Winter Concert is This Friday

Our Winter Concert, "A Small Part of the World," is this Friday, with two performances at 9:00 am and 10:15 am. Parents can attend either performance. If your child is performing, you have already received a permission form from Ms. Daniels. All classes who do not perform this winter will perform in the Spring Show.

We still need some extra hands to help us prepare the stage for the show. If you have any time available this week to help, please email Melanie Haley.

News From the Nest - 12/17

As we wrap up the last week of the semester, I wanted to take a minute to thank all of our parents and students for a great first half of the year at Bolton Academy!  We have one final week filled with classroom parties and our "A Small Part of Our World" winter concert on Friday.  Our entire administrative team hopes you all have a great break with your families and that are able to spend time with the ones you love.  We look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday, January 7 - in the meantime, enjoy your time away!

~ Mrs. Lawrence  (on Twitter @BoltonPrincipal)

Georgia Parent Survey - Please Complete!

All parents are encouraged to participate in the Georgia Parent Survey because the data will be used as part of the calculation of the School Climate Star Rating. The survey contains 24 questions and you can access it here.

Parents may complete the survey using their personal computer, smartphone, or tablet. If you need access to the internet, please come by the Parent Resource Center (Room 226) to complete the survey. Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis. The Georgia Parent Survey is also available in Spanish.

The Empty Stocking Fund

The Empty Stocking Fund invites parents and guardians of metro area children who are receiving public assistance benefits to come to Santa's Village and select gifts for their children. Please see the flyer to learn about eligibility and more information on hours of operation. You can also visit www.emptystockingfund.org/register to register. They strongly encourage you to pre-register before coming!

New Spirit Wear Ordering Information

Parents and teachers, thank you for your patience as the PTA has streamlined our Spirit Wear ordering process this year.  We now use two vendors for our spirit wear:  Zeus' Closet for embroidery and Amazon for screen printing.  With both vendors, items are purchased directly and are shipped to you.  Amazon provides a quick turnaround on all items ordered, and Zeus' Closet also provides us with an option to have the school logo embroidered on garments purchased from other vendors and brought into the store.  Please click on the links below to visit both of our school stores. Any time new products are added, we'll include a notice in the Weekly Hoot email newsletter, so make sure to sign up so you don't miss out!

Zeus' Closet
Amazon

We are working on getting these links added to our website, but wanted you to have the latest information in case you wanted to do any holiday shopping

Winter Concert - Next Friday

The Winter Concert is right around the corner on Friday, December 21, with two performances at 9 am and 10:15 am.  If you are new to Bolton Academy, you may not know that two classes per grade perform in the Winter Concert and then the other classes perform in the Spring Concert.  Our Pre-K classes perform at both concerts because they are just too cute!  The classes that are performing in the Winter Concert are:

Pre- K:  Hicks/Bostic
Kindergarten:  Irvin, Price
1st Grade: Adcock, Pookrum
2nd Grade:  Gilbert,Young Watson/Perez
3rd Grade:  Browne-Roberts, Harris
4th Grade:  Simpson, Thornton
5th Grade:  Alcantara, Armstrong

We also need parent volunteers to help prepare the stage for the concert.  Ms. Daniels is asking for volunteers from Monday, December 17, through Thursday, December 20, for any amount of time beginning at 9 am.  If you can volunteer, even if just for a one hour block, please email our Parent Liaison, Melanie Haley. We appreciate any help at all!

News from the Nest - 12/10

Happy Monday, everyone!  Be on the lookout for this letter (ENG ESP) in your child's book bag. We want our parents to know that outdoor recess is a priority for our students and will adhere to the guidelines set forth below. 

Be sure your child brings a coat to school every day with gloves and a hat, when needed.  Recess is a very important part of the day and we know that research has shown that students who have daily access to unstructured play are less likely to act out and stay more focused in the classroom.

As for determining the appropriateness of a trip outside, we have established a general guideline for our teachers to go outside if the wind-chill is 36 degrees or above. If the cold or rain keeps the children inside, we feel it is imperative that unstructured time still be allowed during the scheduled recess time. We have provided recommendations and resources for indoor recess to our teachers.

