CSD Supe Scoop

Greetings, CSD:

Can you believe it's only been four weeks? Thank you for contributing to the success of our first weeks back. As we complete the first month of school, I am thrilled to witness the significant progress already underway. Both students and teachers are adjusting to new class routines and building the foundations for a year filled with meaningful and engaging learning experiences.

During the August Board of Education meeting, we welcomed DHS senior Sophie D'Elena as the board's inaugural student representative and student apprentice DHS junior Nia Batra. The board and I look forward to collaborating with these students as we reshape educational experiences to ensure student success across all areas.

Recognizing the connection between fostering an engaging and inclusive culture and student success for all, we are prioritizing the following this year:

• Implementing a literacy framework grounded in the Science of Reading to enhance literacy instruction, interventions and address achievement gaps
• Expanding and diversifying rigorous academic offerings by introducing ELA and math honors courses in sixth through tenth grades alongside IB and AP programs
• Reviewing student services practices and introducing a social-emotional learning framework to promote educational equity and excellence for all students
• Creating data systems for improved student data assessment and interventions
• Enhancing security protocols and technology for better preparedness and responsiveness
• Actualizing early learning to make equity and academic success a reality for CSD's most vulnerable and historically marginalized students

And just today, we provided a one-time $1,000 supplement to all full-time CSD custodians, approved by the State Board of Education this summer. We thank our custodial staff for their exceptional and essential contributions. We also appreciate the State Board of Education's investment in school district personnel, aiding our efforts to attract and retain high-quality professionals.

At CSD, All Means All, is more than a mantra. Thank you for being All In!

Sincerely,

Dr. Gyimah Whitaker

The annual Extra Mile Award allows students to show appreciation for CSD staff whom they feel go above and beyond expectations. CSD has so many excellent teachers and staff. It is always special when students recognize someone who has made a difference in their lives!

Congratulations and thank you to the 2024 Extra Mile Award recipients, Jenne Renaux (Westchester ES), Jara Childs (Talley ES), Danyelle Knox (Talley ES, Beacon Hill MS, and Decatur HS), Andrew Johnson (Beacon Hill MS), and Matt Semrad (Decatur HS; not pictured). Special thanks to the Decatur Education Foundation for their partnership on this award!

Winners of the Miles Above and Clarence Strikland Make A Difference Awards

Congratulations to third-grade teacher Dawn Stephen (left) and school security officer Jerome Tillery (right), who received honorable Decatur Education Foundation awards during Opening Day.

Dawn received the Miles Above Award, created in 2021 by Sam and Leah Jenness, to recognize Laura Pitts, their son's kindergarten teacher. According to her colleagues, Dawn goes "miles above" her job description by showing extraordinary kindness and compassion for a child and their families during challenging circumstances, both inside and outside the classroom.

The Clarence Strickland Make A Difference Award was created by a Decatur family to honor Clarence Strickland, a custodian at DHS who helped their child during a crisis. This year's award was presented to School Safety Officer Jerome Tillery for his quick action on May 3, 2024, which proved critical to preventing an unfortunate situation from escalating. Tillery went above and beyond to ensure the well-being and safety of a student in a time of need.

Winners of the 2024 Opening Day Spirit Award!

Decatur High School senior Sophia (Sophie) D’Elena took her oath of office at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Sophie's election by her peers makes her the first City Schools of Decatur Board of Education student representative and, according to the Georgia School Board Association, the first in the state. She will serve in her role for one year.

During her campaign for office, Sophie vowed to advocate for student needs and to make the Board of Education a valuable resource for students. As a first-generation American, Sophie understands the importance of respecting the diversity of the students in the CSD school community, which will enhance her ability to listen and respond thoughtfully and consciously.

James E. Brown, Jr. is a seasoned leader in safe school leadership and has spent the past 24 years working with school districts, municipalities, and corporate organizations to create safe and secure environments to teach, learn, and work. James has a wealth of experience, leadership, education, safety, security, and emergency management skills. Most recently, he worked as the Security and Emergency Services director for Richland One School District in Columbia, SC.

James is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) and has obtained credentials through the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) and the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). Brown has trained with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and holds degrees from Eastern Kentucky University and Grambling State University.

Rory Welsh is originally from metro Atlanta by way of the Republic of Panama. He has 19 years of educational and coaching experience in Georgia, including 12 seasons as the head boys basketball coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Langston Hughes High School.

