3455 Coal Mountain Drive Cumming, GA 30028

Phone: 770-887-7705 Fax: 770-781-2286

Coal Mountain Elementary

Mining For Coal . . . . . . . .

Discovering Diamonds

Dear Parents,

You must come by and visit our outdoor gardens! Suzanne Geddes

and Denise Webb have worked countless hours over the last several

months to plan and prepare for a fantastic outdoor garden for all of our

students to experience. Crystal Lee and our special education

department continue to enhance our sensory garden also.

Additionally, we have had wonderful volunteers spend long hours at

CMES, donating both time and resources, to make all of this happen.

We want to thank Rodney Weems of Weems Construction for

building our storage shed and raised beds. We also want to thank

Kinsey Family Farm, for donating several plants and soil for our beds

in the front and Christina Hubbard of Christina’s Organic

Vegetables, who donated seedlings and some seed for our beds.

Suzanne Geddes also purchased seeds for our garden. This week,

several members of the United Way came to CMES to work in our

gardens and improve our landscaping. This was part of the United

Way Day of Caring and they all did an outstanding job…working

hard all day in the HOT weather! Please view the video clip on the

CMES Facebook page. From all of us at CMES… we THANK

YOU!!

Kim and I both feel so fortunate to work at a school that exemplifies

commitment to excellence and a genuine caring for our students. Our

teachers are committed to providing the best experience possible for all

of our students. We are also committed to building a positive

schoolimage throughout our community and state…we want CMES to

SHINE! With that said, there are always instances that you may hear

information that you sometimes aren’t sure of or don’t understand.

Empowering

Young Minds

for a Bright

Future

Important Dates:

September 20 School

Pictures

September 26 Early Release

October 11-18

Scholastic Book Fair 7:15-3:00

Debbie Smith, Principal Jan Munroe, Assistant Principal

January 21, 2010

Debbie Smith, Principal Kim Fox, Assistant Principal

September 14, 2012

No doubt, in the age of social media, these items can be posted for others to view, which may

cause additional angst and misunderstanding. Please know, we have an open door policy at

Coal Mountain. If you ever have concerns, we are a phone call away. Also, please keep in

mind, this is our “life’s work” and we will do everything within our power to make your

child’s experience a positive one. We want our parents and our community members to

partner with us to make this a truly special school.

Finally, I am so proud to announce that Forsyth County and the City of Cumming have once

again been chosen as One of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s

Promise Alliance and ING U.S. This national award, submitted by United Way of Forsyth

County and Forsyth County Schools, was given to Cumming/Forsyth County to recognize its

outstanding and innovative work in addressing the high school dropout crisis and for its

programs and services that make it an outstanding place for youth to live, learn and grow.

You can read more about the distinguished award at the Forsyth County web site

(www.forsyth.k12.ga.us).

Thank you for your continued support for our students and our faculty.

Debbie and Kim

FROM THE READING MINE........

WHY READ ALOUD?

Children may not always admit it, but they LOVE being read to aloud. Time spent reading aloud is valuable to them. They are never too old to be read to. But reading aloud often stops as our children learn to read on their own. When children are read to aloud it helps them develop and improve literacy skills. Also, children listen on a higher level than they read, listening to other readers stimulates growth and understanding of vocabulary and language patterns.

Please try this fun and engaging activity with your children: Read a picture book (don’t show the pictures) or a few pages from a chapter book. After reading, ask them to draw pictures of the setting, the main characters, or their favorite part. When you see the pictures you may be surprised by the different ways they interpreted the same story.

"Reading aloud is a commercial for reading. ...Think of it this way: McDonald's doesn't stop advertising just because the vast majority of Americans know about its restaurants. Each year it spends more money on ads to remind people how good its products taste. " Jim Trelease

Fall Picture Time!

Our Fall pictures will be taken by Ananchel Photography on Thursday, September 20, 2012.

All students and staff will have their pictures taken for the school yearbook.

A proof of your child will be sent home for you to place your order. Payment will be due once you

place your order.

The Melodies on the Mountain chorus

will perform at the Gwinnett

Gladiators game on Sat. October 20th.

The chorus students will sing the

“National Anthem” at the beginning of

the game. Tickets will be sold to all

students and friends of Coal Mountain.

Tickets will be purchased through the

school. Mrs. Turbeville will send more

information as it comes from the

Gladiators.

Counselor’s Corner

Science Lab

For the month of September, classroom guidance lessons for Kindergarten and First Grade will focus on listening and cooperation

skills, as well as developing positive work habits. Second through Fifth Grade students will be learning study skills, time management skills

and personal responsibility for their learning.

GOOD HOMEWORK HABITS

Try these parent tested tips to help improve homework time.

1. Review and sign your child's agenda/folder daily.

2. Set a regular homework “time range.”

3. Have a regular homework study space.

4. Provide needed supplies (pencil, paper, markers, etc.)

5. Allow for short study breaks.

6. Respect your child's study time – no interruptions by TV, phone or visits.

7. TURN OFF THE TV and ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

Public Speaking and Drama are new on the mountain as a class this year. While all teachers integrate public

speaking with oral reports delivered in each period, there has not previously been a class dedicated to this

very necessary art form.

