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Summer 2011
MORNINGSIDE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Hello Morningside Family!
Welcome back from what I hope was
a stupendous summer! On a personal
note, my summer has been a busy and
eventful one in awesome ways. I have
had opportunities to meet with some of
our school leaders, I have been planning
with the PTA, and I have also been busy
selecting new staff for our new school
year. As some of you may know, a group of teachers, our school
counselor, our instructional coach and I are in an Education Specialist
Degree program with Piedmont College. We spent a lot of
our summer in class taking courses on school reform and communication.
The classes have been very valuable, we will actually use
some our knowledge to train our MES staff throughout the school
year. We have been working diligently to plan an incredible year
for our student body.
As with most school years, we have experienced some loss in
staff. As a result, we have been in the process of carefully selecting
replacements. Our art teacher, Joanne Farrell and our media
specialist, Betty Meek have both decided to retire at the end of
last school year. We appreciate their years of service to our school
community and wish them the very best retirement. Additionally,
we have two staff members who have left Morningside to work in
other departments of the Atlanta Public School System. One of
our former fourth grade teachers, Tommy Firesheets and a former
first grade teacher, Christie Woodrum will no longer be a part
of our MES faculty. We wish them well as they move forward
in their educational careers. Additionally, we have some familiar
faces in different places. Bianca Jones will leave her fabulous first
grade position to join the sensational challenge team; Mark Miller
will leave the challenge team to take on the position as our media
specialist; Leigh Ann Bliss will serve our 4th and 5th grade students
in a support role. We also welcome Amy Bitcover to our staff as
our new art teacher. We are thrilled with these changes and are confident
that they will add value to our MES magic. Let us be sure to
welcome our new staff with open arms and provide them with a big
Morningside welcome!
As I mentally prepare for what will be my sixth year at MES, I
find myself feeling full of enthusiasm and excitement for what I
know will be a year of vigor and vivaciousness. Our newly elected
PTA board is fully prepared to carry on the long lasting legacy of
love and learning that has consistently proven effective throughout
decades. Fabulous plans for this school year are in the works and
the PTA has hit the ground running. Our new Boosterthon fundraiser
promises to be a success and our students will benefit from
not only having the opportunity to experience raising revenue for
their school but will also benefit from experiencing body and mind
strengthening, a sense of community building, and leadership skills.
The testimonials that are listed on the website for this fundraiser
are pretty impressive. I strongly feel that our school will have a full
day of exhilaration and neighborly fun during this event. Additionally,
we look forward to supporting our MES Foundation as they
will assist our teachers with funding classroom projects by offering
grants to teachers and they will assist with providing professional
development/teacher training for our instructional staff as well.
You are encouraged to read more about the MES Foundation on
our school’s website to become familiar with its purpose and vision.
As I close I want to encourage
each of you to do your best
to contribute to our school
in some kind of way. Maybe
your contribution will be in
the form of a monetary donation,
maybe you will serve as
a room parent, or you may
consider working on a parent workday. Your contribution may be
small or large. Your support may come frequent or intermittent.
Nonetheless, your involvement is needed. Please visit our website
frequently and learn all that you possibly can about your child’s
school. Reach out to your child’s teacher to find out how you can
help. Sign up to be a parent reader for your
child’s class. Your child would absolutely
love that. I look forward to seeing each and
every one of you parents at our PTA meetings
and throughout the year. Let us work
together to make this the very best school
year for your child/children.
Kind regards,
Rebecca Pruitt

CRCT
The Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) is given to third, fourth, and fifth grade students in the Atlanta Public School System.
The purpose of this standardized test is to determine the level of curriculum mastery within each student. The state of Georgia has established
grade level standards for each grade level and categorizes the rate of mastery into three levels. The three levels include does not meet, meets, and
exceed grade level standards. The CRCT is given in the areas of reading, math, English/language arts, social studies, and science. Traditionally
Morningside (MES) has always been fortunate to have had its student body to score considerably high on this assessment. However, it is
with great pleasure and excitement that we share this year’s phenomenal results and increases. There were several areas that MES experienced
double digit gains in the exceeds category of the CRCT. The table below indicates this year’s and last year’s results as they relate to the “exceeds”
category.
Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test 2011 Results
Content Area Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
Exceeds
Meets &
Exceeds
Exceeds
Meets &
Exceeds
Exceeds
Meets &
Exceeds
Reading 74% 95% 70% 98% 84% 99%
Language Arts 62% 96% 67% 97% 81% 98%
Math 65% 92% 75% 93% 88% 96%
Science 77% 97% 79% 96% 94% 96%
Social Studies 72% 95% 63% 95% 86% 96%
Grade
Reading
2010
Reading
2011
E/LA
2010
E/LA
2011
Math
2010
Math
2011
Science
2010
Science
2011
Social
Studies
2010
Third 67% 74% 62% 62% 64% 66% 67% 77% 54% 72%
Social
Studies
2011
Fourth 62% 70% 63% 67% 64% 75% 87% 79% 59% 63%
Fifth 68% 84% 77% 81% 79% 88% 82% 94% 71% 86%
As you can see, our reading scores increased at least seven percentage points in each tested grade level. We are pleased with our English/Language
Arts (E/LA) results, but we are going to look to see what we can do to provide more rigor in this area. Our math scores are holding
steady with quite an increase in fourth and fifth grades. We currently use the Everyday Math program which proves effective. Astronomical increases
took place in both fourth and fifth grade science. This rate of student achievement is quite impressive. Lastly, social studies experienced
gains in all three grade levels. Our third grade program experienced an 18%age point increase and our fifth grade experienced a 15%age point
increase, which is quite awesome. We congratulate all students, parents, and teachers for a job well done last school year.
