Tiger's ROAR Newsletter

• Begins promptly at 7:40 am
• Early check-out Ends at 2:00 pm
• School day Ends at 2:20 pm
• Office Hours 7:10am-3:30pm

Dear College Park Families,

Welcome back to a new semester at College Park Elementary! We are excited to partner with you as we begin this next chapter of learning, growth, and success for our scholars.

We are proud to share that at Mid Year we have already exceeded our attendance goal and that is a powerful start. Strong attendance is the foundation for strong academic outcomes. When students come to school consistently, they are positioned to meet, and often exceed, their typical and stretch academic goals. Simply put, attendance has a direct impact on achievement.

As we move through cold and flu season, we want to share a few ways families can help keep students healthy and keep our attendance strong:

1. Support Your Child’s Health 🏥

• College Park has access to a Georgia Family Health Center, where scholars can receive flu shots and other vaccines.

• To schedule an appointment, please call 470-254-9201, or contact our school clinic at 470-254-8040.
  Ms. Gartrell is available to assist families with scheduling appointments.

• Students may also wear a mask if needed. Masks are available at school—just ask at the front desk.

2. Protect Yourself and Others 😷

• If your child is feeling under the weather but able to attend, wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of illness and keep our community healthy.

3. Use Participated Remote (PR) Days When Needed 👩🏽‍💻

• If your child must be absent, families may request a Participated Remote Day (PR Day) from the teacher.

• Work will be provided, and the day will not count against attendance.

• Families may use up to 5 PR Days per semester.

Together, we can reduce the impact of colds and flu, keep learning on track, and maintain our momentum toward our end-of-year goal of 73%–75.53% 🥇 of students attending school with satisfactory attendance.

Thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and commitment to your child’s success. We are excited about what this semester holds and grateful to work alongside you.

Warmly,

Dr. Maisha N. Otway

Principal, College Park Elementary School

January

Jan. 12 PreK Lottery opens

Jan. 16 House Meetings 7:15-8:00am

Jan. 19 MLK Day (School Closed)

Jan. 21 Stem Gems Mtg 3:00-4:00pm

Jan. 23 House Meetings 7:15-8:00am

Jan. 26-30 Georgia School Climate Survey Return to Front Desk

Jan. 30 STEM EXPO 7:15-9:30am

Jan. 30 Princeton's Pop-up

Cold and flu cases are rising across Georgia, and we want to work together to keep our scholars healthy and learning. Families can help by encouraging frequent handwashing, getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and keeping students home if they are feeling unwell. If your child is sick, please keep them home to recover—families may use up to 5 personal remote days, which will not impact student attendance.

We also want to remind families that we have access to a Georgia Family Health Center, where scholars can receive flu shots and other vaccines. To schedule an appointment, please call 470-254-9201.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school community safe and healthy this season.

Let’s get a head start on learning!
The Fulton County Schools 2026–2027 Pre-K Lottery opens January 12, 2026 and closes March 3, 2026. Families with eligible scholars are encouraged to apply during the application window. To qualify, children must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity to begin your child’s learning journey early!

Families can look out for 1st semester report cards, mid-year i-Ready scores, and attendance letters being sent home with scholars on Friday, January 16. These documents provide valuable insight into academic progress and attendance as we begin the second semester.

We value your feedback, and the time to share it is coming soon through the Georgia School Climate Survey! Your input plays a vital role in helping us understand what we’re doing well and how we can continue to grow and support our students, families, and school community. Every response truly matters.

To make things even more exciting, we’re turning feedback into a friendly competition! 🏆

The House with the highest number of completed surveys will earn an Ice Cream Party 🍦

The Grade Level with the most responses will enjoy a Pizza Party 🍕

The Class with the highest participation will be treated to Popcorn Express 🍿

Your participation makes a difference—and it brings a little fun along the way! Thank you for taking a few moments to share your voice and help make our school the best it can be.

College Park Elementary is excited to welcome all families to our STEM Expo Day on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 7:15–9:30 AM!

Parents will get an exclusive preview of our STEM program and the math curriculum currently being implemented in our classrooms. You’ll see how our scholars are building problem-solving skills, thinking critically, and applying math and STEM concepts in meaningful ways.

We’ll also share practical tips, resources, and strategies to help families confidently support math and STEM learning at home, reinforcing what students experience each day at school.

Come explore, ask questions, and partner with us as we continue empowering a legacy of leaders through STEM learning. We can’t wait to see you there! 🚀📊

This Week’s Leadership in Me Focus

Check out this week’s Leader in Me Article of the Week: Have a plan. Families play a vital role in a child’s success not just in academics, but in their growth as leaders and individuals. This week’s article highlights the importance of Beginning with End in Mind.

It was a joy welcoming our scholars back for the start of the second semester and the new year! Our first week was filled with excitement as scholars shared highlights from their winter break and quickly transitioned back into meaningful learning. Our teachers jumped right back into instruction, and our scholars dove into learning with focus and enthusiasm—ready to make an impact this semester. As we move forward, we will be highlighting more of our student leadership and literacy initiatives, so be on the lookout for a separate blurb showcasing this important work!

In December, our scholars proudly came together for our Excellence Extravaganza, a celebration of hard work, commitment, and house pride! It was exciting to see our Tigers represent their houses and cheer one another on as we recognized achievements across attendance, behavior, and academics. Congratulations to Altruismo, winners of the House of Presence for best attendance; Amistad, winners of the House of Roar for best behavior; and Rêveur

, winners of the House of Achievement for best academics. We are so proud of all our scholars for continuing to strive for excellence! 🐯🎉

We want every student to feel confident and ready for school each day.

If your family could use assistance with school uniforms, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

You can call us at 470-254-8040. Let us know, and we’ll do our best to provide assistance and support.

College Park Mission

Empower the whole child to become a lifelong learner to ensure that they reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally.

College Park Vision

Consistently provide high quality learning experiences that cultivate, nurture, and promote academic excellence

College Park Six Core Beliefs

Everyone can be a leader, Everyone has genius, Change starts with me, We lead our own learning, Develop the whole person, WE ROAR

College Park 8 Habits

1. Be proactive 2. Begin with the End in Mind 3. Put First Things First 4. Think Win-Win

5. Seek First To Understand, Then to Be Understood 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the Saw

8. Find your voice, and inspire others to find theirs