KSE Administration

Friday Q & A May

Friday Q & A

May 17, 2019



From a student: Can you do anything about the toilet paper at the school? 
I use Charmin extra soft at home and the school toilet paper is like sandpaper.
I agree! 
The school toilet paper is very thin and rough. 
Unfortunately, that’s not something I can control. 

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around how
mixing the classes is going to elevate King Spring graduates and better prepare them for middle school. 
I understand the concept of adding an additional piece of information on the rubric and listing them as AC on their report card. 
However, the teaching and instruction will be split for everyone in the class.   
I have concerns as a teacher will be able to teach to the highest level, when they are teaching to a much wider spectrum of students. 
How will you be able to ensure that the AC students will be challenged when the teacher as to split their focus during the class? 
As a parent, that has seen the positive results of the split out classroom I am not in favor of this new direction for AC. 
  I
am sorry that you are not in favor of our plan for AC. All classes will include a heterogeneous group of students.

I am still concerned that the school is over crowded
and the new school won’t be big enough. Will you let more people transfer into KSE? Can parents put a stop to these transfers? 
KSE is a wonderful school and we are
happy to serve all students that live in our attendance zone, and those that receive a county transfer.
 As a school we do monitor the requirements to stay on transfer. 
Please allow administration to handle enrolling students. 
We don’t want anyone to feel unwelcome at KSE.

Exciting News…if questions are submitted during the
summer, I will send Q & A emails!



Reminder:


All
ASP balances
must be paid before the end of the year. 
Students with outstanding balances will not be permitted to stay next year until the account is up to date. 
If you need to know your balance, please call the ASP desk after 2:30.All library books must also be returned or payment
made to replace a lost book. 







Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail."

Friday Q & A May

Friday Q & A

May 3, 2019



My daughter told me there are fire ants all over the playground yard. Do you treat at all for them? If not, is this something that can be done with PTA folks and fire ants stuff over some weekend
maybe before the start of next year since this one is almost over. I have seen them treating around the building for bugs, but I was wondering about the areas the kids play. Thoughts, ideas? 
We have put in a work order to treat for fire ants on both campuses. 
We must go through the pest control company with any treatments on the school campus.

I had a question about a tree on the property immediately next to the k1 campus before you enter the parking lot on Brown coming from S Cobb. It is a horribly beyond dead Giant tree that is going
to fall on either a parent or child someday in the pickup line. I have gone around to Concord and gotten out of line if I'm stopped next to it before the gates open.  
I have already contacted our Smyrna City Marshall, she told me it needs to be looked at by the city arborist. I contacted him and he looked at it and confirmed it needed to come down. He let Jamila Dewitt know about it. She was going to have to notify
the property owner, which I think is SunTrust. I have called her again and have gotten no response. Not sure if coming from the school she would be more likely to take more action. Or to at least update what is going on with it.  
I called City of Smyrna on Monday and left a message for the Code Enforcement City Marshall. 

This not being able to give teachers a gift thing is disheartening. My kid didn't want to be odd balled out and didn't give the individual gift we had for her teacher. I really love all the teachers
do and I don't mind contributing for ancillary staff. However, please lift the anti-gift ban for teachers. I mean really she puts up with my kid all day...she deserves an extra gift for that! :) 
I’m not really sure who put an “anti-gift” ban in place. 
You are more than welcome to give a gift to any of the amazing staff members at King Springs.

Have busses been secured for the K-2 campus for next year? 
Most (if not all) campuses in Cobb have their own bus transportation.  
With approximately 600 students attending a campus built for a much smaller population, which already has traffic issues, busses specifically for this campus are necessary. 
This should come from the transportation budget - not SPLOST - as transportation of students is not part of construction.
We will continue to use the same buses for both campuses next year. 
The buses will drop off at the K-2 campus first at 7:10 AM. 
The buses will then go to 3-5 campus. 
Students will exit the buses in the Griffin parking lot and walk using the covered walkway to the building.

Are the construction workers allowed entrance into the school for any reason?
  Construction workers will not enter the building when students are present. 
During the summer they may need to enter as we tear down parts of the building. 
Next year there will be no construction workers in the building.

On May 6th Gann Rd. will be closing for bridge repairs thru September. 
Can you please advise what will happen with the yellow bus schedule? Thank you! 
Per county transportation supervisor -
Yes, we have a plan of action in place that will have little to no effect on the route time. Thank you. 
Please use your “Here Comes the Bus” app to monitor your child’s bus location.

