HMES NEWSLETTER

At Henderson Mill, we are committed to continuous growth for our students and families. Parents can share feedback anytime through our anonymous suggestion link, which is reviewed by the Administrative Team, Guiding Coalition, and PAC to inform school planning. Students can also submit ideas through the student suggestion box, reviewed by the SAC and administration to strengthen our school. Thank you to everyone who has shared feedback so far, if you haven’t yet, we encourage you to participate. Your voice matters.

Henderson Mill Elementary Parents and Families,

We are excited to kick off our Kids Heart Challenge at Henderson Mill Elementary! Building on nearly 50 years of experience in schools across America, the Kids Heart Challenge focuses on whole-body well-being. This program helps students improve their health, build strong character, and raise life-saving donations for the American Heart Association to help children with special hearts. Please see the video below for more information.

Students are encouraged to create online fundraising pages and share them with family and friends to help raise money for the American Heart Association.

Participants who complete “Finn’s Mission,” which includes learning Hands-Only CPR and recognizing stroke warning signs, will help our school and could help save a life.

Incentives: Students can earn fun thank-you gifts for raising funds, such as wristbands and character keychains.

Thank you for supporting our students and this important cause! More information coming soon! See video below.

If you have significant concerns that should be taken into consideration as classes are organized for the 2026-2027 school year, please submit this online form by May 1st.

Specific teacher requests will NOT be honored, however, if there are specific needs which the school should be aware of when formulating class lists, please complete this form in its entirety. For instance, almost all students need a warm, loving environment, but some students struggle to make friends and displaying appropriate social interactions. Knowing information like this helps as student assignments are made. If your child has already been identified as having such needs, please fill out this form to let us know.

This form is for administrative use only and will NOT be shared with teachers. Your input will be taken into consideration but not guaranteed when making final decisions about class placement for the 2026-2027 school year. Please click link below.

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) has launched a Student Assignment Project (SAP) to review school programs, boundaries, and building use using updated data. This process, aligned with long-term planning, aims to ensure all students are prepared for success after graduation.

As part of this review, schools, including Henderson Mill Elementary, are being evaluated for potential closure or repurposing to better balance enrollment and maximize resources.

DCSD is committed to making thoughtful, data-driven decisions with community input. Families are encouraged to visit the SAP Resource Hub website below to learn more and to please stay abreast of what is happening with our schools.

As we prepare for the spring testing season, we want to share important information about the Georgia Milestones End of Grade (EOG) Assessment.

All assessments will be administered 100% online in a face-to-face testing environment.

The district will use staggered testing schedules for elementary, middle, and high schools so that ELA Section 1 begins on different days at each level to ensure technology systems run smoothly.

To prepare for testing, students will participate in technology stress tests on March 31, 2026, and April 16, 2026 to ensure devices and systems are ready.

More details about Henderson Mill’s specific testing dates will be shared soon. Thank you for your continued support of our students.

Since many of you loved seeing the staff being GOOSED, we have another fun opportunity that even supports our attendance!

If a student has perfect attendance during the entire Georgia Milestones testing window, their name will be entered into a GOOSE Day Spin the Wheel drawing.

We will select 10 students to be GOOSED on: Friday, May 8th

Be on time and be present every day during testing, this is your chance to get out of class and have some fun!

Get ready… you might get GOOSED! 🐣🎉

Hello, DCSD Community! Click the link below for The DCSD Weekly Digest – April 20, 2026 Newsletter. Stay Connected and Stay Informed: https://bit.ly/33TmBAK.

• DCSD Celebrates Milestone for New Sequoyah Middle and High Schools
• Literacy in DeKalb Plan Feedback - April 21
• Student Scholarship Club
• Stone Mountain Elementary Students, Teacher Gives New Life to School Garden
• Title I Transition & Community Fair
• Community Health & Wellness Fair
• Virtual International Parent Engagement Series
• Photos & Videos of the Week
• Weekly and Monthly Recognitions

Let's continue moving forward together because the strength of our community lies in unity and continuous communication.

Henderson Mill is excited to celebrate Community Service Day in honor of Earth Day! This is a special day when our students, staff, and families come together to beautify our school and give back to our community.

