Yearbook

The 2025-2026 Yearbook is here! Grab yours for just $37 if you order by August 22. 5th Grade Ads due November 1. Don’t miss out on the memories, laughs, and all the SPARK magic!

CLICK HERE to order

GATE Testing Info Session

Curious about the gifted testing process this year? The SPARK GATE Team is hosting a virtual informational session for families! Can’t make it? No worries! The session will be recorded and posted on the school website.

Thursday, August 28th

4:00–5:00 PM

Ms. White’s Zoom

Join here: https://atlantapublicschools-us.zoom.us/my/mswhitegifted

Meeting ID: 864 843 1908

Password: spark

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! 

SPAS Extras 

If you have registered your child for any SPAS Extras, please communicate with your child’s homeroom teacher their updated dismissal schedule.  Remember that SPAS Extras begin the week of September 8th and conclude the week of December 1st.  

Still have questions? Email Beth Geurin, Extracurricular Programs Director at beth@myafterschoolprogram.com

Dismissal Changes

For dismissal changes, email your child’s teacher and Ms. Taylor at Odette.Taylor@atlanta.k12.ga.us. All dismissal changes must be requested before 12:00 PM each day. 

SPARK @ ATL United

Friday, September 13

7:30 PM

Join your fellow SPARK families for an unforgettable night of school spirit and soccer excitement as we cheer on Atlanta United — together as a community! CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to UnitedTix@SpringdaleParkElementary.org 

Grandparents & Grandfriends Day

September 5, 2025 

@Your child’s regularly scheduled lunchtime

Pre-K & Kinder: 10:00–10:30

1st Grade: 10:25–10:55

2nd Grade: 11:55–12:25

3rd Grade: 12:25–12:55

4th Grade: 11:25–11:55

5th Grade: 10:55–11:25

Montgomery & Cameron: 10:55–11:25

Bring someone who is GRAND to you and join us for some GRAND fun! Bring your lunch to join your student on September 5th during their regular lunch time. CLICK HERE to RSVP by August 29! Questions? Reach out to our school counselor, Mr. Carter! rlcarter@apsk12.org 

Pastries with Parents 

Thursday, September 25, 2025 - PK through 2nd 

7:15am to 7:45am

Friday, September 26, 2025 - 3rd through 5th

7:15am to 7:45am

This is an opportunity for parents and guardians to come to the school between 7:15am-7:45am.  During this time you will have an opportunity to see a work sample that your child is proud of from the first month of the school year, their STEAM journal, and enjoy a special treat with them!  

SPARK STEAM Week

Monday, September 15-19

SPARK STEAM Night 

5:00pm-7:00pm

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Join us for our annual STEAM Night featuring a variety of STEAM events!  Look for more information from PTO regarding purchasing dinner for the evening and volunteer opportunities.  

STEAM Night Dinners

Sweet Auburn Box Dinners are back for STEAM Night 2025! Pick up your delicious box dinner from the food truck starting at 5 PM on Thursday, September 18th.

CLICK HERE to order 

Pre-order deadline: September 16 (end of day) — don’t miss out!

Fuel your STEAM Night fun with a tasty meal! 

Dear SPARK Families,

Thank you so much for your patience and flexibility with our current district assessment window. As the district rolls out new methods to connect students with testing platforms, we’ve experienced a few challenges on the technical side. Because of this, MAP testing will begin this week instead of last week. Our hope is that by troubleshooting before students begin, they’ll experience a stress-free testing session that gives us valid, useful data.

Over the next few weeks, we have quite a bit on the horizon that will give us a strong start instructionally:

MAP Testing (Grades K–5)

• Students in grades K–5 will take their initial MAP assessments.

• These are computer-adaptive tests, meaning students are expected to miss about half of the questions. This helps pinpoint what each child is ready to learn next.

• You can support your child by encouraging them to simply do their best—while reminding them it’s okay not to know every answer.

Dyslexia Screener (Grades K–3)

• Students in grades K–3 will also participate in an online Dyslexia Screener.

• This assessment looks at phonemic awareness, automaticity, fluency, and comprehension to determine areas for future instruction.

• Since this is a new platform, we’ll review the data carefully to make sure it aligns with what we already observe in the classroom.

Instruction and Small Groups

• Teachers are already building strong routines and have small groups running smoothly.

• The assessment data we gather the next couple of weeks will allow teachers to further tailor small group instruction to meet students’ individual needs.

Family Reports

• Once the MAP testing window closes, you will receive a family report with your child’s initial scores.

• Remember, these are just a starting point—we look forward to seeing growth over the course of the year!

We are so proud of the way your children have jumped into the school year with energy and resilience.  We are excited to see all the ways they will learn and grow in the coming months.  Thank you for partnering with us as we work to provide both a warm, supportive classroom environment and meaningful instruction for every student.

Warmly,

Dr. Jennifer Toney

Springdale Park Elementary