Welcome to Pitner Elementary
Home of the Patriots
Principal: Sherri Hill
Asst. Principal: Deborah Blake  |  Asst. Principal: Ramonia Cooper

State of Georgia Learning Resources Evaluation for K-12 English/Langauge Arts Textbook Adoption.

The 2013 State of Georgia’s K-12 English Language Arts/Reading Review of Learning Resources/Instructional Materials (Textbooks) will take place this summer.  We are asking for your assistance and support in encouraging your ELA/Reading educators, administrators, parents, and other interested stakeholders to visit one of the 14 Evaluation and Review Sites between June 24-July 11, 2013 and to provide feedback on the K-12 ELA/Reading learning resources that will be on display at the sites.  There is one Review Site in each of the 14 Congressional Districts.  We have attached a document that contains information about each of the 14 review sites.

 If you have questions, please contact Randall N. Lee at the GADOE at rlee@doe.k12.ga.us or call (404) 656-0476.

Summer Reading Challenge Using Student Lexile Information

As the end of the school year approaches, we begin encouraging our children to stay involved in reading over the summer.  We are all aware of the “summer slide” that occurs when students do not read on a regular basis and begin to fall behind in reading achievement.  To prevent this, we would like to share with you a national, state-led summer reading initiative that supports students in finding great books to read over the summer.

Georgia is launching the 2013 Summer Reading Challenge to combat this summer loss in student reading ability.   The Lexile “Find a Book” website can help identify books that students are interested in and are able to read.  This tool can be found at www.Lexile.com/fab/GA.    Information about the Georgia Department of Education’s Summer Reading Challenge initiative can be found at:  http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/Georgia-Summer-Reading-Challenge.aspx

You may also find this information posted on www.georgiastandards.org.  Additionally, information about Lexiles on student test reports and how to use this information can be found at www.gadoe.org/lexile.aspx.

Attached are the Find-a-Book Georgia flyer and  a parent FAQ document about Find-a-Book that I encourage you to distribute to the students and their families prior to the end of the school year.  As this school year culminates, it would be a great time to talk to students and parents about the importance of summer reading and demonstrate how they can use a Lexile measure to find wonderful books to read and enjoy.  Additionally, please encourage your students to use the public libraries in your area.  Your school media specialists may even have special summer hours for those students who do not have a public library nearby.

The end of the school year is a busy time, but it is important to do all we can to ensure young people continue to learn and challenge themselves.  We appreciate you joining our Summer Reading Challenge efforts to help students “Find-a-Book” and increase their reading skills.

Congratulations Ms. Snyder!

The staff and students of Pitner Elementary would like to congratulate Ms. Debbi Snyder for being chosen as the Teacher of the Year for the 2013-2014 school year.  Congrautlations Ms. Snyder!

Congratulations Mrs. Hardesty!

The staff and students of Pitner Elementary would like to congratulate Mrs. Isabelle Hardesty for being named Cobb County School District's Teacher of the Year!  Way to go Mrs. Hardesty!  You deserve it!

Climb Art at Pitner

Would you like to leave a permanent footprint at Pitner?  Here's your chance!  Pitner's PTSA and ASP have joined forces to bring you a rock climbing wall in the gym that will be hand painted by Scott McIntyre.  You can have a mountain, trail, or name in the mural for a small donation.  If you are interested in making a donation, please click here to download the form to send in with your child.

Scholastic Reading Inventory

Students in grades 1-5 take a reading comprehension test called the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) which is given in the computer lab three  times during the year.  You have probably seen the parent report coming home in your child's folder but then wondered what it meant.  Here is a chart that will help you get a better understanding of your child's lexile level.  Please understand that the SRI is only one assessment that the teachers use as part of your child's instruction.  Please click here to see the chart.

Did you know?

Did you know that the Pitner Cafe offers a nutritious, affordable breakfast each morning to our students? Click here to read more!

Testing

Testing is right around the corner for our third, fourth, and fifth grade students! The CRCT will be administered to our students the week of April 22nd. Please take a minute to read this letter from Principal Hill to learn more about the changes taking place for testing and in our instruction as a result of the implementation of the new Common Core Curriculum Standards.

Team Stanley

Our Relay for Life team, Team Stanley, is participating in a fund raiser to help support Cobb County's Relay for Life on Friday, May 10th.  This fundraiser is selling T-shirts in honor of Donna Stanley, our media specialist.  If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt for $12.00, please click here and print the order form and send it, along with the payment.  We will be taking orders for the Team Stanley t-shirts until Friday, 3/29.  That way, we can ensure t-shirt delivery in time for Relay on May 10th.

Learning Resources Materials Review

The Cobb County School District is offering the public an opportunity to review textbooks and materials being considered for use in the K-12 mathematics Programs.  These materials will be available for public review from March 4th, through March 15th, 2013.  Review of materials will take place at the Central Administration Building, 514 Glover Street in Marietta during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

National School Breakfast Week

Next week, March 4th-8th is "National School Breakfast week."  If your child receives "free" or "reduced" lunches, then they would also receive "free" and "reduced" breakfasts.  Please consider having your child eat breakfast at school next week.  There will be grits and turkey sausage on Thursday and french toast with strawberries and whipped cream on Friday.  Come on out and eat breakfast!