We hope you understand that our teachers cannot be in two places at one time, so when a student does not wear the appropriate clothing, it can affect the entire class. We are working on organizing our Lost and Found items so children who forget their coat that day can borrow a coat for recess and enjoy the fresh air. 

We also would like to be a resource for our community. If you do not have the appropriate winter wear, please return the letter linked above (which you should see in your child's book bag as well) to your homeroom teacher by Wednesday, December 12, and we will do our very best to accommodate your request.

I have spoken with our entire staff on the importance of recess and plan to closely monitor our unstructured playtime. If you ever have any questions or concerns about recess time, please feel to reach out to me.

~ Mrs. Lawrence  (on Twitter @BoltonPrincipal)

New from the Nest - 12/3

We've done it! We've made it to December and the next few weeks will certainly be filled with learning and fun, but I wanted to take a moment to share the IB attribute and attitude and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competency that we will be focused on this month. 

The IB Learner Profile Attribute for the Month of December is "Open-Minded." This week we will focus on the attitude "Curiosity." Talk to your kids about what that means to them and keep the dialogue going at home.

We will focus on the SEL Competency "Responsible Decision-Making." Responsible decision-making enables our students to keep in mind multiple factors, such as ethics, standards, respect, and safety concerns, when making their decisions. This competency includes students’ capacity to identify problems and develop appropriate solutions to those problems, whether they are social or academic problems.

Our SEL Book for December is "We’re All Wonders Not So Different" by R.J. Palacio.  With a spare, powerful text and striking, richly imagined illustrations, Palacio shows young readers what it’s like to live in Auggie’s world - a world in which he feels like any other kid, but he’s not always seen that way. This book taps into every child’s longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are. It’s the perfect way for families and educators to talk about empathy and kindness with young children.

We hope you have a wonderful start to a typical busy month for everyone and that you are able enjoy this season with your families!

~ Mrs. Lawrence  (on Twitter @BoltonPrincipal)

General PTA Meeting - Next Friday

The General PTA Meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 7, at 6:00 pm. We will host a Holiday Movie Night for the kids with some sweets and snacks. While they are having some holiday cheer, the adults will meet to hear an update from the PTA and about upcoming volunteer events. We really hope to see you there. We may just have a few surprises to help spread the holiday cheer!

Last Week for Thankful Turkeys

This is the last week to show our teachers how thankful we are for all they do! The Thankful Turkeys' feathers are ready for you to grab a requested classroom item (or several!) to donate to teachers and staff. The Turkeys are located along the wall near the cafeteria, and donated items should be dropped off with your teachers by Friday. #GiveThanks

Picture Day Photos

If you didn't already purchase them at the Thanksgiving Lunch, we will be sending home school photo packages tomorrow.  This process is new this year, so please read carefully!  You have the opportunity to purchase 1 sheet, 2 sheets or the entire package of 6 sheets - it is up to you to customize it for your needs. There are 3 simple steps:

1) Choose the photo sheets you want and review the pricing sheet 
2) Return the photo sheets you don't want
3) Return your payment method

You can send exact cash, a check (made out to Strawbridge Studios), or pay online and write your confirmation code on the small white payment envelope included in your package.

All returned photos and payments will be due to your teachers by THIS Friday, November 30. If you have any questions at all reach out to our Parent Liaison, Melanie Haley at melanie.haley@apsk12.org.  Remember that any purchase you make benefits Bolton Academy, so we appreciate your support!

News from the Nest - 11/26

Welcome back!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break with their families.  I enjoyed our time away, but loved seeing all of the returning faces this morning.

I wanted to remind you that Mr. Kemp is hosting three Eureka Math Parent University sessions this Wednesday in our Parent Resource Room 226.  Please see below for more information and how to RSVP to reserve your spot.  We really encourage you to come and learn more about Eureka Math!

Also, please also see below for more information about how to purchase your child's pictures.  We've never seen so many smiling faces, and remember that all of your purchases will benefit Bolton!

~ Mrs. Lawrence  (on Twitter @BoltonPrincipal)

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Eureka Math Parent University

If you're not quite sure how this "new math" works (and you're not the only one!), please do not miss this amazing event hosted by Mr. Kemp on Wednesday at 8:15 am, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.  Please review the flyer (ENG ESP) for more information, and be sure to click on this link to RSVP for your session - it really helps us plan to know if you are coming. Thank you!

