CSD Weekly, January 9, 2025

• First Semester Report Cards Released Today!
• Weather Alert! CSD Closure on Friday, January 10 Due to Severe Weather
• School Newsletters: See What's Happening in Our Schools and Details on Closure Instruction
• Around CSD: Vote Jason Welborn for GA Boys High School Basketball Player of the Week

• CSD Hosts Public Hearings for Homestead Exemption Opt-Out (Georgia HB-581)

CSD has continued to monitor the weather due to the potential of severe weather conditions. The safety of our staff and students is always our top priority. After consultation with local and state officials and the National Weather Service, CSD, including ECLC and the Frasier Center, will be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 10, 2025. All athletic and after-school activities for Friday and Saturday are canceled.

Out of an abundance of caution in case of a continued closure on or beyond Monday, January 13, students in grades K-5 and Adapted Curriculum classes will be sent home with work packets and a CSD Chromebook for an independent learning day. Grades 6-12 will continue to take Chromebooks and chargers home to access Google Classroom for assigned work.

Staff and families should check email, the CSD website, and social media channels for updates.

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

DHS junior and basketball player Jason Welborn has been nominated for Sports Illustrated's Georgia Boys High School Basketball Player of the Week! Vote for Jason here! Voting is unlimited and polls close Sunday, January 12.

Jason has been a key contributor to the Bulldogs this season, demonstrating outstanding skill, determination, and sportsmanship. His ability to step up in clutch moments has made him a fan favorite and a leader among his teammates. Jason is averaging 18 points and five rebounds over the last five games, while shooting 59% from the field, and 80% from the free throw line. The Bulldogs have a team record of 5-0 during this stretch! Congratulations to Jason, his teammates, and his coaches!

Students and staff returned to school this week ready for a great second semester! Thanks to teachers, staff and families who helped students stay warm this week and get back in the swing of school after the break.

Before the break, K-8 students received STAR reports for the STAR Early Literacy and/or STAR Reading assessments. Watch this STAR Assessment report explainer video for more information about these assessments.

CSD will host five hearings in January for the public to learn more about the district's plans to exercise the one-time option for local governments to opt out of Georgia House Bill 581, which establishes a statewide floating homestead exemption and cap on property taxes.

The public hearing schedule is:

Tuesday, January 14, 10 a.m. (virtual only, access the meeting here)

Tuesday, January 14, 6:45 p.m. (virtual and in-person at the Wilson Center at 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030.)

Tuesday, January 21, 6:45 p.m. (virtual only, access the meeting here)

Thursday, January 30, 10 a.m. (virtual only, access the meeting here)

Thursday, January 30, 6:45 p.m. (virtual only, access the meeting here)

Passed during the 2024 Legislative Session, HB 581 impacts property taxes for cities, counties and school districts by capping the annual increase in property values for tax purposes, effective January 1, 2025. The bill aims to provide property tax relief for local residents, using the Consumer Price Index as an inflationary index. Since school districts rely heavily on property taxes for funding, this cap could impact the availability of CSD schools' resources and programs.

The Board of Education will follow the legal procedures to opt out of the exemption, including holding the three virtual public hearings. Following the hearings, the board will vote to adopt an opt-out resolution at the February Board of Education meeting and file the resolution with the Secretary of State by March 1, 2025.

The BHMS "Brickmark" Robotics Team competed at the regional robotic tournament in December and brought home the prestigious Core Values Award! The team presented an innovation project that shared ideas to address The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and used the robot they built to compete in an obstacle course. The Brickmark" Robotics Team was invited to advance and compete in the Super Regional Tournament on Saturday, January 25, 2025. Congratulations to the team, and thank you to parent coaches Jeff Burgess and Geoffrey Burdett.

Pictured left to right: Cole Bowers, Kaya Burgess, Beau Bryan, Victoria Burdett, Brock Scott, Kian Javidfar, Reed Occhialini, Jacob Lancaster, Ayo Olugebefola

Check out the latest CSD Words with Dr. Whitaker podcast episode, featuring CSD's Chief Information Officer Eston Melton and CSD's Director of Safety and Security James Brown. They discuss the future of safety and security in the City Schools of Decatur.

The CSD Words with Dr. Whitaker podcast highlights news and information with a variety of stakeholders who are All In for City Schools of Decatur. See previous episodes.

