College Heights Connection

Dear Families,

Thank you to all those who were able to attend our Family Engagement Event. Despite the cold temperatures, we had a wonderful turnout. The Book Fair is open until this Friday. Please be sure to stop by the media center to purchase your books. All funds raised go directly back to supporting literacy materials and initiatives. Just a friendly reminder, early release day for our Pre-K and Preschool Special Education Programs is Wednesday, March 25. Lastly, we are excited to celebrate Erynn Mathews-Davis, instructional coach, as our 2025-2026 Good Equity Troublemaker Award winner. Learn all about the award below.

Have a great weekend,

Principal Garland

March 20 - Last day of the Spring Book Fair

March 25 - Early Release Day (Pre-K and Preschool Special Education Programs)

April 1 - Spring School Tour (contact Caretha Hall to register)

April 6-10 - Spring Break (school closed for all students)

April 16 - K-Day (Pre-K)

April 24 - Preschool Art Show

April 30 - Pre-K field trip to K-2 schools

May 4-15 - Parent Conference Window

May 8 - Field Day (rain date May 12)

May 19 - Pre-K parade

May 22 - Last day of school (Pre-K)

This award honors those among us who get in “good trouble” - people who, like John Lewis, never hesitate to speak up, speak out, and contribute as role models and champions for justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and equitable educational outcomes in CSD.

We also want to acknowledge those nominated by their peers: Lola Thomas (nominated by the CSD Operations Department) and the 159 Teaching Team: Dawn Carey, Aneesah Edwards, Rahfiya Carrion, Joy Everett, and Anna Koh.

The 2026 Good Equity Troublemaker Award goes to Erynn Mathews-Davis. As our Instructional Coach, Erynn pushes us to move past "surface-level" inclusion and toward real justice. She challenges us to fix the systems that left people out. By auditing our classrooms and lesson plans, she ensures every student’s background is treated as a vital strength in their learning.

With expertise in data analysis, Erynn consistently evaluates student performance to build a culture of responsive instruction. By collaborating closely with our MTSS and lead teachers, she has transformed raw data into actionable intervention plans. These targeted strategies provide a vital safety net for our students, ensuring every child—regardless of their starting point—has a clear pathway to meeting and exceeding benchmarks.

A dedicated practitioner-scholar, Erynn integrates cutting-edge pedagogical research into the heart of our instructional culture. She doesn't just stay current; she translates high-level evidence into actionable coaching strategies. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, she ensures that every teacher is empowered with the most effective tools to maximize student growth and transform educational outcomes.

Congratulations to Erynn for getting into “good trouble” and for always putting students first!

Complete our parent climate survey* and provide College Heights with valuable feedback, and the class with the highest percentage of completed surveys wins a popsicle party! Click the link to start the survey.

*This survey is specific to College Heights; it is not a district survey.

This year's Field Day is scheduled for Friday, May 8 (rain date May 12) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

This year's event features exciting new kid-friendly stations and a brand-new model. Instead of moving whole classes between field day stations, we are asking parent volunteers to help chaperone small groups of students between the expanded station options with no time constraints. These smaller groups will have more time to enjoy the station without worrying about having to quickly move to the next one. Don't worry, we are bringing back the beloved petting zoo station, and every child will have the chance to participate!

We need parent volunteers to make the event a success. To ensure the safety of all students, City Schools of Decatur requires all volunteers and chaperones to have a current background check on file. This is especially important for anyone who will be with students without a staff member present.

How to get a background check:

• Schedule an appointment: Background checks are conducted at 2635 Talley Street, 2nd Floor. There is a $35 fee (cash or check made out to City Schools of Decatur) for the background check, and it must be turned in to the front desk at College Heights before you go for your background check. You can book an appointment using this link: https://calendar.app.google/du9yW1Gg8SV6pjGp8

• Important scheduling note: Appointments are typically available on Mondays and Wednesdays. You can schedule an appointment up to 21 days in advance.

• What to bring: Please bring your driver's license with you to your 10-minute appointment. You will also fill out a short form.

• Results: The information is submitted to the GBI, and results are often returned within 24 hours.

Please remember that a new background check is required each school year for all parents and volunteers. We appreciate your cooperation and support!

Look for more details soon, and please reach out to your child's teacher if you have questions.

Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day of the Spring Book Fair. Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered (see list below) and supported College Heights by shopping at the fair. We hope your family is enjoying your new books!

Book Fair parent volunteers:

Jackie Hatch

Nydia Almond

Dennis Hom

Dan Au

Julie Stanton

Sarah Friedenthal-Green

Leah Jenness

Stephen Synowsky

On Thursday morning, our three Preschool classes were treated to an amazing performance, Rhythm & Thread, by the Alliance Theatre. This interactive show elicited lots of oohs, aahs, and giggles from a very captivated audience. This show, inspired by the work of author/illustrator Faith Ringgold, celebrates family, imagination, and the beauty of storytelling through the art of quilting.

Miss Asia's one-year-olds practiced a new skill - cutting bananas! Look at the concentration on these determined faces. These are some serious banana cutters. The best part? They got to eat their work!

College Heights students sported their finest green today in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Read the March 19, 2026, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Special thanks to Preschool teacher Sela Soldat for donating an outing to the Atlanta United game for the recent PTO auction, Art from the Heart.

Maxwell Setser and Jack Williams were the lucky recipients, and they truly were lucky - Atlanta United won their first game of the 2026 season, and it was the team's first win since August 30 of last year. Way to go, Max, Jack, and Sela!

Because this year’s auction was such a tremendous success, next year is already set up beautifully—and we’re looking for a few new leaders to step in and shine. The best part? You won’t be doing it alone. We have experienced PTO members ready to guide you every step of the way.

We’re currently seeking:

• Assistant Treasurer (with next year’s Treasurer, Robbie Reese, ready to mentor you)
• Auction Chair for 2027 (it comes with a dedicated parking space)

This is your chance to make a meaningful impact and help keep the momentum going. So… who wants ’em? Don’t all sign up at once. 😉

Please email Lauren Elliott, PTO President, with any questions.

All recent issues of the College Heights Connection are available here.

Older issues of CSD Weekly may be found on CSD's district newsletter webpage.

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center cultivates an atmosphere where children take their first steps in building an authentic love of learning through developmentally appropriate practices in an environment that fosters family and community involvement.