Bates Elementary School - JPS

09/01/2026

🐬💙💚 BATES FAMILY, IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME WAVES! 🌊

Voting is officially open for the Caring4Community: School Edition, and of course, we’re not just participating… WE WANT 1ST PLACE! 🥇😂💰

🥇 1st Place — $2,500
🥈 2nd Place — $1,500
🥉 3rd Place — $1,000

Let’s show everyone what happens when the Bates Dolphin Family comes together! 🐬💪🏽 Every vote counts, so VOTE, SHARE, and encourage your family and friends to vote too! Vote as many times as possible!

🗓️ Voting: August 31–September 21

We’re MAKING WAVES all the way to FIRST PLACE! 🥇🌊💙💚



You have until September 21 to vote daily at

At Mississippi Smiles, support for our community has always been an integral part of our mission. Therefore, we are pleased to sponsor Caring4Community!

08/21/2026

🏆🌊 TEAM OF THE WEEK SHOUT-OUTS! 🌊🏆

We have TWO incredible teams to celebrate! 🎉🐬

🥇 LAST WEEK’S TEAM OF THE WEEK: TEAM 3!

A huge shout-out to Team 3 for demonstrating what strong teamwork looks like! 👏🏽💙💚

Team 3 earned the title for:

* 🤝 Effective team collaboration and planning
* 💙 Providing strong mentor support
* ⏰ Meeting ALL deadlines
* 🥇 Being the FIRST TEAM to meet every deadline!

Way to work together, support one another, and GET IT DONE! Your teamwork did not go unnoticed! 🌊🐬

🏆 THIS WEEK’S TEAM OF THE WEEK: KINDERGARTEN!

Our Kindergarten Team is MAKING WAVES! 🌊🍎🐬

This team earned the title for:

* 🌱 Being coachable
* 🧠 Demonstrating a growth mindset
* ⚡ Applying feedback INSTANTLY
* 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Having the HIGHEST PARENT TURNOUT at our Meet the Teacher/Back to School Night!

That is what growth looks like—receive the feedback, make the adjustment, and keep moving forward! 💪🏽

🎁 TEAM REWARD:
Each Team has earned a special teacher coupon AND a special lunch sponsored by our amazing PTA! 🍽️🎉

Keep collaborating. Keep growing. Keep showing up for our scholars and families.

That’s how we MAKE WAVES, one Dolphin at a time! 🌊🐬💙💚

08/20/2026

🌊💚 WHAT A NIGHT AT BATES! 💙🐬

Our Back-to-School Night was a HUGE success, and we are so thankful for every family who showed up, showed out, and spent the evening with us! The Bates atrium, hallways, and classrooms were filled with our scholars and families—and we loved every minute of it! 🥰

Our families had an opportunity to:

📊 Learn more about Title I and how it supports our scholars
🎯 Celebrate our 2025–2026 successes and hear about our 2026–2027 data goals
👋 Meet our amazing Bates staff and administrative team
🍎 Visit classrooms and hear directly from teachers about academic and behavioral expectations for the year
👕 Purchase Bates T-shirts and get ready to show that Dolphin pride
💚 Join our PTA and become even more involved in the Bates community
🍿 Fellowship in the atrium while enjoying our $1 concession stand
📚 Select FREE books to take home and continue building those at-home libraries!

We are especially grateful for the opportunity to connect with our families beyond arrival and dismissal—to talk, laugh, learn, fellowship, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. 💙💚

Thank you to every parent, grandparent, guardian, family member, scholar, teacher, and staff member who helped make tonight special. Your presence matters, your partnership matters, and our scholars benefit when we work together!

The 2026–2027 school year is officially making some BIG waves! 🌊🐬

Bates Elementary School
💙💚 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 💚💙


:::

08/13/2026

🍧🌴 KONA ICE IS COMING TO BATES! 🌴🍧

Our first Kona Ice Day is almost here! 💙💚🐬 Scholars can cool down with a sweet treat while helping us raise funds for staff and student incentives at Bates Elementary!

📅 Kona Ice Visit: Friday, August 14
⏰ ONLINE ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY 8:00 PM TODAY, August 13!

💳 Pre-Pay Online by scanning the QR code on the flyer.

🍧 Kona Ice Options:
• King — $5
• Color-Changing Cup — $7
• Sour Powder — $1

⭐ DON’T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT ORDERING EACH TIME?
Grab the Kona Ice Annual Pass for $52! The pass covers 10 visits this school year and includes a color-changing cup on the first visit plus a refill at each following visit. 🙌🏾

🚨 The Annual Pass is only available at the beginning of the year, so don’t miss it!

Thank you for supporting Bates Elementary as we continue Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 🌊🐬💙💚

08/12/2026

🚨 Parents… we heard y’all LOUD and CLEAR! 😂💙💚

Remember that viral post that said…

“While y’all are sending out school supply lists, go ahead and send those dress-up days too so we can be ready!” 👀📅

Well… Challenge Accepted! ✅😄

We’re giving our Bates families almost THREE MONTHS to prepare for our very first dress-up week of the school year—🎀 Red Ribbon Week: October 26–30!

