Beacon is a through-year, formative interim assessment system designed to help teachers monitor progress and guide instruction throughout the school year.
K–3 students will participate in DRC BEACON Early Years, which provides important information to monitor growth.
Grades 4–5 students will participate in DRC BEACON, which is directly aligned to Georgia standards and helps teachers identify strengths and areas needing more support.
🗓 Testing Dates
Grades 4 & 5 Reading → September 10–12
Grades 1–5 Math → September 15–17
Beacon is not a high-stakes test—it is a valuable tool that helps teachers better understand student learning and provide the right support at the right time.
Both assessments are flexible, can be given multiple times during the year, and adjust in difficulty to meet students where they are.
Because Beacon uses the same online platform and tools as Georgia Milestones, it also helps prepare students for the end-of-year summative assessment.
✅ To help your child do their best, please make sure they are well rested, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive on time during the testing window.
Elected student council members will participate in activities around our school and community, helping to make decisions about service projects and other positive culture-building activities like spirit dress-up days. They will also help lead our Pledge of Allegiance and serve as ambassadors at events and assemblies, representing City Park Elementary with pride.
We look forward to a great election season!
🎶🎤 City Park Glee Club 🎤🎶
We are thrilled to announce that our Glee Club choir is back in action this year! Directed by our talented music teacher, Mr. Ward Satterfield, this group of dedicated 4th and 5th grade students will be participating in an exciting variety of events throughout the year, including:
✨ Concert performances
✨ Leading school-wide sing-alongs
✨ Field trips to perform at community events
✨ Participation in the district's Elementary Choral Festival
Their first rehearsal is this Thursday, September 4, and we couldn’t be more excited for the music to begin! 🎶
The Glee Club is just one of the PAWSibilities we offer at City Park for students to pursue their interests and talents in the arts.
🎉🐾 PAWS and Applause for our August PAWSitive Panthers! 🐾🎉
This month’s character trait was Respect, and each student was nominated by their homeroom teacher for demonstrating this important quality.
Students were celebrated with a certificate and a special coin for our Dalton Reads Book Vending Machine. Our principal, Ms. Rhyne, assistant principal, Ms. Aldrich, and guidance counselor, Mrs. Marcus, presented the awards. Those who chose to use their coin today joined Mrs. Talley and our administrators at the vending machine to select a brand-new book! 📚✨
Due to all the enthusiasm and excitement, PAWS and friends got a little behind schedule 🐾⏰. Our PreK, Kindergarten, and 3rd Grade Panthers will receive their awards next week!
Let’s give a big round of PAWS and Applause to our Panthers for showing respect every day—way to go, students! 🐾
These students have gone above and beyond in showing Respect, our character trait of the month. They have been role models for their classmates by treating others kindly, listening, and demonstrating Panther Pride every day.
👏 Congratulations to our August winners! We are so proud of you! 🐾✨
📣 Attention 4th & 5th Graders! 📣
If you’re interested in running for Student Council, don’t forget that applications are due by September 2! ✅
👉 Applications must be approved before you can begin campaigning.
👉 Turn in your completed application to the school media center.
We can’t wait to see our future leaders step up and shine! 🐾🐾
Exciting news from our Media Center!
Book break, anyone? Bike break, anyone? Why not have both?!
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been awarded an instructional grant from the Dalton Education Foundation. Thanks to their generous support, our students now get to take a book break and take a bike break during their library visits with brand new pedal bikes!
Not only are they enjoying great reads, but they’re also staying active and energized—all in onePAWSome place! Check out these photos of our students pedaling their way to fun and learning!
A huge thank you to the Dalton Education Foundation for helping us bring this innovative idea to life!
🎭✨ The drama and choir students from Hammond Creek Middle School are headed to Disney World this year!
To help raise funds, they are excited to host a Winnie the Pooh Brunch full of fun for younger children!
📅 Date: October 11th
📍 Location: HCMS
⏰ Time: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
The event will include:
🥞 Pancake breakfast
🎶 A special performance from the cast
🐻 Character meet & greet
🎨 Arts & crafts activities
🎲 Fun games
🎟️ Students are selling tickets, and all proceeds go directly toward their Disney trip costs. Tickets may also be purchased at the door (while supplies last). If purchasing online, you can even write in the name of the student you’d like to support!
Link to buy tickets: https://hcmstigertroupe.ludus.com/200484307
They also spearhead the PAWSitive Panthers initiative, a program designed to bring character traits to life through practical, real-world applications. Together, Ms. Jones and Ms. Marcus help create a nurturing environment where every student can thrive both emotionally and socially.
https://daltonpublicschoolsga.edurooms.com/engage/city-park-school/newsletters/the-panther-press-74681
PAWS offers a small school supply shop inside the library. All items are $1 each, cash only. Students can purchase items like pencils, erasers, bookmarks, earbuds, stickers, temporary tattoos, bottled water, and more! The inventory changes regularly so students are welcome to shop as often and frequently as their teacher permits!
Be on the lookout for other small fundraisers throughout the year that will help support different grade levels and projects at the 405!
Amira is a computer-based reading assessment and intervention program used to evaluate and support student reading development. It uses AI to listen as students read aloud, providing immediate feedback and personalized practice. For parents, Amira offers insights into a child's reading skills and progress, helping identify strengths and areas needing improvement. Students in grades K-3 will take the Amira assessment three times during the school year. The first assessment will be August 26, 27, and 28. Please make sure your child is well rested, eats a healthy breakfast, and is at school on time.
