GradyGram | Week of August 10

Parents,

Teachers returned to work this past week and have been very busy attending professional learning classes and meeting with their content area teammates as they prepare for the return of virtual learning and teaching. We will be ready to welcome students August 24th.

The week of August 17th we have virtual sessions scheduled for a type of "Meet and Greet" and orientation sessions for all students and parents. Look for specific information in next Sunday's GradyGram.

We will also have chromebook distribution that week for families who indicated in the APS device survey that they needed one. The device survey that we sent in numerous ways was to determine who needed a device and who did not need a device. Every family needed to complete that survey.

This week I will be both posting online and mailing a Grady Knights FAQ so that students will be able to productively engage Day One with their teachers and classmates. Starting the school year online with the 4x4 schedule is quite different from how we engaged during the 4x8 schedule March-May 2020 learning period.

We will continue to have clubs and activities in this virtual environment (VE).  We are focusing on what we CAN DO and not what we CAN'T DO.

Be attentive and responsive to all communication that comes out from Grady as well as the district. It's all important at this point.

Betsy Bockman, Ph.D.
Principal

Suggested School Supplies
While teachers will have a few more specific items on their syllabus, here are universal supplies that Grady High School students frequently need:

notebook paper
graph paper (math)
compass (geometry)
protractor (geometry)
colored pencils (art and math)
sketchpad (art)
pencils
pencil sharper
eraser
ruler
headphones with mic (music, theater, and world languages)
9' jump rope (PE)
resistance bands (PE)

Student Schedules
Student schedules will be available on Infinite Campus on August 14.

Grady 2020-2021 Registration

Virtual School Schedule
Please click on image to download the PDF.

Senior Class Meeting

Grady Naming Committee Meeting
Tuesday, August 11, 5pm

APS Scholarship Seminars

Backpack & School Supplies
Sign up by August 12 for your school supplies & backpack

Atlanta Public Schools is partnering with the Empty Stocking Fund to make sure you are prepared for the new school year. Sign up by August 12 for a Day 1 Back-to-School Bash backpack filled with school supplies, that can be picked up at Grady during Runway Week, August 17-21. Sign-up HERE.

One Time EBT Benefits

REGISTER FOR YOUR STUDENT'S ONE-TIME EBT BENEFIT

The State of Georgia is providing a one-time allotment of $256.50 per eligible child, as part of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act. Any student who attended Grady or another APS school last year is eligible. If your family already receives SNAP benefits, this should have already been added to your account in July. All others must apply here by September 25. Apply HERE.

For more information about P-EBT click here. You will need your child's Georgia Testing Identification Number (GTID) to complete the application process. This number can be found in Parent Portal by following the steps below:

Login to Parent Portal
Select More (on the left side of the screen - in the black box)
Select GTID (in the middle of the screen - in the white box)
The GTID number will populate and you can copy and paste into the application
You can switch between students in your household in the upper right corner of the screen

Student Meals
Order My Meals! Starting August 24 – the first day of school – APS meals will only be distributed to APS students. All APS families must pre-order meals for each week through the MySchoolBucks online pre-order system. Those orders must be placed no later than one week before distribution. For example, for the five-day meal bag on Monday, September 7, your order must be placed no later than Monday, August 31. Once in the pre-order system, you can select whether you will pick up the meals at one of the 12 school distribution sites listed above or if your meals should be delivered via one of the middle school bus routes identified. Families paying for meals will need to submit payment through the MySchoolBucks online payment system. Schools will not be collecting money for school meals.

Students at 21 Federal Eligibility Application Schools must Apply for Free or Reduced Meals Starting this school year, the district resumes the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program and will only provide food for qualifying students. There are 54 APS schools that will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which provides all students in those 4 schools with free breakfast and lunch. However, 21 APS schools will participate in the Federal Eligibility Application (FEA) program, which offers free and reduced meals to qualifying students. All students at FEA schools must apply to qualify for free or reduced meals by completing the online FEA form. Free meals will continue for all students for the first 30 days of school. After the first 30 days of school, students at those 21 FEA schools will pay full price for meals until their FEA application is approved, and their eligibility status is sent to the school.

To apply for free and reduced meals, click HERE.

Grady 2020-2021 Yearbooks
We MAY have to adapt our traditional way of gathering content for the Grady Yearbook to new forums. Of course things may get a whole lot better in terms of COVID and we revert to the traditional way. But let's prepare for either scenario. Please take this quick 3-question survey so we can get started with your ideas in mind! Please complete by August 15. Thanks so much for your feedback!!

Order Your Yearbooks Now!!!
Four Free Icons Added From Now Until 9-18-2020
Parents everywhere are trying to help their children regain a sense of normalcy and to reconnect with their friends and their schools during this upcoming school year. One way to do this is to purchase a yearbook for your child before the back-to-school rush. Yearbooks serve to document the school year’s activities so that years from now, your child will look back on what will be a memorable school year. This year, the yearbook staff will be encouraging students and staff to submit their own stories and pictures for possible publication in this year’s yearbook. So, order your child’s yearbook now! These are the lowest prices of the year and payment plans are available. You can also get four free icons on your yearbook from now until September 18^th. So don’t wait. Order now HERE.

Surprise & Your Graduate!!!
Parents, do you have a child who will be graduating this school year? If so, show them how proud you are of their accomplishments by purchasing a Yearbook Recognition Ad. Gather their personal pictures and include a special message celebrating this major accomplishment in their lives. What will really make this special will be for you to not tell them that you have purchased a recognition ad. When the yearbooks come back and your graduate sees that special page dedicated to them, tears of joy will flow. So, remember, celebrate and surprise your graduate by purchasing a senior recognition ad.
Go to jostensyearbooks.com now! Deadline: November 9^th, 2020!!!

Senior Picture Retakes
Approximately 228 seniors have not taken their senior pictures yet.
In order to accomodate these remaining seniors, we will retake senior pictures from 3:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on September 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th in the Grady cafeteria. This will be for caps & gowns and formals only.

Seniors should receive an e-mail and a mailer stating their appointment times. If for any reason you do not receive an appointment by Wednesday, September 23rd, please email Mrs. G. Blair, and be prepared to have your pictures taken on Thursday, September 24th.

FAQ about the 2020-2021 School Year
We all want information, and we are working hard to provide what we can knowing that details and plans are in the works at all times. HERE are some questions and answers that will prove useful.

IMPORTANT DATES

General Grady News

College & Career Center + Counselors' Corner

Sports

Volunteer Opportunities