Just want you all to know that the board meeting currently going on regarding the final vote on redistricting is not being broadcast as they have had a power outage.
Never fear! Jonathan Cribbs of the Patch is there with a minute by minute blogpost of the meeting.
Follow his report here - (you'll need to refresh your screen every few minutes)
Live Blogging: DeKalb School Board Meets to Vote on School Closings, Redistricting
Click here for a school system press release detailing the final decision.
270 comments:
1 – 200 of 270 Newer› Newest»The latest post -
8:02. Power back on and Elder reads an NAACP statement asking the school district to reconsider school closures. She offers and ammendment to remove Glen Haven Elementary from list of schools on the closure list.
Edler is brand new on this board and she brings in the NAACP?
If the power has been restored, will the meeting now be broadcast?
her motion failed - she only got 4 votes - not a good start, SACS doesn't like division
Power outage and board meeting in the dark: how perfect a symbol of voting on redistricting without a real long-term plan in place for the school district.
Another dissension -
7:45. Board member Don McChesney makes a motion, seconded and approved for discussion, that several attendance lines be redrawn in relation to Livsey Elementary.
Cerebration: Are you there, at the board meeting?
No. They're back up. SCW was just lamenting that children in south DeKalb now won't get as much sleep as their counterparts in the north...
8:18. A motion for an ammendment that would take Avondale Middle and High school off the closure list fails.
8:21. Board considers motion for ammendment to keep Sky Haven Elemntary open. Motion fails.
Donna wants to move Chamblee annex student (97) students be redistricted to CCHS. Also Tucker annex (163) students (middle school).
???
Turn on Ch. 24. I believe its live now.
Seems to me that board members would have discussed bizarre motions with attorneys prior to tonight so as not to waste everyone's time.
Peachcrest motion by Elder: Why would someone make a motion that no other board member supports? No second given. Seems like she is operating in a silo.
Donna Edler, what are you doing??? She seems completely naive about NCLB. Don't these board members know that SACS is requiring that we redistrict and close schools. This must be done!!!
8:33. Board member Sarah Copelin-Wood. "When you look at what's going on tonight, keep in mind what schools are being effected." She says southern county schools are being singled out to several shouts of "resegregation" from the crowd.
So -- they just passed a long-winded motion - with lots of changes to the "plan"...
congrats citizens of BOE members Edler and Jester..
meet the new bozos
same as the old bozos
Tyson -- we will change the course of history in the school system's history. Money will follow the students. They will work with everyone during the transition (local reps, Pta's etc) - and make sure that communities won't be left with empty buildings. Open and transparent communication will take place during the implementation of the redistricting plan.
Patch is reporting the original motion passed with no changes. Cere-can you confirm what was passed? I'm watching and I have no idea.
Were the proposed "changes to the plan" approved? I thought it sounded as though it passed WITHOUT any changes. Also, could you tell what the vote count was? And who voted? (I'm watching on a hard to see 2" screen.) Thanks for clarifying/summarizing.
I absolutely could not get it written down. Lots of descriptions of districts by Bowen. They were off-air during the original motion, and it was not reported in detail, so I don't know. But I "think" they put lots of kids back into their original schools - I heard mention of Sagamore, Austin, all kinds of schools.
Did anyone get the whole motion? Is what they passed different from the original superintendent's plan?
I believe they passed the original plan. What Bowen read, was simply the details of the plan. All of the proposed amendments to the plan failed.
We were dealing in two different topics here - school closures and school attendance lines (redistricting). North DeKalb was very upset about attendance lines - south DeKalb -- upset about closures and consolidations.
Seems all of north DeKalb got their wishes and south DeKalb is left with a whole bunch of empty schools.
Switched Flat Rock and Bouie - back to the way it was.
Plus 7 changes - Sagamore, Livsey, Austin, Vanderlyn, Chesnut (5) Two more??? Anyone?
So, were all those proposed changed Bowen read in just for funsies? Were all the amendments just to show the Board members were "trying" (I did my best, but...)
Was the whole cluster###k just that?
Laurel Ridge
Avondale Middle, I think.
No. There was an original motion read by McChesney that had a long list of changes or amendments to the plan. During the meeting, members tried to add to that list, to no avail. The original motion passed (which was apparently full of changes the board had already decided upon.)
I think the original motion included changes to almost every school in N. DeKalb allowing almost all N. DeKalb residents to remain at their original schools and then not to switch Bouie and Flat Rock.
We might as well hand in our accreditation tomorrow. Clearly this was politics at is worst.
What a disapointment but yet not a surprise.
In addition, I think this action almost certainly assures that the S. DeKalb parents will get their injunction.
I think the Laurel Ridge changes, proposed by the superintendent but not by MGT, sending LR west of Lawrenceville HWy to McCLendon, were reversed so are same as MGT plan.
Also, some additional Avondale kids were added to Shamrock/DHHS.
