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College Heights Connection
October 5, 2023
Principal's Message
We have a lot of great information in this week's newsletter. We are looking forward to welcoming our families to the many parent engagement opportunities we have this month. As a friendly reminder, the school is closed to all students on November 7th for a teacher workday.
Have a great weekend and enjoy the cooler temperatures.
Principal Garland
School News and Announcements
November 7th - School Closed
Just a reminder College Heights is closed to all students on Tuesday, November 7th for a teacher workday. Click here for more information about the purpose of this day and what it will look like for College Heights students.
Parent Coffee Chat is TOMORROW - All About Assessment at College Heights
Please join Instructional Coach Erynn Mathews-Davis tomorrow morning for a Parent Coffee Chat to discuss all the ways College Heights assesses student learning and growth. All are welcome; details can be found on the flyer below.
Literacy Week - October 23rd-27th
The annual College Heights Literacy Week will be held the week of October 23rd. Activities will include: Scholastic Book Fair, family literacy night held at the school with fun activities for all ages, a virtual literacy parent workshop, guest/mystery readers, and PTA Read-to-Me-a-Thon and we will cap off the week with our annual Book Parade at 9:00 am on October 27th. More details to come next week!
School photos next week - October 9th-13th
Deana Kingsbury will be returning to take student photos next week. Black and white, candid student photos will be taken during morning recess time the week of October 9th. Please see photo schedule below.
School to Heart to Home - Virtual Parent Workshop
Please join staff from College Heights as we introduce our parent workshop series on Conscious Discipline titled School to Heart to Home. Each month we will be educating parents on the Seven Skills of Discipline. The seven skills empower you to respond to conflict in a way that teaches children the social-emotional and communication skills necessary to manage themselves, resolve conflict, and develop pro-social behaviors. What is really wonderful is that it is an inside-out program – it teaches adults to manage their own upset, sadness, happiness, anger. Then, in turn, it teaches us how we can teach children the same thing. Then they too can manage their own upset when triggered and understand their own feelings.
Our first session will be held virtually on Thursday, October 19th at noon. The first skill we will discuss is composure.
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/unq-yihn-ujq
Or dial: (US) +1 216-930-9702 PIN: 399 514 128#
Spirit Week fun
College Heights Chicks have spirit, yes we do!
College Heights Chicks have spirit, how 'bout you?
Join the fun as we celebrate our school during a week of spirit activities. If you need a College Heights T-shirt or onesie for your student, please click here to order from the PTA website.
Prospective parent tour
Do you have friends or neighbors who are considering College Heights for their children? We are resuming our in-person school tours for prospective parents. Thank you for sharing this information with them. Current families are the best ambassadors for our great little school!
Date: Wednesday, October 11
Time: two 50 minute sessions (8:30-9:20 am and 9:30-10:20 am)
RSVP: Call Caretha Hall at 404-370-4480 or email cahall@csdecatur.net
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The College Heights staff is honoring breast cancer awareness during the Month of October. There are several opportunities for parents to support our efforts:
- Purchase a raffle ticket for $5 for your child's teacher(s) or any other College Heights staff. With each ticket the staff will receive a raffle ticket to win a fitness tracker. Just check in at the front desk and purchase a ticket starting Monday, October 2nd. All funds raised will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta Chapter.
- Hat and scarf/head wrap drive: Many chemo patients are in need of hats and scarves/head wraps for the winter months. We are asking families and staff to consider donating new hats and head wraps/scarves to be donated directly to the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory. A donation box will be located in the front lobby.
- Pink Tree: Our "pink tree" will be set up in the front lobby for staff and families to tie a pink ribbon in honor of a loved one who has been impacted by breast cancer. You will also receive a ribbon to wear yourself.
- Highlight and Support: Pink out! Wear all pink on Monday, October 30th.
Media Center news
Media Center this week
Here are some of the books we read this week. We are looking forward to our Pre-K author visit (Sophie Blackall) on Monday, October 9th!
Negative Cat by Sophie Blackall (Pre-K classes)
Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper, The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra, and One Hug by Katrina Moore (Older Ones class)
The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra and Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett (Young Ones class)
Maple by Lori Nichols, The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra, You Be Grandma by Karla Clark (Toddler classes)
You Be Grandma by Karla Clark and Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown (Preschool classes)
From the City of Decatur - S. McDonough/Garland Avenue update
Please review the attached S McDonough Traffic Calming Project information shared at the community meeting Wednesday, 9/27 and, if you haven’t had a chance to provide input, please complete the survey via the link below. Questions? Contact cara.scharer@decaturga.com.
Information/Presentation: click here
Survey link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7497513/Garland-Avenue-at-S-McDonough-Street-Trial-Slip-Lane-Closure-City-of-Decatur
CSD News and Announcements
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education Announces October 10 Board Meeting Schedule
Meeting schedules will be adjusted and publicized monthly
DECATUR -- The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education has announced the board meeting schedule for Tuesday, October 10. Meeting times will adjust each month according to the length of the agenda and published monthly in compliance with the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
In August, the board announced the decision to hold earlier meeting times, aligning with the board's strategic goals of ensuring organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Except for the executive session, all meetings will continue to be live-streamed and open to the public.
The October 10, 2023, board meeting schedule is as follows:
Executive Session: 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Prework Session: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Work Session: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Board Meeting: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Public Comment: 6:30 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.
The following agenda items will be discussed:
2025-26 Calendar
Legislative Priorities
Policies: Visitors to Schools, Controversial Issues, and Grading Systems
Beginning 2023-24 Assessment Data Update
Dyslexia Awareness Month Presentation
Dr. Whitaker’s 90-Day Plan
Board Salary and Benefits
Cybersecurity Presentation
To read this announcement in other languages, click here.
