Talley Street Update

• PTO Meeting: December 11 @ 6 p.m.

• Winter Orchestra Performance: December 12 @ 5:15 p.m., DHS Performing Arts Center

• Chorus Performance/Marshmallow Roast: December 12 @ 6:30 p.m., Decatur Square

• Early Release: December 19 @ 12:15 p.m.

• Winter Break: December 20-January 6

• Young Georgia Authors Contest Deadline: January 17 @ 9:30 a.m.

Talley Street will take the new Georgia School Climate Survey this year. Each parent or guardian is invited to take the family version to answer questions about the current school or schools you have a child or children attending. If two or more children attend the same school, please only complete one survey for that school.

The survey measures what you think about how the school engages with families. Answers are not linked to names in any way. When typing answers, please do not give names or information that you don’t want to share with this school. Data will be shared with school leaders to help improve the school and will be published on the GaDOE website.

Please help by sharing your honest opinion on this 22-question survey. To take the survey, please click this link.

Sincerely,

Billy Heaton

Principal, Talley Street Upper Elementary School

Parents will use their child's student ID number as an access code.

Please email Charlie Cannon at cwcannon23@gmail.com with any questions.

Calling all K-12 storytellers, writers, and authors!

Do you have a story to tell? Here’s your chance to share your story with the world!

We’re looking for poems, short stories, narratives, informational writing pieces, or any other original student writing that highlights your amazing skills as a writer.

Here are a few guidelines to help you through the process:

• Only entries that meet the guidelines will be considered.
• The writing piece can be no longer than 1,900 words.
• The writing needs to be original student work, created without the help or support of others, including adults.
• The writing piece can be handwritten on 8 1⁄2 x 11 paper or typed. Handwritten and typed pieces must be on only one side of the paper.
• Submit only the writing - no staples, binding, cover, or lamination is allowed.
• Use a paperclip for multiple sheets, do NOT staple your writing.
• To submit: ALL ENTRIES DUE BY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2025 AT 9:30 A.M.
• Give to your teacher OR email to Ms. Block: mblock@csdecatur.net

One writing entry from each grade level will be selected to move on to the district-level competition. All participating students will be recognized, and parents will be contacted the week of January 20, 2025 if their student’s entry is selected to move forward.

Re-SOCK-ling at Talley!

The Talley Green Team is now collecting old socks for textile recycling. Socks may be any brand, in any condition. Single socks, socks with holes…send them in! But, all donations MUST be clean. This program is for used socks only, not donations of new pairs. Nor are stockings, tights or pantyhose accepted. Donations should be dropped off in Ms. Stuart’s classroom in the fourth grade hallway. We appreciate your support.

Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for news of other special collections to begin after the Thanksgiving break, including Tide, Down and Gain laundry packaging; Febreze aerosol cans; all Kroger brand flexible packaging (including Private Selection and Simple Truth); and used Swiffer refill products.

Waste Less, Recycle More

Did you know that the average U.S. household creates 25% more waste during the holidays? As you undertake holiday shopping, remember to break down your cardboard boxes for curbside recycling. Plastic film like bubble wrap, shipping envelopes, outer wrapping and air pillows can be recycled through our biweekly Ridwell collections, which will resume in the new year. (Stay tuned for our official start date!) If you're interested in Ridwell's home pick-up service, it's not too late! Sign up at get.ridwell.com/talley by December 15.

ARE YOU PLASTIC SAVVY?

Test your knowledge with this Plastic Fact Quiz!

Please join us for the orchestra's winter performance on Thursday, December 12, at the Decatur PAC at 5:15!

• Walk & Roll is canceled tomorrow due to the cold weather. Stay warm and join us again in March!
• Does this belong to you?: The PTO is helping the school to reunite lost and found items with their owners! This is just a sample of all that we have collected. Please visit our photos and then reach out to lostandfound@talleypto.org (or in the comments of our social posts) with the item, your child’s name, and your child’s homeroom teacher and we will return it to them. See all items here.

• Final weeks for the yearbook pre-sale! Yearbooks are $23 through 12/31/24; they will increase to $28 on 01/01/25. Order at bit.ly/talleyyearbooks24. Please consider donating a yearbook. If you need financial assistance, a discount code is available; contact Ms. Weaver (kiweaver@csdecatur.net), Talley school Counselor. Contact yearbook@talleypto.org with any other questions.

• Enter the Author Contest: Ms. Block is collecting any original student writing to submit to the Young Georgia Authors’ Contest. All entries due by Wed, 1-17 at 9:30 am. Contest details here: bit.ly/4gkN4iC

• Have you taken photos around Talley or at school events? Please share them with us to include in the yearbook! Send photos to yearbook@talleypto.org.

• Instagram @TalleyPTO

• Facebook page

• Facebook Parent & Community Group

CSD's School Health Team is preparing for DeKalb Public Health's immunization assessment on Friday, December 6, for all Kindergarten, seventh, and 11th-grade students.

Please ensure your child's immunization records are up-to-date and submitted to the school clinic by Thursday, December 5. If your child is missing any required immunizations, please schedule an appointment with your child's healthcare provider or visit Dekalb Public Health, 445 Winn Way, Decatur, GA 30030.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our students healthy and compliant with Georgia's immunization laws. If you plan to submit an Affidavit of Religious Objection to Immunizations (Form #2208), please remember that it must be notarized. Please contact the nurse at your child's school for questions or assistance with immunization records.

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.

You can find more information on the following Facebook pages:

Talley Street Principal

Talley Street Upper Elementary School PTO

Talley Street Upper Elementary School Parents

Talley Street Artists

Talley Street PE

And these Instagrams:

@talleytigergram

@talleystemstagram

@talleystreetgarden

@TalleyPTO

For news from our counselors, check out their website:

Counseling Website

For more about the Talley Street PTO, visit their website here: https://talleypto.org/.