Weekly Update

July 24, 2025

Parents will be able to log into the Parent Portal at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 25, to see their child’s teacher. Class placement is a high priority for our staff, and we implement a very deliberate process to place students each year. If you experience difficulty with your parent portal account, please call our office manager, Cathy Sikes, for help at 404.370.4490.

Accessing the Parent Portal

Infinite Campus

For parents new to CSD, you will need to set up an account in the Parent Portal which is in our information system, Infinite Campus. Please click here to learn more about how to set up an account. Please reach out to Patrice Moore, District Registrar Enrollment Specialist, with any questions.

On Sunday, July 27, the WP PTA will host all kindergarten parents and students to meet and connect behind the school from 4-5 p.m. King of Pops will be available for our kindergarteners.

All K-2 schools have their Meet & Greet scheduled for Monday, July 28 from 1-3 p.m.. Join Winnona Park teachers and staff for a very special afternoon! Find your classroom, meet your new teacher, and get a sneak peek of what this year has in store. The main purpose of the Meet & Greet is just that: for parents, students, and teachers to meet and greet one another. It’s also for students to familiarize themselves with the school and the classroom. There is no formal program for this event. The Meet & Greet is not the time for a prolonged conference-style conversation with teachers. In order to keep car traffic in the neighborhood and foot traffic in the school at a minimum, Kindergarten families may arrive between 1-2 p.m., while first and second graders may arrive between 2-3 p.m.. All families should arrive at the front door, and WP staff will direct you to your classroom. School Manager Cathy Sikes will be in the teachers' lounge to help parents with Parent Portal, free and reduced lunch applications, and CSD bus route questions.

Once you are done in the classroom, make your way outside for popsicles in the pavilion (weather permitting) and check out our new WP spirit wear! King of Pops will be provided by the PTA for the kiddos.

The WP PTA is seeking 1-3 parents per classroom. There will be a room parent information session on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 8:30am. Meet us in the school library to learn more about this integral role. Click here for the Sign-Up Genius. Also, keep an eye out for flyers in the school at the Meet & Greet with the QR code.

We will welcome students for our first day of school on Thursday, July 31. Our school hours are 8:15 a.m.-2:50 p.m.. Students (no parents, please) may enter the school building at 8 a.m. Breakfast will be offered between 8-8:15 a.m. each morning. Dismissal begins at 2:50 p.m.

First day of school preparation is not for the faint of heart! Celebrate a successful return to school with fellow parents, and treat yourself to doughnuts and coffee after drop-off at the purple and gold picnic tables in front of the school! Sponsored by the Winnona Park PTA with treats provided by Revolution Doughnuts & Coffee.

All students who ride the school bus must register here. Please visit CSD Transportation to view bus routes and other transportation information.

Pick up Patrol Dismissal Routine

WP uses a system called PickUp Patrol to help us track dismissals. PickUp Patrol (PUP) provides you with a convenient way to make changes to your child’s dismissal plans and help ensure that our students are accurately dismissed each day.

How It Works:

1. Parents will enter their child’s regular dismissal time into the system. This is called their Default Plan.
2. Whenever your child is following a plan other than their Default Plan, you’ll submit the change using the PickUp Patrol app.

Examples of a plan change:

• Your child is sick and will not be attending school today.
• Your child has a doctor's appointment and will be leaving early.
• Your child normally rides the bus but is getting picked up today.
• Your child will be arriving late.
• Your child is getting picked up by someone other than you.

1. When the change is submitted, the school will be notified, and we’ll relay the change to your child’s teacher.
2. Register: Next week, you will receive a registration email from “PickUp” with a link to set up your account. The web app is free for parents, and you can use it from your phone or computer. When you receive the registration email, log in right away to confirm your child’s default plan.

Emails or phone calls to Cathy Sikes (csikes@csdecatur.net) will be accepted for dismissal changes for the first two weeks, but starting Monday, August 11, all changes should be submitted through PickUp Patrol.