2

Thank You for What You Do
Laurie Luckmann
Teacher of the year is a special recognition that is given once a year
to a teacher that has been nominated and voted by his/her peers. As
with any election, the Teacher of the Year (TOTY) award is given
for several reasons. It is our belief that this year’s TOTY (as with so
many of ours at MES) was selected because not only is she well liked,
but she is an extremely hard worker as well. Laurie Luckmann is the
kind of teacher who embraces the opportunity to work aggressively
with our low achieving students, she works creatively to encourage
students to work beyond their potential, and she gracefully works
with her teammates to plan creative lessons for their grade level. Laurie
is the proud mother of two wonderful children who are Morningsiders
as well. Laurie loves MES so much that she constantly finds
ways to contribute to our school community. She worked tirelessly
on building our first and only leveled bookroom for our staff and
students. Because of her commitment to education, our school now
has over 1,000 titles of a mixture of books that are leveled. This
library allows our students to read books that are specifically on his/
her reading level. This initiative was greatly appreciated as it has had
a direct impact on the whole school. In addition to this accomplishment,
Laurie is constantly in talks with the administrative team to
find and to introduce ways that we can address early intervention
needs that cause some of our students to struggle with the learning
process in the regular education program. The Student Support
Team applauds Laurie for graciously allowing a fifth grade student to
go to her third grade class to close some achievement gaps in spelling.
Morningside has always thrived because of dedicated teachers
like Laurie Luckmann. She is a parent who does not mind working
during a MES parent workday, she leads the MES Girl Scout Troop
3538, she works with the PTA, and she does not mind making a
splash at the Halloween Carnival’s dunk tank. As with many of us,
she finds it easy and enjoyable to work at MES because the school
community consists of people that are supportive, accepting,
and nurturing. We congratulate Ms.
Laurie Luckmann for this wonderful
achievement and we wish her success
in her educational career. Thank you
for what you do Laurie Luckmann!
3

Morningside School Staff 2011-2012
Administrative Team
Rebecca Pruitt, Principal
Myana Solomon, Assistant Principal
Kindergarten Team
Sheila Baxter-Holmes
Gena Cochran
Mia Oglesby
Gail Williams
Wendy Westwood
First Grade Team
Laurie Guerino
Marva Nelson
Shantrice Dean
Teresa Westwood
Toki Huff
Verna Morgan
Second Grade Team
Allyson Atwell
Cindy Cherry
Karen Locascio
Stella Mercker
Monique Nordmann
Leslie Nelson
Emmakate Young
Third Grade Team
Allison Espelosin
Ernestine Inman
Jon Bookspun
Laurie Luckmann
Rachel Willis
Fourth Grade Team
Kristen Duncan
Megan Hayes
Amy Mather
Ameila Morel
Fifth Grade Team
Ed Braun
Jacqueline Henry
Kelly Lecceardone
Val Taylor
Early Intervention Program & Support
Kelli Balloon
Carrie Roetger
Leigh Ann Bliss
Challenge Program
Beth Burney
Allie Coker
Bianca Jones
Program for Exceptional Children (PEC)
Open Position –Autism
Wilhemena Register- Lead Teacher
Annette Ransom - Resource
Roger Cleckley– Speech
Sarah Shirley – Occupational Therapy
Art
Amy Bitcover
Music
Mark Belloto
Carlton Strother
Totka Valkova (orchestra)
Rick Rodriguez (band)
Spanish
Amira Espana
Marie Isabel Jameson
Jose Martinez
Lourdes Santiago
English as a Second Language
Donna Cutshall
Dawan Barfield (Interpreter)
Physical Education
Cheryl Carter
Aly Nussear
Media Specialist
Mark Miller
School Counselor
Aazam Salehi
Gwen Hodges
Paraprofessionals
Janice Albert
Clara Bradford
Rita Hardy
Wesley Holland
Yolanda Leake
Kathy Moore
Jacqueline Pass
Keisha Reese
Danya Wilson
Office Staff
Laurie Dunaway, School Secretary/Registrar
Janice Giddens, Front Office Clerk
Cassondra Petty, School Nurse
Bonita Spight-Williams,
School Administrative Manager
Building Mechanic
Mike Harris
Cafeteria Manager
Vangeline Smith
MES Welcomes Our New Art Teacher
Amy Bitcover has many years’ experience as an art educator and as a professional artist. She studied at
the Rhode Island School of Design at the University of Rhode Island, and received a Masters in Education
at Boston State College. She has taught elementary art and has also served as an adjunct professor
at Oglethorpe University. She has expertise in teaching diverse students, developing curriculum and
she has the ability to instill confidence, competence, and a joy for learning in all students. We look
forward to seeing her lead our art program this coming school year. We are confident that you will be
pleased with her work.