This school year, CSD is developing a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) framework that fully aligns with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework. The implementation will begin in grades 6-12, as data shows these students have the most pressing SEL needs. The SEL framework for elementary schools will be introduced at a later date.

Information regarding the SEL framework was presented during the Board of Education meeting in September 2024. CSD has created a comprehensive needs assessment, finalized the CSD 6-12 SEL standards, and selected a dedicated SEL curriculum. The next steps involve drafting CSD's SEL vision and long-term objectives, establishing K-5 SEL standards, and providing SEL professional learning for middle and high school leaders and staff.

CSD appreciates all who have offered their insights and feedback. We invite families to engage in this vital work. Please complete this input and feedback form regarding the proposed CSD SEL vision and long-term goals by Friday, February 7, 2025.

CSD is launching a new website in the new year! This redesigned site will feature more user-friendly navigation, faster load times, and easier experience for families. The new site will help CSD continue to build its organizational effectiveness and excellence. Stay tuned for the official launch date!

Your voice is is valued and vital! Please take CSD's climate survey for your K-12 school through March 31, 2025.

Clairemont Family Climate Survey

Glennwood Family Climate Survey

Oakhurst Family Climate Survey

Westchester Family Climate Survey

Winnona Park Family Climate Survey

F.AVE Family Climate Survey

Talley Street Family Climate Survey

Beacon Hill Family Climate Survey

DHS Family Climate Survey

Metro RESA invites students to enter the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition, a yearly state-wide writing competition open to any K-12 student in a Georgia public school. A team of scorers will choose one winner per grade level to represent CSD at the regional competition.

Entries should be:

• Any genre of writing
• Created by an individual student without the help of others - no group entries
• No more than 1900 words
• Typed or legibly hand-written on only one side of the paper

Writing pieces should be turned in to the student's homeroom teacher or shared with jbroman-fulks@csdecatur.net by Tuesday, January 14, with the name of the student name and their homeroom teacher written or typed on the piece. Please contact jbroman-fulks@csdecatur.net with any questions.

The Georgia Departments of Education and Revenue are launching a student license plate design contest to commemorate the United States semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, celebrated on July 4, 2026.

The final license plate will be selected from designs submitted by students in grades six through eight in Georgia schools. See the submission guidelines and submit a design by January 31, 2025, at 5 p.m. Contact licenseplatecontest@doe.k12.ga.us with questions.

Beacon Hill Middle School Theatre is presenting Disney’s The Lion King, Jr., January 24-26. Tickets are on sale now at DecaturPerforms.org.

• National Mentoring Month, January 1-31
• National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, January 9
• National Day of Mourning, January 9
• Board of Education Meeting, January 14
• Homestead Exemption Opt-Out Public Hearings (HB 581), January 14, 21 and 30
• Annual MLK/CSK Awards Ceremony, January 16
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 20

• Early Release Day, January 22

• Board of Education Community Meeting, January 22

• CSD Safety and Security Summit, January 27

Thursday, January 9 is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day! CSD appreciates the law enforcement officers who keep our schools and city safe! Many thanks to Chief Scott Richards and the Decatur police department and all they do for CSD!

DEF Announces Second Round of Teacher Innovation Grants!

DEF is thrilled to announce that, based on a successful season of fundraising, we're going to be able to fund another round of Teacher Innovation Grants for the second semester! Teachers and staff may apply for these grants by submitting this form by Friday, January 10, at 5 p.m.

Run With the Dogs 5K and Pup Trot, presented by Green Orthodontics, is a 21-year tradition supporting Decaturs Bulldog Boosters. In addition to being a Peachtree Road Race qualifier and a great community event, all proceeds support 19 sports programs at DHS and BHMS, which include 57 teams and over 1,100 student athletes.

Grab your friends and your pups and join this fun event on January 25 to support an amazing cause. All 5K and Pup Trot participants who register before Saturday, January 11 will receive our iconic long-sleeved t-shirt designed by artist (and Decatur lacrosse coach) Adam Pinsley. Register early for the best rates!

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation Upcoming Youth Events

Learn more about upcoming events and programs here, or visit the recreation center webpages:

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

Visit Parks and Recreation's 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!

Read recent issues of CSD Weekly below. Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.

• CSD Weekly - December 19, 2024
• CSD Weekly - December 12, 2024
• CSD Weekly - December 5, 2024
• CSD Weekly - November 21, 2024
• CSD Weekly - November 14, 2024