Where will ASP be? 
ASP will be at the 3-5 campus.





For the kids who live within 1/4 mile of school who aren’t eligible to be bus riders, will those children be eligible to ride the bus from their neighborhood to K2 since the bus stop at 3-5 will move
to Griffin and be further away (in excess of 1/4 mile)? Specifically asking for King Valley.
I
sent this question to transportation and am awaiting a response…stay tuned.



Has it been considered to have a portable bathroom building with “day tanks” that can be serviced weekly, or as needed, to provide a restroom outside of the main building? Day tanks would prevent
the need for hard piping sewer lines. From the district, a bathroom portable is being considered as part of our program. 
Further information will be forthcoming as it is available. 


Where will the 1st grade classrooms be located? 
1st grade classrooms will be in the same location as they are this year.

How early can we know the bus schedule? 
Bus schedules are generally published on or around July 10th.

For future construction meetings, can we have city council representation included?  
Also, include a notice to parents when the council member is present. 
From the district, CCSD is autonomous to the city of Smyrna. 
Certainly, any guests are welcome to community meetings, but construction meetings are confined to appropriate personnel only. 
Translation, when we have a school construction update hosted by me, everyone is welcome. 
When we have our weekly construction meeting (OAC – Owner, Architect, Contractor), I will be the voice of King Springs. 
This makes our Q & A submissions very important as we embrace construction!



Can cones be put out in front of ASP to keep people from parking on side of street? 
You’ve addressed it before in Q&A but problem exists. I think it’s a problem with so many kids running around. 
We can try.



As parents, should we email the city regarding getting the light changed for a longer time at Concord & Brown?
From the district, CCSD will continue to work with the city regarding traffic lights; however, we do not engage in community activities outside the district. 
Translation: I met with Deputy Chief Harvey of the Smyrna Police Department on Tuesday. 
We shared our concerns about the light cycle. 
Prior to the school year beginning, we will meet with the city logistics and traffic people to develop a cycle for the light. 
This was not the purpose of the meeting, but it was a great opportunity to bring it up! 
We were there to thank him and his officers for coming to read to our 2nd grade classes. 
They have been a wonderful presence in 2nd grade and during Read Across America week!

When will there be testing on rising 1st graders to determine if they are eligible for the target classes? 
That testing is being done this month.

Are there any special programs for a rising 1st grader who might be reading / doing math on a 2nd grade level? 
All teachers should be providing differentiated instruction that meets students at their level and moves them forward.

At the meeting the timing of traffic lights was mentioned as a concern. 
Can we use this forum to organize parents to contact the city with their concerns?  
If hundreds of parents call and email, perhaps we will see results. 
If this seems like a viable plan, please advise as to (1) name and contact information for the proper city official, (2) correct names of intersection(s) which cause the most issues for carpool and busses, and (3) advise where to post this request for
action by parents so as to ensure as many people as possible see it. 
Thank you. I’m hoping our meeting with the Smyrna Police this week will address this issue.

Recent Friday Q&As have mentioned changes to EIP and
AC for next year. As EIP teaches the same standards, I understand how it works to keep EIP and on-level in the same classroom.  
However, AC teaches additional standards.  
How does that work since it will require the teacher to have multiple curriculums in one classroom? Given that whether or not a child is in elementary AC class(es) is a factor in middle school AC placement, will this new class structure still provide
that advantage for the King Springs’ AC students? 
All students must learn grade level
standards. The model for AC next year will provide both grade level standards and AC curriculum. 
Students that qualify for AC will have AC courses listed on their schedule. 
AC courses on a schedule provide one piece of information for the rubric used to qualify students for AC in middle school.



Research suggests that classrooms that use differentiated
instruction have positive impacts both on students and teachers (deeper learning, flexible instruction, and more individualized instruction). 
That said, with the growth of our school and constraints on classroom space resulting in large class sizes, is there a proactive plan to monitor for and intervene in classroom management issues? 
I don't want teachers to be punished for kids being kids. 
Additionally, I know that sometimes a handful of students can completely derail learning in extreme situations. 
What resources will be available to provide additional support to teachers that need it? 
I hope that teachers feel very supported
by the King Springs administrators with any classroom management concerns. 
The most powerful intervention with student behavior is a strong, trusting relationship between the student, teacher and parent. 
Everyone is on the same team focused on student success.



