Falcon Flyer

Ms. Hanson's Notes

• Coffee Chat - May 2 - Summer Reading
• Library Books Due May 12
• Rising 6th Grade Information
• Upcoming Events Calendar

F.AVE News

• Field Day Volunteers Needed
• F.AVE Game Hawkers Podcast S2, Ep22- 5th graders Dashiell & Henry
• F.AVE students at Decatur Children's Book Festival this weekend

• Thank you for fundraiser participation
• Walk & Roll - May 7
• Purchase Yearbooks NOW!
• PTO Volunteers Needed for Next Year
• Upcoming Dine-Outs - Wheelhouse & Smiley's

• Grading Feedback Needed
• Enrollment Information for Kindergarten and new students

Community Partner News

• Decatur Children's Book Festival Information

Scroll down to learn more!

All library books are due back on Monday, May 12. Starting this week, you will get emails to let you know what books your student currently has checked out.

If a book is lost, you will get directions for how to pay for the lost book. It is very important that students end the year with a clear library account. We encourage students to come talk to us, Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Dawson, with any questions or concerns about their books.

May

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Jewish Heritage Month

Thursday, May 1: School Principal's Day

Friday, May 2, 7:45 - 8:30am: Coffee Chat in F.AVE Cafeteria

Friday, May 2: School Lunch Hero Day

Wednesday, May 7: School Nurse Day

Wednesday, May 7: Walk & Roll To School

May 7 & 8: 5th Grade to Atlanta History Center

Monday, May 12: All library books due back to F.AVE library!

Tuesday, May 13: Rising 6th grade visit to Beacon Hill

Tuesday, May 13, 6:00pm: Chorus Concert

Friday, May 16: Field Day

Wednesday, May 21: 5th Grade Finale & Exhibition

• 8:30 - 10:15: CWilliams/O'Keefe, Terry, Wise, HStewart/Sanchez
• 11:30 - 1:15: DiGiacomo, RStewart, Vickery/Johnson, Miller

Friday, May 23: Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

Friday, May 23: Last Day of School for students

FAVE Field Day is Friday, May 16, 2025. FAVE parents are cordially invited to join us again this year for a great day filled with fun games & laughter! Coach Hallman is looking for volunteers to help run stations. You can view the list of volunteer positions using this Sign-Up Genius link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4BAEA72FAA8-55724984-2025

"Most of the Field Day parent volunteer positions are filled for 3rd & 4th grade, but we still have a few open slots for 5th grade. Also, check back if you're interested in volunteering because sometimes people drop out at the last minute or closer to the event date.

It is a long-standing tradition for FAVE students to design their own Field Day T-shirts. Please send a plain white t-shirt to school with your child beginning next week. If you are able to donate extra t-shirts for students in need, 3-packs of Hanes white undershirts can be purchased rather inexpensively and the extras will be distributed. *Donations of fabric paint or permanent markers are also greatly appreciated! Room parents can arrange this with homeroom teachers or drop off at the front desk for Coach Hallman to distribute.

Please check Coach Hallman’s website for up to the minute details and additional information including FAQs: https://hallmanfavepe.weebly.com/field-day.html

5th graders Dashiell and Henry discuss a classic Newbery honor winner by Gary D. Schmidt, The Wednesday Wars. This book is for all of us who love a good teacher v. student storyline. Click the image below to listen!

This weekend a few of our F.AVE students are participating in the keynote event for the Decatur Children's Book Festival. See the community section below for more details about the entire festival. If you would like to see our F.AVE students in action, tickets are free, but registration is required. Click the flyer below to register!

We want to send a huge thank you to all of our Spring Fundraiser donors!! We surpassed our goal of $10k - which means we can plan to do even more for the FAVE community.

Wednesday, May 7 is National Bike to School Day 2025! Join other kids and adults around Georgia and the country to celebrate the benefits of biking (and walking). We encourage you and your student to bike (or walk) to school because it teaches safe biking and pedestrian skills, promotes physical activity, and reduces traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near F.AVE and other Decatur schools.

