CSD Weekly: October 16, 2025

• CSD Announces K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process
• Mark Your Calendars: National Bullying Prevention Month, ESOL/Federal Program Night of Fun
• Around CSD: City of Decatur PFA Approves Bond for CSD Capital Improvement Plan, 2nd Annual State of the Schools Address, DHS and BHMS Girls' Basketball Visit Georgia Tech, Schools Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
• Information and Resources: Decatur Virtual Academy Interest Form for Spring 2026 Enrollment
• Community Partner News: Volunteer with Madison Ave. Derby

Find out what's happening in CSD schools by clicking on your school's newsletter name.

College Heights Connection

Clairemont Bulldog

Glennwood Eagle Edition

Oakhurst Weekly

Westchester Weekly

Winnona Park Wildcat Weekly

F.Ave Falcon Flyer

Talley Street Update

BHMS Weekly Update

DHS Weekly Update

Today, Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker sent a letter to all families via email to inform the City Schools of Decatur community that the CSD Board of Education has initiated a comprehensive review of K-2 school utilization. This review will assess how CSD's K-2 schools are currently being utilized to ensure that space, staffing, and resources align with student needs while also maintaining operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility.

The Board of Education work session on October 14, 2025, served as a preliminary discussion to review various options, including the potential closure of a K-2 school. The consulting firm Education Planners has been engaged to facilitate this process and presented a timeline for the first time at the work session, along with a detailed overview of the school closure and redistricting process. The board has not yet decided which school, if any, will be closed. There will be opportunities for families to share their input in the upcoming weeks.

Please read the full letter in English here. More information and additional language translations of the letter are available on the K-2 School Consolidation & Redistricting Process webpage.

CSD families are invited to upcoming public hearings for feedback on the K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process:

• Wednesday, October 29, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Beacon Hill Middle School, Cafeteria
• Thursday, November 13, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Beacon Hill Middle School, Cafeteria

While we encourage everyone to attend the public input hearings, please also consider submitting your feedback via this feedback form.

• ESOL and Federal Programs Night of Fun, October 16, 4-6:30 p.m., Wilson Center
• Student Support Services Transition Fair, October 16, 5 p.m., Ebster Recreation Center
• Early Release Day, October 22
• Wear it Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness, October 24
• First Public Hearing for Feedback on K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process, October 29
• Remote Digital Learning Day, November 4
• Board of Education Meeting, November 11
• Second Public Hearing for Feedback on K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process, November 13
• Board of Education Retreat, November 18

The board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education and the City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority for the sale relating to the issuance of City of Decatur Public Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series 2025. The City of Decatur Public Facilities Authority approved the bond on October 15, 2025, which gives authorization to the Chair of the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education and the Superintendent of the City Schools of Decatur to execute the documents as necessary and appropriate for the fulfillment of that purpose.

The 2025 Series Revenue Bonds will be used to finance the Comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan. The projects are the construction of the Early Childhood Learning Center and Decatur High School expansions that include the construction of an Auxiliary Gym, a Fine Arts addition to create adequate space for band and theater needs, and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) renovations.

On Friday, October 10, Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker delivered the district's second annual State of the Schools address, highlighting CSD's achievements and growth. Dr. Whitaker shared that CSD now ranks among the top five public school districts in Georgia, and is among the top three districts in 78% of all 2025 Georgia Milestone Assessments administered statewide.

Additionally, Dr. Whitaker shared that the district ranks first in the state for English Language Arts in grades 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and is among the top four districts in the state in grades 3 through 8. The address also celebrated CSD achieving the highest SAT scores among districts statewide this year, as well as the 2025 DHS graduation rate increasing to 96.04%, up 0.79% from the previous year.

The program also featured student performances from the DHS Color Guard and chorus, followed by the BHMS eighth-grade chamber orchestra and eighth-grade treble chorus. Artwork from students across CSD greeted attendees as they arrived, and co-presidents of the DHS Student Government Association Jack Marrah and Payton Sobon served as emcees. Thank you to all these students, as well as to Dr. David Hirschorn, Dr. Elise Eskew Sparks, Bobby Crosby, and Sgt. First Class Bruce Case for helping to put together this program.

The program also included remarks from Dr. Carmen Sulton, Chair of the Board of Education, and Meagan Berardi, Executive Director of the Decatur Education Foundation. Members of the CSD community, superintendents from the metro area, state and local elected officials, and representatives from partner organizations and the Georgia Department of Education attended the event. A video recording of this event will be made available on the CSD website soon.

The DHS and BHMS girls' basketball teams had a "golden" opportunity to visit the Georgia Tech Women's Basketball program to watch them practice this week. Our teams received a full tour of the McCamish Pavilion and heard from Karen Blair, the head coach of Georgia Tech's women's basketball team, who offered invaluable encouragement and shared insight into coaching and recruiting. This team-bonding outing was a unique way to motivate and inspire student-athletes beyond the basketball court.

Thank you to coaches Nick DeLoach, Chris Johnson, Kimari Edwards, and Chance Hood for helping to coordinate this trip, and to the coaching staff at Georgia Tech for hosting and welcoming these CSD student-athletes to campus.

