October Star News
October 1, 2026
Greetings Simpson Parents, Happy Fall!
I am so PROUD to be your principal of Simpson Elementary! The students, teachers, and support staff work very hard to ensure every minute of the school day is meaningful for students! Parents, thank you for all you do to partner with us to support your children. A message that continues to ring true today, more than ever, is Great Schools Build Great Communities and in turn, Great Communities Build Great Schools! Thank you to the entire Peachtree Corners/Norcross Parent Community for supporting our sweet school with PBIS incentives, healthy snacks, and encouraging notes. We could not do this without you!
It was so great to see so many of you in late August during Curriculum Night! I had a chance to join several grade levels and hear feedback from parents regarding curriculum questions and teachers providing supportive resources. Now, it is time for us to schedule Early Release Conferences. Please save the date for Wednesday, October 28th, and Thursday, October 29th. Conferences will be held in person by appointment ONLY via our Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) Link. The Early Release Conference Sign-up link will be available via our school website on Friday, October 9th at 9 a.m. and closes on Friday, October 23 at 4:00 p.m.
Superstars, it was so great to see everyone at our annual PTA Picnic-in-the-Park held on September 25th! Thank you to all of those students and parents that came out to support our sweet school. A percentage of the restaurant proceeds go directly back to our school PTA!
Finally, I want to congratulate Mr. Chadd Stern our Simpson Elementary School 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year! Mr. Stern has been in the field of education for 27 years, 20 of them in GPCS, and 6 have been at Simpson Elementary! He currently resides in Tucker, DeKalb County. Thank you, Mr. Stern, for all that you do to support your kids!
Proud to be your principal,
Dr. Connery
October 1st: PTA Walk to School Day
October 2nd: PTA Reflections Entry Deadline
October 7th: Fall Picture Day
October 8th: PTA Bike Safety Training (Grades 4th & 5th only)
October 12th-16th: Fall Break/Schools Closed
October 20th: All Pro Dads at 7 AM
October 22nd: PTA Spirit Night- Sushi Osawa
October 23rd: PTA Fall Festival 5-7 PM
October 23rd-30th: Book Fair/Literati
October 26th-November 6th: PTA Read-A-Thon Fundraiser
October 28-29th:Early release conferences
October 30th: PTA Staff Appreciation Event
Principal- Dr. Taffeta Connery
Assistant Principal- Ms. Brandy Bosak, Grades 3, 4, & 5
Assistant Principal- Ms. Jeanette Johnson, Grades K, 1, & 2
Assistant Principal- Ms. Stephanie Wells, Special Needs & Connections
Picture Day is coming on Wednesday, October 7!
You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTXWTVHJ. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!
Orders after Picture Day must be placed online on mylifetouch.com
Parent Helpers Wanted:
If you would like to volunteer to support picture day, please visit the PTA volunteer signup.
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) from September 15th to October 15th, by celebrating the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover 30 days starting on September 15th and ending on October 15th.
September 15 - October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) at Simpson Elementary during connections:
- CS All K-5 students will have access to our digital choice boards in the Computer Science Google Classroom. K-2nd read aloud stories of influential Hispanics in Computer Science, 3rd-5th grades can research and make a digital poster about an influential Hispanic.
- Art First grade is learning about Peruvian textiles and llamas. They are working on making different kinds of lines. Second grade is learning about Mariachi guitars and creating their own. 3rd grade will be learning about Alebrijes and creating masks.
- Health- We will be listening to a story about Frida Kahlo and discussing how she persevered through many health challenges. Frida used art as a coping skill so we will choose a picture of Frida to color.
- PE - Sports and famous athletes from Spanish speaking countries, display about Atlanta Braves
- Music- K will learn and move to songs about animals and colors, including De Colores and Los Pollitos. 1st graders are singing and moving to huayno from Peru. 2nd graders will connect with their guitar-inspired art by moving and singing San Jarocho from Mexico. 3rd graders are practicing xylophone skills with a bilingual book that tells the story of the annual monarch butterfly migration, Senorita Mariposa. 4th grade is learning about music from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, including merengue. In 5th grade, we will spotlight Cuban musicians and create our own versions of a Cuban folktale.
- Spanish- Mr. Rivera will host kindergarten connections classes and present a traditional music demonstration and drum circle.
- News Crew will feature famous Hispanics on the news this month
- School Spirit Day- Hispanic Heritage Spirit Wear-wear colors of a Hispanic flag- Friday, Oct 9th.
