Weekly Update
October 27, 2022
Dear Winnona Park Community,
Just a reminder to refrain from dressing students up for Halloween on Monday.
Tuesday, November 1st is a teacher workday, which means there is no school for students.
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Greg Wiseman
Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School
Book Fair Closes tomorrow, Friday, October 28th at 9 AM.
We will be open tomorrow morning, Friday, October 28th from 7:30 AM - 9 AM.
Please email me if you have any questions - izeff@csdecatur.net.
Ilene Zeff,
Media Specialist
Thanksgiving Luncheon
In folders today is a flier to RSVP for our Thanksgiving Luncheon. CSD Nutrition Department will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings on Thursday, November 10th, during your child’s regularly scheduled lunch time. Complete the information on the form, add your cash payment, and return to school via folder by Monday the 31st. No walk-ups accepted.
If you are joining us, enter through the front door of the school about 5 minutes before your child’s lunch time. You’ll be given instructions from there. There is limited seating available inside. Many parents will need to eat outside with their child, so bring a picnic blanket.
Tomorrow’s Community Circle - First Grade
We invite parents of first graders to Community Circle tomorrow morning. Gather by the cafe door near the pond after drop off and you will be let in from there.
Picture Retakes, November 3rd
If your child was absent on their picture day last week, Lesley from Wander Photography will be back on campus on Thursday, November 3rd for retakes. This only applies to students who were absent on their picture day. Additionally, the class pictures for Ms. Eason and Ms. Simpson will be taken on Thursday as well. If you have any questions, please reach out to Lesley at lesley@wanderphotography.com. Be on the lookout for an email coming in the next week or so with information on where to electronically view and order your pictures!
Willkommen! - Welcome Visiting Educators from Berlin, Germany
Winnona Park would like to offer a warm welcome to a distinguished group of primary school educators from Berlin, Germany! They will be visiting Winnona Park and other CSD schools during the next two weeks. Four WP teachers will be hosting teachers in their classrooms and in their homes. Then, in June of 2023, the WP teachers will visit their host’s school in Berlin and learn about German culture and education. The teachers hosting are: Ms. McCool (K), Ms. Pitts (K), Ms. Baerman (2nd), and Ms. Cannon (Resource). This is a part of a cultural exchange offered by the state government of Berlin called Checkpoint Charlie. If you would like more information, please contact Laura Pitts at lpitts@csdecatur.net.
Parent's Night Out on Saturday, November 5th from 6:30 pm - 11 pm
Our Parent Night Out event tickets are on sale and the silent auction is live. Anyone can come to the event on Nov 5 at 6:30. There will be outdoor spaces as well as a lot of fresh air. We will even have a s’mores fire pit!
There will be dinner, beer/wine tasting and LOTS of arcade style games along with some friendly competition.
Buy tickets here and check out the auction items here:
https://event.auctria.com/733f14c8-3c43-4209-bd76-87dea1a85d29/
Struggling to find childcare to join us for the Parents Night Out? We are so excited to confirm a perfect partnership with Camp Scene! Sign your kids up for evening camp and you get to enjoy a Parents Night Out benefiting WPES! See all the details below:
While parents attend the fundraiser for WPES, campers ages 5 and up can enjoy activities at Camp Scene from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 5. Cost is $40 per camper and includes Mellow Mushroom pizza and a campfire — featuring hot cocoa and S'mores.
Below is the link for new families who do not have an existing account with Camp Scene. A family account must be created to have access to the Parent Portal for all registration links to all our current offerings.
New family enrollment link
Here is the link for existing families who have a family account:
Checkout our website for additional event information, tickets, auction and raffle
A big shout-out to our students who read 36,886 minutes during our Read-a-Thon!
Thank you to families, friends, and neighbors who have already contributed to this fundraiser. If you have not had a chance to contribute yet, we are collecting funds through October 21st! We have raised 73% of our goal, but still have a ways to go. You can support an individual child’s campaign or use this link to make a donation directly to the PTA- https://winnonaparkpta.org/product-category/read-a-thon/. The Read-a-Thon is one of our most important school fundraisers, with proceeds supporting many PTA initiatives at Winnona Park, including teacher stipends, diversity committee events, and free yearbooks for all students.
The PTA Fundraising Committee Needs You!
We are looking for 3-4 volunteers available to support our fundraising efforts for our first annual Parent’s Night Out, benefiting WPES. The role would include obtaining raffle and auction items, securing donations, assisting in organizing volunteers and ticket sales ahead of the event on Saturday, November 5, 2022. If interested please email adriana@aalevents.com
Low Lunch Balance
As you may know, the school nutrition department has a serious debt related to meal charges within the district. In order to work toward reducing the debt, parents and staff will begin getting negative meal balance communication on Friday, October 21, 2022. The school nutrition department will continue to send these low-balance communications weekly through the automated infinite campus messenger. If parents have any questions or concerns, please contact Nekee Mathis at nmathis@csdecatur.net.
