Talley Street Update

I hope everyone is having a great week. I want to give our amazing PTO a “Talley Shout Out” for organizing last Saturday’s popsicle party! A fun time was had by all!

I desperately need our parents’ help. We have a tremendously dangerous situation on Shadowmoor Street. Yesterday, a Talley parent was hit by a car. Luckily the parent is going to be okay. I am very worried for our students. Please do not park on the section of Shawdowmoor and Hillsdale during arrival and dismissal times. We need everyone’s cooperation to keep our students safe! I have also reached out to the city to see what can be done about this dangerous situation.

Tomorrow is our first in-person Talley Rally since dismissing school in March of 2020. We are so excited! The school is being divided into fourths to help with social distancing. The rallies will be held outside and the students will be masked. Every student will attend one Talley Rally per month. The carpool lane will be adjusted beginning at 7:30 on Friday mornings in order to set up for the Talley Rallies. Cars will still enter and exit the same, but will be rerouted through the parking lot so that our students and staff can be safely in the spaces closest to the building. Please prepare for delays, or plan to arrive before 7:30 if possible. At this time, parents are not allowed to attend. As soon as it is safe, we will welcome everyone. Thank you to Coach Nichols for her hard work in preparing for tomorrow!

Each year the Annual update needs to be completed. We have several parents that have not completed it. It is very important that this be completed. (Address changes/updates cannot be completed via the annual update.) If you have any questions, please email Ms. Parks at eparks@csdecatur.net.

Next Friday, August 20th, is the deadline for nominations for the school’s School Leadership Team (SLT). We have three openings for parent representatives. The purpose

of the SLT is to make decisions that support the continuous improvement of the

school in accordance with the provisions of the Charter. The members of

the SLT are accountable to the constituents they serve and shall perform those

functions and duties and have those responsibilities of a school leadership

team as are set forth in the Charter. The SLT understands that the Charter

governs the operations of the City Schools of Decatur. To the extent that

there is any inconsistency between these bylaws and the Charter, the Charter

shall govern.

The members of the SLT are accountable to the constituents they serve and shall:

1. Maintain a school-wide perspective on issues,
2. Regularly participate in SLT meetings,
3. Participate in information and training programs,
4. Act as a link between the SLT and the community,
5. Encourage the participation of parents and others within the school community,
6. Sign a document indicating any conflicts of interest in serving on the SLT,
7. Sign a confidentiality agreement,
8. Create committees to implement the goals of the School Improvement Plan,
9. Advocate for the school at the Board of Education and Community wide level and,
10. Work to improve student achievement and performance as outlined in the charter, school improvement plan, strategic plan, and Board policies. Including, but not limited to, establishing SLT work group committees to meet the goals identified by the SLT.

Have a great afternoon!

Billy

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment is designed to measure a student’s academic achievement and growth over time in reading and mathematics. MAP is a computer adaptive assessment. With this type of assessment, the difficulty of the questions are adjusted up or down to gauge the student's level of understanding. This creates a personalized assessment for every student. Together with other classroom-based information, MAP results can help teachers make instructional decisions that match the needs of each child.

We will administer the Fall MAP test to all students on Wednesday, August 18 (Reading) and Thursday, August 19 (Math). Makeup testing will take place over the following week as needed. Please help your child get a good night's rest and eat a good breakfast before testing.

Join our IN-PERSON teams at Talley Street! Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running. At Girls on the Run we inspire girls to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Trained coaches lead small teams through our research-based curricula which includes dynamic discussions, activities and running games. Over the course of the ten-week program, girls in 3rd-8th grade develop essential skills to help them navigate their worlds and establish a lifetime appreciation for health and fitness. The program culminates with girls positively impacting their communities through a service project and being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5K event.

Interested in participating? Registration is OPEN NOW

https://www.girlsontherunatlanta.org/Program-Registration

Questions? Email nbundschu@csdecatur.net or contact info@girlsontherunatlanta.org

Girls on the Run Site Information

• Talley Street Upper Elementary School

• Two days a week after school until 2:30-4:00 (Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesdays/Thursdays)

• Register Online: Girlsontherunatlanta.org

• Paper application available upon request

• Space is limited

• GOTR uses an income-based sliding scale so that every girl who wants to participate can. Registration fee is available on a sliding scale from $10 to $185.

• Includes GOTR lessons, water bottle, 2 t-shirts and 5k registration.

Fall 2021 Registration

Now until Aug. 31 - Registration Open

Week of Sept. 13 - Programs Begin

Dec. 4 - Girls on the Run 5K

Week of Dec. 6 - Last week of programs

*You can register anytime during the registration period. Team participants selected by the computer will receive an automated e-mail stating they are on the team. Girls who are not placed on the initial team will be placed on a waiting list and will receive an email from GOTR.

