DHS Weekly Update
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Principal's Message
Happy Thursday! Our DHS COVID-19 Readiness Team is touring around the school today to help plan for our return to the building. I know that teaching and learning cannot happen unless our staff and students feel safe in their schools so our team is working diligently to make sure DHS is safe for everyone.
Students have started having club meetings virtually to help build our Bulldog community and this week was Spirit Week! Tomorrow is 'Fancy Day'. I look forward to seeing what everyone is wearing in their classes.
It's always a pleasure to serve the DHS community!
Principal Lofstrand
From CSD Food and Nutrition Department
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS
Please remember to complete the free and reduced lunch application. This form is required to be completed yearly. The application can be accessed in the parent portal. Last year's status ends 9/28/20.
IMPORTANT UPDATES:
Our last week of meal deliveries will be on MWF during the week of September 28th - October 2nd. After Friday, October 2, meals will no longer be delivered via CSD buses.
Starting the week of October 5th we will be switching to a meal pick-up ONLY format. Meals may be picked up at ALL CSD school sites DAILY (excluding College Heights ECLC) from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM. Please make note of the time shift going forward on your calendar. There will be CSD TakeOutSpot signs posted at all schools directing students and parent/guardians where to go.
Every student is still able to receive meals at no cost until December or until federal funds run out. As a reminder: When federal funding for free meals ends, students who have submitted and been approved for free or reduced-price meals will not have a lapse in meal benefits.
All children under the age of 18 (or under the age of 21 for youth with special needs) may participate in this program. Children do not have to be CSD students to participate. We ask that non CSD students still complete our pre-order form to help us with forecasting orders.
HOW TO ORDER MEALS WITH US:
1) Go to our CSD webpage for details and updates: https://www.csdecatur.net/nutrition
2) Fill out our pre-order form (can be found on our webpage) to help us with forecasting orders.
Our pre-order form is open Monday at 8 AM - Wednesday at 3 PM. You can now make your order a "standing" weekly order!
3) For the week of 10/5 and moving forward: Plan to arrive at your chosen CSD TakeOutSpot school location between 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM daily.
Remember to wear masks and practice social distancing while you wait!
Please email "meals@csdecatur.net" for questions and assistance.
ManageBac
Reporting Effort in ManageBac
At this time most students should have two effort grades posted in ManageBac for most classes. If you notice 1’s or 2’s in effort on your student’s report, please take note of the comment left by their teacher and consider some ways to support higher levels of academic effort at home.
At Decatur High School, we believe summative assessments provide the evidence for determining course grades, and we believe academic effort is important and should be reported. Effort is judged according to the rubric below, with 4 being the maximum score and 1 being the lowest. Each teacher discusses how to give appropriate effort in every class and all students are expected to have effort scores of 3 or 4 in all of their classes.
- 4: Student is consistently self-directed, displays initiative in their own learning, and exhibits accountability for their own work.
- 3: Student is usually self-directed, displays initiative in their own learning, and exhibits accountability for their own work.
- 2: Student is sometimes self-directed, displays initiative in their own learning, and exhibits accountability for their own work.
- 1: Student is rarely self-directed, displays initiative in their own learning, or accountability for their own work.
Each year, our first Progress Report of the school year is an effort-only progress report that is produced after the first six week period and posted in ManageBac. After each subsequent six-week period, Progress Reports that report both academic grades and effort grades are produced and posted in ManageBac. At any time during the school year, students and parents can log into ManageBac and view student's individual assessment grades as they are scored and entered in the gradebook.
While we are in the virtual learning environment, we believe it is important to report effort sooner than six weeks. As a result, all teachers have been working on assessing effort, using the effort rubric above and course specific descriptors discussed with students in each class. If you have any questions about your student's effort grades, please talk to your student to get further information and consider following up with their teacher -- or, better yet, ask your student to email their teacher and copy you! If you need any support using ManageBac or have overall grading and assessment questions, please email Ms. LeDoux at dledoux@csdecatur.net or Mr. Hatfield at whatfield@csdecatur.net
If you do not have a parent account in ManageBac, please complete this Google form. You will be added to ManageBac, and you will receive a Welcome Email from ManageBac.
If you are new to ManageBac or need a refresher, please watch this short screencast.
Debra LeDoux
Instructional Coach and IB Coordinator
Senior Photo Information
The 2nd Round of Senior Photo dates are September 25, 26, and 28. Please sign up at www.strawbridge.net. Please have your senior see their email for more details. If your senior needs a retake, please have your senior fill out the google form sent via email.
Thank you,
Amanda Lockhart
Yearbooks
The 2020-2021 school year will be a memorable one for sure. Don't loose those memories - get a yearbook. Yearbooks are now on sale! Books can be bought at www.jostens.com and are $55 until Oct 31. Get one today before prices go up!
If you have any questions please email alockhart@csdecatur.net.
Yearbook Pick-Up
If you did not pick up your 2019-2020 DHS yearbook over the summer, we will have one more pick up time on Wednesday, Sep 30 from 8-10 AM in the bus loop. This is for YEARBOOKS only.
If it is not picked up then, you will have to wait until next semester as books will be
stored away in preparation for the return to school.
If you have any questions please email alockhart@csdecatur.net.
PSAT INFORMATION
Taylor Cross, Ed. D.
Assistant Principal
PTSA News
SUCCESS SERIES PART 2: Introduction to Decatur High School
October 1, 2020 - 7:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85711155281?pwd=cE9NYzdSR052ajRDSzZUR0R2cjAxZz09
Meeting ID: 857 1115 5281
Passcode: 120698
Share The Impact - A Creative Expression Contest
Decatur High School
Email: kgoins@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net/DHS
Location: 310 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4170