Coach Welsh has over 208 career wins and coached consecutive 6A State Championships in 2017 and 2018. He has made nine state playoff appearances with an 18-7 record, clinched three Region Titles, and earned Region Coach of the Year three times and 6A Coach of the Year twice. Off the court, Coach Welsh has facilitated 19 basketball scholarship signees and has served as Vice President of the Georgia Basketball Coaches Association.

We are proud to share that DHS alum and valedictorian of the class of 2024, Gordon Lichstein, has been named a 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of only four Georgia students from 2024. Lichtstein, a 2024 National Merit winner and STAR student, was selected from a pool of over 5,700 eligible students for the 60th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. This prestigious recognition honors 161 seniors annually for their exceptional achievements, making it one of the highest honors for high school students.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars makes these annual selections based on academic accomplishments, excellence in the arts, essays, school evaluations, transcripts, and demonstrated dedication to community service and leadership. Established in 1964 by presidential executive order, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program identifies and celebrates the most distinguished graduating high school seniors nationwide.

See the complete list of 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars.

CSD congratulates Beacon Hill MS student Onyx Nguyen, who won the 2024 Budget Book Cover Design Contest! Onyx's artwork graces the cover of the CSD 2024-25 Budget Book, which details how CSD manages its finances to educate students. The book covers the district's history, financial records, and organizational setup to ensure all students' safety, visibility, and success. We appreciate Onyx for submitting their masterpiece, which embodies the essence of CSD.

The 2025 Budget Book and more information about the City Schools of Decatur's budget is on our finance webpage.

The Executive Cabinet engaged in a day-long retreat, focusing on advancing the All In Decatur strategic plan this school year. The retreat agenda included revisiting departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) from last spring, identifying policies for BOE consideration, and discussing a plan for implementing a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) framework this year. The KPIs are stored in Simbli and were shared with the board at their fall retreat.

Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning Jennifer Burton sat down with Marjorie Bottari, host of The Literacy Lunch Break Podcast, to discuss their innovative approaches to literacy leadership and explain how they are reshaping literacy education to promote student achievement and involvement in CSD.

Click here for the season 4, episode

CSD's Board of Education, Dr. Whitaker, and the executive cabinet participated in the Board Fall Retreat on Tuesday, August 20, at the Oakhurst Recreation Center. The retreat focused on enhancing board governance, reviewing 2023-24 data and test scores, and discussing the administration's plans for this academic year.

Dr. Gyimah Whitaker recently served as a panelist at the Bold Leadership Summit for Urban Leaders, an annual event hosted by The School Superintendents Association for Urban Leaders to delve into the successes, challenges, and endless possibilities of district leadership in urban education.

Dr. Whitaker spoke during the fourth annual Pan African Festival in downtown Decatur on Saturday, August 17. The Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights hosts this festival to celebrate African people worldwide. Photo by Dean Hesse.

City Schools of Decatur stakeholders attended the City Schools of Decatur PATH meeting to discuss the current plan to transform the green space at 346 Electric Avenue into an early childhood learning center. CSD aims to start construction in the fall of 2025, with the school scheduled to open in 2027.

The Girls ClubHouse Mini welcomed Dr. Whitatker as a guest speaker at their closing ceremony. Girls ClubHouse Mini*s (GCM) is a specialized program designed to foster positive self-esteem, promote self-care practices, cultivate gratitude among girls, and introduce workbook activities from the Girls in Real Life Situations (K-5) curriculum. Dr. Whitaker shared some of her childhood experiences and spoke on the importance of self-confidence and identity while encouraging the young participants to dream big.

Help Your School Win a $1000 Music Grant!
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, September 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.

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation commits to providing exceptional experiences that foster healthy living and meaningful connections within our communities. Please visit their website, a one-stop-shop for information about after-school programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. To stay up to date on all things Decatur Parks and Recreation, follow them on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter here!

The response has been overwhelmingly positive since the launch of CSD Weekly, the district’s first districtwide newsletter. 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.

Beginning Thursday, September 5, 2024, school newsletters 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.

Introducing the City Schools of Decatur app!

Use the City Schools of Decatur app to see school updates, quickly access frequently used links, and see all school events in one calendar! You can also provide non-urgent feedback, check sports scores, and contact school administrators.

Instructions for downloading and installing the app:

Step 1: Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play
Step 2: Type City Schools of Decatur in the search bar and download.
Step 3: Configure the settings after downloading the app.

