Henderson Mill Elementary School Foundation

strong schools make strong communities

 
Our community school is undergoing an amazing transformation and has an opportunity to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that will engage them inside and outside the classroom. HMES has a new mission statement and logo to reflect our new focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ("STEM") and Health Sciences/Nutrition. With an outdoor classroom, variety of engineering projects and increased use of technology, our children will have a challenging educational experience from which our entire community will benefit.


  1. •Henderson Mill’s STEM video on You Tube (5 minutes)

  2. •View pictures of all the exciting new initiatives in action


HMES is leading the way in becoming DeKalb County’s first Engineering and Health Sciences/Nutrition focused elementary school and your donations directly support the following programs:





The initial construction of our school garden is complete thanks to our families, faculty, local business volunteers and our partnership with a local division of AMEC. This is one of the many ways the school is promoting sustainability and engineering activities to our students. Students are actively tending their gardens. Read more about AMEC’s partnership with HMES and the May 2012 dedication of the water sustainability project.


Hands-on engineering activities are a part of the curriculum, to tie in with math and science concepts already being taught. Engineering is Elementary® (EiE) lessons foster engineering and technological literacy among children and challenge their problem-solving skills with increased confidence. EiE is creating a research-based, standards-driven, and classroom-tested curriculum that integrates engineering and technology concepts and skills with elementary science topics. 


Small Fry to Go, a trout hatchery program found in only a few DeKalb County schools, is installed in the school courtyard and is tended by the students until the trout’s release into the Chattahoochee River.



A grant was awarded to HMES from LEGO Education for a three-year study called LEGO Build to Express (formerly called LEGO Serious Play) beginning with the 2011-2012 3rd grade class and continuing with them until 5th grade. This program has been incorporated into the curriculum where students use LEGOs to “think with their hands and listen with their eyes”. HMES third grade teachers received training and kits prior to the school year. To learn more about this program, click here: LEGO Build to Express 3 minute video on You Tube


In-
school LEGO Education instruction provided by STEM Enrichment has been incorporated into the 4th and 5th grade curriculum where students learn elementary science concepts and simple machines. In addition, a new LEGO robotics club is offered after school for 4th & 5th graders where a competition-style robotics team will work on a single robot.


On August 8, 2011, the Atlanta Hawks Foundation in partnership with SCANA Energy donated $2,500 to help our school create the garden mentioned above so that students can participate in planting, tending, harvesting and sampling the produce. In addition, the garden supports hands-on science activities, fruit and vegetable tastings, and community involvement that will help keep the garden flourishing. This focus closely relates to the Hawks’ education, healthy eating and fitness initiatives, as well as LEED certified Philips Arena’s sustainability efforts.













HMES will continue to promote STEM and Health Sciences/Nutrition-themed events throughout the 2012-2013 school year, such as Math Night, Science Week and Engineering Week (dates TBD). We are partnering with corporations to help engage our students, families and the community and make these events a success.


The outdoor classroom is now available for hands-on science experiments and activities that will enable children to “get dirty” experiencing nature and developing their own love for our environment. 


More computer and technology instruction will prepare kids for success at the next level.


HMES has taken steps to encourage healthy eating choices in the cafeteria and discourage bringing in unhealthy foods.


For more information about our Henderson Mill Elementary School statistics such as accountability, test scores, indicators, demographics, personnel & fiscal, previous year report cards, please visit our school’s section on The Governer’s Office of Student Achievement site.


Click here to visit the official school website: http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/hendersonmill/

 

School Programs

Your donations directly support these programs! For a list of programs funded to date, please visit the Donations page. Questions? Feel free to email us: info@hmesfoundation.org Want to help? Click here to find out howDonations.htmlDonations.htmlDonations.htmlmailto:info@hmesfoundation.org?subject=Henderson%20Mill%20Elementary%20School%20Foundation%20Informationmailto:info@hmesfoundation.org?subject=Henderson%20Mill%20Elementary%20School%20Foundation%20InformationDonations.htmlDonations.htmlshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4shapeimage_3_link_5shapeimage_3_link_6