Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.

1. How do I enroll my child at Sarah Smith Elementary?
2. What are the school hours?
3. What if I need to change my child's usual transportation?
4. Is breakfast and lunch served?
5. Does the school have an after school program?
6. Is there a school store to purchase school supplies?
7. Do students wear uniforms?
8. What are some of the extra-curricular activities offered?
9. Can parents visit the school and volunteer?
10. Can I select my child's teacher?
11. Do you teach a foreign language at Sarah Smith Elemetary?
12. What are key phone numbers I need to have?

How do I enroll my child at Sarah Smith Elementary?

Please visit two links on the Principal's website:  Kindergarten Info and 
Enrollment Info.  Both of these have information about registration 
requirements.  For more information, please contact the school at 404-802-
3850.

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What are the school hours?

8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Students may arrive on campus beginning at 7:30 a.m.  Students arriving 
after 8:00 a.m. are considered tardy and parents must come to the office and 
sign in the student.  

Dismissal begins at 2:30 p.m.  All students should be picked up no later 
than 2:45 p.m. unless they ride the bus or are in the after school program.

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What if I need to change my child's usual transportation?

Written notice is required anytime a student's usual transportation 
changes.  Changes cannot be accepted over the telephone but may be faxed 
with the appropriate identification attached.  No changes can be accepted 
after 2:00 p.m. and no early checkout can occur after 2:15 p.m.  These 
procedures are in place for the safety of the students and the smoothness of 
dismissal.

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Is breakfast and lunch served?

Yes.  A nutritious breakfast is served daily from 7:30 a.m. until 7:50 a.m.  
Lunch is also served daily and offers choices to the students.  Menus for 
breakfast and lunch are available.  There are no breakfast or lunch charges 
allowed.  Meals must be paid for in advance or at the time of serving.  
Otherwise, an alternative meal is provided.

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Does the school have an after school program?

Yes, an after school program is provided for those interested every day the 
school is in session from dismissal time until 6:00 p.m.  Enrichment 
activities, study time, and a snack are provided.  The cost of the program 
is determined by the contracted company selected by the school.  For more 
information about the after school program, contact the school office or 
visit www.smithafterschool.com.

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Is there a school store to purchase school supplies?

For your convenience, the Student Council operates a school store with basic 
supplies.  The school store is located in the lobby and is open on 
designated days from 7:30 a.m. until 7:55 a.m.

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Do students wear uniforms?

No,uniforms are not required at Sarah Smith Elementary.  However, it is 
believed that there is a direct relationship between dress, grooming, 
conduct, and success.  Every child is encouraged to observe a standard of 
grooming and dress consistent with the level of formality of the school 
situation.  A dress code has been designed for Sarah Smith Elementary and is 
shared with the students early in the school year.

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What are some of the extra-curricular activities offered?

There is a variety of extra-curricular offerings at Sarah Smith.  Included 
are band, orchestra, and chorus (for students in grades 3-5), Go Girls Go, a 
competitive dance team, drama club, student council, Odyssey of the Mind, 
and safety patrol.  Club offering vary year-to-year.

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Can parents visit the school and volunteer?

A warm welcome is extended to parents and interested persons when visiting 
the school.  For the protection of the students, all visitors must register 
in the front office and receive a Visitor's Badge.  If you wish to volunteer 
in the classroom, arrangements would be made with the teacher.  Volunteers 
are always needed.

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Can I select my child's teacher?

It is the policy of Sarah Smith that classroom assignments for grades 1-5 
will be made by the principal and the teachers.  For kindergarten, attempts 
will be made to accommodate one of three choices with no guarantee. 
Establishing a class roster entails many variables, such as sex, 
age, race, ability levels, matching of teaching styles, dynamics with peers, 
etc.  It is the goal to make each class reflect a demographically democratic 
array of students.  At all grade levels, the teachers, supporting faculty, 
and administration attempt to distribute students so that every class is as 
comparable as possible.  This is a process that is quite involved and each 
child is carefully assessed based on various needs.  Requesting certain 
teachers creates an extremely difficult situation and equity is hard to 
maintain.  However, parents may submit a letter to the principal with a 
description of their child's learning styles, characteristics, etc. These 
considerations are made when placement decisions are being done.

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Do you teach a foreign language at Sarah Smith Elemetary?

Sarah Smith Elementary offers a very strong French program for all students, 
first through fifth grade.  Students receive French instruction daily 
for 30 minutes.  Why French?  The outstanding French team has put together 
the top ten reasons to answer that question.  
1.  Knowing French will allow you not only to function but to compete 
    effectively in the global economy of the future.
2.  Speaking French will increase your job opportunities and salary 
    potential.  More than 1,200 French companies have subsidiaries in the    
    U.S.
3.  Studing French increases your appreciation of other people and their
    cultures.  French is the first or second language in more than 40 
    countries and is spoken by 125 million people around the world, on every
    continent.
4.  French opens up an entire world of sporting events to enthusiasts.  
    French is the official language of the Olympic Games and other
    international sporting events.
5.  Knowing French will improve your vocabulary in English.  Some 40-50% of
    English vocabulary comes from French.
6.  Learning a new language, like French, develops your critical and creative
    thinking skills.
7.  Proficiency in French will significantly improve your chances of being
    accepted to the university and to graduate schools.  
8.  Using French enhances your travel abroad to Canada, the Caribbean, 
    Europe,and Africa.  After the United States, France is the second most 
    visited tourist destination in the world.
9.  French is the language of culture, opening your door to art, music,      
    dance, fashion, cuisine, and cinema.  
10. French is the language of many great literary masterpieces.  France has 
    won more Nobel Prizes for literature than any other country.

(This information was gathered from a publication of the Cultural Services 
of the French Embassy in the United States and The American Association of 
Teachers of French.)

Sometimes students continue their study of French through middle and high 
schools and obtain a high level of fluency.  Others may switch to Spanish in 
middle or high school, adding a third language to English and French.

Even though Spanish is considered more widely spoken than French, that is 
actually regional.  French is the second most spoken language behind English 
in the world.  And, since French and Spanish are similar languages, the 
acquisition of the other is easier.

In the magazine, Language Today, a report on the world's "ten most 
influential languages" was presented based on the following criteria:
- number of primary speakers (native or home speakers)
- number of secondary speakers
- number and population of countries using the language
- number of major fields (science, diplomacy, etc. using the language 
  internationally)
- economic power of countries using the language
- and socio-literacy prestige.

In order of influence, the "top ten" are:
     1.  English
     2.  French
     3.  Spanish
     4.  Russian
     5.  Arabic
     6.  Chinese
     7.  German
     8.  Japanese
     9.  Portuguese
    10.  Hindi/Urdu

We are very proud of our French program at Sarah Smith Elementary and the 
quality of the instruction offered is exceptional.  A "French Club" is held 
at the kindergarten campus each Wednesday after school to provide some 
exposure of the language to the kindergarten students since they are not 
provided with daily French instruction.

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What are key phone numbers I need to have?

Sarah Smith Elementary School       404-802-3850   Fax 404-842-3046
Sarah Smith Kindergarten Campus     404-256-3317   Fax 404-943-0288
Sarah Smith Food Service            404-802-3867
Dr. Beverly Hall, Superintendent    404-802-3500
APS Board of Education              404-802-2820
APS Chief of Staff                  404-802-2200
Sarah Smith's Executive Director    404-802-6537
Program for Exceptional Children    404-802-1699
APS Student Placement Office        404-802-2233
APS Transportation (bus routes)     404-753-9815

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