Wildcat Weekly

Saturday, August 1, 3-4 p.m. - Kindergarten Popsicle Social, WP playground, sponsored by the PTA

Monday, August 3 - First day of school. Doors open at 8 a.m.

• Join us for PTA-sponsored Parent Coffee & Donuts immediately afterwards

Dear Wildcat Families and Crew Members,

It was great to see so many happy Wildcats at the Meet-and-Greet. I hope you enjoy the last weekend of summer vacation. Kindergarten families, I'll see you this Saturday from 3-4 p.m. at the PTA-sponsored Popsicle Social. See more details in the PTA Corner below.

As a reminder, though we adore our furry friends, for the safety of all students and staff, dogs are not permitted on school grounds. Please keep your pups on the sidewalk and off school property. For afternoon pick-up, please keep dogs far back from the pavilion area.

Also, please ensure your dog is in control at all times and that you move along quickly after wishing your child a great day or picking them up. Opal, my miniature schnauzer, is like a living teddy bear, but she is poorly behaved around other dogs and people. Though she means no harm, is very small, and is just barking to say "Look at me!", I would not consider bringing her along for a drop-off. We appreciate your help to ensure the physical and emotional safety of all students.

Our neighbors have asked that I share a few tips:

• The streets around WPES are a designated “Idle Free School” zone. “Turn the key and be Idle-free” while waiting for morning drop-off and afternoon pickup.

• It is recommended that when there are no sidewalks, parents and students travel on the left side of the street facing traffic.

Stay tuned for more details regarding volunteering at WP. For our students' safety, a physical state-issued ID must be scanned when entering the building. Before helping in the classroom, you will need to complete a background check for clearance.

We are so excited to see families support and become involved in Winnona Park. There are many options available. You could support PTA or consider running for a seat on our School Leadership Team to support our school's continuous improvement. See more details below.

We will see everyone bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Monday, August 3! Remember, doors open at 8 a.m., close at 8:15 a.m., and instruction begins at 8:20 a.m. Please ensure a timely arrival so your child has ample time to transition. Review the arrival/dismissal information below before Monday. Remember, only little Wildcats will enter the school on Monday.

With gratitude and Wildcat pride,

Meagan Ferguson

Principal, Winnona Park Elementary School

Parents were able to log into the Parent Portal on Wednesday, July 29th, to see their child’s teacher. Class placement is a high priority for our staff, and we implement a very deliberate process to place students each year. If you experience difficulty with your parent portal account, please call our office manager, Cathy Sikes, for help at 404-370-4490.

Accessing the Parent Portal

Infinite Campus

For parents new to CSD, you will need to set up an account in the Parent Portal which is in our information system, Infinite Campus. Please click here to learn more about how to set up an account.

Your child's schedule will be finalized in the first few weeks of school. The homeroom assignment will be correct. However, if your child receives services via other teams (gifted, special education, etc), that may not be reflected in the schedule just yet. Please be patient as we work through this year's updates.

Calling all new Wildcats! Please join your fellow Winnona Park kindergarteners for our annual Kindergarten Popsicle Social in the pavilion behind the school from 3-4 p.m. on Saturday, August 1st. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow students/parents, get connected to the PTA, and enjoy a sweet treat! We will provide free King of Pops to all kindergarteners (popsicles available for purchase for parents/siblings). See you there!

We will welcome students for our first day of school on Monday, August 3. Our school hours are 8:15 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. Students, but not parents, may enter the school building at 8 a.m. Breakfast will be offered each morning from 8-8:20 a.m. Instruction begins at 8:20 a.m. Dismissal begins at 2:50 p.m.

After you snap your first day of school pictures out front, join the PTA for doughnuts and coffee outside (sponsored by Revolution Doughnuts) - look for them under the trees near the mobile classrooms!

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.

The nutrition department offers breakfast and lunch daily. For menu information and much more, see: CSD Nutrition. Continue checking back for more updated information. Click here for payment information and instructions on how to apply for free and reduced lunch. Families can also come to the WP Staff Lounge for more Free and Reduced lunch information during the Meet & Greet.

The vegetables and fruits from the Winnona Park Vegetable Garden are currently being harvested, and all produce is being donated to the DEAM Food Pantry. Today, our garden provided over 25 pounds of squash, beans, and tomatoes to DEAM. Students will see the results of their hard work when they return to school next week. Throughout this term, they will engage in activities such as harvesting, weeding, mulching, planting seeds, and creating signage for both our pollinator and vegetable gardens. Great job, Wildcats!

If you ordered school supplies through 1st Day, the PTA sends their thanks. Funds raised from this will support teacher appreciation, student learning, and overall Wildcat excellence this year. The supplies will be delivered directly to the school, and the WP PTA will sort and deliver the goods to classrooms. Considering volunteering with the PTA to help with sorting and distribution.

If you wish to donate school supplies for the class, please find the requested list here. If purchasing the supplies on your own, they can be brought to school during the Meet & Greet or any day during the first week of school.

If purchasing supplies presents a challenge for your family, please don't worry. We will always ensure that all of our students have adequate supplies.

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.

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.

Click here for CSD back-to-school information for all ages.

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.