A Message From Our GO Team

Hello Bolton community, 
 
By now you have heard that our school community is on the hunt for a new principal to lead our school.  The process is already underway, so this message is to give you an overview of the process, what has happened to date, and what will take place in coming weeks.  The school community is an active part of this process, as is the elected governance body of our school, the Bolton GO Team. For this reason it is important for you to know how this process will play out.
 
Tier 1 - Community Meeting (June 6):  The school community (parents, teachers, staff, and community members) participate in a session with Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Human Resources and our Associate Superintendent. This took place on Wednesday June 6, in the Bolton gymnasium.  Dr. Luck, from HR, and Dr. Tommy Usher, our Associate Superintendent, lead the meeting.  Thank you to the approximately 75 parents, staff and teachers who attended and provided input in 5 categories in order to develop the Leadership Profile required of our next Principal.  Anyone who was not able to attend in person can participate via the survey link provided here.  APS will take all input from the June 6 Meeting and the online survey and produce a leadership profile that will be used by the GO Team and Dr. Carstarphen in identifying and interviewing Candidates.  Please complete the survey ASAP.  It is not definite when the survey will close, but Tier 2 of the process begins this upcoming Monday.
 
Tier 2 – Selection of Interview Pool (June 11):  Bolton Academy's GO Team Chairperson, parent John Ramseur, will meet with Dr. Luck and Dr. Usher on Monday, the 11th of June to review candidates in the APS principal candidate pool.  This is an already-vetted and highly qualified pool of candidates.  There are approximately 15 candidates in this pool, some from within APS and some from other school districts.  Mr. Ramseur will work with Dr. Luck and Dr. Usher to use the Leadership Profile that you help develop, to narrow down this pool to 6 Candidates that are the best fit for Bolton Academy. 
 
Tier 3 – In-Person Interviews (Tuesday, June 19):  All GO Team members will spend the day with Dr. Luck and Dr. Usher interviewing the 6 candidates that Mr. Ramseur identified.  On this day, the GO Team will use the Leadership Profile to determine the best fit for Bolton, and narrow the pool of 6 candidates down to 3.  These three candidates will advance to interview with Dr. Carstarphen.  The GO Team will send these 3 candidates to Dr. Carstarphen with a list of the strengths the GO Team identified in each candidate, along with additional questions that we want to make sure Dr. Carstarphen resolves with each in her interview.

Tier 4 – Superintendent Interviews (June 21 or 22): Dr. Carstarphen will Interview the 3 candidates, using the GO Team’s notes and the school's Leadership Profile. Following these interviews, she will choose one candidate to recommend to the Board of Education for final approval.
 
We should have confirmation of our next principal by the end of June.
Bolton Academy GO Team

Be Summer Savvy!

Thank you to our students, parents, families, teachers, staff, and volunteers for making 2017-2018 such a great year!  

• Here are a few tips to help you have a fun and healthy summer:
• Use sunscreen and don't forget to reapply throughout the day
• Wear hats and cover-ups during peak sun hours (10 am to 3 pm)
• Drink LOTS of water to stay hydrated (the key is to drink before you get thirsty)
• Wear your helmets as you enjoy summer bike rides
• Use bug spray to ward off ticks and other critters in wooded/grassy areas
• Unless you're an expert swimmer, be sure an adult is always with you at the pool or while you're playing in the lake or ocean

We hope you all have a fantastic summer, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in the halls on Wednesday, August 1.

Pre-K, K & 5th Grade Ceremonies and Picnics - This Week

Our Pre-K, K and 5th graders will close out this final week of school with their ceremonies.  Graduation and moving up ceremonies begin at 9 am and we ask all parents and supporters to park legally and plan plenty of time to park since the streets will be crowded.  Picnics will begin at noon.  Be on the look out from something from your teachers or room parents to sign up to volunteer for this fun event for the kids.

