DHS Weekly Update
Thursday, August 18, 2022
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear DHS Community,
We have our first official home football game this Friday! Come out and support our Bulldogs on the field. You can purchase tickets through gofan.co. Our volleyball, softball, and cross country teams are also off to a great start! You can keep up with all of the wonderful things our students are doing on our website - https://www.csdecatur.net/dhs - as well as through Decatur Bulldog Boosters - https://decaturbulldogsathletics.com/.
Families and students, we have had several phone calls from our neighbors regarding our students parking in front of driveways, blocking buses from turning corners, etc. Let's all be courteous and kind to our neighbors while parking. I know it is frustrating that we do not have enough parking on campus for all of our students but it is important that we are good citizens and members of our community.
Rochelle L. Lofstrand, Principal
Decatur High School
Curriculum Night
Wednesday September 7th
6:30PM-8:10PM
Introduction
DHS has grown so much that we’ve decided to do Curriculum Night virtually this year. This communication provides a brief overview of what Curriculum Night will look like. We’ll continue to communicate details as we approach the event.
Technology
Each teacher will create one video link using Google Meet. They will email this link to all students and parents and guardians the week before Curriculum Night. We will also post a list of these links alphabetically by teacher in the Parent Portal during the week of Curriculum Night. These links will not be posted publicly to protect the security of each Google Meet. As a parent, all you need to participate is a computer, phone, or other device that allows you to view video. Having a device with a camera and/or microphone is ideal, but not necessary.
We do not want technology to be a barrier to participation for any family or parent. If you do not have technology available to participate, please contact Ms. Jules Shelkoff at jshelkoff@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601 x 2130 so that we can reserve you a computer in our library that evening.
Schedule
Each class will last ten minutes. We’ve scheduled five minutes between classes to allow parents and guardians to connect to their next class link.
6:30-6:40 1st Period
6:45-6:55 2nd Period
7:00-7:10 3rd Period
7:15-7:25 4th Period
7:30-7:40 5th Period
7:45-7:55 6th Period
8:00-8:10 7th Period
Format
Teachers will prepare a short presentation and many will save a few minutes for general questions. Curriculum night is a time to learn about each of your student’s classes. If you need to have an individual conference with one or more of your student’s teachers, please reach out to those teachers directly to schedule a time to talk one on one.
Breakfast/Lunch Payments
This year school breakfast and lunch are no longer free unless a family qualifies for free/reduced lunch. School lunches have been free for the past two year because of COVID Cares funding. This has now stopped - https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/2022-23-parent-faqs. All families should look at the criteria to see if they qualify for free/reduced meals -https://www.csdecatur.net/Page/4670.
Also, don't forget to log into the Parent Portal to put money on your students' account or send a check/cash. See the new meal pricing below.
Attendance Procedures for 2022-2023 School Year
Dear DHS families,
Please read these attendance procedures carefully. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Michael Scott (mscott@csdecatur.net).
We hope that in the 2022-2023 school year, we can continue to improve student attendance as we continue to adjust to living with the constant presence of COVID-19. If your student is having a hard time getting to school, please reach out to their counselor and administrator. Contact info can be found here.
We will begin the attendance robocall for students who are absent from school on Monday, August 8th. We hope to have Parent Portal push notifications for attendance available soon.
Excused Absences
If your student misses a day or more for an illness, the death/illness of a family member, a religious holiday, or another excused reason, please fill out this form. If you would like us to consider a non-standard reason to excuse an absence, please reach out directly to Mr. Scott at least three weeks in advance of a planned absence.
Check-outs
If you need to check out your student, please fill out this form. We ask that all students be picked up from the front doors off of N. McDonough. Please ring the buzzer for assistance and be prepared to show a photo ID to our attendance office staff.
Timely Arrival to School
In order to be considered on-time, a student must be in class by 8:35 am. Students who do not meet this criterion must check in at the attendance office. Students who are late two or more times in a week without an excuse will be assigned after school detention on either Wednesday or Thursday (student's choice) of the following week.
