We had an incredibly special treat on campus yesterday! We were thrilled to welcome Beth Lincoln, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular middle-grade mystery series, The Swifts. It was a fantastic event, and our fourth and fifth graders were absolutely captivated by her energy, wit, and imagination. Shout out to Ms. Fuller, who planned Beth’s author visit with the support of Little Shop of Stories in Decatur.
If you aren’t familiar with Beth’s books,The Swifts series features Shenanigan Swift, a mischievous girl who lives in a crumbling manor with her eccentric family. In the Swift family, children are named by randomly pointing to a word in a sacred family dictionary, and it’s assumed they will grow up to match their definition. Shenanigan, however, is determined to prove that she is more than just her name - a wonderful message about self-determination and embracing your true self. During the visit, Beth talked to the students about her writing process, her lifelong love of words and etymology, and what it takes to craft the perfect mystery. Our students were highly engaged, asking fantastic questions and laughing along with her stories.
I’m excited to share that we have a limited number of signed copies of Beth’s latest title, A Garden of Vipers for sale exclusively for Mary Lin students - all profits go back to support the Mary Lin PTO! We will be selling these books tomorrow morning (Friday, 9/25) in front of the school during arrival (PayPal & Venmo accepted). I’m also excited to share that PTO partners, Cynthia Baer & Summit Coffee, will be stationed outside the front entrance of the school tomorrow morning with FREE coffee to start your weekend off right - come on up and grab a cup!
Warmly,
Ms. Denise Bringslid
Principal, Mary Lin Elementary School
Free Coffee Friday
Join us this Friday 9/25 for free coffee! It will be set up in front of the school at dropoff.
Save the Date & Sign up to Volunteer: Kidlandia at Candler Park Fall Fest
We're thrilled to feature Kidlandia once again at this year's Candler Park Fall Fest on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4.As always, the success of this critical annual Mary Lin fundraiser relies on our amazing parent volunteers.
Sign-up now to volunteer at Kidlandia - calling all parents, caregivers and even high school siblings (especially those needing community service hours...!) All volunteers who commit to 2+ hours will receive a free Fall Fest t-shirt.
Linapalooza reprise performances are schedulued for Sunday, October 4th at 10:30 so come cheer on our Rocket Superstars!
Thank you in advance for helping us make this another incredible Kidlandia year!
Annoucing Mary Lin's Spring Musical
Tryouts will take place in December. Be on the lookout for more information.
Blast from the Past! 🚀
Missed a Rocket Blast? Want to revisit that newsletter you definitely remember reading? (No judgment.)
The Rocket Blast Archives are now LIVE! You can now find previous newsletters all in one place, so you can catch up on announcements, important dates, and all the things you may have accidentally deleted from your inbox.
Bike-Tober at Mary Lin
Did you know that it is almost Bike-Tober? Help celebrate by joining our team to earn point and prizes for our school! Check out our team on Love to Ride and join today:
Also, please plan to join us for National Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day on October 7th. Prizes will be handed out to all of our participants!
📰 Join the Galaxy Gazette! 📰
Calling all 4th and 5th grade writers, reporters, illustrators, photographers, and creative thinkers! The Galaxy Gazette is looking for students who want to help tell the stories of our school. Whether you’re interested in special features, STEAM, feel-good stories, advice, fictional writing, debate, or puzzles, there’s a place for your ideas!
Our interest meeting will be held September 28th in the School Library during your grade-level lunch. Come learn more about how you can be part of our school newspaper!
Hosted by Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Spaulding, and Mr. Richie. Come ready to write, create, and share!🚀📝
Save the Date - International Night
A Cultural Celebration!
Thursday, October 8th 5pm – 7pm
Kick off your countdown to Fall Break with a trip around the world and join us as we host the first ever International Night at Mary Lin!
Over 20 of our own Mary Lin families, teachers, and community cultural centers will be hosting tables and bringing us live performances to celebrate their cultures throughout the evening.
Learn about Vietnam, Isreal, Africa, Argentina, Finland, Mexico, Liberia, India, France, Spain and many other cultures represented at our school (full list can be found here.)
We hope to see you there - Please use these links or iCalendar file to add directly to your calendar! Add to Calendar: GoogleOutlookOffice 365Yahoo
What's the difference betweeen Mary Lin & Gaga?
Just $2,500!!!
It's been a great showing this year and I know you are tired of this reminder but we are just shy of our goal. If you meant to donate or share the link but haven't done so yet, this is your chance!
Here's a link to make a direct donation (no registration required) to the school (just pick Mary Lin in the drop-down):
Are you interested in learning more about the gifted eligibility process at Mary Lin? Please join us for a brief virtual information session to learn more about the referral and eligibility process and what to expect along the way.
Below is the schedule for APS Parent University offerings for October.
Fall Break Camps!
Fall break will be here before you know it! City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation is offering the below fall break camps. Click the link for more information!
APS Scholarships for Veritas, Harvard & Oxford Programs
To introduce families to this opportunity, APS students and parents are invited to attend the citywide application rally on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Veritas Atlanta campus. During this session, families will learn more about the program experience, eligibility requirements, and the competitive application and selection process.
Please note that capacity is limited for the application rally. The event draws several hundred students and parents from over 20 school districts across Metro Atlanta. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis until the event reaches capacity.
To attend the application rally and learn more about this exciting opportunity, please use this link to RSVP.
