Hembree Highlights

Greetings Hembree Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! With only two more weeks until winter break, the holiday season is in full swing, and I couldn't be more excited. I spent last Sunday decorating for Christmas, and I can’t wait to spend more time with family and friends over the holidays.

It was a great week at Hembree. Our students completed the iReady math diagnostic on Tuesday, and we are very pleased with the growth we've seen. You’ll receive copies of the reports before the break, so please be on the lookout for them.

On Thursday, we had our annual holiday chorus concert, which was a wonderful event. A huge thank you to Jennifer Slay for her hard work and dedication to the music program. The performances were truly special!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! I'll be cheering on the Dawgs during the SEC Championship game — I’m still nervous after that 8-overtime nail biter against Georgia Tech. Go Dawgs!

Nancy Lahey

Principal

12/9 iReady ELA Mid-Year Diagnostic All Grades

12/10 @ 7:40 am Conversational English and Math Resource Coffee (fun and social)

12/19 School Spelling Bee grades 3-5

12/20 Class Winter Parties

12/23-1/3 Winter Break

1/6 Teacher Work Day (no school for students)

1/7 First Day of Second Semester

1/7 @ 7:40am Verifications Workshop for Rising Elkins 6th graders

1/16 STEM & Star Night @ 5:30-7:30pm

2/6 General PTA Meeting on TEAMS @ 6:30pm

2/11 Title I Assessment Workshop (Donut Stress About the Test!) @ 7:40am

2/13 Annual Title I Input Meeting and Soaring to New Heights Learning Celebration

Dear Hembree Families,

December is a month of celebration, reflection, and connection. Here are some tips to help your family navigate this busy season while fostering joy, mindfulness, and togetherness:

1. Practice Gratitude Together

• Take time as a family to share what you’re thankful for each day. A gratitude jar or a nightly “thankful thought” can make this a fun habit.

2. Encourage Acts of Kindness

• Find small ways to help others, like donating toys, baking for neighbors, or writing kind notes. Modeling generosity teaches children the joy of giving.

3. Focus on Connection Over Perfection

• It’s easy to get caught up in holiday pressures. Remember, children value time and attention more than perfect decorations or gifts.

4. Create Calm Amid the Hustle

• Incorporate quiet moments into your day, such as reading holiday stories, taking a family walk, or practicing deep breaths to help everyone stay grounded.

5. Talk About Holiday Emotions

• Holidays can bring a mix of feelings for children. Encourage them to share their thoughts, whether it’s excitement, stress, or sadness, and reassure them it’s okay to feel a range of emotions.

6. Stick to Routines Where Possible

• Maintaining consistent bedtime, meal, and screen time routines can help children feel secure during the busyness of the season.

7. Celebrate Differences

• If your family observes holidays, take time to learn about and celebrate other traditions. This fosters inclusivity and helps children appreciate diversity.

This season is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships and create lasting memories. Wishing you and your family a peaceful, joyful December!

Warmly,

Shannon Reynolds

School Counselor

Picture retake day will be December 11th. Retake day is for these 3 categories only:

1. Returns: Parents, if you are not happy with the quality of your child's previous photo, you must turn in the entire package on Retake day. If you ordered a digital download, you must bring the receipt. Please be sure to fill out the back of the picture envelope with your student’s information on your return package.
2. Students who were absent on Picture Day
3. New students

Order envelopes are available at the front desk. Thank you!

Parents of 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders! Do you want your child to participate in book club? The students read the books on their own, and then an adult moderator joins them for lunch in their classrooms to discuss it.

The books this time around are:

3rd grade - Mia Mayhem is a Superhero by Kara West

4th grade - A Whole New Ballgame by Phil Bildner
5th grade - Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Fill out this form to sign up your child:

https://forms.gle/QfegnoXw42MZLkwY9

Dear Hembree Families,

As the holiday season approaches, we’re reminded of the incredible generosity that makes our community so special. This year, we’re asking for your help to stock our school’s Giving Closet, a resource that provides essential items to families in need within our school.

The Giving Closet relies entirely on donations, and together we can make a meaningful difference. Please see below for what we are currently in need of.

You can also order from our Wal-mart wishlist, and deliver it straight to the school!

https://www.walmart.com/registry/TR/37a36bf0-9c90-4a97-b66a-7462e68ae522

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps ensure that all of our students and families feel supported and cared for.

Together, let’s show the power of our community’s compassion. Thank you for your kindness and generosity—your support means everything to our students and their families.

Warm regards,
Sara Fuchs
PTA President

It's time for our annual dessert buffet to thank our teachers and staff for all they have done this year!

Tuesday, December 10th
Sign up here to bake a sweet treat or lend a helping hand!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FADAD2FAAFD0-53131391-2024

¡Es hora de nuestro buffet anual de postres para agradecer a nuestros maestros y personal por todo lo que han hecho este año!

