Wildcat Weekly

Dear Wildcat Families and Crew Members,

Our Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon was a success! Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to join us. We hope everyone enjoyed the delicious meal prepared by our phenomenal Nutrition Department. A special thank you goes to Ms. Renee Cornegay and Ms. Lisa Foreman for taking such great care of our students every day. It was wonderful seeing so many smiling faces and experiencing the warmth, connection, and community spirit that make Winnona Park so special.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Garden Clean-Up Day (This Saturday): Join us this Saturday for a garden clean-up day! On Monday, 11/16, we also need parent volunteers to assist Ms. Woodley and Coach Beauchamp during their outdoor and garden classes. Click HERE to sign up and view additional details.

LAST CALL: Young Georgia Authors (YGA)

Submissions for the Young Georgia Authors writing competition are due tomorrow, 11/13. For full details, please check the YGA flyer.

Community Circle Reminder

This Friday's Community Circle is reserved for First-grade families only. Please review the WP calendar to see which grade level hosts each week.

IMPORTANT SAFETY & VISITOR POLICY

To help protect our students and staff, all visitors must check-in at the front office upon arriving on campus (whether for mystery reading, volunteering, PTA tasks, or other visits). Visitors must enter exclusively through the main front entrance. Additionally, please remember to bring a physical, government-issued ID whenever you plan to volunteer or enter the building.

With gratitude and Wildcat pride,

Meagan Ferguson,

Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School

• Friday, November 13th - Community Circle with First Grade families

• Saturday, November 14th - Community Gardening Day. See details below in the PTA section.

• Thursday, November 19th - Open Check-Out in the Library for Families begins. 8AM - 8:30AM and 3 PM - 3:30PM. See details below.

• Friday, November 20th - Community Circle with Second Grade families

• Tuesday, December 1st - Picture Make-Ups

We invite families of one grade level to Community Circle each week because our cafeteria is not large enough to accommodate everyone at once. Check the WP calendar to know which grade level will host families.

If you are attending Community Circle, please gather by the pond outside the cafeteria after morning drop-off. After students are seated, we will welcome parents into the cafeteria. We will review parent expectations once families enter the cafeteria. Below are some of the highlights:

• All parents enter and exit through the cafeteria door near the pond.

• Stand along the outside perimeter of the cafeteria. Please spread out.

• Younger siblings (if brought) stay with a parent. They may not sit with the WP sibling's class.

• Be present, sing along, and participate. Remember, we are modeling Community Circle norms for our students. Please refrain from holding side conversations or using phones. Of course, if you need to take a call, please feel free to step out for a moment.

• For everyone's safety and privacy, please do not post school activities on social media. Be especially mindful about taking pictures of students other than your child.

• To help teachers keep track of students and get back to learning, please avoid chatting with your child when the class is exiting. Of course, a quick wink or finger wave is always welcome.

Background checks are conducted at The Wilson Center, 125 Electric Avenue.

This is the link to schedule an appointment. https://calendar.app.google/du9yW1Gg8SV6pjGp8

This is the link to pay for your background check.

CSD Public Store or https://campus.csdecatur.org/campus/store/decatur

• Appointments open up 21 days out, meaning on the 1st, you can book as far out as the 21st.

• Appointments are generally scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 10 a.m.-noon.

• Appointments take approximately 10 minutes.

• Candidates need to bring a driver's license or state ID.

• There is a short form to be filled out (linked forms).

• Then info is submitted to GBI and results often come back within 24 hours.

Employees need a new background check every five years. Parents and volunteers need a new background check every year. Please email Jo Jameson with any further questions at jo.jameson@csdecatur.net.

Note: If financial assistance is needed to cover the $38 background check fee, please reach out directly to your school.

A schoolwide weekly newsletter will be emailed to families each Thursday afternoon. This newsletter is sent to the email addresses in the Parent Portal. Please ensure all data in your portal account is updated and correct. The WP Website is also a great place to get information about our wonderful school. Here is the link to our school's calendar of events.

Clear out room in your closets for the new school year while giving back to Decatur High and keeping clothes out of local landfills!

• What to Donate: Used clothes, shoes, old hoodies, jeans, and household items.

• Where to Drop Off: The Clothes Bin located in the back lot near the corner of Commerce Dr. and West Howard Ave.

• Why: Support our school community and recycle with purpose!

Drop off your items anytime and help us fill the bin this school year!

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

Volunteer for Classroom Garden and Outdoor Classes

Ms. Woodley and Coach Beauchamp need some help with their classes in the garden this Monday (11/9) and next Monday (11/16). Primary duties will be assisting with kids as they mulch and weed the garden. There are slots available to work with all grade levels, so sign up today: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4FAFAA29AAFDC07-67173462-garden#/

Fall ’26 Community Gardening Day: Saturday, 11/14

Join us for our Fall community gardening workday on Saturday, November 14th. We will have 2-hour volunteer slots from 9 AM - 3 PM, so join us for whatever time works best for you! No gardening experience is required, and kids are welcome to join. We will have projects for everyone :) Link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AA9AC2FAAFAC70-67322344-fall

WAY TO GO, READING RACERS!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Read-a-Thon! We had 106 students (48% of school) participate, with 70 completing their race track (woohoo!)! Winning classes were Lambert (Kindergarten), Hicks (First), and Blackwell (Second) - they will receive a party sponsored by the PTA to celebrate their hard work! Winning students (randomly chosen within grade of those who completed the race track) are Camden Stanton, Riaan Patel, and Leo Singh! Lastly, we were able to raise $10,778 for the PTA - these funds will be used to support our wonderful staff and teachers, enrich student learning, and support this sweet school

Email: csikes@csdecatur.net
Website: https://winnonapark.csdecatur.net/
Location: 510 Avery Street, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404-370-4490

Newsletter Archives: Read older issues of the Wildcat Weekly by visiting our school website. Click on the link in the top photo or on the "Newsletter" button in the middle of the page. Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.