Dear Parents,
Welcome to the Lower School! We are so excited you have chosen Mount Pisgah Christian School this year! Please know that beginning July 30 our office will be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. You can also reach the Lower School office by phone (678-336-3300) if you have any questions. Please know our door is always open to you and that we are happy to assist you with whatever you need.
We have been planning and working all summer to make sure this school year is wonderful for your child and for you. We are excited about new curriculum and new changes. One of our primary goals is to connect with you and build a relationship with you. We are hoping the changes you experience will help you see that we wish to partner with you and listen to your ideas, concerns and suggestions.
We are excited that three new classroom teachers have joined us. Each one was chosen based on their alliance with our mission and vision, their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, their experience and their love for children. Email addresses for Mount Pisgah Faculty and Staff are: FirstIinitialLast Name@mountpisgahschool.org
Here is a little about each one:
Kindergarten: Sarah Nolan
Mrs. Nolan graduated from Auburn University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduation, she started teaching at Barnwell Elementary School in Johns Creek. Her first year of teaching was in pre-k and then she taught first grade for the next five years. She has a husband, Elliot, and two children, Ansleigh (3) and Cooper (1).
First Grade: Nicole Barrett
Mrs. Barrett graduated with a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. This will be Nicole’s twentieth year in education. She began her teaching career as a first grade teacher in South Florida where she grew up. Nicole moved to Charleston, SC where she performed various roles at Buist Academy. She taught Advanced Studies for first grade, second grade and third grade and was a gifted teacher. Nicole relocated back to South Florida in 2011 and went back into the classroom full time as a second grade teacher at Bethany Christian School in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Nicole taught third grade last year when her family relocated to Georgia.
Nicole and her husband John just celebrated twenty years of marriage and have three daughters, Madison (11th), Vivian (7th) and Grayson (5th) grade. Her children will be attending Mount Pisgah this school year.
Fourth Grade: Allison Hopkins
Mrs. Hopkins has sixteen years of teaching experience. She has taught in Colorado, Mississippi, and Georgia and her teaching experiences have ranged from pre-k Special Education to 5th grade Gifted Education. Allison attended the University of Denver on a swimming scholarship where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Geography with a minor in Environmental Science. She continued her education at University of Denver to receive my teaching certification in the elementary and middle grades.
We are so excited the Lord led each of these teachers to our school. We know they will be the perfect fit for our school.
Here are a few very important announcements for you to keep in mind as we start the school year:
Click here for a link to Supply Lists
On July 26, postcards were mailed giving you the name of your child’s teacher. If you haven’t received a postcard by Monday, July 30 please contact the school office. Please know that class assignments are based on many factors such as academics, behavior, teaching style compatibility to your child, etc. We have prayed over these placements and have discussed them thoroughly, so therefore, we will not make changes.
Aug. 4: Used Uniform Sale, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Student Commons, Geier Hall
August 7: You are also invited to attend a “Meet and Greet” drop-in on Tuesday, August 7 from 10 a.m. - 12 p. m. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and for your child to get acclimated to his/her new classroom. There will also be popsicles on the playground as a welcome back treat, so please make sure to attend
August 8: The first day of school is Wednesday, August 8 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Doors will open at 8:45 a.m. You may park and come inside to drop off and to pick your child at their classroom door.
August 14: Curriculum Night is Tuesday, August 14. We will meet first in the South Hall at 6:30 p.m. and then move to other classrooms from there. Curriculum Night is designed to provide you with an overview of our curriculum and expectations. This will be a very informative evening for you to learn all about the lower school program and changes for this school year.
New Uniform Item For Girls
We are pleased to offer the Long/Short sleeve red and navy polo dress (with School Crest!) for girls in K-6th grade. For more uniform guidelines, visit our website.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE
In order to meet your needs we offer before and after school child care. Families may enroll in these programs on our website to join our program. Child care will be available for students beginning on August 1 until the first day of school. Please note that if your child comes to child care on the August 7, our Meet and Greet day, you will need to plan on taking your child to meet their teacher sometime from 10 a.m. - 12 noon.
A peanut free packed lunch is required for all students. Drop off begins at 8 a.m. in room A127 and pick-up is at 6:15 p.m. A $30 daily fee per child will be charged. To RSVP for care from August 1 – 7 or for more information about the before or after school programs, contact Ali Weller. RSVPs for childcare must be received by July 27 for attendance on Aug 1st.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
Based on the comments and results from the survey I sent to you in June, we are going to return to how dismissal has been conducted before last year. This past school year dismissal was changed due to fire code regulations; however, we understand that many, many of you miss the connection time at the end of the day with your child’s teacher and with each other. Therefore, to keep in line with the fire code regulations and to provide the end of day connections, we are going to do away with the carline dismissal and stagger dismissal this year.
- Kindergarten and first grade will dismiss at 2:50 p.m. All parents must enter the Lower School entrance to pick up your child at the classroom door.
- Second, third and fourth grades will dismiss at 3 p.m. All parents must enter the back door (at the end of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade hallway). We will unlock the door at 3 p.m. for you to enter to go to the classroom. Please do not enter at the Lower School front entrance.
- If you have multiple children, please pick up your youngest child first at the classroom.
In the mornings you may either drop off your child in the designated drop-off area or you may bring your child inside. After the first week of school, we would encourage you to drop off your child in the drop-off areas to allow your child the ability to come inside and start the school day on his/her own.
We look forward to working with you and your family. Thank you for placing your faith and trust in us. It’s going to be a great year!
Warmest regards,
Sheree Du Preez
Head of Lower School
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