Weekly Update
March 21, 2024
Dear Winnona Park Community,
The garden behind the school is my favorite spot on our campus. It was created as a collaborative effort between WP teachers, students, and the PTA through grants, fundraising and a lot of sweat equity. It has evolved to meet the needs of lessons, units, and learning expeditions that our teachers have planned over the years. In fact, the 1st grade team is very excited about their spring expedition called Growing and Caring for Others that involves a lot of learning and activities that will take place in our garden. Please click here to see the first of a series of weekly Public Service Announcements first graders created about our garden. And don’t forget about our Garden Workday from 10:00AM-12:00PM this Saturday.
Sincerely,
Gregory Wiseman
Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School
Important Dates
March 22th - Kindergarten Families at Community Circle
March 23rd - Garden Workday - 10AM - 12 PM
March 26th - Spirit Night at Raging Burrito
March 27th - Early Release Day
March 31st - 2nd Grade Yearbook Tributes due!!!
April 1st - 5th - Spring Break
April 8th - Solar Eclipse
April 15th - 19th - Spring Book Fair
Coretta Scott King & Martin Luther King Jr. Awards
In April 2024, two Winnona Park students will receive the Coretta Scott King Award and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. This award recognizes students who best demonstrate the beliefs and visions of two great Civil Rights leaders. Complete this project (one per student) by Monday, April 15, 2024, at 4 PM EST. Submissions should be emailed to Greg Wiseman at gwiseman@csdecatur.net OR delivered to the WP main office.
2nd Grade Yearbook Tributes - DUE MARCH 31!
To honor our second-grade students who are moving on from Winnona Park, the PTA is offering a FREE tribute in the 2023-24 yearbook for all second-grade students. Go to the online form by March 31 to submit a photo and personal message for your
second grader! Please email Elizabeth Karp at winnonayearbook@gmail.com with questions. Thank you!
PE News - Kids Heart Challenge and Field Day
March 25th - April 12th - Kids Heart Challenge - (Jump Rope for Heart) - This week in PE students are learning how to jump rope. Starting next week everyone will complete jump rope challenges with the long and short rope. Check your child’s backpack for information on the optional fundraising portion of the Kids Heart Challenge. (Click HERE to sign up.)
May 10th - Field Day - Planning has begun.
Volunteer Spots to help the day run smoothly - Sign up to work HERE.
- Help feed the teachers and station volunteers. - Sign up to bring food HERE.
Other Important Dates:
March 25th - April 12th - Kids Heart Challenge - (Jump Rope for Heart) - During PE everyone will complete the jump rope challenges. Click HERE for the optional fundraising part of the challenge.
May 10th - Field Day - Planning has begun.
Volunteer Spots to help the day run smoothly - Sign up to work HERE
Help feed the teachers and station volunteers. - Sign up to bring food HERE.
From the Media Center
Spring Book Fair
Our Little Shop of Stories Spring Book Fair is coming up the week of April 15th! We have slots available to help with student wish lists, as well as cashiers. Mr. Reid's class will be visiting on the previous Friday during their regular library time. Here is the list of times and class visits to the book fair. Here is the link to the sign up. Please reach out if you have any questions(izeff@csdecatur.net).
Monday, April 15th
8:30 - McCool
9 - McElveen
9:45 - Gordon
10:15 - Lambert
Tuesday, April 16th
8:30 - Gee
9:45 - Hicks
10:15 - Baerman
1 - Westbrook
2:15 - Eason
Winnona Park PTA
From our PTA
Please visit our PTA website to stay connected with upcoming events- https://winnonaparkpta.ptboard.com/ .
Get social: like us on Facebook
Community Garden Day! March 23rd 10am-12pm
We invite you to join us for a day of green thumbs and fresh air at our upcoming Garden Work Day! Our school's garden is a place of beauty and growth, and your help is needed to keep it flourishing. Whether you're an experienced gardener or just eager to get your hands dirty, all are welcome - we will be preparing the garden beds for our Spring planting. Bring your gardening gloves and enthusiasm, and let's nurture our garden together!
**Special requests: we would love to borrow a garden tiller and we could use a little extra compost for the beds - please let us know if you can provide these items by emailing cristinawmigliore@gmail.com - THANK YOU!!
🌈 Get Ready to Get Colorful: Holi Celebration at Westchester Elementary! 🎉
Join us for a vibrant celebration of Holi at Westchester Elementary School on Saturday, March 23 from 2 - 4 pm! Get ready for an afternoon filled with fun and color as we come together to mark the arrival of spring. Don't miss out on delicious shaved ice from the Kona Ice Truck and be sure to wear light-colored clothes that you don't mind brightening with colored powder. We can't wait to see you there! Visit our site for details.
PTA BOARD & COMMITTEE CHAIRS/CO CHAIRS NEEDED!
Are you interested in becoming involved in the PTA next year?! We would love to have you! Currently looking for board and committee chairs and co chairs. If you have any interest please fill out the following google form and the PTA will contact you. PTA Interest Form
Our Black Owned Business Marketplace continues this week!! Local vendors will be set up at 8am prior to community circle out back by the pond- ALL parents are welcome to stop by after drop off and support these businesses.
MORNING HELPERS NEEDED!
Do you have some spare time to give in the morning? If so, please volunteer for an hour to help our amazing staff and teachers at Winnona Park. You'll check in with Mrs. Cathy Sikes at the front desk and she will let you know what you can help with that morning. We appreciate your willingness to volunteer your time. Sign up here!
Annual PTA Donation
Thank you for donating to the PTA! Your support helps fund the following for Winnona Park: yearbooks and field trips for EVERY STUDENT, teacher stipends for classroom necessities, free kindergarten and staff shirts, and fun school events just to name a few. Your support means the world to our little school!