Thank you for using PickUp Patrol to make safety a priority and to ensure our dismissal process is efficient for all campers.

If you have any questions, please first check the PUP Parent Guide. If you still need help, contact us here in the office at mreynolds@csdecatur.net or PickUp Patrol at support@pickuppatrol.net

If you ordered school supplies through 1st Day, they will be delivered directly to the school, and the WP PTA will sort and deliver the goods to classrooms. You don’t need to do anything to ensure their delivery (except volunteer with the PTA). If you wish to donate school supplies for the class, or did not already purchase supplies, please find the requested list here. If purchasing the supplies on your own, they can be brought to school during the Meet & Greet or any day during the first week of school. We never want any of our families to feel burdened by school supplies, so if this places an undue burden on your family, please do not feel the need to purchase. We will always ensure that all of our students have adequate supplies.

The nutrition department offers breakfast and lunch daily. For menu information and much more, see: CSD Nutrition. Continue checking back for more updated information. Click here for payment information and instructions on how to apply for free and reduced lunch. Families can also come to the front office for more Free and Reduced lunch information during the Meet & Greet.

The WP PTA rocks! As you can see from the events above, they are super involved in all back-to-school activities and much, much more. The PTA works to enhance the educational experience of all Winnona Park students by supporting teachers and staff, organizing fundraisers for items not covered by the school budget, and planning and hosting community-building events. Through fundraising efforts, the PTA supports many offerings and initiatives, including classroom libraries, teacher and parent grants, field trips and guest speakers for all students, facility enhancements, and various community-building events. Click here to learn more about the PTA and upcoming events.

A school wide weekly newsletter will be emailed to families each Thursday afternoon (again, they won’t all be this long!!). This newsletter is sent to the email addresses in the Parent Portal. Please ensure all data in your portal account is updated and correct. Our brand new website will be going live tomorrow, Friday, July 25th and is a great place to get information about our school. Here is a direct link to our school's calendar of events.

Mark your calendars for the second annual CSD Back-to-School Bash on Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 4-7 p.m. in the DHS gymnasium. CSD students, families, staff and the school community are invited to a fun-filled afternoon of music, food trucks, surprise giveaways, games and activities for all ages. For more information and to register, click here.

• Access the Infinite Campus Portal to Ensure Readiness

◽Schedules ◽ Grades ◽ Lunch Money ◽ Contact Information◽ Test Scores ◽ And More!

Families use the Parent Portal to stay current and provide important information to support their students. At the beginning of every school year, it is critical for families to use the Parent Portal for back-to-school readiness. Find Portal help, visit this webpage, or contact your school’s front office.

• Complete the annual data update before each school year starts, providing current contact, medical, and other information. From the Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. Find more information about the annual data update here.

• Register for 2025-2026 bus transportation for your student who is remaining at the same school they attended last year, or who is attending a new school this year (entering grades K, 3, 6, or 9, or new to the district). Email routefinder@csdecatur.net for questions.

  • Bus registration: same school
  • Bus registration: new school transition
• Apply for free/reduced-price meal benefits: We encourage all families to apply. Families that previously received benefits must reapply every year. Select More ⇒ Meal Benefits.
• Add money to meal accounts, and set up balance alerts and auto-payments. In the Portal, select Food Service.
  • E-Check payments have a $0.35 fee per transaction.
  • Visa or MasterCard payments have a 3.5% card transaction fee.
• Look up teacher contact information. Select More ⇒ Contact List.
• Request an update to a student's name and/or gender marker. Families requesting an update to a student's name and/or gender marker may now use Infinite Campus for this process. Updates in Infinite Campus enable our district to manage student information more effectively and ensure alignment with state reporting expectations.
• Review CSD's student handbook and Code of Conduct. Additional information is available on the website.
  
• Submit updated health forms found on the health forms webpage if your student has medical needs that the school nurse needs to be aware of.

Email: csikes@csdecatur.net
Website: https://ga02000365.schoolwires.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=13
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.