Follow up EIP questions. 
Why is KSE getting rid of the pullout program when it has been so successful for these kids in the past? 
What is the student teacher ratio going to be for 2nd grade? 
We currently have 8 2nd grade teachers and over 200 1st graders and according to the GA Department of Education Reduced class model, the max number of students is 17 children (16 non EIP and 1 EIP). 
How are these teachers able to give these kids the same attention as the pullout program? 
What is our teacher allotment going to be for 2nd grade because I am concerned that we are going to have an increase IEP kids because teachers are being given a task they can't handle with their classroom size or the other students are going to get less
teacher time due to the fact that the teacher is working with the EIP kids. 
All staffing decisions at a local school are made by administration with input
from teachers. As a team we believe that we will be able to serve more students using the reduced class models rather than 2 EIP teachers serving all students that qualify. 
The CCSD Investing in Educational Excellence framework allows us to add an additional 5 students to the EIP rations.
http://www.cobbk12.org/IE2/  
We will have 10 second grade classrooms next year. 
The most important fact here is that our teachers are wonderful and we need to give them the credit they have earned and deserve.





One Editorial Comment was submitted:

This is more of a commentary than a question, but I
have been stewing about this since Monday night. 
I attended the rising first and second grade meeting. The presentation addressed a number of big topics that have been of concern to some parents. There were questions asked for clarification, and questions asked as reminders to follow up with, which
Dr. Szwec graciously accepted. The majority of the people were just normal folks attending to be sure that they had the facts directly from the school. What bothers me most are the few people that still have such a negative attitude towards this whole process.
What brilliant ideas do you have to mitigate the overpopulation that has necessitated two campuses? 
Are you logistics engineers that can figure out how to educate 600 students inside on this small campus without putting 70 children in a classroom? What realistic suggestions do you have? The reality is, they have none. They are people who choose to
stir the pot of negativity and gossip instead of standing behind our community during this uncomfortable phase. I have a suggestion for these people, get a grip, get your kids excited about the new adventure next year will bring, and as the teacher said at
the end of the presentation, see the glass as half full. In one year, we will have a beautiful new facility. The second graders will love being able to enjoy their new little community at the Brown road location. Their teachers seemed very excited about it
given the whole team showed up at the meeting.



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Friday Q & A May

Friday Q & A

May 10, 2019



This is not a question, but a huge thank you to the
fabulous PTA and families who made Teacher Appreciation week extra special! 
Thank you, thank you, thank you!



Two men, one armed with an assault style rifle, approached
a Brinks employee and demanded money. The employee’s handgun was stolen, along with an undisclosed amount of cash. This happened Friday, April 26 just a few hundred feet from King Springs K-1 campus about 10 minutes before dismissal. Do nearby businesses know
to alert the school if something like this happens nearby? To my knowledge the school was never put into lockdown. This was a close call.
From our school district Police Chief: Businesses do not usually notify schools of crimes. Usually the local police
will notify the CCSD Police and/or the local schools of any police related activity near schools. In this incident Smyrna Police would be the agency that would respond to the emergency call. We did not receive any notification from them. I do not know the
details of the event or if Smyrna considered the perpetrator as a threat to the school (route of escape, on foot? etc.). Chief Storey will notify Chief David Lee of our concern.



Can you give information when the afternoon bus situation
will improve again? For month now my child has different driver with no access to our gate and also the afternoon bus is often late or doesn’t show up at all. 
All information about bus drivers and
transportation concerns is handled by the transportation department. 
The new Here Comes the Bus app provides information about where the bus is located so that you can see when it will arrive in the morning and afternoon. 
The phone number for transportation is (678) 594-8000.



What is the typical process for informing parents of
testing dates, testing content, testing parameters, etc.? I was never informed of any testing occurring other than sight word and spelling tests, but apparently my child has been taking the MI and RI tests without my knowledge and the results of the tests
have subsequently excluded him from opportunities he was previously involved in. I have no idea what these tests are or what they contain, or even WHEN they were so I could possibly feed my child a big breakfast with a smile on test days instead of throwing
a granola bar at his head in the car pool line. I'm so disappointed that the testing schedule wasn't better communicated with parents because our students do better when parents can be involved. With that being said, can you point me to resources about these
tests?   

