CSD Weekly, November 7, 2024

Please scroll to learn about:

• GaDoe Names Three CSD Schools Literacy and Math Leaders

• Highlights of BHMS and DHS Champions

• Recording Available: SEL Standards Feedback/Input Session

• K-5 Thanksgiving Luncheon Information

• Important Safety Resources

• Community News: DEF's Supper & Sips and More!

Find out what's happening in CSD schools by clicking on your school's newsletter name.

College Heights Connection

Clairemont Bulldog

Glennwood Eagle Edition

Oakhurst Weekly

Westchester Weekly

Winnona Park Wildcat Weekly

F.AVE Falcon Flyer

Talley Street Update

Beacon Hill Weekly Update

DHS Weekly Update

DVA Weekly Update

The Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) has opened voting for its Hidden Heroes Award, which recognizes those who make a lasting impact on our students and schools.

This year, Ella Harley, the Student Engagement Coach for the City Schools of Decatur, is one of the nominees for GLISI's Hidden Heroes award! Ms. Harley plays a vital role in supporting some of our most vulnerable students and their families, helping them navigate and access the school system's resources, and ensuring that no student is left behind. Her work spans the school district and requires frequent check-ins with students and their families to support them with attendance, academic success, and social and emotional needs.

Ms. Harley's selflessness and dedication profoundly impact students' lives, empowering them to navigate their journeys with confidence and resilience. Vote for Ms. Harley here through Friday, November 22, at 5 p.m. Search for her name in the gallery to vote. You may vote once a day!

DHS Varsity Cross Country Teams Win Regional Championships, State Bound!

Congratulations to the DHS Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams for winning their regional championships! Both teams are headed to State! The Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ DHS Cross Country teams traveled to Lyons, Ga., on Saturday, November 2, for the GHSA Sectional Meet to compete with teams from 5A Regions 1, 2, 4, and 8. The Bulldogs finished as regional champions for Region 4-5A and will compete this Friday, November 8, at the GHSA State Meet in Carrollton.

Sophie D’Elena and Sam Corso both finished second in the region in the individual competition, and Olivia Sawyer finished third. Great job to all of our runners and coaches! See the links here for the final boys' race and girls' race results.

BHMS Soccer Teams Wins Atlanta Metro Middle School League

Congratulations to the BHMS boys’ soccer team who ended their season as undefeated champions of the Atlanta Metro Middle School League! On Friday, November 1, BHMS faced Druid Hills MS in a rematch from the regular season. Both teams played well, but it was Beacon Hill who twice put the ball in the back of the net. Great job to our students and coaches for another impressive season!

*Information courtesy of the Athletics Department. Future issues of CSD Weekly will feature additional champions, including clubs.

Congratulations to DHS students Peri Jeffers and Tobiah Watt, who took first and second place in cabinetmaking at the Associated General Contractors of Georgia Skills Challenge, respectively! Their next stop is the state competition in February. Cabinet Making is a part of the DHS Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program. Special thanks to their woodworking teacher, Randy Archer, for his instructional leadership.

Kudos to the DHS Marching Band, under the direction of Director of Bands Ira Jenkins, for an impressive, competitive season after attending three local and national contests.

For the first time in DHS history, the marching band competed nationally at the Bands of America Regional competition in Chattanooga on October 5. The DHS band had an outstanding performance at its first national competition.

The DHS band won its class and earned the highest ratings in all captions at Sprayberry's Southern Invitational on October 19. The DHS band finished fifth of the day among all bands in all divisions.

The marching band earned the highest ratings in all captions and placed second in their class at the Bands of America Affiliate competition at Buford High School on October 25. The band advanced to finals and finished eighth overall against bands in all divisions. Congratulations to all band members and staff!

CSD is pleased to announce that the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has named Talley Street Elementary a Literacy Leader school and BHMS as a Math Leader school based on 2023-2024 Georgia Milestones Assessments.

• Talley Street received GaDOE’s Gateway Growth Award for third grade, which honors schools with more than 90% of third-grade students reading at or above grade level. The school’s fifth-grade classes earned the Growth Award and the Achievement Award, given to grade levels that have grown in reading achievement over the last year but are not eligible for the Gateway Growth Award.

