CSD Weekly: September 3, 2026

• Did You Know? Volunteer Background Check Scheduling Instructions
• CSD Facilities Update
• Around CSD: DHS Brings the Spirit for First Pep Rally, Beacon Hill News Show Returns, Seniors Intern with CSD Community Partners, Glennwood's Garden Gnomies are Back in the Garden

• Information & Resources: Pre-K Access Survey, Free and Reduce Lunch Application and more
• Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming BOE Meetings
• Community Partner News: DPN/DEF Offer Free Narcan Training, Sept. 17

Find out what's happening in CSD schools by clicking on your school's newsletter.

College Heights Connection

Clairemont Bulldog

Glennwood Eagle Edition

Oakhurst Weekly

Westchester Weekly

Winnona Park Wildcat Weekly

F.Ave Falcon Flyer

Talley Street Update

BHMS Weekly Update

DHS Weekly Update

CSD's Facilities and Operations team continues to address several site-specific needs. All schools remain operational, and plans are in place for each outstanding item.

• Beacon Hill Middle School: Temperatures remain stable, and we continue monitoring humidity in three upstairs classrooms. A sewer line descaling service using specialized jetting equipment is being scheduled to remove buildup and help prevent recurring blockages. The work will occur outside school hours.
• Clairemont Elementary: An HVAC unit that recently went offline has been restored and will continue to be monitored.
• College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center: The final results from the independent environmental assessment found that indoor air samples were within acceptable ranges, humidity was within expected levels, and all tested materials were dry. We continue to monitor humidity levels and make adjustments as needed.
• Decatur High School: Contractor work continues on HVAC unit in four classrooms and is being coordinated to minimize disruption to instruction.
• Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary: The HVAC units have remained operational while maintenance has addressed several minor issues. Weekend HVAC monitoring will be added to ensure systems are operating properly before students and staff return on Mondays.
• Glennwood Elementary: Our team and contractors are addressing an isolated HVAC issue in one non-instructional space.
• Oakhurst Elementary: Building systems are operating as expected.
• Talley Street Upper Elementary: A breaker on a rooftop failed, and a new part has been ordered with an expected three-day lead time. Our contractor is working to keep the HVAC unit operable until the breaker is delivered.
• Westchester Elementary: Three new HVAC units are being installed.
• Winnona Park Elementary: The rebuilt café HVAC unit has been reinstalled, and the controls and mechanical systems are being calibrated.

The facilities team will continue monitoring conditions and provide updates in the CSD Weekly as needed. We appreciate the ongoing patience of our schools and community.

It was all about school spirit at DHS's first pep rally of the school year! As the Bulldogs readied for the Varsity football game against Stephenson, students filled the gym, competing in grade-level games and shout-outs and special performances by the DHS Band, Colorguard, Varsity and JV Cheerleaders, and the debut of the Decatur Diamonds Dance Team. After playing a series of Rock, Paper, Scissors, DHS junior Trini Romero clinched the win against Dr. Sprull, for the Class of 2028! Special recognition to Amanda Lockhart and the Student Government Association (SGA) for planning and organizing this schoolwide event.

The Beacon Hill News show is back on the air. This student-led news production shares student voices and info about what's happening across the school. Students in Mr. Peebles' broadcasting class write the scripts, operate the cameras, present the news and edit the final product. Check out this week's episode to meet new eighth-grade teachers and staff, hear a fresh take on Jack and the Box, and learn about the Board Game Club and girls' volleyball.

Decatur Education Foundation

Audrey Specht is interning with the Decatur Education Foundation this school year as part of the DHS Career Pathway she is pursuing in graphic design.

The Glennwood Garden Gnomies have spent some quality time in the garden over the last month, tending to the plants and harvesting the flowers and vegetables that grew all summer while they were away. Thank you to this club of students, teachers, and parent volunteers for teaching the Glennwood Eagles about taking care of nature and their community.

Families must complete a new application for free and reduced lunch for each student each school year. Students approved last year may continue receiving benefits during the USDA grace period, which ends September 11, 2026. After that date, students without a current application on file will be charged the paid price for meals. To apply, log into Infinite Campus, click More in the side navigation menu, select Meal Benefits and then Meal Benefits Application.

For additional information, please get in touch with CSD's new nutrition director, Tiiloni Beavers, at tiiloni.beavers@csdecatur.net.

Is your student interested in joining the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council for their age group? These councils are designed for two-way communication between students and the Office of the Superintendent. Students Advisory Council members attend monthly, afterschool meetings at the Wilson Center to share their perspectives and experiences with the superintendent on a variety of issues.

Meeting dates are linked in the application below. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 11, 2026, and selected students will be notified by Friday, September 18. Learn more and apply for the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council here.

CSD's Department of Special Education invites parents and families to the Special Education Parent Overview Night on Tuesday, September 29, 5:30-7 p.m. at the BHMS Media Center. Attendees will learn about the Special Education department, the supports the department provides, and how we can work together. During the evening, we will cover:

• General IEP Overview: Learn what an IEP is and how it is built.