4

From the PTA Co-Presidents
Welcome to another fantastic year at MES! We
are looking forward to having a magical year that
is fun filled, productive and successful for our
MES staff, parents and especially our children.
Your PTA Executive Committee has been hard
at work since this spring and through the summer
gearing up for the 2011-12 school year. We
have been meeting with various committee chairs, having planning
discussions with the teachers and Principle Pruitt, and working out
details in preparation for some exciting changes to some fundraising
activities. The teachers and Principle Pruitt appreciate and
recognize the importance of the MES parents and the role you take
in achieving the shared goal of meeting learning objectives and
strengthening our children’s learning environment. Our goal as a
PTA is to use fundraising, communication and parent involvement
to enhance the education experience of each child at MES.
This issue of Morningstar highlights some important back to school
information as well as some of the terrific MES events on the
horizon including a new Boosterthon Fun Run this fall, Summer
Reading and Math celebrations, the infamous Halloween Carnival,
Cultural events for all grade levels, Wellness events in the garden
and a spectacular Auction next spring. In support of our teachers,
our PTA will provide curricular materials and classroom supplies.
All of which could not happen without the hard work of the staff,
administration and parents like YOU. We have many volunteer
roles including spending some time at a Parent Work Day for
seasonal clean-up of the school, helping with any of the fundraising
events and assisting teachers in their classrooms.
We cannot express enough how important it is to have parents
involved with the MES PTA. The PTA appreciates the time and
talents of the volunteers, and we believe that everyone has a gift to
share with Morningside. It starts by joining the PTA, continues by
offering your support through volunteering and ends with us looking
back at the 2011-12 school year and saying “Wow! We made
great strides!” and “This was our children’s best year yet!” Please
visit the MES website and contact Volunteer Coordinator, Amy
Hartman (amyohartman@bellsouth.net.) for more information.
2011 – 2012 PTA Executive Committee
Kimberly Humphrey, Co-President
kdelynnh@yahoo.com
David Runyan, Co-President
lukelab1@comcast.net
Rebecca Pruitt, Principal
rpruitt@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Gail Price, Co-President Elect
gailanddave2@comcast.net
Joy Spangler, Co-President Elect
joyspangler@bellsouth.net
Stephanie Boswell, Vice-President for Fundraising
sboswell2@att.net
Astrid Horlbeck, Vice-President for Enrichment
astridahorlbeck@gmail.com
Amy Chambers, Vice-President for Operations
atchamb@yahoo.com
Lane Chalfant, Vice-President for Communications
flchalfant@bellsouth.net
Lauren Brown, Treasurer
ltbrown@earthlink.net
Holly Stevens, Secretary
hollybstevens@gmail.com
Tad Christian, Parliamentarian
Kstater@comcast.net
Laurie Luckmann, Teacher Representative
lluckmann@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Thank you for your support and help us keep the magic in the
2011-12 school year.
See you soon!
Kimberly Humphrey and David Runyan
PTA Co-Presidents
Your P.T.A. needs you!
5

6
Back to School Calendar
Kindergarten and New First Grader Orientation
Wednesday, August 3rd
9:00–11:00 a.m.
This two-hour student orientation is designed to welcome Morningside’s
kindergarteners and new first graders to our wonderful
school. Our newest 2011-12 students will meet some classmates,
learn their way around the building, and end their tour with a
snack and free time at our wonderful playground. After this orientation,
your child will feel right at home at the Friday Meet and
Greet and ready for the first day of school.
To help keep this event focused on the kindergarten and new first
graders, parents are asked—as much as possible—to make other
childcare arrangements for siblings. If you have questions or
comments, or to volunteer for this event, please contact Margaret
Brackett at margaretbrackett@comcast.net or Polly Bowman at
pfbowman@comcast.net.
New Parent Orientation
Thursday, August 4th
6:00 p.m.
Auditorium
Join us at Morningside for a comprehensive orientation specifically
geared for parents of new students. MES Principal Rebecca
Pruitt will answer questions about your child’s first days of school,
expectations, and school procedures. You will also meet members
of the 2011-12 MES PTA Executive Committee and learn more
about the benefits and volunteer opportunities available through
our PTA. Note that this event is for parents only.
Meet and Greet
All Students
Friday, August 5th
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Meet and Greet is the time for all students and parents to meet
their teachers for the 2011-12 school year. Parents and caregivers
can sign up to volunteer in their child’s classroom, join a PTA committee,
buy the new MES t shirts, obtain information about bus
stops and carpool, and more. Don’t miss this fun and informative
time!
First Day of School
Monday, August 8th
BE THERE by 7:50 a.m.
The principal and teachers highly recommend that students be
in the classroom and ready to start the school day by 7:50 a.m.
School begins promptly at 8:00 a.m., so arriving a few minutes
early ensures a smooth transition from backpack to desk, and allows
everyone to start the day on a positive note.
Coffee and Kleenex
Monday, August 8th
8:00 a.m. Media Center
After dropping off your student in their classroom, join fellow
parents and PTA representatives in the Media Center for complimentary
coffee, Kleenex, and plenty of encouragement. This is a
long-standing tradition at Morningside, and everyone is welcome.
