Ashford Park ES Principal's Post
"Building Great Minds Together" - November 4, 2021
NO SCHOOL - FRIDAY, 11/5/2021
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR IS COMING: 11/8 - 11/12
Scholastic Book Fair, hosted by our PTO, is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
After missing out on many beloved traditions, our Fall Book Fair will be a familiar, welcome, and safe event for our students. Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place Monday, November 8th to Friday, November 12th from 7:05AM to 1:00PM daily in The Media Center.
Our Book Fair is only open to students and faculty members this year.
Students may stop by ANY morning before school that is convenient to shop and pick up items from their wish list (which will be created during their class visit).
Our Book Fair offers a cash-free payment option called eWallet. It’s a convenient digital account that your child can use for shopping at our Fair. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute, too! We will also be accepting cash.
If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop online at our school’s Virtual Book Fair. All orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.
Don’t miss the “Classroom Wish List” which will be sent via email from your student’s teacher, where you can purchase books for your child’s classroom.
Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ashfordparkelementaryschool1
The Ashford Park Book Fair is an exciting event that brings a wonderful selection of fun, engaging and affordable books. Giving children access to good books and the opportunity to choose books will help them develop a life-long love of reading. This year, we are hosting a spare change challenge for “All for Books” again. Students are encouraged to bring in spare change and deposit it in containers outside the book fair. The funds will give more APS students a chance to participate in the Book Fair.
We’re excited to celebrate our love of books together at the Book Fair. We look forward to seeing your child there!
Happy reading,
Jenny Pham, Ashley Edmonds + Christy Paolercio
Co-Chairs, Scholastic Book Fair
NOVEMBER DATES TO REMEMBER
STEM PARENT SURVEY
FAMILY STEM CHALLENGE
WHO TO CONTACT WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE
Please review and save the list below so you are aware who to contact when questions arise.
Direct questions regarding the following items to the people below.
- Membership Toolkit - Ms. Jenny Mason: jennlynnmason@gmail.com
- Spiritwear - Ms. Nikki Murphy - nikkikeymurphy@gmail.com
- Yearbook - Ms. Grace Swanson - grace.eagar@gmail.com
- Family ID Hang tags - Ms. Venecia Sharpe: venecia_sharpe@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Reporting your child's absence from school - email your child's homeroom teacher AND our school registrar, Ms. Martha Rodriguez: martha_herrera@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Changes in transportation - email your child's homeroom teacher AND our school secretary, Ms. Victoria Gramlich: victoria_e_gramlich@dekalbschoolsga.org. This must be done by 10am!
- Questions about school lunch - email our cafeteria manager, Ms. DeJoya O'Neal: dejoya_o'neal@dekalbschoolsga.org
- General questions pertaining to your child's class - email your child's homeroom teacher
- Questions regarding gifted eligibility - email our gifted teacher, Ms. Kelly Jacobs - kelly_f_jacobs@dekalbschoolsga.org.
- Questions pertaining to ASAP - please contact the co-directors Ms. Thomas and Ms. Wilder: kandra_thomas@dekalbschoolsga.org and nicole_wilder@dekalbschoolsga.org.
- Questions pertaining to grades PreK-2nd - email the grade level Assistant Principal: Ms. Marchell Paige: marchell_paige@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to grades 3rd-5th - email the grade level Assistant Principal: Dr. Elizabeth Daly: elizabeth_daly@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to class schedules, progress reports, and report cards - email our Assistant Principal, Ms. Marchell Paige: marchell_paige@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Questions pertaining to districtwide assessments (MAP, CogAT, GA Milestones, ACCESS) - email our School Test Coordinator/Assistant Principal, Dr. Elizabeth Daly: elizabeth_daly@dekalbschoolsga.org.
- Questions pertaining to schoolwide operations - email Mrs. Freeman: tonya_edwards@dekalbschoolsga.org
COVID RESOURCES AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Gentle Reminder: To help us keep our students and staff healthy, we are asking that ALL ASHFORD PARK FAMILIES to please conduct a morning temperature check prior to coming to school each and every morning. It only takes a few seconds, and it will help us immensely to get ahead of any outbreaks at school. If your child is sick or not feeling well, please keep them at home!
Reporting Protocols and Procedures
I want to review the protocols and procedures in place when a positive case is reported to me and when a student needs to quarantine.
What Happens When a Positive Case is Reported?
1. All positive Covid cases should be reported directly to Mrs. Freeman: tonya_edwards@dekalbschoolsga.org.
2. Once this information is received, Mrs. Freeman will report it to the school district and await guidance.
3. Mrs. Freeman will begin contact tracing to determine close contacts. Close contacts may not include the entire class. Close contacts include individuals within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Per newly released CDC guidance there is an exception.
Exception: In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) if both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
4. Close contacts will be notified via a phone call from Mrs. Freeman or an Assistant Principal.
5. Close contacts will also be notified via email.
6. Quarantine and Return to School Guidance from the school district will be sent to the individual who tested positive and all close contacts. I understand that this is a lot of information, so I will always include a contact number for you to reach me if you have any questions.
7. Once approved for distribution, a community letter will be sent to the entire school community.
*Please note: before the community letter is sent out, contact tracing has been completed and individuals have been notified.
Additionally, this is the CURRENT process. If anything changes, you will be notified.
What Happens When a Student Needs to Quarantine?
1. The teacher will provide the student with a learning work packet and/or assignments will be placed in Seesaw/Google Classroom. Chromebooks will be available to students to checkout.
2. The teacher will make contact with the student daily to provide instructional support (this will be done during a teacher's planning period, before, and/or after school).
3. The student will be counted as present in Infinite Campus attendance.
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), if a student is quarantined, the individual will be provided with asynchronous work until he/she is able to return. This is to protect the privacy of the student who may have tested positive for COVID 19.
I encourage everyone to click the button below to review DCSD Covid-19 resources to stay informed.
HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED AND REVIEWED THE STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK?
Please download the handbook using the attachment below and save it to refer to throughout the school year.
Stay Connected
Email: tonya_edwards@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: http://www.ashfordparkes.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2968 Cravenridge Drive Northeast, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: (678) 676-6702
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshfordParkElementarySchool/
Twitter: @AshfordParkES