@ 8:42
Edler understands that the $15,000,000 we might save from redistricting is small potatoes compared to the waste DCSS occurs on a daily basis. Tyson and the BOE should have wrung out the tens of millions of dollars in savings in the Security force, MIS, America's Choice, Fernbank Science Center, Instructional Coaches, etc. BEFORE redistricting and closing neighborhood schools.
Cere 8:55 question:
I heard something about Laurel Ridge/Medlock lines and part of Avondale going to Druid Hills
@8:59 Regardless, SACS wants redistricting so we absolutely have to do it. We DO NOT want to lose accreditation, no matter what.
Too bad for S. DeKalb that Donna Edler had not clue about the real issues at hand.
I thought they would be back in 10 min? Did the power get "turned off" again?
The whole farce about keeping Avondale neighborhood kids together is a joke. None of those students went to Avondale Middle or High. This was simply about real estate values and making sure a realtor did not have to explain Towers to a potential homebuyer.
@9:01 SACS said that redistricting had to be done based on data, not on politics. There was the charade of data at the beginning of the process, but in the end it all came down to politics.
Funny how I have never seen the NAACP volunteering or mentoring at any of the schools being closed.
Is the approved (altered?) plan going to be posted on the Dekalb website? Why the heck has it not been already?? The whole end of the meeting, around the vote, was so confusing! Did Medlock remain closed?
Medlock definitely closed
Gene Walker has no shame! He is having a fit that the BOE "gift policy" might be reduced to $50. Personally, DCSS is so corrupt, there should be no gifts allowed!
Does anyone know why SCW changed clothes? She was wearing purple before the electricity went out.
There is still confusion -- does anyone have confidence in what the BoE passed tonight?
Maybe she was egged during the break
DCSS Press Release was just posted:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/newsroom/press/pdf/2011-03-07.2011-03-14.DeKalb_Schools_Finalizes_Redistricting_and_Consolidation_Plan.pdf
So upset about Medlock... unbelievable that this just happened.
Edler is not only a disapppointment; she is an embarrassment.
Does she not know how to take notes? She is barely articulate.
The following just came in a News Flash email to employees:
The recommendation presented to the Board of Education for its consideration during the February 7th Board meeting was approved today with the following adjustments:
• No change to current attendance lines for Flat Rock Elementary School and Bouie Theme School
• Modifications to the initial recommended attendance lines for Austin ES, Vanderlyn ES, Chesnut ES, Sagamore Hills ES, Laurel Ridge ES, Avondale ES, Druid Hills Cluster, and Livsey ES
Even with the amendments, Interim Superintendent Tyson still realizes much of her original plan, yet it reduces the impact on the number of students by over 25% and retains 100% of the cost savings.
Edler acts like she has not read any of the materials being considered at tonight's BOE meeting.
I do not live in Edler's district, but I supported her campaign with a contribution. Sorry now that I did.
I thought she was an educated, thoughtful, professional person. She sounds like Zepora in different clothing. Totally inarticulate.
Paul Womack: "I have two problems."
Oh, no -- PW -- I beg to differ. You have many, many problems.
PW admits to approaching a school principal about removing an out-of-district student? SACS -- are you listening?
@ 9:32
It would be nice to hear the facts behind Edler's objections. I'm sure they are well thought out. Not that this BOE will give her any time to articulate them.
I have to say, this is the first time I have EVER agreed with Womack on anything... I know exactly which parent he means. She has LIED for YEARS about her residency and no school official ever does anything - it is extremely frustrating for those of us who follow the rules (and face redistricting to make room for the liars). Plus LHS has more than its fair share of "administrative transfers" e.g., politicians kids, athletes, LHS graduates who feel entitled, etc. Should Paul be telling a Principal what to do? No. But should the Principal and DCSS be doing something? YES.
Edler is extremely articulate. This was already decided beforehand.
What do they mean by "Modifications to the initial recommended attendance lines for...Druid Hills Cluster"?
One of the reasons many outside her district supported Edler was because she was seen as articulate.
I want to believe that what was perceived as Mrs. Edler being inarticulate in tonight's meeting was probably more about her being frustrated. I'm sure that neither she nor Mrs. Jester have been warmly received into the fold. At one point (which later disappeared) the Patch's live blog showed where Edler stated that the board had not had an opportunity to have any intense discussion (or something like that). Makes me wonder if some of the board members had separate discussions about the changes and others were not included.
She is still new and there is still a lot too learn. I'm sure this whole redistricting process has been a baptism by fire.
Does anyone know for sure exactly what changes are proposed in the following bullet point from the press release?
"• Modifications to the initial recommended attendance lines for Austin ES, Vanderlyn ES, Chesnut ES, Sagamore Hills ES, Laurel Ridge ES, Avondale ES, Druid Hills Cluster, and Livsey ES"
I'm confused, even though I've read everything I can get my hands on tonight. Just wondering...