Back to School Night
Tuesday, August 23rd
6:00 p.m.
Please attend this parent-centered evening which includes meeting
the entire MES faculty and time with your child’s teacher in the
classroom. The PTA will also have a brief meeting to approve the
2011-12 budget and introduce the 2011-12 Executive Committee.
*A note about MES orientation events: Your MES teachers and
PTA volunteers work hard to put together orientation events that
meet your needs, with a combination of student-centered and
parent-centered events. Please make every effort to attend the
parent-centered events without children and attend the student-oriented
events with your kids. If you have questions or suggestions
for improving these events in the future, please contact Kimberly
Humphrey at kdelynnh@yahoo.com.
“Learning is Magic”…The Spirit of MES
What a magical year the 2011-2012
School Year is sure to be! This Fall we
will be introducing our newest theme
in spirit wear, as “Learning is Magic.”
It will be centered on fifth grader
Sophia Zook’s winning t-shirt design.
You will definitely want to pick up this
year’s t-shirt, but also keep an eye out
for our newest additions in Morningside
gear. Along with the t-shirts, pencils,
and water bottles, we’ll be introducing
Morningside Tervis tumblers and
student pencil pouches. And for the
moms, you’ll definitely want to pick up
the newest “Mommy” design specifically made for Morningside.
Opportunities to purchase spirit gear will be at Kindergarten and
New First Graders Orientation on August 3rd, New Parent Orientation
on August 4th, at Meet and Greet on August 5th and Back
to School Night on August 23rd. Just in case you miss these events,
keep an eye out for other dates in
your Digital Dolphin
and a flyer in your
child’s backpack the
first week of school.
You will definitely want
to outfit your child for
Spirit day on Fridays,
so plan on stopping by
to see what items we’ve
pulled out of our magic
hat this year!
Anna Lentz and Lori Lott
Spirit Chairs

Operations
It takes a lot of planning and teamwork by parents, teachers, students
and administrators to make Morningside Elementary School a success.
The various PTA Operations Committees support teachers and
administrators by helping to ensure the school’s smooth day-to-day
operations. Here is an overview of what these committees have in
store for this school year.
Amy Schroeder, Media Center Volunteer Liaison, will recruit and
train Media Center volunteers for regular weekly shifts and special
projects. This committee will also sponsor informational sessions for
parents on how to use available APS online research tools.
The Welcome Desk Committee, chaired by Jennifer Pye, will continue
to provide visitors with a warm welcome and assistance.
The Laminating Committee, headed by Christa Martin, will schedule
volunteers to provide administrative support to fulfill teachers’ laminating
needs.
The Special Needs Committee, chaired by Michelle Constantinides,
will continue to support students in the Program for Exceptional
Children (PEC). The committee arranges topical speakers and hosts
opportunities for parents of PEC children to exchange ideas and
information. It also works with the school counselor, Aazam Salehi,
on the Acts of Kindness Award, sponsoring this annual recognition of
students.
Special Needs Committee
Sometimes students struggle academically or have physical limitations
that affect their ability to perform successfully at school. These students
may need additional educational instruction or interventions.
Parents who think their child may need additional services should discuss
their concerns with their child’s teacher as soon as possible. The
Special Needs Committee supports those students and their families
with educational and informational Lunch and Learn series, a Google
group that shares information about Special Services in APS as well as
community resources, and additional support as needed. To encourage
parents to share information and further support the committee’s
goals, this year we are offering special support groups under the following
headings:
l Autism Support - Linda Mullen, Parent Contact - linda.mullen@
me.com
l Ms. Standifer, Teacher Contact
l ADD/ADHA Support - Rogers Barry, Parent Contact - rogerspbarry@gmail.com
l Ms. Mather & Ms. Roetger, Teacher Contacts
l Speech Support - Emily Compton , Parent Contact - emily@zode.
net
l Mr. Cleckley, Teacher Contact
l Reading & Math Support - Bob Silvia - Parent Contact - rsilvia@
yahoo.com
l Ms. Balloon, Teacher Contact
These support groups offer additional information and support
through direct support from the teacher and sharing information
from school and community programs. If you have interest in participating,
please email the parent contact.
An overview of the Student Support Services at Morningside will be
presented at our first Lunch and Learn, Wednesday August 17th at
11:30 a.m. in the Media Center and is available for viewing on the
MES website under Enrichment and Clubs - Special Needs Committee.
For further information, please contact Michelle Constantinides via
email, michelle.constantinides@gmail.com or by phone, 404-502-
0725.
Parent Work Day Committee, co-chaired by Ben Bunyard and Eric
Lowery-North, will organize parent workdays in the fall and spring
as well as assist administrators with projects throughout the year. The
first parent work day will be on Sunday, August 14, from 1:00-5:00
p.m.
The Hospitality Committee, co-chaired by Becky Fite and Emily
Compton, will help keep us refreshed at principal coffees and other
meetings.