We would love for parents and families to join us throughout the day and after school to help with:

Planting flowers and shrubs
Spreading mulch where needed
Weeding and cleaning up outdoor areas around our school
Other fun school beautification projects that you may have

Your time and support will make a big difference and help create a more beautiful, welcoming environment for our students.

When: Wednesday, April 22nd – all day and after school
Who: Students, families, and community members

Let’s work together to celebrate Earth Day and give back to our school! 🌿💚

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

What: Join us in honoring the hardworking men and women who safely transport our students every day!

School Bus Driver Appreciation Day is observed annually on the fourth Tuesday in April. This special day was first recognized in California to highlight the dedication and contributions of school bus drivers—and now we’re celebrating here at Henderson Mill!

How Families Can Participate:

• Student-Created Cards ✏️ – Share a heartfelt message of thanks.
• Flowers & Snacks 🌸🍪 – Brighten their day with a small token of appreciation.

Let’s show our drivers how much we value their hard work and dedication!

💛 Henderson Mill Families, your support makes this celebration extra special!

We are excited to invite you to Coffee & Conversations with our Principal and school team! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with Principal, Assistant Principal, our Social Worker, and Parent Liaison ask questions, share feedback, share suggestions and learn more about ways we can partner together to support our students.

📅 Date: May 12th

🕗 Time: 9am or 12:30pm

📍 Location: Cafeteria and option to join us virtually

Come enjoy a cup of coffee, meet other parents, and have meaningful conversations about our school community.

Your voice matters, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Virtual Option: Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/242336542771152?p=cK0j6FG8COElCgKqUw

Meeting ID: 242 336 542 771 152

Passcode: VL3XE9QN

As we continue a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students. Thanks to our survey, it has come to my attention that our late arrival students are a huge parent concern as well. This is a distruption to our classrooms and teaching/learning. Please try your hardest to have your child to arrive to school on time, please see below.:

🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins. Please be sure your child has parent supervision if they arrive on campus before 7am.
🍽️ After breakfast – Intervention & Enrichment starts (FREE TUTORING FOR YOUR CHILD). This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin. Students should be in their classrooms.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins in this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ car riders
➡️ aftercare
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:30 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!

Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all learners.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

Most Fridays are Spirit Wear Days for our staff, and we would love for our students to join in too! This is a fun way to celebrate our school pride and highlight our amazing school community. 💚

Want to get your student ready for Spirit Wear Fridays? Click the link below to purchase official school spirit wear from our PTO. Let’s make Fridays a sea of blue and green and school pride we can’t wait to see everyone showing their Hawk Pride! 🦅

We would love to feature them in this year’s Henderson Mill Yearbook! If you’ve captured any great moments classroom activities, field trips, performances, or celebrations—please feel free to share them with us. 📸 Send your photos to: HMESYearbookPhotos@gmail.com

Thank you for helping us make this year’s yearbook special!

Thanks to Mrs. Edwards, our PTO, and Atlanta Landscape Materials for supplying this beautiful boulder, we now have a fun way to celebrate special occasions! Families can “rent the rock” for $30 per three-day block to honor birthdays, holidays, achievements, or show appreciation for students, teachers, or staff.

Click link below to learn more and rent the HAWK ROCK. For questions, email hendersonmillpto@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting this fun PTO fundraiser, we hope you enjoy celebrating on the HMES Hawk Rock! 🦅

Thanks to your efforts, some of our teachers have already earned gift cards worth up to $500 through the School Store program, we are truly grateful!

To participate:

1. Go to schoolstore.net/sid.t?0000008355

2. Send the invitation emails to family and friends or put it on your social media page.

Your participation takes just minutes and helps provide important resources for our students and teachers. Thank you for your support! Click link to watch video to learn more: https://videos.schoolstore.com/kick-off-video

It’s quick, easy, and free to help our school earn rewards!

