The Bulldog, February 12, 2026

Note from Mrs. Lockwood:

Tomorrow is Community Crew, and we hope to see you there. In honor of Black History Month, we have a special school-wide event. Manga African Dance Company will deliver an unforgettable performance of dance and storytelling. Everyone is welcome to stay for the performance.

This week, our school-wide attendance for last Friday through today is 92.8%. Tuesday was our lowest attendance day. Let's finish the week strong. I know it's the day before Winter break, let's aim for 100% attendance! I know we can do it!

We are making great strides! Currently, 35.66% (51 families) have completed the family survey. This year's goal is 75%; we're getting closer. Clairemont's family perspective is important. Please take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey. Georgia School Climate Survey.

The week is almost over, and Winter Break is about to begin! Clairemont will be closed Monday, February 16, through Friday, February 20. School will reopen on Monday, February 23. I hope everyone enjoys the break, and I look forward to being back in the building in a week.

Events at a glance:

• Friday, February 13: Community Crew with special guests Manga African Dance!
• Monday, February 16 - Friday, February 20: Winter Break - No School
• Monday, February 23 - Tuesday, February 24: Talent Show auditions (see below for details)
• Wednesday, February 25: PTA Meeting; 5:30-7:00
• Friday, February 27: Community Crew
• Friday, February 27: Principal's Coffee Chat following Community Crew

Get ready to sprinkle kindness everywhere! From February 23–27, our CL crew will celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week — a special time to focus on how small, thoughtful actions can make a BIG difference.

Each day has a special theme to help guide our kindness:

Monday (2/23): Be Kind to Yourself – Practice positive self-talk and take care of your mind and body.
Tuesday (2/24): Be Kind to Your Parents – Show appreciation with helpful actions and kind words at home.
Wednesday (2/25): Be Kind to Your Teachers – Say thank you and show respect through your actions.
Thursday (2/26): Be Kind to Your Friends – Include others, share, and use kind words.
Friday (2/27): Be Kind to Your Classmates – Lift others up and help make our classrooms welcoming for everyone.

We encourage families to join in at home by talking about the daily themes and noticing acts of kindness throughout the week. We are proud of the kindness our students show every day, and this week gives us an extra opportunity to celebrate and strengthen the positive culture that already makes Clairemont such a special place.

Yearbook pre-orders are now open! Pre-order to guarantee that your student receives a yearbook in May. Families are also invited to place an 1/8 or 1/4 page ad to celebrate their student for all their hard work this year. It is a tradition for second grade parents to recognize their students who are finishing their time at Clairemont and moving up to third grade!

Yearbooks: $15 each

1/8 page ad: $15

1/4 page ad: $25

Yearbook purchase deadline: 5/15

Ad purchase deadline: 3/30

link: yearbookordercenter.com

Order number: 17410

Clairemont is excited to present Manga African Dance Company in a Black History Month performance! Having over 30 years of experience in the Atlanta area, Manga African Dance brings African and diasporic movement, music, and culture to life and inspires communities through education, performance, and shared experience. The performance will take place February 13th, 2026 at 8:15am during our regular Community Crew time. We look forward to seeing you there!

Students will meet in the music room on Wednesdays after school from 2:45pm to 3:45pm.

Rehearsals will begin February 11th and last until March 18th. Come see the drum ensemble perform at our Talent Show on March 20th at 1:15pm!

Please email Mrs. Nelson at mnelson@csdecatur.net or send a note if you would like your child to participate in this ensemble.

Last week, we had one day with every single student in attendance! We celebrated that amazing achievement with a quick dance party at dismissal time. Now that's what we call perfect attenDANCE! We realize it's the time of year where sickness is making the rounds, but any time your student is well, please have them at school. We're shooting for an average of 98% attendance each week.

Clairemont's annual talent show will be on Friday, March 20, during the school day. We look forward to celebrating our talented students! Auditions will be held after school from 3-4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, February 23-24, divided by last names. Monday, February 23 is for students with last names beginning with A-L. Tuesday, February 24 is for students with last names M-Z. If you need to switch days, or cannot make it after school, please let Ms. DeRosa know and we can make accommodations. Students should come prepared with about one minute of their act to show off at auditions. If you have a music file for your act, please send it to Ms. D at whitney.derosa@csdecatur.net.

Talent show rehearsals will take place from 3-4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, March 2-3 and 9-10. (With possible rehearsals as needed March 16-17.) The talent show will be during the day on Friday, March 20.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Ms. Nelson or Ms. DeRosa. We can't wait to see your talented students!

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

Please take a moment this week to make your voice heard and participate in the Georgia Department of Education climate survey for your school! Your participation and feedback are greatly appreciated. The data collected will help determine the School Climate Star Ratings for the 2026-27 school year, which will enable schools to improve or build upon their successes.

Clairemont Elementary School Family Survey

Signing up as a member allows you to fully access our website and add your bulldog to the directory, along with classes and groups/clubs. This membership supports our school and the National and State PTA by paying annual dues that help us operate. We use PTA funds to support teacher grants and school events. A portion of the $10 serves as dues paid to the National and State Parent Teacher Association, which is our governing organization.