The following link explains all of the tests given to students
in Cobb.

http://academics.cobbk12.org/index.php/ad/tl/apl/es-assessment/

This link shows the calendar of testing dates. 
This is available on the calendar link for the school district. 
It will be updated for next year.

http://www.cobbk12.org/aboutccsd/calendars/2018-19/2018-19_ESTestingCalendar.pdf



Specifically for the RI – Reading Inventory and MI- Math
Inventory, we are given a window of time to complete the tests. 
Students take these online assessments 3 times per year. 
As a school we always use multiple pieces of information to make decisions for students. 
One assessment would not exclude a student from an opportunity.

In a previous response you had mentioned that we will
be doing reduced classroom sizes instead of EIP pullout. 
You also stated that 2nd grade was allotted 10 teachers. 
We currently have 10 first grade teachers and our classrooms are all over capacity with over 25 kids and one class having 35 children with one teacher. 
How is KSE able to do reduced classrooms if the numbers are not changing? 
Are our classrooms going to be over capacity again like 1st grade is currently? 
We do not anticipate being over capacity
at any grade level. There are currently 202 rising 2nd grade students. 
Divided by 10 teachers that is 20 each. 
There are county rules that we follow regarding services for EIP students. 
At this point I am going to respectfully ask that you allow the school administration to determine staffing and services for students, that’s our responsibility.



Comment from a teacher:

I have been a classroom teacher at King Springs for
quite a number of years. I feel like there is a misunderstanding about the EIP model (Reduced Class Size) that will be used next year. 
This model has been used for many years at KSE. 
It is not a new model for Cobb and it is not a new model for King Springs. Your child has probably been in one of these classrooms and no one was the wiser. 
MUCH more often than not, my EIP students have been served in the Reduced Class Size model. 
The ONLY difference between past years and next year is that ALL EIP students, instead of MANY EIP students, will be served through this model.  
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE this model. 
Students don’t miss anything because they are never pulled out of the classroom, they are constantly getting differentiated instruction from the classroom teacher(s) that know them and their needs best and they have peers of all levels to learn from
and work with. Not to mention, my class size is usually smaller than the other classes on the grade level. I strongly suggest that parents give this model (Reduced Class Size) a chance. 
Most KSE teachers are familiar with it and know how to work within the model to get the best results. 
I assure you it’s going to be fine! 
We teachers… got this!

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A message from KING SPRINGS

A message from KING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

Friday Q & A

April 26, 2019

 

Who writes the answers to these questions? Thank you. Cindy Szwec, Sassy Szwec, Snarky Szwec and Soap Box Szwec collaborate to provide answers. 

Does KSE have a program in place to assist underfed kids in the summer? I know some Cobb County schools have backpacks and local places for kids to meet to get a meal. I am interested in helping out if we do. I also want to put this out there in case
a family needs assistance and doesn't know where to go. King Springs does not have a summer food program. MUST Ministries has wonderful programs that support students all year long. Local churches support the backpack ministries that provide food
on weekends for students. Here are 2 links for summer food programs:

https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1711

https://www.mustministries.org/summer-lunch

Can the questions for the Friday Q&A not be anonymous? Can people be forced to include their names and stand behind the things they say? Otherwise, many sound like they came from Regina George (yes, that's a Mean Girls reference). The anonymity of
the internet is a power too great for some. I agree that the anonymity with technology makes people brave. In this situation, I’d rather have people submit questions that I can address directly, rather than have questions floating through
neighborhoods with answers that may not be completely accurate.

I’m sorry to ask this-I know it’s probably out there, but will there be clubs offered next year? Yes, we will have a limited number of clubs offered next year. Please stay tuned for more information.

I have heard that next year KSE will no longer be providing the EIP program. Having a child currently in this program, I am concerned for these children in the coming year. I know there are 5 different delivery models that schools may utilize based
on the Georgia Department of Education’s website. Will any of these models be implemented? If so which ones? If we are getting rid of the pullout method, why? Our classroom sizes have been very large which does not give our teachers the time to for one
on one attention as the pullout program has provided. Furthermore, with the 2 different campuses and having to shuttle kids back and forth, our school hours are shortened as it is at K-1. How is KSE going to be proactive in making sure these kids do not
fall further behind? With all the changes that are happening in the coming year, I am extremely concerned. We will be using the reduced class size model for serving EIP (Early Intervention Program) students next year. Differentiation during small
group instruction will meet the needs of all students in the classrooms. We will be using all of our teacher allotments to try to reduce the student teacher ratio in classrooms. There will be no teachers used as “pull out” teachers next year. You should
have received an email from me this week regarding the change in school hours. This change will put back the 20 minutes we were losing.

