Talley Street Update

• Amistad Friendship Dance (open to all houses!): TONIGHT, January 30, 5 p.m., Ebster Gym
• Rising 6th Grade Parent Webinar: February 6, 6:30 p.m. (link)
• 4th Grade Movie Night: (DATE CHANGE) February 7, 6 p.m.
• February Break: February 17-21
• Early Release: February 26, 12:15 p.m.
• Drop the Mic - Black History Performance: February 27, 6 p.m.

CSD will host five hearings in January for the public to learn more about the district's plans to exercise the one-time option for local governments to opt out of Georgia House Bill 581, which establishes a statewide floating homestead exemption and cap on property taxes.

The schedule for the remaining public hearing is:

Thursday, January 30, 6:45 p.m. (virtual only, access the meeting here)

Passed during the 2024 Legislative Session, HB 581 impacts property taxes for cities, counties and school districts by capping the annual increase in property values for tax purposes, effective January 1, 2025. The bill aims to provide property tax relief for local residents, using the Consumer Price Index as an inflationary index. Since school districts rely heavily on property taxes for funding, this cap could impact the availability of CSD schools' resources and programs.

The Board of Education will follow the legal procedures to opt out of the exemption, including holding the three virtual public hearings. Following the hearings, the board will vote to adopt an opt-out resolution at the February Board of Education meeting and file the resolution with the Secretary of State by March 1, 2025.

As we create more opportunities for dialogue around CSD, families are invited to attend an upcoming winter listening session where Dr. Whitaker will hear directly from our community about the issues that matter to them.

• Monday, February 3, 5:30-6:30 p.m., College Heights ECLC Media Center

• Monday, February 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (virtual)

There will be no checkouts after Talley Rally. The office will not be able to enter last minute dismissals. If you would like to change your child to a walkup pick up in Pick Up Patrol, please enter that information in advance anytime before noon on the day of Talley Rally. As a walkup pick up, your child will meet you when walkers are dismissed on the sidewalk on the parking lot side. Alternatively, they can dismiss how they normally dismiss on a Friday. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Please review your child's dismissal plan in Pick Up Patrol!

Default is what usually happens. Plan Change is for changes in the default.

Please email jsanangelo@csdecatur.net with any questions.

Families, it's time to start thinking about what classes your child will take in 6th grade. See the newsletter linked below for important information from Beacon Hill Middle School about this process!

Please join us for the Amistad Friendship Dance on January 30 at 5:00 p.m. at Ebster Gym! All Talley students are invited!

4th grade students and families are invited to join us for a movie night on Friday, February 7 at 6 p.m. in the gym. The movie is Despicable Me 4. Tickets are $5 and students may pay in advance to their teacher or at the door!

All Talley Street Upper ES students will participate in iRUN during their physical education class. The purpose of iRUN is:

• to teach students, faculty, and parents the fundamentals of a lifetime skill that makes running/jogging/walking enjoyable and safe.

• to train students, staff and families to successfully participate in a one mile fun run

The Talley Street Upper ES community is encouraged to support the Decatur Education Foundation’s Tour Decatur 1 mile fun run or 5k (Saturday, March 15th). Registration fees from this event are used to support City Schools of Decatur through the Decatur Education Foundation. For more information about Decatur Education Foundation and to register for Tour Decatur check them out here:

www.decatureducationfoundation.org or www.tourdecatur.com

Feel free to contact Nicole Johns with questions regarding iRUN at njohns@csdecatur.net.

Show your school spirit during iRUN practice on PE days and at Tour Decatur! iRUN Talley Street t-shirts are available for students, parents and teachers here. Shirts are heather gray (soft fabric) with navy blue and light blue print. Last day to order is Friday, Feb. 14th.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all students, City Schools of Decatur (CSD) will administer a universal screener of social, emotional & behavioral health. CSD adopted the The Behavior Assessment for Children 3rd edition Behavior and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS) as the universal screener for behavior.

For the 2024-25 school year, students in grades 3 and 4 will take the student self-report of the screener at their school during the fall and spring administration dates. The Fall administration of the BASC-3 BESS opened on October 7th and closed on November 1st. The Spring administration of the BASC-3 BESS opens on March 3rd and will remain open through March 28th.

Please access the Universal Social Emotional Behavior Screener Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the CSD website to learn more.

Please see this letter for information on virtual Q & A sessions and to access the opt-out form if you would not like your child to participate in the screener.

Our schoolwide plastic film recycling resumed in January and will continue through the end of the school year. Collections will be picked up twice a month. Students should place their recycled film in the large Ridwell box that is located in the Recycling Station in the upstairs hallway.

• Order yearbooks! Yearbooks are $28 as of 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.

• 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.

• Mark your calendars for Mead Rd Mardi Gras on March 1st. Come parade with the Talley krewe, then stay for the party with live music and yummy food!

• Instagram @TalleyPTO

• Facebook page

• Facebook Parent & Community Group

You are invited to join Decatur Lunar New Year for their 2025 celebration! It will take place on February 2 in the Ebster Courtyard. Food, marketplace, performances, and passports from 1-5 p.m. The Lion Dance will be at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and kids enter for free.

Plans are underway for another amazing event to raise money for Decatur Athletics – The Bulldog Bash! Save the date for this year's event on Saturday, March 22, at Independent Distilling Company. The event will feature a live online auction that includes everything from artwork and experiences to trips, restaurant gift cards, sporting event tickets, self-care, and more.

Do you have a connection, talent, vacation home or something unique that can help us raise money for our student-athletes? If so, please fill out this form! More information to come!

The Decatur Prevention Initiative (DPI) seeks the community's help in learning more about community perceptions and concerns regarding underage drinking and substance misuse among Decatur's youth. Please take this anonymous survey to help DPI plan, implement, evaluate and sustain programming.

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/.

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