Oakhurst Weekly
From the Principal
Hello Oakhurst Families,
What a wonderful week it has been! Smiling faces all around and lots of learning already underway. A great school year is blooming!
I want to say a special thank you to our PTA! You all have warmly welcomed our staff back and we are all so very grateful for all that you do.
Jennifer Triplett
From the Assistant Principal
Dyslexia Screening Process Information Letter
Parent and Families,
This letter explains City Schools of Decatur’s screening process of identifying students in kindergarten through third grader who might benefit from extra reading support, including those students who may potentially exhibit characteristics of dyslexia. This letter outlines the screening process, next steps, and your right to opt out. Please review the letter below and complete this electronic copy of the letter to opt out of screening. Please contact Ms. A. Williams with any questions.
Ms. Williams
From the Instructional Coach
Literacy Games to try at home
I Spy
A tried-and-true game that's been keeping children around the world occupied for centuries, I Spy is an oldie but a goodie. Simply pick an object and describe it by using the first letter of the object or the color. For example, “I spy with my little eye, something that begins with the letter S.” Or, “I spy, with my little eye, something green.” You can start by working your way through the alphabet or the colors of the rainbow.
Other Talking Games to Try
Adjective game – Ask your child to describe a friend or family member with as many words as they can.
Rhyming words – Start with one word such as 'cat' and ask your child for words that rhyme.
Sound combinations – Have your child pick a sound and then come up with words that sound similar. For example, “So, soap, some, song, etc.”
Talk about the past/future – Ask your child to talk about something they did in the past and something they'd like to do in the future.
https://readingeggs.com/articles/literacy-games-for-kids/
Gail Hardwick
School News
Annual Update (NOW DUE!)
Bikes must be walked once on school campus. If your child is arriving via bike, please have them dismount and walk their bike to the nearest bike rack. When leaving the school, please have your student walk the bike until off of school property.
If you arrive to school on bike via Feld Ave., please walk bikes from the beginning of the driveway to the BACK bike rack (near the back of the building) rather than riding alongside the car line to the front of the building.
If your family (siblings included) is going to walk along the car line to the front of the building, please make certain that all of you are within the yellow lines.
Our number one priority is safety, and we've been uncomfortable with how close our students and their siblings are getting to the moving line of traffic in car line. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!
From the Media Center
The Oakhurst Birthday Book program gives you the opportunity to both honor your child on their birthday and help our library collection continue to grow. To honor your child with a birthday book donation, send $20 cash or check (made payable to Oakhurst Elementary School) by Friday, August 22. We welcome friends or other family members to participate in this program as well. Families are not limited to one book.
After receiving your donation, your child will choose a new library book during their birthday month during library time. We will affix a book dedication label to the inside of the book your child chooses indicating that the book is donated in their honor to our library. We would like for you to write a special message that will be printed on the label.
Your child may keep the new book for two weeks before returning it to the library. This book checkout will be in addition to the regular library book(s). We’ll also send you a pic of your child with the book!
We are only sending this sign-up sheet home ONCE. This form must be submitted, along with payment, by Friday, August 22. July and August birthdays will be celebrated in September and June birthdays will be celebrated in May.
From PTA
From CSD
New 2024-25 Superintendent's Student Advisory Council Members Needed
Applications for the 2024-25 Student Advisory Councils opened in the Student Launchpad on Wednesday, July 31. The Superintendent's Council allows students to meet each other and discuss matters affecting their education with Superintendent Dr. Whitaker. Additionally, there will be opportunities for students to share creative ideas, concerns, or suggestions for improving our district. The application deadline is Wednesday, August 14, at 5 pm.
The application requires a Google account to enable students to upload submissions. While student CSD Google accounts are preferred, any Google account will access the form. Please contact your school's media specialist if support is needed to access the CSD Google account. Students may also access the application here using their Google account.
Infinite Campus Updates
◽Schedules ◽Grades ◽Lunch Money ◽Contact Information◽Test Scores ◽And More!
At the beginning of every school year, it is critical for families to use the Parent Portal for back-to-school readiness. Action needed:
Complete the Annual Data Update (ADU). The ADU is how families verify or update critical communication and health information and do sign-offs for the handbook and code of conduct. From the Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. More information about the Annual Data Update is available at https://www.csdecatur.net/adu, including a tracker showing which school is closest to hitting 100% submission! All new and returning parents must update student information via Infinite Campus.
Apply for Free/Reduced-Price Meal Benefits. We encourage ALL families to apply. Families that previously received benefits must reapply every year. In the Portal, select More ⇒ Meal Benefits. More information about the meal benefit is available at https://www.csdecatur.net/nutrition.
Add funds and set up balance alerts and auto-payment for meal account balances. In the Portal, select Food Service.
If you need help with the Portal, visit https://www.csdecatur.net/portalhelp or contact your school’s front office.
Name/Gender Change Requests
Name/Gender Change Requests
Parents and families can request a name change for your student. If you wish to have your child's chosen or preferred name updated in our records, please complete the name/gender change request form. Please note that the updated name and gender marker will be reflected in our Infinite Campus and Google Workspace applications. However, it's important to remember that CSD will only use legal names on official documents such as transcripts requested by outside sources.
If a legal name change has occurred, please contact your child's school to have the student's records updated accordingly. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us ensure that our records are accurate and respectful of each student's preferences.
Accommodating Students with Disabilities and/or Special Dietary Needs
Accommodating Students with Disabilities and/or Special Dietary Needs
City Schools of Decatur will make accommodations for children with disabilities whose disability or special dietary need restricts their diet when that need is certified by a licensed physician. Milk intolerance is not considered a disability or food allergy. For modifications or substitutions to the school meals, the school’s Nurse or Nutrition Manager must have a written Medical Statement to Request Accommodations for Disabilities in the School Meal Programs Form on file that is signed by a licensed physician or licensed health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law.
The Accommodations form and the Milk Substitutions form are located here.
CSD Plans Launch of District App and Website, And One District Newsletter
Elementary Orchestra Registration Open for Grades 3-5
Registration for Elementary Orchestra is now open for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Click here to register your child for class. Registration closes Aug 14, 2024, or once we reach class capacity.
From CSD Community Partners
Join Decatur Education Foundation, a Community of Problem-Solvers!
Welcome to another great year in City Schools of Decatur! Decatur Education Foundation is proud to be this community's - YOUR community's - local nonprofit dedicated to helping solve the problems that keep Decatur's kids from finding success. DEF hosts community events (a brand new one is coming soon - be on the lookout!) and generates resources from our community to support programs that provide opportunities, address unmet needs, and support educators and students in ALL of our CSD schools. But we can't do it without your help! Support our work by volunteering, attending our events, or making a donation in support of Decatur's kids. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to learn about upcoming events, and visit our website - www.decatureducationfoundation.org - to learn more about our work and how you can be a part of it! Our community. Our kids. Together, we make a difference.