Wildcat Weekly

Dear Wildcat Families and Crew Members,

Congratulations! We have almost completed our first week of school. It has been lovely to see and hear from each classroom as they form a Crew. My favorite part of the week has been the hallway waves and winks. Whiskers loves that too! Now that we have established some systems and routines, like how to travel quietly and purposefully in the hallway, you should expect to hear more about academic content.

As a reminder, there are many ways to engage with Winnona Park. You can support the WP PTA (many options will fit your preference/availibility) or consider running for a seat on our School Leadership Team (SLT) to support our school's continuous improvement. The SLT will meet approximately 6 times per year. SLT applications are due Friday, August 21st. See more details in the SLT section below. Students can also engage by applying for the 2026-2027 Superintendent's Student Council Groups from the week of August 10 to September 11.

There are a few updates this week. Please be sure to read them all. Please also visit the CSD website to review the Student Code of Conduct and the Student & Family Handbook at https://www.csdecatur.net/families/resources/forms-and-handbooks.

With gratitude and Wildcat pride,

Meagan Ferguson

Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School

• Monday, August 10th - PTA Meeting from 5:30 - 6:30 in the Library
• Tuesday, August 11 - 14th - STAR Literacy and Math testing. K-2

• Wednesday, August 12th: Walk and Roll to school. Thanks to the PTA for providing coffee to parents! Please bring your own coffee cup to help us reduce waste.

• Tuesday, August 25th - Author visit with Katrina Moore for first and second graders. Additional information can be found below.
• Wednesday, August 26th - Early Release Day. Student dismissal at 12:50 PM
• Thursday, August 27th - Curriculum Night from 6-7 PM. Adults only.
• Monday, September 21 - 25th - Fall break. No school for students and teachers

During the weeks of August 3 through August 14, we will be administering the STAR Math (K-2), STAR Early Literacy (K-2), and STAR Reading (2nd grade) tests. STAR is a computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Students take the STAR tests in the fall, winter, and spring. By taking it 3 times a year, teachers and parents are able to see how their student is growing in the areas of reading and math throughout the school year. We will use this data to help us make informed instructional decisions for our students. The tests will be administered by classroom teachers and proctors in their classrooms. STAR family reports will be shared through Thursday communication folders following the conclusion of testing.

If you have any questions please reach out to our Instructional Coach, Kelly Stopp at kstopp@csdecatur.net.

STAR Family Information

Practice Test Items

We are excited to host author Katrina Moore on Tuesday, August 25th. She will be visiting first and second graders. We will have another author visit later in the year that will include kindergarten. If you are interested in purchasing a signed copy of a book, please check your student's purple folder. You can also access the flyer here. Forms are due on Tuesday, August 18th. If you have any questions, please contact Ilene Zeff, our librarian at izeff@csdecatur.net.

• ARRIVAL:

• As a reminder, school doors open at 8:00 a.m.

• Doors will close at 8:15 to allow staff to get into position and begin instruction at 8:20 a.m.

• Breakfast is served from 8:00-8:20 a.m.

• Any students arriving at 8:20 a.m. or later must be checked in at the computer outside the front doors. They will be marked tardy.

• DISMISSAL:

• To ensure staff has ample time to coordinate dismissal, Pick Up Patrol (PUP) changes will end at 1:45 p.m. Returning families, please confirm your default dismissal plans.

• For safety, please keep dogs to the side and off of school property during arrival and dismissal.

• The picnic tables on and near the pavilion and the small playground closest to the school are closed during dismissal. We appreciate your cooperation.

• CAR RIDERS:

• Parents who pick up students in the carpool lane should have their carpool tags on the windshield. If you need a carpool tag, email rsigmon@csdecatur.net, and we will send it home with your child.

• For everyone's safety and to expedite dismissal, please have the back passenger side of the car available to receive students and refrain from getting out of the car.

• Parents of Talley Students: We would appreciate your help in reminding students to stay toward the back playground and basketball court during dismissal time. Our teachers love hellos and hugs; however, their focus is ensuring the safe and accurate dismissal of all WP students.

