CSD Weekly: Back-to-School

The countdown to the 2026-2027 school year is officially on! We are excited to welcome you back on Monday, August 3. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, special back-to-school editions of CSD Weekly will serve as your essential resource for everything you need to know for a successful year. Be sure to check your individual school newsletter for additional details.

CSD Weekly is the district's weekly newsletter, delivering the latest news and updates from the district and all schools in one place. Newsletters will be sent each Thursday to all CSD parents, as well as students in grades 6-12. The community can subscribe to the CSD Weekly here.

1. The Back-to-School Checklist provides a roadmap to assist families in first day readiness.
2. The Annual Data Update must be completed before the start of each school year with current contact, medical, and other information. From the Infinite Campus Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. Find more details on the annual data update lower in the newsletter. Contact your school for username and password help.
3. What's New in CSD for 2026-2027? Check out the new way to register for transportation, updated guidelines on responsible use of screen time in the classroom, the new law on the use of personal devices for grades K-8 during school, and more.
4. An overview of the updates to curriculum, student services, and technology will further enhance preparation for the new school year.
5. All schools newsletters are accessible in one place, with specific back-to-school details to prepare students and families in all grades.

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

The 2026-2027 Academic Calendar can be found on the CSD website by clicking "District and School Calendars," then under PreK-12 Calendars" on the right.

Plan Ahead for Early Release Days! CSD's 2026-2026 early release days are August 26, October 28, December 18, January 27, March 17 and May 27.

Digital Learning Day is Tuesday, November 3, to allow teachers and staff time to vote. Teachers will provide schoolwork for an at-home learning day.

Schools will be closed for teacher work days on Monday, October 12, and Monday, January 4.

• All-In Decatur Back-to-School Bash, July 16
• Pre-Planning: July 23-31
• Grades K-2 Meet & Greet, July 30, 9-11 a.m.
• Grades 3-5 Meet & Greet, July 30, 1-3 p.m.
• Grades 6-8 Meet & Greet, July 30, 3-5 p.m.
• College Heights PreK Meet & Greet, July 31, 9 a.m.-noon
• College Heights 0-3 Meet & Greet, July 31, 1-3 p.m.
• Grades 9-12 Meet & Greet, July 31, 2-4 p.m.
• All-Staff Opening Day Event, July 29
  
• CSD First Day of School, August 3
• Board of Education Meeting, August 11
• Board of Education Retreat, August 18
• Early Release Day, August 26

CSD students, families, staff, and the community are invited to the annual All-In Decatur 2026 Back-to-School Bash, a fun-filled day of music, food trucks, giveaways, and activities for all ages on Thursday, July 16, 4-7 p.m. at the Decatur High School gym, at 310 N. McDonough Street. CSD families may register for this community event onsite. Contact BacktoSchoolBash@csdecatur.net for questions.

Note: Backpacks and school supplies will be distributed while supplies last. Parking is available in the DHS parking lot on the corner of N. McDonough and Howard Street.

If your currently enrolled student has a sibling who will be new to CSD for the 2026-2027 school year, you must register this new sibling via the Parent Portal. More information and links are available in the CSD's Key Contacts & Resources for Families, available in multiple languages. Rising kindergarten students or students new to CSD may register for school here. Please register as soon as possible to help schools prepare for another great year.

1. Select "More" from the menu in the Parent Portal.

2. Select "Annual Data Update."

3. Select "2026-2027 New Student Registration."

As part of the enrollment process, please email residency documentation to CSD's district enrollment specialist, Patrice Moore, at pmoore@csdecatur.net, as the Parent Portal will not allow you to change or upload this field. Information about required residency proof documents is available on the CSD website. Contact pmoore@csdecatur.net or 404-371-3601 x1063 for additional assistance.

◽Schedules ◽ Grades ◽ Lunch Money ◽ Contact Information◽ Test Scores ◽ And More!

The CSD Parent Portal provides important information to assist families in supporting students. For assistance with the Portal, visit this webpage or contact your school's front office. Information about attendance, grades, or schedules is not yet available in Infinite Campus. Contact your school for Infinite Campus username and password help.

At the beginning of every school year, it is critical for families to use the Parent Portal for back-to-school readiness. Please take a moment to:

• Complete the Annual Data Update before each school year starts, providing current contact, medical, and other information. From the Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. Find more details on the annual data update here.
• Register for 2026-2027 bus transportation by indicating your intent for your student (s) to ride the bus while completing the Annual Data Update. The student's primary contact listed in Infinite Campus will receive an invitation from the Transportation Department to log into the Stopfinder Bus Tracking App. More information is further down in this newsletter.

• Infinite Campus is now using Stripe for all online payment functions in the Campus Portal. Banking and card information must be set up again in the new Stripe portal. Stored payment methods and recurring payments were not transferred between vendors.