Skipping Class
We expect students to be in every class every day. Students who skip class will be referred to their administrator every time they skip. This year, we will assign Saturday Detention to students on the third time they skip class. Students with Saturday conflicts for religious reasons will be assigned an alternate consequence.
Wes Hatfield
Asst Principal
Underclassmen Photos - Tuesday August 30th
Get ready to smile! Underclassmen (9-11) photos will be Tuesday, August 30 during advisement classes. These photos will be used for student ID cards, infinite campus photos, and yearbook photos. SENIORS will also get their pictures taken for their ID cards only (senior yearbook photos must be scheduled with CADY at cady.com/schedule).
If you would like to preorder photos you can do so by GOING HERE. You can save $10 if you order BEFORE August 30th. If you do not preorder, digital proofs will be available afterwards and photos will be available for purchase. Please see the attached FLYER.
If you have any other questions please email the yearbook sponsor Ms. Lockhart at alockhart@csdecatur.net.
Yearbooks Are On Sale Now!
The 2022-2023 school year is well underway. You don't want to forget any of the memories - get a yearbook today. Yearbooks are now on sale at the lowest price of the year - $55! Prices will increase on 10/14 to $60.00
Books can be bought at www.jostens.com. Get one today before prices go up!
Class of 2023 Senior Pictures
You must have your portrait taken by CADY to be included in the senior section of the yearbook. There are several photo options you can choose, but to be in the yearbook you just need the yearbook pose. This option comes with Cap and Gown pictures, and one extra ‘scene.’ You should have started receiving emails about scheduling an appointment. You can go to one of their studios OR schedule an appointment here at the high school during a Road Shoot. The closest studio, The Atlanta Studio, located at 2030 Powers Ferry Rd., Suite 520 Atlanta, Georgia 30339 (near the Braves Stadium) is accepting appointments now. It is advised that you schedule an appointment sooner rather than later so that you can get retakes if you wish.
For the YEARBOOK POSE (the picture in the yearbook) you have your choice of the traditional outfit provided by CADY - the tux or drape. If you do not wish to be photographed in the traditional attire you may wear a nice SOLID black outfit of your choosing -sweater, turtleneck, button down, dress, or your own black suit with black tie.
Cady will be taking appointments online for the Decatur High Road Shoot days 90 days before the actual date. These dates include: Saturday 8/27 and Saturday 10/8. If you do not get an appointment on one of these days you will have to go to astudio to get your picture taken.
You have until October 31, either at school or at a studio, to get your photo taken for inclusion in the 2022-2023 yearbook. Please go to cady.com/schedule in order to schedule your appointment as soon as possible.
Anyone who needs financial assistance for the sitting fee should reach out to Principal Lofstrand, rlofstrand@csdecatur.net. If you have any other questions please email the yearbook sponsor Ms. Lockhart at alockhart@csdecatur.net.
National Honor Society (NHS) Applications
By Friday September 9th, NHS applications will be emailed to juniors and seniors who have a 3.7 GPA or above. Current members need not reapply.
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Katrina M. Walker at kwalker@csdecatur.net.
This Friday's Gonna Get Loud!
Come out to the game this Friday night to cheer on our Bulldogs as they play Flowery Branch High School. The theme is NEON and our generous Decatur Bulldog Booster sponsor Keller Knapp has cow bells for the first 500 fans!
Join Decatur Bulldog Boosters to purchase your GoFan ticket package in time for the game.
Know Before You Go
- GoFan tickets only. (No cash or credit accepted at the ticket gate.)
- Pull up your GoFan ticket on your phone before you arrive at the stadium for faster entry.
- Come hungry – there will be concessions and King of Pops!
New Bulldog Spirit Wear
T-shirts, hats, football jerseys, flags, pennants and more. Come by the Booster table at the football game to load up on new Bulldog swag.