@ 9:59
"At one point (which later disappeared) the Patch's live blog showed where Edler stated that the board had not had an opportunity to have any intense discussion (or something like that). "
This BOE did not want either Jester or Edler on it. I'm sure they have no been privy to much of the discussions. It must be extremely frustrating to her. Remember Jester and Edler were the only BOE members who did not vote for Ms. Tyson's raise. They are the odd people out.
Odd person out? Jester initiated many of the changes tonight. She has her fingerprints all over them.
Edler is the one who can't seem to build consensus.
Yes, any clarification that could be provided about the 'modifications' mentioned in the Press Release would be helpful. Does this mean the modifications that Tyson proposed to the original (consultant) proposal? Or does this mean there were new modifications that we do not know about?
And Womack was quietly supporting Jester.
The language of the press release was very puzzling for me, too. What are these 'modifications' that are mentioned? Are they the changes Tyson made in Feb to the first plan we saw in Jan? Or did the BOE work out some modifications that none of us seem to know about?
The latest on the PATCH:
For parents in the North Druid Hills-Briarcliff area, the DeKalb County Board of Education's Monday vote on school redistricting and closures was a mixed bag.
If you've got children at Medlock Elementary School, the board delivered a big serving of bad news – the school will close this summer.
But some parents at other local elementary schools got what they've been asking for over the last several weeks. The 70 Laurel Ridge Elementary School students headed to McLendon Elementary School under interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson's plan released last month will stay at Laurel Ridge.
Eight students from Sagamore Hills Elementary School whose vocal parents attended Monday's board meeting will also be staying at their school. A large chunk of students who live more than a mile from Sagamore Hills Elementary, however, will be forced to attend Briar Vista Elementary School.
Also, a chunk of Medlock Elementary students who were headed to Avondale Elementary School under Tyson's plan will now go to Laurel Ridge. Those are students who live in Medlock's zone south of North Decatur Road and west of Wynn Way.
Stay tuned to Patch for more.
I'm with Anon 10:07pm. Can anyone help clarify the following bullet point from the press release?
Does anyone know for sure exactly what changes are proposed in the following bullet point from the press release?
"• Modifications to the initial recommended attendance lines for Austin ES, Vanderlyn ES, Chesnut ES, Sagamore Hills ES, Laurel Ridge ES, Avondale ES, Druid Hills Cluster, and Livsey ES"?
The changes were probably to let everyone go back to their original schools.
What do these 'modifications' mean for OakGrove and Fernbank districting?
And what do they mean by modifications to "Druid Hills Cluster"?
And does anyone know what this means for the Kittredge Magnet School and its location?
I am just so disheartened by all of this. Perhaps if I had faith in the morals and judgment of the school board I would feel more positive about this, but they have really provided little evidence that they are trustworthy and intelligent. It seems like they are putting a lot of children and neighborhoods through needless emotional stress when they could find other ways to save money if they bothered to look.
AJC just posted an article. They must have had a press conference during the meeting's break.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-school-board-oks-864393.html
If they left Flat Rock and Bouie unchanged as stated in the release, that changes virtually every boundary in the whole southeast part of the county. Flat Rock wound around everywhere. Bouie made much more sense as a regular school.
And it sounds like they changed again all the boundaries that got changed in the north & central part of the county.
If they agreed on a bunch of changes as some have suggested, isn't that a violation of the law on open meetings? If so, a lawsuit would almost certainly win, leaving us back where we started.
Oak Grove and Fernbank go totally untouched. Oh, except for the whole 4 students going to Briar Vista from Fernbank. Big deal....
I was at the meeting tonight. I hope that Edler was just frustrated because she could not complete a sentence without starting another thought. Difficult to follow her stream of thought.
The changes to the lines don't mean everyone goes back to their schools. Sagamore keeps the closest 8 kids that were being sent to Briar Vista, Laurel Ridge keeps those kids who live in Valley Brook (I think that is the name) area who were being sent to McLendon, Livsey keeps the kids being sent to Midvale, Austin and Vanderlyn keep their kids. Bouie and Flat Rock keep their kids. chesnut gets an apartment complex - not sure what that change was.
Did Audria Bahamas Berry just ask for $3 million dollars???
@10:16 re: Fernbank and Oak Grove redistricting
It probably means that, in addition to all the elementary students who live in the CDC parking lots and the Emory nursing school building, all the kids who live at the Falafel King will also be dragged out of Fernbank kicking and screaming and sent to that inferno hitherto known as Briar Vista. What? Nothing but crickets?
What a relief. God is in his heaven, my Schwab account is fine, and all is right with the world.
One article says that all but Avondale HS and MS were decommissioned and so would not be re-opened. What they said in the earlier meetings was that Gresham Park and Peachcrest were potential 900 student schools, so they would be closed but potentially could be re-opened in the future in place of smaller schools. Sounds like being decommissioned eliminates that possibility.
