College Heights Connection

Dear Families,

It's been a great first week here at College Heights. Our little chicks are settling into their new classrooms, getting to know their teachers and classmates, and learning new routines. We are so excited to get to know all of our students and families over the coming weeks.

These first few days of school can really take a toll on little ones, so make sure they are getting plenty of rest and lots of hugs. Thank you for trusting us with your sweet children; we are looking forward to a great year of growing and learning.

Sarah Garland,

Principal, College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center

August 14 - Popsicle Social sponsored by PTO, 5-6:00 p.m.

August 24 - Curriculum Night, 6:00 p.m.

August 26 - Early Release Day, 12:15 p.m. (Pre-K only)

August 28 - Child Find (click here for more information)

September 7 - Labor Day (school closed)

September 21-25 - Fall Break (Pre-K only)

October 12 - Teacher Work Day (Pre-K only)

Links to 2026-27 CSD district calendars:

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Pre-K

Experience a day in the life of a College Heights Chick! We warmly invite you to join us for Curriculum Night on August 24 as we share a typical day in your child's exciting learning journey. Your child's teacher will share insights into the daily schedule, classroom routines, expectations, and provide valuable tips to support your child's success this year. Let's connect and build a strong partnership for your child's educational growth!

Choose one of the convenient 30-minute sessions below:

• Session 1: 6:00- 6:30 p.m.
• Session 2: 6:30-7:00 p.m.

To best accommodate families with multiple children at College Heights, the same informative session will be repeated during both time slots. This allows you to attend Curriculum Night for each child and learn about their classroom experiences.

We look forward to seeing you!

As part of our curriculum, Pre-K teachers plan several off-site field trip opportunities for our pre-K students. In order to cover the transportation and vendor costs, we are requesting each family pay a one-time $25 field trip fee. There will be a table set up in the front lobby during Meet and Greet for parents to pay their fees. Payments can be made with a check or cash only. We will have limited cash on site to make change.

Thank you for supporting this important initiative.

Pre-K families, are you interested in volunteering or chaperoning your classroom's Field Trips? To keep all students safe, City Schools of Decatur requires a current background check on file for all volunteers and chaperones. This is especially important for anyone chaperoning a field trip or supervising students when no staff member is present. If you had one last year, it is still current for one calendar year.

Here is how to complete your background check:

• Step 1: Pay the Fee via Infinite Campus: Log into the CSD Public Store. Click on City Schools of Decatur School Store > CSD Misc. Fees > Background Check Fee ($38). Enter your name and phone number in the comments section before checking out. Be sure to save/print your receipt, as you will need it for your appointment!
  
• Step 2: Schedule an Appointment: Book a 10-minute slot using the online appointment calendar. Appointments are held at the Wilson Center (125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Note that appointment slots open up 21 days in advance.
  
• Step 3: What to Bring: Please bring your driver's license and your payment receipt to your appointment. You will fill out a short form, and results (submitted via the GBI) are typically returned within 24 hours.
  

College Heights is committed to ensuring every classroom is stocked and ready with what students and teachers need to be engaged and successful. We do this by using our allocated state and local funding to fulfill classroom needs. Funding covers essential classroom supplies: specialized materials needed for educational programming, individual or team requests for specific supplies, professional learning, and general operating costs.

In addition, some staff at College Heights have occasionally shared supply wish lists with families via email or online. Please know that these are optional and individualized by the staff member. Wish lists should not be interpreted as an indication that classrooms at College Heights or our programming lack supplies or funding. Instead, the lists reflect individual preferences for extra items. Any purchases made from these lists are considered gifts to staff and must comply with state guidance and Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) rules on gift-giving to public employees, including monetary limits.

If you have any questions about how supplies are funded or how you can support our classrooms, please contact Principal Garland.

The Free and Reduced Lunch application is available in the Parent Portal (Infinite Campus). Please follow the steps below to access the application. Please contact Nekee Mathis in the School Nutrition Department at nmathis@csdecatur.net for questions and assistance.

Steps to access the online free & reduced lunch application in the Parent Portal:

Step 1: Go to https://www.csdecatur.net/parentportal
Step 2: Click on Campus Parent
Step 3: Log in with the username and password you created
Step 4: Once you have entered your username and password, click the button that says “log on”
Step 5: Click the option MORE in the left menu
Step 6: Click on MEAL BENEFITS
Step 7: Click on CLICK HERE TO START APPLICATION PROCESS
Step 8: You must create a 5 digit pin. Example: 12345
Step 9: Now, you enter your password; it is the EXACT same password you entered when you logged into your parent portal.
Step 10: Complete the application

Please be mindful that it may take up to 10 days to process your application. If you have not received a response after 10 days, please contact Nekee Mathis at nmathis@csdecatur.net for questions and assistance.

Welcome to your library! I'm Leslie Joiner, the school librarian, and in each weekly newsletter, I will share what's happening in the College Heights library, including a complete list of the books I read to students and a summary of all the fun and engaging activities that help students become lifelong readers.

College Heights is proud to offer students and families a full-service library with nearly 7,000 books and resources available for checkout. In the next few days, look for a special newsletter detailing all the ways you and your children can engage with the College Heights library this year.

During the week of August 17, I will travel to classrooms to introduce myself to students and to read books. Students will come to the library for the first time beginning Monday, August 24.

Looking forward to a great year of reading and learning together!

Read this week's CSD Weekly for district-wide news and information.

Everyone is invited on Friday, August 14 from 5-6:00 p.m. We’ll be handing out popsicles in the school parking lot. We hope to see you there.

Join the PTO; membership is free and must be renewed each year. We are emailing the ballot for voting in the Executive Board on Friday, August 7, so join today!

School shirts are available for purchase at CHECLC.PTBoard.com.

Mark your calendars for the following PTO events. Details to follow.

• Aug 14 - Popsicle Social 5 - 6:00 p.m.

• Aug 24 - PTO Member Meeting to approve the budget / Curriculum Night

• Oct 21-28 - Read-To-Me-A-Thon!

• Oct 30 - Trunk or Treat

• Feb 27 - Annual Auction

• Apr 23 - Spring Social Event

• May 3-7 - College Heights Staff Appreciation Week

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center cultivates an atmosphere where children take their first steps in building an authentic love of learning through developmentally appropriate practices in an environment that fosters family and community involvement.

All recent issues of the College Heights Connection are available here.

Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.