Eagle Eye Newsletter
August 21, 2026
We’ve wrapped up a wonderful second week of school! Students are settling into routines, making new friends, and diving into learning.
We would love for every family to join us for Curriculum Night. This evening is an important opportunity to:
- Hear directly from your child’s teacher about what they’ll be learning this year.
- Gain insight into classroom expectations, routines, and how you can best support learning at home.
- Build a strong connection between home and school to ensure your child has a successful year.
Your partnership makes all the difference, and being present at Curriculum Night helps set the stage for a positive and productive school year.
Curriculum Night Schedule*
Session One - 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM
Session Two - 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM
*Parents with one child at Taylor do not need to attend both sessions. Sessions 1 and 2 are identical in order to accommodate families with multiple students in attendance.
Stay in the Know
Take a look at our schedule of events for the upcoming weeks. Don’t forget, you can always find our full calendar on the school website.
- August 26th & 27th - Registration for Family Literacy Classes
- August 27th - Curriculum Night
- August 28th - Popsicles in the Park
- September 4th - College Spirit Wear Day
- September 7th - No school in observance of Labor Day
We are excited to share that Taylor Elementary will offer FREE for parents/guardians & caregivers of GCPS students. These classes are designed to help families strengthen their English reading, writing, and speaking skills in a supportive and welcoming environment. By improving English skills, families will be prepared to support their children's education and overall success. Registration and placement testing will take place in at the end of August- no appointment is needed.
What: Family Literacy Class Registration & Placement Test
When: August 25, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM or August 26, 12:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Taylor Elementary School, 600 Taylor School Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Classes begin Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Class Time - 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Class Dates - 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16
Come one, come all, and join us for an unforgettable night on the Lawrenceville Lawn for Taylor’s Popsicles in the Park!!
This is a *FREE* community event! We hope to see you all there!
Friday, August 28, 2026
at 5:30PM
Lawrenceville Lawn
210 Luckie St.
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
Girls on the Run Registration Information
Girls on the Run is an afterschool program like no other! Twice per week for 12 weeks, girls will have fun, make friends, increase their physical activity levels and learn important life skills. Trained and caring coaches lead 3rd - 5th-grade girls through interactive lessons and movement activities. The season ends with a celebratory 5K event.
Why it matters
It’s fun. It’s effective.
Participating in Girls on the Run transforms girls’ lives by helping them increase their self-confidence, develop healthy relationships, and feel good about themselves, inside and out.
97% of participants said they learned critical skills to manage emotions, resolve conflict, help others or make intentional decisions
TEAM INFO:
Practice Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Practice Time: 3:45PM-5:15PM
Pick up time: 5:30PM
Program fee starts at $0 and is on a sliding scale based on household income.
Learn more and register at www.girlsontherunga.org/programs
PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED FLYER!
We’re excited to kick off Taylor’s Science Fair, where students will engage in hands-on STEM projects! This year, participants will design innovative solutions to real-world problems right here in Gwinnett County and across Georgia. As they work through the Design Thinking Process, they’ll build prototypes and test their outcomes, developing valuable problem-solving skills. Meetings will start on September 14 and be held every Monday after school from 3:30 to 4:30. Space is limited, so don’t miss the chance to sign up today!
If you have any questions, please reach out to nia.bester@gcpsk12.org.
Link to sign up→ https://forms.gle/4xznwWq1JdgKyL2s8
We are excited to kick off another incredible school year and help our Taylor Eagles SOAR with positive behavior!
Through our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program, students earn points for demonstrating positive behavior, kindness, and hard work throughout the day. To keep our students motivated, we are restocking our grade-level PBIS incentive carts where students can exchange their earned points for fun rewards.
How You Can Help
Our grade-level teams worked directly with students to curate wishlists filled with the specific items, snacks, and prizes they are most excited to earn. You can support our PBIS initiative by purchasing an item directly from any of our grade-level Amazon Wishlists:
Kindergarten: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1BV79DOS4ZY4L?ref_=wl_share
1st: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3NKW79RX4FQQM?ref_=wl_share
2nd: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1XVMUECYKEAA?ref_=wl_share
3rd: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3VQK3834BH0K7?ref_=wl_share
5th: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3VQK3834BH0K7?ref_=wl_share
Every single contribution—no matter how small—goes directly into the hands of a student who worked hard to earn it. Items purchased from the wishlists will ship directly to the school.
Thank you for partnering with us to celebrate our students' successes and foster a positive school culture. Together, we can make this year our best one yet!
See savvy expert tips for getting kids excited about books.