Tuesday, May 22:  5th Grade Picnic
Wednesday, May 23:  Pre-K Moving Up Ceremony
Thursday, May 24:  5th Grade Graduation
Friday, May 25:  Kindergarten Graduation

Pre-K, K & 5th Grade Ceremonies and Picnics - Next Week

Our Pre-K, K and 5th graders will close out our final week of school with their ceremonies.  Graduation and moving up ceremonies begin at 9 am and we ask all parents and supporters to park legally and plan plenty of time to park since the streets will be crowded.  Picnics will begin at noon.  Be on the look out from something from your teachers or room parents to sign up to volunteer for this fun event for the kids.

Monday, May 21:  K Picnic
Tuesday, May 22:  5th Grade Picnic
Wednesday, May 23:  Pre-K Moving Up Ceremony
Thursday, May 24:  5th Grade Graduation
Friday, May 25:  Kindergarten Graduation

Booster-thon Fun Run: The numbers are in!

Bolton Academy families, we had the time of our lives at the Bolton Academy Fun Run on March 30th! Thank you so much for pledging and allowing your child(ren) to participate.  The students had a blast participating in Fun Run.  As one of the heroes supporting the Bolton Academy Fun Run, your generosity helped us raise $15,800 to purchase Chrome Book Carts with Chrome Books for Bolton Academy! Woo-hoo! Give yourselves a high five!

The Top 3 Teachers whose students collected the most pledges will be rewarded as well.  A huge congratulations goes out to Ms. Hernandez/Ms. Gonzalez raising $3,567, Ms. Browne-Roberts raising $2,224 and Ms. Gilbert raising $2,032.  Way to go!

Until next time, heroes of Bolton Academy Fun Run, keep being great!
Bolton Academy PTA
 

News From the Nest - May 15th

We want to say a big congratulations to our new teacher of the year, Ms. Monica Fowler. Ms. Fowler was selected by her peers and administration to represent Bolton as the Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019 school year.

Ms. Fowler is such a hard and dedicated classroom teacher. She currently teaches 2nd grade, but has taught 3rd and 4th grade at Bolton. Any student that has been in her class always feels successful and has great experiences.  Any student that walks in her room is challenged and engaged. She has high expectations that she aims for all students to reach.

Ms. Fowler is an asset to our Bolton Academy team.  She helps with decision making that is best for our students as she is an active participant on our leadership team and on our math task force. She leads our gardening club and ensures our science lab has the needed materials for our students to explore their standards.

She is a true blessing to Bolton Academy, and we are so fortunate to have her on our team.  If you see Ms. Fowler, give her a high five or a hug and congratulate her on this amazing honor. We are so proud of her! 
  
We also want to recognize our April and May Students of the Month.  We are very proud of you. Thank you for being leaders and examples at Bolton Academy!

Kindergarten: Courtland Carrol,  Raychel Thomas, Avery Allen,  William Phelps, Charles Tork, Michaela Armstrong, Callan Dressler and Robert Lystad
 
1st grade:  Jasmine Martinez, Liam Carter, Ethan Perez-Palacios, Melinda Jose-Sebastian, Dior Watts, Randy Sanchez, Maggie Johnson, Neva Thacker, Ricardo Velazquez and Chris Moreno
 
2nd grade:   Saige Hill,  Amari Mazola, Maliek McIntosh, Madyson Martin, Zoe Gibson, Melanie Urieta, Piper Smith and Elizabeth Dobrotka
 
3rd grade:  Braedyn Norrholm, Hannah Finger, Elizabeth Gutierrez,  Preston So, Aubrey Kanu,  Ashley Oliva-Delgado, John Stevens and Sydney Kearsley
 
4th grade:  Isabella Escobar, Kimora Davis, Chase Burch, Yarely Rayo-Nunez, Marcanthony Wiley, Micah Yoder, Layla Harrell and Joshua Velasquez- Rangel
 
5th grade:  Layla Eggleston, Lizzania Lanche, Emily Holmer, Ashly Nava-Morales, Jack Levy, Whitman LaForce, Walker Stevens and Juan Carlos Rodrigues San Martin

- Ms. Scharff  (on Twitter @BoltonApScharff)

We Are Sutton - this Thursday!

