Weekly Update

August 1, 2024

Dear Winnona Park Families,

We had a fabulous first three days of school here at Winnona Park. The whole WP Crew agreed it was one of the smoothest, calmest opening few days of school we could remember. A huge thank you to all of you for following our arrival and dismissal procedures. We appreciate you partnering with us to make these transitions as stress-free and as safe as possible. Just a note that Morning Crew in each class begins at 8:15 sharp this year!

Another big “Thank-You” to the 63% of families who completed the Annual Data Update (ADU). Not that I’m competitive or anything, but WP families are in 5th place among those other darn schools. Come on, We got this!

The ADU is how families verify or update critical communication and health information, and do sign-offs for the handbook and code of conduct. Please visit https://www.csdecatur.net/adu for more information or log in directly to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Help make WP the first to reach 100% completion! If you need assistance accessing the Parent Portal, click Login Help at https://www.csdecatur.net/adu or contact the school's front office at 404.370.4490

Have a great weekend.

Greg Wiseman

Principal, Winnona Park Elementary

• August 7, 8:30 am @ WP Media Center: Room Parent Info Session for parents interested in serving as Room Parents

• August 14: Walk-n-Roll

• August 16 5:30 pm: Back to School Picnic

Hello, Winnona Park Families!

I’m so excited to be the School Counselor at Winnona Park! I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to you. I look forward to getting to know your family.

This marks the beginning of year 18 in education for me. I have worked in public and private school settings with students in K-12th grade. I have graduate degrees in School Counseling and Educational Leadership from Georgia State University and Lipscomb University. My partner, Matthew Hicks, is a long-time member of the WP Crew, and our son, Wesley, is a WP alum! When we’re not at school, we love spending time together outside, exploring new places, and eating great food.

I love working with primary students and Winnona Park is almost in my backyard, so I’m thrilled to be a new support person in the community. Here are ways I can help your student/family:

• Classroom Lessons: I collaborate with teachers to deliver classroom lessons on important topics like social skills and WP’s habits of character equipping your child with valuable tools for success.

• Small-Group Counseling: I will facilitate various group counseling sessions throughout the year on topics such as self-esteem, friendship, and resilience, fostering a sense of belonging and emotional growth among students.

• Individual Check-ins: I will work with students one-on-one to address personal and academic concerns, helping them develop essential life skills and coping strategies.

• Parent Support: I am here to provide guidance and resources to parents, offering insights into how you can support your child's educational and emotional needs.

• College and Career Readiness: As students progress, I help them explore their interests, set goals, and plan for their academic and career future.

Please complete this form if there are ways I can support you or your student. I aim to help students manage their feelings in a way that will create space for learning and growth!

I look forward to getting to know you,

Lindsey W. Hicks, Ed.D.

School Counselor

Referral Form

This week's Media Center blog is available here.

In accordance with Georgia Senate Bill 48, City Schools of Decatur has a screening process to identify students in kindergarten through third grade for characteristics of dyslexia. This letter informs you about the process and your rights as a parent.

The Winnona Park School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee consisting of WP’s parents/guardians, staff members, and other personnel. The SLT is focused on school governance, school improvement, and student achievement. Some of the responsibilities of this team are to:

-Serve on interview teams

-Develop, approve, and monitor the continuous school improvement planning process

-Review assessment data and use it for decision-making purposes

-Assist with school accreditation and improvement reviews and assessments

-Review and approve changes to its bylaws; and

-Recommend school needs to the CSD Board of Education during the annual budget process

SLT parent members are elected to their positions for a 2-year term. Meetings (three each semester) are open to the public.

There are two parent openings for the Winnona Park SLT. If you are interested in serving on this team, please email Principal Greg Wiseman the following by Friday, August 16, at 5:00 PM:

Your name

Your child’s name and grade

One-to-two paragraphs describing your biographical information

One-to-two paragraphs describing why you wish to serve on the school’s SLT

(Please type “SLT Candidate” in the subject of your email)

Candidate bios will be collected and published on Winnona Park’s website and elections, if needed, will be held via Google Form from Monday, August 26, to Friday, August 30, at 5:00 PM.

Join the PTA and Support the School with our New Membership Drive

This year, we are excited to announce a revamped approach to our membership drive aimed at making it simpler and more impactful for families to support the school. Instead of multiple small fundraising efforts throughout the school year, we are launching an annual donation drive. This new approach is designed to streamline the process for parents and ensure that we can fully fund our valuable programs from the outset.

All contributions from this annual drive will directly benefit our students and teachers by supporting essential programs. The funds will cover:

• All field trip costs for the year

• Support educational initiatives like the community garden, STEAM materials, Books-in-a-Bag, and DEI programs

• Teachers will also receive a stipend for classroom materials at the beginning of the year

• Ongoing teacher and staff appreciation activities

• Yearbooks for every student

• School social events

• And so much more!