Here’s how:

1. Create a Kroger digital account (if you don’t already have one): https://www.kroger.com/account/communityrewards/

2. Link your Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card.

3. Go to Community Rewards in your account settings.

4. Search for Henderson Mill Elementary and select our school.

Every time you shop and use your Kroger Plus card, a percentage of your spending is donated to Henderson Mill, at no extra cost to you!

💚 Thank you for supporting our students, one grocery trip at a time!

Join the Lakeside High School Baseball Coaches and Players for their Annual Baseball Camp! This is a great opportunity for young athletes to build their baseball skills, learn from experienced players and coaches, and have fun on the field.

📲 Scan the QR code or click the link to register today!
👕 Register by Friday, May 8th to be guaranteed a camp t-shirt.

Come out, sharpen your skills, and be part of the Lakeside baseball tradition! ⚾

Fifth Grade Parents, the new cheerleading coaches have shared that rising sixth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in cheerleading next school year at Henderson Middle School. We are excited to share this opportunity with our current fifth-grade students who may be interested.

Because many cheerleading activities, practices, and preparation events take place during the summer months, we are sharing this information now so families do not have to wait until August when school begins. Please review the attached flyer for important information about tryouts, summer practice schedules, and requirements. If your child is interested in participating in cheerleading next school year, we encourage you to review the information and complete any required steps as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please refer to the contact information listed on the flyer.

Families in DeKalb County can access free meals at eight convenient distribution centers across the district. Meals are available to anyone in the community, and each site offers pick-up on scheduled dates each month. See below for the full list of locations, dates, and times.- Click for details:https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/divisions/wrap-around-services/food-distribution

We are happy to share that we will have a small pantry located in our Parent Corner, generously sponsored by our PTO. The pantry will include some food and very basic toiletry items for families who may need a little extra support. If your family could benefit from these resources, please contact Ms. Illinets (Parent Liaison) for assistance. All requests will be handled with care and confidentiality. We are always here to support our Henderson Mill families.

We are desperately seeking parent volunteers to help support our school during key parts of the day. Your time, presence, and energy make a huge difference in keeping our students safe, happy, and thriving and honestly, we can’t do it without you!

Here’s where we could really use your help:

• Lunch Duty (10:20 AM – 12:20 PM)- Help us monitor students, keep things running smoothly, and encourage positive behavior during lunch.
• Recess Duty (10:45 AM – 12:45 PM)- Play referee, cheerleader, and safety monitor all in one! Your presence ensures our kids can enjoy recess safely.
• Morning Duty (7:00 AM – 7:45 AM)-Assist with arrival by helping students get out of their transportation safely and start the day on the right foot.
• After School Duty (2:15 PM – 2:45 PM)-Help supervise dismissal and ensure students leave safely, whether walking, riding, or being picked up.
• NEW! We need your support with our Motivational Doors!!! Please contact your child's teacher on details to come and decorate their classroom door.

If you can spare even a little time, you do not have to stay the entire time, please come by the school, sign in, and ask for our Parent Liaison, Ms. Vicky. She’ll show you the ropes and make it super easy to jump in.

We truly cannot overstate how much your involvement matters. Our students benefit immensely from your support, and we would be so grateful for your time, big or small.

Thank you for being an essential part of our Hawks family!

We invite you to join us in celebrating our incredible staff during Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week!

Parents, we are kindly asking for donations of gift cards to support our staff raffle, your generosity helps us recognize and reward the hard work and dedication of our team. Please drop off gift card donations in the front office, where a collection box will be available. In addition, students will have the opportunity to create or purchase small gifts to share with their favorite teacher or staff member throughout the week as a daily gesture of appreciation. If you’re unable to donate a gift card, we would greatly appreciate your time, please consider signing up to volunteer using the link below.

Thank you for helping us make this a meaningful and memorable celebration for our staff. Please see the flyer below for more details!

By signing on as a volunteer, you become a member of our team of professionals that proudly provides educational services to more than 93,000 students in our DeKalb County School District. We are currently in need of parents to volunteer as chaperones for our upcoming field trips, helping ensure a safe, fun, and meaningful experience for our students.

See document for details. This document was created by the District to assist you in registering as a volunteer with the DeKalb County School District. Please complete the following steps to become a DCSD Volunteer. The process takes about 30 minutes total, including approximately 20 minutes of online mandatory child abuse reporting training required by the State of Georgia for all volunteers.