  • Processing fees remain at 2.5% for credit cards and $0.35 for e-checks.

  • Please log in to Infinite Campus and click "Fees" to check for any balances.

• Apply for free/reduced-price meal benefits: We encourage all families to apply. Families that previously received benefits must reapply every year. Select More ⇒ Meal Benefits.
• Add money to meal accounts, and set up balance alerts and auto-payments. In the Portal, select Food Service.
• Look up teacher contact information. Select More ⇒ Contact List.
• Review CSD's student handbook and Code of Conduct. Additional information is available on the website.
• Submit updated health forms found on the health forms webpage. Please note any medical needs of which school nurses need to be made aware.

As we begin the 2026-27 school year, you will find important school health information below. Please check the health forms link to access all required health forms.

• Complete the Annual Data Update through the Infinite Campus parent portal, including the health information section, to ensure we have the most current information.
• Care Plans/Action Plans: If your child has a medical condition (e.g., asthma, seizures, diabetes, food allergies), CSD requires updated health forms, signed and dated by a parent/guardian and physician, at the start of the new school year. Health forms may be turned in to the school clinic.

• Immunizations: Georgia state law requires that all students have current immunization documentation on file to attend school. Students who do not have current immunization documentation on file may be excluded from school attendance until compliance is met in accordance with Georgia's immunization schedule and school requirements. Please take the necessary steps to ensure your student receives vaccines appropriate for their age group over the summer. This step will help the school health team prepare for the annual immunization audit conducted by DeKalb Public Health in the fall. Click the immunization requirements link for additional information.
• Medication at School: Parents/guardians must sign and date an “Authorization of Medication” administration form for all medication. Parents or guardians must drop off all medications at the clinic.
• Prescription medication requires a healthcare provider’s signature and completion of the provider’s section of the authorization. Medication must be in the original pharmacy-labeled container with the most recent fill date. The pharmacy label details must exactly match the authorization form, and the physical medication must match the pharmacy label description.

• Over-the-counter medication must be in the original, unopened manufacturer’s container. A physician's signature is required for doses that exceed established amounts for age or weight as printed on the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Self-Carry Authorization: Students authorized to carry and self-administer emergency medication (e.g., epinephrine auto-injector, inhalers, insulin/diabetes supplies) must have both the "Authorization for Medication Administration" and the "Authorization for Student to Carry Medication" forms completed and on file in the clinic.
• School Health Clinic Visits: Students exhibiting symptoms of illness will be referred to the school clinic for evaluation and care. All symptomatic students will be sent home from school. We kindly ask that you arrange pickup within one hour of being called.

Meagan Ferguson is the new principal of Winnona Park Elementary School for the 2026-2027 academic year. Bringing over 20 years of experience as an instructional leader, Ms. Ferguson is honored to lead Winnona Park as students begin their educational journeys, fostering community, achievement, continual improvement, and collaboration. A native of Detroit, MI, she has taught at nearly every grade level from K-12 to the graduate level in a variety of educational environments in Florida, Connecticut, New York, Washington, D.C., and Georgia. Ms. Ferguson holds a Master of Science in Childhood Education from Hunter College in New York and a Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology from the University of Michigan.

Most recently, Ms. Ferguson served as the assistant principal of F.Ave. She joined CSD in 2018 as a fifth-grade teacher and later became the MTSS Administrator. Her experience in progressive leadership at F.Ave. has enabled her to cultivate strong, lasting relationships across schools and departments.

Infinite Campus is now using the online payment system Stripe for all online payment functions in the Campus Portal. Stripe is a more secure, easier-to-use payment system that will offer tap-and-pay options at school events.

All banking and card information must be set up again in the new Stripe portal. Stored payment methods and recurring payments were not transferred between vendors.

There will be no changes to our fee structures. Processing fees remain at 2.5% for credit cards and $0.35 for e-checks. Please log in to Infinite Campus and click "Fees" to check for any balances.

• High school Physical Science is now being offered at BHMS for all students.
• New AP Courses offered at DHS are AP Capstone, AP Seminar, AP Cybersecurity, AP Literature and Composition, and AP Government.
• Students in grades 6-12 are piloting Knowt, a dynamic study tool that leverages interactive study tools to support deep learning.
• The Alliance Theater is partnering with preschool and PreK classes at College Heights ECLC and the Frasier Center to offer Wolf Trap’s "Baby Arts Play," an integrated arts and Science of Reading program that provides developmentally appropriate arts lessons designed to promote early literacy and social and emotional skills.
• The DHS Decatur Career Academy at Decatur High School is launching a professional firefighting dual enrollment program in partnership with the City of Decatur Fire Department under Fire Chief Washington and Atlanta Technical College, which will oversee the program’s curriculum and content. Program classes will be taught in Decatur and provide engaging, hands-on experiences that can lead directly to a firefighter Technical Certificate of Credit and entry-level job opportunities upon graduation.
• CSD is committed to high-quality literacy instruction and supporting students with characteristics of dyslexia. The GaDOE Dyslexia Informational Handbook provides information on what dyslexia is and how to support students with learning challenges.