How to Get Developing Readers Into a Reading Routine
Teacher-librarian Amanda Jones has comforting words for parents concerned their child is not reading enough.
“Do not worry about creating a reader overnight,” she says. “Foster the love of reading little by little, and remember: Reading is reading, whether it is a novel, magazine, or the back of a cereal box.”
Below are 5 tips for turning the page on reading avoidance. In addition to encouraging book discovery, each tip allows for bonding time between you and your child.
- Talk about favorite films and TV series. Discuss your child’s favorite shows of the moment. Ask them to summarize the plot and describe their favorite characters — this helps build general comprehension skills. If there’s a book tie-in, provide it so your child can continue exploring the story's universe after screen time is over.
- “If a book has been turned into a movie, read the book as a family before going to see the movie,” Jones suggests. “You can compare and contrast as a group afterwards.”
- Queue up some book trailers. Book trailers, modeled after movie trailers, are a great way to get kids excited about books. Created by the book’s publishers and sometimes reader fans, trailers will often incorporate animated graphics or illustrations from the book itself, which will capture the attention of young viewers.
- Read funny favorites. Kids love humor, so find the comics and silly books that make them laugh. Read them aloud during breakfast or make it an after-school ritual. Ask your child what they like about the material. If the funny book is part of a series, plan to make other installments available so your child can zip through them at their own pace.
- Stock the shelves! Make sure there are books available to your child in every room of the house, especially the reading nook they’ve carved out. Variety is key. Consider packing a bag of mixed reading material for the car so they have the option to skim on the go.
- Model reading in front of your child. Your child models their behavior after you, so it's important to show that you enjoy reading and make time for it if you want them to believe that reading is fun and fundamental. Jones recommends reading aloud to your child, too, even if they’re already reading independently.
“Kids are never too old to be read to,” she says.
Join us for the GCPS Book Mobile 5K on October 31, 2026.
This fun-filled community event features music, awards, door prizes, snacks, and festive, family friendly costumes are encouraged.
End-of-race raffle prizes will be drawn for 5K runners.
Chick-fil-A biscuits will be sold for $5 with proceeds benefiting the Book Mobile program.
Leashed dogs and strollers are welcome!
Registrations after October 23, 2026, are not guaranteed a race-day T-shirt.
Come run, walk, and help us put more books into the hands of young readers.
Join the Taylor Elementary PTA Board!
Taylor Elementary School is looking for dedicated parents and guardians to help make a positive impact on our students, teachers, and school community by serving on the PTA Board. We currently have 3 open positions for Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer for this 2026 - 2027 school year. These roles are incredibly important. Our *required officer positions must be filled in order for Taylor PTA to continue operating and serving our school community.
Open Positions:
- *Treasurer (This role deals with PTA finances and requires being added to the PTA bank account and completing a required credit check with the bank.)
- *Secretary (This role requires someone organized and dependable who can take meeting minutes, keep records up to date, and help manage PTA communication.)
Vice President (This role is not required but would ideally help train to step into the President position in the future.)
Serving on the PTA is a rewarding opportunity to support school programs, strengthen family engagement, and help shape a successful school year for all students. No prior experience is required, just a willingness to collaborate and make a difference. This work is meaningful and deeply rewarding, but it also takes real time, heart, and commitment. If you feel like you may be interested in serving Taylor in this way, we would truly love to connect with you. Serious inquiries only.
Please complete this form: Taylor Elementary PTA Board Interest Form 2026-2027 – Fill out form or scan the QR code.
If you want more information about what these roles involve, please email kristina.jackson@ketaylorpta.com or maria.montenegro@gcpsk12.org for more information by Aug 27th.
We encourage all interested parents to get involved and be a voice for our school community. Together, we can help Taylor Elementary thrive!
School Hours - 8:50 AM - 3:20 PM
8:15 - 8:35 - Car Rider Doors Open
8:45 - Tardy Bell Rings
8:50 - Start of Instructional Day
2:45 - Last Student Check-out Time
3:20 - Dismissal Begins
3:40 - Car Rider Doors Close
We welcome parents and guardians to join us at school for special occasions and to volunteer. To help us maintain a safe and organized environment, we ask that all visitors sign in at the front office upon arrival. A visitor sticker must be worn while on campus.
Please note: Only parents/guardians and individuals listed as emergency contacts for your child will be permitted to enter the building to attend lunch, parties, and events. This policy also applies to outdoor events.
Our front office team is here to support you and help ensure a smooth start to the school year. If you need assistance, our office hours are:
Monday–Friday, 7:45 AM - 3:45 PM
School Phone: 770-338-4680
Feel free to call or stop by—we’re happy to help!