Talley Street Update
This week's news from Talley Street Upper Elementary

December 4, 2025
Save the Date!
- Winter Orchestra Performance: December 8, 6:30 pm, DHS Performing Arts Center
- Talley St. Library Spirit/Fundraising Day: December 10 (all day at Little Shop of Stories)
- PTO Meeting: December 10, 6 pm
- Chorus Performance: December 11, 6 pm, City of Decatur Annual Bonfire Marshmallow Roast
- Green Team Guest Speaker: December 16, 2:30 pm, Media Center (all are welcome)
- 6th Grade Course Selection Webinar: December 18, 6:30 pm (more information here)
- Early Release Day: December 19, 12:15 pm
- CSD Semester Break: December 22-January 5
Parents will use their child's student ID number as the access code to log in.
Talley Library Spirit Day (December 10, all day, at Little Shop of Stories)
Did you know that Talley opts out of traditional book fairs in order to host a more equitable, True Book Fair in May? We love this event, and in order to make up for the loss of fundraising, we host an annual spirit day at Little Shop of Stories. On December 10, shop in-store or online and say you are with Talley at checkout. Twenty percent of those sales will come back to our library to support collection development and programming! Join us without kids during the school day to get some holiday shopping done, and come after school to visit with favorite teachers, participate in some exciting activities (more info coming soon), and shop teacher wishlists.
Please consider shopping small on December 10 to support Decatur's local businesses and our school library! Thank you in advance for your generosity. Please reach out to Mrs. Long (along@csdecatur.net) with any questions.
WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS!
Please help us greet families, pass out cookies and stickers, and manage teacher wishlist tickets. We would love to have you join us!
5th Grade Families - 6th Grade Course Selection
Ready or not, it’s time to look ahead! We are gearing up to welcome our newest Bulldog crew to BHMS in 2026-2027! The Course Request Window for our rising 6th graders is going to start soon! We have compiled a single resource containing everything you need to successfully support your 5th grader with this process and navigate the upcoming course request window.
Inside this guide, you will find:
📚 Course Information: Detailed descriptions of classes, pacing guides, and more.
đź“… Timelines: Key dates and deadlines you can't miss.
âť“ FAQs: Answers to your most pressing questions and an opportunity to ask a question.
Girls on the Run - Coaches Needed!
Girls on the Run is looking for parents/caregivers/community members to coach at Talley Street for the Spring 2026 Season! If you are interested in becoming a coach/mentor for our participants, please see this flyer and visit girlsontherunga.com/coach to learn more about the kind of commitment it takes to be a coach, and to register to coach. Practice is on M/W or T/Th from 2:30-4:00 pm from February 9-April 28. No practice when there is no school or on Early Release days. Your Talley student is guaranteed a spot on the team if you volunteer to coach. We must have at least three coaches per team in order to host teams at Talley. We need you! Email programs@girlsontherunga.org for questions about GOTR or coaching, and nbundschu@csdecatur.net for questions about coaching at Talley. For more information about GOTR as a program, go to https://www.girlsontherunga.org/3rd-5th-grade-program-details.
Important Dates:
Participant lottery registration WILL OPEN SOON and will be open through 11:59 pm on January 28th.
A computer-generated lottery will take place on January 29th for teams that are full. For any teams that don't fill through the lottery, registration reopens by 3 pm on January 29th and will remain open through February 19th on a first-come, first-served basis.
Practices for all teams begin the week of February 9th.
The last day to register for teams that have not yet filled and the last day for refunds is February 19th.
The Girls on the Run 5K celebration is April 25th.
The last week of practice will be the week of April 27th.
No More Socks!
We're sad to report that the Green Team no longer will be collecting used socks for textile recycling. The free program that sponsored this effort has ended. However, we still are collecting a variety of other items through the Green Team Store that are eligible for house points. Check out all the options HERE!
Save the Date - Green Team Speaker Series
Tuesday, December 16 | 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm | Talley Media Center
The Talley Green Team is excited to announce our next guest speaker: Emma Dufrense, Program Director with LiveThrive, who will talk about the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) and how it works, play recycling games with us, and tell us about some upcoming sustainability contests in which Talley can get involved. This program is free and open to all Talley families (parents and students)...not just Green Team members. We hope to see you there!
INTERESTED in learning more about the Green Team? Direct your questions to Kathryn Roberts at kathryn.roberts@csdecatur.net.
Thank You to Our PTO!
The Green Team greatly appreciates their support of our recycling efforts through the purchase of a TerraCycle box for disposable gloves.
- Walk & Roll is canceled tomorrow due to weather conditions. We look forward to you joining us when Walk & Roll returns next March!
- Final weeks to buy yearbooks on pre-sale for $23! They will be $28 starting on 01/01/2026. Order at bit.ly/talleyyearbook25. Please consider donating a yearbook. If you need financial assistance, a discount code is available; contact Ms. Weaver (kiweaver@csdecatur.net), Talley school counselor. For other questions, contact yearbook@talleypto.org.
- Please have your student(s) check the Lost and Found as soon as an item is discovered missing! Unclaimed items will be donated on the last Tuesday of every month. Please label all student items that could be left behind! Labeled items will be returned to students’ homeroom classes.
- Join the Talley Street Bike Bus! We bike to Talley every Friday morning! More details at: https://atlantabikebus.com/schools/talley. Express interest or sign up (for yourself and/or your student) at: https://tinyurl.com/talleybikebus. For questions, contact talleystreetbikebus@gmail.com.
Take GaDOE's Annual School Climate Survey
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.
BHMS Winter Concerts
The BHMS Orchestra, Band and Chorus invite you to a special night of wonderful holiday music at their annual Winter Concerts!
This is a fantastic opportunity for all families to enjoy the festive season, but it's especially great for any 5th grader who might be considering joining the music programs when they transition to Beacon Hill Middle School.
Come see the current students perform and discover what it's like to be part of the BHMS music program! Flyer attached.
- December 4 - Band 7th & 8th Grade concert, 6:30 pm, BHMS Cafeteria
- December 8 - Chorus, 6th Grade Treble concert, 7 pm, Holy Trinity Parish in Decatur
- December 9 - Band, 6th Grade and Honors Ensemble concert, 6:30 pm, BHMS Cafeteria
- December 10 - Orchestra concert, 6:30 pm, BHMS Cafeteria
- December 16 - Chorus concert, 7 pm, First Baptist in Decatur
Decatur Holiday Marketplace and Cafe
Friday, Dec 12th & Saturday, Dec 13th
Clairemont Elementary’s Decatur Holiday Marketplace + Café is just around the corner!
Come shop local, discover unique handmade gifts, and enjoy delicious treats at our cozy café. It’s the perfect way to support local artists and soak up the festive spirit with neighbors and friends.
A beloved community tradition awaits! We can’t wait to see you there!
Social Media and Contact Information
You can find more information on the following Facebook pages:
Talley Street Upper Elementary School Parents
And these Instagram pages:
For more about the Talley Street PTO, visit their website here: https://talleypto.org/.