Talley Street Update

• Meet and Greet: July 29, 1:00-3:00 PM
  

• First Day of School: July 30

• House Sorting Day: August 2

• PTO Popsicle Social: August 3, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

• 1st Walk and Roll to School: August 9

• Fall STAR Reading Assessment: August 13

• Fall STAR Math Assessment: August 14

• Curriculum Night: August 27, 6:00-7:30 PM [DATE CHANGED]

It is essential for families to complete the Annual Data Update (ADU) at the beginning of each school year. Some “opt-out” selections must be submitted via the ADU, or in writing to your principal, within the first 10 days of school. Please review the K-12 District Handbook and the Code of Conduct and the Restorative Practices Handbook before completing the update. Help your school be the first to reach 100% submission. For more information about the Annual Data Update please use the link below. Returning families must still complete the Annual Update at the beginning of each school year.

Translation support is available by contacting the school’s front office or Willie Washington at wwashington@csdecatur.net.

For the safety of our students, there will be new procedures for student arrival and dismissal for the 24-25 school year. For arrival, ALL students, including bus riders, car riders, walkers, and bike riders, will enter the building from the parking lot entrance (Entrance C). Buses will drop off students by 7:20. Parents/guardians may not enter the school parking lot until the buses have left. Parents may line up on Talley Street and enter the parking lot once the buses have left the school. School staff will greet students and make sure procedures are followed. The Talley Street entrance (Entrance A) will not be accessible during school hours, 7:00-3:00. Parents should not drop off their children anywhere along Talley Street. Any student or parent who tries to enter Entrance A will have to walk along the sidewalk and around the building to enter Entrance C. No one will be allowed to enter the Talley Street entrance (Entrance A).

For dismissal, ALL students will exit the building using the parking lot entrance (Entrance C). Dismissal times will be staggered. At 2:15, bus riders will be dismissed, followed by car riders, walkers, and bike riders. Parents/guardians of car riders who arrive before 2:00 should not enter the parking lot, but instead should line up along Talley Street. Once the buses have left, car riders may enter the parking lot. Dismissal may take longer than in the past. We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we implement the new procedures for the safety of our students. Below are links to a video and a map that explains the latest procedures. The Talley Street entrance (Entrance A) will also not be accessible during the Meet and Greet. Everyone should enter the parking lot entrance (Entrance C).

Talley has partnered with PickUp Patrol to help better manage our dismissal process. PickUp Patrol provides a layer of safety by authorizing and automatically tracking student dismissal plans, while still giving you the flexibility you need to make changes to your children’s plans.

The application reduces interruptions, speeds up dismissal time, and is administered by our own staff. Most importantly, it will help us ensure that our students are safely dismissed to their correct after-school destinations.

Learn more about PickUp Patrol: PickUp Patrol Parent Guide

If you have questions, please contact Talley Street Upper Elementary at jsanangelo@csdecatur.net or support@pickuppatrol.net.

The Talley Street Upper Elementary School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee of Talley Street's parents/guardians, staff members, and other personnel. The SLT focuses on school governance, student achievement, and family engagement. 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

• Review and approve changes to its bylaws

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

SLT members are elected to their positions except for appointed positions. Parents may attend to present an idea/concern at SLT work sessions. SLT meetings are open, and stakeholders are welcome to attend (look for dates in the Talley Street Update and on the school’s web page).

To vote in the SLT election, you must be a parent/guardian of a Talley Street Student. If you are interested in joining the SLT, please submit a candidate statement with biographical information and a paragraph explaining why you want to be an SLT member to Mr. Heaton (bheaton@csdecatur.net) by Friday, August 16, 2024. Each family will receive one vote per enrolled student. Remember that the most essential requirement of an SLT member is to have an honest desire to contribute to the educational experience and learning of all children at Talley Street Upper Elementary School.

Details:

• All candidate statements are due August 16th to Mr. Heaton.

• All candidate statements will be published in the Talley Street Update, Talley Street webpage, and on the school’s social media.

• Elections will take place on August 29th and August 30th. The school will send out a Google form on the morning of the 29th.

Talley Street has an opening for one parent representative for the 24-25 school year.

• 4th and 5th graders: Bring your recorders to keep in locker or book bag. We will be playing recorders in about 3 weeks.

• Strings sign up is almost full (Tu/Th before and after school).

• Band registration is coming soon (M/W before and after school).

• Chorus registration for 4th and 5th graders is coming soon! Look for the sign-up link on Talley’s website next week and in upcoming Thursday newsletters. Chorus meets Wednesdays after school. First rehearsal is August 21st. Chorus is a yearlong commitment.

• 3rd grade musicians: Hello! Please come see your new music room! I can’t wait to meet our newest Talley Tigers!

The PTO is excited to see you at the Meet & Greet on Monday! Come check out our info table and swing by the spirit wear table to stock up on Talley swag.

Because of the way our PTO is structured, we don’t have any membership dues or fees. Instead, we ask our community members and families to make an annual donation. In return, you get a thank-you gift and the warm, fuzzy feeling that goes with supporting our school and kiddos. 🥰

This year, as a thank-you gift, everyone who donates will receive a Talley calendar magnet with all the district dates, testing schedules, Talley rallies, and more.

Visit our website [talleypto.org/annual-donation] to give and see examples of where your money goes to help our school.

Next week is full of events! We still need some helpers for:

• Monday’s Meet & Greet (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AADAA2CA3F5CF8-50247623-meet)

• Friday’s Sorting Day (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AADAA2CA3F5CF8-50232139-house)

• Next Saturday’s Popsicle Social (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AADAA2CA3F5CF8-50247353-popsicle)

• Instagram @TalleyPTO

• Facebook page

• Facebook Parent & Community Group

Students, parents, and staff are encouraged to share first-day photos and updates about their schools using the hashtag #CSDFirstDay2024 to build excitement and community engagement.

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.

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/.