Oakhurst Weekly

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.

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 Specialists for your school, Amanda Lockwood at alockwood@csdecatur.net or Courtney Hartnett at chartnett@csdecatur.net or visit our website’s FAQ page.

From September 2-4, all 1st-grade students will be 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.

Thanks to Little Shop of Stories, Angela DiTerlizzi (The Curious Why, The Magical Yet, The Marvelous Now) is visiting Oakhurst on Wednesday, October 21st to share A Very Scary Book with all grade levels. Orders for autographed copies of A Very Scary Book and A Very Cranky Book are due September 29th. No late orders will be accepted.

Online forms and payments are much preferred! 💛

In school and with lots of at-home and community activity options, we hope you'll join us to celebrate Monday, September 28th - Thursday, October 8th (World Dyslexia Day).

Students will not be allowed to use personal electronic devices during school, such as cell phones and smart watches, starting this school year. Devices brought to school must be kept in backpacks.

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

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

The PTA pays for each student to have the supplies they need on the first day of school and for every student to receive a yearbook at the end of the year.

The cost is $60 total (per student) to reimburse, due by September 19th.

The suggested donation is $75 (per student), due October 10th.

** Student Bundle & Class Funds can also be paid via check (payable to Oakhurst Elementary PTA) or cash dropped off at the front office.