APS Parent Engagement Survey

Please take a few minutes to take this survey from the district!  

Thanksgiving Luncheon Security Pre-Check 

If you missed the opportunity to purchase a meal, please know that you are still welcome to come and enjoy the luncheon with your Dragon!  Students did not have to pre-order, so they are welcome to get a meal to share.  We hope that you will visit the Book Fair with your Dragon after lunch and shop away!  Please complete the following form if you plan on attending Thanksgiving Luncheons next week: SPARK Thanksgiving Security Pre-Check 2025  This will speed up the check in process when you arrive.  

SPARK Bookfair

The annual SPARK bookfair is right around the corner! 11/17-11/21. CLICK HERE to browse your favorite books, support a teacher’s wishlist, purchase giftcards, and more! 

Rising Rams Night - Rising 6th Grade Families

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

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. The deadline for adults to order a meal has passed. However, you are welcome to join your child at lunch for the celebration! 

• 11/18 - K & 3rd

• 11/19 - 1st & 4th

• 11/20 - PK, 2nd & 5th 

SPARK’s Literacy Night

Join us Thursday, November 20th @ 5:30 PM for a night full of stories, creativity, and fun for the whole family! We’ll kick things off with a special visit from New York Times Best-Selling Illustrator, Laura Freeman! She’ll read aloud one of her stories and guide students through a dictated drawing activity. Afterward, enjoy hands-on literacy activities hosted by our amazing SPARK teachers, then wrap up the evening with a family stroll through the Book Fair! 

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

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

Parent Feedback Survey

APS wants to hear from you! The APS Parent Feedback Survey is open November 1–30. Take just 7 minutes to share your thoughts and help strengthen our school community. CLICK HERE to take the survey. 

Your feedback helps us grow in areas like:

• Building strong parent partnerships

• Supporting student success

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,

As we enter this season of reflection and gratitude, I want to take a moment to celebrate our community and share some exciting news. This week, the state released the CCRPI scores, and once again, SPARK had an outstanding showing. We are the top school in APS! We earned:

• 100 in Progress

• 100 in Content Mastery

• 96.4 in Readiness (an increase from last year)

• 90.6 in Closing Gaps

In addition, SPARK was honored by the state for exceptional performance on the End of Grade Assessments in both ELA and Math, being a Literacy and Math Leader and the only elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools to earn this recognition in both categories! 

While we are incredibly proud of these accomplishments, they are only part of what makes SPARK such a remarkable place. These achievements reflect the tireless dedication of our teachers who plan with intention, facilitate meaningful lessons, and provide rigorous feedback every day. But they also reflect you, our SPARK families, whose support, generosity, and partnership elevate everything we do.

You give freely of your time and resources. You pour into your children, ensuring they arrive each day ready to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Your commitment shows up in the way our students flourish, in their curiosity, their kindness, and their belief in themselves.

As I reflect on my time here, I can say with complete sincerity that this community has changed my life. The warmth you extend, the welcoming spirit you embody, and the joy we share together are truly palpable. I am grateful each and every day that I get to come to this school. Grateful to lead and learn alongside extraordinary educators and an incredible administrative team. Grateful that every person who works at SPARK loves our children as if they were their own.

SPARK is a magical place, and while I am proud of our data, I am even prouder of the thoughtful, empathetic people that SPARK nurtures, both big and small.

As you take time in the coming weeks to reflect on the blessings in your life, I hope SPARK finds a place on that list. Schools should be communities, places where we challenge each other with love, lift each other up, and offer light when someone needs it most. SPARK is that place for me, and I hope it is that place for you too.

Thank you, truly, for being the heart of this extraordinary school.

With gratitude,
Dr. Jennifer Toney
Principal