Talley Street Update
This week's news from Talley Street Upper Elementary

September 10, 2026
One Week Remaining To Take Pre-K Access Survey
Save the Date!
Title I Stakeholder Input Meeting: September 15, 8:30 am, link
Family Math Festival: September 17, 5-7:30 pm
EdTech Principal's Coffee Chat: September 18, 8 am
September Break: September 21-25
Family Trivia Night: October 1, 5-7 pm
Field Day: October 9
PTO Meeting: October 14, 6 pm
Front Office Information
Pick Up Patrol
Please change your child's DEFAULT plan for after school options that meet weekly (orchestra, chorus, Girls on the Run, Green Team, Robotics). This will allow you to only make a PLAN CHANGE when necessary.
Duplicate Payments
Parents, when sending payment to the school for your child’s field trip, chorus, library or any activities at Talley, please be sure that both parent(s) / guardian(s) have confirmed which parent is paying the fee in Infinite Campus or sending payment into the school.
I am seeing a lot of duplicate payments due to missed communication of who’s paying what for the student.
It then requires forms to complete for refunds, and the process could take up to 30 days. Please be mindful of who’s paying what so as to avoid this process.
Thank you kindly for your support.
From,
Ms. Johnson, Bookkeeper (ejohnson1@csdecatur.net)
Principal Coffee Chat - Ed Tech
Join our principal for a morning of coffee and conversation about technology use at Talley Street and how we're balancing learning and well-being!
When: September 18, 8 am
Location: Talley Cafeteria
Topics will include an overview of technology use at Talley Street, including:
- BEAST Academy
- Freckle
- Google Classroom
- Screen time parameters
BASC-BESS Universal Screener
The City Schools of Decatur will administer the BASC-BESS Universal Screener from October 1–30, 2026. This brief screener helps schools identify students who may benefit from additional behavioral, social-emotional, or wellness support. The BASC- BESS is not a diagnostic assessment; it is one tool used to help us identify needs early and provide appropriate support. Families who do not want their child to participate may complete an Opt-Out Form by Friday, September 18, 2026.
What's Going on at Talley Street?
Attendance Awareness Month
Talley, in partnership with Communities In Schools, will celebrate Attendance Awareness Month this September by acknowledging three classes on each grade level with the highest rates of attendance for the month. This means EVERY MINUTE COUNTS! Getting to school each day, arriving on time, and staying until the final bell will help your class win. We want every student to know: your presence here matters. The competition begins 9/1 and ends 9/30, with the winners announced at the Talley Rally on 10/2.
After School Club at Talley - Witzzle Pro
When: Tuesdays from 2:30-3:30 (parent pickup at 3:30)
Meeting Dates: Sept. 29, Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 10 (no mtg. on Nov. 3, election day)
*50 students - first 50 that sign up.
How do I sign up: Fill out this form Witzzle Pro Club sign-up
Who can sign up: Any student who currently attends Talley (max 50 students). No charge.
Once we have 50 participants, the form will close.
What is Witzzle Pro: Witzzle Pro is a super fun game that can be played as a single, small group, or large group. It helps to enhance problem solving skills, order of operations, and has up to 7 different levels of difficulty - so it is a game for any age 6 and up. If you love to play games and like math - this Club is for you! We will have a fun tournament on our last meeting day.
Feel free to also email Lindsey Combs, Ashley Dickson, Nicole Fiber, or Michael Holliday if you have any questions.
Family Math Festival (September 17)
Please join us to spark math joy at Talley's annual Family Math Festival! It will take place on Thursday, September 17 in the Talley Cafeteria from 5-7 pm. There will be open house-style games which is sure to be free fun for the whole family! Email Jennie Muhlhausen (jmuhlhausen@csdecatur.net) with questions.
We would LOVE to have high school students volunteer so that parents can participate in games with their children. Do you know anyone in need of volunteer hours? Please pass along the sign up link below!
Important Information about Gifted Review
Each fall semester, the gifted review team reviews existing student data to discuss students’ needs and to determine whether further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, please complete a Recommendation for Review Form by Wednesday, September 30. No additional information is needed. For more detailed information about the review process, please contact the Gifted & Talented Specialist for your school, Lindsey Combs, Ashley Dickson, Nicole Fiber, and Michael Holliday, at lindsey.combs@csdecatur.net, aforman@csdecatur.net, nfiber@csdecatur.net, and mholliday@csdecatur.net or visit our website’s FAQ page.
Field Day (October 9)
Calling all volunteers!
Talley Street Upper Elementary Fall Field Day is approaching.
October 9, 2026 all grade levels
We need your help to make field day a success, and the kids love to see you there. There will be a PLAYGROUND/BLACKTOP/GYM segment and a BACK FIELD segment for all grade levels. Students will travel with their homeroom teacher and an assisting teacher, and we just need your help to run the stations. Schedules and links are posted below. Click on the grade level to be directed to the SignUpGenius. Feel free to email any questions to Coach Jeffferson or Coach Johns at tjefferson@csdecatur.net and njohns@csdecatur.net.
