AIS Connections

Dear Families,

I am enjoying getting to know your children! Thank you for a smooth start. This is going to be a great year at AIS.

This edition of the newsletter has some repeat information for any new families and those who have updated their contact information. Scroll through to see our upcoming events and a news release about a surprise for those families who qualify for free or reduced lunches.

Look for an envelope from AIS in your mailbox soon. It contains your student's ACAP scores from last April if they attended Athens City Schools. For fourth grade families and new students, there is also information about how to log in to our PowerSchool Parent Portal. AIS families must log in to see their student's grades and report cards.

Thank for the tremendous support we've had for our cookie dough fundraiser! Keep going! We need a new sign on Hwy 72 and an update for some of our playground equipment.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a question or concern.

Kind regards,

Cindy

The 16th annual Athens Storytelling Festival is coming October 18-22. This year will once again be in person. The festival has moved from the Athens square to the Athens State University campus.

We are excited to have student storytellers as part of the festival. Students who are chosen to share their stories will tell it on the day their class is scheduled to attend. This is open to all ACS 3rd - 5th graders. Stories need to be between 3 - 5 minutes. Students can write their own story, tell a story that happened to them or re-tell a folktale. AIS will submit the name of one student from each grade to participate.

On Monday night, October 17, there will be a Friends and Family Night at 6:00 at ASU under the tent. This is a free of charge event allowing our students to practice in front of a crowd and also a chance for family, friends, and teachers to hear them.

Please let your Reading teacher and Mrs. Pressnell know if your student is interested in trying out!

Athens Intermediate School fundraiser is going on NOW through Sept 8th, and we need your help. Our goal is to raise $40,000.00 for a new school sign & outside play areas.

It's as simple as 1, 2, 3!

1. Register at https://www.shopfund.com/

2. Share custom student support links with family & friends.
3. Student Goal: 5 Online Supporters.

REGISTER-SHARE-WIN: Sharing gets you tickets for chances to win over $100,000 in instant prizes.

Fundraiser Links:

* Why We Fundraise - (https://vimeo.com/showcase/8770815)
* How To Videos - (https://vimeo.com/showcase/8752340)
* Kick-Off Videos - (https://vimeo.com/showcase/9642662)
* Parent Letter - (https://bit.ly/3pljUYs)
* Prize Program - (https://bit.ly/3PhRo5d)

On behalf of everyone at Athens Intermediate School, thank you for doing your part to make our fundraiser a success!

MORNING CAR LINE

· AIS opens to car riders each day at 7:15 a.m.

· Buses unload in front of the school and exit toward Washington St. The 4th grade car line must yield to buses as they leave campus.

· 5th grade carline enters and exits our campus from Hwy 72.

· 4th grade carline enters and exits our campus from Washington St.

· Parents stay in their cars and come to a complete stop before opening doors.

· Students arriving before 7:30 a.m. enter the building and then proceed to the gym (4th grade) and cafeteria (5th grade).

AFTERNOON CAR LINE

· AIS dismisses at 2:50 p.m. For the first few days, until we master the procedure, we will dismiss 10 minutes early.

· Buses load in the front of the school and exit toward Washington St. The 4th grade car line must yield to buses exiting.

· 5th grade carline enters and exits our campus from Hwy 72.

· 4th grade carline enters and exits our campus from Washington St.

· Parents stay in their cars and come to a complete stop before opening doors.

· On the first day of school, each car rider will be given a number tag for their backpack and a car tag for their vehicle. Car tags are also available at Orientation.

7:15 a.m. Doors open for students

7:30 a.m. Students report to their homeroom and breakfast is served

7:50 a.m. School day begins

Our tardy bell rings at 7:50 a.m. each day. Your child needs to be in the building prior to this time!

2:45 p.m. Bus riders are dismissed

2:50 p.m. Car riders are dismissed

School attendance is key to student success. Students are expected to attend school on time every day. If your child is absent an excuse note should be provided. Please read your student handbook for detailed information about ACS's attendance policy. Our goal is 95% or higher for attendance every day!

