College Heights Connection

Dear Families,

I hope you had a wonderful break. It's hard to believe we are heading into the end of 2024. December is a busy month at College Heights. If you have not already, please be sure to sign up for a parent/teacher conference. Conferences are a wonderful time to check in on your student's developmental progress and goals. We can accommodate in person or virtual conference times.

Have a great weekend,

Principal Garland

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SIGNED UP FOR A CONFERENCE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Teachers are looking forward to partnering with you at our fall conferences from Monday, December 2 through Friday, December 13! They will discuss your child's social-emotional development, classroom transition, and set learning goals for the second semester. Your input is invaluable as we work together to support your child's success. Please see teacher and classroom communications for conference sign-ups. Teachers will be sharing a parent conference agenda and your child's fall narrative report prior to the start of conferences.

Breakfast registration for second semester is now open. If you would like your Pre-K student to eat breakfast at school please email Principal Garland with your student's name and teacher. Registration will close on December 19. If your student is already registered for the breakfast program there is NO need to sign up again.

If your Pre-K student eats breakfast at school, please make sure they are in the building before 7:45 am so that they have enough time to eat before heading to their classrooms. Parents are responsible for adding money to their student's nutrition account through Infinite Campus. For directions on how to add money to your student's nutrition account please click here.

Please help support our school-wide service project. Students love to help, and service projects can teach them about their role in their community and the importance of helping others as well as compassion and a sense of social responsibility.

Details are included below. We will collect items through Friday, December 6.

Pre-K students were welcomed back from the break with Alex Latimer'sThe Boy Who Cried Ninja, a hilarious riff on the classic fable that teaches us why honesty is always the best policy. We are continuing to learn how to search for books throughout the library. Younger students enjoyed several books with rhyming wordplay that made us giggle.

This Week's Books

Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Loren Long

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

Mr. Scruff by Simon James

Frog on a Log? by Kes Gray and Jim Field

Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea, illustrated by Tom Slaughter

Date: Friday, February 7

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Location: College Heights Library

SAVE THE DATE to join Ilene Zeff, Media Specialist at Winnona Park Elementary School, and other families from our school community as we start a conversation about digital wellness. After sharing information about digital wellness and the impact of screen use on young children’s brains, we will reflect on screen use within our own families and discuss strategies to begin to better manage the technology in our lives. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Zeff at izeff@csdecatur.net.

Just in time for the cold weather, Ms. B's class is learning the over-the-head method of putting on winter coats. Nailed it!

Fall is slowly taking its leave, allowing us to shift smoothly into Winter. Although there are no Wylde Center School Garden Visits planned for the remainder of the semester, the garden still needs to be put to rest for the season with a garden "reset" to prepare for spring.

The following tasks are planned for the College Heights garden:

• Empty beds
• Mulch/plant cover crops
• Prepare beds for spring
• Place signs in the garden

The Wylde Center is looking for 3-4 adults to help on Thursday, December 19 from 9:00 am to noon. This is an Early Release Day for Pre-K. If you are available to help, please reach out to Rachel at the Wylde Center. Thank you!

Pre-K students will take the STAR Early Literacy Assessment during the winter assessment screening period of December 2-6 and December 9-13. CSD measures results from this winter assessment screening period against results from the previous fall screening period to track growth and adjust instruction to best meet students' individual needs. These assessments are crucial for ensuring your child's continued success.

Families may use these directions to opt-in to receive the results of the STAR Early Literacy assessment upon completion. For questions, please contact Erynn Mathews-Davis, Instructional Coach.

Roll out the red carpet and join us for a star-studded evening at the Hollywood Nights for College Heights Auction. This glamorous event will be a night to remember, filled with exclusive items, exciting auction packages, and an opportunity to support our school community.

Exciting news!

Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now!

Don't miss out on the chance to save big while securing your spot at this unforgettable event! Buy your tickets today! Early Bird Ticket pricing is available for a limited time at a discounted rate until December 31, 2024.

The students have made beautiful class quilts as part of our annual live auction fundraiser. These are available for preorder now at the PTO’s website for $40 each. Every classroom has a unique design on 50” x 60” printed blankets.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR CLASSROOM QUILT TODAY!

Email collegeheightspto@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Do you have plans for a new garden or class project for spring? Are you full of fantastic ideas for incorporating farm-to-school principles into a teaching unit? Need funds for a "green" field trip?

The Wylde Center Decatur Farm to School Committee invites you to apply for a grant for 2024/25. Teachers, administrators, PTA members, and parent volunteers can apply on behalf of their CSD school. Please get your applications in before December 13, 2024.

2024-2025 DF2S School Grant Application

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center cultivates an atmosphere where children take their first steps in building an authentic love of learning through developmentally appropriate practices in an environment that fosters family and community involvement.

December 6 - final day for College Heights Service Project item collection

December 2-13 - Fall Parent Conferences

December 19 - Early Release Day (Pre-K)

December 20-January 6 - School closed (Pre-K)

December 24-January 2 - School closed (0-3)