Weekly Update

August 29, 2024

Beginning Thursday, September 5, 2024, the Wildcat Weekly will come via CSD Weekly from the City Schools of Decatur email. Parents will automatically receive CSD Weekly. However, community subscribers who have opted out of CSD news will only receive future school newsletters by subscribing here and selecting to receive news from “City Schools of Decatur.”

CSD Weekly includes links to all school newsletters and provides the latest district news, enabling families with students at multiple schools to conveniently access updates using one source. Additionally, CSD Weekly aims to improve consistency in messaging about district and community news by communicating it in a centralized location.

• August 29 - Curriculum Night - more details to follow

• August 30 - Kindergarten Parents Invited to Community Circle

• Sept 11 - Walk-N-Roll

• Sept 12 - Spirit Night - Bad Daddy’s Burger

• Sept 23rd - 27th - Fall Break

We welcome kindergarten parents to Community Circle tomorrow morning! There is not enough room in the cafe to invite all parents at once, so we will we invite one grade level at a time each week, starting with kindergarten parents tomorrow. All Community Circles for the year are on the WP calendar, highlighting which grade level’s parents may attend.

If you are attending Community Circle, please gather by the pond outside the cafe after morning drop-off. Parents will be let in the cafe at the appropriate time. We will go over the parent expectations in the cafe, but here are some of the highlights:

• All parents enter and exit through the cafe door near the pond.

• Stand along the outside perimeter of the cafe. Please spread out.

• Younger siblings (if brought) should stay with a parent, not with WP child’s class.

• Be present, sing along, and participate. Please stay off phones and chat with your friends before and after Community Circle.

• Put phones away. Don’t post school activities on social media.

• Don’t impede classes as they exit by chatting with your child. Teachers want to get to their classes with the same number of kiddos they left with.

Each fall semester, the Gifted Review Team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and determine if further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form (found at the website below) and turn in to the Gifted & Talented Specialists at your child’s school before Wednesday, October 2. No additional information is needed.

The Gifted & Talented Specialists for Winnona Park Elementary School are Martina Baerman and Michele Stroud. For more detailed information about the review process and to obtain a copy of the Recommendation for Review Form, please contact mbaerman@csdecatur.net and mstroud@csdecatur.net or visit the CSD Gifted website.

Winnona Park will host a Gifted Referral Process Coffee Chat on Tuesday, September 17, from 8-8:30 a.m. in Trailer C. Ms. Baerman and Ms. Stroud will review this process and answer any questions you have. This chat is for parents who are interested in the gifted identification process. Therefore, if a child is already identified as gifted, the meeting is unnecessary.

From September 4th - 6th, all first grade students will be taking the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Unlike traditional achievement tests, which measure how well a student has learned the curriculum, the CogAT assesses a child’s ability to reason abstractly and recognize patterns and relationships in the world around them. Teachers can use CogAT scores to better understand a child’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Our school district also uses CogAT scores to identify academically-gifted students.

This week's Media Center Update is available here.

You are invited to visit our media center during Curriculum Night tonight. Browse our collection, learn about the important role of reading in your child’s education, and get tips on digital wellness and online safety. I look forward to seeing you and hearing more about how I can best support you and your family outside of school.

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do. We’ve Got Spirit, How About You?

You’ve likely seen our amazing spirit wear for sale at events this year. We are excited to announce that we are moving online. That’s right, we have created an online store for you to shop ‘til you drop! Just visit the PTA website to find the inventory available to place your order. We plan to drop off orders to your child’s classroom.

Help Nurse Jen With Clinic Necessities

Nurse Jen is looking to the WPES community to help fill the supply closet in the school clinic. If you’d like to support, visit this Amazon Wish List to place an order.

Set It and Forget It Fundraising

One of the easiest ways to make an impact on the school is to sign up for passive fundraising programs. These programs are tied to places you already shop at, like Kroger, Publix, Walmart, and Target. So once you connect your account, there isn’t anything else you need to do! Visit our website to see which programs we partner with. Connect your account and shop like you already do! It’s that simple to make a big difference.

New Sponsors Alert!

We are thrilled to have Derek Wood Realty and Keller Knapp Realty as our first two sponsors this year! We appreciate their support and involvement in the WPES community. If you know of any businesses that may be interested in sponsoring the PTA, you can visit our website or contact us at sponsorship@wpespta.org.

Join the PTA and Support the School with our New Membership Drive

Thank you to everyone that has already joined the PTA this year. As a reminder, joining the PTA is an annual event. We’ve also combined our membership drive with a fundraiser, asking families to make a donation. All contributions from this annual drive will directly benefit our students and teachers by supporting essential programs. The funds will cover:

• All field trip costs for the year

• Educational initiatives like the community garden, STEAM materials, Books-in-a-Bag, and DEI programs

• Teacher stipend for classroom materials at the beginning of the year

• Ongoing teacher and staff appreciation activities

• Yearbooks for every student

• School social events

• And so much more!

Your generous donation will ensure that these programs thrive and that our children continue to have enriching educational experiences. Your PTA membership is included in all levels.

Visit our website for more information or select your membership level!

Attend DEF's Battle of the Bands, a family-friendly community concert, and you could help your school win a $1000 music grant! Head to the Legacy Park lawn on Friday, Sept. 6 from 5-9 p.m. for a fun evening of live music, yummy food, and community! Four CSD bands will be bringing the tunes – you BYOB (bring your own blanket) and your school spirit! The school with the largest percentage of representation will win the music grant for their school... along with a trophy and bragging rights, of course! We’ll have food vendors and sweet treats to supplement your picnic. Adults are $10 and KIDS ARE FREE! Buy tickets here.

*If cost is an issue, please email Drew@DecaturEducationFoundation.org.

Email: csikes@csdecatur.net
Website: https://ga02000365.schoolwires.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=13
Location: 510 Avery Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4490