Back To School Picnic Tonight!
In This Issue
PRINCIPAL'S NOTE
BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC
TIGER TROT-A-THON TRAINING CALENDARS
CURRICULUM NIGHT DATE CHANGE
SPIRIT NIGHT
MR. TIGER GOES TO WORK
A MESSAGE FROM THE CLINIC
PTO MEMBERSHIPS AND YEARBOOK ORDERS
VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORMS
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
VOLUNTEER IN THE STEM LAB
SPIRIT WEAR ORDERS
GIRL SCOUTS
CUB SCOUTS
SANDY SPRINGS PARKS AND REC FALL PROGRAM
PTO BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS
MEET YOUR TEAM
Each week this column features fun facts so you can get to know our Spalding teachers and staff members a little better! This week: Ms. Hart and Ms. Winnick!

Ms. Tamieka Hart
Kindergarten Teacher
Hometown: Morgan City, LA
College: Shorter University
Favorite Childhood Pet: Lady
Tamela
Favorite School Subject as a
Student: Spelling
Favorite Kids' Movie: The Wiz
Favorite Board Game: Scrabble
Special Talent: Cooking

Ms. Robyn Winnick
School Psychologist
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
College: Tufts University
Favorite Childhood Pet: A dog
named Cubby
Favorite School Subject as a
Student: Reading 
Food You Turn Your Nose Up 
At: Kale
Favorite Kids' Movie: Lady and
the Tramp
Favorite Board Game: Operation
Special Talent: Cooking
CALENDAR:

8.19
Back To School Picnic
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8.25
Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

8.26
Spirit Day

8.26
Volunteer Friday

8.26
Principal's Coffee Chat
7:15 a.m.

8.31
*DATE CHANGE*
Curriculum Night
Session 1: 6:00 - 6:45 p.m.
Session 2: 6:50 - 7:35 p.m.

9.1
New Parent Breakfast
7:30 a.m.

9.1
General PTO Meeting
7:30 a.m.

9.2
Full Release Day (students off)

9.5
Labor Day (school closed)

9.23
Tiger Trot-A-Thon

COMMUNICATION:
We strive for clear, current and consistent communication with parents. There are FOUR main ways to find out about announcements and upcoming events. We strongly advise you to sign up for all of them:

 

FACEBOOK - We have a private Facebook group titled: Spalding Drive Elementary PTO. If you haven't already, please find us on Facebook and ask to join the private group!

 

TIGER CONNECTION - 

Tiger Connection will be published this year on FRIDAYS. If you are not receiving it, please send your email address and preferred phone number here:

Sp[email protected].

 

ROOM PARENTS -  Once room parents are established for each class, they will begin sending home some paper reminders and mostly email communication about your child's class and school happenings. Please make sure you provide your email address to your teacher's room parent in order to receive these important messages.

 

SCHOOL MESSENGER - From time to time, SDE administration will send an official school email and/or phone call with special announcements or updates on weather events. PLEASE make all the parents or guardians in your family have provided us with your preferred email address so that you receive updates from Spalding Drive Elementary. We want to keep you informed!


YOUR PTO

Tiger Connection is published by the PTO in conjunction with the SDE administration.  We hope you find it useful and it helps you stay connected with what is going on at our wonderful school. If you have information you would like to include in an upcoming issue, please contact me.

 

Sincerely,

Meggan Ballowe

 

VP of Communications,
SDE PTO

 

Visit the Spalding Drive website for current school information!

   

Like us on Facebook

 

 

Follow us on Twitter

 

JOIN OUR LIST 
A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL                                   
Good afternoon, Tiger parents! 
I hope everyone has had a great second week at Spalding Drive Elementary! It's been a busy week for us with the changes in class allotments. I know it is frustrating if you are a parent/child who is impacted...it's just unavoidable. Certainly you know the county does their very best when making predictions regarding the number of students in each grade. With us being a small school, even the smallest change can make a difference either way.

On to some good, no great, things! Our students will begin Tiger Time on Monday. If you are new to our school, you may have no idea what this means! Teachers in each grade (K - 5), administer a mini assessment, or use i-Ready to group children according to their specific math needs. Children are taught how to transition to different classes to receive this specific math instruction. This math is in addition their regular math time...we saw a lot of academic gains with our students last year and expect to see more of the same this year! It starts right at the beginning of the day, so be sure to have your child here on time!

