Greetings WE Families,

It has been a nice five day week. I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for a do-over for our Community Circle. The students are really working hard. It is wonderful to have them share their leadership skills. Our students and staff are working so hard. I think everyone is well deserving of our Winter break. I hope that you and your families get a chance to have some rest and relaxation. Enjoy the time and hopefully a slower pace.

From your grateful principal,

Christine Knox

School Leadership Team: SLT is an advisory team, please feel free to reach out to any of us if you feel that there are opportunities for improvement that you would like to share with us. You can ask your questions or share your ideas here in the SLT Q & A form.

Community Circle/Coffee Chat Dates:Mark your calendars:

November 17th- NO Coffee Chat

December 15th- EL Dimension of High Quality Work

February 9th WE Building Bridges Family Engagement

March 1st

March 29th

April 26th

May 22nd - Our last day of school ( No Coffee Chat)

Well it's Groundhog Day... again. Ok not really, but this Friday is Walk and Roll (again!) and at this month's Community Circle we'll be celebrating our bus riders with a special presentation. That's because February is Love Your Bus Month! We'll be celebrating our riders and drivers all month, and if you would like to contribute a little something for our wonderful drivers please venmo @Jeremy-Buckmaster and feel free to bring them cards/flowers/candy at your particular stop. We'll be collecting funds all week. See you soon!

It's that time of the year again! The Tour Decatur 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run is just around the corner (Saturday, March 16th). In PE, all students will embark on an amazing 5 week fitness unit. Students will engage in high energy games and various fitness activities. Over the course of this unit, students will build endurance as they learn about pacing and running etiquette in a fun and challenging environment. The goal of the unit is to prepare students for the 1 mile Fun Run. Sign up for the race and meet me at the starting line!

Show your school spirit by purchasing a Westchester iRUN t-shirt and long sleeve hoodie ($10-$15). The shirts are available to anyone, regardless of Tour Decatur participation. The deadline to order is February 20th. Click the links below for more information on ordering a shirt and registering for the Tour Decatur race.

Web Store Link

https://pswear.com/Westchester

Tour Decatur link

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/84548/tour-decatur-2024

​​​​​​​Help our teachers and staff have a special break throughout the day by stocking the teacher’s lounge! Items can be purchased directly from the Amazon Wishlist below (or purchased locally and brought to school!). Thanks so much for your support of our staff!

This email is to update you on the application of funds to student lunch accounts thanks to the generosity of a grant from The Arby’s Foundation. You may notice activity on your student’s lunch account in Infinite Campus this week as we work to eliminate all outstanding debts accrued through February 2.

As a reminder, the federal program that provided funds for every public school student to receive meals, at no cost, ended in 2022. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to cover the costs of any meal. Families may apply for free or reduced-price meals at any time during the school year in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal by clicking “More” and then “Meal Benefits.”

Georgia Health Surveys [Note: although the survey is not applicable for K-2 students, K-2 schools please DO include this blurb: a parent might see it in their kindergartner’s newsletter and miss seeing it in their high schooler’s]

The window for the 2023-24 Georgia Student Health Survey and Parent Survey closes Friday, March 1. Student and parent survey participation is critical because the data will be used to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2024-25 school year. Parents can access the survey here, and students in grade 3-12 can access it via the Georgia Health Survey icon in LaunchPad (or directly here for 3-5, here for 6-8, and here for 9-12).

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

City Schools of Decatur is offering summer school for students who could benefit from additional instructional support. In February, families will receive an invitation if their student qualifies. Three different summer program opportunities will be offered. Students who qualify in grades 3-8 (from a defined list of qualifiers) will be able to receive support in math and/or ELA. Students who are going into 8th grade Enhanced Algebra or High School Algebra 1 may use summer school to preview Algebra 1 content. High school students will have the opportunity for credit recovery in core courses via Georgia Virtual School as long as they have missed fewer than 20 instruction days.

Summer school for students in grades 3 - 8 will be May 29 - June 18, 2024 at Beacon Hill Middle School. For credit recovery, students will engage in summer school June 3 - July 12, 2024 and will have the option to be on-site at Beacon Hill Middle School should they need technical assistance.

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!

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!

On March 9, 2024, Boosters will host our annual Bulldog Bash at Legacy Park to support athletics at DHS and BHMS. The adult-only fundraising event features food trucks, bands and a silent auction – all to raise money for Decatur Athletics.

There are four easy ways to support this event:

1. Buy your ticket here.

2. Bid on silent auction items once they’re live (it's all online!)

3. Buy a 50/50 raffle ticket (winner gets 50% of proceeds and Boosters get 50%).

4. Donate to the Coaches Wish List.

Share with your friends and family and follow us on Instagram (@DecaturBulldogBash) for all the latest party details and auction updates.

Call for Donations

We are looking for donations for the Bulldog Bash silent auction. Donated items are tax-deductible and can include anything from gift cards and art to products, services, trips and experiences. This is a great way to market your business while supporting Decatur Boosters. Donations can be made here.

Westchester newsletters

Email: bnation@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Westchester
Location: 758 Scott Boulevard, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westchesterelementarycsd