EC Principal Letter

Dear ANCS Elementary Families,

What a wonderful way to begin the 2026–2027 school year!

Seeing our hallways and learning spaces filled with smiling students, excited families, and dedicated staff during Open House reminded me why our school community is so special. Thank you to everyone who joined us, explored classrooms, met teachers and support staff, and helped kick off the school year with such enthusiasm, excitement and joy. 

The relationship between home and school is one of the strongest predictors of student success. We look forward to partnering with you throughout the year as we celebrate accomplishments, work through challenges, and help every child grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Parents and caregivers often ask me what they can do at home to get their child ready for the new school year.  There is no one specific recipe for success; however, I am happy to share a few friendly reminders and tips that have proven to help our students start the year off strong.

  • The upcoming days will be filled with team building activities, getting-to-know-you games, introducing and practicing learning routines and procedures and more! 
  • You can help at home by talking with your child about these important components of a class community and how it helped them to better understand how to be a positive member of their class and school community. 
  • Ensure that your child gets lots of rest! Sleep deprivation does impact a child’s ability to be available for learning. (Hint, hint- have your child turn those electronic devices in before bed ;)
  • Students will take smart watches off and turn them and their cell phones off and put them in their backpacks while in school, this includes during the after school program. If you need to get a message to your student during the school day, you can leave a message at the front desk and Ms. Jacobs will make sure your child gets it. 
  • Finally, please help us keep toys and other distracting items at home. 

Additional friendly reminders:  

  • Continue reviewing classroom communication via email from your child’s teacher.
  • Make sure your child arrives at school on time each day.
  • Check backpacks daily for important information and school communications.
  • School hours are 8:00 to 2:40 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8:00 to 1:30 on Wednesdays. Doors open at 7:30 each day.  Please do not drop your child off before 7:30, as there will be no adult available to supervise them. 
  • Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:50. Please ensure your child arrives during that window if they are eating breakfast at school. 
  • If your child is attending the ANCS after school program, please remember that it closes at 6:00. If you need to contact someone in the after school program, you will call the main number to the school, 404-624-6226.
  • Please enter the car rider line from either Augusta or Atlanta in the morning and afternoon. 
    • Avoid entering the carpool line from Bass or Pavillion or blocking streets or driveways while you are in line. 
    • Avoid skipping the line and dropping off at the front steps in front of the building. This causes congestion and blocks the crosswalks making it unsafe for families to walk up to school. 
  • Avoid dropping students off on Pavillion in the mornings. This creates congestion and can become quite unsafe. You can park and have students walk up or drop students off via the car line.
  • When parking, please be mindful not to block our neighbors’ driveways. Our neighbors also need to come and go throughout the day, and blocked driveways create unnecessary frustration for everyone. Please follow all posted parking regulations.
  • Please clearly display your dismissal number on your rearview mirror or in the upper right hand passenger side of your front window. If you need to write the number, please print large numbers in bold, dark ink so our teachers can clearly see it. 
  • After picking up your child in the carpool line, please move forward before buckling your child up or checking backpacks. 
  • If you are walking up to school to pick up your child, you will need to know your dismissal number. Please have that ready for the staff outside so we can get your child to you as quickly as possible. 
  • If you need to pick your child up early, please do so before 2:20 (1:10 on Wednesdays). Anytime after that interferes with dismissal procedures and you will need to wait until the regular dismissal time. 
  • Please try to be consistent with how your child will be picked up each day. If there is a change in dismissal plans, you will inform the school using the main number by 11:00. Teachers are often not able to check email before the end of the day, so Ms. Jacobs will let your child’s teachers know what the plans are. 

We will be practicing our school-wide morning meeting on Friday, August 7th, so students will go to the auditorium when they enter the building instead of their classroom as they have been doing all week. This morning meeting will be with students, faculty & staff only. Beginning Monday, August 10th, you are welcome to join us for morning meeting in the auditorium from 8:00-8:10. Once morning meeting is over, we ask that you quickly exit the building so we can get the day started in classrooms. Students will go straight to the auditorium each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday beginning August 10th. Every Wednesday is an early release day, so students will go straight to their classroom on these days, as there is no morning meeting. 

Once the first six weeks of school have passed, you are welcome to join your child for lunch. We ask that you wait for the first six weeks of school to pass so students are secure in all routines and expectations before guests join the class. Please let your child’s classroom teachers know that you will be coming for lunch prior to the lunch period. If you decide to visit for lunch we ask that you bring your visit to a close once the lunch period is over. Additionally, please refrain from ordering food for lunch from Uber Eats or other delivery services for your student. This is hard to manage for the front desk and a distraction in the cafeteria. As a reminder, we are a nut free school. Please be diligent about ensuring all items for lunch from home are nut free.  

Take care,

Nicole 

Nicole King

In 2017, Nicole King returned to ANCS as a 1st Grade Teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Agnes Scott College (2005) and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (2012). Before her return to ANCS, she taught at Trinity School in Atlanta for 5 years (2012-2017), Billingsville Elementary School in Charlotte for 3 years (2009-2012), and Neighborhood Charter School as a 1st Grade Teacher (2006-2009).

Nicole King

Published : August 3, 2026
Category : Letters from ANCS