As a reminder, some people may have charges even if they have been approved for free or reduced meal benefits because charges made occurred prior to the approval of the free and reduced application. Additionally, some charges are from prior to the pandemic. A free and reduced lunch application may be completed anytime during the school year. Currently, the district policy does not ask that students be turned away from receiving a meal; however, a child's meal balance will continue to grow when they receive a meal while they have no funds in their student lunch account. Currently, the District has an overall debt of $40,000.00.
From Nurse Jen and the Department of Public Health
Please click here for the latest information on this year’s flu activity in Georgia.
Do you have a Change in your Dismissal Plans?
Plans change and emergencies happen. If something comes up that changes your child’s normal dismissal routine, please complete this form by 1:00. Do not email your teacher, just complete the form. You will find this form under each teacher’s email signature and on the WP website under “Families>Dismissal.”
Show your WPES Spirit!
At WPES we wear our support every Friday! Make sure your family gets your Spirit Wear before it's gone! Numerous adult and kids t-shirt options plus kids hoodies for the cold weather to come! Please include your child’s name and teacher in the notes section when checking out.
The online store is available at https://winnona-park-es-pta.square.site/
Join the Fabulous WP PTA
The WP PTA Rocks! As you can see from the events above, they are super-involved in all back to school activities and much, much more. The PTA works to enhance the educational experience of all Winnona Park students by supporting teachers and staff, organizing fundraisers for items not covered by the school budget, and planning and hosting community-building events. Through fundraising efforts, the PTA supports many offerings and initiatives including classroom libraries, teacher and parent grants, field trips and guest speakers for all students, facility enhancements, and various community-building events. Click here to view the PTA welcome letter to learn so much more about the WP PTA.
CSD News and Announcements
Strategic Plan Town Halls
Dr. Fehrman will host three town hall meetings where all community members can attend and review the information discussed at the Strategic Plan Team meeting, as well as the goals and performance objectives drafted. In addition, the town halls will provide an opportunity for the community to add their feedback and ensure we have aligned our goals with what our community wants to see achieved in our district over the next five years.
Strategic Plan Town Hall Dates / Times
November 1 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am (virtual) https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/96433860943
November 3 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (virtual) https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/92270288945
November 3 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (in person) at the DHA Community Resource Center at 481 Electric Avenue
Special Education Parent Meetings
Golden Steps ABA
CSD welcomes Amanda Bissonnette of Golden Steps ABA to share an overview of services and support they provide to families.
Here's more about Golden Steps ABA:
Golden Steps implements Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to assist children in overcoming behaviors that challenge their ability to navigate and flourish in social, educational and home settings. We track their progress, encourage their growth, and applaud them when they inevitably succeed.
Date: November 10, 2022
Time: 6-7 pm
Location: This is a virtual meeting.
Target Audience: Pre-K to 6th grades
RSVP here
How It Works - Assistive Technology Meeting
Yael Cohen, Assistive Tech. Specialist & Frank DeFilippo, Special Education Coordinator, will be sharing a variety of apps and Google extensions that students can access to support their learning in class.
For example if your student is experiencing:
Poor handwriting
Poor grammar
Difficulty spelling
Difficulty with Organizing writing assignments
Date: November 17, 2022
Time: 6-7pm
Location: This is a virtual meeting.
RSVP here
For questions please contact Cheryl Grant at cgrant@csdecatur.net.
Nutrition Department
The Nutrition Department is in the process of reaching out to parents about student negative meal balances. These efforts to send the low-balance communications will continue weekly through the automated infinite campus messenger or a personal phone call. Some accounts may have had outstanding balances prior to being approved for free or reduced meal benefits. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Nekee Mathis at nmathis@csdecatur.net. or (470) 237- 0368 ext 7607.
Note: A free and reduced lunch application can be completed anytime during the school year. Currently, the district policy allows students to receive meals, not extra items, for example, i.e. bag of chips. However, a child's negative meal balance will continue to incur debt as they receive meals.
Run With the Dogs (RWTD) 2023 registration is now open!
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023 for Run With the Dogs, a Decatur tradition now in its 19th year.
We’ll be back at Beacon Hill Middle School for the 5K and Pup Trot, and we are pleased to announce that this year’s race is an official qualifying event for the Peachtree Road Race!
If you think you have the perfect dog to be featured on this year’s t-shirt, please enter the Face of the Race contest. Just post a photo of your dog, plus a blurb about why your dog should be selected as the Face of the Race, to www.facebook.com/RWTD5k or on Instagram with the hashtag #RWTD5K.
