College Heights Connection

I hope you are having a great week. Thank you to those parents who were able to join our School to Heart to Home session last Thursday. If you were unable to attend and would like to learn more about Conscious Discipline and the skill of encouragement please check out our school website for a session recording. Just a friendly reminder we have an early release day on Wednesday, January 31st for our Pre-K program.

Have a great weekend,

Principal Garland

2024-2025 enrollment packets for all current infant-preschool students will be distributed to parents by their current classroom teacher. The timeline for distribution will be late January/early February. In order to secure your spot for the next school year you must return all required documents and completed enrollment packet/fee by February 29th.

Families matriculating to our 0-3 program will need to submit current documentation of residency, a current utility bill, and the enrollment fee.

Families matriculating to the Pre-K program will need to submit current documentation of residency, current utility bill, and copies of the child's birth certificate, social security card, 3300 and 3231 and parent I.D. It is a requirement of Bright from the Start that we receive all documents with your Pre-K registration packet.

If your child is in need of Pre-K aftercare services you must submit the aftercare application and submit the $50 enrollment fee.

Children matriculating to Kindergarten will be automatically enrolled through the school district. If your child is in need of aftercare services you will need to contact Decatur Parks and Recreation (Animal Crackers) or your student's home school for enrollment dates and details.

On Monday, February 5, families are invited to an evening event here at College Heights from 6:00-7:00 pm. Families will participate in fun and engaging activities in their child's classroom. These activities are designed to provide a glimpse of the learning that happens during the school day. This evening will also feature our winter book fair featuring diverse and inclusive books from Charis Books & More. Dinner will be provided by PTA. Please RSVP to your child's teacher by February 2 with the number of attendees in your family.

We will be offering summer camp services for any currently enrolled Pre-K student for the month of June. Camp details:

• Camp dates - June 3rd-28th
• Camp is available for the first 40 students registered.
• Camp hours will be 7:30-4:00 pm with after care services available from 4:00-5:00 pm at an additional cost.
• Camp tuition is $230/week without aftercare and $275/week with aftercare
• Tuition must be paid at the time of registration
• Fees are non-refundable

Registration opens February 26th at 8:00 am. Registration packets will be available at the front desk. All completed packets must be submitted to the front desk. No email packages will be accepted.

Questions? Please contact Elecia Fulton.

Winter Book Fair Begins Monday, January 29

College Heights is partnering with Charis Books & More for our annual winter book fair. Charis has curated a wonderful selection of diverse and inclusive books especially for College Heights students and families. These are books your kids will ask you to read over and over again! The books will be on display in the library beginning Monday, January 29th through Friday, February 9th.

In the winter book fair, families select the books they wish to buy and then pay to place an order for these books. Your books will be delivered to your student's classroom school shortly after Winter Break. Families will also have the opportunity to purchase books for teachers from their classroom wish lists.

Families can shop the fair in THREE convenient ways:

• Visit the College Heights library to view books and place an order.
• Shop the fair online. You can also view Charis' recommendations for children and teens and adults (you can purchase almost any book in print!). When completing your online order, type "CH ECLC" in the comment section and a percentage of your sale will be donated back to our school.
• Make your purchase in person at Charis Books & More (184 S. Candler Street on the Agnes Scott campus) and let them know you are with College Heights ECLC.

Questions? Contact Leslie or come by the library. Thank you for supporting early literacy programs at College Heights!

Ticket sales are ramping up! Get your tickets now for a night out with friends, and take home some incredible experiences and items at the silent and live auction. CLICK HERE for tickets.

Looking for a babysitter for the night? Secure a spot at The Little Gym during the auction. Ages 3-10 years old, from 6:45-9:45pm. Perfect for you, and fun for the kids!

Gymnastics for Kids in Decatur, GA (thelittlegym.com)

The Infinite Campus Parent Portal has resources to help families monitor and add funds to their child(ren)’s food service balance, including automatic recurring payments and low-balance notifications. The Portal is also the preferred way to apply for federal free or reduced-priced meal benefits. The Portal support page includes several guides on these topics and more, including walkthrough videos.

Infinite Campus mobile app push notifications

Push notifications for Infinite Campus iOS and Android apps are active! App notifications are available not only for a low food service balance, but also for attendance and grades being posted or updated. The Portal support page includes information on turning on notifications.

City Schools of Decatur's upcoming Early Release Day is Wednesday, January 31.

Pre-K - 12:15 PM

Lower Elementary - 12:50 PM

Upper Elementary - 12:15 PM

Middle School - 1:45 PM

High School - 1:35 PM

College Heights' infant through preschool program will remain on its normal schedule.

The remaining schedule of Early Release Days includes the following dates:

Wednesday, January 31

Wednesday, February 28

Wednesday, March 27

Wednesday, April 24

Schools will communicate more specific details related to the schedule for the day, dismissal, and extracurricular activities.

Dr. Whitaker will host her winter series of listening sessions around the City Schools of Decatur to listen and learn from students, staff, families, and community leaders. Initial sessions were held in the fall as part of the first phase of Dr. Whitaker’s three-phased entry plan into the district entitled GEM - which focused on gathering information, reviewing the findings to envision a plan forward, and maximizing the results. The meetings will be held virtually and in person. Here is a list of the sessions:

Winter Listening Sessions:

• Wednesday, February 21 - Oakhurst in Gym at 5:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, February 27 - Beacon Hill in Media Center at 5:30 p.m.

• Friday, March 1 - Virtual at 11:30 a.m. https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/91210511997

Arabic I Chinese I Pashto I Somali I Spanish I Swahili

The Decatur Education Foundation is thrilled to announce the 22nd Annual Tour deCatur 5K and One-Mile Fun Run. Join us on Saturday, March 16, 2024, for a day of family-friendly fun surrounded by your Decatur community. Registration for the 5K, the one-mile Fun Run, and the Tot Trot is now open! Secure your spot today: https://bit.ly/Tour-deCatur-2024

As DEF's largest fundraiser, the Tour deCatur plays a crucial role in supporting programs that address issues such as racial and economic inequity, food insecurity, behavioral health, and learning differences. Please email Kamela@decatureducationfoundation.org if you’re interested in volunteering and supporting the event. See you at the starting line!

January 29-February 9 - Winter Book Fair (Media Center)

January 31 - Early release day (Pre-K)

February 1 - Pre-K registration begins for 2024-2025 school year

February 5 - Family Night (RSVP requested)

February 12-16 - Winter Break (Pre-K students)

February 24 - PTA Auction