SCW kinds of looks hot tonight!
Seriously, it's the best she's looked ever at a BOE mtg.!!
I cannot believe that the power just happened to go off during the re-districting and school closing talk. And now it's working fine. Coincidence? No way!
What is Beasley's 'doctorate' in?
Those schools would be torn down and replaced or fully renovated and added onto in order to hold 900 students.
That is why they can be decommissioned.
@ 10:28:
Now that you've hosted your two second hate distracting from the real enemy (NOT the committed, hardworking parents of Fernbank and Oak Grove but rather the wasteful county school system that is disproportionately hurtful to kids/families without resources to protect themselves), let's discuss your backward philosophy: an equality of misery achieved by dragging everyone down to the level of the lowest common denominator.
@10:38 oh lighten up
C'mon-- really? Falafel King is funny!
(NOT the committed, hardworking parents of Fernbank and Oak Grove but rather the wasteful county school system that is disproportionately hurtful to kids/families without resources to protect themselves),
Anon 10:38, it should be "the committed, hardworking, AND TAKE NO PRISONERS, HANG MEDLOCK OUT TO DRY, WHILE THREATENING LAWSUITS parents of Fernbank and Oak Grove"
@ 10:44 -
Okay - I do have to agree with you -- Falafel King IS funny.
I don't know if anyone is still watching but what new school is SCW talking about.
Every facility need tonight is for very old schools.
Though, on second thought, her point is valid and her question is good.
FROM THE AJC
The plan approved Monday closes eight schools: Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Peachcrest, Medlock and Sky Haven elementary schools, Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School.
Board members decided not to make some of the suggested boundary changes in the Dunwoody area, and they also nixed the changes for Flat Rock and Bouie elementary school. As a result, the approved plan moves 6,000 to 7,000 students rather than 9,000 proposed.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-school-board-oks-864393.html
Board Comments--
Speaks --thanks Tyson and Drake and consultants for their hard work -- believes that redistricting is necessary, long overdue and impossible to make everyone happy.
Make all schools successful, time to move on, believes that we can make a system (not just a school) successful
Edler asking Superintendent and staff to begin action plan for property maintenance
McChesney -- seconded Speaks, saluting staff for working hard
SCW -- It is easy to say that if the school closures aren't in your district -- nothing is etched in stone, should be some flexibility. However, the votes were there and they were always there. Good that people could see the votes and how they were cast. Cannot get over devastating Avondale.
Bowen -- thanks the board members for participating in the process. Public education is tough now because of budget. Academics should improve because of this plan.
adjourn
@10:45
Those two weren't among the groups threatening lawsuits. And the only ones who could have saved Medlock were if Briar Vista, Laurel Ridge or McClendon volunteered to be closed themselves.
Fernbank absolutely threatened a lawsuit. They had a team of attorneys working on it up until they were dropped from the plan.
Don't worry though, they just wanted other schools closed, so no need to share their legal research with the Medlock community.
They actually had a pretty good approach to stopping all this. Again, though, once Fernbank was off the table, they lost interest in the greater good.
SCW insisted on redistricting the north also and so instead of losing 4 schools, she lost 7. She should have realized she had most of the empty seats in the district. But she did manage to get Medlock closed in the process.
@11:08
I don't recall any threats. There's a difference between studying your options, which they probably were doing, and actually threatening like several have (I don't remember where they were from, but not Oak Grove or Fernbank).
I think the board used Medlock to counter arguments that they were only closing schools in the south.
Sadly, I think one of the things that makes Medlock a great n.hood school (the fact that it's tucked away in the neighborhood and safe for kids to walk to) prevented it from getting the widespread community support it needed to get taken off the list. Livsey is right on the main road and so I think they had an easier time getting the word out to their community that they needed help.
Tom said "Academics should improve because of this plan."
Curious - how, exactly? What's the plan there? Academically I mean... How do you plan to track the academic results of these actions -- or do you?
Full power was restored after two hours, only to be disrupted again during a passionate speech against the rezoning by District 7 representative Donna Edler.
Edler was among those who said they believed the plan unfairly affected schools in the southern part of the county, where mostly black students attend. She and other board members made several attempts to keep select schools open.
Well, that may be true. However, the school system overall is over 70% African-American, so where do you go to find a school without blacks? The schools in the north, except for a handful of elementary schools (Austin, Vanderlyn, Oak Grove) are very racially diverse. Does that count? Does Donna and do her supporters consider those children? There are an awful lot of Latinos up here too. Asians, people from third-world war-torn countries... Do you care about them?
The school system is less than 10% white. Stop saying that this is a race issue. It is not. Even if 2 or 3 schools are a majority white - how on earth can that small number effect so many blacks? When will you be happy, Donna and friends? When there are NO whites in the system whatsoever?
What apartments are going to austin and vanderlyn?