Future Sutton Cougars and Cougar Families,

It's time for you to take the next step in joining the Cougar Family!! "We Are Sutton" will be held this Thursday, May 17, from 6:00-7:30 pm. This is your first chance to come to the 6th grade campus with your new classmates and their families. Join us for a great night of school spirit (and some great information) planned just for you!

You will have a chance to get familiar with the 6th grade campus, meet some of the 6th grade teachers, hear the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, learn about clubs and intramurals, and get your new spirit wear. We will have food trucks on hand for those who would like to get dinner.

RECAP:
This Thursday, May 17
6:00-7:30 pm
Sutton 6th Grade Campus, meet in the Gym (we will have plenty of people there to help direct you)
4360 Powers Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30327

1st-4th Awards Days and Picnics

Our 1st- 4th graders will be having their Awards Days and picnics throughout this week.  Awards Days begin at 9 am and we ask all parents and supporters to park legally and plan plenty of time to park since the streets will be crowded.  Picnics will begin at noon.  Be on the look out from something from your teachers or room parents to sign up to volunteer for this fun event for the kids.

Tuesday, May 15:  1st
Wednesday, May 16:  2nd
Thursday, May 17:  3rd
Friday, May 18:  4th

To Your Hooty Health!

Here's a list of six simple foods that are super healthy!  (If you've got food allergies, be on the lookout for any of the items below that you should avoid.)

1. Nuts:  they are full of protein and good fats that lower "bad" cholesterol, as well as packed with fiber, vitamin E, folate, potassium, and magnesium
2. Salmon:  high in omega-3 fatty acids (a good fat!) and an excellent source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium
3. Berries:  high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which help fight chronic disease and cancer
4. Dark green veggies:  good sources of many vitamins (such as vitamins A, C, and K and folate) and minerals (such as iron and calcium); they're also great sources of fiber
5. Quinoa:  gluten-free, high in fiber and protein, and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids
6. Dark chocolate:  high in antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids, which can help cognitive function

Keep these superfoods in mind as you're packing your snacks for summer road trips and camps!

Pre-K, K & 5th Grade Ceremonies

Our Pre-K, K and 5th graders will close out our final week of school with their ceremonies.  Graduation ceremonies begin at 9 AM and we ask all parents and supporters to park legally and plan plenty of time to park since the streets will be crowded.  Picnics will begin at noon.  Be on the look out from something from your teachers or room parents to sign up to volunteer for this fun event for the kids.

Monday, May 21st:  K Picnic
Tuesday, May 22nd:  5th Grade Picnic
Wednesday, May 23rd:  Pre-K Moving Up Ceremony
Thursday, May 24th:  5th Grade Graduation
Friday, May 25th:  Kindergarten Graduation

1st-4th Awards Days and Picnics are next week!

Next week our 1st- 4th Graders will be having their Awards Day and Picnics.  Awards Days begin at 9 AM and we ask all parents and supporters to park legally and plan plenty of time to park since the streets will be crowded.  Picnics will begin at noon.  Be on the look out from something from your teachers or room parents to sign up to volunteer for this fun event for the kids.

Tuesday, May 15th:  1st
Wednesday, May 16th:  2nd
Thursday, May 17th:  3rd
Friday, May 18th:  4th

Field Day Volunteers Needed & T-Shirts

Field Day is this Thursday (K-2nd) and Friday (3rd-5th), and we need some help keeping those water cups and coolers filled all day long.  Please sign up for an hour or two to make sure our kids stay hydrated.  We are asking for 2 volunteers per hour since we will have 2 stations, but would happily have more!

This year we are trying something new and asking parents to send their children dressed in colored shirts for Field Day.  Purchasing Field Day shirts is a large hit to the PTA Budget and many of the shirts ended up being left on the school grounds.  So this year, if possible, please dress your child in comfortable clothes and a colored shirt:

Kindergarten:  Red
1st:  Blue
2nd: Green
3rd:  Red
4th:  Blue
5th:  Green

This will help our teachers keep a better eye on their students since three grades will be rotating through all of the fun activities together.  We appreciate your support! 

