As we close another school year at Montgomery Elementary, let us not forget that learning is an every moment of every day experience. School may be over until next August, but each of us, young and old, can continue to learn on a daily basis. I wish you all a very happy and safe summer holiday. I wish you and your children time together to be creative and have fun. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you parents, our staff, The Mustang Foundation, our Parent-Teacher Association, and … [Read more...]

It seems as though Spring has finally sprung. Amazingly, there are only three and a half weeks left of school! Please mark your calendars:  the last school day for PreK students is Friday, May 17 and for all other grades is Thursday, May 23. We plan to end the year on the best note yet. On Wednesday, May 22 all Montgomery families are invited to a Family Picnic that will include festival-like activities. Opening ceremonies will begin with a parade. Following the parade, half of the children … [Read more...]

The calendar might indicate Spring but Mother Nature has had a hard time letting Winter go. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures we've had, our school calendar marches on. Spring Break is around the corner, and the school will be closed April 8th – April 12th. I hope you have a fun and safe week. We have wrapped up another round of Benchmark Testing and are preparing for CRCT testing in April. Please mark your calendars with the following dates for CRCT testing for 3rd, 4th and 5th … [Read more...]

The second semester started off with a bang and is flying by. I have several updates below to keep everyone up to speed. By now most of you know that Dr. Cheryl Atkinson has resigned as Superintendent of the DCSS. On February 8th, the DeKalb Board of Education appointed Michael Thurmond, former Labor Commissioner, as interim Superintendent. And last night, the Georgia Board of Education voted unanimously to recommend that Governor Nathan Deal suspend six of the nine members of the DeKalb … [Read more...]

I hope that everyone had a wonderful, restful Winter Break and enjoyed quality time with your children. In light of the horrible tragedy in CT that occurred just before we adjourned for break, I want to inform you that teachers, staff, and administrators are implementing additional security measures here at Montgomery. Everyone must now announce themselves and request entry prior to being buzzed into the building. We will no longer let people in who are asking for directions -- those … [Read more...]

As we prepare for the upcoming holidays and begin to focus on our individual or family rituals, I want to encourage all of you to take the time to reflect, give thanks for our blessings and good fortunes, and don't forget to give your beloved ones a big bear hug. I know that during these busy times, we're often blitzed with many activities that put high demand on our daily schedules, so it's very important to celebrate and maintain a positive outlook. With this in mind and with a sense of … [Read more...]

It is my hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving Holiday and a restful break. It’s hard to believe that the first half of the school year is almost over, and Winter Break is right around the corner. The last day of school this semester is Friday, December 21st. Winter Break begins on Monday, December 24th and ends on Monday, January 7th, with the students returning on Tuesday, January 8th. Please mark your calendars accordingly. The next round of Benchmark Testing will commence in early … [Read more...]

Fall is upon us, and testing is behind us. This week, we wrapped up CogAT, ITBS, and SLO testing. The CogAT and ITBS are national tests that measure a student’s potential and whether or not they are meeting that potential. The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) offers three batteries of tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal/Spatial Symbols) designed to measure students’ learned reasoning abilities. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is a nationally standardized achievement test available to … [Read more...]

The 2012/2013 school year is off to a great start! We hit the ground running August 13th and haven’t slowed down yet. Classroom rosters, schedules, and expectations have been established, and the children have settled into their routines. There are currently 675 students enrolled at Montgomery, and all are being challenged. The Core Curriculum was adopted by the state of Georgia and 43 other states last year. As a result, the rigor of our curriculum has increased to meet that of other … [Read more...]

It is a privilege to lead this learning community during a time of incredible change and tremendous possibilities. Our challenge is to embrace the future and assure that our students are properly prepared to become leaders in this exciting world. In order to accomplish this monumental task we must provide the following: a high level of personalization in every aspect of a student's school experience, recognition for individual and group accomplishments, and for diligence and hard work, and an … [Read more...]