Livsey couldn't possibly be closed because there wasn't any place for those kids to go: Pleasantdale is seriously overcrowded by 189 kids, Henderson Mill is at capacity. Evansdale has ~40 slots, Midvale ~70 and Smoke Rise ~40. Oak Cliff to the north is off limits as a theme school, and there is nothing to the east.
So even with Livsey staying open, there isn't really a way to get Pleasantdale to capacity without building on to the school. Where would those Livsey kids have gone? Completely hopeless.
Even if the Evansdale magnet were shifted, that would have only opened up 70 slots.
So that was actually based on the numbers as SACS requested.
@Cerebration
Hispanics definitely seem to get ignored here. How do you justify a long stretched district like Cross Keys? Keeping the "community" (i.e. all the Hispanics) together? I saw a comment about a school doing very well when you DON'T consider Hispanics (who were about 40% of that school's population). And supposedly they did well with Hispanics who failed the standardized tests at a 60% rate. If that's good, I'd hate to see what the rest of the district does.
This redistricting has reinforced what someone who has lived here 7 or 8 years said, that Atlanta doesn't have a sense of being part of a larger community, only being part of their neighborhood.
As another newcomer, Atlanta seems downright tribal, whether its the Buckhead Tribe, the Lakeside Tribe, the always hated Fernbank/Druid Hills Tribe or any of 100 others.
"Donna wants to move Chamblee annex student (97) students be redistricted to CCHS. Also Tucker annex (163) students (middle school).
???"
I think Donna was trying really hard to be diplomatic, to the point of losing clarity in her points of discussion. What she is talking about here is the inequity for the students at the CCHS and Tucker Middle annexes. They were allowed to transfer out of their home schools under NCLB, supposedly to Chamblee and Tucker. Because the receiving schools are overcrowded, instead, the students were sent to other non-school sites, one of which is William Bradley Bryant technical center. So, technically the students are no longer at their home schools and, by labeling only, they are counted as Chamblee and Tucker Middle students, and thus labeled as transfered due to NCLB. The teachers that have been brought in are NOT transferred from Chamblee Charter, but instead are new or other displaced teachers from other schools. The kids are sitting in these satellite buildings without the use of Chamblee or Tucker Middle library, extracurriculars, etc that they thought they would be getting. It really was a bait and switch, even though it is allowed by NCLB rules. It definitely is not what the parents who asked for the transfers thought they were getting for their students. So, the students are counted as Chamblee and Tucker middle students, though they never set foot on the those campuses.
Donna is trying to bring this up now since kids are being moved around due to redistricting. The reason these kids are not in the schools they were promised is due to capacity issues, which is exactly what redistricting is about. no doubt she didn't do her proper preparations by discussing the issues with her fellow board members in advance; however, it does seem that she has been frozen out of most opportunities to have this discussion. NCLB receiving schools were not part of the redistricting discussion, but Donna wanted to put consistency out there for any and all discussions regarding students assignment, be it redistricting, NCLB, or employee school choice.
And by the way, I do not live in her district, do not have students at any of the affected annex schools--either sending or receiving, and don't have a dog in this fight. But, Ihave to agree with her that it is not right to offer these kids a totally false choice. If there is no room or intention to house a student at a particular school(and nobody has ever defined a clear number or range of capacity for receiving schools for NCLB or for employee students trying to transfer in), then do not offer that school as a choice.
Folks, I think we all need to calm down and get a good night's sleep. Everything will be abundantly clear when the new attendance boundary maps are released.
For the record, again, Livsey only had 225ish students from their own attendance zone. The rest could have gone, well, wherever.
@Anon 1:23 Regarding high school students in annexes, in addition to Chamblee annex students, there are about 175 Arabia Mountain High School students in an annex at Lithonia High School. I think the majority are 9th graders.
The AMHS principal said that the annex students must apply for admission to AMHS, just like any other student. I wonder what happens if they don't get in.
These annexes are a terrible idea. The students there are definitely short-changed.
I fear the county will try to quietly send them to the receiving schools this year (except for Arabia, of course!). However, if there was no room for them last year I don't see how there will be room for them this coming year.
Maybe they will keep Avondale High School open, with a new name, as THE receiving school for NCLB transfers. You never know.......
That is strange. Arabia certainly seems to have room. According to the Sept enrollment chart published by DCSS, Arabia has 1,311 students with a capacity for 1,611 (and expansion ability to over 2,100 according to the original press releases on the facility...)
So, why on earth have they placed 165 students on an "annex" at Lithonia HS?
Again, though, once Fernbank was off the table, they lost interest in the greater good.
March 7, 2011 11:08 PM
---
So true, so true.
You won't hear a peep from Fernbankers about cutting administrative bloat, whether SPLOST IV should be approved unless there are major changes, nepostism, cronyism, etc., etc., etc.
Fernbank got their's, and that's all they have ever cared about.
"Livsey couldn't possibly be closed because there wasn't any place for those kids to go"
Livsey is one of those tiny schools that costs WAY too much to operate.