The purpose of the Teacher Appreciation Committee, co-chaired
by Nancy King and Yvonne Gibney is to let our teachers know how
much Morningside students and parents appreciate their hard work
and dedication. The committee will host teacher appreciation events
throughout the year, culminating in a luncheon for National Teacher
Appreciation Day in May. By hosting book swaps, treating the teachers
to Valentine’s Day goodies and more, the committee will show
Morningside teachers they are appreciated year round.
Laura Shepherd will lead informative Campus Tours once a month
and host tours at the fall and spring Prospective Parent Meetings with
the MES staff and Principal Rebecca Pruitt. If you know someone
who is new to the school, or will be soon, encourage them to visit for
a tour or meeting.
Amber Ackerman, chair of the Backpacks Committee, will work
to ensure that children of all economic backgrounds have necessary
school supplies.
Helping our children safely get to and from school is an important
goal of ours. Look for information about walk-to-school days – and
incentives to get students walking – from Ash Parker and Marshall
Hunter, who co-chair the Safe Routes to School Committee.
Julie Maxwell, chair of the Bus Transportation Committee, will have
bus route and ride-along information at Meet and Greet on August 5.
Finally, our Fifth Grade Committee, co-chaired by Beth Downes and
Adrienne Maxim will work with our terrific fifth-graders to make
their final year at MES memorable. Among the activities will be the
traditional skate night, penny drive, hat days, movie night and basketball
challenge, as well as some exciting new initiatives. Once again,
the fifth graders’ year will culminate in a fun and educational trip to
Blue Ridge, Georgia.
These events and programs help make Morningside a great place for
our children, teachers and staff, and these activities depend upon our
willing and wonderful parent volunteers. There are so many volunteer
opportunities that there truly is a place for everyone. So whether you
can give a few hours of your time or want to make a bigger commitment,
please consider volunteering.
Amy Chambers
Vice President for Operations
atchamb@yahoo.com
7

Fundraising
Morningside is one special place! And this year is
going to be amazing throughout the school year. The
Fundraising committee has been hard at work all summer,
planning ways to generate revenue for our future plans
at Morningside. The PTA provides avenues to help support our school
and aid in efforts to make it a better place.
We are kicking off the school year with a new exciting event that will
create enthusiasm, promote exercise, and raise money! One of the
highlights of this event is that students are taught positive messages
that will build confidence. The Boosterthon Fun Run date is set for
September 8th. Get moving and join us!
Don’t forget about joining your fellow MES Braves fans at the 2011
MES night at the Braves on Friday, September 16th.
On October 22rd, the annual Halloween Carnival will spook you,
surprise you and excite you! The day will be filled with a frightening
Haunted House, great games, and bouncing bungees. Get your
costumes ready!
For the second year in a row, the chili cook-off will please your palate
and warm your heart. Start working on your chili recipe and your appetite
for the November event.
Dine Outs will certainly be a part of the school year again. Local restaurants
offering wonderful evenings for our family and friends that
directly benefit our school.
Pull out your scissors and clip those pink boxtops! And when you
shop at Publix, swipe your green Publix card…this is an easy way to
support our school.
The biggest event of the year is the MES Auction. It only happens
every other year and you don’t want to miss it! On March 23rd,
Morningside parents will enjoy an evening full of excitement guaranteed
to impress. Gather up a group of friends and be part of this
fabulous “scene”! Mark those calendars…March 23, 2012!
Of course, our school would not be the same without showing off
our children’s talents. Start practicing for the Talent Show in March it
sneaks up on us every year!.
Don’t forget to show your support by sporting our new Spirit items.
Creating “Magic at Morningside” is our theme for 2011-2012. We
have fantastic items this year, be on the lookout for new t-shirts for
kids and adults.
And we must not forget how fortunate we are to have supportive
and generous businesses and organizations that continue to help our
school in so many ways. Please remember to thank the businesses
that are listed on our Community Partnerships page on the MES
website.
We certainly would like for you to help our committee this year,
please contact Stephanie Boswell at sboswell2@att.net. It is a great
way to improve our school and meet other Morningside parents! Get
involved!! Join the PTA today!
Boosterthon Comes to MES as New Fall Fundraiser!
MES is thrilled to host the first annual MES “Boosterthon Fun Run”
fundraiser this fall. With the Boosterthon Fun Run, the student is
the STAR! Imagine a program that wraps fitness, leadership, and
character together in an unforgettable experience hosted on our own
MES campus. Students will learn that fitness is fun and learn lifelong
character lessons during the fun run pledging period. Proceeds from
this fundraiser will go toward supporting curricular workbooks and
materials, classroom enrichment and Cultural Arts events for all grade
levels throughout the school year.
What about wrapping paper, normally sold in the fall Innisbrook will
still be offered for online sales only during the fall. See the website for
details, www.morningsideschool.org.
The Boosterthon event will
kick-off with a prep rally
on Monday, August 29th,
ending with the Fun Run
on Thursday, September
8th (during school hours).
Each day during the pledging
period the children
will be exposed to a short
character lesson presented
by the Boosterthon crew.
The Boosterthon theme for
2011-12 is “EPIC Adventure”.
On the September
8th, we’ll end the event
with the children participating in a spectacular 35 lap run/walk where
we encourage all parents to attend. (Each lap will be approximately
1/16 of a mile.)