I'm excited to attend the Back to School picnic tonight! The children (and parents) have a great time, so I hope you can come, even for a little while!! Spalding Drive Elementary is a great community school, and it's magnificent to spend time with all of the families in such a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

Speaking of relaxed, I want to invite all parents to the first Principal's Coffee Chat of the year next Friday morning. It's a time to meet me (if you haven't already), ask questions, and hear other questions from parents. It's very informal...you can leave when you need to! It begins at 7:15 a.m. in the media center...and yes, there is coffee!

I hope you have a magnificent weekend!

Lynn Johnson, Principal
BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC TONIGHT!
It's Tonight!
Friday August 19 6:00-8:00 p.m. 
Music! Games! Kona Ice Truck!
 
Dunk a Spalding teacher in the always popular Dunk Tank:  $1 each!
 
Help us kick off a great school year!  Come to Spalding and connect with our school family of parents, students, and staff at this favorite annual event! Pack a picnic dinner and bring a blanket or a chair, visit with old friends, and make new ones! There will be games to play, a dunk tank, a DJ providing the tunes, and the Kona Ice truck. The 5th grade students will be selling drinks and snacks to raise money for their overnight field trip to Rock Eagle, so come thirsty! 

Volunteers are still needed for this event! Please sign up for a volunteer slot below or plan on pitching in while you are there!
CURRICULUM NIGHT DATE CHANGE
Attention Parents
Please note that Curriculum Night has been rescheduled to avoid conflict with neighboring schools. The new date is Wednesday, August 31. To help families with multiple children, Curriculum Night is offered in two sessions. Session 1: 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. and Session 2: 6:50-7:35 p.m.
TIGER TROT-A-THON TRAINNG CALENDARS
Parents, check your students' binders and backpacks this Monday, August 22nd!
Spalding's biggest, and   healthiest, fundraiser of the year doesn't take place until Friday, September 23rd but training starts now to get your little tiger moving! Carrying on a favorite Spalding tradition, special Trot-a-Thon Training Calendars go home Monday! Beginning Tuesday, your student will have the chance to complete a short exercise each day to be in top form for this fun event! To be entered for the "Tigers In Training" raffle drawing, your child's calendar must be turned in to your child's teacher by Wednesday, September 21st. This year, the raffle winner takes home a Brilliant Sky Toys and Books gift certificate! 

Lots of great Trot-a-Thon information will be coming home with your child in the coming weeks and in future Tiger Connections as well.

Thank you for helping us keep your child healthy and active!
SPIRIT NIGHT
chick fil a
First Spirit Night of the Year on Thursday, 
August 25 
Join other Spalding families at Chick-Fil-A for our first spirit night of the year. Families can dine in or carry out at the Chick-Fil-A at 5925 Roswell Rd. (near Lowes) Sandy Springs (near Lowe's) from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The class with the most kids in attendance (must sign the sign up sheets at CFA) will get a cookie platter at school the following Day. Spirit nights helps Spalding--CFA donates a portion of the earnings back to the school. 
MISTER TIGER GOES TO WORK
"Mr. Tiger Goes to Work"
is a program designed by our school counselor, Mr. Stevenson, to bring information about careers and the world of work to our students using our favorite available resources, our families!
 
Mr. Tiger, a small stuffed animal, will go home with a different K-5th grade child each week. The child will bring Mr. Tiger home on Monday and then send him to work with a parent or other relative. The following Monday the student will bring Mr. Tiger back, along with a display poster (posterboard provided) showing what he did on the job. The display should include pictures of Mr. Tiger at work and information about the job(s) that he did while with your family. The posters will be displayed in the front hallway to teach all the students about the many different job possibilities available to them.
 
This program is voluntary and Mr. Tiger will be assigned to participating students in random order. If your family is interested in participating, please complete the form included in your child's binder or backpack this week and return to his/her teacher as soon as possible. You may also contact Mr. Stevenson directly via email or call the front office and ask for his extension.
 
