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College Heights Connection
November 16, 2023
Principal's Message
I believe that the success of our school is built on a foundation of mutual respect and inclusiveness. Every day, dedicated staff nurture a culture of fairness, love and caring, all focused on the goal of providing a safe learning environment for our students and families. I am thankful that College Heights continues to strive for excellence in each and every classroom, from our youngest infants to our Pre-K learners. I want to share my gratitude and thank all the families for being such an important part of the College Heights community. This is a wonderful time of the year to get together with friends and family to celebrate and be thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives. On behalf of the College Heights staff, I would like to thank you for your continued support.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Principal Garland
School News and Announcements
College Heights featured at national conference
College Heights is proud to announce that Erynn Mathews-Davis, our Instructional Coach, will be co-presenting with Karla Zisook, CSD Pre-K-2 District Literacy Coach, at the Annual National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention in Columbus, Ohio, on November 16-18. This year's theme is Conexiones: Communicate, Collaborate, Create. Erynn and Karla are excited to present and share the fantastic work of our Pre-K Professional Learning Community and how they researched and developed Pre-K Common Assessments. They are specifically speaking to their process for creating standards-based early literacy assessments and their continuous collaborative revision process. They are excited to share the phenomenal work of College Heights on a national stage and to bring back best practices to share with teachers and staff.
Community service projects at College Heights
November is community service month at College Heights, and every class is participating in projects to help those in need in our community. These projects include collecting items to donate such as blankets, stuffed animals, art supplies, and much more. Information will be coming home through classroom teachers, so please make sure to read emails and check folders to see how you and your family can be involved.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held December 4-15th. Conferences may be held virtually or in person. We encourage all parents to sign up. Conferences are a wonderful way to learn about your student's academic progress, talk about student goals and collaborate with the teacher on how to be a part of your student's learning while at College Heights.
Look for classroom sign up soon.
Conscious Discipline virtual parent workshop series
If you are interested in our family workshop series but haven't been able to attend the live virtual session, you can watch the recordings on our website by clicking here. We hope you can join us for a future session. These always take place on a Thursday from 12-1 pm and the Google Meet link can be found in the weekly newsletter. Future dates are:
- November 30
- January 18
- February 22
- March 21
- April 18
Media Center news
Thank you again for helping the Media Center bring back the Birthday Book program this year. It has been so fun to help our students select new books to celebrate and honor their special day. It's not too late to participate. We will accept donations until the end of the school year. Please click here for more information.
This week Pre-K took a deeper dive into Native American Heritage Month with a reading of Biindigen! Amik Says Welcome by Nancy Cooper, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley. This sweet story of a beaver family reunion introduced students to Indigenous perspectives and words. Ask your Pre-K student if they remember what baa maa pii (pronounced bah - mah - PEE) means. HINT: it means until next time!
Our younger students enjoyed these books:
Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jill McElmurry (who also illustrates the beloved Little Blue Truck books)
The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner, illustrated by Jonathan Lambert
I Want My Book Back! by Viviane Elbee, illustrated by Nicole Miles
Nellie Belle by Mem Fox, illustrated by Mike Austin
Red Yellow Blue (and a Dash of White, Too!) by C.G. Esperanza
Families, thank you for joining us for our annual Thanksgiving lunch!
The Pre-K bus safety presentation was a big hit with Eleanor and Audrey!
CSD News and Announcements
Early Release Day reminder
City Schools of Decatur's upcoming Early Release Day is Wednesday, November 29.
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' infant through preschool program will remain on its normal schedule.
The remaining schedule of Early Release Days includes the following dates:
- Wednesday, November 29
- Wednesday, December 20
- Wednesday, January 31
- Wednesday, February 28
- Wednesday, March 27
- Wednesday, April 24
Schools will communicate more specific details related to the schedule for the day, dismissal, and extracurricular activities.
CSD calendar input wanted
CSD is currently soliciting stakeholder input for the 2025-2026 academic calendar. Your feedback is important and appreciated. To access the survey, please click on the link: https://tinyurl.com/CSDCalendar25-26. The survey will remain open through November 30, 2023.
PTA News and Announcements
SAVE THE DATE - College Heights Annual Auction
Parents and families - the College Heights Auction is quickly approaching! It's our school's single largest fundraiser of the year.
We have some fantastic items for the silent and live auction - think Rosefinch Spa, Atlanta United Tickets, Color Wheel Camp, Birthday Party Packages etc. - BUT we are still seeking 10-15 more items for our silent auction from our favorite Decatur/Atlanta local vendors.
Please take a moment and think about what items, experiences or services you may be able to donate or connect us to! Email laura.bollman@gmail.com with your ideas - thank you!
All donations are tax deductible as College Heights PTA is a 501c3 nonprofit.
Community Partner News and Announcements
Unleash Your Creativity with DEF's Student Challenge Series!
Educators & Parents — The Decatur Education Foundation challenges YOUR ARTISTIC SUPERSTARS to design the next iconic sticker that screams Decatur pride! Introducing DEF’s Student Challenge Series, kicking off this month with our first Sticker Design Contest. Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Capture the essence of Decatur schools' uniqueness.
Splash it with color, make it eye-catching and crazy fun!
Squeeze your masterpiece into a 3" by 5" space (the size of an index card).
Don't forget to incorporate "Decatur Education Foundation" into your design!
Submit your artistic brilliance in PDF or JPG form to meg@decatureducationfoundation.org by Friday, December 15. Winners will snag professionally printed stickers, a local arts & crafts store gift card, and the spotlight on our social media platforms. For full contest details, you can visit decatureducationfoundation.org/DEFstickercontes or click on the QR code below. Let’s showcase what makes Decatur schools extraordinary! #DEFStudentChallenge #DecaturCreativityUnleashed #ForOurKids
Save the Date
November 20-24 - School Closed for Pre-K (Thanksgiving break)
November 22 - School Closed at noon for 0-3 Program (Thanksgiving break)
November 23-24 - School Closed for 0-3 Program (Thanksgiving break)
November 29 - Early Release Day (Pre-K only)
February 24 - PTA Auction