Oakhurst celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at its Hispanic heritage-themed community circle. Students participated in traditional dances and music and held a parade to represent the many Hispanic countries. Thank you to Spanish teacher Señor Valerio for organizing such a wonderful celebration of Hispanic culture for the Oakhurst community.

F.Ave honored National Hispanic Heritage Month at their recent Friday Cast Blast, celebrating Hispanic and Latino history and culture with a variety of activities including conversations and teamwork-building games on the field.

CSD will observe a remote Digital Learning Day on November 4. CSD is committed to ensuring all staff have an opportunity to participate in civic engagement. In addition to participating in civic engagement and growing the digital learning skills of students, staff will have dedicated time for training and professional development.

Families interested in enrolling their student in the Decatur Virtual Academy (DVA) by choice for the Spring 2026 semester are encouraged to complete the DVA Online Interest and Contract Form by December 5, 2025. Please note that this contract is either for students new to DVA or for those who did not enroll by choice for the Fall 2025 semester, but wish to continue in DVA.

Upon completion of the form, an intake meeting will be scheduled. For more information, please review these frequently asked questions and/or email Ms. Arlethea Williams, Director of Decatur Virtual Academy, at awilliams@csdecatur.net.

The CSD School Health Team is partnering with DeKalb Public Health to offer flu vaccines to our CSD community. CSD students, staff, and families are invited to participate. Parents/guardians who are interested in their student(s) receiving the flu vaccine must be present at the time of services. Please bring your ID and insurance card for billing. Private insurance and Medicaid are accepted, with the exception of Kaiser and TriCare insurance plans.

Please see below for a list of remaining flu vaccine event:

• Glennwood Elementary: Monday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m.-noon

During National Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, CSD and districts across the nation join together to promote healthy, drug-free choices. The 2025 national theme is "Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free," reminding us that every choice is a "piece" that helps shape a positive, healthy future and encourages students to think carefully about how their decisions fit into the bigger picture.

During this week, students will participate in a variety of activities focused on promoting drug awareness and encouraging positive decision-making, including the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Red Ribbon poster and Scholastic contest.

We hope this week will spark positive conversations between students and families about the importance of wise choices, resisting pressure, and supporting one another in making healthy decisions.

Here are some community agencies that provide drug awareness resources:

• Decatur Parent Network (DPI)
• DeKalb Office of Youth Services
• University for Parents
• Claratel Behavioral Health (formerly DeKalb CSB)
• GA Center for Child Advocacy

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and CSD is excited to participate in Georgia's division of the International Dyslexia Association's 2025 "Rock for Dyslexia" competition. Students will engage in age-appropriate activities that help them understand dyslexia, recognize the importance of empathy and kindness, and decorate a rock with kind messages for those with dyslexia. If your child would like to participate in the Rock for Dyslexia competition, please read these directions and tips for creating their design.

Rock Design Submission Steps

1. Send two pictures of your rock to rockfordyslexia25@csdecatur.net following this

subject line format: student last name, student first name, school name (example: WalkerElizabethOakhurst)

2. Submit the design to the International Dyslexia Association here by Friday, October 31.

CSD is going all in for student success and announcing enhanced course progressions and a slate of dynamic new courses, with expanded offerings in ELA, Social Studies, and Science. We’re creating more diverse and advanced opportunities so every student can discover their passions and forge a unique path to success.

Highlights:

• Reimagined science progression: Beginning next school year, 8th-grade students will take high school-level Physical Science to earn a high school credit.
• Expanded AP and elective options: AP Seminar, AP Research, and AP Literature & Composition can strengthen critical thinking and writing skills and open new pathways to advanced recognition programs, like the AP Capstone Diploma Program.

These expanded options allow students to design a personalized academic path and offer more paths toward an IB Diploma, an AP Capstone Diploma, or Dual Enrollment.

See the detailed course maps for every subject below:

• ELA Course Progression 26-27 Final.pdf
• Math Progressions 26-27 Final.pdf
• Science Course Progression 26-27 Final. pdf
• Social Studies Course Progression 26-27 Final.pdf

• National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Farm To School Month
• Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia Awareness Month
• LGBTQ History Month
• National Bullying Prevention Month
• National Principals Month
• National School Lunch Week, October 13-17
• Safe Schools Week, October 19-25
• National School Bus Safety Week and Digital Citizenship Week, October 20-24
• Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31

DEF is looking for volunteers to help with the Madison Ave Derby on October 25. All proceeds benefit this year's DEF’s Lighten the Load initiative. Find more information about volunteering here.

Supper & Sips, DEF’s annual dinner and auction, is just around the corner on November 6, 6-10 p.m. at the Chapel on Sycamore. Join us for this fun evening of entertainment and fundraising for our schools. Tickets are available here.

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation commits to providing exceptional experiences that foster healthy living and meaningful community connections. Please visit the DPRD programs website for information about after-school programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. Follow Decatur Parks and Recreation on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter here.

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