College Heights Connection

Dear Families,

Happy Thursday! It's been a busy week at College Heights. As a friendly reminder, our Pre-K and Preschool Special Education programs will be closed next week for winter break. I hope you have a wonderful week with family. The PTO Silent Auction is around the corner. There is still time to get your tickets. The event is our biggest school fundraiser and all money raised goes directly back to supporting our students and staff. We have a busy few months ahead of us. Please be sure to review the Important Dates section below to get all of the happenings on your calendar.

Have a great weekend,

Principal Garland

February 16-20 - Winter Break (Pre-K)

February 23 - Pre-K Summer Camp registration opens (8:00 a.m.)

February 28 - Art from the Heart PTO Auction (purchase tickets HERE)

March 4 - Holi party

March 11 - Spring School Tour (contact Caretha Hall to register)

March 16 - Family Night

March 16-20 - Spring Book Fair with Little Shop of Stories (volunteers needed - click HERE)

March 25 - Early Release Day (Pre-K)

April 1 - Spring School Tour (contact Caretha Hall to register)

April 6-10 - Spring Break (school closed for all students)

April 16 - K-Day (Pre-K)

April 24 - Preschool Art Show

April 30 - Pre-K field trip to K-2 schools

May 8 - Field Day (rain date May 12)

May 19 - Pre-K parade

May 22 - Last day of school (Pre-K)

Join us for our spring Family Night on Monday, March 16 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.!

Engage in a fun and informative classroom experience for the whole family. Each teacher is planning an activity that is unique and meaningful to their classroom community and provides a glimpse into a day in the life of a College Heights student. The Little Shop of Stories book fair will also be open on this night and all week. Look for more details soon!

Join us for our celebration of Holi, the festival of colors! Each year, the College Heights preschool classes honor this celebration of life, the joy of togetherness, and the arrival of spring. This is a can't-miss event and is open to all College Heights students and families. Wear white and prepare to be colorful!

This spring, Pre-K students will have two opportunities to visit the schools where they will be attending kindergarten.

K-Day is a CSD-sponsored event on Thursday, April 16. Parents can choose to bring their Pre-K student to their K-2 school to attend one of two sessions: 9:00-10:30 a.m. or 4:00-5:30 p.m. This is an optional event and it is an excused absence for students who attend the morning session. Visit the CSD website for more details on K-Day activities.

On the morning of Thursday, April 30, all College Heights Pre-K students will take a field trip to visit their K-2 schools. This is for College Heights students and teachers only; parents do not accompany students on this visit.

Students are encouraged to attend BOTH K-Day and the field trip. Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions.

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year has begun. Packets will include a cover letter that will walk you through the documents and fees required for enrollment.

Current 0-2 families:

Packets have been distributed by your classroom teacher and are due on February 23. Please note: current residency must be submitted to secure your spot. If you have updated immunizations, please submit the GA 3231 form with your packet.

Current Pre-K/Rising Kindergarten families:

Your Pre-K student will be automatically enrolled in your neighborhood school for Kindergarten. There is nothing families need to do at this time. If you will need aftercare services for your student, we encourage you to reach out to your home school to find out about the enrollment process.

Prospective Pre-K families (new to College Heights or new to CSD):

Families, you are our best ambassadors for our school. Do you know of friends or neighbors with a rising Pre-K student? We would love to get to know them! Please let them know that registration began Monday, February 2 and lasts through Friday, February 27. Click here for more information on the timeline and procedure for Pre-K registration.

We will be offering Summer Camp for any currently enrolled Pre-K student during the month of June (June 1-26).

Registration for Summer Camp opens February 23 at 8 a.m. This is the Monday after Pre-K Winter Break.

Camp details:

• Camp dates: June 1-26 (School will be closed on June 19 for the Juneteenth holiday).
• Camp is available for the first 40 students registered.
• Camp hours will be 7:30-4:00 p.m. with aftercare services available from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at an additional cost.
• Camp tuition is $250/week without aftercare and $300/week with aftercare
• Tuition must be paid at the time of registration
• Fees are non-refundable

Registration packets are now available at the front desk and in the camp section on our website. Click here to download and print from home.

Registration opens February 23 at 8:00 a.m. in the front lobby. Packets will not be accepted prior to this date. No email packets will be accepted.

Questions? Please contact Elecia Fulton.

Ms. Bauer's Pre-K class recently visited the Michael C. Carlos Museum for a field trip called Artful Stories. Students took part in this special program that integrates art, literacy, and world cultures.