There will be special prizes for the first 25 bike riders and our regular grade vs. grade competition.

It's Yearbook Time!!! Click HERE to order your yearbook!! Special pricing through May 9th

*The PTO will purchase a yearbook for any student who has not ordered one*

We are looking for a few board positions and quite a few committee chairs for the 2025-2026 school year. The good news? *Every single one* will be partnered with a seasoned veteran who knows the ropes! If you've been thinking about getting involved, now is the perfect time to do so! Click HERE to let us know about your interest.

We have two wonderful opportunities to support local restaurants AND support FAVE! You don't want to miss these two dine outs:

• May 8th: Wheelhouse
• May 15th: Smiley's Burger Club

Applications for nonresident tuition for the 2025-2026 school year are open now through May 15. Nonresident tuition seats are being offered in the K-2 and 3-5 schools for grades with available space. A lottery selection process will be used to enroll nonresident tuition applicants, and a waitlist will be created if necessary. The annual tuition rate for nonresident students for the 2025-2026 school year is $7,883. Visit the district's nonresident tuition webpage for information on how to access and complete the nonresident tuition application.

Enrollment forecasts will help determine the different number of tuition-based seats available for each grade and school, which are subject to change. As a public school district, CSD remains tuition-free for students residing within the city limits of the City of Decatur. Tuition is based on a state formula and is calculated each year based on the average educational cost of a student minus funds that are received from the state.

Students: Do you know a teacher or CSD employee who has gone "the extra mile" this year? Nominate them for the CSD Extra Mile Award! The Extra Mile Award is an annual award that allows students to show appreciation for the teachers or staff they feel go above and beyond what is expected of them.

Students at any grade level can write an essay describing how their teacher (or staff member) goes the extra mile (parents can help younger children write the essay or submit it on behalf of a student who is unable to write the nomination). The essays should be detailed and describe how the employee goes above and beyond.

Click here to submit a nomination by May 22, 2025. These awards will be presented at the CSD Opening Day Celebration in July.

City Schools of Decatur is excited to announce the second annual CSD Back-to-School Bash! Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Decatur High School Gymnasium. This event welcomes students, families, staff, and the community to unite for a day of fun and engaging activities suitable for all ages!

If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact us at: BacktoSchoolBash@csdecatur.net.

Last school year, our school board approved and implemented a new grading policy to create greater consistency, transparency, and alignment with student learning. As we complete the first full year under this policy, we are engaging families and staff to gather feedback on the experiences following the changes across our schools.

Your input is significant in helping us understand what aspects of the policy are working well and where adjustments may be needed. Please take a few moments to complete the brief survey(s) below and share your feedback with us.

K-5 survey (four questions)

6-12 survey (six questions)

Transportation registration is required for all students who intend to ride the bus. Families may register a student for transportation for the 2025-2026 school year by selecting the appropriate link below:

• Bus Registration – Same School: For students who will remain at their current school next year.
• Bus Registration – New School Transition: For students who will transition to a new school next year (for example, entering kindergarten, 3rd grade, 6th grade, or 9th grade).

Completing this form helps us accurately plan bus routes and ensure your student is assigned transportation based on their school placement for the upcoming year.

Principal

Lynn Hanson

lhanson@csdecatur.net

Assistant Principal

Meagan Ferguson

mferguson@csdecatur.net

Assistant Principal

Shannon Stewart

sstewart@csdecatur.net

School Manager

Malik Morrow

mmorrow@csdecatur.net

Bookkeeper

Shronda Edwards

sedwards@csdecatur.net

Who Do I Contact?

Email: fave@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/FAVE
Location: 101 5th Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371-6680

Please do not reply to this newsletter. See the Who Do I Contact link above and direct your inquiries to the correct individual.