to their child's account in order for your student to purchase snacks and extra food portions. During school hours, students may not have restaurant food in any FCS cafeteria at any given time.
  

• SCHOOL FUNDS: We are now a 100% cashless organization. All funds collected at Cliftondale ES for student activities and school sponsored events are accepted only through Fulton County Schools Online School Payments.
• SCHOOL UNIFORMS: Cliftondale remains a uniform school, and we will continue to encourage all students to wear our school uniform. Our uniform consists of a navy blue, yellow/gold, or white top with khaki or navy bottoms. Uniforms and other school spirit wear are available through our online spirit store Home | Cliftondale Store
  

• DISMISSAL: Parents can check students out early anytime up until 2:00 pm. If you wish to check your student out early, please report to our front office with identification. Our students will only be released a bus rider, car rider, afterschool, or van. If your child is a car rider, you must join the car rider line. It will be long as we many of our students are car riders, and we thank you for your patience and your cooperation.
  

• BUS RIDERS/BUS STOP INFORMATION - During Open House, parents can verify their child’s bus assignment and bus stop times. All stop times are approximate times. If you have questions pertaining your child’s assigned stop or assigned bus, please contact FCS Transportation Department at 470-254-6060.

• TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: Please keep in mind that changes in transportation must be in writing and shared with your child’s homeroom teacher and the front office staff. Please do not depend on teacher e-mail or Dojo messages as some teachers do not have an opportunity to check e-mail/Dojo during the school day.
  

• BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS: Parents, family members and friends are not allowed to bring in cakes, balloon bouquets, flowers, goodie bags, gifts, pizza, or any other type of treat to celebrate a student birthday. Teachers are not allowed to celebrate birthdays in the class with a party or a snack either. Rather, parents may purchase a Smart Celebrations Package from the cafeteria. This can be done to student birthdays and/or any other classroom celebrations. Smart Celebration packets should be purchased in the cafeteria at least (2) days in advance. Please contact our Nutrition Manager, Ms. Curry at curryd1@fultonschools.org
  

• CLIFTONDALE'S 2025-2026 FAMILY HANDBOOK - Cliftondale’s 2025–2026 Family Handbook provides a wealth of information for parents about Cliftondale Elementary and our school-wide expectations. We encourage all families to review it thoroughly. Printed copies will be distributed to all students during the first week of school. An electronic version will also be accessible at all times on our school’s website and included in our weekly newsletter.

• 🆕STUDENT DEVICE PROTECTION PLAN: Each student in Fulton County Schools (FCS) is issued a school-owned device to support learning in and out of the classroom. This year, we are switching to charging full price for damaged and lost devices, as opposed to the reduced fees that we have previously charged. To help families avoid unexpected repair or replacement costs, we offer an Optional Student Device Protection Plan that provides affordable coverage throughout the school year.

Distraction-Free Education Act

House Bill 340 | Fulton County Schools

In alignment with Georgia’s new Distraction-Free Education Act (House Bill 340), all Fulton County elementary and middle school students (Grades K–8) are prohibited from using or accessing personal electronic devices during the school day.

Prohibited Devices Include (but are not limited to): Cell phones, Smartwatches, Laptops, Tablets, E-readers, Smart glasses, Headphones, Any device with wireless communication, messaging, internet access, gaming, video recording, or social media capabilities. These devices must remain powered off and stored away during school hours, including classroom time, lunch, recess, and transitions. We appreciate your support in helping us create a focused, distraction-free learning environment for all students.

Dear FCS Families,

Each student in Fulton County Schools (FCS) is issued a school-owned device to support learning in and out of the classroom. This year, we are switching to charging full price for damaged and lost devices, as opposed to the reduced fees that we have previously charged. To help families avoid unexpected repair or replacement costs, we offer an Optional Student Device Protection Plan that provides affordable coverage throughout the school year.

What the plan covers:

• Accidental damage
• Loss or theft
• Device replacement or repair without disruption to your student’s learning
  
  

Enrolling in the plan gives families peace of mind and helps ensure that students have uninterrupted access to the technology they need.

How to enroll:

You may sign up for the Optional Device Protection Plan during the Online Census Verification process in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

For more information, including plan details and coverage terms, please download the FCS Student Device Handbook.

If you have questions about the protection plan or how to access the parent portal, please contact Technology Support Center at 470-254-4357 for support.

Thank you for supporting your student’s success.

Sincerely,
Fulton County Schools

All families are required to log in to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and verify emergency contacts and household information through the “Census Update” feature. This ensures schools can contact you quickly in case of an emergency. Each student must have at least one emergency contact who is not a parent or guardian.

To read Board Policy - JGFC Emergency Release of Students and Dismissal Precautions, CLICK HERE

As part of Board Policy AEA on the Instructional Calendar, two consecutive instructional calendars should be available to the public at any given time. To ensure this, the Strategy and Governance department has begun the annual process of convening the Calendar Steering Committee. The committee will review the calendar parameters and stakeholder feedback and propose any updates to the parameters along with a draft of the 2027–2028 instructional calendar for Board consideration.

