Weekly Update

August 21, 2025

I want to let you know that CSD is initiating a new Visitor Management System at all schools that is a part of our Centegix Safety System. We will be getting equipment that will check in all visitors to the building through a state-issued ID or driver's license. This extra safety measure will notify our front office if there is an individual who does not need to be on our campus.

• All visitors must show their valid state-issued ID/driver's license when checking in as a volunteer, classroom visitor or attendee for a school event.

• Please make sure you have proper identification when you enter the building.

• All visitors must enter and exit through the front lobby.

• Once your ID has been scanned, you will receive a lanyard with a Centegix badge. This must be scanned, then worn when the visitor is in the building.

• Upon checkout, the badge must be scanned again, returned, and the visitor is checked out.

• Parents checking their child in late or checking out early (or just dropping something off) need not follow this new protocol, but still use our existing Checkmate kiosk outside the front door.

We look forward to seeing you at Curriculum Night on Thursday, August 28. From 6:00-7:15. Parents (this is not a student event) are invited to the school to learn about the curriculum, instruction, grading, and assessments for the first semester in their child’s classroom. There are two 30-minute sessions for parents with more than one student.

We welcome kindergarten parents to Community Circle next week! There is not enough room in the cafe to invite all parents at once; therefore, we invite one grade level at a time each week, starting with kindergarten parents. I’ve placed all Community Circles for the year on the WP calendar, highlighting which grade level’s parents may attend.

If you are attending Community Circle, please gather by the pond outside the cafe after morning drop-off. Parents will be let into the cafe at the appropriate time.

From September 3-5, all 1st-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.

Stay connected with upcoming events: https://www.wpespta.org/

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Support the Wildcats: Join the PTA

Help us kick off a strong year at Winnona Park! The PTA Family Donation Program fuels classroom resources, enrichment opportunities, teacher support, and the community events our families love. Whether it’s a one-time gift or a recurring monthly donation, every amount makes a difference. Many employers also offer matching gifts—a simple way to double your impact.

Give today: wpespta.org/familydonation. Thank you for supporting our Wildcats! 💜🐾

Help Us Fill Key PTA Roles: Communications, Spirit Wear & Yearbook (K + 2nd)
We’re building a strong team for the year and need a few parent volunteers to make it happen:

• Communications: Draft short updates, help with social posts, and keep families in the loop.

• Spirit Wear: Support online orders; help keep Wildcat gear stocked and organized.

• Yearbook: We especially need a Kindergarten and a 2nd Grade parent to help collect photos and ideas for class pages.

If you enjoy writing, organizing, or snapping photos at school events, we’d love to have you. Sign up online—thank you for supporting our Wildcats!

New Spirit Wear: Dancing Wildcats Tee (Online Only!)

Meet our newest Winnona Park spirit wear: a super-soft heather tee featuring a row of dancing Wildcats—a playful nod to the Grateful Dead. It’s perfect for Friday spirit days, field trips, and community events. Available in youth and adult sizes while supplies last.

Shop now: https://www.wpespta.org/spirit-wear

Proceeds support WP PTA programs—thank you for showing your Wildcat pride!

Read the August 21, 2025, issue of the district-wide newsletter, CSD Weekly here.

Superintendent Dr. Whitaker invites student leaders and interested students to apply for the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council. Councils are divided into age groups and invite student members to share their perspectives and experiences with the Superintendent on a variety of issues, offering a two-way system of communication between students and the Office of the Superintendent.

Students are also asked to attend each meeting (see dates below) at the Wilson Center after school in the Superintendent's Office. The deadline to apply is Friday, August 22, at 5 p.m. Selected students will be notified by Friday, August 29, 2025. Apply for the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council here.

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.