CSD Weekly: January 8, 2026

• Welcome back, CSD! Cheers to a great 2026.
• Did You Know? CSD Wants Your Input on the 2027 Fiscal Year Budget
• Mark Your Calendars: BOE Community Meeting and Superintendent's Listening Sessions

• Around CSD: F.Ave Fifth-Graders Place Ninth in Nation in WordMasters Challenge, BHMS Robotics Teams Advance to LEGO Robotics League Super Regionals

• Information & Resources: Save the Date for 2026 School Safety & Security Summit

• Community Partner News: Speaker Series: Talking to Kids About Dangerous Substances

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

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 is in the process of creating the 2027 Fiscal Year budget. Input from stakeholders is a valuable component of this process, including any suggestions, concerns, or questions regarding the budget.

Please review the 2027 Budget Calendar to view the schedule of budget topics that the board will address. Then complete the FY27 Budget Feedback Survey to share input on specific budget topics in advance of the board meeting discussion. A preliminary draft of the FY27 budget will be presented in March.

College Heights students played together inside and outside during the first few days back at school, enjoying the mild weather and reconnecting with besties after the break.

"Multitudinous" commendations to a team of fifth-graders from F.Ave placed ninth in the nation in the 39th annual WordMasters Challenge, a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 125,000 students each year. The F.Ave team scored an impressive 180 points out of a possible 200 and achieved the highest honors in the competition.

Fifth-graders Anne Hecker, Grady Russell and Oliver Sanford (pictured above, left to right) each earned a perfect score of 20 on the WordMasters Challenge, an honor that only 29 fifth-graders achieved nationwide. Rex Greenfield and Gus Schaudies also achieved outstanding results in the challenge. Thank you to F.Ave gifted specialists Jennifer Broman-Fulks, Edwin Ellis, and Charee Waugh for coaching these students all the way to success.

Kudos to the BHMS robotics teams that competed in multiple regional LEGO robotics league competitions before the break. After collaborating for several months to program a robot to complete various missions, two teams won the Champion Award for the best overall performance and the Robot Game Award for scoring the most points in the robot game. Best wishes to the teams as they advance to the Super Regionals on January 24. Thank you to robotics coaches Pablo Montagnes, Daniel Newman, Aaron Potvein, Maica Rollin, Kristin Spears and Liang-Ching Tsai.

BHMS Robotics Teams
Fossilians Team: Vincent Cooper, Tai Davis, Emmett Harris, Clare Liang, Crystal Liang, Sonia Montagnes, Basil Rollin, and Knoble Smith
Raiders of the Lost Brick Team: Kenan Avci, Anvie Junghare, Calan McGinnis, Liam Newman, Samuel Potvien, Robert Sahlstrom, Cole Woolley, and Ayra Zafrullah
Team Brickmark: Thomas Briddock, Eamon Lynch, Oliver Mendel, Nora Morrison, Evan Riedl, Lucas Sanchez, Bradley Spears, and Logan Tsai

Beacon Hill Middle School welcomed back students and staff this week with the unveiling of a new school crest, designed by sixth-grader Duncan Welch.

Duncan thoughtfully explained the elements that make up his winning crest, stating, "The crest symbolizes all things that Beacon Hill has and what we stand for. It has a musical note to show pride in our performing arts program, a runner to show athleticism, a heart to show that we are B.A.R.K. (Best effort, Accountable, Respectful, and Kind), and a globe to show that we are I.B., learning different languages. The motto I put, 'Be A Beacon,' means that we should be a source of light and hope, and not bring people down. It also states when Beacon Hill was founded in 2022, not when Renfroe was founded in 1972. The colors I chose are the school's main colors to show school spirit."

Thank you to Duncan's family, Principal Alexis Glenn and Deputy Superintendent Karen Newton-Scott for being present at the unveiling. Congratulations to Duncan on having his design chosen to serve as a symbol representing the values and spirit of Beacon Hill Middle School.

• Board of Education Meeting, January 13

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (CSD schools and offices closed), January 19
• Dr. Whitaker's Winter Listening Session (virtual), January 20, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Board of Education Community Meeting, January 21, 6:30 p.m., Talley St.
• Early Release Day, January 28
• 2026-2027 K-12 Student Registration Opens, February 2
• CSD Safety Summit, February 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m., DHS Performing Arts Center
• Dr. Whitaker's Winter Listening Session, February 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m., DHA Community Resource Center

School safety remains a top priority of our school district and a major, ongoing priority for the Georgia General Assembly. Events across the country and locally continue to remind us of the critical importance of remaining vigilant in working together to maintain safety in and around our schools and community.

