Dr. Ferhman
December 2, 2022
Click this link https://www.smore.com/eam0t for the mobile-friendly version of this newsletter.
In this newsletter:
- Strategic Plan Update
- Shout-outs: Charter System Foundation Visited CSD, Nurses Put Out Fires and Top Dog Award Winners
- CSD announcements and updates about the GA Parent Survey, DHS Rake & Run 2022, DHS Presents The Sound of Music, Good Troublemaker Award, Connection Sessions, and Upcoming Title I and ESOL Parent Meeting
- Community partner announcements and updates from the Decatur Education Foundation, City of Decatur Police Department, and Run With the Dogs
Strategic Plan Update
I hope all our families and staff had a wonderful break last week. Even as we are wrapping up the calendar year, our CSD staff are hard at work on drafting the action steps for our strategic plan.
One key component of updating our strategic plan is a refresh of our vision and mission. I will be convening a group of stakeholders to help draft our new vision and mission statements. Part of this work will also be to develop the “Portrait of a City Schools of Decatur Graduate.” A portrait of a graduate is an aspirational statement that describes what students graduating from CSD exemplify and it will support the work of our strategic plan. If you are interested in supporting this work, please complete this form by December 16th.
Congratulations! Great job! Way to go!
Charter System Foundation Visited CSD!
The Charter-System Foundation visited DHS this week to create a short film about innovations. The main focus was on the Culinary Department. DHS Av-Tech pathway students were able to assist and speak with the filmmakers as they toured the Career Academy Pathways and other DHS classes. Thank you, DHS, for allowing the filmmakers to visit classes and show off the great things happening in CSD! The short video will be available for all to view soon!!
Nurses Put Out Fires
The City Schools of Decatur partnered with City of Decatur Fire and Rescue for training on bleeding control, Narcan administration, and the proper use of fire extinguishers. Our nurses typically put out medical fires on a regular basis, but today, they learned to put out REAL FIRES.
Top Dog Award Winners
Our Top Dog Award Winners this week are Ifeude Hill and Phyllis Thompson.
Ifeude Hill, Media Specialist at Decatur High School, received this nomination from a colleague:
"Ifeude has helped me so much in my first few weeks in the College Heights media center. We have had some significant technology challenges with our library catalog, and Ifeude has been incredibly responsive, patient, knowledgeable, and creative in helping us resolve our issues. She also coordinated additional support through CSD's IT department. As the district's head media specialist and in her role as DHS media specialist, Ifeude is pulled in a thousand directions daily, but she made time to help me, and I am so grateful to her!"
Phyllis Thompson, Special Education Paraprofessional at Winnona Park Elementary, received this nomination from a colleague:
"Phyllis greets every student in the morning in her own unique way, recognizing kids that need the recognition and making them feel special. If you know Phyllis, you know her approach is, let's just say, theatrical. Her greetings put smiles on the faces of everyone within earshot of the carpool line. It's a great way to start the day."
Congratulations, Ifeude and Phyllis!
Do you know someone who deserves Top Dog recognition? Nominate them here.
CSD Announcements and Updates
Georgia Parent Survey
The 2022-2023 Georgia Parent Survey is now open. Survey participation is voluntary, but we strongly encourage participation in the surveys to provide schools with critically important data to help guide prevention and intervention strategies. This school data is included in our school's College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score. It is recommended that your school has at least a 75% participation rate. The surveys will open on Monday, November 7, 2022, and remain open through Friday, January 27, 2023.
Here is the link to the survey. Thank you to the parents that have already provided their input.
DHS Rake & Run 2022
The DHS Close Up Club will be hosting its annual DHS Rake & Run event - a student-run volunteer-based service project that helps our students raise money for their trip to Washington, D.C. There is no financial obligation to participate. However, our club gladly accepts donations in order to make the trip possible for more students. This year, the Decatur High School Close Up Club will hold its Rake & Run service project on Saturday, December 3, from 8:00-4:00 pm.
Register today at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWuAaatnpLcxzDdyVj3Xx-7DYtqFZOoSQLq0fzPOvaUR9_Tw/viewform.
To find out more about our club and trip check out our website!
DHS Presents: The Sound of Music
The talented students at DHS always put on a great show. Tickets are selling fast for their production of The Sound of Music. Go to https://decaturperforms.org/ to purchase tickets.
Good Troublemaker Award
The late Congressman John Lewis was known for his famous plea to all humans fighting for social justice. “Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” Who in this district, or in your building, has actions that speak louder than their words when it comes to being a good troublemaker for equity? Honor them by telling us more about their actions as champions for equitable educational outcomes in CSD.
Nominate someone else or yourself for the Good Equity Troublemaker Award here by Sunday, January 8, 2023, at 11:59 PM. Contact Anthony Downer at adowner@csdecatur.net with any questions or for more info.
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.
December 19th, 2022 - Karen Newton-Scott, Chief of School Performance
* 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.
Upcoming Title I and ESOL Parent Meeting
ATTN: Clairemont and Talley Street Title I and ESOL Parents!
You are invited to attend the upcoming parent meeting on Thursday, December 15, at 6:00
p.m. as we discuss the topic: Resources and Tips for Supporting Your Child at Home
Please view the flyers for additional information.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Decatur Education Foundation
Are you great at math, science, or languages? Your skills could help a Decatur student in just one hour per week as a Virtual Pal Tutor! We pair 2nd-8th grade students with upper high school or adult tutors to help with homework, organization, and motivation. It’s an easy way to give back to your community in a meaningful way (and for high school students to earn volunteer hours). Click here to apply: https://forms.gle/VJuyncb7qce6R7Jq5.
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
City of Decatur Police Department - Crossing Guard Announcement
Dear Beacon Hill Middle & Decatur High Students and Parents,
Starting Monday, December 5, 2022, there will be a crossing guard at West Trinity Place & N. McDonough Street to assist students. This is a new post, and we know the students are used to crossing through this intersection on their own. However, due to the large volume of student pedestrians, the complexity of the intersection and the increase in traffic for morning and afternoon rush hour at the same time students are traveling to and from school, we are placing a guard at the southwest corner (near the AMLI complex). We have observed students crossing against the pedestrian signals and also standing right at the edge of the roadway at this intersection, especially at dismissal when there are large crowds of students, which is dangerous. The crossing guards will ask students to step back as needed and they will follow the signals and direct students to stop and wait for the next signal as needed. We are asking students to please obey the directions of the guards. We are here to help create safer conditions for our community. Thank you.
Run With the Dogs
Register TODAY for Run With the Dogs (RWTD) 2023!
Join us on Saturday, January 28, 2023, for Run With the Dogs, a Decatur tradition now in its 19th year.
We’re 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!
The nomination period for the Face of the Race has closed, and the race committee will narrow down the adorable candidates to four finalists. Make sure to check our website (rwtd5K.com) beginning on November 11 to cast your vote for this year's winner. One vote per email address will be accepted during the voting window, which ends at 11:59 pm on November 16. The 2023 Face of the Race winner will be announced on the race website and social media on November 18.
Run With the Dogs 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.