Inside the Pride Upper Elementary School News - Volume 287

Keeping you plugged into the exciting things happening at the Upper Elementary School

Published November 16, 2025

Volume 287

 

Adam Vinson - Upper Elementary School Principal

 

A MESSAGE FROM MR. VINSON

We are one week away from Thanksgiving Break, and we have lots of information to review as we navigate the remainder of November and head into the month of December. As believers, this is an exciting season as we focus our hearts and minds on the many blessings that our good God has given (Thanksgiving) which culminates in the greatest gift of blessing in the person of His Son Jesus (Christmas). May these upcoming weeks be filled with a spirit of gratitude for your family as we take time to ponder all that He has done for us!

HOW ARE WE DOING?

Let me know how our team is doing in keeping you informed about your child’s education this year. If you are lacking communication regarding one of your child’s classes, please let me know so I can help! adam.vinson@tcslions.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out our SCHOOL CALENDAR 

  • Nov 18: Family Night - no homework or assessments

  • Nov 19: OCC Shoeboxes Due

  • Nov 20: Coffee with the Principal 

  • Nov 24-28: Thanksgiving Break

FAMILY NIGHT THIS THURSDAY

Don’t forget this Tuesday, November 18 is Family Night! This means your child will have NO HOMEWORK on Tuesday and NO ASSESSMENTS on Wednesday. We want to encourage you to spend the extra time together doing something fun as you enjoy the evening together.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD BOXES

Don’t forget the deadline for our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is this Wednesday, Nov 19. Please have your child bring their box to chapel. Learn More HERE about packing the shoe box. Also, we will have a special guest in our chapel service this week who grew up in Nicaragua and received Christmas shoeboxes as a child!

You are invited to join me for our second Coffee with the Principal of this school year! I’m looking forward to gathering once again to share updates and to receive feedback on how this year is going. Please use the form below to RSVP if you are able to come and check out the additional details too!

WHEN: Thursday, November 20 from 8:15-9:15am

WHERE: School cafeteria..aka The Gathering Place

WHAT: A time to discuss the current year with a special focus on these topics…

  • Sex Ed, Gender Identity and all the other stuff - how can we partner together?

  • Staggering dismissal times - would it help eliminate the dreaded car line?

    SIGN UP TO JOIN US ON NOV 20: https://forms.gle/uHnkLZg8xezbKuv5A

ANNUAL DRESS DOWN FUNDRAISER

Our Dress Down Fun starts this Thursday and Friday as we head into Thanksgiving Break. Students may wear pajama pants or sweats pants along with Crocs starting this Thursday and Friday and most of December for ONLY $25! All funds raised will help offset the cost of our middle school overnight experiences. 

Don’t be caught in dress code or uniform this holiday season! Come relaxed as we celebrate the Christmas season! Check out the details below. 

  • COST: $25 - forms are available on Blackbaud for payment

  • DATES: Nov 20 and 21 and Dec 1-12

  • DETAILS: Students may wear sweatpants/pajama pants and/or Crocs. Students must wear TCS-approved dress code shirts/spiritwear/outerwear.

QUARTER 1 SURVEY UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who completed the Q1 survey! We are reviewing the feedback and will be in touch with you specifically if there is a need for follow up. Thank you for partnering with us to make this the best school year possible.

QUARTER 2 READING CHALLENGE

Our Q2 reading challenge is underway! This time around, we have a Christmas-themed activity board for students to choose from as they seek to read throughout the coming weeks. Be sure to check out all the details!

DISMISSAL DETAILS FOR OPTIONAL HALF DAYS

As we look towards the last week in December, please note we will have our optional half-day dismissal days for: Tues, Dec 16, Wed, Dec 17 and Thurs, Dec 18 as usual. 


Check out the specific details below:

Optional Half-Day Dismissal Dates: Tues, Dec 16 — Wed, Dec 17

Required Half-Day Dismissal Dates: Thurs, Dec 18 — THERE WILL BE NO AFTER SCHOOL OPTION ON THIS DAY

Dismissal Times: Note this is a change from years past. We are attempting to stagger our dismissal times to help alleviate some of the traffic issues that occur during the holiday season in Peachtree City. We are also hoping this will help speed up the dismissal line overall. The Main Office will close at 11:45am and will not reopen until the dismissal line ends. 

  • 12:00pm - Elementary (1st-5th) will dismiss. Only students in 1st-5th grade will be dismissed at this time. If you have a middle school student to pick up as well, please see information below. 

  • 12:30pm - Middle School (6th-8th) will dismiss. Students in 6th-8th grade along with siblings in 1st-5th grade will be dismissed at this time. If you only have Elementary students to pick up, please plan to do so prior to 12:30pm. 

Note: If you attempt to go through the car line to pick up a middle school student prior to 12:30, you may be required to re-enter the car line as middle school students will not be available for pickup until after 12:30pm. 

