Oakhurst Elementary
February 11, 2021
From the Principal
Greetings Oakhurst families!
We've come to the end of another school week. This week has been amazing! We are really settling into our routines online and in-person. As we continue to focus on learning about African American culture throughout this month, I want to share with you some more of the activities we are doing in our classrooms. In crew this week, our whole school continued our learning about Black History through our lessons.
- For tomorrow's Community Circle I share some information about HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). You can view my video by watching tomorrow's Community Circle.
- In Kindergarten: Ms. Harber, Ms. Jones, Ms. Albright and Ms. Powers are exposing their Kindergarten classes to African American heroes through literature. Ms. Whelchel and Ms. Thorie's students are researching and doing a project.
- First grade has included some activities on their choice board related to Black History Month.
- Second graders are researching and doing informational writing about an African American hero of their choice.
- Ms. Deming is reading "Catching the Moon" and "We March" during her Specials class.
We have received some questions regarding student absences, student quarantining, and how it impacts instruction. Please see the attached to familiarize yourself with our plan for instruction should your student need to be absent from school. Additionally, if a student is out for a regular absence, they will not join a virtual classroom. Their absence will be handled as we have done in the past.
Next week is Winter Break. This means no school for students. Please enjoy the break, and remember to stay masked up and socially distanced! We look forward to seeing students back in class on February 22.
Principal Sanders
UPDATE: Car Rider Time Change
Morning Car Lane:
7:55-8:15
Dismissal Car Lane:
11:50-12:05
After 8:15/12:05 please park and go to the front door of the school.
Reminders for In-Person Parents
- When picking up students in the front parking lot, please do not lean on or allow students to lean on the cars in the parking lot.
- Please ensure your child has all belongings before coming into the building. We are no longer accepting water bottles, etc to be taken to students in classrooms
- Email the teacher and Ms. Walker about attendance and or transportation changes
- Refer to our "who to contact" list on the Oakhurst website under "Our School if you need to contact us regarding various questions/concerns
- Car Rider Parents: When picking up your child, please have a sign on your dashboard with your child's first and last name and the teacher's name.
- Beginning after the break, we will be closing the car rider lane each morning at 8:15am in order for staff to get to classrooms for crew meetings. After 8:15am, please bring your child to the front door for entry.
UPDATE: Flybrary Pickup Change
Wednesday: 12:10-12:40 - Drive through the carpool lane to pick up books
Thursday: 8:30-11:00 - Park in the rear parking lot and proceed to the steps at the back entrance nearest the media center (not the courtyard). A cart with book bags will be on the stoop. Please wear a mask when exiting your vehicle.
From the School Counselor
Hello, parents and guardians! Please take a moment to read over the attached letter about our mandatory personal safety lessons that I’ll present to each class in the month of March. If you have any questions at all, please email me at ldeming@csdecatur.net. Here is the letter: (please insert link to letter here)
I will send out a specific schedule for the classes before the end of February. Please note that for kindergarteners, there will be 3 lessons, 30 minutes each during my afternoon specials slot with them. For first and second-graders, there will be 2 lessons, 35 minutes each during their afternoon specials block with me.It will be vitally important that your child attends all the lessons, because makeup sessions will be difficult to arrange in the virtual setting. After reading the letter, you only need to email me if you DO NOT want your child to participate or if you have questions about the curriculum.
Important Information About the Oakhurst Gifted Program
Each year the gifted review team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and determine if further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having your child reviewed and possibly evaluated for gifted services eligibility, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form found at the City Schools of Decatur Gifted and Talented Services page at https://www.csdecatur.net/Page/581 and send it to alockwood@csdecatur.net before March 8th. No additional information is needed. The Gifted & Talented Specialists for Oakhurst are Courtney Hartnett and Amanda Lockwood.
Want to know more?
Amanda Lockwood and Courtney Hartnett will host a virtual information session on Friday, February 12th from 2:00-3:00pm. We will cover general information about what gifted services encompass and how students are identified as eligible for gifted services. We will also cover important information specific to this spring's recommendation and identification process. If you are interested in learning more about the CSD gifted program and/or are considering recommending your child for gifted services, please complete this Google Form to express your interest. The meeting will be recorded for those who are unable to attend live. Detailed information about CSD's gifted identification process and program can be found here, on the district website.
After reviewing the CSD webpage, if you have any additional questions please add them to the Google form, even if you are unable to attend. We will do our best to ensure that all general questions are answered in the allotted time.
Young Georgia Authors Contest 2020-2021
From the Oakhurst Equity Team
As previously mentioned, weekly we will provide a preview of crew content for the upcoming week. Each week you will see the learning target and the anchor text.
From the PTA
Five Minutes To Help Our School - Easiest Fundraising Ever!
Help our school by doing your everyday shopping (think snacks, Amazon deliveries and grocery shopping), and our community partners give a percentage of sales back to our school! It takes just a few minutes to get set up, and your participation makes a difference in our school community!
Just shop AmazonSmile, Kroger, Publix or purchase BoxTops for Education products or Mabel's Labels - learn more: http://bit.ly/passive-fundraising
From CSD
From College Heights:
Registration for "New Families"
From Safe Routes to Schools
February is Love your Bus Month!
February is Love your Bus Month! You can celebrate by creating cards or telling your bus drivers how much you appreciate them! Look for more details coming soon on how to celebrate our bus drivers- including a fun video from Westchester's Bike Dudes and Media Specialist Brooke Nation!
From DEF
DEF is hosting a Covid-safe book sale at Legacy Park’s Cochran Building (the gym) just in time for Winter Break. There’s a large selection of gently used children’s books from toddler to high school at bargain prices! You can sign up for 20-minute shopping slots here.
The Tour Must Go On!
Due to Covid-19, DEF can’t host its annual Tour deCatur 5K and Fun Run in its usual in-person form. This year, we are offering a “Run Where You Are” 5K and Fun Run on the weekend of March 27th. 5K participants can register at www.tourdecatur.com where you can also order an event shirt. We hope this event will encourage the community to go outside to celebrate our health and the onset of spring. For some participants, this year’s Tour could be a goal to achieve or a fun family activity, and for others, it might just be exciting to have something to put on the calendar! 5K participants can submit a photo of their tracked time, and race results will be posted on the race website and on the DEF Facebook page in the week following the race.
The Joe’s Fund Challenge
Decatur Education Foundation and Decatur City Church are excited to announce they have joined forces to launch the Joe’s Fund Challenge! Decatur City Church’s Be Rich Campaign recently donated $25,000 to DEF’s Joe’s Fund which supports our kids’ behavioral health. Joe’s Fund, initiated by the family of Joe Bodine after his death in 2016, has been instrumental in the creation of the Decatur Student Center at Decatur High, as well as the recent expansion of services to Renfroe Middle School.
Together, DEF and Decatur City Church is challenging our community to help us raise an additional $25,000 to double the impact we can make collectively. Your contribution to Joe’s Fund today will help expand the behavioral health programming at the high school and middle school and will allow us to offer behavioral health grants to every K-5 school. Early intervention can help arm our students with the coping skills they need to face future challenges. Help us help our kids. Gifts to Joe’s Fund will ensure that we can continue to react to address the wide and varied needs of all of our kids. To take part in the challenge, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/joesfund. Together, we make a difference!
About us
Email: suhawkins@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.oakhurst.csdecatur.net
Location: 175 Mead Road, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404 -370-4470
Twitter: @OakhurstOwls