Your generous donation will ensure that these programs thrive and that our children continue to have enriching educational experiences. And your PTA membership is included in all levels.

Visit our website for more information or select your membership level!

Do you have or know a business that would benefit from exposure to the Winnona Park Community? Check out our new sponsorship opportunities.

Interested in getting involved? Let us know how you’d like to help.

JOIN US AS A ROOM PARENT!

It's time for Winnona Park Room Parents signup! We are seeking 2-3 parents/caregivers per class to serve as Room Parents. Please click HERE to sign up today! We still have many classrooms without volunteers.

Volunteering as a Room Parent is a great way to get involved with your student's WP experience. Room Parents are responsible for communicating to their classes about upcoming PTA events and initiatives and managing funds for teacher gifts. Teachers may also occasionally ask their Room Parents to support classroom activities. And please mark Wednesday, August 7 at 8:30 am on your calendars -- we will have a brief Room Parent orientation in the WP media center. Sign up today!

Get Your New Winnona Park Shirt!

Due to the incredible popularity of this year's shirt, we've sold out of most sizes! But don't worry, we're submitting a new order. To make sure you get one, place your pre-order today. Visit our site to secure your shirt now! Order now.

Applications for the 2024-25 Student Advisory Councils opened in the Student Launchpad on Wednesday, July 31. The Superintendent's Council allows students to meet each other and discuss matters affecting their education with Superintendent Dr. Whitaker. Additionally, there will be opportunities for students to share creative ideas, concerns, or suggestions for improving our district. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 14, at 5 pm.

The application requires a Google account to enable students to upload submissions. While student CSD Google accounts are preferred, any Google account will access the form. Please contact your school's media specialist if support is needed to access the CSD Google account. Students may also access the application here using their Google account.

◽Schedules ◽Grades ◽Lunch Money ◽Contact Information◽Test Scores ◽And More!

At the beginning of every school year, it is critical for families to use the Parent Portal for back-to-school readiness. Action needed:

• Complete the Annual Data Update (ADU). The ADU is how families verify or update critical communication and health information and do sign-offs for the handbook and code of conduct. From the Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. More information about the Annual Data Update is available at https://www.csdecatur.net/adu, including a tracker showing which school is closest to hitting 100% submission! All new and returning parents must update student information via Infinite Campus.

• Apply for Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefits. We encourage ALL families to apply. Families that previously received benefits must reapply every year. In the Portal, select More ⇒ Meal Benefits. More information about the meal benefit is available at https://www.csdecatur.net/nutrition.

• Add funds and set up balance alerts and auto-payment for meal account balances. In the Portal, select Food Service.

If you need help with the Portal, visit https://www.csdecatur.net/portalhelp or contact your school’s front office.

Parents and families can request a name change for your student. If you wish to have your child's chosen or preferred name updated in our records, please complete the name/gender change request form. Please note that the updated name and gender marker will be reflected in our Infinite Campus and Google Workspace applications. However, it's important to remember that CSD will only use legal names on official documents such as transcripts requested by outside sources.

If a legal name change has occurred, please contact your child's school to have the student's records updated accordingly. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us ensure that our records are accurate and respectful of each student's preferences.

City Schools of Decatur will make accommodations for children with disabilities whose disability or special dietary need restricts their diet when that need is certified by a licensed physician. Milk intolerance is not considered a disability or food allergy. For modifications or substitutions to the school meals, the school’s Nurse or Nutrition Manager must have a written Medical Statement to Request Accommodations for Disabilities in the School Meal Programs Form on file that is signed by a licensed physician or licensed health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law.

The Accommodations form and the Milk Substitutions form are located here.

Coming Soon!

Registration for Elementary Orchestra is now open for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Click here to register your child for class. Registration closes Aug 14, 2024, or once we reach class capacity.

Join Decatur Education Foundation, a Community of Problem-Solvers!

Welcome to another great year in City Schools of Decatur! Decatur Education Foundation is proud to be this community's - YOUR community's - local nonprofit dedicated to helping solve the problems that keep Decatur's kids from finding success. DEF hosts community events (a brand new one is coming soon - be on the lookout!) and generates resources from our community to support programs that provide opportunities, address unmet needs, and support educators and students in ALL of our CSD schools. But we can't do it without your help! Support our work by volunteering, attending our events, or making a donation in support of Decatur's kids. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to learn about upcoming events, and visit our website - www.decatureducationfoundation.org - to learn more about our work and how you can be a part of it! Our community. Our kids. Together, we make a difference.

Email: csikes@csdecatur.net
Website: https://ga02000365.schoolwires.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=13
Location: 510 Avery Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4490