PTA News and Announcements
Garden Workday a Success!
A big THANK YOU to Owen's family for coming out this past Saturday for the garden workday! We weeded, trimmed, harvested, and had a great time. The beds are now ready for the students to dig, plant, and learn! A big thank you also to the Wylde Center for the compost and help with directions on what needed to be done. The garden is off to a great start for the school year! Stay tuned for information on future workdays.
Trunk or Treat - Save the Date!
The College Heights PTA will be hosting a trunk-or-treat at 6 pm on October 27th outside of the school, followed by a screening of "Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats" at 6:45 on the lawn.
We encourage children AND adults to come dressed for the occasion! Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.
Be sure to bring lawn chairs/blankets for the movie. We will have Chick-fil-A for sale, so save room for dinner!
Please RSVP here.
Read-To-Me-A-Thon is Coming Soon!
Help College Heights shoot for the moon with NEW and UPDATED library books by participating in our Read-To-Me-A-Thon from October 18-25!
Each year, the annual College Heights Read-To-Me-A-Thon encourages parents to read with their children and promotes childhood literacy while supporting our district equity goals by adding new, high-quality books related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and social-emotional learning to our library!
Readers with the highest number of logged minutes will receive prizes and classrooms and age groups with the highest participation will be celebrated after the Book Parade on Friday, October 27th.
For more information on the Read-To-Me-A-Thon, click here.
To register your reader, click here.
Auction Items Needed - and Save the Date
2023- 2024 College Heights Auction
Please save the date: Saturday, February 24 at 7:00pm - Details and invitation to follow.
In addition to marking your calendar, the Auction Committee is seeking donations from our community. If you respond 'yes' to any of these questions, we hope you'll consider supporting the auction. We have an ambitious fundraising goal this year, and each company sponsorship, in-kind donation and item will make a difference for our school - College Heights is a 501c3, and all donations are tax deductible.
- Do you own or work at a company that would sponsor our event at any level? (Ex. $250 is Gold, $500 is Platinum)
- Do you have a personal or professional skill/service or item that could be donated to the silent auction? (Ex. a family photo session or sporting tickets etc.)
- Do you know a person, business or organization that you'd be willing to connect us to for the auction?
Feel free to directly email Laura.Bollman@gmail.com, and thank you in advance!
Your 2024 Auction Committee,
Laura Bollman, Mary Knighton-Brenner, Taylor Buchanan, Stephanie Cho, Jennifer Clinkscales, Dao Huynh, Nick Lukacs, Nelie Lynch, Katie Perumbeti, Elissa Pichulik and Mercy Udoji
Help wanted
The PTA is looking for a Treasurer for the year of 2023-2024. They would like the future Treasurer to be available this year to understudy the current Treasurer in order to ease the transition next year. If you are interested or would like more information about the role, please reach out to collegeheightspto@gmail.com.
Community Partner News and Announcements
Help DEF “Lighten the Load” for Decatur’s Students in Need
Did you know that more than 50 families in the City Schools of Decatur are experiencing homelessness and financial instability? The burden of being temporarily unhoused or food insecure can be overwhelming, particularly for young people. This is where the Decatur Education Foundation’s Lighten the Load program steps in, offering hope, support, and opportunities to those students who need it most.
DEF collaborates closely with City Schools of Decatur social workers, McKinney-Vento administrators, counselors at the Beacon Hill Middle School and Decatur High School student centers, and the Decatur Housing Authority. Together, we provide a comprehensive range of support services. Through the Lighten the Load program, we ensure students have access to snacks during the school day and weekend food packs, guaranteeing that hunger is not a barrier to learning. We provide students with clothing, toiletries, and essential personal items to boost their self-esteem and confidence. And for families facing immediate crises, we offer emergency assistance to provide a safety net during tough times.
Your support can truly make all the difference. With your generous contributions, you have the power to keep a child in school, provide nutritious meals, and offer a safe and secure place to sleep at night. You can join this life-changing mission by contributing to the Lighten the Load program at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/donate.
MAD AVE DERBY: FINAL DAYS TO REGISTER!
Register to race as a driver or save the date to cheer on your favorite cars during a day of family-friendly fun at the 12th Annual Madison Avenue Derby on Saturday, October 21st, 2023! This year’s event benefits Urban Recipe, an organization that addresses food insecurity in metro Atlanta. Driver registration open thru 10/5 or until spots sell out. T-shirts available by pre-order thru 10/4 - all proceeds benefit Urban Recipe! www.madavederby.org
A Season of Giving
A Season of Giving is a neighbor led organization which helps purchase gifts directly for local children and seniors! To apply for assistance, please complete an online application at https://aseasonofgiving.org/child-application/ by November 4th.
**NEW** Applications may be submitted for any child ages infant through 12th grade!
If you are not in need of assistance, please consider supporting our efforts. To become a donor for A Season of Giving, complete the form at https://aseasonofgiving.org/sponsor/. To volunteer, complete the form at https://aseasonofgiving.org/volunteer/.
Save the Date
October 6 - Parent Coffee Chat 8:15-9:15 am (Media Center)
October 9-13 - School Photos
October 11 - Prospective Parent Tour
October 16-20 - College Heights Spirit Week
October 18-25 - Read-To-Me-A-Thon sponsored by the College Heights PTA
October 19 - School to Heart to Home Virtual Parent Workshop
October 23-27 - Literacy Week and Scholastic Book Fair
October 27 - Trunk or Treat and Movie Night sponsored by the College Heights PTA
November 7 - School Closed (teacher workday)