• Inside the SPED Department: Discover how we support your child.

• Programs & Resources: Explore the options and support available to families.

• Meet & Greet: Put faces to names and connect with our team.

In compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), City Schools of Decatur parents and guardians have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals. You may request details on state licensing, certification status, emergency/provisional status, and paraprofessional qualifications. Please read the FY27 Parent Right to Know Letter here.

CSD has opened a survey to examine the priorities of Pre-K families in Decatur, including location, transportation, and changing community needs. All families and community members are invited to take the survey, regardless of their children's ages.

School principals recommended parents from their respective schools to participate in a working group to assist CSD in determining how best to engage with families, staff, and the broader community about Pre-K accessibility, and how to use community feedback to inform decisions about potential Pre-K locations. This survey is the committee's first community touch point.

The committee will use survey feedback data to define the community's values and priorities regarding any potential changes to Pre-K locations. The data will be used to make a recommendation to the Board of Education at the December board meeting. Data results will be posted. Community members can follow along and view upcoming survey findings, insights, and decision outcomes directly on the Pre-K Access Project webpage.

Please take the survey here through September 16:

English: https://tally.so/r/jaA2Y4

Spanish: https://tally.so/r/jaAY5R

Somali: https://tally.so/r/VLOAaj

Dari: https://tally.so/r/J9vZOz

Your presence matters! Regularly attending school is essential for students of all ages to grow academically and socially. Learn more about the importance of good attendance here.

• Excused and unexcused absences add up to lost instructional time that is hard to make up.
• Chronically absent kindergarteners and first graders are significantly less likely to be reading proficiently by third grade than those with good attendance.
• In middle and high school, poor attendance can be a predictor for dropping out.

From September 1-4, all sixth-grade students are taking the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and from September 2-4, all first- and third-grade students are taking the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Unlike traditional achievement tests, which measure how well a student has learned the curriculum, the CogAT assesses a child’s ability to reason abstractly and recognize patterns and relationships in the world around them. Teachers can use CogAT scores to better understand a child’s pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Our school district also uses CogAT scores to screen for cognitively gifted students.

Safety remains CSD's top priority. Please familiarize your student and family with the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) implemented districtwide as we work together to help keep our schools safe. This SRP is used in many schools across the nation to provide common terms for emergency situations to expedite an appropriate response. More information is available here.

HOLD! In your room or area. Clear the halls.

• Students: Clear the hallways and remain in room or area until the "All Clear" is announced; Do business as usual.
• Adults: Close and lock the door; Account for students and adults; Do business as usual.

SECURE! Get inside. Lock outside doors.

• Students: Return to inside of building; Do business as usual.
• Adults: Bring everyone indoors; Lock outside doors; Increase situational awareness; Account for students and adults; Do business as usual.

LOCKDOWN! Locks, lights, out of sight.

• Students: Move away from sight; Maintain silence; Do not open the door.
• Adults: Recover students from hallway if possible; Lock the classroom door; Turn out the lights; Move away from sight; Maintain silence; Do not open the door; Prepare to evade or defend.

EVACUATE!

• Students: Leave stuff behind if required to; If possible, bring your phone; Follow instructions.
• Adults: Lead students to Evacuation location; Account for students and adults; Notify if missing, extra, or injured students or adults.

SHELTER! Hazard and safety strategy.

• Students: Use appropriate safety strategy for the hazard (Tornado: Evacuate to shelter area; Hazmat: Seal the room; Earthquake: Drop, cover and hold; Tsunami: Get to high ground).
• Adults: Lead safety strategy; Account for students and adults; Notify if missing, extra, or injured students or adults.

• National Literacy Month, September 1-30
• Attendance Awareness Month, September 1-30
• National Suicide Prevention Month, September 1-30
• CogAT Testing for Sixth Grade, September 1-4
• CogAT Testing for First and Third Grade, September 2-4
• Labor Day, September 7 (CSD schools and offices closed)
• Board of Education Meeting, September 8
• Board of Education Executive Session, September 10
• Board of Education Community Meeting, September 14
• Fall Break, September 21-25
• Special Education Parent Overview Night, September 29, 5:30-7 p.m., BHMS Media Center

Teens and parents are invited to join the Decatur Parent Network and the Decatur Education Foundation for a free Narcan (Naloxone) Training on September 17, 6:30–7:30 p.m. in the DHS Media Center.

Most opioid deaths are accidental. It's possible for anyone to reverse an overdose and save a life. At this event, atendees will learn how to recognize a potential overdose, administer Narcan, and respond when every minute matters. One free Narcan (Naloxone) per family will be available to the first 50 who register and attend. Register here.

Parks and Recreation

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation commits to providing exceptional experiences that foster healthy living and meaningful community connections. Please visit the DPRD programs website for information about afterschool programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. Follow Decatur Parks and Recreation on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter.

CSD Weekly is the district's weekly newsletter, delivering the latest news and updates from the district and all schools in one place. Newsletters are sent each Thursday to all CSD parents, as well as students in grades 6-12. The community can subscribe to the CSD Weekly here.