Mr. Tiger is looking forward to learning about your job!
A MESSAGE FROM THE CLINIC
Important Reminders for Parents!  
Whenever your child is out sick with a Communicable Illness (Strep, Flu, Pinkeye, Lice, etc.) please advise your teacher by note or email. Please also include Cindy Gray, Clinic Aide, in your communication by emailing 
[email protected]. Doing this allows us to determine if there is a trend in your classroom or in the school. We also fill out forms that are sent to Student Health Services to note if there is a trend in the Community (i.e. wintertime flu). Together we can try to stay in the know and step up our preventative measures!
IT'S NOT TOO LATE!
PTO MEMBERSHIPS AND YEARBOOK ORDERS
Your Car Needs a Spalding Magnet and PTO Needs You!
If you missed Sneak Peek or just didn't get a chance to join PTO and/or order your yearbook that day, it's not too late! 

MEMBERSHIPS: 
Get your 50th anniversary MAGNET and notepad! PTO memberships start at just $25 and go up to $1,000 (which includes corporate member benefits). This year you can even join at a level that designates a portion of your membership towards your child's Tiger Trot-a-Thon fundraising. Read about your options here and then click here to download the form (or pick one up from the front desk).

YEARBOOKS: 
Get your yearbook order in now to secure your child's yearbook at a lower price! Yearbook prices are currently $30 each and go up to $35 after September 1. You will have a second chance to order in January - and to order Pridelines too - but keep in mind that we order VERY few extras once the final numbers are submitted and sell out completely every May. Don't delay - order today!
SEND IN YOUR VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORM
Want to Volunteer? Let Us Know What Areas Interest You!
Each year our PTO Board works to plug in volunteers where they most want to devote their time. If you didn't already, please download this form, fill it out and send it in through your child's backpack. VPs of Volunteer Services Argelis Cortez and Renate' Elliott will set you up with the committee, event or activity where you would like to help out! We love our volunteers! 
REGISTRATION REQUIRED OF VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Registration
All persons interested in volunteering in the Fulton County School District must complete a volunteer application every two years - even if a person has completed an application in the past. To keep in compliance with State Law and best practices, we will require everyone to re-register / register after August 2nd 2016.  

The registration process can be found on the FCSD District Website under Community / Partners and Volunteers or click here. In accordance with State Law, all volunteers must be current with the Child Abuse Reporting Protocol Training before being allowed to volunteer in our schools. All applicants must wait 24 hours after applying for application processing. Applicants should be prepared to spend about 10-15 minutes for the training and application process. It is very important that volunteers enter their full legal name as it appears on government issued ID. Please do not use nicknames or "goes by" names on the application.
STEM LAB VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Spalding families!
Many of you have asked for more opportunities to help out with your child's class and/or grade at school and now we have a great opportunity for you! New this year, parents, grandparents and guardians will be able to help out on a regular basis in the STEM Lab with your child's class! 

We are seeking a few volunteer positions: A grade chair for each grade K-5, volunteers to come into the lab to prepare projects and experiments a few days in advance, and volunteers to come set up and work with their child's teacher and class in the STEM Lab on specific days to facilitate the kids' projects! STEAM coach Ms. Waller will be conducting some STEM Lab 101 meetings with parents to get them acclimated to the Lab and to get you started. Interested? Email [email protected] and let us know how you'd like to get involved!
WE HAVE ALL NEW SPIRIT WEAR!
Get Your Orders in for Our All-New Spalding Spirit Wear!
Need Spirit Wear? We have all new designs this year! The new shipment is here and all styles are available. Click here to download an order formfill it out and send in along with payment through your child's backpack, and within one week your shirt will come home with your child. It's that easy! Any questions? Email Spirit Wear chair LaLona Richards at [email protected]!
GIRL SCOUTS
Spalding Drive Elementary is the proud home to the Girl Scouts!
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character plus it's just plain fun! If you are interested in joining and/or volunteering, please email Meggan Ballowe at [email protected] or the local Girl Scout Service Unit at [email protected]. Please be sure to include your daughter's grade level so you can be directed to the correct troop leader (Grades K-5).
CUB SCOUTS
Cub Scout Pack 236
Welcomes all new and returning Cub Scouts to attend their new year of fun activities.

Welcome Back Pool Party at Mark Trail Pool this Sunday, August 21, from 1:00 - 4:00p.m. Come to play, swim, and get to know more about this year with Pack 236. Mark Trail Club is located at 210 Seville Chase, Sandy Springs.

