Talley Street Update
September 9, 2021
Dear Talley Street Community,
I hope everyone is having a great week! I am excited to let our school community know that Talley Street received the School Well Healthy Safety Rating for August, 2021. The plaque
reads “The Well Healthy-Safety Rating for Facility Operations is an evidenced-based, third-party verified rating for all facility types, focused on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans, and stakeholder education to address a post-COVID 19 environment now and broader healthy and safety-related issues into the future.” I would like to thank all of our Talley team members who do such a great job of taking care of our school facility. Have a great rest of the week and weekend! Go Tigers!
Bus Changes
Any student wishing to ride the bus home with another student must have a bus pass. Please send a note with your note with your student to obtain a bus pass from the front desk in the morning once they arrive.
Early Dismissal
Visitors are not permitted inside the building at this time. To check a student out for early dismissal, please ring the bell with photo ID in hand. You will be asked your student’s name, and asked to show your photo ID to the camera for verification against Infinite Campus records. Once verification is complete, your student will be called down for dismissal.
Lost and Found
Lost and found will be purged tomorrow, September 10th. Any items remaining after school will be donated to a charitable organization.
Lost Lanyards
The replacement fee for lost ID badges is $5, payable via cash or check (Checks should be made payable to Talley Street Upper Elementary School). Please contact Ms. Parks at eparks@csdecatur.net for replacement.
Talley Updates
Last Chance to Order Signed Copies of Willodeen!
Our author visit with Katherine Applegate yesterday was simply amazing! She shared with us about her new book Willodeen, talked about the book's theme of protecting our environment, and answered lots of questions from our budding authors and avid readers.
If your child is interested in ordering an autographed copy of the book, please send your order money by tomorrow! You can read more about the book and access the order form below. 20% of sales go to the Talley Street media center, so this is a great opportunity to support our library program and get an awesome new book to read!
Finally, if you are interested in sponsoring a book for another student, please send an additional $17 with your child and email Mrs. Long (along@csdecatur.net).
All orders are due by TOMORROW, Friday, September 10. Thank you in advance for your support!
Important Information about Gifted Review
Each fall semester the gifted review team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and to determine if further evaluation for possible gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form (found at the website below) and submit it to the Gifted Specialist at your child’s school by October 6th. No additional information is needed.
The Gifted Specialists for Talley are Nicole Fiber, Stephanie Trauner, and Tagie Tate Perez. For more detailed information about the review process and to obtain a copy of the Recommendation for Review Form, please contact a Gifted Specialist for your school at nfiber@csdecatur.net, strauner@csdecatur.net, or ttate-perez@csdecatur.net or visit the following website: https://www.csdecatur.net/Page/581.
CSD Updates
Surveillance Testing Information
In case you missed the consent form in Dr. Fehrman's September 3 Friday Follow-Up, the information she shared is below.
Parents - it is time to fill out the consent form for surveillance testing! The more participation we have, the better the program will be at identifying positive cases in our schools and slowing the spread in our community.
If you consent, your child will receive a free weekly diagnostic test for the COVID-19 virus. Our goal is to conduct testing at least once a week at each school (K-12). The types of tests that may be used include rapid antigen tests such as BinaxNow and PCR tests (for students with a positive rapid test). Collecting a specimen for the rapid antigen testing involves inserting a small swab, similar to a Q-tip, into the front of the nose. The PCR test is obtained through a nasopharyngeal swab inserted into the nasal cavity until it reaches the nasopharynx. The rapid antigen test is considered non-invasive, and the PCR test is considered minimally invasive. Notification of positive results will follow the same communication procedures we currently use.
Click here to fill out the consent form. Each student will need a consent form to participate in testing.
Go to https://www.csdecatur.net/covid19 to learn more about surveillance testing.
DHS Homecoming
PTO Corner
Class Fund Pool
If you would like to contribute, please follow the link to the Class Fund Pool on the PTO website.
In years past, Room Parents have collected and managed individual class funds to cover the cost of teacher gifts and extra supplies for the classroom. There has been a wide range of money collected for each class.
Instead of tasking the Room Parent(s) of each homeroom with collecting a fund for teacher/staff gifts and additional classroom support, contributions will be made to a single PayPal Pool managed by the PTO Treasurer and Room Parent Coordinator(s). The funds will then be distributed equitably.
As always, parents are welcome to recognize teachers and staff on their own.
Questions? Please contact one of our Room Parent Coordinators (Dori Coblentz, India Epps, or Lynda Kim) at RPCoordinator@talleypto.org.
Spirit Day and Passive Fundraising
Save the date for our next Spirit Day with NaanStop on September 30th.
Please visit the Talley PTO website to find out how to sign up for other passive fundraisers through Minted, Publix, Kroger, Amazon Smile and Box Tops for Education.
Questions? Please contact Kimberly Mohl at: fundraising@talleypto.org
Walk and Roll
Come join us for the next Walk and Roll on Friday September 17, 2021.
Questions? Please email Emily Beard and Elizabeth Ingram at: SRTS@talleypto.org
Amazon Wishlist
Talley Snack Cart
Thank you to our 3rd grade families who have signed up to sponsor the Talley Snack Cart so far! There are a few items left if you would like to contribute. The Snack Cart will roll out 9/17. Please drop off donated snacks at the front desk.
Everything must be individually packaged and **Nut Free**.
Questions? Please reach out to Jennifer Williams, the PTO 3rd Grade Member at Large (AtLarge3rd@talleypto.org).
Spirit Wear
Thank you for the support and for your patience as we work to fulfill the overwhelming number of orders placed this year!
The Spirit Wear Store will be closed while orders are being distributed so we can update inventory.
Questions? Send an email to Gina Townsend and Ellen Narain at: SpiritWear@talleypto.org
Community Updates
Decatur Education Foundation
The Race is ON! One of Oakhurst's most anticipated events -- the Madison Ave Derby --is happening on October 16th and registration has begun at www.madisonavesoapboxderby.org! Participation in this community event is practically a rite of passage for Decatur kids, and it raises important funds for issues affecting our students. This year's Derby beneficiary is the Decatur Student Center, located in CSD Decatur High School and equipped to attend to our students' behavioral health and nonacademic needs. To learn more about the Student Center, please visit https://decatureducationfoundation.org/behavioral-health/. See you at the Derby!
Homework Help: We are continuing our Virtual Pals tutoring program in which we pair a 2nd-8th grade student with an upper high school student or adult volunteer to help with homework, time management, and motivation. If you would like to sign your student up for the program, you can go here: https://forms.gle/nLrKbwkXyvYjEAJB8
Could you be a mentor? We’re also seeking 15 women and 15 men volunteers to serve as mentors for our AIM Scholars mentoring program. Third grade students are paired with an adult mentor who helps them by supporting their Academics and exploring their Interests; Mentors also help their students connect to educational and enrichment opportunities. For just 2-4 hours per month, you can have a meaningful impact in the life of a student. For more information, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring
Social Media and Contact Information
Social Media and Contact Information
You can find more information on the following Facebook pages:
Talley Street Upper Elementary School PTO
Talley Street Upper Elementary School Parents
For news in the Media Center and from our school counselors, check out their websites:
For more about the Talley Street PTO, visit their website here: https://talleypto.org/