City Schools of Decatur (CSD) and the City of Decatur (COD) are preparing to co-host the second annual School Safety & Security Summit on Wednesday, February 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center of Decatur High School (310 N McDonough Street). This event is open to the community, and students, staff, and families are encouraged to attend.

The summit will feature:

• An overview of CSD's response to recent safety-related legislation
• Information on both psychological and physical safety for students
• A panel discussion with safety leaders from the district and city
• Resources on how families can contribute to enhancing safety in our schools

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions or topics they would like to see addressed in advance of the meeting via this form. Even if you have no specific items for discussion, completing the form will help assess attendance and ensure a successful gathering.

We look forward to seeing you at the CSD and COD Safety & Security Summit on Wednesday, February 4.

Students who will be new to CSD for the 2026-2027 school year, including rising Pre-K and Kindergarten students and those interested in nonresident tuition, may apply starting February 2. Pre-K applicants should refer to this webpage for application instructions. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Vote here for Dr. McAdoo for the 2025 NFL Fan of the Year! CSD's own Dr. Charlie McAdoo, One Goal program director at DHS and former CTAE teacher, was named the Atlanta Falcons Fan of the Year for 2025! Now he's heading to Super Bowl LX and is competing for the NFL Fan of the Year award! Vote as many times as you want, and let's get Dr. McAdoo and Atlanta some well-deserved national recognition!

Please take a moment this week to make your voice heard and participate in the Georgia Department of Education climate survey for your school! Your participation and feedback are greatly appreciated. The data collected will help determine the School Climate Star Ratings for the 2026-27 school year, which will enable schools to improve or build upon their successes.

(Note: GaDOE administers climate surveys for K-12 schools. College Heights ECLC is not eligible.)

Clairemont Elementary School Family Survey

Glennwood Elementary School Family Survey

Oakhurst Elementary School Family Survey

Westchester Elementary School Family Survey

Winnona Park Elementary School Family Survey

Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School Family Survey

Talley Street Upper Elementary School Family Survey

Beacon Hill Middle School Family Survey

Decatur High School Family Survey

Influenza (flu) season is upon us, and cases are rising in the metro Atlanta area. Maintaining a healthy school environment requires working together to mitigate the spread of this highly contagious respiratory illness. We urge parents and guardians to monitor their child(ren) for signs of illness before sending them to school.

Flu Symptoms

• Fever, sore throat, muscle aches, cough, headache

• Fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, (vomiting and diarrhea are common in children)

Stay Home When Sick

• Fever more than 100.4 degrees within the last 24 hours

• Vomiting 2 or more times in the past 24 hours

• Diarrhea (incidents involving loss of body control, bloody stools, or two or more episodes above what the child normally experiences in 24 hours)

• Continuous coughing not relieved by medication

• Any student who is too ill to participate in classroom learning activities

Return to School/ Normal Activities: Respiratory Viruses

You can return to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, and

• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

Promote Healthy Habits

• Practice proper respiratory etiquette (coughing and sneezing into an elbow or a tissue).

• Frequent handwashing (for at least 20 seconds) with soap and water, or the use of sanitizer

• Maintain proper hydration with water and healthy fluids.

• Do not share food or eating utensils.

• Eat healthy foods and get quality rest.

For more information, please see the DeKalb Public Health Winter Illness Report, which highlights respiratory data trends across the Metro Atlanta area. For more information, see the CDC's flu webpage.

An ongoing speaker series from DEF, Decatur Prevention Initiative and the Decatur Parents Network returns Thursday, January 22, with a documentary viewing and panel discussion on "Navigating the Changing Drug Landscape: Talking to our Kids About Dangerous Substances." This event is free and open to any adult. Find more information and register in advance here.

Thursday, January 22, 6:30-8 p.m., DHS Learning Commons (Library/Media Center). Enter the bus drop-off area off of Commerce Drive.

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 after-school programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. Follow Decatur Parks and Recreation on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter here.

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