Open House 
Monday, August 22, 6:30 p.m. at Spalding Drive Elementary School Cafeteria. Come see what Cub Scouting is all about. Pack representatives will be available to answer questions and register scouts. 

First Cub Scout Pack Meeting with Reptile Guys at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall on Monday, August 29, from 6:30 - 8:00p.m. SSUMC is located at 86 Mt. Vernon Hwy, Sandy Springs.

If you have any questions, please contact Scoutmaster, Kirk Stevenson at [email protected]. For more information about upcoming Cub Scout events, please visit www.pack236.com and friend Pack 236 on Facebook.
A MESSAGE FROM SANDY SPRINGS PARKS AND RECREATION
Registration is Open for Fall Recreation Programs
Registration can be done in person by visiting the Recreation and Parks office located in the Hammond Park Gymnastics building at 705 Hammond Drive or online at http://registration.sandyspringsga.gov.

There are a variety of events, special interests, outdoor education, gymnastics, team sports, and skills development programs available.

For additional information, download the 2016 Fall Recreation and Parks brochure here or call 770-730-5600.

Sandy Springs Gymnastics - Fall Term: September 12 - December 10 (No classes Nov. 21-26)
Gymnastics develops strength, coordination, balance, flexibility, and self-confidence. Our classes provide gymnastics instruction for boys and girls of various skill levels from 12 months to 18 years of age and adult classes. Class size is based on a student to instructor ratio of 8:1. Our facility has state of the art equipment for all ages including our preschool gym designed for children under 5 years. All of our coaches are experienced professionals who undergo regular training and are USA Gymnastics Safety, CPR, AED, and First Aid certified. Sign-up today for world class instruction right here in Sandy Springs! 

More info: 770-730-5600 or [email protected]

Back to School Bash - Tuesday August 16
Celebrate the new school year with a fun party in the park! This year's Back to School Bash will be Tuesday, August 16 from 4-7 p.m. at Hammond Park. Activities include: water slides, inflatables, face painting, raffles, and more. Admission if free.

Movies By Moonlight
Now in its 12th year, Movies By Moonlight returns, bringing back the nostalgia and fun of the outdoor cinema! Imagine a drive-in movie and block party all rolled into one (and free!) Leadership Sandy Springs oversees this family-oriented, community outing. Family-Friendly films are projected on a huge inflatable screen, along with family entertainment, food, and community spirit! Each year, close to 5,000 Sandy Springs residents come out to see this wonderful open air series.

2016 schedule includes:
Friday, August 26 - Zootopia
Friday, September 9 - Jungle Book
Friday, September 30 - Minions

In case of inclement weather on the day of the movie, please call 404-256-9091 for an update. Information will be posted around 6 p.m. the day of the show.

Celebrate National Gymnastics Day
Come and test your strength and agility at this fun Gymnastics Celebration and Open House!

WHEN: Saturday September 17, 2016
TIME: 3-5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hammond Park Gymnastics Center, 705 Hammond Drive, Sandy Springs, GA

In honor of National Gymnastics Day, the Sandy Springs Gymnastics Center is hosting a Parent and Child Obstacle Course Challenge. Teams consist of one child and one adult. Divisions are based on the child's age. All AGES ARE WELCOME. Your scores will be recored and award certificates will be mailed to the winners at the conclusion of the event. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have about our gymnastics programs. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:

PTO BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS
Shop with our Spalding PTO Business Partners and help earn money for our school! 
So far this year we have partnered with Publix, Box Tops, Coke Rewards, Target and Amazon Smile who each provide benefits or funds directly back to our school!
 
Featured this week:  COKE
 
You and your Coke Rewards help Spalding get much needed items like athletic equipment, classroom supplies, books and more. Earn points from Coca-Cola beverages and Dasani Water and donate them in two easy ways: Look for the codes on coke product lids and can boxes and enter them at www.mycokerewards.com/schools. Once you set up your account you may search for Spalding Drive Elementary and donate your rewards. You may also simply send in the lids/packaging to school with your child or put them in the marked bin in the PTO closet!

Check back here often for information or look for fliers coming home about Spalding Drive Elementary Eat-Out Nights and other special promotions with local business sponsors! The PTO partners with local restaurants and businesses to host fundraising evenings for Spalding. These fun evenings earn the school hundreds of dollars each year.