CSD Weekly, August 22, 2024

Welcome to CSD Weekly! With the introduction of CSD Weekly, City Schools of Decatur is addressing feedback from the school community to streamline communications.

CSD Weekly includes links to all school newsletters and provides the latest district news, enabling families with students at multiple schools to conveniently access updates using one source. Additionally, CSD Weekly aims to improve consistency in messaging about district and community news by communicating it in a centralized location.

Please click on the school logos below for this week's school newsletters. Keep scrolling for important district news, including:

• CSD's new data dashboard
• CSD's grading handbook and quick facts
• Upcoming events

Find out what's happening in CSD schools by clicking on their respective logos.

• School Curriculum Nights, August 23-September 4*
• Early Release Day, August 28
• Programs Overview Virtual Meeting, September 5
• DEF Battle of the Bands, September 6
• Super Saturday, September 14
• STAR Assessment Webinar, September 17
• Board of Education Fall Community Meeting, September 18
  
• Early Release Day, September 20
• Fall Break, September 23-27

*Check school calendars for exact dates

The STAR assessment testing window closes tomorrow, Friday, August 23, for CSD Pre-K through 12th grade students. The Teaching and Learning Department will host an informational webinar to provide an overview of STAR and discuss score reports on Tuesday, September 17, at 6 p.m.

Join the webinar here.

Additional resources:

• Learn more about STAR
• Frequently asked questions about STAR
• STAR vs. MAP: research study on score correlations

We're almost ready to launch! CSD is responding to feedback from the school community to streamline communications by launching a new district app within in the next few weeks. Be on the lookout for more information about the app's capabilities.

City Schools of Decatur is committed to preparing students to be physically active and healthy for life. The official Code of Georgia 20-2-777 requires by law that each local school district conduct an annual fitness assessment for all students in grades 1-12. As part of your child’s physical education program, your child will participate in the Fit Georgia assessment. Fit Georgia is a five-part fitness assessment designed to measure cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

For more details about this assessment, frequently asked questions, and the option to self-report or opt out of the height and weight portion of the assessment, please read this parent letter.

Join Super Saturdays for a morning of fun and educational STEAM-inspired lessons and activities led by CSD teachers and staff! These events are completely free for CSD K-5 students and include hands-on instruction, all necessary supplies and materials, and plenty of engaging learning opportunities. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity for your child to explore the world of STEAM in a supportive and creative environment. Super Saturdays take place from 9 a.m.-noon at Fifth Avenue ES, 101 5th Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030. Register here for Super Saturdays!

Super Saturday dates:

September 14, 2024

October 19, 2024

November 16, 2024

December 14, 2024

January 11, 2025

February 8, 2025

March 15, 2025

April 19, 2025

May 10, 2025

Save the date for a virtual meeting to learn more about the following support programs and services available to CSD students:

• Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

• Gifted and Talented Services

• ESOL and Federal Programs

• 504 and Psychological Services

• Professional School Counseling

• Behavior Support

• School Social Work

• Special Education

Join the Zoom meeting here on Thursday, September 5, 2024 from 6-7 p.m. Click here to submit your questions about the Programs Overview before Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 4 p.m.

CSD received overall good news last month in Georgia Department of Education's statewide results of the 2023-24 Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS), which includes assessments administered in the spring each year for Social Studies, Science, and English Language Arts (ELA).

CSD highlights of the 2023-24 results include:

• Top five in school systems in the state for English Language Arts EOG in all grade levels
• First in school systems in the Metro RESA region for all EOG content areas in grades 4-8
• Top five in school systems in the state for American Literature and Biology EOC
• Top three in school systems in the Metro RESA region for American Literature
• Second in school systems in the Metro RESA region for Biology EOC
• Significant increases in performances were observed for our black subgroup in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 in ELA, with a remarkable 21 percentage point increase of students scoring proficient and distinguished in grade 5 from 2023 to 2024. Similar progress was also evident for our black subgroup’s Social Studies and Science performance, with an average gain of seven percentage points in grades 5 and 8.

With new Math standards and assessments, new reporting scales will be used for all Mathematics assessments. As a result, Mathematics results, including End-of-Grade and End-of-Course algebra assessments, will be released later in September. Hence, comparing achievement levels between the old and new Mathematics scales from year to year is not appropriate.

Based on the analysis of test scores, CSD students scored higher than the state average in most tested areas and grade levels (see chart below).

To view the statewide and district-level results, visit GaDoe GMAS 2023-24 Statewide Scores.

How CSD is advancing data efficiency

CSD is using interoperable data systems to develop robust data visualization tools that generate a more comprehensive view of CSD's performance. These tools support student outcomes and operational effectiveness by allowing CSD to act more efficiently on findings from the data.

View the data

• Data is now available on CSD's data dashboard for Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) End-of-Grade and End-of-Course performance history, which shows our five-year performance history for students in grades three and up filtered by test, grade, achievement level, gender, and race.
• The dashboard also shows CSD's College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) history broken down by grade band, assessment domain, and school.
• You may use this form to provide feedback on the effectiveness of these data visualizations.

Transparency and privacy

CSD is committed to data transparency and to using data to elevate performance and close student achievement gaps, while also providing the utmost protection for student data privacy.

Last November, the City Schools of Decatur Board approved a new grading policy for the 2024-25 school year to align with best practices. Please see the CSD 2024-25 Grading Handbook to learn more about the details and implementation. Additional opportunities for discussion and questions will be available during each school's curriculum night.

The Infinite Campus gradebook has been updated to ensure all stakeholders clearly understand how grades reflect student performance on Georgia Standards. Click on the grade bands to review the grading quick facts for K-5 and 6-12.

CSD congratulates Beacon Hill MS student Onyx Nguyen, the winner of the 2024 Budget Book Cover Design Contest! Onyx's artwork graces the cover of the CSD 2024-25 Budget Book, which details how CSD manages its finances to educate students. The book covers the district's history, financial records, and organizational setup to ensure the safety, visibility, and success of all students. We appreciate Onyx for submitting their artwork that embodies the essence of CSD.

The 2025 Budget Book and more information about the City Schools of Decatur's budget is on our finance webpage.

Help Your School Win a $1000 Music Grant!

Attend DEF's Battle of the Bands, a family-friendly community concert, and you could help your school win a $1000 music grant! Head to the Legacy Park lawn on Friday, Sept. 6 from 5-9 p.m. for a fun evening of live music, yummy food, and community! Four CSD bands will be bringing the tunes – you BYOB (bring your own blanket) and your school spirit! The school with the largest percentage of representation will win the music grant for their school... along with a trophy and bragging rights, of course! We’ll have food vendors and sweet treats to supplement your picnic. Adults are $10 and KIDS ARE FREE! If cost is an issue, please email Drew@DecaturEducationFoundation.org.

Buy tickets here for Battle of the Bands, Friday, Sept. 6 from 5-9 p.m., Legacy Park lawn.

City of Decatur Parks and Recreation commits to providing exceptional experiences that foster healthy living and meaningful community connections. Please visit their one-stop-shop website for information about after-school programs, school holiday programs, and summer camps. To stay updated on all things Decatur Parks and Recreation, follow them on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for their monthly newsletter here!