New Student Information

What time does school start and dismiss? 

• Arrival: Students may enter the building at 8:20am. Car riders wait in the cafeteria. Bus riders will wait in the gym. Students may go to the cafeteria for school breakfast. The bell rings at 8:50am and school begins at 9:00am. Any tardy student MUST be signed in at the front office by a parent or guardian. 
• Dismissal: Walkers must have a signed form to walk off campus. There are no check outs after 3:30pm. Car riders are dismissed at 4:15pm. Students must line up on the sidewalk. Once your child is buckled, you can exit to the left of the car rider lane. Advise students they cannot stand under the awning or on grass. 8th graders can use the center island for pick-up. Parents should not line up in the fire lane before 3pm for pick-up. Buses are dismissed at 4:17pm.

Do I need to purchase anything for my student?

• Yes, you need to pay for a Grizzly Pack, PE locker + shirt (if your student has PE this quarter), and your G3 pack. You will pay on schoolpay.com.
• Your student will also need school supplies listed on our website. 

What is G3? 

• Our Grizzly Great Day of Giving, or better known as G3, is a school wide day of service.  The staff close the books on traditional learning on this day and offer students a variety of hands-on opportunities to learn about our surrounding community and world through strategically chosen service projects that will directly impact other’s lives.  All of our learning on this day occurs through HANDS on experience!!! Please see the Piney Grove website for more facts.

Where do I go to pay for school lunches?

• Please pay for school lunches using MySchoolBucks. Cash is not accepted.

How can I check my student’s grades?

• Parents can check grades on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Our registrar, Joseline Capre will provide you with more information upon your arrival. 

Where can I go to check what my student is learning in class / check homework?

• Students can log into their Canvas account to show you their class pages. You can also set up an observer account. 

How can my student access club information?

• Students can access this information on the Canvas Student Info page. We also list all clubs, sponsors, and meeting times on our website under extracurricular. 

What is the school’s cell phone policy?

• Forsyth County Schools is implementing a Distraction-Free Education policy. This means that cell phones, smart watches, bluetooth headphones, and other personal smart technology must be silenced and stored in a locker from 9:00am to 4:15pm. Students who do not follow this policy will receive disciplinary consequences. 

Can my student select his/her connections?

• If your student is interested in band or chorus, he/she will have the opportunity to request it. However, acceptance will depend on space available in the class and may include an audition to determine level. All other connections are randomly assigned.

What is Thrive?

• At PGMS, THRIVE is a daily opportunity for ALL students to take ownership of their academic growth, learning experiences, emotional needs, and interests. Teachers provide remediation support sessions based on student needs. If your student would like to retake an assessment, these Thrive sessions may be mandatory.  Students may also sign up for non-academic Thrives that are provided based on student interests, project-based learning, quiet time to read or study, or time to connect with friends. 

What if my student is absent? 

• To report a student absent from school, the parent/guardian must submit a handwritten note, or email the note to PGMattendance@forsyth.k12.ga.us within five (5) school days for an absence to be considered excused. The note must include the student’s name, the date(s) of absence(s), and the reason for the absence. Up to ten (10) parent notes will count as an excused absence for your child. After the ten parent notes are received, a doctor's note is required for the absence to be excused. It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/guardian(s) to be in communication with the student’s teacher(s) and/or office staff when a student is absent, especially when it is for more than one day. The principal may require students to present appropriate medical or other documentation upon returning to school for the purpose of validating those absences as excused.  In case of extended illness, hospitalization, or injury, the parent should apply for Hospital Homebound service. Hospital Homebound service should be applied for immediately when absences of ten (10) days or more are anticipated for the student. 

What is the school’s attendance policy?

• Regular attendance is essential to success in school. As permitted under the State Board of Education Rule 160-5-1-.10, the Georgia Compulsory Education Law O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1, and Forsyth County Board of Education policy, students may be excused for the following reasons: 1. Personal illness or attendance in school that endangers a student’s health or the health of others. 2. A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family necessitates an absence from school. 3. A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examinations for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school. 4. The observance of religious holidays, needing absence from school. 5. Conditions making attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety. 6. A scheduled medical, dental, or eye examination of the student. 7. Registering to vote or voting. 8. A visit, up to five school days per year, with a parent or legal guardian who is on leave from or who is being deployed to military service. Students shall be counted present when they are serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly. Students who are in foster care are to be counted present at school when attending court proceedings related to their care and placement. Please review the FCS Family Engagement Guide for our district policies. 

• MySchoolBucks - Lunch accounts
• SchoolPay - All other payments

• 8135 Piney Grove POV Community Newsletter Links 
• Join Piney Grove PTSO
• Facebook
• Instagram

• 1:1 Chromebook Program
• Distraction Free Learning
• FCS Code of Conduct
• Family Engagement Guide & Handbook

• Student Transportation Verification
• Food & Nutrition Department
• Health Services