• BHMS received GaDOE’s Gateway Growth Award for eighth grade, which honors schools that increased their percentage of students scoring “proficient” or above in mathematics from the previous year. The BHMS seventh-grade classes earned the Growth Award, and BHMS also received the Achievement Award for its high school-level math.

See more information about the Literacy Leader awards and the Math Leader awards.

K-12 Math Night and Pizza with the Principals on Wednesday, Nov. 6, was a big success! Families and students heard from BHMS principal Mr. Derrick Thomas and DHS principal Dr. Duane Sprull about their schools’ visions and missions and how math instruction impacts student success. Families and students participated in age-appropriate, hands-on math activities and went home with resources to promote engagement and home-to-school connection. Thanks to all attendees!

Superintendent Dr. Whitaker and other CSD educational leaders met with representatives of the Berlin Senate Department for Education on Thursday, October 31. They discussed the progress of the cooperative teacher exchange program, focusing on elementary instruction. Teachers from Talley Street, Oakhurst, Westchester, and Glennwood hosted the Berlin teachers and showed them some of Decatur's and Atlanta's culture and history. CSD has hosted several teachers from Berlin, and six CSD teachers will travel to Berlin in June 2025.

CSD's Student Support Services team invites the community to provide feedback on its development of robust Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards for CSD students, initially focusing on grades 6-12. These standards are the skills we want our students to have as a result of SEL programming.

Please review this presentation and/or the virtual meeting and complete this feedback form by Friday, November 22.

Listen in as we close out the October observance of Fire Prevention Month with Decatur Fire Chief Toni Washington as the special guest of Episode 9 of the CSD Words with Dr. Whitaker Podcast.

The City Schools of Decatur is in the process of building the Fiscal Year Budget. We are interested in input from the community and all stakeholders on any budget suggestions, concerns, or questions that they may have. Please provide your feedback regarding your priorities for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The 2026 budget calendar is also available for review.

• Board of Education Meeting, November 12
• Board Retreat, November 19
• Thanksgiving Break, November 25-29

The CSD school nutrition department is excited to announce that our Thanksgiving luncheons for the K-5 schools are just around the corner! To make it easier for families to participate, we have implemented a new online payment system. Online payments will be open beginning Monday, October 28, and close Friday, November 8. Payments may be made through the Parent Portal. Payment instructions are on the CSD nutrition webpage.

Students are limited to two guests. The cost is $5 per person. Check your individual school newsletter for your school's lunch schedule.

• Oakhurst: Tuesday, November 12
• Clairemont, Westchester: Wednesday, November 13
• Glennwood, Winnona Park: Thursday, November 14
• Fifth Avenue: Tuesday, November 19
  
• Talley Street.: Wednesday, November 20

Thanksgiving luncheons at CHECLC, BHMS and DHS are not open to guests.

As part of CSD's commitment to ensuring safe and secure learning and working environments, below is a list of resources to help guide parents' conversations with students when discussing the possibility of violence in schools. Safety is our top priority. If you see something, please say something immediately.

• National Association of School Psychologists: School Safety and Crisis
• Mental Health America: Talking To Kids About School Safety
• Children's Mental Health and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Project: How To Talk to Young Kids About School Safety — Even if You Think It's Too Early To Start
• Science World: Talking With Kids About School Violence and Trauma

The Georgia Department of Education offers a list of educational apps for students of all ages that families can access on smartphones and tablets. These apps feature math skills, read-along books, SAT prep, and astronomy. See GaDOE's list of educational apps.

As we transition into the fall and winter months, respiratory illnesses like the common cold and flu often increase. These illnesses exhibit similar symptoms, risk factors, and preventive measures.

If your child has tested positive for respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, flu, and RSV, please inform your school immediately to minimize spreading. Students may return to school once their symptoms have improved and they have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication. If a physician prescribes an antibiotic, DeKalb Public Health mandates that students must follow the treatment for 24 hours before they can return. This responsible action is essential to our collective effort to keep our school community safe.

