F.Ave Falcon Flyer

F.Ave Families,

What Makes You Say That?

Derrick L. Thomas, Principal

Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School

Our next Principal's Coffee Chat will be held on August 21, 2026, at 8:00 a.m., with a focus on “who to contact if…" where we'll engage our administrators, counselors, and support staff. We will also review the initiatives we've planned for the 2026-2027 school year.

From September 2-4, all 3rd-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.

Skip cooking and support our school! Mark your calendars for our first dine-out event of the school year on August 27, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Head over to Paulino’s Italian Restaurant for lunch or dinner, and a percentage of your bill will go straight back to Fifth Avenue. Make sure to tell them you’re there to support F.Ave.

Open to all students: F.Ave Kilometer Kids is for students who want to develop a love of running and living an active life. There are limited spaces so we will hold a lottery to choose 30 students to participate this spring. The form to enter the lottery is now open and will close on September 1st. The results of the lottery will be sent out by email on Thursday, September 3rd. Kilometer Kids will practice every other Thursday from 2:30 to 3:15 pm. The first practice will be on Thursday, September 24. If you have any questions about Kilometer Kids, please direct them to Ms. Finch by emailing hannah.finch@csdecatur.net

Please read and acknowledge the Kilometer Kids Participation Contract before signing up for the lottery.

Fill out this form to enter the Kilometer Kids lottery: Kilometer Kids Lottery Form

World of Asian Heritage (WOAH), named by our students, is a student-centered affinity group that provides a safe, supportive, and inclusive space for F.Ave students of Asian heritage. Scholars, families, and teachers gather to celebrate Asian heritage, cultivate a sense of belonging, and instill a solid foundation for cultural identity and self-identity.

Teachers and family members facilitate conversations where scholars find connections within their broader school community, build knowledge on a variety of perspectives, and more! Please fill out our interest form if you'd like to know more.

F.Ave STEAM is thrilled to share that our F.Ave Falcons will be learning the basics of Agriculture this year in STEAM.

To bring this learning to life, we will be utilizing two fantastic outdoor spaces right here on campus:

• The newly constructed Pollinator Garden by the front F.Ave sign.

• The 6 raised garden beds located near the horseshoe.

Last week, our Falcons had the opportunity to head outside and explore both garden areas. In just a few weeks, we will begin the real work: preparing both gardens for Fall planting and maintaining them throughout the season!

Important Tips & Reminders for Outdoor Days

When you receive communication from your child’s classroom teacher that STEAM will be outside, please keep the following in mind:

• Water Bottle: Our biggest ask! Staying hydrated while working outside is essential.

• Appropriate Shoes: Please ensure your child wears shoes suitable for working in the dirt. You are welcome to set aside a specific pair of "gardening shoes" or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.

• Weather-Appropriate Clothing: Check the forecast on outdoor STEAM days so your child is dressed comfortably for the weather.

Although we believe that touching the dirt, our plants, and the ground with our bare hands and feet allow us to connect more to nature, we also want to limit clean up time, so that our Falcons could get to their next class/activity on time.

Optional Gardening Items

School-provided gardening gloves will be available for all students. However, if your child would prefer their own gear, the following items are great additions:

• Personal gardening gloves

• Gardening apron

• Gardening shoes

Note: All personal gloves, aprons, or shoes can be stored in their book bags and/or lockers. None of these items are required—just optional!

A special shoutout to our F.Ave PTO Gardening Committee for supporting Ms. Wise and Ms. Carty in making this all happen.

Email Ms. Carty at ncarty@csdecatur.net if you have questions and/or concerns.

The Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee of Fifth Avenue's parents/guardians, staff members, and other personnel. The SLT focuses on school governance, student achievement, and family engagement. 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

● Recommend school needs to the CSD Board of Education during the annual budget process.

SLT members are elected to their positions, except for appointed positions. Parents may attend to present an idea/concern at SLT work sessions. SLT meetings are open, and stakeholders are welcome to attend (look for dates on the school's web page).

To vote in the SLT election, you must be a parent/guardian of a F.AVE Student. If you are interested in joining the SLT, please submit a candidate statement with biographical information and a paragraph explaining why you want to be an SLT member to Mr. Thomas at dthomas@csdecatur.net by Sunday, August 16, 2026. Each family will receive one vote per enrolled student. Remember that the most essential requirement for an SLT member is an honest desire to contribute to the educational experience and learning of all children at Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School.

Details:

● All candidate statements are due Sunday, August 16th, to Principal Thomas.

● All candidate statements will be published on the F.AVE webpage and the school's social media.

● Elections will take place August 24-26th. The school will send a Google Form on the morning of the 24th.

Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary has an opening for two parent representatives for the 26-27 school year. The first meeting of the year with the new representatives is in September.

Is your student interested in joining the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council? It is designed as a two-way system of communication between students and the Office of the Superintendent. Students on the council are asked to share their perspectives and experiences with the Superintendent on a variety of issues. Students are also asked to attend each meeting (see dates below). Meetings will be held at the Wilson Center after school in the Superintendent's Office.

Purpose & Commitment: Elementary (K-5) Student Council: The Elementary (K-5) Superintendent's Student Council will be made up of two students from each lower elementary (K-2) school and two students from each upper elementary (3-5) school. The K-5 student council will meet at the Wilson Center from 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• Tuesday, September 29, 2026

• Tuesday, December 1, 2026

• Tuesday, January 19, 2027

• Tuesday, March 16, 2027

• Tuesday, May 4, 2027

Click the following link to apply: 2026-2027 Superintendent's Student Advisory Council.

FAVE is excited to introduce the FAVE Birthday Book Program. It allows you to both honor your child on their birthday and help our library collection continue to grow! To honor your child with a birthday book, please submit a payment of $20 through the PTO site or a check made out to "F.AVE PTO" with "Birthday Book" as the memo, and complete the form linked here. All forms and payments must be received by Friday, September 11.

After your donation is received, your child will select a book during their birthday month (if your child had a birthday this past July or August, we will celebrate them in September; June birthdays will be celebrated in May). This book will be added to our library catalog and will feature your student's name, their birthday, and a dedication bookplate with a message of your choice.

Your child will keep the book for 2 weeks before returning it to the library. Thank you for your support of our school library!

Registration is now open! Click here to register your child for class. Registration closes August 27, 2026, or once we reach class capacity.

Each season, Girls on the Run creates a safe and fun place for girls of all abilities to make new friends, new healthy habits and new memories. Registration for the fall Girls on the Run season is now open! If you or someone you know has a girl interested in participating in the fall season, lottery registration is open through 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 27. The lottery will run on August 28 and reopen for teams that did not fill at 3 pm. Registration will remain open for teams with open spots through September 24.

Practice begins the week of September 14 and will be Monday and Wednesdays from 2:30-4:00 PM

Just select F.Ave Elementary during registration to register for our site. Learn more and register at www.girlsontherunga.org/programs for the fall season today!

Orders are due August 31. Thank you for supporting our library!

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 Thomas.

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

The PTO will host our annual Fall Family Picnic on September 15th, from 5-7PM. There will be food for purchase, a DJ, and the always popular staff marketplace — plus we'll be debuting our new spirit wear! (Vendor announcements coming soon — stay tuned.) We hope to see you and your family there!

Join us - virtually - on Wednesday, September 16th from 6:30-7:30PM for our second PTO meeting of the school year! Hear from your PTO Board about everything happening around F.AVE — upcoming events, how to get involved, and ways we're supporting our teachers and students. All are welcome. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE MEETING

Email: masika.nyaku@csdecatur.net

Website: https://fave.csdecatur.net/
Location: 101 5th Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-6680