Fitness Day

Thank you to all who participated in collecting donations to our first annual fitness day.  For those of you who donated, please click here to print a tax donation receipt for income tax purposes.

SPLOST IV

During our Principal's Perspective and Lunch & Learn, Mrs. Hill shared the above video about SPLOST IV.  Please be advised that early voting began on February 25th and will run until March 15th at 736 Whitlock Avenue from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Regular voting on SPLOST IV will take place at your assigned precinct on March 19th.  For more information click here to see FAQs regarding SPLOST IV.

Spring Book Fair

The Scholastic Spring Book Fair is coming to Pitner.  Our book fair will run from Monday, 2/28 through Friday, 3/1 from 7:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m. each day with the exception of Thursday.  On Thursday, we'll be open until 6:30, in conjunction with Bedtime, Books, and Brownies.  Information regarding Bedtime, Books, and Brownies is being sent home along with the book fair flyer.  Please look over the letter and flyer.  Click here for more information as well as how to shop online!  Yes, you can even make book fair purchases from home.  Your books will be delivered to the school and sent home with your student.

Come on out to our Scholastic book fair!  We look forward to seeing you there!

Bedtime, Books, and Brownies

We'll be having our annual bedtime, books, and brownies on Thursday, 2/28 from 6:00-7:30.  The book fair will be open until 6:30.  Come out and enjoy some stories and brownies.

You’re Invited to a Dinner a Dialogue with the Principal!

Please join Mrs. Hill on Thursday, February 7^th to learn about the new SPLOST and the new National Common Core Curriculum.  Dinner will be provided by Chase Bank and Northside Psychological Services and served from 5:00 – 6:00.  We will have a brief PTSA meeting before the presentation from Mrs. Hill.  Childcare is available for our kindergarten thru fifth grade students.  Please RSVP at 678-594-8320 by February 4^th. Please click here to see the invitation.

Please join us for a Lunch & Learn with the Principal!

Mrs. Hill will be presenting a repeat session on the new SPLOST and the new National Common Core Curriculum on Wednesday, February 13^th at 11:00 a.m.  Lunch will be provided by the Pitner PTSA.  Please RSVP at 678-594-8320 by February 8^th.  Please click here to see the invitation.

Police Presence

Please be aware that you might see a police officer here at our school.  The police department is trying to "re-work" their image.  They would like for us all to know that they are here to support us anytime, not just when there is a problem.  With that being said, please be sure to continue to stop by the office and pick up a visitor's badge when you are here to visit your child's classroom or have lunch with your child.

Cobb County Alerts

If you are interested in staying abreast of news and alerts in the the Cobb County area, you may sign up for PENS (Police Email Notificiation System)/NIXLE alerts by clicking here to register.

In Case of Inclement Weather...

If there happens to be inclement weather, please listen/watch WSB (channel 2) for school closings.  Please consider signing up for a text alert via your cell phone.  If you're interested in signing up for the text alert, please click here.

PTSA/Principal's Perspective - date change

The PTSA/Principal's Perspective meeting date has been changed to Thursday, 2/7/13.  This meeting will include information about the new Common Core Curriculum, the new assessments our students are required to take, and how to support our children at home.  This meeting will also be an informational meeting regarding the SPLOST as well as a monthly PTSA meeting.  We hope everyone can be in attendance.  We will also have a lunch and learn on Wednesday, 2/13/13 at 11:00 in the media center if you aren't able to attend the meeting on the 7th.  We look forward to sharing some valuable information.

Christmas at Piedmont Church

Piedmont Church in Marietta will be having "Christmas at Piedmont" this weekend.  There will be 17 schools performing, as well as crafters, inflatables, food, and more.  Some of the proceeds from this event will come to Pitner.  Please click here to see a copy of the flyer.  Christmas at Piedmont will be Friday, 12/14 from 5:00-9:00 p.m. and again, Saturday, 12/15 from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Breakfast with Santa

Thank you for making Breakfast with Santa a great success! Santa pictures are now ready to view. There was a problem with the link given out at the event, so there is now a new link. It will be on the Eblast and will also be on the Pitner website. We apologize for the inconvenience.

 Here is the new link: https://picasaweb.google.com/pitnerptsa/
PitnerBreakfastWithSanta201203

Angel Tree Gifts

If you haven't already done so, please consider taking a gift request off of our angel tree in the front lobby and help members of our community this holiday season.  If you have already chosen an item off the tree, please know that the unwrapped gifts are due no later than Monday, December 10th.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our counselors.

Breakfast with Santa/Holiday Shoppe

The Holiday shoppe will be open beginning tomorrow, 11/28.  This is a great place to go and get gifts for your list.  Also, breakfast with Santa is this Saturday, 12/1/12 in the cafeteria.  There is a slight entrance fee.  Chick-fil-A biscuits will also be sold for $2.50.  There will be a variety of vendors here as well.