For the optional half days on Tuesday and Wednesday, students may remain at school free of charge until 3:30pm. After 3:30pm, regular after school rates will apply. If you need to pick up your child after the half-day dismissal ends, you may do so by either:

1. Picking up your child via the Main Office until 3pm. 

2. Picking up your child via the normal Afternoon Dismissal line between 3-3:30pm. 

****GO CHURCH CAMPUS INFORMATION****

EARLY LEARNING AT GO CHURCH INFORMATION FOR DECEMBER 16 and 17th : The Early Learning students at our Go Church campus will dismiss from 11:30 to 12:00pm. Due to the half day dismissal, we will not offer the Junior Lions dismissal option. Early Learning students will be transported to the main campus for the Agape program at 2:10pm. 

EARLY LEARNING AT GO CHURCH INFORMATION FOR DECEMBER 18th: Transportation will NOT be provided to the main campus for Early Learning students.

THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE

As you may notice, our 4th-8th graders memorize the same verses each year. These memory verses are selected intentionally based on the promises and truths they contain that are so relevant for our students as they learn to follow Goodness. Our hope is that these 20 verses will be remembered for years to come after being memorized for multiple years in Upper Elementary and Middle School. 

Psalm 100:4-5

v. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! v. 5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Last WEEK IN CHAPEL

Mr. Lassiter shared the story of Daniel 6, talking about Daniel’s boldness lived out. The students were challenged to see that Daniel did not need to fear anything because he was living rightly before the world and God. He also did not need to fear the world’s persecution because God is faithful to save His people. Students were encouraged to remember that boldness does not come from personal bravery but from God’s faithfulness to His people. Because Daniel trusted God’s character, he could be bold to live for God and trust Him in every situation.

LIONS OF THE MONTH: NOVEMBER FOCUS

For November we are looking to highlight students who are living out the “Golden Rule” by showing intentional kindness and support to their fellow classmates. Throughout Q2, challenge your child to treat others the way they desire to be treated by looking for ways to serve and love over the coming weeks!

ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES

The following steps should be taken for reporting absences for 4th - 8th grade:

  • Send excuses for absences, including doctor’s notes to attendance@tcslions.org.

  • Send PRE-ABSENCE REQUESTS (family trips, etc.) to Melissa Lanier (melissa.lanier@tcslions.org) via your child’s 1st period teacher. 

  • WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SICK AND ABSENT 1-5 DAYS? - Have your child connect with their teachers upon their return to the classroom. We will not send makeup work home for sick absences of this length through our Return to Academics program. 

  • WHAT IF MY CHILD IS SICK AND ABSENT 5+ DAYS? - Reach out to Melissa Lanier (Return to Academics Coordinator) so we can best determine a makeup plan for your child. Mrs. Lanier will help collect makeup work for you to simplify the process.

CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD’S BIRTHDAY AT SCHOOL

Would you like to celebrate your child’s birthday this year? Consider one of the following options as a way to make their day special. 

  • Purchase birthday cart treat items from our snack cart for your child’s homeroom class for $25. Email our Assistant Principal, Tiffany McBurnett (tiffany.mcburnett@tcslions.org), if you would like to schedule a day. 

  • PLEASE GIVE A 2-DAY NOTICE 

  • Send in prepackaged birthday treats purchased from a store for the homeroom class. 

  • Join your child for lunch (beginning in September) in the cafeteria.

BLACKBAUD CLASSROOM INFORMATION

Blackbaud is going to be your main source of information this year. Once you login, you will see a drop down arrow in the top left corner to choose which student’s information to look at. When you click on your 4th or 5th grade student, you will see summary information, and then when you scroll down, you will see each of your student’s classes. Each class is clickable. Please click on your student’s homeroom class to see the weekly newsletter for 4th or 5th grade. Once you are in your student’s homeroom class, it will open up the Bulletin Board. Here is where you will find the clickable link for the newsletter that will be added each week. Any important information for the week will be found here. 

To find information on each specific class, you will go back to the main page for your student and click on each individual class. Again, when you click on the desired class, it will open to that class’ Bulletin Board. Here you will find helpful information such as what to do should your student be absent. For information regarding lesson plans that will include the plans for the week, homework assignments, and any upcoming tests, quizzes, or projects, you will need to click on the “Topics” tab.

To recap:

  • A weekly newsletter is found on your student’s homeroom Bulletin Board.

  • Lesson plans, assignments, etc…are found in the specific classes’ Topic tab.

UPPER ELEMENTARY RESOURCES

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CHECK OUT THE HELPFUL TOOLS BELOW REGARDING

THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR

25-26 SCHOOL CALENDAR - Stay in the know about upcoming breaks and holidays. 

PRE-ABSENCE FORM - Submit pre-planned absences 5 days in advance for approval.

UNIFORM POLICY - Note the minor changes/adjustments for this year.

UPPER ELEMENTARY SUMMER CONTACT LIST

OUR TEAM IS HERE TO HELP!