How to Donate:
Click "Sign Up" link to sign up in our new website (For mobile phone, click top right menu, then "Sign Up" link- you can use google or facebook for quick login)
After signing in to https://winnonaparkpta.ptboard.com, click "Forms & Payments" to make your annual PTA donation.
Easy Ways to Support our School
Searching for ways to support WPES without breaking a sweat? Well, you are in luck! Below are six easy ways you can support our school, no heavy lifting required!
1- Kroger Community Rewards- Link rewards to Winnona Park Elementary PTA
2-My Publix Partner- select Winnona Park
3-Box Tops for Education- download the app
4-Mabel’s Labels- search for Winnona Park Elementary
5-Minted- use unique code FUNDRAISEWINNONA at checkout for your 20% discount plus WPES gets 15% back
6-Spirit Nights- Dine out at local restaurants on our WP spirit night, mention Winnona and a percentage of your purchase will come back to WP. See our website for the calendar of events https://winnonaparkpta.ptboard.com/calendar
City Schools of Decatur
Is your child interested in STEAM? Sign them up for Super Saturday today! CSD teachers & staff will guide K-5 students through STEAM inspired lessons at no charge to families. The time is from 9a - 12p at Beacon Hill Middle School.
Countdown to the April 8 Solar Eclipse
On April 8, residents in northern Mexico, the U.S., and southeastern Canada will witness totality – a rare darkness during daylight offering a glimpse of the Sun's corona. Scientists suggest that this could be the best eclipse in many centuries and for years to come.
To ensure safe viewing of the eclipse, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Astronomical Society are collaborating to educate the public. Staring directly at the sun, even during a partial eclipse, can lead to permanent vision damage or blindness.
Since the solar eclipse will occur during dismissal, CSD will provide solar eclipse glasses for PreK-12 students to safely enjoy the event. However, after students are dismissed from school, as walkers or after they disembark from the bus, CSD cannot monitor nor ensure proper use of the eyewear by students. Families are encouraged to help in communicating the following guidelines to all students:
Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.
View the Sun through eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer during the partial eclipse phases before and after totality.
Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device.
Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens (including a cell phone camera), telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer. Those require different types of solar filters. The concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.
Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.
Do NOT use eclipse glasses or handheld viewers with cameras, binoculars, or telescopes. When viewing the partial phases of the eclipse through cameras, binoculars, or telescopes equipped with proper solar filters, you do not need to wear eclipse glasses. (The solar filters do the same job as the eclipse glasses to protect your eyes.)
If you have concerns about your child using the eclipse glasses properly, please plan to pick them up for early dismissal. Families who would like to enjoy the event together are also encouraged to check students out for early dismissal.
All outdoor after-school activities will be canceled. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
CSD ELA K-8 CURRICULUM ADOPTION TIME! Your Feedback is Needed
The City Schools of Decatur Literacy Department, alongside the ELA K-8 curriculum adoption committee, identified and reviewed five programs on the approved Georgia House Bill 538 High-Quality Instructional Materials List. The proposed curricula are available in the following locations through March 25, 2024, for examination and feedback:
Option 1: Visit the Elizabeth Wilson School Support Center lobby located at 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am-4:00 pm.
Option 2: Digital access of the City Schools of Decatur ELA Adoption webpage is available.
After reviewing the proposed ELA K-8 curricula, complete the survey below that applies:
America Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund Feedback Surveys
City Schools of Decatur is reviewing its ARP ESSER LEA Plan and ARP ESSER Budget. We are soliciting stakeholder feedback through April 10, 2024.
Please use the link below to view the plan and budget and share your input: https://www.csdecatur.net/Page/4415
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Student Restorative Practices and Code of Conduct Handbook (SRPCCH)
It’s time for the yearly review of the Student Restorative Practices and Code of Conduct Handbook (SRPCCH), and we value your feedback and contributions. Please use the provided link to access the Stakeholder Review Feedback Form. The deadline to submit feedback and input is March 31, 2024.
FY25 Budget
The City Schools of Decatur is in the process of establishing the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. We are interested in input from the community on any suggestions, concerns, or questions. Please click here to provide your feedback.
Click here to access the entire FY25 Preliminary Budget 5-Year Financial Review presentation.
CSD FY25 Budget Book Cover Student Design Contest
Calling all City Schools of Decatur K-12 talented student artists! We are seeking submissions for the cover of our first-ever FY25 Budget Book. The budget book will tell students, families, and community stakeholders how CSD receives and spends money to educate all students. It includes the history of the school district, financial documents, and the organizational structure for ensuring all students are safe, seen, and successful.
The contest winner’s design will be featured on the cover of the budget book, on all CSD social media platforms, and in all school newsletters. The winner will also be recognized at an upcoming Board of Education meeting.
We can’t wait to see the creativity of our talented student artists on display! To enter, upload your design in a JPEG or PNG format using this form by April 14.The 2024 Annual Parent Involvement Survey for Families Raising a Student With a Disability is Open!
GaDOE is surveying parents of students with disabilities in Georgia to determine their perceptions of parent engagement with schools. It is critical that the GaDOE assist local school systems in partnering with families to raise the achievement rate for students with disabilities. This short survey will help identify family involvement needs within the state and local school districts. The data is reported as a percentage of parental involvement in the Annual Performance Report and is kept confidential.
PTA/PTO/PTSA Upcoming Events
Mar 23: Talley Tigerfest from 11-3 p.m.
Mar 23: Westchester Holi Event from 2-4 p.m.
City Schools of Decatur Community Partners
Decatur Education Foundation and A Long Talk
Decatur Education Foundation and A Long Talk