Henderson Mill Elementary – Week 17 – December 13, 2020

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Henderson Mill Elementary PTA

Henderson Mill Elementary  

Week 17 

The winter break is finally here, and this has truly been one of the most challenging years ever. We are closing out 2020 and looking onward and upwards to 2021. While 2021 will have its own set of challenges, I am hopeful that we will be moving towards positive changes.

We are all in need of some much needed downtime to unwind and refresh. Let’s all take a break from school and enjoy some family fun. I hope your holidays are filled with joyful moments to be cherished and treasured forever. Remember to social distance, wash or sanitize your hands often and wear your mask. Let’s all have a safe Happy Holiday!!

All staff and students will return to school virtually on Monday, January 4.  

All Dekalb County schools will be closed for Winter Break from Monday, December 21 to Friday, January 1. 

Gifts

Many families would like to give a holiday gift to their child’s teacher.  If you have a gift for a teacher, you may drop your gift off on Monday and Tuesday, December 14 and 15 at the school between 8:00 –3:00 or Tuesday, December 15, from 5:00-7:00 pm.  Teachers will stop by to pick them up by the end of the week.  If these times do not work for you, please email Ms. Moore at [email protected]

Upcoming Schedule Change 

In January, we will adjust the daily schedule to increase instructional time in content areas. This means our school day will begin at 7:30 and end at 2:15. A more detailed schedule will be shared with you in January.

Imagine Learning

We will begin using a new program instructional program begin in January for all students. Please spend some time checking out Imagine Learning over the Winter Break.  There are fun and engaging lessons your child should enjoy.

Imagine Learning can be accessed through the Lauchpad.

Wellness Committee

A Note from the Wellness Committee: This week saw extremely low temperatures for our area, so low temps are a perfect introduction to our December Wellness Topic: Winter Safety. This month, your student will learn about dressing appropriately for cold weather, how to avoid slips and falls on ice, frostbite, winter hydration, etc…. You can reinforce this learning at home by talking to your children about Winter Safety, expectations for dressing warmly while playing outside, and how to walk carefully in icy conditions. It’s important that, even though we don’t get a lot of snow here in Atlanta, we learn how to navigate the icy winter conditions in the South. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/winterweather/index.html

Lego Robotics Club

Attention parents of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade parents! Our Lego Robotics coaches, Ms. Hardegree and Ms. Roberts, will be offering an afterschool virtual coding and robotics club. Students in good academic and behavioral standing will be able to join for the once a week session to deepen their understanding of coding. This time will be held over Zoom on Thursday afternoons from 2:15-3:15pm. Applications/Sign ups for the club will be coming out after Winter Break and the club will start meeting at the start of the new semester. Please be aware that if your student is not completing classwork or attending classes regularly, they will not be allowed to attend.

The goal of this afterschool program, even in our virtual setting, is to prepare and train a group of students to be ready to try out for our Lego Robotics team, which meets and competes in the Fall. The Lego Robotics team is given a problem to focus on and has to create a solution to that problem. Coding is only one small part of the whole project that students complete as part of Lego Robotics. Even if your student does not participate in the virtual Coding and Robotics Club, they can still try out for Lego Robotics in the Spring/Fall (depending on current schooling situations).

Be on the lookout for more information immediately after Winter Break.

Empty Stocking Fund

Children from birth through 12 years of age who live in Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding or Rockdale County and receive public assistance are eligible to receive gifts from The Empty Stocking Fund. This year, in an effort to keep you and your children safe and healthy, you will be able to shop online for your child(ren)’s holiday gifts.

Click here for more details:

https://www.emptystockingfund.org/holidays/