Steps to Complete the Volunteer Process:

1. Complete the Volunteer Application and Release Form:

• English Application
• Spanish Application

2. Review and Complete the DCSD Volunteer Code of Conduct:

• English Code of Conduct
• Spanish Code of Conduct

3. Complete the Mandated Reporter Training:

• Watch the Mandated Reporter Video and complete the quiz before attending a training session.
• Steps to complete the training:
• Create a free account
• Select State: GA
• Click on Child Abuse and Neglect Course: Mandated Reporter
• Start the course and complete the quiz
• Save or print your certificate and email a copy to DCSDvolunteer@dekalbschoolsga.org
• Training link: Mandated Reporter Course

Upcoming DCSD Volunteer Training (via Zoom):

Join a Zoom Session That Fits Your Schedule. Join the DCSD Volunteer Training Zoom Meeting:

🔗 Join Zoom Meeting
📌 Meeting ID: 857 5784 5773
🔑 Passcode: 598219

Thank you for your dedication to supporting our schools! We look forward to your participation!

It’s that time of year again, annual registration for the upcoming school year is now open!

Please check out the links below for helpful information and resources to guide you through the process. We’ve also included a short video to explain everything step by step below. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ms. Carroll, our registrar, for support.

Thank you for helping us ensure a smooth registration for all students!

Join us for the last Parent Tech Café for the 1st semester! Parent Tech Cafe' is a virtual series designed to empower parents, guardians, and stakeholders with insights into the digital tools supporting teaching and learning across DeKalb County School District. See flyer to learn when sessions takes place. This is a great opportunity for families to explore the resources that enhance student success. Please help us spread the word to your school communities. Click here for more information: https://its.dekalb.k12.ga.us/TechCafe_202581813581964.aspx

DCSD families, you’re invited to our Community Health & Wellness Fair, a day focused on connecting families with FREE health services and valuable community resources.

Join us on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Doraville United Elementary School.

Families will have access to vision, blood pressure, and glucose screenings, as well as support from local organizations.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family for a day centered on care, connection, and support.

Some milestones deserve a real celebration, and this is one of them. STE(A)M Jubilee is STE(A)M Truck's year-end celebration, and we want the people who made this year possible to be at the center of it: our students, our educators, and the partners who show up for this community every single time. Come celebrate with us on the courts, share some refreshments, and enjoy an afternoon that's all about joy, community, and the people who make this work matter. Whether you've never held a paddle or you play every weekend, you belong here. Beginner coaching will be available, so bring your curiosity and your crew. Saturday, April 25, 2026 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM at Dill Dinkers Pickleball Club 1200 White Street SW, Suite 1000 Atlanta, GA 30310

$5 entry per person. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, every dollar goes directly toward STE(A)M Truck's programming and operations. Ages 12 and up welcome. All skill levels encouraged. Refreshments will be available. Let's celebrate what we've built, together.

Our students have taken the lead both on stage and behind the scenes to bring this exciting musical to life. It’s a high-energy show full of heart, perfect for all ages.

📅 May 1 at 6:00 PM
📅 May 2 at 3:00 PM & 6:00 PM
⏱️ Approximately 80 minutes

Bring your family and enjoy Lakeside's final theatre performance of the year!

🎟️ Tickets: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/lakeside-theatre-company

April’s SEL focus highlights stress awareness and emotional regulation. Students will learn strategies to recognize stress triggers, manage their emotions, and apply coping techniques that support both their mental and physical wellbeing, especially during high-pressure times like testing. While there are no required SEL lessons this month, our school counselors will continue to support students by reinforcing brief strategies that promote calmness, focus, and resilience.

Our Book of the Month, B Is for Breathe: The ABCs of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings by Dr. Melissa Munroe Boyd, encourages students to practice breathing techniques and healthy ways to express emotions. This resource is especially helpful in supporting students during times when they may feel overwhelmed or stressed.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting the whole child.

We know that parents and family members play an essential role in students’ educational success. When schools and families work in partnership, children will succeed at new levels.