All contest entrants must register for the race for their dogs to be considered. Photos can be submitted until November 7. Four finalists will be selected by the volunteer race committee, and voting on these four finalists will begin November 11. The Face of the Race winner will be announced November 18.
Run With the Dogs 5K is an annual fundraiser of the Decatur Bulldog Boosters and supports the athletic programs at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. All race participants will receive the coveted long-sleeved T-shirt designed by local artist Adam Pinsley.
Click here to register. For more information, visit rwtd5K.com.
Connection Sessions
Connection Sessions are conversations between CSD's Equity Director, various invited guests, and the CSD POGM* community. During each session, community members are introduced to a person who is integral to supporting the school system while we discuss thoughts, interests, and concerns regarding City Schools of Decatur. Each session uses a racial equity lens - always asking the question - "What does race have to do with this?"
These sessions may not always have the answers, but they provide an opportunity for members of Decatur's POGM community (as well as all others) to explore perspectives, pose questions, and share thoughts.
Each meeting starts at 6 pm. Access it by using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/2yuj2tbs.
November 14th, 2022 - Courtney Burnett, Chief of Staff, CSD
December 19th, 2022 - Karen Newton-Scott, Principal, FAVE
* People of color, despite being minoritized in the US, are a global majority. Thus, previously entitled BIPOC Connection Sessions, the name of this event is now Connection Sessions for POGM (People of the Global Majority). There is conflict regarding the use of the term BIPOC and this article details many relevant concerns. In short, the term BIPOC, which stands for Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color, elevates some cultures over others in a way that does not reflect the respect each culture deserves.
District-Wide Intervention Information
If you have questions about interventions, please contact Erica Godfrey, District Intervention Specialist & MTSS Coordinator, at egodfrey@csdecatur.net. You can register for Super Saturdays here.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Run with the Dogs
Run With the Dogs (RWTD) 2023 registration is now open!
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023, for Run With the Dogs, a Decatur tradition in its 19th year.
We’ll be back at Beacon Hill Middle School for the 5K and Pup Trot and are pleased to announce that this year’s race is an official qualifying event for the Peachtree Road Race!
If you think you have the perfect dog to be featured on this year’s t-shirt, please enter the Face of the Race contest. Just post a photo of your dog, plus a blurb about why your dog should be selected as the Face of the Race, to http://www.facebook.com/RWTD5k or on Instagram with the hashtag #RWTD5K.
All contest entrants must register for the race for their dogs to be considered. Photos can be submitted until November 7. Four finalists will be selected by the volunteer race committee, and voting on these four finalists will begin on November 11. The Face of the Race winner will be announced on November 18.
Run With the Dogs 5K is an annual fundraiser of DBB and supports the athletic programs at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. All race participants will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt, which will once again be designed by local artist Adam Pinsley.
Click here to register. For more information, visit rwtd5K.com.
Decatur Education Foundation
Book a sitter and tell your friends to meet you at the Soiree in the City on Saturday, November 12th from 6:30-10:30pm! Everyone is invited to enjoy an adult evening of dinner, drinks and dancing! It’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up and go out on the town for a great cause! We’ll enjoy a seated harvest dinner by Little Farmhouse Cafe, live music from Maxwell Street and a full array of cocktails and mocktails. Purchase your tickets today at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/soiree or scan the QR code. See you there!
Meaningful volunteer opportunities available! DEF is seeking volunteers to be tutors and mentors. Tutors are needed to help students from 2nd – 8th grades for one hour per week. We are also gearing up to re-launch our AIM Scholars mentoring program in January for which we need 20-30 adult volunteers. If you would like to learn more about these programs and sign up, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring
Can’t volunteer but want to help out? You can donate to our Lighten the Load program which keeps the snack pantry stocked at Beacon Hill Middle School. For those families in our community experiencing food insecurity, we also have a weekend backpack program. Both have unique Amazon wish lists that are updated monthly. You can donate directly to them using these links:
Beacon Hill Middle Snack Program: /a.co/d0HJHTr
Weekend Backpack Program: https://a.co/6Etc74W
Season of Giving
A Season of Giving/Christmas Decatur is back to its traditional method of neighbors purchasing gifts directly for local children and seniors!
To apply for assistance, please complete an online application at https://aseasonofgiving.org/application/ by October 28th.
aseasonofgiving@decaturga.com or leave a message on our voicemail (404.378.8068).
If you do not need assistance, we would love your help!
Donors will purchase gifts from an individual wish list specific to a child (through 8th grade) or senior citizen. If you would like to be a donor, please complete our online form.
If you would like us to do the shopping for you, please donate directly at https://legacydecatur.org/give/ and select A Season of Giving!