Check out our STEAM Newsletter for First Quarter

Yearbook

The 2025-2026 Yearbook is here! 5th Grade Ads due November 1. Don’t miss out on the memories, laughs, and all the SPARK magic!

CLICK HERE to order

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Let’s share and care this Thanksgiving season by helping families in need. From November 3–14, we’re collecting food donations by grade level!

Donation Guide:

• Pre-K: Boxed items (stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese)

• Kindergarten: Boxed items (cornbread, rice, Jell-O)

• 1st Grade: Canned items (green beans, corn, veggies)

• 2nd Grade: Canned items (cranberry sauce, yams, soup/chili)

• 3rd Grade: Canned items (diced tomatoes, broth, fruit)

• 4th Grade: Canned meats (chicken, salmon, tuna)

• 5th Grade: Dessert mixes (cookies, cake, pie, vegetable oil)

Please place donations in the bin on your grade-level hallway. Every item helps make someone’s Thanksgiving brighter! 

SAVE the DATE! - Thanksgiving Luncheons

Please save the date for SPARK”s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheons!  Dates for each grade level are below.  Times can be found here.  Families that plan to attend and eat an adult meal should purchase their meal through MySchoolBucks no later than Friday, October 31.  The link for purchase is here!  

• 11/18 - K & 3rd

• 11/19 - 1st & 4th

• 11/20 - PK, 2nd & 5th 

Free and Reduced Lunch Application 

As a reminder, families can apply for Free & Reduced Lunch at any point during the school year! If your financial situation changes, you can submit an application anytime — even after the school year has started.

CLICK HERE to apply.

Parent Feedback Survey

APS wants to hear from you! The APS Parent Feedback Survey is open November 1–30. Take just 7 minutes to share your thoughts and help strengthen our school community. CLICK HERE to take the survey. 

Your feedback helps us grow in areas like:

• Building strong parent partnerships

• Supporting student success

Rising Rams Night - Rising 6th Grade Families

Please consider attending the Rising Rams event at D.T. Howard Middle School on November 18th and 5:30pm.  Rising 6th graders and their families will receive more information about the offerings at Howard and the transition process.  

One Fair Judges Needed — Come See Learning in Action!
Do you love seeing student projects come to life? Lend your expertise as a judge at SPARK’s One Fair. You will chat with students about their ideas in science, technology, engineering, and social studies and help us celebrate their hard work.

• When: Friday, December 5, 2025, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

• Fill out this form if interested.

Garden Lights & Makers Market

Please save the date for SPARK’s annual Garden Lights and Makers Market!  Sign ups for student vendors will be available soon!

• Grades PK-2: December 10, 5:30pm

• Grades 3-5: December 11, 5:30pm

Volunteer Opportunities 

CLICK HERE to learn about volunteer opportunities at SPARK and how to obtain your volunteer clearance! From volunteering at SPARK Community Events to volunteering in the SPARK Media Center/Library - there’s an opportunity for everyone! 

Dismissal Changes

If your child has a permanent change, their permanent bag tag should be updated.  For example, now that clubs have started and they are in Art Club every Monday, their permanent bag tag needs to reflect this.  For dismissal changes, email your child’s teacher and Mrs. Taylor at Odette.Taylor@atlanta.k12.ga.us. All dismissal changes must be requested before 12:00 PM each day. 

Absent? If your child is absent, please send your written excuse to Mrs. Taylor and your child’s teacher so that it can be properly recorded.  

Dear SPARK Families,

As we enter this season of gratitude, we invite you to join us in sharing and caring through our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, taking place November 3–14. Together, we can make a real difference for families in need, right here in our own community.

With the current pause in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, many families are experiencing food insecurity. Because our schoolwide PBL focus centers on fighting food insecurity, this effort is especially meaningful as we work to meet that challenge head-on.

Donation Guide by Grade Level:

• Pre-K: Boxed items (stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese)

• Kindergarten: Boxed items (cornbread, rice, Jell-O)

• 1st Grade: Canned items (green beans, corn, veggies)

• 2nd Grade: Canned items (cranberry sauce, yams, soup/chili)

• 3rd Grade: Canned items (diced tomatoes, broth, fruit)

• 4th Grade: Canned meats (chicken, salmon, tuna)

• 5th Grade: Dessert mixes (cookies, cake, pie, vegetable oil)

Our Student Council, in collaboration with SPARK staff, will use your donations to assemble food boxes for families in our school, each complete with a turkey donated by a local organization. Any remaining food will stock our SPARK Food Pantry, where families can “shop” for items they need.

In addition, our amazing SPARK PTO has launched two initiatives to support this effort:

1. Fund the SNAP Gap: Donations to this fund will help us provide grocery gift cards for families impacted by the SNAP pause. Scan the QR code below to donate.
   

2. Volunteer at the SPARK Pantry: PTO will open the pantry during designated hours and needs volunteers to staff this effort. Sign up through SPARK’s Volunteer Hub if you can help.
   
   

If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please reach out to Emily.Price@Springdaleparkelementary.org.

As we reflect and count our blessings this time of year, please know how deeply grateful we are for the unwavering support of our SPARK community. Whether you’re chaperoning a field trip, creating goodie bags for Candy Crawl, organizing class treats, or cheering on our students, you make SPARK the warm and caring place it is. We couldn’t do this without you.

With heartfelt thanks,
Dr. Jennifer Toney