Audrey W. Garrett Elementary School

This week, February 13th-17th, is "Love the Bus" week! Please join us in celebrating our bus drivers and showing them lots of love throughout the week. Our school bus drivers work diligently to bring the students to school safely and get them home safely each and every day. In some cases, this is the first and last school employee that your child interacts with every day. For students that don’t ride the bus daily, the same drivers drive for our grade level field trips as well. Throughout the week, we will have valentine bags for each driver set up in the hallway. We encourage students to write them a note of appreciation or a special Valentine for all that they do for the students at Garrett. We will give these bags to the drivers on Friday. If you see your child’s bus driver at the bus stop this week, please give them an extra smile and tell them thank you as we celebrate Love the Bus week February 13th-17th. Bus Drivers with Bus Numbers Bus 6-- Mr. Edwards, AM route Bus 6-- Ms. Gladys, PM route Bus 43-- Ms. Ellison, AM and PM Route (part of 69 on Tues./Wed.) Bus 53-- Mr. Weichel, AM and PM Route (part of 69 on Tues./Wed.) Bus 51-- Ms. April, AM and PM Route Bus 69-- Ms. Worth, AM Route Bus 52-- Ms. Tee, PM Route Bus 351-- Mr. Haith, AM Route Bus 272-- Mr. Baker, AM and PM Route Ms. Janet sub driver both AM and PM Routes (69 PM route Mon.) Mr. Parham sub driver both AM and PM Routes (69 PM Route Thurs. and Fri.)

Good Morning, Bus 6 had a mechanical issue this morning and was not able to leave the school at his normal time. He is running about 35-40 minutes behind schedule. He left the lot about 7:05 and will run the route. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding.

🤗 BALLOONGRAMS EXTENDED 🤗 Don’t forget to order your Balloongrams ❤️🎈 PTO has extended the deadline until Monday, February 13th @ Noon ❤️🎈 (Google Order form link below). Payment via PTO Venmo (@gatorspto) or CashApp ($gatorspto) accounts include Balloon Grams in payment comments 🥰 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5oRpIyt6jP92vuBEvTiWBV1YfuUY9x81XfY7cSWof6Em4CA/viewform ❓❤️What’s a Valentine’s Balloon Gram❓Who are they for❓❤️ 🎈❤️🔖Balloon Grams are red mylar helium filled balloons with your personalized message attached! Each Balloon Gram cost $2 and can be sent to any staff member at The Swamp. PTO also, encourages you to send some extra LOVE, not only to your favorite current and past teachers & teacher assistants but to our Admin/Office Staff, Housekeeping: Mr. Larry, Mr. Ernest, Ms. Stefanie or anyone in the Cafeteria—& don’t forget our amazing specialized staff members/coaches, reading coaches, translators, hearing & speech specialists, etc! We can send you a list if need be 🥰🥰🥰 EMAIL US with any questions or concerns at GATORSPTO@GMAIL.COM

Garrett parents Mr. Davis would like to remind families that next week (Feb 13-17) will be our after school Tae Kwon Do program with Master Lee from Lee's White Tiger. For those interested, the classes will go from 2:35-3:15 each day, and the cost is $20 for the whole week. All money will go to the P.E. program. Your child will be given a registration form the day that they attend PE this week. This form must be returned in order for your child to attend this special after school event. Thank you, Mr. Davis

ABSS Kindergarten - Start Strong, Start Here! 🌠 We are committed to providing a foundation that will help our youngest learners build on their futures. Registration opens March 1st and our Fair is March 4th, 9am to Noon at Holly Hill Mall. https://youtu.be/Pu5mx20NMu8

💚🐊💙This is an Election Year for your PTO Board Members 💙🐊💚 📌🗓️🔔See flyer for important dates to remember. Please be on the look out for all forms and ballots in your Gator’s Friday Folders!📝🗳️📂 The nomination forms are going home this week. After completing your form you may send it back to your child’s homeroom teacher or there will be a box for them at the PTO Valentines Dance. All nominations must be turned in no later than February 20th.

https://abss.zoom.us/j/89143602335 Zoom link for tonight's PTO meeting at 5:30PM.

VALENTINES DANCE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 💃🏻🐊💃🏻With our PTO Valentine’s Dance quickly approaching we are calling on Garrett community members to help volunteer with anything from setting up, cleaning up, running concession stand, and raffle!  If you would like to help the PTO out for any amount of time the PTO would greatly appreciate your time! See the SignUp Genius Link below to sign up today!!!💃🏻🐊💃🏻 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C49A8A82CAAFB6-4thannual (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C49A8A82CAAFB6-4thannual)

📢Last call📢Deadline Extension ⏳ Gator families final reminder with a extension on ordering your Valentine’s dance special order items. These are only available by presale and to ensure availability of items the presale ends TOMORROW‼️ ♥️🐊🌹Remember that Gators’ PTO is offering a very gatorific way to show that Gator Love at our Valentine’s Dance, Friday, February 10th with a corsage and bouquet presale♥️🐊🌹 🐊Order Details🐊 💕All orders are preorder & prepay only. There are limited quantities. 💕Your order will be ready for pickup the night of our Valentine’s Dance (2/10) at the school. 💕Orders are due by end of day on Tuesday, February 7th. 💕Please use this order form, making sure to complete payment, otherwise your order will be marked incomplete & not placed. 📌Valentine’s Dance Corsage & Bouquet order form:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgdMK1m-k65qexrAelCpTAclpxDMIoH5Szs3o8cDR9Hv8Oug/viewform ♥️If you have any questions or concerns please email us at GatorsPTO@gmail.com

