The Bulldog, November 20, 2025

Note from Mrs. Lockwood:

What a great week of teaching and learning! We celebrated National Family Engagement Month in style with our annual Thanksgiving luncheon and annual musical. Families, we appreciate your involvement and support. We are indeed a strong Clairemont community!

School will be closed next week from Monday, November 24, through Friday, November 28, 2025, and reopen on Monday, December 1, 2025. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break. I look forward to seeing everyone back, rested and recharged! Enjoy your time off!

Feedback is now being collected on the 27-28 drafted Academic Calendar. The survey is open until December 3. You can access the survey here.

Events at a glance:

• Thursday, November 20: CSD All in Dinner; 5:00-6:30
• Friday, November 21: Community Crew
• Monday, November 24 - Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving Break NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, December 2 - Thursday, December 4: Star Testing for all grades
• Thursday, December 4: 2nd Grade field trip to musical
• Friday, December 5: Walk & Roll
• Friday, December 5: School Crew (students and staff only)
• Friday, December 12: Community Crew
• Friday, December 12 - Saturday, December 13: Decatur Holiday Marketplace

You're invited to the annual CSD ESOL and Federal Program All in Dinner Thursday, November 20th at 5:30 at the Wilson Center. Please RSVP by clicking this link or clicking the photo above.

If your family is in need of assistance during this holiday season, you can submit an application to a Season of Giving.

Submit an application here: https://aseasonofgiving.org/child-application/

(Click on any of the images below to make them bigger.)

Our first graders got to enjoy the fruits of their labor as they harvested the sweet potatoes they planted with Mr. Seetoo during their kindergarten year. This was a multi-grade effort, as they planted slips cultivated by last year's first graders (this year's 2nd graders). Students got their hands dirty as they pulled up over 50 sweet potatoes! The potatoes need time to rest in a dark place, and after Thanksgiving break we will get to taste them!

Months of hard work paid off as Clairemont students took the stage in Willy Wonka Kids this Wednesday evening. Under the direction of Melissa Lawrence and musical direction of Monica Nelson, almost 50 kindergarten, first, and second graders memorized lines, learned choreography, and mastered difficult songs in this musical based on the 1971 film. Every student truly gave their best, and the result was a smash hit! We have a long list of teachers and parents who also helped make this musical a huge success. Thank you to everyone who had any part in putting this together for our students. Clairemont's annual musical is one of the many things that make our school special, and this year was no exception.

VOLUNTEER HERE: https://decaturholidaymarketplace.com/volunteer/

BAKE SALE SIGN UP HERE: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F49A8AB23A2F58-59137213-bake

Click the image above to sign up for the bake sale!

Hey Clairemont Crew!

We invite you and your family to join us here at the school for this wonderful community tradition. All proceeds from the event support learning initiatives for Clairemont students & teachers. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for the latest updates. This year's Marketplace will be held at Clairemont Elementary School on Friday, December 12th from 5:30pm-9pm and Saturday, December 13th, from 10am-5pm.

VOLUNTEER HERE

Want to help with the Marketplace? We rely on all of our Clairemont parent volunteers and our Clairemont Bulldogs to put this fundraiser on its feet. It takes the whole CREW to pull off this wonderful tradition! Please email Marketplace Chairperson Melissa Godbee at decaturholidaymarketplace@gmail.com for more information or if you would like to be more involved with any of the preparations such as decorating transformation, soup service, booking live music, social media or sponsorships.

Read the November 20, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Following two public meetings and community feedback regarding the timeline and public engagement, the Board of Education has decided to reassess and amend the K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process. This revision was discussed during the work session of the board meeting on November 11, leading to a new name: the K-2 School Utilization Process.

During a board retreat on Tuesday, November 18, the board agreed to proceed with the administration's recommendation that any decisions regarding the K-2 School Utilization Process will not impact the 2026-2027 school year. At the community's request, the board emphasized that the central need is to balance K-2 schools by evaluating total enrollment figures, building usage, and staffing resources, all while ensuring fiscal responsibility and honoring the unique culture of Decatur's small, neighborhood schools. Furthermore, the board emphasized that there is no connection between the K-2 Utilization Process and the new Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC).

Starting in January, four previously proposed community-led committees will convene to explore the next phase and collaboratively create thoughtful, community-centered solutions for our K–2 schools. During their meeting on December 9, the board will continue discussions regarding the scope of work, criteria, and parameters that will guide the committees’ efforts. This clarity will enable all committees and working groups to embark on the next phase with a unified foundation.

All board meeting recordings are available on the CSD website. Community members can view these recordings at their convenience and may focus specifically on sections related to K-2 School Utilization to hear the complete board discussion.

Thank you again for your partnership, commitment, and engagement as we strive to support every child and strengthen every school within City Schools of Decatur. We look forward to continuing this collaborative effort to co-create solutions that are student-centered, fiscally responsible, and aligned with our community's values.

The PTA is partnering with Minted this holiday season. Support Clairemont Elementary by using our unique promo code FUNDRAISECLAIREMONT to purchase holiday cards and gifts from Minted.com. You’ll receive 20% off your order and 10% of each purchase will be donated back to us at the end of the year. Happy Holidays!

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.

Decatur Education Foundation provides food assistance to families in Decatur. We have a bin in front of the school to collect items listed on the flyer above. Other ways you can help: click on the image above to order directly from their Amazon wish list, or click THIS LINK to donate funds they will use to purchase grocery gift cards. If you have any questions, please email info@decatureducationfoundation.org.