News From the Nest - May 7th

The end of last week was an amazing enjoyable time of celebration. I am so proud of all our students.  Third through fifth graders completed the GMAS on Wednesday.  I cannot be more excited to see the scores, as I know the students have been hard at work.

On Thursday we had an end of GMAS celebration. Our Pre-K through second graders all enjoyed the bounce house fun in the morning, as we know the testing period can be hard and stressful even on them, as their schedules were changed and they had to be absolutely quiet in the hallways during testing. Our third through fifth graders, who were present for all their testing days, were able to enjoy the bounce houses in the afternoon. We had a 97% attendance rate during GMAS for our third through fifth grade students. This is huge! Thank you parents and students for being here on time and ready to show us what you know during the testing window.  

On Friday we had two celebrations for our students. Our first event was celebrating perfect attendance for the last 3 months (February, March, and April). These students enjoyed bouncing away again in the bounce houses, snacks, and a prize from the treasure box.  Thank you, parents and students, for your dedication and commitment to being at school every day to grow and learn.  See the top two photos below for some of our perfect attendance children.

The bottom two photos are our March Students of the Month.  They were able to enjoy lunch in the conference room with the admin team. They indulged in brownies and candy as we celebrated them as leaders in our school.  We are very proud of these students!

As we close out our last month of school, we hope to see each of you at the field days, awards days, or grade level picnics.

- Ms. Scharff  (on Twitter @BoltonApScharff)

Teacher Appreciation Week - May 7 - May 11

Show your teachers how much you appreciate them!  We are encouraging students to write personal thank you notes to their teachers and bring them in during Teacher Appreciation Week. In addition, feel free to include any gifts or tokens of appreciation. Let's celebrate our amazing teachers

Kindergarten Round Up - Monday, May 7

We will be hosting our Kindergarten Round Up for incoming Kindergarteners on Monday, May 7, at 8:30 am. Can you please help us spread the word to your neighbors and friends? The children will be touring different areas of the school while the parents will hear an overview presentation on Bolton Academy and ask any questions they may still have. A personal invitation goes a long way so thank you for helping us reach and engage with our new prospective parents!

AR Carnival is Back! - Tuesday, May 8

The AR Carnival is back on Tuesday, May 8!  We have several stations so please sign up if you're available and help us make this another party the kids won't forget!

P.S. Parents, remind your kids to get their AR points in by this Friday, May 4 (kids need to meet their goal and have an 85% average). They won't want to miss dunking our special guests in the tank!

Parent Empowerment Night - ESOL Materials

Thanks again to all of the parents that attended our Spring Parent Empowerment Night. In last week's Hoot, we shared the information from our two Georgia Milestone sessions. This week we have our presentation from Mr. Osorio and Mr. Worley called Understanding the ESOL Program.  They shared a lot of information on how our ESOL children progress through the program and how they best support our children in and outside of the classroom.  Thank you Mr. Osorio and Mr. Worley for all you do for Bolton Academy!

News From the Nest - April 30th

Can you believe it is May?  May is a very busy time of year for our students and parents.  We have awards, picnics, parties, and so much more, but before all this happens, we need to show our teachers and staff some love.

Next week is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.  Our teachers work so hard here at Bolton to ensure that all of our students are learning and achieving.  They put in many hours beyond the school day to plan and differentiate for your child.  Please consider asking your child to write their teacher a handwritten note of gratitude.  Words go a long way in encouraging our teachers and staff so we encourage our parents to join in the fun too!  Please also remember there are several other teachers that your child interacts with each week as well so let's try to show the love to all of them! 

As we begin to plan classes for next year, we want your input.  Please complete the student information sheet (rising Kindergarten or rising 1st-5th) and describe the perfect teacher for your child.  We are not asking you for a specific teacher name, but the attitude, temperament or demeanor that you believe your child best responds to so we can ensure that your child has a wonderful and successful year.  You can submit a hard copy to the front office, or email a copy to Ms. Strickling and myself.

- Ms. Scharff  (on Twitter @BoltonApScharff)