- Simpson Square Hispanic Heritage Display Case
We had an awesome time hanging out last month for our PTA Spirit Night at Cheeseburger Bobby's! Thank you for all of our school stakeholders who either ordered take-out or those who dined in to support our school. A portion of the proceeds come right back to our PTA.
We’re excited to share this month’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) newsletter, highlighting our October focus from the Character Strong curriculum. We encourage you to print and refer to this resource at home to help reinforce the lessons your child is learning at school.
If you're interested in additional ways to support your student’s growth in this area, please visit the Family Strong website for helpful tools and ideas.
Each month, students who exemplify the featured character trait will be nominated by their teachers and recognized for their efforts.
Thank you for partnering with us in nurturing strong character and emotional well-being in our students!
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:15 PM
- All visitors must check in at the welcome desk and please be prepared to provide some form of identification upon request.
Students should arrive between 8:20 AM- 8:50 AM
Morning announcements and tardy bell rings at 8:50 AM
Dismissal bell rings at 3:20 PM
If you are checking out your child early from school, please do so at or before 2:45 PM. This leaves our bus lanes open for bus arrivals. Also, please remember that a picture ID is required for all student check-outs. Thank you!
A few gentle reminders:
- Bring your ID to sign in at the Welcome Desk. Please arrive a few minutes before lunch to allow time to check in and have your badge printed.
- You may have lunch at the visitor table with your student only, not their friends.
- Outside food and drink (fast food) are not permitted in the cafeteria. We thank you for supporting our cafeteria when you visit for lunch.
- Individual ice cream sales are during lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are visiting for lunch those days, you are welcome to treat your student to an ice cream. However, we ask that you purchase ice cream only for your student at that time.
- When lunch concludes, please exit from the cafeteria. Teachers will be transitioning their class to their next schedule block.
GCPS students will have access to a meal (breakfast and lunch) throughout the year for each child. Student meal costs are listed below or if a parent desires to complete a free/reduced lunch application online via our school website or in person during MYTD, they are welcome to do so.
Meal prices for elementary students are below:
Student breakfast -$1.50
Student lunch -$2.25
Adult Breakfast -$3.00
Adult Lunch -$4.75
It is essential that students respect the learning environment by being appropriately dressed for school. The purpose of a student dress code is not to inhibit any person's taste in attire, but rather to ensure a positive environment for learning, safety, and to prevent disruptions. Any student's dress or appearance, not specifically stated, which the faculty or staff deems distracting will not be permitted. For more details, please visit our website under Parents/Students>View dress code.
Dear Superstar Families,
Beginning this school year, students in grades K-8 may bring devices to school, but they may not use or access them during the school day from the first bell to the final bell. They are welcome to store any electronic devices in their personal belongings (e.g. bookbag).
This includes:
- Cell phones and smartphones
- Smartwatches and smart eyewear
- Tablets and e-readers
- Personal laptops, earbuds, and headphones
Please remind your child to:
- Keep devices powered off during the school day.
- https://www.gcpsk12.org/families/student-electronic-devices
- Store devices according to school expectations.
- Wait until the end of the school day to access them again.
If you need to contact your child during the day, please call the school office, and we will make sure your message gets to them.
Thank you for your support as we begin the year focused on learning, connection, and a strong bell-to-bell school day.
In regard to safety and security, the school will be reinforcing measures in place to make sure all school stakeholders are safe:
- A Visitor Management System (VMS) is in place for parents/visitors to be buzzed into the building after stating the purpose of their visit. Parents/visitors will need to produce identification.
- Raptor (identification system) will be in place for visitors to provide identification at the front desk.
- Staff and students will continue to conduct monthly fire, tornado (2), and intruder alert (2) drills throughout the school year to ensure that we maximize safety plans.
- All staff will also wear Centegix Badges to quickly respond to any potential emergencies.
Classroom doors will remain locked at all times.
All food delivery service providers (e.g. doordash) are welcome to notify the office of deliveries and then be requested to place items temporarily on a cart outside the door. The food cart will be monitored frequently to roll inside the building once the front entrance is clear. All uniformed deliveries (UPS/FedEx) will be buzzed inside with packages. This delivery system is in place to monitor the traffic inside the building. This delivery system is in place to monitor the traffic inside the building.
October Library Buzz!