We are in need of volunteer IN PERSON coaches for next season! Coaches are MENTORS who help inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum (provided by Girls on the Run), which creatively integrates running. At Girls on the Run we inspire girls to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Runners/Athletes/Female identifying individuals are NOT required to be a coach! We cannot have any teams at Talley if we do not have enough volunteers to coach. Please consider joining our coaching team next season! Here is what you can expect:

• Fill out a coaches application and complete a background check

• Attend a virtual training session

• Commit to 1-2 days a week of coaching (Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs from 2:30-4:00)

• Support your fellow co-coaches, take turns leading lessons based on the GOTR Curriculum

• This program has proven to have a positive impact on the girls who participate. Be prepared for it to have a positive impact on you, too!

Please reach out to Natalie Bundschu at nbundschu@csdecatur.net if you or anyone you know is interested in coaching this season.

SHOUT OUT to the 5th graders that filmed our very first episode of the Talley News Network. You can see the episode at the link below!

Starting Monday, August 16th, we will be offering a choice of milk + graham crackers + fruit to our students who traditionally choose "milk only" when they bring their lunch. This "buddy" meal is supposed to add onto a child's lunch from home, NOT replace a regular lunch meal for a student. Any student who wishes to purchase milk only will be charged, however, if a student takes this "lunch box buddy" meal then there is no cost! We encourage everyone to try out our lunch box buddies in the next few weeks!

Our first event is through the DPN and features Kim Evans, Fonta High, and Sara Melito to talk about kids mental health.

The online Spirit Wear Store is open today! Look for the Spirit Wear tab on our website at www.talleypto.org.

Talley Tiger Shout Out to all who have signed up to serve as Room Parents this year! We still have spots available on the Room Parent sign up on the website under the Volunteer tab. If you are a room parent, please direct your parents to contribute to the Room Parent Pool at Talley Room Parents PayPal Pool 2021. This year, we will be collecting all class contributions in one pool and distributing them equally across classrooms.

Please check out our new Safe Routes to School tab on the PTO website! Here, you'll find safe walking routes as well as upcoming events such as Walk and Roll days (with coffee for parents!).

...on Friday for your PTO Welcome letter with additional information!

Homework Help: We are continuing our Virtual Pals tutoring program in which we pair a 2nd-8th grade student with an upper high school student or adult volunteer to help with homework, time management, and motivation. If you would like to sign your student up for the program, you can go here: https://forms.gle/nLrKbwkXyvYjEAJB8 If you would like to help as a volunteer tutor, you can apply here: https://forms.gle/L5hGac9Y7HGTKFZJ7 (High school students can earn volunteer hours!)

Could you be a mentor? We’re also seeking 15 women and 15 men volunteers to serve as mentors for our AIM Scholars mentoring program. Third-grade students are paired with an adult mentor who helps them by supporting their academics and explore their Interests; Mentors also help their students connect to educational and enrichment opportunities. For just 2-4 hours per month, you can have a meaningful impact in the life of a student. For more information, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring

From all of us at Wylde Center, happy new school year to our CSD friends! Our education team is so excited to get back in the garden with our young learners and growers. If your class, grade level, or school is seeking opportunities for environmental education or Farm to School lessons, please visit our website here for more information.

If you are ready to schedule lessons, email Nichole Lupo at nichole@wyldecenter.org. For parents interested in learning more about the award-winning Decatur Farm to School program, visit here and consider joining the Decatur Farm to School Committee to support school garden-based lessons in science, math, and nutrition; district-wide taste tests; paid summer internships for students from Decatur High School; and training and equipment for the CSD Nutrition Department.

Afterschool counselors lead enriching activities for children in school buildings across the City of Decatur with an emphasis on leadership, social-emotional learning, STEAM, and cultural competence. The role begins August 24-27, 2021 with orientation and then starts at schools on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. Schedules are 1:45-6:15 pm or 2:15-6:15 pm M-F on school days from August through May with some additional hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout the year for meetings and professional development. The pay rate is $14 or $15/hour DOQ.

How to Apply

Applying is easy! Please visit our website to apply online. You can also check out our Instagram ad here.

Social Media and Contact Information

You can find more information on the following Facebook pages:

Talley Street Principal

Talley Street Upper Elementary School PTO

Talley Street Upper Elementary School Parents

Talley Street Artists

For news in the Media Center and from our school counselors, check out their websites:

Media Center Website

Counseling Website

For more about the Talley Street PTO, visit their website here: https://talleypto.org/