While supporting MES during this fundraiser, students can earn some
fabulous prizes, like the highly anticipated Fur Bus and Ice Cream
social. Plus all children, regardless of participation, will receive a
Boosterthon t-shirt. A banner contest for each classroom will also be
part of the excitement.
We are so excited to be hosting this new event and really encourage
your child’s participation to make this fundraiser a big success. Be
on the lookout for more information on the Fun Run at MES on
our return to school. Also, please let us know if you would like to
help with the banner design for your child’s class or help the day of
the Fun Run. For more information, please contact Astrid Horlbeck
astridahorlbeck@gmail.com. Also, feel free to visit the Boosterthon
website at http://boosterthon.com/.
Astrid Horlbeck
Boosterthon Chair
Thank you,
Stephanie Boswell
Vice President for Fundraising
8

Halloween Carnival
Get ready for the Morningside Monster
Bash Halloween Carnival. Mark your
calendars for Saturday, October 22, from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the 23nd annual Morningside Halloween
Carnival. Rain or shine! This family-friendly event brings out the
entire community. The proceeds benefit the Morningside PTA and
the wonderful enrichment programs at Morningside. We’re SUPER
excited about all the games and inflatables that will once again haunt
the school grounds. Don’t miss the Fifth Grade’s famous Haunted
House, which helps to fund their year-end educational trip to Blue
Ridge. The Halloween Carnival is one of the ways that our school
reaches out to the entire neighborhood and beyond.
To make this year’s carnival a huge success, we need YOU! There are
three areas critical to the carnival’s success: business sponsors, family
donations, and volunteers to actually make it happen. We need
multiple business sponsors to make cash contributions. Historically,
we have been supported by large and small neighborhood and parent-owned
businesses, and family donations help defray the costs and
enhance the quality of the activities. Stay tuned for more information
on business sponsorship opportunities and family donations. It takes
hundreds of volunteers to make an event like the Halloween Carnival
run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering for the carnival or
heading a subcommittee, please contact Laura Levy at joesop0918@
yahoo.com or Megan Hodgson at meganhodgson@comcast.net .
Thank you.
Laura Levy and Megan Hodgson
Carnival Chairs
Mark your calendars for….
THE MES Auction
It only happens once every two years
so you don’t want to miss Morningside’s
Auction on March 23, 2012!
The 2011-2012 MES Auction will directly benefit the playground
at the front of the school. If you haven’t noticed it could use a little
help! We are DREAMING big so we need you to save the date to
participate! Imagine a giant climbing web and a thick, green field of
turf for playing soccer, dodge ball or tag.
The night is guaranteed to be filled with exciting entertainment
and auction items that everyone will want to
bid on. From class art work to vacations, you will have
fun bidding against your MES friends. And don’t forget
your dancing shoes!
Many hands have been hard at work to plan this wonderful evening,
if you would like to help make this event the best ever…please
contact Nancy Castle at nancy@nancycastle.com or Stacy Pignetti at
jppsp@aol.com
Nancy Castle and Stacy Pignetti
2012 MES Auction Chairs
Enrichment
The PTA Enrichment committees are planning another spectacular
year of programs and opportunities for your children. All of these
programs are funded exclusively through the PTA and provide an array
of creative experiences to enhance learning. Take a look at what is
coming up for this school year:
The Summer Reading and Math Challenge Program will recognize
students who have read at least 5 chapter books or 10 picture books
and/or have completed their math logs over the summer. All students
who give a list of these books and/or completed math logs to their
homeroom teacher will be eligible to attend an ice cream celebration
and if a student accomplishes both reading and math there will be an
additional reward. Please contact Nancy Jordak at jordak@bellsouth.
net to help scoop some fun.
The Visiting Authors Program will again be bringing local authors to
the students to discuss their works and writing processes. Anna Winer
will be coordinating with the grade levels and Media Center to bring
some talented writers to Morningside.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in our Media
Center during the week of January 23–27, 2012. Look
for our theme later this Fall, when we send out more
details. The Book Fair is a wonderful way to get kids
excited about reading. All the proceeds of the sale go
directly back to the school to purchase books and other
literacy needs. For more information about our exciting
Book Fair contact Golfo Vastakis or Stephanie Marinac.
The Book Swap will take place during March. The Book Swap gives
children the opportunity to trade in books they have already read for
something new to enjoy. Adrienne Maxim will be looking for volunteers
to help out.
The Cultural Arts Committee, chaired by Kim Aschmeyer, is excited
to work with teacher representatives to coordinate cultural experiences
for each grade level throughout the year. Each event is selected to
enhance a theme within the curriculum, embracing a wide range of
performers and styles. In addition, Morningside will again be pleased
to host the Atlanta Opera for a school wide performance. These
programs are a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience
many different art forms.
The MES Chess Club, chaired by Kevin Maxim, will continue to
meet each Wednesday at 7:25 a.m. in the auditorium. Chess club is
open to all ages and abilities. No need to sign up, just stop in and play.