Hello, I need to know what is being done about the pest control problem in the school? Today, when I volunteered at the 2-5 campus, I saw 2 large cockroaches scurrying in the hallway and 1 in the classroom. When I spoke to my daughter about them, she
said that she sees them all the time. Roaches are filthy and they can spread diseases. When they are visible during the day, that usually indicates an infestation has occurred. How is this being addressed? Monthly pest control is done
at all Cobb County schools. If we have a specific concern, we can call for an additional service. I anticipate that we will have an increase in pests with the construction. No one wants to see bugs! I will call the pest control company and ask for additional
service now that we have started construction.

How can I receive the Q & A emails? The Q & A emails are sent to the email address of the enrolling adult. The good news is that all Q & As are posted to the administrator’s blog on the KSE website. Click on Administration at
the top of the website. You may also want to keep an eye on our new construction blog which is located front and center on our website.

 

I received 2 editorial comments from last week’s Q & A:

From a Staff Member: This is more of a reflection and suggestion. I am often times hesitant to read the Q&A emails because many of them throughout this year have been disheartening because of either tone and/or content. Several
in particular have been about administrative direction, wanting to check papers of students, classroom makeup and just out right blame. As a teacher, I look forward to teaching my class that is extremely diverse, not only in ability, but also diverse in race,
religion, etc. I teach and respect the students in my class and ALL of the students here at King Springs. I LOVE what I see in this building. I see students who look like me and many that don't. I also see teachers and administration doing everything they
can to meet the needs of students, because that's why we became educators in the first place. Also, as a parent of a child who attends this school, I chose King Springs for a reason outside of me teaching here. I chose this school because of its diversity. 
My child could have gone to our home school (please remember teachers have a choice in where their children may go), which is an excellent school; however, my husband and I promote and look for opportunities for our children to be around others who are different
from us because that is reflected of his world. So, when you think about your child attending this school, please think about the bigger picture. Think about how your child will learn how to interact and respect people. Think about the manners that we teach
here. Think about why we have P.R.I.D.E. We are all humans who need to grow and we should know that as adults. But, growth can't happen when we can't adjust to change, build together, or tear each other down. Let's learn to grow together as a community
that desires to leave this world better than we found it. Thank you and enjoy your stay at King Springs Elementary. :o)

 

From a Parent: In response to last week's WOW Q&A. First I want to say I think the administration is doing a wonderful job for the school and our students. Dr. Szwec I love how you handled each question, your responses were perfect.
I am sadden by how many entitled parents there are at this school. Do they have any idea what it takes to run a school with 1000+ plus kids? I sure don’t and I am not going to tell them how either. To the ignorant parent about not wanting to have your child
in a “special education” class. As a parent of a child in this so-called special education class and a child in Talent Development you need to check yourself. As a parent myself who suffers from a learning disability your question was so hurtful on so many
levels. Let me educate you, we don’t call them special education classes anymore they are called inclusion classrooms the least you could do is educate yourself on current terminology before using words that no longer exist. Our inclusion classrooms are wonderful,
my child has grown leaps and bounds by being in this class with nurturing teachers and friendly children who love him for just being him. Those children in there have no idea what is going on with each child, they know no difference and it’s a shame you don’t.
You clearly have never been in one to see what a day is like in there and I highly recommend you make an appointment before making any assumptions. To the parent complaining about their child getting wet in the car pool lane. Ha! The only person I know that
melted when getting wet was the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, last I looked children don’t melt in the rain and secondly did you notice or even pay attention that Dr. Szwec was actually standing under the awning part so if you had pulled up like she
asked your child would not have got wet. Get it together parents let’s ask some more intelligent questions please.

 

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended
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A message from KING SPRINGS

A message from KING SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Friday Q & A

April 19, 2019

 

Hi, this is a follow up to my question last week about background checks for construction workers at the 2-5 campus. E-Verify is not a criminal background check. E-Verify is a free service that verifies the legal status employment eligibility of an
individual, but does not check an individual's criminal history. I am concerned because they are working on school grounds in close proximity to children. Also, do they now or in the future have access to the school building or playground? On last weeks Q&A
there was a question on background checks for construction workers. Response was only that they are e- verify checked which only confirms eligibility to work in US. So what you are confirming is there are no other criminal background checks done on these individuals
whom will be in close proximity to children everyday, correct? Per the school district, a criminal background check will be conducted on all construction workers involved in the King Springs project. Construction workers will not have access
to the school building or playground when students are present.

