Talley Street Update

• Winter Break: December 20-January 6
• SLT Meeting: January 13, 4:30 p.m.

• Talley Family Math Festival: January 16, 5-7 p.m.

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

Yesterday, Talley held its annual spelling bee. Congratulations to all students who represented their classes! We are so proud of our winners, Anora Muneer (champion), Carey Schaaf (runner-up), and Kenji Bhatt (third place finisher). All three of these students will represent Talley at the district spelling bee in January. Way to go, tigers!

Grown-ups, we are seeing an uptick in issues at drop-off in the morning. Please PLEASE adhere to the following policies:

• Pull ALL THE WAY forward -- to the very end of the red curb past the cafeteria. Do not stop moving until you've gone as far as you can!
• Unless the line of cars in front of you has stopped, do NOT stop in front of the school or awning.
• Once you stop, if you are along ANY PART of the curb that is inside the parking lot (most likely, it's red) -- please have your child get out of the car. They do not need to be in front of the school to exit your vehicle. Ideally, we will have kids exiting from the very end of the red curb past the cafeteria all the way to the side of the building near the crosswalk.
• Say your goodbyes before you stop the car. Ensure they have already collected their belongings. This will allow them to hop out of the car quickly.
• Do not get out of your car.
• Pay attention to the adults directing traffic.
• Remember - the tardy bell rings at 7:45!

We would be so grateful if everyone could follow these simple directions. It's especially challenging on cold and rainy days, since so many folks drive. We can do this more efficiently if all drivers are responsible and compliant. Thank you!

Talley Street’s Gentlemen Excelling with the Necessary Tools for Success (G.E.N.T.S.) is a safe space for Black male students in 4th and 5th grade to become their best selves and prepare for bright futures.

Join today! We will meet every other Tuesday from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Location TBA. Our first meeting is Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Snacks will be provided. Pick up an application from the front desk!

If you have any questions or for more info, contact Principal Heaton at bheaton@csdecatur.net or Mr. Downer at adowner@csdecatur.net.

Save the date! Talley's first family math festival will be held on Thursday, January 16, in the cafeteria and gym. There will be math games from 5-7 p.m. This event is free for the whole family!

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.

CYBER GREEN TEAM

The Talley Green Team now has its own set of web pages linking to the Talley web site! Keep up to date on all of our special collections and various activities by visiting here.

LARGE CHIP BAGS NEEDED

The Green Team is undertaking a special upcycling project. If you have large, foil-lined chip bags, then please send them to school when we return after break. Thank you!

GREENING YOUR HOLIDAYS

Did you know that most wrapping paper can be recycled in your curbside bin? Regular and glossy wrapping paper is recyclable unless it has non-paper additives like metal flakes, colored shapes, glitter and plastics. A good rule of thumb...if you scrunch the paper up, and it stays scrunched, then you can recycle it. If it opens up again, then you should throw it away...unless you can reuse it. Ribbons, unfortunately, cause lots of problems in sorting equipment. So, save the ribbons for future use, or throw them away. Plain holiday cards also can be recycled; glossy cards and those with lots of glitter should be put in the trash.

• Don’t miss out – 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.

• Save the Date for Talley’s inaugural Math Night! Come spark math joy on Thursday, 1/16. The event is free to attend. Pre-order a family dinner from CityBBQ to pick up at the event and take home. More info and pre-ordering here: bit.ly/mathfest25

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

• 5th-grade families: Buy a yearbook tribute ad for your student! Tributes are $15 for ⅛ page, and $25 for ¼ page. To order, go to https://bit.ly/5thgradetributes. Click "Continue", then scroll down and click on “Start Your Ad”. Contact yearbook@talleypto.org with any questions.

• 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.
• Happy Holidays from the PTO! Wishing you peaceful holidays and an enjoyable semester break. We look forward to seeing you in 2025 when we return to school on January 7th!

• Instagram @TalleyPTO

• Facebook page

• Facebook Parent & Community Group

On Thursday, December 19, all K-8 students will bring home printed STAR reports. For students in grades 9-12, these reports were sent digitally. If your child completed both the STAR Early Literacy and STAR Reading assessments, you will receive two separate reports. These assessments measure different aspects of your child’s literacy development, which is why the reports will differ in content. To better understand the differences between these assessments and what the reports tell you about your child’s growth, please watch this STAR Assessment report explainer video.

The payments portion of Infinite Campus will be down from December 24 through January 4 for scheduled maintenance. Families are encouraged to clear any outstanding debt prior to this period.

Run With the Dogs 5K and Pup Trot, presented by Green Orthodontics, is a 21-year tradition supporting Decaturs Bulldog Boosters. In addition to being a Peachtree Road Race qualifier and a great community event, all proceeds support 19 sports programs at DHS and BHMS, which include 57 teams and over 1,100 student athletes.

Grab your friends and your pups and join this fun event on January 25 to support an amazing cause. All 5K and Pup Trot participants who register before Saturday, January 11 will receive our iconic long-sleeved t-shirt designed by artist (and Decatur lacrosse coach) Adam Pinsley. Register early for the best rates!

Please take our school’s climate survey and make your opinion count! This survey expires March 31, 2025. Survey participation is critical because the data will be used to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2025-26 school year. City Schools of Decatur appreciates the contributions of parents, students, and staff!

Support DHS baseball by participating in their tree recycling pickup fundraiser! They will pick up your tree on Saturday, January 4, and and drop it off at the Legacy Park recycling center for a $10 donation.

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.

Read recent issues of the Talley Street Update. below. Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.

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/.