Community Feedback will be collected through a ThoughtExchange from August 8th to September 5th. The ThoughtExchange is live and can be shared with staff, parents, and the school community via the link or QR code. Please share the flyer or QR code below with stakeholders.

ThoughtExchange: https://tejoin.com/scroll/372728629

Flyer for ThoughtExchange Participation: TE Flyer

What is Georgia’s Early Literacy Legislation?
The legislation is designed to ensure that all students in Georgia develop strong reading skills from an early age. Research shows that children who become proficient readers early in their education are more successful in school and beyond. This
law focuses on ensuring all school districts in the state of Georgia have a district-wide process that identifies students needing targeted supports in reading or students demonstrating characteristics of dyslexia. The law also aims to ensure schools use high-quality materials and evidence-based instruction to support these students and their teachers.

What does this Legislation mean for students?
The primary goal of this legislation is to ensure that all children in Georgia become strong readers by the end of third grade. Reading is a foundational skill that impacts nearly every aspect of learning. By focusing on early literacy, the state aims to address reading challenges before they become more difficult to overcome, setting our students up for future academic success.

What is the process for identifying and helping students in Fulton County Schools?
1. Reading Instruction: Our school will use instructional materials aligned to the science of reading that instruct students in foundational literacy skills and grade-appropriate English Language Arts and reading standards, as approved by the State Board of Education.
2. Professional Learning: Our teachers will continue to receive training on effective reading instruction aligned to the science of reading to ensure they can provide the best instruction and support to your child.
3. Screening: Fulton County Schools will continue to conduct regular reading screeners for students in kindergarten through third grade. This helps us identify students who may need extra support.
4. Intervention Support: If a student shows a need for additional support in reading, we will provide targeted support through interventions to help them improve their reading skills.
5. Parent Involvement: We will keep you informed about your child’s progress and any additional support they are receiving. We believe that working together will give your child the best chance to succeed. Please contact your school if you prefer your child does not participate in this process.

We are committed to making sure every child receives the support they need to be successful. If you have questions about how this process may impact your student, please contact your student’s school.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

Mrs. Canty
Principal

Scan the QRCode on the flyer or CLICK HERE to enroll your child(ren).

📧cliftondale@apecprep.com

📲470-701-4973

Cliftondale remains a uniform school, and we will continue to encourage all students to wear our school uniform Monday - Thursday.

Our uniform consists of:
Top: Navy blue, yellow/gold, or white
Bottom: Khaki or navy blue

Uniforms and other school spirit wear are available through our online spirit store:
https://www.cliftondalestore.com/

Thank you for your continued support in helping us promote school pride and a sense of community!

Are you registered for your Campus Parent Portal Account? If not, REGISTER TODAY! Everything you need as a parent is contained in the parent portal. You can monitor your student's grades throughout the school year, review your child's schedule, download progress reports and report cards, update your contact information, register other students within your household, withdrawal your student and so much more! If you already have an account, you do not need to register again. New users should click the link provided to register: Parent Portal Registration

*Please note, if you DO NOT have an email address on file, you will be unable to register via the provided link. Please call the school and ask for our Data Clerk, Ms. Allen.

"Here Comes The Bus App" is a free, easy-to-use website and app that enables you to see the location of your child’s school bus on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. This way, you know when the bus is near your stop, so you can send your child out at just the right time. No more worrying about whether your child has missed the bus! If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's assigned bus or bus stop, please contact FCS Transportation Department at 470-254-6060 OR contact our supervisor:

Cheowana Henderson, Supervisor
Hendersonc1@fultonschools.org

Charisse Weigner, Special Needs Supervisor
weignerc@fultonschools.org

• The app will request a school code, which is 87428
• How do you access your student's student ID number? Parents may access their child's student ID number from the parent portal in Infinite Campus.
  
• If you add your child and the bus number or bus stop is incorrect, please contact our supervisor, Ms. Henderson
• If you add your child and their is no bus route displayed, please contact our supervisor, Ms. Henderson.

School safety remains a top priority for us in Fulton County Schools. We take maintaining a safe and secure learning environment very serious. I expect all Cliftondale students, parents and staff members act in a manner that keeps everyone safe. I strongly encourage all parents to review the Code of Conduct, and speak with your child about his/her behavior. When incidence of misconduct arise, consequences will be assigned based on the infraction as detailed within the Code of Conduct.

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

Principal: Mrs. Canty- cantya@fultonschools.org

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Long- longt@fultonschools.org

Curriculum Support Teacher: Yazmin Hicks- hicksz@fultonschools.org

School Counselor: Sara Porter - porters5@fultonschools.org

504 Coordinator/MTSS - Tanya Hall- hallt5@fultonschools.org

Instructional Support Teacher: Dr. Shabo- shabog@fultonschools.org

Literacy Coach: Mrs. Kalista- kalista@fultonschools.org
Literacy Coach: Ms. Johnson- johnsonkr1@fultonschools.org

Math Coach: Mrs. Everett - everettba@fultonschools.org

Parent Liaison: Ms. Render- renderhh@fultonschools.org

School Social Worker: Dr. Carver- carvera@fultonschools.org
APEC Afterschool Enrichment - cliftondale@apecprep.com