Over the last few years, the Carlos Museum has made thoughtful modifications and accommodations to their programming to allow for greater participation and engagement for students with special needs. For example, the museum provides sensory tools for students who may need them, like headphones, fidget tools, and 3D printed copies of sculptures and scented paint for visually impaired children. In fact, the Carlos Museum used Ms. Bauer's class as inspiration to modify their whole museum to be more accessible for the visually impaired. College Heights is grateful to the Carlos Museum for their continued commitment to ALL students.

Congratulations to our amazing nutrition staff for earning a perfect score of 100 on Wednesday's health inspection! Kellie Middlebrooks and Lucretia Campbell work together to make sure everything is perfect for our students by maintaining a clean and safe cafeteria and kitchen. Thank you, ladies!

The busy three-year-olds in room 121 are ready to learn and play under the love and guidance of their three teachers: Sela Soldat, Tyeshondra Thomas, and Vickey Huffman. Let's get to know them a little better.

Sela is the lead teacher in 121, and she is originally from Kitale, Kenya. She has been at College Heights for 15 years and in her spare time, she loves working out, watching soccer (look for Sela at Atlanta United games!), college football, Korean and Chinese dramas, and spending time with friends and family. A fun fact about Sela: she is really into history, especially Chinese dynasties!

Tye has been at College Heights for three years. She's from right here in Decatur and she loves bowling and hanging out with her family. Did you know that she also loves to watch The Golden Girls?

Ms. Vickey is the newest member of the 121 team. She's been at College Heights for about six years. Born in Atlanta, Vickey and her family moved to Decatur, where she attended College Heights (when it was an elementary school) and graduated from Decatur High School and participated in drill team. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, word search, and brain puzzles, but her passion is sewing. Fun fact: Vickey is a huge football fan and loves the Atlanta Falcons!

Stop by 121 and say hello to these amazing teachers!

It's been another fun week in the library. All classes are celebrating Black History Month through books by Black authors and illustrators. This week, Pre-K students got to know author and illustrator Christian Robinson and learned how and why he creates picture books for kids. We read his story You Matter and pretended to be T-Rexes with tiny arms.

Books will come home with our Pre-K students for the first time on Monday, February 23. Families: If you have not yet returned your library contract, it is due tomorrow. If you need an additional copy, please email Leslie or download and print it here.

SAVE THE DATE for the Spring Book Fair: March 16-20. We need volunteers; please sign up here if you are able.

Also, we are missing Bunny Bag 1. If it is at your house, could you please return it? Thank you!

This week's books (one-, two-, and three-year-old classes):

The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey

Not Just the Driver! by Sara Holly Ackermann and Robert Neubecker

If You're Groovy and You Know It, Hug a Friend! by Eric Litwin, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Lola Gets a Cat by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Did You Take the B from my -ook? by Beck and Matt Stanton

Read the February 12, 2026, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

The College Heights Auction is almost here—and it’s shaping up to be a night you won’t want to miss. Here are just three reasons to join us:

1. Celebrate Our Everyday Superheroes - At 6:45 p.m., we’ll have a special teacher & staff entrance—come cheer them on and show your appreciation.

2. Our auction is packed with can’t-miss items, including: child created art, pictured below, weeks of summer camp at College Heights and Oodazu, Live Auction fun including a four night NC Mountain getaway and a Yacht Rock Concert package, and one-of-a-kind experiences created and donated by our teachers—like two hours of toddler playtime at McKoy Park.

3. This isn’t just a fundraiser—it’s a night out. Check out one of our parents, Daniel Cho (Emma & Chloe's dad), bringing his band, The Makegoods, for a live performance at this year's auction! We’ll have delicious food and an open bar to keep the celebration going.

Come support our school, celebrate our community, and enjoy an unforgettable night.

Buy your tickets now and join the fun!

P.S. Need childcare? We’ve got you covered.

Oodazu is offering a Parents Night Out from 5:30–9:30 p.m. for Pre-K students and their older siblings. See details below.

Ms. B's Preschool class

Ms. Phillips' Pre-K class

Georgia State University is hosting a free five-week Positive Behavior Support Parent Academy workshop for families. The workshop will be held in person at The Clifton School in Decatur on five Saturdays (February 21, 28, March 7, 14, and 28) from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and is designed for parents and caregivers of young children ages 3-5. Each session focuses on practical, positive strategies to support children’s behavior and learning at home and in school. Apply by February 19.

Click here for the informational flyer.

Click here to register.

All recent issues of the College Heights Connection are available here.

Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center cultivates an atmosphere where children take their first steps in building an authentic love of learning through developmentally appropriate practices in an environment that fosters family and community involvement.