Spirit Month - December Calendar

We’d love to invite students to join us in spreading the cheer during the month of December. 

CLICK HERE to view the 15 Days of SPARK Cheer!

Register for SPAS Extras

MASP Extras registration opens Saturday, December 13 at 9AM! Parents can register through the Parent Portal at myafterschoolprogram.com.

What to know:

• STEM, art, sports, and more program options

• Open to all students enrolled for the 2025–26 school year (some classes are grade-banded)

• Registration closes Wednesday, Jan 21 at 5PM

• Classes begin the week of January 26

Still have questions? Email beth@myafterschoolprogram.com

Garden Lights & Makers Market

Please save the date for SPARK’s annual Garden Lights and Makers Market!  Sign ups for student vendors here: SPARK PTO · Garden Lights 2025 Makers Market Sign Up!  Space is limited!  Please consider securing your spot early.  

• Grades PK-2: December 10, 5:30pm

• Grades 3-5: December 11, 5:30pm

Georgia School Climate Survey

Families are invited to complete the Georgia School Climate Survey to provide valuable feedback to the state regarding how well SPARK engages with families.  Additional information can be found here: Family Climate Survey Letter 

Students in 3rd through 5th grades will complete the student survey at school.  If you do not wish for your child to participate, please complete and return the opt out form by Wednesday, December 10th.  

LEVEL UP ATLANTA: Student Minecraft Build Challenge!
Students across Atlanta are invited to use Minecraft Education to help solve some of our city’s biggest challenges. You’re not just playing a game — you’re building OUR city! All grades are welcomed. 

 How to get started:
• Visit APS Level Up to access the Educator & Student Guide
• Choose your mission:
• Climate Guardian – Build a climate-resilient city
• The Connector – Link Atlanta’s diverse neighborhoods
• History Weaver – Reimagine a historic area for the future
• Food Hero – Create solutions to end food insecurity
• Download the Atlanta World and begin your build
• Record your creation + explain your solutions
• Upload your submission

Winners announced January 2026!

Have questions? Email Krynica Drake at kdrake@apsk12.org.

Georgia Student Programming Competition - Friday, March 6, 2026

Is your 5th grader interested in competing in the Georgia Student Programming Competition?  If so, please contact Mrs. Siembieda @ kristin.siembieda@atlanta.k12.ga.us no later than January 16th.  Teams are limited to 3 participants.  

SPARK Food Support

Our schoolwide project is to combat food insecurity in our community.  To that end, we want to ensure we have captured all families that need food support here at SPARK.  If you need extra support with food, please complete the following survey: SPARK Family - Food Needs Assessment

Free and Reduced Lunch Application 

As a reminder, families can apply for Free & Reduced Lunch at any point during the school year! If your financial situation changes, you can submit an application anytime — even after the school year has started.

CLICK HERE to apply.

Check out our STEAM Newsletter for First Quarter

Volunteer Opportunities 

CLICK HERE to learn about volunteer opportunities at SPARK and how to obtain your volunteer clearance! From volunteering at SPARK Community Events to volunteering in the SPARK Media Center/Library - there’s an opportunity for everyone! 

Dismissal Changes

If your child has a permanent change, their permanent bag tag should be updated.  For example, now that clubs have started and they are in Art Club every Monday, their permanent bag tag needs to reflect this.  For dismissal changes, email your child’s teacher and Mrs. Taylor at Odette.Taylor@atlanta.k12.ga.us. All dismissal changes must be requested before 12:00 PM each day. 

Absent? If your child is absent, please send your written excuse to Mrs. Taylor and your child’s teacher so that it can be properly recorded.  

Dear SPARK Families,

We are absolutely delighted to invite you to next week’s Garden Lights celebration on Wednesday (PK-2) and Thursday (3-5). These evenings shine a light not only on our rooftop garden, but on the brilliance, creativity and empowerment of our students.

Each night will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the gymnasium with musical performances from our talented chorus, band and orchestra students. Their voices and instruments set a beautiful tone for the event and showcase the confidence and discipline they build through the arts.

Following the performances, our student vendors will prepare their market tables for the 5:30 p.m. opening of our Makers Market. Students will have one full hour to sell their handmade items to classmates, families and community members. Finally sales will be at 6:30pm so student vendors have time to clean up and tour the garden before they exit for the evening.  We encourage you to bring cash or have your payment apps ready so you can participate in this entrepreneurial experience alongside our students. These moments help students see that their ideas, creativity and hard work have real value in the world.

During the Makers Market, guests are also invited to tour our rooftop garden. Our students tend the garden throughout the year, growing and harvesting produce to donate to the SPARK Community Food Pantry and Intown Cares. As you walk the garden, you will also see it transformed with illuminated art pieces designed and wired by our very own student artists and engineers.

We also hope you will visit the environmental science classroom on the third floor to view the handmade items created as part of our schoolwide project based learning initiative focused on addressing food insecurity in our community. The items your child created through this meaningful work will be available that evening, highlighting their ability to use learning as a force for good.

While there is no entry fee, we invite you to consider making a donation to Intown Cares through our dedicated SPARK link found here: https://www.gagives.org/story/qyek0g. Your generosity helps sustain our students’ efforts to fight food insecurity and strengthens the message that their actions can create real and lasting change.

We are deeply proud of our students for being artists, singers, musicians, makers, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. December often brings many commitments for families, and we are grateful that you choose to prioritize this event. Your presence shows our children that their ideas matter, their work has impact and their contributions help make the world better.

Please feel free to invite friends and family. We cannot wait to celebrate with you and to honor the light our students bring to our community.

Warmly,

Dr. Jennifer Toney

Springdale Park Elementary