PINK OUT - Wednesday, October 29

Join us as we wear pink to show our support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Let’s turn SPARK into a sea of pink to honor those who have fought, are fighting, and to help spread awareness and hope.

Amp Up APS Student Survey (4th and 5th grades)

Students in grades 4 and 5 are asked to participate in a districtwide equity survey during the month of November.  If you would NOT like your child to complete the survey, please fill out this Opt Out Form by October 31.  

Book Character Day- October 31st

Join us Friday, October 31st for one of our favorite days of the year! Dress up as your favorite book character and bring the book to share with your class.

📖 Remember:

🚫 No pretend weapons

🚫 No costume masks or face coverings

✅ Bring your book!

We can’t wait to see everyone’s creative costumes and celebrate our love of reading! 

Walking School Bus - 10/31

Dress as your favorite storybook character and walk safely to school with friends and families. It’s a fun, active, and festive way to start your Halloween morning — you won’t want to miss it! 

CLICK HERE for routes. 

Yearbook

The 2025-2026 Yearbook is here! 5th Grade Ads due November 1. Don’t miss out on the memories, laughs, and all the SPARK magic!

CLICK HERE to order

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Let’s share and care this Thanksgiving season by helping families in need. From November 3–14, we’re collecting food donations by grade level!

Donation Guide:

• Pre-K: Boxed items (stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese)

• Kindergarten: Boxed items (cornbread, rice, Jell-O)

• 1st Grade: Canned items (green beans, corn, veggies)

• 2nd Grade: Canned items (cranberry sauce, yams, soup/chili)

• 3rd Grade: Canned items (diced tomatoes, broth, fruit)

• 4th Grade: Canned meats (chicken, salmon, tuna)

• 5th Grade: Dessert mixes (cookies, cake, pie, vegetable oil)

Please place donations in the bin on your grade-level hallway. Every item helps make someone’s Thanksgiving brighter! 

SAVE the DATE! - Thanksgiving Luncheons

Please save the date for SPARK”s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheons!  Dates for each grade level are below.  Times can be found here.  Families that plan to attend and eat an adult meal should purchase their meal through MySchoolBucks no later than Friday, October 31.  The link for purchase is here!  

• 11/18 - K & 3rd

• 11/19 - 1st & 4th

• 11/20 - PK, 2nd & 5th 

Rising Rams Night - Rising 6th Grade Families

Please consider attending the Rising Rams event at D.T. Howard Middle School on November 18th and 5:30pm.  Rising 6th graders and their families will receive more information about the offerings at Howard and the transition process.  

One Fair Judges Needed — Come See Learning in Action!
Do you love seeing student projects come to life? Lend your expertise as a judge at SPARK’s One Fair. You will chat with students about their ideas in science, technology, engineering, and social studies and help us celebrate their hard work.

• When: Friday, December 5, 2025, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

• Fill out this form if interested.

Garden Lights & Makers Market

Please save the date for SPARK’s annual Garden Lights and Makers Market!  Sign ups for student vendors will be available soon!

• Grades PK-2: December 10, 5:30pm

• Grades 3-5: December 11, 5:30pm

APS Child Find Program

Does your child need support with development, hearing, vision, or speech? CLICK HERE to learn more about the APS Child Find Program.

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,

This week, we had the honor of hosting the Georgia Department of Education STEAM Team, and we are thrilled to share some of the amazing things they observed during their visit. They were deeply impressed by the hands-on learning, real-world problem-solving, and the way our visual, music, and performing arts are woven seamlessly into instruction across grade levels.

They highlighted the collaborative teaching, rigorous feedback, and, perhaps most impressively, our students’ ability to speak fluently about their learning, explaining how their work extends their thinking and applies beyond the classroom. The team also praised our community partners for being true collaborators in learning, noting how authentically they are integrated into our students’ experiences.

We are so grateful that the STEAM Team could see the wonderful things our students and teachers are doing every day. They provided thoughtful feedback, particularly around incorporating elements of design with even more intentionality into our lessons. The team will return on February 26, 2026, for a follow-up visit, when they will determine whether SPARK can be recognized as a certified exemplar for STEAM education in the state of Georgia.

Thank you for the critical role you play in making this possible. Your support, creativity, and partnership make SPARK truly the best place to learn, and lead.

As we celebrate our STEAM success, we also have some fun community events coming up:

Virginia Highlands Candy Crawl – Wednesday, October 29, 4:00 PM
Join us for this family-friendly neighborhood event! Wear your favorite costume and enjoy some spooky treats along the route.

Book Character Day – Friday, October 31
The day will kick off with our Walk to School Monster Mash and a costume parade at 8:00 AM featuring our Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students. Families are welcome to join us in the gym to watch the parade, just check in at the front office after morning drop-off. Classrooms will also enjoy fall treats, thanks to our fabulous room parents.

Finally, I’ll close this exciting week by attending the APS YES! Awards, where I am honored to be nominated for Principal of the Year. While receiving this recognition would be wonderful, I truly feel that I’ve already won because I get to come to SPARK every day and be part of this incredible family.  

With gratitude and SPARK pride,

Dr. Jennifer Toney