Dear Viking Families,

November 7th,

We are thrilled to share the success of our recent virtual cultural exchange event, which brought together three elementary classrooms from our school and a sister Lighthouse School, Sheng-Ren Elementary in Taiwan. This extraordinary experience allowed our young leaders to connect with peers from diverse cultures, fostering global understanding and friendship.

Through this online platform, our students were able to:

• Explore Different Cultures: Our students learned about the customs, traditions, and languages of Taiwan from same aged students.

• Develop Communication Skills: They practiced speaking, listening, and writing in a global context.

• Connect through Leader In Me: Students gained a deeper appreciation for differences and learned about others’ perspectives.

• Enhance Technological Literacy: They became more proficient in using digital tools for communication and collaboration.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the success of this event: our dedicated teachers, supportive parents, and most importantly, our amazing students. Your enthusiasm and participation made this experience truly unforgettable. We believe that such initiatives are crucial in shaping a more interconnected and compassionate world. We look forward to organizing more such events in the future.

Tonight is Bingo night! I hope to see you at one of our three sessions. Please know that we sold out of tickets for session one and two and we will have to turn people away who do not have tickets for the session. This is a safety issue and due to our capacity. Please double check your email as our PTO has reached out to any family who bought pizza or cards for a session but did not buy tickets. It is one of PTOs biggest events of the year and a great time to connect with each other and have fun. The baskets have been filling my office throughout the week and I am again amazed at the creativity and thoughtfulness that goes into these baskets. 

November kicks us off on our focus on Habit 3 - Think Win Win. I hope you will consider nominating a staff member who embodies this habit through our Spirit of the Viking Award. Your voice matters and when you take the time to recognize our staff it is so validating and meaningful to us. I look forward to honoring our Veteran’s on Tuesday in our 2nd Annual Veteran’s Day Celebration. We will again join VCMS as we both celebrate and honor the lives of those who help make our lives possible. If you have a Veteran, I hope you will be joining us during this special time. All VCE students will be able to support our Veterans with an additional school-wide parade. Be sure to ask your Viking about this event!

With gratitude,

Elizabeth Ihle

Together We Lead, Together We Rise

Elizabeth Ihle, Principal eihle@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Sandy Wells, Assistant Principal 4-5 swells@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Ashley Johnson, Assistant Principal 1-3 ajohnson@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Jessica Howington, Assistant Administrator K jhowington@forsyth.k12.ga.us