Back by popular demand, Family Science Night will
return in February, bringing in local scientists for hands-on
science learning workshops. Last year we had 45 presenters
volunteer to provide more than 800 students and their families with
entertaining and educational lessons. Keely Muse and Amy Hartman
will head up the Kindergarten- 2nd grade night and Shira Newman
and Lauren Taylor will head up the 3rd - 5th grade night. The success
of Family Science Night depends completely on volunteers! Please
contact Astrid Horlbeck astridahorlbeck@gmail.com
if you are interested in helping to make this favorite
event a continued success.
9

10
Do you have a new and innovative idea to enhance the learning at
MES The Morningside PTA has allocated monies for our 2011-
2012 Grants Program. This program is designed to encourage
our MES community (teacher, staff, parent and student) to apply
for financial assistance for programs that will enhance the learning
environment through new and inventive methods. Over the years,
the committee awarded grants to a wide range of programs including
heath & wellness, cultural events, curriculum support, etc... Grant
applications can be found on the MES website under Enrichment
and Clubs - Grants. The Grants Committee will accept applications
in 1 cycle during the Fall. The PTA Grants Committee is chaired by
Michelle Constantinides.
The Green Team will be co-chaired this year by Willa
Paton-Smith, Shannon Skinner, and Lynette Slovensky
with a continued focus on reducing waste, improving
recycling efforts and conserving energy. Back again this
year at the August Meet & Greet will be our promotion
of Waste Free Lunches. Reducing the use of disposables, plastic
baggies, and excess packaging in our children’s lunches can greatly
reduce the volume of trash we send each day to the landfill. Stop by
the Green Team table at Meet & Greet to purchase affordable lunch
packaging products that are all PBA free.
We’ll have tips to help your family put your best “green” foot forward
this school year. Also, look for the Green Team and Student Council
to partner again this year on a fall recycling drive. We invite everyone
to support the effort to make MES a greener school!
Our Wellness Committee chairs, Erin Richmond and Elizabeth Lietz,
will be working to encourage fitness and healthily eating habits for
students, staff, and the entire MES community. We will resume Wellness
Wednesday’s, Fresh Fruit Friday’s and continue our monthly food
tastings, with the help of our sponsors Rosebud and Murphy’s, where
students sample a delicious recipe featuring a vegetable currently being
grown in the garden. We are passionate about promoting healthy
living for our school.
MES has a wonderful Garden program that allows students the opportunity
to plant, nurture and taste the wonder of fresh vegetables.
Supported by the PTA, Schoolyard Sprouts, Murphy’s, Rosebud,
Whole Foods Briarcliff and Farmer D Organics, the garden is an
outdoor learning environment for students year round.
Carrie Roetger, a veteran Morningside teacher, works coordinating
curriculum each month with the grade level teachers. The garden
experience includes lessons on soil and water, social studies, weather,
temperature, growing local food, composting, grids in the garden,
greenhouse gardening, and much more. The curriculum was developed
for Schoolyard Sprouts by the Georgia State University Department
of Dietetics to meet APS guidelines, and can be found on the
Schoolyard Sprouts website, www.schoolyardsprouts.org. Throughout
the year, the garden committee is always looking for volunteers to
help with classes in the garden, regular garden maintenance, or to
work on special work days. Stop by and see what’s growing!
All of our Enrichment programs focus on providing rewarding and
exciting educational experiences for our children. We are looking
forward to another fabulous year. Many thanks to the parent volunteers
who work hard to make these events happen and to the PTA
fundraising team for raising the money needed to support them. We
always need more volunteers, so if you see a program you are interested
in, please come join in.
Astrid Horlbeck
Vice President for Enrichment
astridahorlbeck@gmail.com
COMMUNICATIONS
Stay in touch with Morningside! It is our goal to make sure that
every Morningside family is well aware of the terrific things going on
at school each week. Here are the ways we communicate with our
school community:
Digital Dolphin
This weekly e-mail newsletter includes brief descriptions of what is
happening at school. It is delivered to your inbox over the weekend
so that you can get ready for the week ahead. To sign up for the
Digital Dolphin, go to the school website, www.morningsideschool.
org, and enter your e-mail address in the box on the home page. At
the printing of this newsletter, there is still a need for a Digital Dolphin
editor or co-editors. Annelle Dunn is the returning editor of the
Digital Dolphin
Morningside Memo
The Morningside Memo comes out early each month. Look for it in
your child’s Wednesday folder. The Memo keeps you up-to-date about
all the things going on. It features updates from our principal and
PTA, overviews of upcoming activities, tips from our school counselor
and articles from our Wellness and Green committees and much
more. Our Memo team includes Scott Edelman and Judith Cavill as
co-editors, and Gisela Mesbahi as graphic designer.
www.morningsideschool.org
Be sure to bookmark the MES website. This is the fastest way to find
out about what’s going on at school. There are calendars, forms, supply
lists, copies of newsletters and more. Get in the habit of using the website;
you’ll be glad you did! The website is managed by Michael Schulz.
Morningstar
This newsletter, which you are currently reading, is published each
summer to kick off the school year. Our Morningstar team includes
Lane Chalfant and Gisela Mesbahi.
Bulletin Board
If you are walking the halls, check out the latest news on the PTA
bulletin board located outside of the auditorium. The board is maintained
by Julia Rafter.
