Chestnut Grove Parent News
January 14, 2024
"Every student matters; Every second counts!"
Dear Chestnut Grove Families,
Reminder that school is closed tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 15th in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. See the message below about weather updates for this week.
January is National School Board Appreciation Month.
Decatur City Schools is privileged to have some of the most selfless board members serving our district and community. CGES includes students from districts 1, 3, and 5. As you have an opportunity, please take a moment to thank them for their service. https://www.dcs.edu/page/board (photo below)
Michele Gray King - President, Doug Bachuss, Jason Palmer, Peggy Baggett, and Dwight Jett
With gratitude,
Rebekah Higgins, Principal
WEATHER ALERT - UPDATE COMING MONDAY
With the threat of snow/extreme temperatures this week, DCS will release plans on Monday afternoon. Watch your email and text messages for more information coming from DCS, CGES, and your child's teacher. If you know of a CG parent who has not received my weekly parent news or recent DCS updates, please ask them to email me (rebekah.higgins@dcs.edu) so I can check their information in PowerSchool. All communication is sent to guardians' phone and email contacts in PowerSchool. After Friday's message, the report told me there are 91 blocked or invalid cell phone numbers and 102 invalid or no email listed. It is imperative all parents' contact information remains current in powerschool so that you receive important communication via Remind and BlackBoard message services.
Important Dates
JANUARY
School Board Appreciation Month!
15 - No School in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day
21 - Deadline to order from the online spirit store
25 - 100th Day of School
26 - Scholars' Bowl Tournament at Wallace State
26 - AIM field trip
FEBRUARY
1 - Morgan Co Spelling Bee
7 - Progress Reports (3rd-5th)
15 - Yearbook early-bird price ends; price increases on the 16th
16 - 3rd grade field trip
19 - Remote Learning Day for Students/Teacher PD
PTO News - CGES Spirit Store is Open!
CGES online Spirit Store is open! Orders can be placed through January 21st. Link to flyer: https://cdn.chipply.net/flyers/259902/f837bece-ebd8-499a-8ea1-911638bd4e70.pdf Link to store: https://prosportsdirect.chipply.com/cge/ (https://prosportsdirect.chipply.com/cge/)
Join the CGES PTO Remind group and communicate via Remind. Just send a text to 81010 and text the message “@ttaite” to join.
-- Chestnut Grove PTO
Yearbooks are now on sale ~ online only
Pre-sale yearbooks - order online only. Save by purchasing by February 15th, $36. Cost will increase to $40 on February 16th. We expect yearbooks to arrive before we get out of school in May.
Chestnut Grove Park coming soon!
Construction is soon to be underway for the Chestnut Grove Community Park. A fence went up extending from Cedarhurst Dr to Vicksburg Dr to ensure safety of our students during construction. CGES should have limited interruptions. The park is expected to be completed by this spring according to the project overseer. We are excited for this addition to our community! We will continue to provide updates as we receive them. Please email Mrs. Higgins if you have any questions.
CGES is a pop-tab drop off site
Each April, we turn in our pop tabs collected throughout the year. Students can turn in pop tabs in a ziploc bag in the barrel located in the CGES foyer.
BLACK BEAR PRIDE
To show our Black Bear PRIDE, we:
Practice Self Control
Respect People and Property
Identify safe choices
Demonstrate Responsibility
Expect to be our best EVERY DAYHelp your Child at home
Check your child's binder daily for communication from the teacher.
COMMUNICATION
Stay connected ~
- Ensure you are signed up for teacher communication
- Visit our website https://www.dcs.edu/ and social media
- Check your child's communication folder/binder daily
- Join PTO and sign up to volunteer
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL
PreK Arrival (7:30-7:45am) & Dismissal (2:15-2:30pm) will be in the rear. If you arrive after these times, parents will need to come to the office.
K & 1st grade arrival (7:15-7:45am) & dismissal (2:45pm) is in the front left parking lot. Older siblings of K/1st graders will join their younger sibling on the lower carline/commons (playground side).
2nd-5th grade arrival & dismissal is in the front right parking lot (gym side).
IMPORTANT INFO
- If your child needs assistance getting out of the car in the mornings, please use the K/1 parking lot. Our upper lot is intended for students who can get out of the car independently.
- Carline: Students must be picked up by 3:00pm. If an emergency arises, contact the office ASAP, 256-552-3092.
- Check-outs must be done prior to 2:15pm. We do not allow checkouts after this time due to preparing for dismissal, which office staff assists with.
- Check-outs before 11:30am count as an absence.
- If your child's regular mode of transportation changes, it is important for you to communicate directly with your child's teacher via Remind as early as possible since they are the ones who handle transitions to dismissal each day.
- If you do not have your carline card, you will be asked to park in the parking lot and bring your ID to the office to pick up your child. This is part of our safety plan to ensure student safety. If you need additional people added to your child's pick-up list, call Mrs. Coffey, 256-552-3092.
Walkers
Walkers are dismissed at 2:40 to a parent/guardian. If you request for your child to walk home without a parent/guardian, we need this request documented and signed by a parent/guardian to be kept on file in the office. If no one is there to meet your child at 2:40, school staff will bring your child back inside the building to wait with car riders, and they can be picked up in the car line.
BUS Transportation
Parents, please remind your children of the importance of following the bus rules, especially: stay seated and face forward, keeping their noise level low/no yelling (only speak to students who sit with them), being kind, and respecting the bus driver.
Visit dcs.edu for important bus information, including registration forms and routes.
ATTENDANCE
It is important for you to read the DCS Attendance Policy in our Code of Conduct on pages 14-20. In the State of Alabama, students cannot have more than 17 total absences in one school year. Truancy procedures begin when a student has 3 unexcused absences. You will be notified with a courtesy letter mailed to your address on file first.
Attendance is 15% of our State Report Card, and it is important for us to keep absentees to a minimum. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact your child's teacher, counselor, and administrators as soon as possible.
Updated DCS Elementary Cell Phone Policy
Elementary: Student may not have cell phone/device out during the school day.
The parent will be called by an administrator at each offense. After any offense that the cell phone/device is collected and parents are contacted for pick-up, the principal or designee will lock the cell phone/device in the principal's office. Only a parent or verified designee can pick up the cell phone/device. The cell phone/device may be picked up at the end of the school day between dismissal and 3:00 p.m. and must be signed for to show receipt of the personal item.
Offense progression
1. Parent called
2. Parent called and will have to pick up the phone from the office.
3. 1 day of ISS assigned Code 2.00
4. 3 days of ISS assigned Code 2.01
5. 3 days of CAS assigned for 3rd grade and above Code 2.01/2.00
Literacy Resources for Parents to help your child at home
Chestnut Grove Elementary
Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, 2021 Lighthouse School
Alabama Purple Star School, 2023
Ronald McDonald House Pop Tab drop-off site
Annie Diaz, Assistant Principal, annie.diaz@dcs.k12.al.us
Email: rebekah.higgins@dcs.k12.al.us
Website: https://www.dcs.edu/o/cge
Location: 3205 Cedarhurst Dr. SW
Phone: 256-552-3092
Facebook: facebook.com/chestnutgroveelementary