Another morning car rider safety concern! I have noticed parents dropping their children off at the 4-way stop in front of the 2-5 campus instead of coming through the car rider lane. Children are exiting their car in the middle of the street! Plus,
it slows downs the flow of traffic and cars that are following the rules by going through the car rider lane. I know there is a crossing guard at the intersection, but it just doesn't seem safe. Thanks for everything you do. We love King Springs!  
The only safe drop off area is through the car pool line. We continue to convey the message that procedures are in place for the safety of all students, rules apply to everyone, and no one is entitled to different rules to suit their needs.

Will there be A.C. classes next year for 4th and 5th grade or are you taking away that opportunity from our children? When can I turn in my letter to make sure my child is not in a special ed class? Wow, here’s the reason I’m so thankful these
are anonymous submissions. Every child that comes to King Springs is a precious human being. Every child deserves a quality education that includes academics and character development. Diversity is one of the greatest strengths at King Springs. We have
the privilege of serving students from different cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities. Diversity also includes learning styles and abilities. King Springs provides an incredible opportunity for children to learn about the make up of the real world and how
to see the value in every person.

To answer your question, yes Advanced Content (A.C.) curriculum will be offered in 4th and 5th grade. The only change will be the structure of how it is provided. If your child qualifies for A.C. curriculum, they will be provided that through the differentiated
instruction in each classroom. We will cluster students together so that teachers have a group of high achieving students for the purpose of differentiating instruction. All classrooms will be built as heterogeneous groups of students. We will no longer
have the A.C./high achieving classes separate.

You may drop off input letters about teaching styles for your child any time. Please do not email because of our new SPAM filter.

From teachers: Birthday celebrations at school have gotten way too big. Balloons, goodie bags, cupcakes, and a family entourage are too much. Can you please ask parents to bring a small treat to celebrate and not expect to have a party during lunch. 
Birthdays are very exciting for children and we want everyone to feel special. As a staff, we love for families to come to school to celebrate. We ask that you keep the celebration to a small treat for 2 reasons – 1. Not every child
has families that can do this for them. 2. Children are not ready to learn after a party and sugar fest in the cafeteria. We feel totally comfortable sugaring them up and sending them home, but please don’t sugar them up and send them back to class…don’t
leave us with the babies!

I do not appreciate the way YOU asked people to move down to the end of the sidewalk this morning during car pool. If I want to stop and drop my child close to the doors I should be able to do that. Please allow us to unload
as many cars as possible to keep the line moving. I have many more things I would like to say, but I love my job.

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Friday Q & A April

Friday Q & A

April 12, 2019



Who grades the Georgia Milestones tests and how do scores influence class placement at King Springs? 
 The DRC – Data Recognition Corporation scores the Milestone assessments. 
Milestone results are one piece of information that we use to develop a complete picture of students. 
We use all of our data, both formal and informal, to place students with the best possible teacher. 
The Milestone results can be used as one piece of information in qualifying students for advanced content in 4th and 5th grade.

Data Recognition Corp:

https://www.datarecognitioncorp.com/Pages/default.aspx

FAQs about the Milestone:

https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Documents/Milestones/Milestones%20FAQS_EOG%20FINAL.pdf

There are rumors that the district is backing off on its commitment to ensure there is a safe, covered, walkway between Griffin and King Springs. This is imperative
as all bus riders will use this path throughout the course of construction, and during the second year of construction every student will use this path to attend PE classes at Griffin. What exactly are the plans regarding this pathway? 
There will be a covered walkway from the Griffin parking lot
 to the back gym door at KSE. 
The walkway will be paved to cut down on mud and debris entering the gym. 
Students will go through the gym and into the building. 
Thanks for letting me cut off that rumor!

Are the construction workers at the 2-5 campus background checked? Since they are working in such close proximity to our children I feel it is important to address.
  All contractors are required to meet the E Verify background check as well as use proper identification while on
site.

 

I was surprised about where the trees are being cut down. I thought the new school was being built on the school bus lot
side of campus. So why are trees on the front car parking side of campus being cut down?
The front area where the trees are coming down will be the location for the retention pond for the new school.