Yearbook
Distributed in May, the yearbook is a wonderful memento of life at
Morningside. Leslie Muscarella heads up the yearbook team.
Calendar
The calendar is maintained by Debbie Mobley. She will be the PTA
representative on the SLAM (School Logistics and Management)
committee and will be the point of contact for all PTA scheduling.
The calendar chair is the PTA representative on the SLAM.

Other Sources of Information
Look for the PTA MES New Parent Guide with your registration
information. This has a lot of information for both parents and
students. The updated Volunteer, Officer and Chairperson Guide
is available on the website as well. This resource answers questions
about planning events at MES and goes into more detail about our
communication vehicles outlined above.
We are always on the lookout for people interested in layout, design,
editing and writing. We also could use people that like work. You
would be folding and distributing the Memo each month. If you’d
like to help, please contact Lane Chalfant at flchalfant@bellsouth.net.
Lane Chalfant
Vice President for Communications
Parking & Safety
Let’s start the new school year right with good safety and parking
habits.
Whenever you park at the school, please take care to avoid the carpool
and bus lanes. No parking is allowed on East Rock Springs Road.
There are a few parking spaces along the side of the school near the
carpool entrance.
Parents may park at Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church in
the part of the parking lot (closer to East Rock Springs) when walking
students to school, picking them up, or visiting the school to volunteer.
If you park at Haygood, please walk your child to the school
and do not drop off your child in the parking lot or along East Sussex.
There is no parking or stopping along East Sussex between the church
and the parking lot. For the safety of the children as well as for the
upkeep of the Haygood grounds, please do not allow children or pets
to walk on the church steps or grass. We appreciate having Haygood
as such a terrific friend and neighbor, allowing all of us – including
staff and teachers – use of their parking property.
To park in the neighborhood, please abide by parking regulations as
posted on street signs. NEVER drop your child off in the bus lane, on
East Rock Springs, East Sussex, or Barclay. If you cannot walk your
child to the school, please go to the carpool lane. Please remember
that there are children all around you, and drive slowly on neighborhood
streets and in the parking lot. While it is important that
everyone arrive at school on time, it is most important that everyone
arrives safely!
What is the Role of the Morningside Foundation
While the PTA provides a number of outstanding enrichment activities
and programs for our children each school year, the Morningside
Foundation adds another layer of support that sustains what makes
Morningside Elementary unique. The mission of the Foundation is
to financially support and preserve the academically-excellent experience
and strong teaching environment for every current and future
student at Morningside Elementary School.
The Morningside Foundation will continue to build and preserve the
culture of strong teaching at MES. We believe that teacher excellence
is at the core of every successful school, including Morningside. To
demonstrate this commitment, the Foundation will fund numerous
professional development opportunities for Morningside educators.
This summer, over the Fourth of July weekend, the Foundation sent
3 teachers to an educational conference in Boston. The ASCD (formerly
the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)
is an educational leadership organization dedicated to advancing best
practices and policies for educators to learn, teach, and lead. These
teachers, Gail Williams (K), Bianca Jones (4), and Jackie Henry (5),
will return to Morningside this fall, full of ideas and energy to share
with the entire staff. It is our objective, with the help of Ms. Pruitt
and the Foundation’s teacher representative, to continue to find and
fund these opportunities for growth.
In addition to supporting teaching excellence, the Foundation will
assume funding for academic enrichment in instructional technology.
This emphasis will vary grade-by-grade, and will continue to evolve as
the year progresses.
In order for Morningside to sustain and endure as such an amazing
school, the Foundation needs your financial support. Please consider
how you can contribute to the success of not only your child’s education,
but of all of the children at Morningside, for now and years to
come.
If you are interested in making contribution, or if you have questions
about the Morningside Foundation, please contact any of the Foundation
Board members listed below or email foundation@morningsideschool.org.
Mike McCool, Ron Yabroudy, Cathy Tilman, Brian Williams, Chris
Edmonds, Kirsten Hadley, Tim Fox, Chip Benton, Kevin Lyman,
Ross Mansbach, Kimberly Humphrey (PTA Rep), Becky Pruitt
(Principal)
Quick Links
Morningside Elementary: www.morningsideschool.org
Atlanta Public Schools: www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/atlantaps
Inclement Weather & School
Closings through TWITTER!
Search for “apsupdate” and click “follow”
Meal Pay: www.mealpayplus.com
Council of Intown
Neighborhoods and Schools: www.cinsatlanta.org
Georgia Performance Standards: www.georgiastandards.org
Infinite Campus:
https://ic.apsk12.org/campus/portal/atlanta.jsp
Schoolyard Sprouts:
www.schoolyardsprouts.org
11

Before the school year begins…
b A school supply list, by grade, is available on the MES website.
Your child’s teacher will also let you know if additional supplies
are needed.
b The week before school starts, class lists will be posted on the
website.
b Don’t forget to sign up on the website to receive the Digital
Dolphin – the weekly email newsletter – to stay informed of all
things happening at Morningside!
Morningstar is a publication of the Morningside Elementary School PTA.
MORNINGSIDE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
growing the future one child at a time
Morningside Elementary School
1053 East Rock Springs Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
www.morningsideschool.org