Greetings WE Families,

A school vacation is always welcomed but I am also grateful to return to the regularity of our weekly schedule. The kids were excited to share the adventures that many of them had during their time away from school. I am sure the time away was enjoyed by all.

You will be receiving information next week in your child’s Communication folder regarding a school fundraiser. This is an opportunity for our school to raise additional funds for our local needs. You might not know this but our school budget funds are based upon our school enrollment. Our very generous PTA supports many of the activities and needs of our students and staff. Each school has a local budget that generates funds from local school fundraisers which is used to compliment the general school budget. We will launch the School Store fundraiser. This is an optional fundraiser. However, you can support our school by purchasing items that you may want or need through the various national retailers like Walmart, Old Navy, Best Buy and over 300 more stores. The merchants will give a percentage of every sale back to our school. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about how you can help our school.

From your grateful principal,

Christine Knox

School Leadership Team: SLT is an advisory team, please feel free to reach out to any of us if you feel that there are opportunities for improvement that you would like to share with us. You can ask your questions or share your ideas here in the SLT Q & A form.

Community Circle/Coffee Chat Dates:Mark your calendars:

November 17th- NO Coffee Chat

December 15th- EL Dimension of High Quality Work

February 9th WE Building Bridges Family Engagement

March 29th

April 26th

May 22nd - Our last day of school ( No Coffee Chat)

It's that time of the year again! The Tour Decatur 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run is just around the corner (Saturday, March 16th). In PE, all students will embark on an amazing 5 week fitness unit. Students will engage in high energy games and various fitness activities. Over the course of this unit, students will build endurance as they learn about pacing and running etiquette in a fun and challenging environment. The goal of the unit is to prepare students for the 1 mile Fun Run. Sign up for the race and meet me at the starting line!

Show your school spirit by purchasing a Westchester iRUN t-shirt and long sleeve hoodie ($10-$15). The shirts are available to anyone, regardless of Tour Decatur participation. The deadline to order is February 29th. Click the links below for more information on ordering a shirt and registering for the Tour Decatur race.

Web Store Link

https://pswear.com/Westchester

Tour Decatur link

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/84548/tour-decatur-2024

​​​​​​​Help our teachers and staff have a special break throughout the day by stocking the teacher’s lounge! Items can be purchased directly from the Amazon Wishlist below (or purchased locally and brought to school!). Thanks so much for your support of our staff!

Georgia Health Surveys [Note: although the survey is not applicable for K-2 students, K-2 schools please DO include this blurb: a parent might see it in their kindergartner’s newsletter and miss seeing it in their high schooler’s]

The window for the 2023-24 Georgia Student Health Survey and Parent Survey closes Friday, March 1. Student and parent survey participation is critical because the data will be used to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2024-25 school year. Parents can access the survey here, and students in grade 3-12 can access it via the Georgia Health Survey icon in LaunchPad (or directly here for 3-5, here for 6-8, and here for 9-12).

Dr. Whitaker will host her winter series of listening sessions around the City Schools of Decatur to listen and learn from students, staff, families, and community leaders. Initial sessions were held in the fall as part of the first phase of Dr. Whitaker’s three-phased entry plan into the district entitled GEM - which focused on gathering information, reviewing the findings to envision a plan forward, and maximizing the results.

The meetings will be held virtually and in person. Here is a list of the sessions:

Winter Listening Sessions:

• Tuesday, February 27 - Beacon Hill in Media Center at 5:30 p.m.

• Friday, March 1 - Virtual at 11:30 a.m. https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/91210511997

Don’t delay, register today! Pre-K Registration ends February 29

Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year for K-12 students NEW to City Schools of Decatur will go live on Monday, March 4. This includes students entering Kindergarten. Enrollment can be completed entirely online. Families should access the enrollment page of the CSD website at https://www.csdecatur.net/enrollment for details on required documentation and links to register beginning March 4.