All medications (prescription and over the counter) must be hand delivered by the parent or guardian to me. Students may NOT bring medication to school on their own. All medications must be brought in the original bottle.

If your child has a prescription medication to be given at school, an authorization form must be completed by the physician before I can accept the medication. You can find the authorization form online or request a hard copy from me. The authorization form must match the label on the bottle.

Student’s name, physician’s name, date of prescription, name of medication, dosage strength, frequency of administration, and expiration date must be on the label.

Immunization forms must be up to date.

If your child has a fever of 100* or higher, they are not allowed to come to school. If a student comes to me during the day with a fever of 100* or higher, we will contact you to come pick them up. It is very important to keep all of your home, cell, and emergency contact numbers up to date throughout the year.

Information is power and we want to communicate with you!

This newsletter will be a great source of information for you. We will send it out every two weeks via text and email. It will also be posted on our website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

We also send out reminders about upcoming dates/events through the Blackboard communication system. If you are not receiving these communications, please call the office (256) 230-2880 and speak with our clerical aide, Holly Hargrove. If you have signed up via email and haven't received them, check your spam folder. If they are going to your spam folder, you may need to add our emails to your address book. There is also an app you can download. Information on the app is at the bottom of this newsletter.

We use Facebook and Twitter as a one-way communication where we can post announcements because we will not monitor social media posts during the day. If you need us, the best way to reach us is via phone or email. Please don't ever hesitate to reach out to us!

Principal - Cindy Davis - cindy.davis@acs-k12.org

Assistant Principals - Neil Turner - orlando.turner@acs-k12.org

Jennifer Sallee - jennifer.sallee@acs-k12.org

Help your kids fully engage in the classroom knowing they have ALL Kids Alabama health insurance. If your kids are already covered, make sure they don't skip a beat when they need to use their insurance. Call ALL Kids Alabama and let us know any updates you may have to your contact information, like a new address or phone number. Customer Service is ready to help, so call us at 1-888-373-5437 and make sure all information is up to date.

https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/allkids/index.html

The federal waiver that enabled schools to provide meals at no cost to students ended on June 30, 2022. School lunches will no longer be free for all Athens City Schools students. Find out if your family qualifies for Free and Reduced Lunch by completing the 2022-2023 Free and Reduced Lunch Application. Only one application is necessary per family. Families must re-apply each school year to potentially receive this benefit. Visit acs-k12.org/nutrition to apply.

2023 ACS Student Daily Lunch Pricing:
$2.75 - PAID (Family does not qualify for free or reduced lunch)
$0.40 - REDUCED (apply to see if your family qualifies)
$0.00 - FREE (apply to see if your family qualifies)

Remember, beginning August 10, 2022, families who do not qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch should plan to pay the $2.75 daily lunch rate. If you have any questions or need help with your Free and Reduced Lunch Application, contact Dr. Tandy Blackwell, Director of Child Nutrition, at Tandy.Blackwell@acs-k12.org or (256) 233-6600. Paper applications are also available at acs-k12.org/nutrition.

Be ready for the first day of school - apply to see if your family qualifies today!

President - Amber McDowell

Kathy Hollman

Lauren Hardison

Lacey Harrison

Would you like to help? Please let one of these ladies know!

If you are receiving emails & messages from Athens Intermediate School and no longer want to receive them, follow the link below to find out how to "opt out". There is also information on this page about how to use the app and verify and update your contact information!

Click HERE for opting out!

Download the ACS mobile app to stay connected at all times. Use the app to check calendars, lunch menus, and receive "push" notifications about school events and weather emergencies. Download the free app today at the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android devices. Search "Athens City School System." Be sure to allow alerts, pushes and banners in your phone settings under "notifications" to properly receive notifications. In the app settings, please select the schools from which you wish to receive updates.

Some links on this page will let you leave the school and school district site. The linked sites are not under the control of the school/district, and the school/district is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. The school/district is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the site by the school/district.

Email: cindy.davis@acs-k12.org
Website: acs-k12.org/AIS
Location: 1916 US Hwy 72 W, Athens, AL 35611, USA
Phone: (256) 230-2880
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/athensintermediateschool/
Twitter: @AthensAIS