Concession Help Needed
Watch the game while helping to raise money for Decatur Athletics. Sign up HERE for both JV and/or varsity football games. More opportunities will be available throughout the year.
Promote Your Business
Boosters has sponsorship opportunities that offer community visibility across our athletic and fundraising events, along with a GoFan mobile ticket package.
FOOTBALL FRIDAY Expectations
Football Friday’s are back at Decatur High School. The Bulldogs take on Flowery Branch this Friday. Please attend to the following expectations:
All tickets must be purchased online at GoFan.co
No bookbags will be allowed in the stadium
All BHMS students must be accompanied by an adult to enter the game
CSD Employees (+1) receive free entry to all regular season home games with their CSD badge.
We look forward to cheering on the Bulldogs this season!!
CSD Athletics News and Updates
For All Information Relating to CSD Athletics: decaturbulldogsathletics.com
Bulldog Parents, bookmark the link below for the most up-to-date information relating athletics at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. Please feel free to reach out to our team with any questions! Go Bulldogs!!
Rodney Thomas - Executive Director of Student Services / Activities & Athletics Director (rthomas@csdecatur.net)
Kelli Aaron - Administrative Assistant & Bookkeeper (kaaron@csdecatur.net)
David Harbin - Assistant Activities & Athletics Director (dharbin@csdecatur.net)
DHS Football Scrimmage Cancellation
Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Bulldogs at Friday night’s scrimmage. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication with the scheduling of game officials. Moving forward, the Athletic Department will make sure this does not happen again. We are proud of the hard work of our football team and are excited about their potential this season. Your continued support of our team is valued. We look forward to seeing everyone this Friday for our first regular season game against Flowery Branch.
Go Bulldogs!
Home Cross Country Meet Saturday
Come out to Legacy Park this Saturday to support the Bulldogs! The Fowlkes Invitational will begin at 8am with races for our Varsity, JV, and Beacon Hill Bulldogs. See the race schedule below:
Boys Varsity - 8:00 AM
Girls Varsity - 8:30 AM
Boys JV - 9:00 AM
Girls JV - 9:30 AM
CoEd Open - 10:00 AM
Middle School Boys - 10:45 AM
Middle School Girls - 11:10 AM
DHS/BHMS Swimming & Diving Interest Meeting, 9.8
All students and parents interested in learning more about our Swimming & Diving program at Decatur High and Beacon Hill Middle Schools should plan to attend the interest meeting scheduled for September 8th. The meeting will take place in the BHMS Cafeteria and begin at 6pm. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Buckley (DHS) kbuckley@csdecatur.net or Coach Randall (BHMS) mrandall@csdecatur.net
College Athletics Recruiting Seminar
Are you interested in continuing your athletic career at the collegiate level? Amy Bryant, Decatur Parent and former NCAA Championship College Coach, will lead a seminar for students and parents on August 31st in the DHS PAC Theater. The seminar will begin at 6:30pm. Navigating the college recruiting process is challenging. We are thankful Amy Bryant is here to share tips, insights, and advice. Don’t miss this opportunity.
If you are planning to attend, please complete the INTEREST FORM HERE.
Next PTSA Meeting
DHS SLT News
Next SLT Meeting
DISTRICT NEWS
School Nutrition - Accommodating Students with disabilities and/or Special Dietary Needs:
City Schools of Decatur will make accommodations for children with disabilities whose disability or special dietary need restricts their diet when that need is certified by a licensed physician. Milk intolerance is not considered a disability or food allergy. For modifications or substitutions to the school meals, the school’s Nurse or Nutrition Manager must have a written Medical Statement to Request Accommodations for Disabilities in the School Meal Programs Form on file that is signed by a licensed physician or licensed health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law.
Parents should submit a new medical statement each year or verify the accuracy of the medical statement yearly that a child requires special dietary meals or substitutions. Please contact Monique Breedlove at mbreedlove@csdecatur.net or (470) 237-0368 ext. 7608 to update your student’s records or for additional information.
