A Letter from Dr. Polly Tennies, Our Principal
Hello Families!
In March students enjoy Read Across America, a push to celebrate reading. Everyone has favorite books, and you will see Chestatee’s favorites come out in “March Madness” with a bracket for the best of the best! We want children to cultivate a love of reading early. When we add slippers, pjs, hats, and crazy socks our students get a little bit excited! Students and staff were invited to dress up as a book character on our last day of celebration. The message was clear. Reading is fun and also important. Kids were able to talk about their characters. Reading is a social activity that helps form connections. A big thank you to Mrs. Wiggins, our media specialist, for coordinating our teaching as a pathway students from East Forsyth High School, numerous guest readers, and an assembly to celebrate reading!
Before becoming an assistant principal and principal, I served as a reading specialist. It was great working with teachers to help students succeed in reading. Leading a school, we were always working to improve reading strategies and show progress. One of the most important strategies I learned through graduate work is the power of family partnership. Kids reading at home with family members makes a difference. Kids watching their parents read or listening to books helps them improve their skills. It reminds me of any skill a person practices. Running, sports, math facts, art….. Practice is important. As we celebrate reading this month, I encourage you to find ways to “sneak in” reading at home. When you want to become a better reader, how do you do it? Read. It is also a-okay for your child to pick the books they love. Student choice means a lot in helping kids stick with a hard task.
Reading does so much for us! Together WE are Chestatee!
Feeling under the weather? Here’s what you need to know:
Students MUST stay home or will be sent home if they have:
- A temperature that is 100.4 or higher
- had vomiting in the last 24 hours
- had diarrhea in the last 24 hours
- a rash with itching or fever
- pink eye (if drops are prescribed, child may return after 24 hours of treatment).
- strep throat
- ring worm (may return after 24 hours of treatment and area musted be covered with a bandage while in school until area is resolved).
- A frequent/persistent, or disruptive cough
- Frequent/persistent complaints of pain/discomfort
- been on antibiotics for contagious symptoms less than 24 hours
- the need to see a physician
Your child may return to school when:
- no fever of 100 degrees of greater for 24 hours without fever reducing medicine.
- Diarrhea and /or vomiting must have stopped for a full 24 hours with the aid of medication before returning to school.
If your child has seen a physician and has been ordered antibiotics, please keep your child home for 24 hours after you have started the antibiotic.
These protocols are in place to protect the wellbeing of our student body.
Kristen Knottek, BSN, RN
School Nurse
Chestatee Elementary
770-887-2341 ext. 722151
f41520@forsyth.k12.ga.us
School Pay
School Pay is a new program we will use for all payments EXCEPT meals. My Payments Plus will still be used for cafeteria accounts. Click here.
Our PTO is a Great Way to Get Involved!
Our PTO board members raise money to help teachers and our school.
You can support our PTO through our fundraisers, Spirit Nights, events, and spirit wear.
There are no membership dues this year.
Contact our PTO at chestateeelementarypto@gmail.com any time!
Dear Families,
The main reasons for keeping your child at home are as follows:
- If he/she is too sick to be comfortable at school
- If he/she will spread a contagious illness/disease to another child
Remember: Students must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to school. Students must also be vomiting and diarrhea free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Kristen Knottek, BSN, RN
School Nurse
Chestatee Elementary
770-887-2341 ext. 722151
f41520@forsyth.k12.ga.us
March is a month of luck, and I feel lucky, Chestatee! Every day I drive to school smiling. Our carline starts my day, and I get to wave to families and greet our kids. There are several other parts of my job that make me feel super lucky! I love sharing information and all the good with our school community. Helping families is another highlight of my day. Whether I am answering questions, helping to navigate the school, meeting with families or planning for meetings and events, I enjoy my work greatly. I feel so lucky!
Since January, I have gotten to spend a lot of time with Ms. Williams, our 2024-25 principal. She has amazed me already, and I feel lucky that she will serve as our next school leader. Not only has Ms. Williams been busy meeting our staff and sitting down with all 140 of us, but she is meeting our Chestatee family in many ways. Ms. Williams has been working closely with Dr. Tennies to ensure a smooth transition. She appears on our morning news shows to talk to students, attends meetings like Local School Council and a PTO luncheon, interviews candidates for next year and attends events! She and Dr. Tennies sat down for some ice cream at our PTO Culver’s Spirit Night, called BINGO numbers at our huge BINGO event last week, and shared pizza with families at the One East Internet Safety Night. She is BUSY with a capital B!
As we prepare for next year, I’ve gotten to spend time with her looking at next year, planning our extra funding and resources, and learning her vision for our school. It has been comforting to know how similar she is to Dr. Tennies. Ms. Williams will begin visiting classrooms and hallways soon to see students. I am excited to plan some more opportunities for all of you to get to know her better. I feel so lucky that we have leaders that care so much about our school and making next year a smooth transition for us all. I hope you are feeling lucky too!
Together WE are Chestatee!
See you soon,
Meg
Meg Killingsworth
770-887-2341 ext. 723002
Kroger and Publix will donate money too...
Publix Partners with Chestatee also. You only need to put your phone number in as you checkout. Publix will donate a certain percentage of their profits to Chestatee from your purchase!
We love our Partners in Education!
Chestatee Elementary School
Email: chestateees@gmail.com
Website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/site/default.aspx?domainid=260
Location: 6945 Keith Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA, United States
Phone: 770-887-2341
Facebook: facebook.com/ChestateeES
Twitter: @chestateees