- 8:30 am - 9:40 am Back field
- 12:30 pm - 1:40 pm Playground, blacktop, gym
- 8:30 am - 9:40 am Playground, blacktop, gym
- 10:30 am - 11:40 am Back Field
- 10:30 am - 11:40 am Playground, blacktop, gym
- 12:30 pm - 1:40 pm Back field
Green Team News
Plastic Film for House Points
Turn In Your Takis!
If you have been collecting Takis-brand packaging for house points, then please turn them in by Friday, September 18. (We would like to send in our first shipment over the September break.) Students will earn one house point for five items, three house points for 10 items and five house points for 15 items. Packaging should be emptied of all food and dropped off to Mrs. Roberts in the Media Center. Please mark donations with the student’s name and homeroom teacher.
Parents Needed!
Are you a parent who is passionate about the environment and wants to make our school a more sustainable place? Then come join the Green Team! We need adults to assist and oversee our student volunteers who help with composting and recycling during breakfast and lunch service at school.
Please direct questions to Mrs. Roberts at kathryn.roberts@csdecatur.net.
District News
PTO Corner
- Please support our teachers by contributing to the Class Fund by Friday, September 18th! At Talley, we collect one school-wide Class Fund that will be split equally between classrooms and used by Room Parents for appreciation gifts for Homeroom and Specials teachers throughout the year (for birthdays, end-of-year holidays, and Appreciation week). Please consider making a donation. Every contribution, big or small, helps us celebrate our wonderful Talley teachers! Our goal is $19,000. Contribute at bit.ly/classfund26
Please send in a plain white T-shirt for your child by Friday, September 18th! This year, Ms. Radford, Coach Johns, and the PTO are teaming up to screen print special Field Day shirts for every student! The shirt can be new or used, but it must be blank. Please label the shirt with your child’s name and homeroom (write inside the back neck, use tape or staple a piece of paper to the shirt - whatever works best!). The printed shirt will be returned to your student before Field Day (October 9th).If providing a shirt is a financial or other barrier, please let your child’s teacher know they need a donated shirt and the size needed. The PTO will gladly provide one, and requests will be kept private. Have extra plain white shirts to donate (sizes Youth Small through Youth X-Large)? Please send them in, too! Questions? Email general@talleypto.org.
Interested in helping plan and run our October Reading Rally? Email copresident@talleypto.org by tomorrow, Friday, September 11th.
We are looking for volunteers to help with Talley’s Math Festival on Thursday, September 17th! This is a great opportunity for high schoolers or middle schoolers to earn service hours – ask your teenagers to help out! Sign up at https://signup.com/go/xNPDPiD.
Save the date for our next Walk & Roll on Friday, October 2nd! Walk & Roll volunteers are still needed! Love coffee? Be our Coffee Hero by picking up our free Banjo Coffee on your way to Talley on Walk & Roll days. We could also use a few volunteers to help with the Walking School Bus—it’s a great way to connect with families while supporting a fun and healthy way to get to school! Interested in helping? Contact Mallory at srts@talleypto.org.
We’re still looking for amazing volunteers for one PTO Co-President and other PTO positions. More info available at bit.ly/4mhwBPl. Interested? Email president@talleypto.org. We need a 3rd or 4th grade parent/guardian to fill the Co-President position. We will continue searching for a candidate until this position is filled.
Join the Talley Street Bike Bus! We bike to Talley every Friday morning! More details at: https://www.talleypto.org/bike-bus. We’re always looking for more adult volunteers to help with routes! Express interest or sign up (for yourself and/or your student) at: https://tinyurl.com/talleybikebus. For questions, contact talleystreetbikebus@gmail.com.
Join the Talley PTO Parents Group on Facebook (bit.ly/Parentgroup) and follow us on Instagram (@TalleyPTO) to stay connected and receive PTO updates throughout the year! bit.ly/m/talleyonline
Community News
Color Guard Youth Night
Come spin with the Bulldogs before a DHS varsity football game! Practice is September 15 from 6-7:30 pm and practice and performance will be held on September 18 from 4:30-7:15 pm. Register using the link below. The deadline to be guaranteed a shirt is September 10.
Celebrate Decatur Diwali
Join Decatur’s community-wide Diwali celebration on Sunday, October 25 (12-3 PM at Ebster Recreation Center)! Enjoy performances, local food vendors, and activities for all ages. This event is brought to you by SACHA, a new nonprofit started by CSD parents. Learn more and RSVP on our website sacha-atl.org, and and sign up to volunteer at sacha-atl.org/volunteer.
Social Media and Contact Information
You can find more information on the following Facebook pages:
Talley Street Upper Elementary School Parents
And these Instagram pages:
For more about the Talley Street PTO, visit their website here: https://talleypto.org/.