• Click the settings icon to follow specific schools and select the language preference.
• Find all communication from your child’s schools and the district by clicking the notifications icon. Communication is also delivered through a push notification to the app.
• The tip line serves as a way for parents, students, and community members to provide feedback. This is not a mechanism to notify the district about emergency tips.
• The waffle icon (More) takes users to the embedded apps and websites.
  

Questions? Email communications@csdecatur.net.

How CSD is advancing data efficiency

CSD is using interoperable data systems to develop robust data visualization tools that pull from multiple data systems to generate a more comprehensive view of CSD's performance. These tools support student outcomes and operational effectiveness by allowing CSD to act more efficiently on the information the data presents.

View the data

• Data is now available on CSD's data dashboard for Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) End-of-Grade and End-of-Course performance history, which shows our five-year performance history for students in grades three and up filtered by test, grade, achievement level, gender, and race.
• The dashboard also shows CSD's College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) history broken down by grade band, assessment domain, and school.
• You may use this form to provide feedback on the effectiveness of these data visualizations.

Transparency and privacy

CSD is committed to data transparency and to using data to elevate performance and close student achievement gaps, while also providing the utmost protection for student data privacy.

Last November, the City Schools of Decatur Board approved a new grading policy for the 2024-25 school year to align with best practices. Please see the CSD 2024-25 Grading Handbook to learn more about the details and implementation. Additional opportunities for discussion and questions will be available during each school's curriculum night.

The Infinite Campus gradebook has been updated to ensure all stakeholders clearly understand how grades reflect student performance on Georgia Standards. Click on the grade bands to review the grading quick facts for K-5 and 6-12.

CSD received overall good news last month in Georgia Department of Education's statewide results of the 2023-24 Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS), which includes assessments administered in the spring each year for Social Studies, Science, and English Language Arts (ELA).

CSD highlights of the 2023-24 results include:

• Top five in school systems in the state for English Language Arts EOG in all grade levels
• First in school systems in the Metro RESA region for all EOG content areas in grades 4-8
• Top five in school systems in the state for American Literature and Biology EOC
• Top three in school systems in the Metro RESA region for American Literature
• Second in school systems in the Metro RESA region for Biology EOC
• Significant increases in performances were observed for our black subgroup in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 in ELA, with a remarkable 21 percentage point increase of students scoring proficient and distinguished in grade 5 from 2023 to 2024. Similar progress was also evident for our black subgroup’s Social Studies and Science performance, with an average gain of seven percentage points in grades 5 and 8.

With new Math standards and assessments, new reporting scales will be used for all Mathematics assessments. As a result, Mathematics results, including End-of-Grade and End-of-Course algebra assessments, will be released later in September. Hence, comparing achievement levels between the old and new Mathematics scales from year to year is not appropriate.

To view the statewide and district-level results, visit GaDoe GMAS 2023-24 Statewide Scores.

Based on the analysis of test scores, CSD students scored higher than the state average in most tested areas and grade levels (see chart below).

Reminder! City Schools of Decatur's next Early Release Day is Friday, September 20, 2024. Here is the schedule of release times by school level:

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: 0-3 program will remain on the normal schedule

The remaining early release dates are listed below:

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Friday, November 22, 2024

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

This semester CSD will launch a process for our community and stakeholders to share issues and concerns that cannot be resolved at a school or department level. CSD believes that concerns are best handled as close to their origin as possible, starting with your school's staff or principal. CSD Constituent Services will provide additional timely support to resolve issues and concerns. The community is invited to learn more about this initiative and its timeline at the September 2024 Board Meeting.

• Attendance Awareness Month, September 1-30
• Labor Day (System Closed), September 2
• Programs Overview Virtual Meeting, September 5
  
• DEF Battle of the Bands, September 6
  

• National Arts in Education Week, September 9-13

• Patriot Day, September 11
• DHS Homecoming Parade and Game, September 13
  
• National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15

• National IT Professional Day, September 17

• STAR Assessment Webinar, September 17
  
• Board of Education Fall Community Meeting, September 18
  
• Early Release Day, September 20
• Fall Break, September 23-27

• National HR Professional Day, September 26

• National Night Out, October 1
• Dr. Whitaker's Fall Listening Sessions:
• October 14 (Virtual)
• October 23 (Talley Street)
• October 29 (DHA)

Check out the latest CSD Words with Dr. Whitaker podcast episode, featuring Board of Education Chair James Herndon and what's new for this school year.

Previous episodes

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.