Parents that need to request milk substitutions for their students should complete a “Medical Statement to Request Milk Substitutions form.” This form will need to be on file for a student to receive lactose-free milk in lieu of 1% or Fat-Free 8 oz milk, which is included with a full tray. Students that do not have this form on file but want lactose-free milk will need to pay $1.00 for lactose-free milk or $0.50 for 1% or Fat-Free 8 oz milk. All students that do not purchase a meal will be charged for the milk choice they select.
The Accommodations form and the Milk Substitutions form are located here.
Parent Literacy Events
The Teaching and Learning Department is excited to host several parent-focused literacy events this school year. The August and September sessions are listed below. Stay tuned for information about additional programs scheduled for the remainder of the school year.
August Events:
August 18 at 4:00 pm: American Reading Company (ARC) Virtual Parent Education: Pursuing Clarity, Insights, and Opportunities in the Science of Reading Debate
August 24 at 4:00 pm: American Reading Company (ARC) Virtual Parent Education: The Science of Reading Is More Than A Movement
August 24 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm: City Schools of Decatur and American Reading Company (ARC) Virtual Parent Education with Dr. David Liben, Consultant and Author of Foundational Skills Development and Amelia Larson, Executive Vice President of ARC Innovations and Academic Partnerships
Meeting ID: 914 0253 9081 and Passcode: 632209
September Events:
September 15 at 4:00 pm: American Reading Company (ARC) Virtual Parent Education: Comprehensive Literacy for Turbulent Times - The Power Behind a Knowledge Building Curricula
If you have any questions about these events, please contact the Teaching and Learning Department at csimon@csdecatur.net.
Connected 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.
August 22nd, 2022 - Dr. Maggie Fehrman, Superintendent, CSD
September TBD, 2022 - Adena Walker, Chief of Human Resources, CSD
October 17th, 2022 - Billy Heaton, Principal, Talley Street
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.
Special Education Parent Engagement- September Meeting
disAbility Link - Empowering Youth
Mr. William Thomas, Youth & Diversity Supervisor for disAbility Link, will give an overview of the services and supports offered through the Empowering Youth program for youths ages 14-29. disAbility link provides but is not limited to employment support, self-advocacy, social activities, and peer support.
Target Audience: Parents of students with disabilities ages 14-22 years old
Date: September 15
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Virtual
To RSVP, click this Link or email Cheryl Grant at cgrant@csdecatur.net.
For more information, please see the August Welcome Back Flyer.
Community Partner Announcements and Updates
Volunteer Opportunities
EF has several volunteer opportunities that can fit easily into your weekly schedule! We need tutor volunteers for our Virtual Pals Tutoring program. If you can donate 1 hour per week to help a Decatur student virtually, you can apply here: https://forms.gle/YTbDUk8H4iS4qfD57 (High school students can earn volunteer hours!) We also need adult mentors for our AIM mentoring program and volunteer “coaches” for our brand new FOCUS Prep Program that is specifically for high schoolers in preparation for post-high school. For a mentor application, click here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/6385892/Mentor-Application. If you’d like to become a coach, click here: https://forms.gle/F73gdN5fxzXqET5o7. You can also find all forms and information at our website, www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring. Together we make a difference for our kids!
Madison Soap Box Derby
Driver Registration Now Open: Madison Avenue Derby on Oct. 15th
Don't miss your chance to be a part of one of Decatur's most iconic neighborhood events! Driver registration is now open for the 11th Annual Madison Avenue Derby, the non-motorized racing event where amateur racers of all ages design and build human-powered soapbox cars to compete against the clock in a downhill race!
Join the excitement as a racer or spectator on October 15, 2022, for a day of family-friendly fun - proceeds from the event this year go to support the Friends of Refugees! REGISTER TO RACE NOW
Decatur High School
Email: noreply@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net/DHS
Location: 310 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4170