The FAST Flyer

Wasn’t Thursday’s music program exceptional?! I love that we have the space here at FAST to give our students the opportunity to explore music and share their new skills with the people that love them the most. One of the songs that the children sang was entitled, “A Million Little Snowflakes”. The words are very simple but they speak to how I feel as principal of FAST.

A million little snowflakes

Falling from the sky.

Everyone is different

As it passes by.

Floating all around us

How they make us smile

A million little snowflakes

Are only here a while.

Each student here is a special part of our community, a snowflake. As I walk through the school, especially our outside areas, the students float around smiling, laughing, playing, like snowflakes. It’s wonderful to be in that kind of snowfall. These children may only be with us for a short period of their life but I will remember them forever.

The FAST Lego Robotics teams led by innovation teacher Ms. Wilson competed last weekend against teams from across the state. PTO funded teacher grants allowed for all three FAST robotics teams to have brand new sets with which to compete. Students donned their custom team t-shirts and set out to compete. Their hard work and innovation paid off as they came home with a trophy! Congratulations to all!

Our first Holiday Jubilee was a great success! A big thank you goes out to FAST music teacher, Mr. Hendry for all of the time and work that went into making the student performances a special event for everyone. We also want to thank the PTO and parent volunteers who helped coordinate the logistics. We don't often think about all of the coordination and effort that goes into an event like this long before the students take the stage -- not to mention the clean up after. We had a great crowd in attendance including many parents, grandparents, siblings, and even our students' bus driver! The mamarazzi and paparazzi were all here. If you missed the performance or just want to see it again, we live streamed each grade on the FAST Facebook page so you can find the recordings there.

MicroSociety is canceled for Friday, December 16. After school care will be available for those who need it. Please be sure you plan accordingly if your student normally attends MicroSociety on Friday afternoons.

Yearbooks for the 2022-23 school year can be pre-ordered now! Go to ww.balfour.com to order yours today. Yearbook ads are also available for purchase, see attached flyer for details.

Registration for GaSTC Programming Challenge is now open for students in grades 7-12. The application deadline December 16, 2022.
This virtual challenge is on Saturday, January 21st, 2023 and runs on the ACTE competition platform.
Students will register themselves using this link. Teams of 1-3 people only.

Only one registration per team is needed. There is a section on the registration form to add a teacher's contact information so teachers can receive all the communication. Regional Programming Challenge Competition Link

Tours for prospective FAST families have begun! If you know of anyone considering applying or who might be interested, please let them know they can schedule a tour today from our website. Applications for the 2023-24 school year open on January 1.

Our new data clerk has been training this week. We hope to have all records updated before break. We appreciate your patience as we work through this transition.

After winter break, our middle school students will no longer be permitted to bring their laptops home from school. Students will be required to return their devices to the charging cart in their classroom at the end of each day beginning in January. Until that time, please be sure that they are charging their devices overnight and bringing them to school each day.

The next Parent University with Ms. Miller will be held on January 19, 2023. Mark your calendar now. Is there a topic you would like to learn more about? Let us know, it could be the topic of a future meeting.

As a reminder, students are not permitted to use cell phones at all during the day. This is a policy change from last year and applies to all students (including all middle schoolers). If a student has a cell phone with them at school, it should be in their backpack or locker. Additionally, they should not have bluetooth headphones in during the school day.

All students are expected to be in uniform every day with the exception of approved out of uniform days. Please note that the only hoodies permitted are FAST hoodies for middle schoolers only. We appreciate our parents supporting this by ensuring your students are dressed appropriately when you drop them off for school.

It’s time for Winter Parties - please be on the look out for emails about the winter parties. If you would like, please help by contributing to grade level funds. These funds not only help with parties, but in getting classroom items for the teachers. You can contribute here: My Account and then going to make a donation.

Its also a great time to thank the teachers, staff, and administration for all they do. We have a wonderful group here that give so much to our students. Please consider sending a homemade or handwritten card filled with kind sentiments before the winter break. Teachers hold notes of sentiment near and dear to their hearts! In addition, please feel free to gift the teachers with a gift card, a gift basket, a treat you think they would like, anything that you feel would brighten their day and remind them that they are appreciated!

Favorite things list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LLgLClHykskMQgUkXNjySvp8Qcn_qthrRv4k2rv0ISc/edit?pli=1#gid=1072051680

Don’t forget the specials teachers (Art, Music, TAG, Innovation, Coding, Health, PE) are an integral part of your child's school experience as well. Of course Ms. Miller and her hard working admin team would adore a note of sentiment as well. A little bit of kindness goes a long way and reminds us all of what matters most!

Come check out the FAST holiday tree at Roswell's Town Square, 610 Atlanta St.! It will light up blue when it's dark. More than 30 trees of various organizations are on display as part of the city's Deck the Square.

We need parent volunteers on the weekends to volunteer to put the garden to the bed for the winter by cleaning out the beds and spreading the mulch. We can get this done quickly if a few people volunteer. Please contact Jennifer Farnham, PTO Academic Enrichment Chair farnham.jenn@gmail.com for more details.

The Parent Classroom Volunteer Program has begun!

Time slots are approx. 30 mins long between 10:30am - 12:30pm. Perfect for a quick break from your regular work day!

SIGN UP HERE!

Please SIGNUP to donate items to Stock the Staff Lounge in December! Individually

Wrapped snacks and beverages needed!

Stock the Teacher's Lounge - December

Dec. 14-15: Winter Parties

Dec. 16: Last Day of Semester

Dec. 19-Jan. 2: Winter Break

Jan. 3: Teacher Work Day

Jan. 4: First Day of Semester

Jan. 19: Parent U

A printable version of the school calendar can be found HERE

To keep up to date with the most recent information available from our district offices, please click on the image below.

Email: info@fastk8.org
Website: www.fastk8.org
Location: 11365 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 678-321-1100
Facebook: facebook.com/FASTK8.School/
Twitter: @fastk8charter

The FAST Flyer is the electronic newsletter at FAST. Feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions, please call the school (678-321-1100) or email the FAST Communications Director at marie.emerson@fastk8.org.