The Winnona Park School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee consisting of Winnona Park parents/guardians, staff members, a community member, and a district representative. The purpose of the SLT is to make decisions that support the continuous improvement of the school in accordance with the provisions of the District Charter. Some of the responsibilities of this team are to:

• Serve on interview teams

• Develop, approve, and monitor the continuous school improvement planning process

• Review assessment data and use it for decision-making purposes

• Review and approve changes to its bylaws

• Make recommendations for school needs to the CSD Board of Education during the annual budget process.

If you’re interested in joining the SLT, please submit a bio/purpose statement to Principal Ferguson at mferguson@csdecatur.net by Friday, August 21st.

Student birthdays will be acknowledged by the classroom Crew and at weekly Community Circle. Monthly birthdays will be celebrated as a class at the end of the month (ex., all students with November birthdays). The teacher and room parents will coordinate and communicate details of these events. We have many students with allergies and food intolerances. All food items must be store-bought and must have ingredients listed. For everyone's safety, no homemade treats will be permitted. Parents should not bring in toys or gift bags for individual or monthly birthdays.

We are happy to share the school grounds with the community outside of school hours. We ask you model good stewardship when doing so.

• Please help us keep the pavilion clean and ready for Coach Beauchamp's PE classes.

• Return tables to their original location.

• Help our custodians, Mr. Brown, Ms. Burton, and Ms. Labad by picking up any trash.

• If you host a playdate/party, please bring a trash bag and take the garbage with you, or you may put the tied bag in the school dumpster.

• Refrain from using the playgrounds or field during school hours.

• Our playground/field is heavily used by the community outside of school hours. We can only accept clothing, water bottles, etc in the building when they have a Winnona Park student's name on them.

To keep all students safe, City Schools of Decatur requires a current background check on file for all volunteers and chaperones. This is especially important for anyone chaperoning a field trip (exploring with a small group of students) or supervising students without a staff member present. Background checks must be renewed every 12 months.

Here is how to complete your background check:

• ​Step 1: Pay the Fee via Infinite Campus: Log into the CSD Public Store. Click on City Schools of Decatur School Store > CSD Misc. Fees > Background Check Fee ($38). Enter your name and phone number in the comments section before checking out. Be sure to save/print your receipt, as you will need it for your appointment!
  
  

• ​Step 2: Schedule an Appointment: Book a 10-minute slot using the online appointment calendar. Appointments are held at the Wilson Center (125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Note that appointment slots open up 21 days in advance.
  
  

• ​Step 3: What to Bring: Please bring your driver's license and your payment receipt to your appointment. You will fill out a short form, and results (submitted via the GBI) are typically returned within 24 hours.

💡 Note: If financial assistance is needed to cover the $38 background check fee, please reach out directly to Principal Ferguson.

Families who would like their student to ride the bus during the 2026–27 school year must request transportation by completing the Annual Data Update (ADU). Please allow 24-48 hours after

submitting the ADU for transportation information to be processed.

How to Access Your Student’s Bus Information

1. Stopfinder Bus Tracking App — Primary Source

Stopfinder is the Transportation Department’s primary source for bus route information, service updates, and notifications. All families are strongly encouraged to download the app and complete the registration process.

After your transportation request has been processed, you will receive an email invitation to register for the Stopfinder Bus Tracking App. Once your account is activated, you will be able to:

● View your student’s assigned bus route

● View bus stop locations

● View scheduled pickup and drop-off times

● Receive important transportation notifications and service updates

2. Transportation Website

Bus routes are also posted on the district website. Visit the Transportation Department webpage

and select Routes to review available route information.

3. InfoFinder

Families may use InfoFinder to determine whether their address qualifies for transportation services. Enter your home address, and if transportation is available, the system will display the assigned route number, bus stop location, and scheduled pickup and drop-off times.

Note About the Parent Portal - Some families may also see a Transportation tab in the Parent Portal after completing the ADU. If route information is not displayed or appears incomplete, please use Stopfinder, the Transportation website, or InfoFinder for the most current transportation information. Stopfinder is the recommended source for ongoing bus information and transportation notifications throughout the school year.

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.

A schoolwide weekly newsletter will be emailed to families each Thursday afternoon. This newsletter is sent to the email addresses in the Parent Portal. Please ensure all data in your portal account is updated and correct. The WP Website is also a great place to get information about our wonderful school. Here is the link to our school's calendar of events.

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

Email: csikes@csdecatur.net
Website: https://winnonapark.csdecatur.net/
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.