Updates:

Tree harvesting is going smoothly. 
Trees near the portables at 2-5 will be taken down on weekends. 
Tree harvesting will not interfere with testing.We continue to wait on approval for the layout of the portables at the K-2 campus. 
Once the approval is given by the Fire Marshal, the layout will be shared.Schedules for both campuses for next year have been created with the input of staff.Rumor Control – no, we are not losing the side parking lot/bus port at the 2-5 campus before the end
of the school year. Transportation will remain the same through the end of this year.

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Friday Q & A March

Friday Q & A March

Friday Q & A

March 8, 2019

If doors open and drop off starts at 7:10, why do the flashing school zone lights not come on until almost 7:30 on Reed Road?
The school zone lights should begin at 7:00. 
We have reached out to the City of Smyrna to resolve this issue.






We have done our best to avoid online gaming such as Minecraft and Fortnight. 
A few weeks ago it was brought to my attention that both of my children had Minecraft accounts that had been set up at school through one of their specials. 
They came home begging to download it since they had already been playing it at school. 
Why are these accounts set up without parents knowing and why are students playing Minecraft during their time in specials? 


Minecraft and Minecraft EDU are 2 separate programs. 
Cobb County Schools purchased licenses for the EDUCATION edition for ALL K-12 students in the school district. 

Minecraft Edu is part of our Office 365 suite of products. The Minecraft used at school is with the intention of integrating
a gaming atmosphere into content areas. The use of this product at school is intended to support the curriculum and is not for the sake of gaming, but to allow students to interact with content in a manner that requires creativity and critical thinking. Minecraft
Education fosters creativity and teamwork through play-based learning as well as reinforcing the Engineering Design Process. It also has a cool aspect of integrated coding that the regular edition does not have. Teachers can (if they choose to) give architectural,
land and coding challenges as well as math problems to solve in this version. Merry Mullins (art teacher at 2-5) has been giving them to opportunity to work on building their worlds when they have completed their regular art assignments. 
Nichole Williams (3rd Grade Teacher) will be recognized in a district technology newsletter for her integration of Minecraft EDU in her classroom. 
At the beginning of the year parents are given the option to opt out from access to the Office 365 products which are explained thoroughly on the county's Instructional Technology website. 






There have been some “rumors” that they are considering
adding on a separate bus for the K-2 campus next week. Has there been any discussion on the timing of the busses for those that have 2-3 children in KSE? For working parents waiting on 2 busses in AM/PM this concerns me. Thank you for any further feedback
you can provide us at this time. Discussion
about how to coordinate transportation is still a fluid situation, no final decisions have been made. 
One proposal was to have specific buses that serve the K-2 campus and specific buses that serve the 3-5 campus. 
This has financial implications that the county must consider. 
Another option we have discussed is adjusting the start time at one campus to allow for the earlier pick up that is required if we have to use the same buses on both campuses. 
Both of these options have pros and cons. 
I will keep you informed when a final decision has been made.

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Download Friday Q & A 3-1-19.docx

Friday Q & A February

Friday Q & A

February 15, 2019



Can the side gate into the bus only area remain closed after dismal? 
This concerns me as I pick my child up from ASP and fear for those needed to cross the parking lot (unsupervised) to head home. 
Sometimes it’s closed and sometimes it’s not.
  Yes.



Throughout this school year I have been frustrated with the placement of my child. 
You continue to provide basic, positive comments about everyone on your staff. 
I have heard that in the past people have been able to submit teacher requests for their children. 
Is this going to happen for next year? 
If so, when and how should we submit letters. 
Yes, we would appreciate any input from parents about the type of teacher that best suits your child. 
However, we will not accept a request for a specific teacher. 
If you submit a specific teacher request, we will return that to you and ask that you describe your child and describe the type of classroom where they will thrive. 
We will accept letters beginning May 1st. 
Because of our new email SPAM filter, it would be best to deliver the letters to the school office on either campus. 




On the new Here Comes The Bus app they are asking for student ID number... can you please tell me where to find this information?
The student ID number is your child’s lunch number. 
If you do not know that, you can certainly call the school and we would be happy to give it to you.



Our family is new to King Springs this year. 
All of these questions on Q and A seem to be about how the school is run. 
Is there that much local control or are there school district policies that have to be followed?
King Springs is a very passionate community. 
We are so lucky to have so much parental involvement and support. 
While I wish I could accommodate all of the requests and concerns from parents, we do have school district policies that must be followed. 
Additionally as we address any questions and concerns that come to us, we must always think about what is best for all students in our community. 
We are committed to every child, every day.




Wishing
all of you a fabulous February Break!

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