Martes 10 de diciembre
¡Regístrese aquí para hornear un dulce o echar una mano!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FADAD2FAAFD0-53131391-2024

As we approach the holiday season, the PTA is launching a sweet fundraising opportunity. You can purchase a voucher for 4 Nothing Bundt Cake bundtlets for $30 and our school receives 1/3 of the profits!! This deal, which includes an insulated lunch bag, starts NOW and goes through Dec. 9. Certificates will be distributed the week of Dec. 9 for families to enjoy or you could even give them as a gift (hint: teachers love Nothing Bundt Cakes)!

Here is the link to purchase https://hembreespringselementary.givebacks.com/.../1131823

We are happy to share that Hembree’s School Governance Council (SGC) has been hard at work this fall semester. SGC represents the school and community in decision-making, strategic planning, and leadership within Hembree Springs Elementary. This year, Hembree has a wonderful team of 10 parents, teachers/staff, and community members who have been working diligently to best support our school.

Governed by the Board of Education, SGC is responsible for approving Hembree’s school strategic action plan. After much hard work from Ms. Lahey, Hembree’s SGC is excited to report that we have successfully voted to approve the school strategic plan, which is available for review on the Hembree Springs Elementary School website. Furthermore, SGC has voted to spend $46,391 in charter dollars to partially fund a paraprofessional who is working directly with students in the building. Hembree’s SGC is focused on student success, and we firmly believe in our school’s amazing teachers and staff.

Be on the lookout for School Governance Council members at school events, PBIS cart days, monthly SGC meetings, parent nights, and more. Additionally, please don't hesitate to check out our website or contact Kara Peters (PetersKA@fultonschools.org) for more information regarding Hembree’s SGC. We are excited to continue supporting Hembree Springs Elementary School throughout the remainder of the school year!

Sincerely,

Kara Peters

HSES School Governance Chair

Have you heard your child mention anything about an app called Beanstack? It was introduced in the Media Center. Beanstack is a digital reading log that students can use to log the number of minutes they are reading. They can earn badges and rewards along the way. This year, we have a schoolwide reading goal of 50,000 minutes! We can’t reach our goal without the help of your child! If your child is reading at school, home, daycare, etc. they can log their minutes and help us get closer to our goal. The following is a video explaining how to use Beanstack from home. You can always find your child's lunch number/student number in infinite campus or email Mrs. Soberanis: soberanis@fultonschools.org. Happy Reading!

How To Video: https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cZQTbzVSAkv

Each week the PE department will choose 4 All Star Athletes (2 students & 2 staff members). If your student enjoys hiking, swimming, baseball, softball, football, biking, etc. Please email a picture to marzetti@fultonschools.org.

Thanks,

Ms. Marzetti

Family Engagement Thursdays

Families! YOU are your child’s first and most influential teacher. As such you have so much to offer your student! To encourage family engagement at home, we are offering family engagement Thursdays. Each week there will be (1) activity to do at home to be completed prior to Friday. We’ll list the activities for the month in Hembree Highlights and offer reminders via social media. Your student will have the opportunity to receive a *bonus* Hawk’s ticket for participating (look out for more details from your teacher) We’ll include tips and tricks to get the conversation started and reinforce learning from the school day. Please spend anywhere from 10-20 minutes with your child engaging with them around their day at school and encouraging their social and emotional skills. We’ll also encourage you to practice other skills inclusive of Math and ELA. Please feel free to reach out to me Lucy Gilbert, Title I Parent Liaison (gilbertl2@fultonschools.org) with any questions.

Del Título I

Jueves de Participación Familiar

¡Familias! USTED es el primer y más influyente maestro de su hijo. Como tal, ¡tiene mucho que ofrecer a su estudiante! Para fomentar la participación familiar en casa, estamos ofreciendo participación familiar los jueves. Cada semana habrá (1) actividad para hacer en casa que se completará antes del viernes. Haremos una lista de las actividades del mes en Hembree Highlights y ofreceremos recordatorios a través de las redes sociales. Su estudiante tendrá la oportunidad de recibir un boleto * extra* de Hawk's por participar (esté atento a más detalles de su profesor). Incluiremos consejos y trucos para iniciar la conversación y reforzar el aprendizaje de la jornada escolar. Pase entre 10 y 20 minutos con su hijo, involucrarse con ellos durante su día en la escuela y fomentando sus habilidades sociales y emocionales. También te animaremos a que practiques otras habilidades, como las matemáticas y Arte del Lenguaje en Ingles. Por favor, siéntase libre de comunicarse conmigo Lucy Gilbert, Enlace de Padres del Título I (gilbertl2@fultonschools.org) con cualquier pregunta.

We will begin to welcome lunch visitors the week of September 9th. Due to limited capacity, we ask that you sign up using the links below. Please do not sign up for the year to allow the opportunity for many families to visit. Thanks for understanding.

Pre-K

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50052915-preklunch

Kindergarten

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053187-kindergarten

1st grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053307-1stgrade

2nd grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053385-2ndgrade

3rd grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053488-3rdgrade

4th grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053597-4thgrade

5th grade

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548AAAE2BA31-50053662-5thgrade

Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/hembreespringses
Location: 815 Hembree Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 470-254-2902