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Weekly Update
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March 28, 2024
Dear Winnona Park Community,
Spring break is upon us! I hope all the kiddos are able to have fun, play hard, relax, and chill. I hope all the kids and teachers can recharge their batteries for the final 7 weeks of the school year.
See you in April!
Sincerely,
Gregory Wiseman
Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School
Important Dates
March 29th - First Grade at Community Circle
March 31st - 2nd Grade Yearbook Tributes due!!!
April 1st - 5th - Spring Break
April 8th - Solar Eclipse
April 9 - Next PTA Meeting
April 10 - Walk and Roll
April 15th - 19th - Spring Book Fair
April 26 - Spring Fling
May 6th - Angela DiTerlizzi Author Visit for first and second graders. Book orders due by Wednesday, April 17th. Click here for the order form. Forms will also be available at our 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. And here is a link to the FAQs. 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
Thanks for making the Garden Work Day a success!
A huge thank you to all the volunteers who joined us for our Community Garden Work Day at Winnona Park! Your hard work and dedication have truly transformed our space, from preparing raised beds for the first grade planting to refreshing our hanging baskets with new flowers.
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 We are in specific need of Sponsorships Co-Chair, Treasurer, Grants, spirit wear, garden co-chair, and Read-A-thon Co-Chair.
City Schools of Decatur
Sign-up for Decatur Virtual Academy is Now Open for the 2024-2025 School Year
The sign-up window will close in the first week of June. Sign up ASAP to reserve your spot.
All parents and guardians wishing to enroll in DVA for the 2024-25 school year must complete the Decatur Virtual Academy Online Contract linked here before the first week in June. If you are a new student to DVA, once you have completed the contract, Ms. Whatley will set up a meeting to discuss the transition to online learning for the 2024-25 school year.
Please click here to learn more about DVA.
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.
City Schools of Decatur Art Exhibition
Mark your calendars for the CSD K-12 Art Exhibition! Our teachers and students are excited
about showing off their hard work this year. The exhibition will be held on April 23-25 from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Solarium. Special thanks to Decatur Education Foundation, Decatur Arts Alliance and The Solarium for their funding and support.
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.
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.City Schools of Decatur Community Partners
Decatur Education Foundation
A Tour deCatur THANK YOU!
The 22nd annual Tour deCatur is in the books! Thank you to our CSD families, our CSD coaches and teachers, and our generous sponsors for making this event such a huge success! Your participation supports the important work Decatur Education Foundation does in our schools and in our community!
No Ordinary Joe - a Coffee House Music Series!
Back by popular demand … No Ordinary Joe returns on Thursday, May 2nd at Waller’s! This coffee house music series, featuring DHS singers and songwriters, supports DEF’s behavioral health initiatives. To get your tickets and learn more about Joe’s Fund, use the QR code or go here: www.decatureducationfoundation.org/noordinaryjoe/
DEF’s Application Scholarships are Now Live for the Class of 2024!
The application for Decatur Education Foundation scholarships is LIVE! Graduating seniors interested in applying should use this link: https://bit.ly/3xkBVx2 The deadline to apply is APRIL 15th.
Only one application is needed for all of the following scholarships: Patrick Family Foundation Scholarship, Pollack Family Scholarship, Lawrence and Gertrude Paxton Memorial Scholarship, and McNally Family Scholarship.
Email drew@decatureducationfoundation.org with any questions.