If families need assistance with the enrollment process, in-person support will be provided at the Wilson Center. Families will be seen between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis during the week of March 4-8. Beginning March 11, families can receive in-person enrollment support at the Wilson Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can also be seen on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment. Appointments can be made online.

City Schools of Decatur's upcoming Early Release Day is Wednesday, February 28.

Pre-K - 12:15 PM

Lower Elementary - 12:50 PM

Upper Elementary - 12:15 PM

Middle School - 1:45 PM

High School - 1:35 PM

College Heights' infant through preschool program will remain on its normal schedule.

The remaining schedule of Early Release Days includes the following dates:

Wednesday, February 28

Wednesday, March 27

Wednesday, April 24

We are excited to announce our annual College & FASFA Night. Join us for this in person meeting to hear everything you need to know about admissions and the FAFSA from experts. We will have representatives from colleges and the Georgia Student Finance Commission to help you complete the FAFSA. There will be time for Q&A at the end - Flyer

The Decatur Education Foundation invites you to reserve your spot for the 22nd Annual Tour deCatur 5K and One-Mile Fun Run. Join us on Saturday, March 16, 2024, for a day of family-friendly fun surrounded by your Decatur community. Register today for the 5K, the one-mile Fun Run, and the Tot Trot:

https://bit.ly/Tour-deCatur-2024

As DEF's largest fundraiser, the Tour deCatur plays a crucial role in supporting programs that address issues such as racial and economic inequity, food insecurity, behavioral health, and learning differences. Please email Kamela@decatureducationfoundation.org if you’re interested in volunteering and supporting the event. See you at the starting line!

It’s the Latest DEF Student Design Challenge: What Keeps YOU Moving?

As DEF gears up for our biggest event of the year, Tour deCatur, we want to know: What keeps YOU moving? Are you motivated by friends and family? Personal health and fitness goals? A competitive spirit? We want to hear about what keeps Decatur students putting one foot in front of the other as we look forward to our community run on Saturday, March 16.

Share your story in a 1-minute video for the chance to win exciting prizes including gift cards and goodies from Fleet Feet! The most creative and inspiring submissions will also be featured on our social media platforms.

• Keep it concise (1 minute maximum).

• Please film your video vertically.

• Submit in MP4 format to kamela@decatureducationfoundation.org.

• Open to all City Schools of Decatur students, regardless of age.

The deadline for submissions is March 4, 2024. Unleash your creativity and showcase what keeps you moving! Let's make this year's Tour deCatur unforgettable together!

On March 9, 2024, Boosters will host our annual Bulldog Bash at Legacy Park to support athletics at DHS and BHMS. The adult-only fundraising event features food trucks, bands and a silent auction – all to raise money for Decatur Athletics.

There are four easy ways to support this event:

1. Buy your ticket here.

2. Bid on silent auction items once they’re live (it's all online!)

3. Buy a 50/50 raffle ticket (winner gets 50% of proceeds and Boosters get 50%).

4. Donate to the Coaches Wish List.

Share with your friends and family and follow us on Instagram (@DecaturBulldogBash) for all the latest party details and auction updates.

Call for Donations

We are looking for donations for the Bulldog Bash silent auction. Donated items are tax-deductible and can include anything from gift cards and art to products, services, trips and experiences. This is a great way to market your business while supporting Decatur Boosters. Donations can be made here.

Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year for K-12 students NEW to City Schools of Decatur will go live on Monday, March 4. This includes students entering Kindergarten. Enrollment can be completed entirely online. Families should access the enrollment page of the CSD website at https://www.csdecatur.net/enrollment for details on required documentation and links to register beginning March 4.

If families need assistance with the enrollment process, in-person support will be provided at the Wilson Center. Families will be seen between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis during the week of March 4-8. Beginning March 11, families can receive in-person enrollment support at the Wilson Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can also be seen on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment. Appointments can be made online.

Westchester newsletters

Email: bnation@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Westchester
Location: 758 Scott Boulevard, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westchesterelementarycsd