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The Decatur Education Foundation helps Decatur youth realize their full potential by removing obstacles to learning, fueling personal effort, and supporting teacher innovation.
DEF is a true community venture. Individuals and organizations contribute ideas, time, dollars, and expertise to support a wide range of activities that strengthen teaching and learning across Decatur.
The foundation is an independent nonprofit that works in close partnership with the City Schools of Decatur.
More specifically, DEF works to:
Help individuals or organizations implement select ideas to support youth
Fund special initiatives from City Schools of Decatur
Host and manage scholarships and other funds for designated purposes
Connect people and ideas with others to benefit Decatur youth
Create or join collaborations to address needs and support programs
The Foundation itself grew out of Decatur’s neighborhoods. In the late 1990s, a group of citizens from across the city united around the idea that Decatur youth would benefit from a community organization that contributes to making local education the best it can be.
The Decatur Education Foundation was incorporated in 2002 and in the early years, it was administered out of the City Schools of Decatur offices. In 2009, the Foundation hired its first paid staff member. Today, it operates with a small staff and a large volunteer base.
Decatur High School is fortunate to have an outstanding unit of the National PTSA to provide support for our school programs and student activities. Prior Grants provided by the PTSA have facilitated, among other items, the purchase of Chromebooks and Brain Models for the Social Studies Department, equipment for the Culinary Arts Department, instruments for the Band, and a Theatrical Projector for the Drama/Musical Theatre Program. These grants have also provided support for numerous clubs and co-curricular activities. We strongly encourage every family to join the DHS PTSA fundraising body as it seeks to proactively make each student’s and educator's experience with our school engaging, relevant, empowering, challenging, and ultimately, life-changing.
The Decatur High School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee consisting of Decatur parents/guardians, staff members, and other personnel. The SLT is focused on school governance, student achievement, and family engagement. Some of the responsibilities of this team are to:
Develop and approve the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and monitor the continuous school improvement planning process
Determine the allocation of the school's instructional and technology budget
Review student achievement data
Recommend and support the school's needs to the CSD Board of Education during the annual budget process
Help with the interview process for potential GL employees
The SLT would like to hear from DHS parents and community members with concerns, suggestions, and ideas to make Decatur a great place to learn for all of our students.
Booster Clubs and Fundraising
The Decatur Bulldog Athletic Booster Club (DBB) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of interested parents and supporters who volunteer to advance interscholastic athletics and to promote gender equity and diversity in the athletic program as an integral part of the educational process at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School.
The Decatur Bulldog Boosters have provided many opportunities for our students through fundraising events, such as Oktoberfest, Bulldog Bash, Run with the Dogs 5k, Golf Tournament, Concessions, Spirit Wear, and Mini-Grants.
Community in Schools
CIS
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is calling roll on the millions of students who were absent from school last year. Many students face challenges with safety, transportation, mental or physical health, food insecurity or have household responsibilities such as childcare or needing to work. Communities In Schools offers a unique solution to combat chronic absenteeism through trained, caring adults—site coordinators—who address and find solutions to the many barriers affecting students' ability to be present in school.
Site Coordinator - Val Phillips valia.phillips@csdecatur.net
Community School
A community school is a school that offers comprehensive educational opportunities through both academic and non-academic services while partnering with families, students, and the community to increase student access and success. While every community is different, the Community School Strategy offers a tailored approach grounded in four key pillars:
Integrated student supports
Expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities
Family and community engagement
Collaborative leadership and practices
The timeline to the right outlines the key stages and phases schools complete as they implement the Community School Strategy.
Coordinator of Wraparound Services - Dr. Terescah Lemon terescah.lemon@csdecatur.net
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