We have the opportunity to work with 1st and 2nd graders and introduce them to the factors which produce a

good oral presentation. We also have some RTI enrichment groups devoted to the upper classes for the

purpose of developing good public speakers.

Students are being introduced to the basic rules necessary to present an award winning oratory. At the same

time, they are learning to be confident speakers. Our goal is to prepare them to be comfortable with

themselves as well as being in front of a crowd.

Projection is a primary concentration in successful public speaking, along with correct stance, concentrating

(focus), enunciation, body language, facial expression, and gesturing.

The secondary aspect of this class is drama. Drama allows students freedom of expression on the stage. It

cannot be adequately presented without correctly using the basic rules of public speaking. Dramatic principals

are also necessary to accentuate public speaking. Public speaking and Drama are basically inseparable.

As we practice the rules of public speaking, we are in the process of developing a Christmas program which

will incorporate and demonstrate the afore mentioned areas of concentration. All students will be invited to

participate.

More information regarding the Christmas program will follow.

Any parents interested in assisting with Drama / Public speaking are encouraged to contact us and see how we

might work together to accomplish these newly installed goals.

wclements@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Thank you,

Wayne Clements and Robin Mitchell

REWARD ROOM

CMES is looking for donations for a Reward Room to be located within the school.

If you have any items that you would like to donate to the school for this project, please email Michelle Alford at Miller16111@yahoo.com or if you have any questions about the Reward Room

contact Kara Lurie at 678-947-5224 or email her at kwlurie@bellsouth.net. Below are some examples of what may be in the room.

Creative Center - all kinds of paper, colored pencils, crayons, glue, stamps, stickers, drawing table(s),

Seating - small sofa, chairs, bean bags, activity table

Books for a Mini Library

Storage Containers

Board Games

A “loft” or wood to build a raised sitting/reading area or donation of time to build

Games - Nerf basketball goals or some type of basketball game. video, foosball, air hockey, ping

pong, chess, and card games, TV(s) for gaming devices, Wii, Xbox, games for gaming devices

Building - Legos, Blocks

Transportation - Trucks, cars, planes, Trains and track, pirate ships, race tracks, garages

Dinosaurs, farm animals, farm

Doll house and furnishings, Dolls

Play Kitchen - Grocery Store, plastic food, cash register, grocery cart

Puppet Theatre or Material to make one, puppets

Mats, educational or children throw rugs, Wall Decals, Posters

Art Matters !!!

We are having so much fun in the art room this year that some children are starting to dress up

in art supplies for class. This is one of our fourth grade students looking good in buttons, and

bows, and brushes???!!!

I love the enthusiasm!!!

Kindergarten and First Grade students are learning about different types of lines used in art.

We even did some sewing with yarn over our line designs!

Second Grade art classes are learning about landscapes in addition to warm and cool colors. My

third graders have been introduced to architecture and they built a 2-D tree house using

texture. Portraits and patterns are the areas we are covering in Fourth Grade. And finally the

Fifth Grade students held a classroom discussion on the famous painting “The Scream”. They

were amazed to find out the Fun Facts regarding the painting and why the artist painted it.

Ask them about the “science” behind the painting! Their own artistic interpretations of the

painting are amazing. Just as a little reminder, please have your child wear old clothes on the days their class has art. Sometimes we paint and do other “messy” and creative artwork! Wish List: Kleenex, 3 oz. Dixie cups, Paper or Styrofoam plates, Wipes, Heavy Duty

Foil

We are looking forward to another creative year on the mountain!!! Remember:

“Make Every Day a Masterpiece!”

Toni Sullivan, art teacher

Coal Mountain Elementary

Birthday / Special Occasion Book Club

We will be changing our birthday / special occasion book club at Coal Mountain. This is a great way to help out our school library and at the same time honor the birthday /

special occasion of your child. At the beginning of your child’s birthday / special

occasion month, your child will be able to choose a book from a special new book collection.

The book will receive a unique inscription inside with your child’s name and birth date. Your

child will be the very first to check it out from the library. In addition, a picture will be taken of

your child with their book and hung on the Birthday/Special Occasion Book Club display in the

lunchroom. (We will honor June and July birthdays / special occasions in May, and next years

August birthdays / special occasions in September.)

Please complete the form and return it with $17.00.

(Checks made out to Coal Mountain Elementary and please include your phone number on the check)

All Birthday / Special Occasion Book Club Donations are due by the end of the month before your child’s

birthday / special occasion.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please return to Coal Mountain Elementary Media Center

Child’s Name as you wish it to be inscribed (please print):

Child’s Birthday/ Special Occasion:

____________________________________________________

Teacher’s Name / Grade: _______________________________

Click on the website for more information:

http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/4294

Coal Mountain Elementary appreciates our business partners!

Cumming

Location

Northside

Forsyth

.

If you would like to be a Business Partner, please contact dsmith@forsyth.k12.ga.us