No last-minute midnight Walmart runs… 😅
No “Mama, I forgot to tell you!” conversations… 🤦🏽‍♀️
No searching the house at 6:30 a.m. for a neon shirt! 😂

We’ve got you covered!

Our 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme is:

🦸 BE A HERO! 💥

Check out the flyer, mark your calendars, and start planning those outfits now. We can’t wait to see our Dolphins show their school spirit while making a commitment to making healthy, drug-free choices!

💙🌊 Bates Elementary School
Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time.

08/11/2026

🌊💚💙 BATES FAMILIES, SAVE THE DATE! 💙💚🌊

Join us for Back to School Night on August 19th at 5:30 PM! 🐬📚

We’re excited to welcome our Dolphin families back into the building for an evening of connection, information, and FUN!

✨ During Back to School Night, families will have the opportunity to:
👩🏽‍🏫 Meet your child’s teachers
💚 Join the PTA
📚 Receive important Title I Parent Meeting information
🎟️ Receive student incentives, including a Homework Pass and Dress Out of Uniform Coupon
🍿 Purchase goodies from our Concession Stand
📢 Receive important school updates and information for a successful year

We want ALL of our families in the building! Your partnership makes a difference, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there! 💚💙

📅 August 19th
⏰ 5:30 PM
📍 Bates Elementary School

🐬 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 🌊

08/10/2026

🌊💙💚 MEET OUR BATES ELEMENTARY ADMINISTRATION TEAM! 💚💙🌊

Strong schools begin with strong leadership, a clear vision, and a commitment to putting scholars first! We are excited to introduce the administrative team leading Bates Elementary this school year:

🐬 Principal Barnes — Principal
🐬 Dr. Sylvester — Assistant Principal

Together, our administration team is committed to supporting our scholars, empowering our teachers and staff, partnering with our families, and creating a school culture where excellence is the expectation every single day! 💙💚

We’re ready to lead with passion, purpose, and pride as we continue building something special at Bates!

🌊 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 🐬

💙💚🐬

08/07/2026

🌊 Meet Our Incredible 2nd Grade Team! 💙💚

At Bates Elementary, our 2nd Grade Team is committed to helping every scholar grow academically, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love for learning. Through engaging lessons, meaningful relationships, and high expectations, these educators are dedicated to ensuring our scholars continue to make waves every single day!

💙 Ms. Luckett – Reading (Team Leader)
💚 Ms. Mack – Math
💙 Ms. Jackson – Language & Writing

Together, they are creating classrooms where curiosity is encouraged, excellence is expected, and every scholar is empowered to succeed.

Please join us in giving our amazing 2nd Grade Team a warm Bates welcome! We are excited for the impact they will make this school year.

🌊 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time!

08/05/2026

🌊 Meet Our Kindergarten Team! 💙💚

The foundation for a lifetime of learning begins in Kindergarten, and at Bates Elementary, our youngest Dolphins are surrounded by a team that is dedicated to helping every scholar learn, grow, and succeed from day one!

Our Kindergarten teachers and teacher assistants work hand-in-hand to create classrooms filled with love, structure, encouragement, and engaging learning experiences. Together, they ensure every scholar feels welcomed, supported, and empowered to make waves from the very beginning.

🐬 Kindergarten Teachers
💙 Mrs. Lodge – Team Leader
💚 Ms. Satcher
💙 Ms. Owens

🐬 Kindergarten Teacher Assistants
💚 Ms. Taylor
💙 Ms. Trimble
💚 Ms. Carter

We are excited for our Kindergarten scholars and families to experience the passion, teamwork, and commitment this outstanding team brings every single day.

Here’s to an incredible year of learning, laughter, and laying the foundation for lifelong success!

🌊 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 💙💚

07/30/2026

🌊✨ We’re making headlines… and making waves! ✨🌊

What an incredible honor for Bates Elementary to be featured by the Clarion Ledger as they highlighted the excitement of the first day of school!

We are sincerely grateful to the Clarion Ledger for shining a spotlight on the amazing things happening at Bates Elementary and for helping share the story of our scholars, staff, and families.

This special day would not have been possible without the incredible people who poured into our school community. Thank you to our dedicated faculty and staff for creating a welcoming, joyful environment where every child felt loved from the moment they arrived. Thank you to our amazing parents and family volunteers who gave their time to help ensure our FINtastic Grand Opening was a success.

We are also grateful for our community partners, including Southern Farm Bureau, whose continued support helps us provide memorable experiences for our scholars throughout the year.

This recognition belongs to everyone who believes in the vision of Bates Elementary. Together, we are creating a school where scholars are inspired, families are valued, and excellence is the expectation.

Here’s to an amazing 2026–2027 school year as we continue…

🌊 Making Waves, One Dolphin at a Time! 🐬💙💚