💚🐊💙JOIN US TOMORROW in the SCHOOL LIBRARY or VIA ZOOM @5:30pm—we have tons of exciting and LOVE filled things to discuss!!! Come see what’s happening in and around The Swamp!!!💕 🏎️💨A ZOOM LINK will be sent out via ABSS App and our FaceBook Page asap tomorrow! See you later Gator!!!💙🐊💚

💕🐊💕✨THIRD TIME is the CHARM✨ 🥰The entire Swamp is super excited because it’s time for our 3rd Annual Balloon Gram Sale! The Sale starts Monday through February 10th!!! (Google Order form link below). Payment via PTO Venmo (@gatorspto) or CashApp ($gatorspto) accounts include Balloon Grams in payment comments 🥰 ❤️❤️ LAST YEAR WE SOLD OVER 400 ❤️❤️ ❓❤️What’s a Valentine’s Balloon Gram❓ Who are they for❓❤️ 🎈❤️🔖Balloon Grams are red mylar helium filled balloons with your personalized message attached!  Each Balloon Gram cost $2 and can be sent to any staff member currently at The Swamp. PTO also, encourages you to send some extra LOVE, not only to your favorite current and past teachers & teacher assistants but to our Admin/Office Staff, Housekeeping: Mr. Larry, Mr. Ernest, Ms. Stefanie or anyone in the Cafeteria—& don’t forget our amazing specialized staff members/coaches, reading coaches, translators, hearing & speech specialists, encore teachers, etc!🥰🥰🥰 Thank you for all the love and support always!!! Gators ROCK & SHOW LOVE EVERY DAY!!!💕🎈❤️🐊🎈❤️💕 . . . https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-wCwMCPfHP-VfcrNO_yuke80TAv45rseCUTSLtOmobc/edit EMAIL US with any questions or concerns at GATORSPTO@GMAIL.COM

Gator Families-- We are excited to invite you to our 1st semester Gator Gathering Assembly to be held on Friday, February 3rd in the school’s gymnasium. We will be recognizing students for some of their accomplishments during the first half of the year and some of our students will be performing a song during the assembly. We hope to see you there! Kindergarten and First Grade **Beginning at 10:15 Second and Third Grade **Beginning at 9:15 Fourth and Fifth Grade **Beginning at 8:15 Please check your child's folder or the ABSS App for notification if your child will be recognized for an award.

Please read for some new and exciting information from our PTO for the upcoming Valentine's Family Dance: 🌹Roses are Red, 🐊Gators are true, 📌don’t miss this presale or 💙you’ll be blue…. ♥️🐊🌹Your Gators’ PTO is offering a very gatorific way to show that Gator Love at our Valentine’s Dance, Friday, February 10th with a corsage and bouquet presale♥️🐊🌹 🐊Order Details🐊 💕All orders are preorder & prepay only. There are limited quantities. 💕Your order will be ready for pickup the night of our Valentine’s Dance (2/10) at the school. 💕Orders are due by end of day on Monday, February 6th. 💕Please use this order form, making sure to complete payment, otherwise your order will be marked incomplete & not placed. 📌Valentine’s Dance Corsage & Bouquet order form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgdMK1m-k65qexrAelCpTAclpxDMIoH5Szs3o8cDR9Hv8Oug/viewform ♥️If you have any questions or concerns please email us at GatorsPTO@gmail.com

Save the date! January 30th from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Cummings High School. Parents and families can choose from a variety of sessions to help your child excel in their educational journey. Meet the Superintendent. A light dinner will be provided and childcare is available. More information here: https://www.abss.k12.nc.us/page/abss-family-university

Update Bus 272 (sub bus 105) is just now leaving the lot and beginning his route. Update: Bus 69 left the lot a few minutes after 7:00 to begin her route. Good Morning Gator Families: Bus 272 and bus 69 are delayed this morning due to mechanical issues. We are currently waiting on the bus garage and will leave the bus lot as soon as these buses are ready. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding.

Gator Families: Just a reminder that this week we have teacher workdays and there will be no school for students on Thursday and Friday.

❤️Kicking Off February with tons of GATOR LOVE & a Duty Free Lunch for our Teachers on Friday, February 3rd. We'd love to have you join us!!! Use the SignUp Genius link below and we will see you later Gator!!! 💕🐊💕 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C49A8A82CAAFB6-dutyfree20

💕🐊💕 MORE GATOR L.O.V.E. headed your way! Our PTO is SUPER excited to bring back our Valentine’s Dance to The Swamp on Friday, February 10th from 6:00-8:00pm. ♥️We will have tons of family fun activities. We are ready to see your best moves on the dance floor and your smiling faces, too!!! This is not a drop-off event. Admission to this event is completely FREE for ALL!!! If you are looking for ways to help out with the dance please reach out to us at gatorspto@gmail.com or use this SignUp Genius Link to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C49A8A82CAAFB6-4thannual 🙌Thanks for always showing that Gator Love and coming straight from the heart with all the support we could ever imagine! Gators ROCK!!! 💕🐊💕

Parents of bus 351 and 69: The morning bus route will be delayed by about 15-20 minutes. We are having bus 69 pick up bus 351 students as well. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Thank you.

TOMORROW is the annual PTO Duty-Free Teacher Winter Holiday luncheon. Our faculty and staff are very excited for this annual tradition. We could still use some help with the parent donated desserts for tomorrow, (December 14th). Please click on the link to see what all people signed up for and feel freel to bring a sweet treat for the teachers to enjoy with their lunch tomorrow. Please have all desserts here by 10:00 on December 14th for the luncheon. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C49A8A82CAAFB6-desserts5 Our PTO is excited to offer this "winter holiday lunch" time for the teachers and staff to be able to eat and share in fellowship for a short time. Thank you for all your continued support!