What a sensational month in the library! Our 5th-grade library leaders are spreading the love of reading to our littlest superstars, and our awesome SNN crews are broadcasting the morning news like total pros! Plus, all grades are crushing our Back-to-School Beanstack Reading Challenge—our superstar readers have already logged an incredible 170,000+ minutes schoolwide! WOW!
We also welcomed some amazing guest readers this month! Our cluster SRO, Officer Coursin, dropped by for story time, and our fabulous, bilingual front office staff read Señorita Mariposa to 1st grade in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Meanwhile, 2nd graders explored the colorful world of Frida Kahlo, and 3rd graders dove into Pablo Picasso, with both grades tackling fun take-home art projects! Kindergarteners also got a special treat with a silly rhyming puppet show performed by GCPL.
Looking ahead to October, get ready for the Literati Book Fair! Keep an eye on Friday folders for details and flyers. Join us for the Book Fair Grand Opening during the Fall Festival on Friday, October 23rd, from 5:00–7:00 PM. Come shop and celebrate reading with your student!
Become a Girl Scout and start your fun Girl Scout adventure today!
At Girl Scouts, your girl will discover what sparks her curiosity — whether that's stargazing, outdoors, art, launching a rocket, or diving into robotics. With experiences tailored to her grade level, she’ll make new friends and become part of a community that supports your whole family. There's a place for every girl here.
When you’re a Girl Scout, the possibilities are endless! Every Girl Scout has their own curiosity, dreams, and talents—so when they come together to decide which of the thousands of Girl Scout activities to try, the sky’s the limit. Whether visiting an animal shelter, camping, hosting a dance-off, or filming a movie—they’re learning to take risks, trust their gut, and team up with others for good.
The secret sauce holding it all together? Joy.
Forever friendship is a powerful thing. It’s what gives Girl Scouts the confidence to be themselves, unapologetically. It’s what makes them feel safe enough to try new things and cheer each other on in tough times. It’s the support that can get them up on tough mornings, help them raise their hand in class, and even climb to the top of a mountain.
Find adventure.
Have fun and be yourself.
Make an impact on your community.
Girl Scouts have endless opportunities to lead.
Earn badges & awards through new skills.
Creative Movement and Dance at Simpson
At this time, we still have openings in all of our classes. If you could please share or post our advertisement again, we would greatly appreciate it. Since October starts next week, it is not too late for new dancers to join!
Our message to families is simple: It is not too late to register! If a class is not full and there are available spaces, families are welcome to join.
Parents can visit our website to view available classes and register:
www.creativemovementanddance.com
Thank you again for your continued support and for helping us bring the joy of dance to your school!
Good News Club
Who: For 2nd-5th Graders and 1st grade siblings.
When: Beginning on Mondays October 19- March 29, 2026. Meeting after school with car pick-up at 5:00. Students who are in GASP will be escorted back at 5:00
Where: Meeting in the Media/Library Room
Register on line www.goodnewsclubgwinnett.org/student/registration (Limited Enrollment)
No charge but donations are welcome
Club activities include: Snacks, Interactive Bible Stories, Memory Verses,, Active Games, Lively Songs. The Club emphasizes character qualities, respect for authority, moral values and Biblical principles. There is a Treasure Box of toy rewards, surprises and lots of laughter and fun.
Leaders are specially trained Christians. concerned for the spiritual well-being of your child. For questions Contact Cathy Hicks- Coordinator hm. 770 447 0540 jchicks@thejrg.net.
Simpson Elementary is ranked top 10 in the State for Elementary Schools!
According to the US News & World Report for 2025, Simpson Elementary School is ranked #9 as one of the BEST Elementary Schools in the State of Georgia. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school. Simpson is ranked as:
#1 in Gwinnett County Public Schools
- #9 in the State of Georgia
Bike Safety Class
Bike Safety Class for fourth and fifth grade students will be Thursday, October 8. Students must attend the bike safety class each year if they would like to ride their bikes to school. Students may begin riding bikes to school after they have attended the class.
All Pro Dads
All Pro Dads will meet Tuesday, October 20, from 7:00am-8:00am in the Simpson Cafe. Please RSVP with the QR code. Breakfast is $4.00 per student. Print the application and send in with your student.
Simpson PTA Spirit Night at Sushi Osawa
On Thursday, October 22, come out and support our Simpson PTA. Take the night off from cooking all for a good cause!
Simpson PTA Fall Festival
Join us Friday, October 23 from 5:00-7:00pm for the annual PTA Fall Festival!