A Few Reminders...

Be sure to run your clocks back an hour tomorrow night!  We "fall back" into winter this weekend.

Make sure you don't park in the Fire Lane.  You will receive a ticket for $135.00

Also, if there are transportation changes, please send in a hand-written note to your childs' teacher.

Also, don't forget that Tuesday, November 6th is election day.  Please remember to go out and vote.  Also, Tuesday is a teacher workday/student holiday, so you will see cars in the parking lots, but students do not have school.

Conference Week - 10/22-10/26

Just a friendly reminder that students are dismissed at 12:15 all next week due to conferences.  We look forward to seeing you at your conference.  There will be no need to stop by the office to get a visitor's badge, just proceed to your child's class.

Red Ribbon Week/Annual Food Drive

Our Red Ribbon Week is right around the corner.  Please click here to see what is being planned to honor being Drug Free.

We will also be collecting canned goods for our annual Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive.  For more information about what we need and the specific types of canned goods, please click here.

Pitner Elementary in the News

Pitner was just featured in the Marietta Daily Journal and the Acworth Community Magazine in regards to a generous donation from Mr. Paul Letalien, owner of Archer Restoration.  Please be sure to click Marietta Daily Journal and Acworth Community Magazine to read the entire articles.  Thanks again Mr. Letalien!  We greatly appreciate your support!

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to our Cafe' Staff for earning the Golden Achievement Award from the Food and Nutrition Office.

Book Fair

Our annual fall book fair is right around the corner.  Beginning Thursday, October 4th, our book fair will be happening in the media center from 7:15-3:00 each day.  If you are interested in ordering a book from our on-line book fair, please click here.

Thank you!
Thank you to Mrs. Sylvia Snyder for making the donation on behalf of Bill "Papa" Snyder so that our children could have access to the First in Math program!! Your generous gift will help support or Pitner Patriots and allow them to have some fun with math!!

Rise up, Fuel up with Milk Contest
This is a contest in which the school with the highest percent increase of milk consupmtion in the state from October 1 to October 31, will receive a pep rally with the Falcons player. Please encourage your student(s) to drink milk with their breakfast and lunch here at school.

Fifth Grade Raffle
The fifth grade PTSA committee is raffling off a set of Dr. Dre headphones during Breakfast with Santa in December. You do not have to be present to win. If you are interested, please click here to download the flyer and get your raffle tickets.

Common Core
A Georgia Common Core video is posted on our website and gives information about the standards for our students. Click here to view the video.

Picture Days
Sorry for a previous posting that picture days would be held on Monday, 8/20 and Tuesday, 8/21. Fall pictures will actually be on Tuesday, 8/21 for students in Kindergarten through 2nd Grade. Pictures for students in grades 3 - 5 will be on Wednesday, 8/22. This information is also reflected on the Pitner Calendar. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Water Bottles allowed on Buses
In an effort to minimize heat related illnesses that could occur on school buses, we are asking for your assistance to inform parents and staff regarding the following transportation protocol to begin August 13, 2012, the first day of school;

1. Bus drivers will allow ALL students K-12, to bring water only on the bus during their PM bus ride only. Water containers should have a secure twist-on lid. No cups with snap on lids and no straws please. We will follow this protocol until further notice. We anticipate following this protocol through the month of September.
2. Buses will operate with windows open and utilizing roof hatches in the correct position to optimize air flow.

Thank You!
The faculty, staff and students would like to thank Wildwood Baptist Church's Youth Group and their youth pastor, Mr. Huey for spending a week to help clean our school.  They washed walls, chairs, furniture and trash cans, weeded the front area, pressure washed the front and helped with lots of other projects. We appreciate their hard work and dedication.

Thank you!!!
We would like t o extend a great big THANK YOU to Mission for Life Church for donating to our Annual Book Giveaway!

It is with great anticipation that we look towards implementing a new set of standards, the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS), in August 2012! Please read here for more information.

Dress Code
As the days begin to get warmer and longer, please be sure that the dress code is in adherence. Please click here to view specific dress code specifications from the handbook.

Mrs. Hill mentioned on the PNN that straps on shirts should be at least 3 fingers wide and shorts/skirts/skorts should be below your child's longest finger when their arms are relaxed at their sides.  If you have any questions about a specific garment's appropriateness, please consult the local school administration.

School Fire Lane Regulations
From the Department of Public Safety:

On March 26th an email was sent to Principals concerning Fire Lane Changes.

Per the Fire Marshall's Office, no one is allowed to park in a Fire Lane, whether there is a driver in the vehicle or not, at any time other than the following:

• 30 minutes prior to the end of the school day and 30 minutes after the end of the school day (this does not include the After School Program nor any other activity at the school)
• passengers actively loading or unloading during the day (this would cover students unloading in the morning at the beginning of the school day)

The only time a vehicle would be allowed in a Fire Lane would be to actively drop-off and/or pick-up a student where there is no waiting. Other times, such as After School Program or after school activities would not be included.

To download the new policy, please click here.