DHS's new Blue & Gold Academy is a structured program designed for students who need a non-traditional educational pathway due to family choice, attendance challenges, credit deficits, social-emotional needs, or difficulty remaining focused and successful in a large high school setting. The Decatur Virtual Academy has discontinued operations, and the Blue & Gold Academy will provide personalized pathways that offer opportunities for credit recovery, allowing students to remain connected to the high school experience outside the traditional classroom setting.

The Blue & Gold Academy will offer:

• consistent on-campus support during the school day
• integrated academic, behavioral and social-emotional support
• stronger connection to future-ready skills and adult mentorship

Contact Dr. Duane Sprull for more information or to enroll your student.

Introducing Transportation 2.0: Starting this year, families who would like their student to ride the school bus must request transportation by completing the Annual Data Update (ADU) in the Infinite Campus Portal. Please allow 24–48 hours for transportation requests to be processed.

After your transportation request in the Annual Data Update has been processed, you will receive an email invitation to register for the Stopfinder Bus Tracking App. Once your account is activated, you will be able to:

• View your student’s assigned bus route
  
• View bus stop locations
  
• View scheduled pickup and drop-off times
  
• Receive important transportation notifications and service updates

How to Access Your Student’s Bus Information

1. Stopfinder Bus Tracking App — Primary Source
Stopfinder is the Transportation Department’s primary source for bus route information, service updates, and notifications. All families are strongly encouraged to download the app and complete the registration process.

2. Transportation Website
Bus routes are also posted on the district website. Visit the Transportation Department webpage and select Routes to review available route information.

3. InfoFinder
Families may use InfoFinder to determine whether their address qualifies for transportation services. Enter your home address, and if transportation is available, the system will display the assigned route number, bus stop location, and scheduled pickup and drop-off times.

Note About the Parent Portal
Some families may also see a Transportation tab in the Parent Portal after completing the ADU. If route information is not displayed or appears incomplete, please use Stopfinder, the Transportation website, or InfoFinder for the most current transportation information. Stopfinder is the recommended source for ongoing bus information and transportation notifications throughout the school year.

Email routefinder@csdecatur.net with questions.

CSD is expanding the BASC-3 BESS (Behavioral and Emotional Screening System) to include grades K–2, after several years of using this reliable universal screener for students in grades 3-12.

• Early intervention is critical to long-term academic and personal success.
• BASC-3 BESS provides a consistent, proactive way to identify students' social-emotional needs.
• By catching potential challenges early, we can ensure that every child is connected with the appropriate support systems before minor hurdles become larger obstacles.

We invite all families to learn more about this process and how it supports our students at our upcoming virtual information sessions on Tuesday, August 25, at noon and 6 p.m. More details will be shared in future issues of CSD Weekly.

As part of the Future Readiness Skills (FRS) Framework, CSD is expanding the Wayfinder program to all K-5 classrooms this year, after a successful year in 6-12 classrooms.

• Wayfinder is a research-based Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum developed at Stanford University that equips students with the tools to confidently "chart their own path" through school, career, and life.
• Through engaging, age-appropriate lessons, students learn how to identify their core values, manage their emotions, and build meaningful connections with others.
• Wayfinder helps to ensure that every CSD student builds a strong foundation for future success—not just academically, but as adaptable, empathetic, and future-ready individuals.

CSD has heard the concerns of the community surrounding screen time in classrooms, and we share them. We are committed to embracing a balanced, mindful approach to classroom technology, one that keeps our students actively engaged, highly creative, and deeply connected. We believe that technology should always be a powerful spark that enhances learning, rather than a replacement for rich, face-to-face instruction and hands-on discovery. Please review the initial CSD Technology Guidelines for Grades K-8 to see how we are keeping learning vibrant, focused, and beautifully balanced. Principals will be working with K-12 teachers to refine technology instructional practices, and CSD will share updates about further changes.

Additionally, starting August 1, CSD is introducing a few updates to create a safer, more focused digital environment for our students. Specifically, we are turning off email for elementary students to prioritize hands-on learning, and transitioning middle schoolers (grades 6–8) to an internal-only network so they can safely email within CSD while remaining shielded from outside distractions. These positive adjustments are designed to keep our students safe, balanced, and supported.

Students in grades K-8 will not be allowed to use cell phones, smartwatches or other personal electronic devices during school starting this school year. Devices brought to school must be kept in backpacks for grades K-5 and in lockboxes for grades 6-8. Students in grades 9-12 who bring cell phones must silence and store them in designated classroom holders during all instructional periods, and students will be permitted to use their phones only during class changes and lunch. See the personal electronics protocol for grades 9-12.