Expand Midvale, move Livsey over, and re-name it "Livsey-Midvale" or "Midvale-Livsey". Save money with a win-win.
The Sagamore 8 were the only single family homes being redistricted. After last nights vote 82 apartment dwelling kids are being sent to Briar Vista. This stinks something awful.
Medlock should have stayed open and Briar Vista should have been closed.
No new maps up until later on this week???? Come on DCSS this is ridiculous! You can vote and approve it, but you can't show us what it looks like?
As far as Livsey goes (how small is that school??? The capacity is showing as only 312! Current enrollment is 350 - consisting of 274 resident students, 74 non-residents and 2 unknown. (Apparently, 311 students actually live in the district - meaning there are 37 resident students attending school elsewhere.)
For comparison Medlock (which is being closed) has a capacity of 425, with a current enrollment of 302 consisting of 247 resident attendees (51 out of district and 4 unknown).
Just like when DCSS "redistricted" several years ago when SCW insisted on schools in the north closed since she was losing 3 in her district. Nancy Creek was closed and made Kittredge to free up the property on Briarcliff Rd. for Sembler, a deal that never blossomed due to the economy.
I am sick and tired of hearing the "equitable" argument. If a school is overcrowded you should try to redraw the lines to control the attendance and if it's underutilized you redraw to place more students in the school. If these things can not happen then you should look at closing the school.
I would love to hear what caused the power issues at the Palace. Funny how it happened the night of the most important vote for the BOE in years. Folks I think we need to take a very close look at what was actually passed last night. I have a bad feeling we're going to find something out after the fact. Transparency is NOT a DCSS trait and this is one vote that should have been done in a way that everyone understood exactly what was being voted on.
Even if nothing dastardly was at play last nite, the district should take a hard look at their employees who are supposed to be addressing the image problems of DCSS. Really, the fact that so many people are suspicious of motives should be a concern to Tyson. Someone is ineffective at properly managing the information going to the public. They don't care. (Apparently no one does - not SACS, not the governor, not our legislative group.)
Ms. Tyson promised last night that the administration would work with other government officials to ensure that shuttered school properties are properly utilized and not left to cause harm (blight) on neighborhoods. I will personally watch this carefully, as historically, all I see is shuttered schools poorly maintained, causing what certainly looks like blight in the neighborhoods.
Shuttered schools need to be razed. They are mostly pitiful, old, asbestos-laden, moldy buildings. They must be converted to green space, parkland or sold to someone with a plan.
From what I am reading… the Redistricting plan was approved with a blanket amendment introduced by McChesney at the very beginning of last night's meeting. It sounds to me like several members of the board met (if it was a quorum, it was illegal) and agreed to this beforehand. There was no meaningful discussion in public by the board members of this plan – which probably explains why Edler was sputtering last night. She didn’t know what hit her.
When I read these threads about annexes for kids - Tucker and Chamblee – I just want to cry. There are no adults running this school system. There are no rational, sensible, reasonable people left. I am just mystified that SACS is protecting the status quo.
Anyone else have more insight? What am I missing?
Not to mention, “Robert’s Rules” were nowhere to be found….
This is ridiculous! They should have gone with the centralized plan that they paid the professional consultants $400,000 to create!
I hate to say this, but it really looks like some serious politics intervened and changed the course of the superintendent's original redistricting plan (which was a change from the two choices presented by the consultants).
DeKalb lives in denial of their very core problem: they have a school system that is more of a caste system. You can "win" a decent education in a lottery, by being an administrator who can name their choice school, or by knowing how to access theme schools or science "extras". Funding is radically distributed in a very imbalanced way, but it's hard to uncover as their "FTE" student funding is some kind of bizarre method of distribution that no one can really figure out. All we know is that some schools are funded at $5,000 per student and some go as high as $45,000 per student. The DSA magnet program costs around $14,000 per student, and the special "at-risk" programs like Destiny cost far, far more. And exactly where are they finding the money to fund the Fernbank Science Center as well as pay out millions upon millions to attorneys?
It's a very broken, uneven system, which makes "redistricting" an impossible task. Witness the players whose wishes were granted: Fernbank, Lakeside, Dunwoody, Livsey, the magnets...hmmm.
This must be what people mean by "parent involvement". But remember a basic law of physics - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Brace yourselves. One group has already filed a request for an injunction.
I'm wondering if part of the 20/20 plan will have Medlock reopened as a 900 re-built school with other schools nearby closed and consolidated into it. It sits on one of the only locations that could actually accomodate such a school.
If history is a guide, I'm confident DCSS will reopen Medlock in a few years (after they allow it to deteriorate).
That's what they did at Nancy Creek. They closed it over neighborhood objections. Failed to maintain it for a few years. Then reopened it as a magnet school totally lacking HVAC, roof and plumbing.
Medlock won't be closed forever. It'll be back. It's the DCSS way!