The link below, parents and family members of students in Georgia’s K-12 public schools can explore the wealth of resources and services offered through GaDOE. Discover important information on Georgia’s K-12 standards, programming to support your student, ways to get involved, and more.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

Congratulations to our Trophy winners! Just 5 minutes a day of logging your child’s reading on Beanstack can help us climb even higher on the county-wide leaderboard!

📚 Here’s how you can help as a parent:

• Encourage your child to read daily and log their minutes in Beanstack, every minute counts!
• Parents can track progress and celebrate milestones together with their children.

See video from our DCSD Board Chair Mrs. Allyson Gevertz below, together, we can build a powerful culture of reading at HMES, one page at a time! ✨

In April, students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are required to take the Georgia Milestones Assessment. This test will include Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science (5th grade only). A practice test is available online, with questions set up and structured just like the actual assessment.

Please log on to see what will be expected of your child in April. See video below for more support. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher. We look forward to partnering with you.

https://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

1. Click "Test Practice, Guides, Samples"
2. Click "Online Testing Tools"
3. Click "End of Grade EOG"
4. Click "Test Practice"
5. Click "Online Standard Tools"
6. Click"3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade"
7. Click "Continue"
8. Click "Test Practice for 3rd, 4th, or 5th"

9. Click "Play Audio"
10. If your sound is working, click "Sound is Working"
11. Read the directions. Use the blue arrows to navigate through the directions.
12. Click "Begin Test"
(There is a tool bar at the top to assist while testing).

This video is a recorded virtual parent meeting that explains the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. It provides families with an overview of what the test measures, which grade levels are assessed, and the different achievement levels students can earn. The video also highlights important requirements for 3rd and 5th grade promotion, explains Lexile levels, and shares key testing dates. Additionally, it offers practical tips for parents on how to support their child’s success, including encouraging strong study habits, ensuring proper rest and attendance, and discussing test-taking strategies.

Parent ProTech is an on-demand library of resources to help you with everything from social media to gaming, artificial intelligence to streaming, to preventing violence in schools with anti-bullying educational awareness. Their resources cover trends and what you need to know to inform and protect students online. They end every series with conversation starters to help you know how to begin conversations with your students around their favorite tech. Their full library is now available so you can stay up to date on the platforms our students are using.

Signing up is easy and FREE! Visit this link https://bit.ly/DCSDParentProtech and create your Parent ProTech account that will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to support your students online. Note: Please use your district email to create your account.

Please take a few minutes to view the introduction and walkthrough videos to learn more about this amazing resource.

• Introduction Video: Equipping Educators and Families with Parent ProTech

• Account Creation and Platform Walkthrough Video

-May 4th- May 8th-Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

-May 4th- American Heart Challenge Kick- in cafeteria (8:30 am – 9:15 am - Prek - 2nd Grade

9:30 am – 10:15 am- 3rd - 5th Grade)

-May 5th- May PTO Board and Committee Meeting, Tuesday, 7pm (ZOOM)

-May 6th- School Nurse Day

-May 11th- STEAM Day, Medical theme

-May 11th Coffee and Conversations 9am and 1pm

-May 15th- Field Day- Friday

-May 18th-22nd -ASPIRE Week - Angel Flight Soars themed curriculum

- May 18th- Lakeside High School Final Walk- 7:45am

-May 18th- Speech Pathologist Day

-May 20th -May 21st -Milestone Retest Date

-May 22nd -Magnificent Mill, includes Fine Arts/PTA General Meeting- 6pm (PTO funded)

-May 25th - Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL)

-May 26th - Awards Day (Spring Semester)/EOY Parties- Friday/Sports Banquet / EOY Parties- Tuesday, times will vary

-May 26th -5th Grade Bridging Ceremony (at Lakeside High School)

-May 27th -5th Grade Fun Day- Wednesday, all day

-May 28th - 5th Grade final walk through- Thursday

-May 28th -Last Day of School- Thursday

Email: regina_smiley-blanton@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hendersonmilles.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2408 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 678-874-3102
Twitter: @henderson_mill