Picture Day Photos are Back!

Our photos are back from the printer and we are excited that you will have an opportunity to see them this year before purchasing. We will have the photos available to view and for purchase at our Family Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday. You can purchase the entire packet for $32 or purchase as little as one sheet for $10. You will simply pick the sheets you want to keep, pay the required amount and turn the rest back into your teacher. You can pay online or with cash or check. If you are unable to attend the Thanksgiving Lunch, we will be sending home the photo packets after the Thanksgiving Break to everyone. Every package purchased helps raise funds for Bolton Academy so we appreciate your support!  For pricing information, please click here.

New from the Nest - 11/12

We have a BUSY week this week before we head out for our Thanksgiving Break.  As you know. tomorrow kicks off our Career and College Motivation Week.  Please click here to get a great snapshot of the entire week and how the students will be participating, and please sign up if you're interested in being a speaker. 

We will also have our Family Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday beginning at 10:35.  We strongly encourage you to read the post below so you know how to RSVP by tomorrow to save your spot.

Finally, we will induct our newly elected 2018-2019 Student Council Board on Friday.  Congratulations to our new student council and all of the candidates that participated.

2018-2019 Student Council
President: Sydney Smith
Vice-President: Avery Wicker
Treasurer: Miya Bauer
Secretary: Farren Fresh

~ Mrs. Lawrence  (on Twitter @BoltonPrincipal)

Family Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday

We are so thankful for our families and would love for your special loved ones to join us on Thursday for a Thanksgiving feast. You will meet your child in the atrium area by the gym after checking in at the front office.  Please also ready the post below about how to view and purchase your school photos during the lunch.

Please register and RSVP by end of day on Tuesday, so we can plan accordingly (you do not need to include your Bolton Academy student in your RSVP). The "ticket" is free (we are using this system just to track RSVPs), but you will need to pay for your meals.  So, please bring $5 CASH for adult meals or meals for any non-APS student. Thank you and we look forward to celebrating with you Thursday (see lunch times below)!

Eureka Math Parent University: Save the Date

We are excited to announce that Mr. Kemp will be hosting the very first Eureka Math Parent University session on Wednesday, November 28. We understand that Eureka is different from the way we were taught, and that parents may not feel as comfortable with the new methods. We want to teach you the overall strategies so you are confident and can reinforce learning at home. We will also answer your questions and to share valuable online resources to help you at home. All grades are invited to attend any of the sessions below.

Session 1 - 8:15-9:30 am
Session 2 - 11:00-12:15 pm
Session 3 - 5:00-6:15 pm

Order Some Holiday Cheer and Benefit Bolton

It's that time of year!  Babies in pumpkin patches. Smiling families in matching flannels kicking freshly fallen leaves at each other. Holiday Cards!!!  This year, create your annual Holiday Cards at www.minted.com. Orders for Holiday Cards and Holiday Gifts placed between now and November 30 will receive 15% off and Minted will donate 15% back to Bolton Academy!! Just use promo code FUNDRAISEBOLTON at checkout.  Orders MUST be placed during the month of November to receive this discount and donation.

Family Thanksgiving Lunch Next Thursday

We are so thankful for our families and would love for your special loved ones to join us on Thursday, November 15, for a Thanksgiving feast. You will meet your child in the atrium area by the gym after checking in at the front office.

Please register and RSVP, so we can plan accordingly (you do not need to include your Bolton Academy student in your RSVP). The "ticket" is free (we are using this system just to track RSVPs), but you will need to pay for your meals.  So, please bring $5 CASH for adult meals or meals for any non-APS student. Thank you and we look forward to celebrating with you next Thursday (see lunch times below)!

Open Market Day Volunteers Needed

Each year, as a part of College and Career Motivation Week, our classes create products or services that they can sell or barter on Open Market Day which is Friday, November 16.  We are asking for a few extra hands to help make the 50-minute sale go as smoothly as possible.  We appreciate any help we can get.  Set up will be from 12:30-1 pm and the actual sale is from 1-1:50 pm. Please sign up to let us know you are coming!