If Edler was really "locked out" of a closed door meeting where changes were made and determined by other board members, then sprung at the meeting, I hope that she gets a lawyer and has a press conference. That is the only way that the truth can come out. She also should contact SACS if this is what happened. This really concerns me.
On the subject of curriculum (which we keep getting pulled away from discussing) -- the Georgia PTA would like your opinions on the Common Core Curriculum -
Please take a minute and fill out this survey
===
Common Core State Standard Initiative (CCSS)
For the past year Georgia PTA has been informing its members about the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Please take a minute to answer a short, five question survey about this initiative. It will only take a minute.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011commoncore
Anon 9:56
Point of clarity. Nancy Creek closed as a neighborhood school and reopened as KMS in the same year.I know, I was one of the parents desperately unpacking boxes to get KMS ready for students.
So, along the lines of talking about curriculum and student achievement, all of this redistricting still does not even touch on one of the items the SACS review team is monitoring:
Re-read the SACS report. System leadership needs to get cracking on the items the list other than rearranging buildings. There is still a lot of work to be done. We must put the redistricting aside and push for the really important initiatives—the ones involving student achievement. I have not seen a stated vision on this topic - I've only seen vision related to structures and buildings. Nary a mention of students so far...
AdvancEd Special Review Team Report
AdvancEd Standard 1, Vision and Purpose, and specifically Standard Indicator 1.5 states, "The system ensures its vision and purpose guide the teaching and learning process and the strategic direction of schools, departments and services." . . . "The system establishes, implements and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance."
Also, there are still hundreds of policies needing reviewed. The board got right to work after the SACS visit and addressed several, but then work on this seems to have stalled and they have not introduced many new policies for a vote.
That said - one they actually did pass included a whistleblower policy... whatever became of that? Did they ever set up a whistleblower hotline? Did they communicate to employees a process to follow to report problems?
Also, they passed a Code of Ethics for Employees, but have they yet agreed on one for themselves?
"Fernbank absolutely threatened a lawsuit. They had a team of attorneys working on it up until they were dropped from the plan.
Don't worry though, they just wanted other schools closed, so no need to share their legal research with the Medlock community.
They actually had a pretty good approach to stopping all this. Again, though, once Fernbank was off the table, they lost interest in the greater good."
That's crap. The state BOE specifically told the county not to mess with high performing schools.
As far as interest in the greater good, there is a group of Fernbank parents who have been begging the Medlock community to get behind the idea of a charter school in the Medlock building and they have even gone to the state to work on a STEM charter. If Medlock would get behind it this would be a great solution for the neighborhood.
Cere, GREAT POINT regarding the blight a shuttered school creates for a neighborhood. The biggest example is sitting at one of the most busiest intersections in North DeKalb. The old Shallowford Elementary/Chamblee Middle building. This piece of prime property could have been sold to a developer by now and the county could have used those funds for the CLASSROOM! I know the building is waiting for growth to happen,... that's a funny one. Dunwoody schools have been packed for years even after they build a huge new school! Well? DCSS are you going to use it or not? This building is in huge disrepair and I wonder if it's not cheaper to tear it down and build a new, whatever it is they want for 2020 Vision. This building is an eye sore beyond belief and is a great monument to the failure DCSS has been for years.
The basic problem is that there were two separate issues going on: closing half-empty buildings, and shifting kids due to overcrowding. Unfortunately, the half-empty buildings weren't near the overpopulated areas, or both issues could have been solved simultaneously. Instead, schools were closed to save money. Plus, parents pushed back and pointed out that it didn't save any money to move a kid around within Dunwoody.
Yes, Cere, this is "parental involvement". The county asked for it, and they got it. Why is this bad? I attended the public meeting at McNair in Super Cluster 5 -- more parents from Cluster 2 were there than from 5! It seemed as though Livsey had a parent at every table making sure the school's case was heard. However, no one mentioned Medlock, and I remember only one table asking to save nearby Sky Haven. MGT told us they would listen to the feedback at these meetings - and they did. They also asked for direct feedback from communities about where to draw lines; the Lakeside cluster, and other groups, gave them detailed feedback about their areas. Since Ms Tyson's plan included many changes that had been discussed at the Super Cluster meetings, I'm sure MGT worked with her to create her proposal. Please stop making it sound like she came up with it all on her own!
Yes, MGT, Ms Tyson, and the Board, all listened to the squeaky wheels. They asked us to squeak and some of us did. Is this 'political'? YES! Politics is often defined as "a process by which groups of people make collective decisions."
Bottom line: DCSS needs to focus on cutting costs, not moving kids from one overcrowded school to another just so the pain is spread 'equitably'.
Anon 9:56, Nancy Creek closed in May 2008 and by August 2008 opened as Kittredge at Nancy Creek. It was crazy but the transition was smooth, thanks to two great principals and staff. It did end up crowding the other schools in the area, I wish they had maintained some sort of resident program at Kittredge.