Please note that federal regulations protect student health information. The school administration will maintain the confidentiality of this information, sharing it only with DeKalb Public Health when legally required.

Additionally, please remember to adhere to the following precautions:

• Remain at home if feeling unwell. If a fever is present, stay home for 24 hours.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, and dispose of it immediately.

• Avoid coughing into your bare hands.

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Regularly clean commonly touched surfaces and objects.

These precautions and the actions outlined for returning to school after illness will help protect our students, ensuring they remain healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November. It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages, and stories of Native American and Alaska Native communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation.

November is a time to acknowledge those children and families experiencing homelessness. As many as 2.5 million youth per year experience homelessness.

Family Engagement Month in Georgia is celebrated in November to recognize the vital role that families play in their children's education. The Family-School Partnership Program of the Georgia Department of Education invites schools and LEAs to participate in activities and initiatives to celebrate family engagement.

• Native American Heritage Month, November 1-30
• National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, November 1-30
• National Parent and Family Engagement Month, November 1-30
• Veterans Day, November 11
  
• National Crossing Guard Appreciation Week, November 11-15
• National School Psychology Week, November 11-15
• World Kindness Day, November 13
• American Education Week, November 18-22
• National Education Support Professionals Day, November 20
• National Parental Involvement Day, November 21

DEF’s Supper & Sips Raises Crucial Funds for Our Community!

Grab your friends and neighbors and join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, and (delicious) food on Thursday, November 14, at The Chapel on Sycamore! You'll enjoy live music, raffles, a fund-a-need, and live auction items you won't find anywhere else! The best part? Your good time raises money to support DEF's Teacher Innovation Grants and initiatives addressing food insecurity, student mental health, arts infusion, school travel grants, and so much more. Get your tickets here or sign up to volunteer. Don't miss this FUNdraiser!

Congratulations to DEF's Teacher Innovation Grant Recipients!

The Decatur Education Foundation is thrilled have awarded 32 Teacher Innovation Grants totaling nearly $32,000!

Because of these grants, students at CSD K-2 schools will benefit from social-emotional learning and enhanced performing arts programs. A reading engagement program at BHMS will teach parents how to support struggling readers. STEM projects abound at our 3-5 schools, as well as at Decatur High School. And our youngest learners at College Heights will benefit from new literacy programming.

Funding our educators' great ideas is a highlight of what we do at DEF, and we hope to open a second grant cycle in January! Please help us support our teachers and fund more classroom innovation by making a donation or becoming a Step Up Circle donor or monthly giver. Together, we make a difference for our kids and our teachers! See the complete list of awardees here.

Decatur Safe Streets

The Decatur Safe Streets Safety Action Plan, a City initiative housed in Decatur’s Public Works Department, is partnering with Decatur Safe Routes to School this October and November to collect input from parents and kids at various CSD Walk & Roll to School events.

The Safety Action Plan is an important City planning process that will help Decatur address safety needs for all roadway users, with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Decatur. To learn more and provide input to the plan, visit decaturga.com/ss4a

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation

Upcoming DPR events include Kidz Night and Girls Pajama-rama. To learn more about upcoming events and programs, access the Playbook or visit their webpages:

• Decatur Recreation Center
• Ebster Recreation Center
• Oakhurst Recreation Center

Visit their one-stop-shop website for information about after-school programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. To stay updated on all things Decatur Parks and Recreation, follow them on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter here!

This Wednesday, November 13: Live enforcement begins will start on new speed limit violations.The City of Decatur Police Department is implementing an automated photo speed enforcement program following a study that identified speeding as a significant issue in school zones. Cameras will be placed near Beacon Hill Middle School, Clairemont Elementary School, Westchester Elementary School, and Winnona Park Elementary School to deter speeding motorists.

The warning period for speed limit violations will last through Tuesday, November. 12. Violators will receive a warning in the mail marked in red. The live enforcement will start on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Motorists exceeding the speed limit by 10+ MPH will receive a citation with a $100 fine for the first violation and $150 for subsequent violations. Photo speed cameras will be active on school days during school zone hours.