Power outage at the 40 million dollar Palace. Maybe they should have spent that 35k on a generator instead of lights. But really.. power outage on the biggest night in DCSS recent history.. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm
The issue with the STEM plan for Medlock is that it involved closing Medlock to happen. Yes, it would be good for the neighborhood; however, as a Medlock parent we were first fighting to keep our school open. We lost that fight and can now turn our attention to other options. Please don't make it sound like Medlock was not behind this; we were first concerned about keeping the school open and keeping all 302 of our students at Medlock.
I met a guy on a plane once who had created a game he was promoting. It was a game called "Poverty" or maybe "Monopolized" - he hadn't named it yet. But I remember his pitch in detail and found it quite enlightening. The basic premise is that it is darn near impossible to climb out of the trap of poverty once ensnared. No matter what tiny advancement you made in this game, somehow, a ruling, a bank fee, a car repair or a poor education would push you back down.
I'm not so concerned that people gave the school system feedback as I am that theirs were the only voices heard and they don't even care - in fact they blame the communities for their own bad luck, as they didn't come to the table when invited. Or worse, they have spent good money (one group I'm hearing forked over $10,000 to an attorney) to push their myopic agenda. Some even took over tables and purposely drowned out small voices with their highly focused group "talking points".
Think about it. What if you are a single mom working two low-paying jobs? Hard to make a 7 pm meeting. What if you don't have internet or computer skills? Hard to get the message and fill out the online survey. What if you just plain don't feel that your voice will be heard over the loud cacophony of the others? What if you simply believe that your board rep will air your communities concerns for you? Or what if you simply just don't have the time or ability to pay attention to the goings on in the school system because you're just trying to keep food on the table?
Don't push these people down and them blame them when things don't go their way. That's not what I was raised to believe this country was about. Our school board and school leaders should have known what needed to be done. Tweaking lines here and there is not a big deal - but changing the future success of one school by caving in to the demands of parents at another is just not right, IMO. Our school system leaders should be professional enough - and respectful enough of the $400,000 consultants they hired - to do what really needed to be done to advance the whole system. I do have to give them credit for at least getting "something" done - which is much more than any of their predecessors were able to do.
Personally, had I been on the board, I would have gone with the centralized plan and then taken a microscope to the newly merged magnet programs.
Luckily for many of you, I do not sit on the board.
There again is an example - the response to the Medlock community whose school is closing -- gee - you should have gotten behind a plan to become a charter.
Do you know how much work it is to become a charter? It's been discussed at Lakeside, and even everyone there thinks it's too much work...
That is a very dismissive comment to someone who is grieving over the closing of their community's school.
Evansdale parents, I am sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, you were the sacrificial "northern" school.
Here's a thought: as soon as Evansdale is overcrowded (ie, this fall) perhaps parents could petition for the Math Magnet to be transferred to Medlock and a combination magnet/neighborhood school could be located at Medlock instead of Evansdale. (Which would also set up Medlock nicely for any future STEM plans.) Or, since no one was redistricted out of Laurel Ridge, and they will now have to use portables to house the Medlock refugees, perhaps the case could be made once again to keep Medlock open - by keeping the home population and adding the Math magnet.
Re: the discussions about Jester and Edler - there is commentary in the SACS report stating that "In addition interviews revealed that new board members had no adequate orientation program immediately following their Oath of Office. A purposeful training plan for new board members is necessary so as to increase their effectiveness as a member of the DeKalb Board of Education."
So - has that happened yet?
All of this is so confusing. What did Evansdale lose?
what did evansdale lose?
Thank you, Cerebration. Yes, Medlock was fighting for its survival first, not for its reincarnation.
For some of us, the closure of Medlock last night ends our battle for the school, as our kids are now being sent to other schools and some of us don't live in the immediate neighborhood.
This cause has to be taken up by those in the Medlock community, in conjunction with the Medlock Neighborhood organization, and the school board.
I seriously doubt Fernbank will reach out to us again unless they see some way they can benefit from the relationship.
"The issue with the STEM plan for Medlock is that it involved closing Medlock to happen. Yes, it would be good for the neighborhood; however, as a Medlock parent we were first fighting to keep our school open. We lost that fight and can now turn our attention to other options. Please don't make it sound like Medlock was not behind this; we were first concerned about keeping the school open and keeping all 302 of our students at Medlock."
I understand this completely and was actually responding to the accusation that Fernbank has done nothing for the community. If keeping Medlock open involved pulling homes from Fernbank please understand those families were not going to support that. And I also know that there was a large contingent of the Medlock community who were actually glad to go to Laurel Ridge.
Cere - "Do you know how much work it is to become a charter? It's been discussed at Lakeside, and even everyone there thinks it's too much work...
That is a very dismissive comment to someone who is grieving over the closing of their community's school."
Again with the double standard Cere. What about the families being pulled from Sagamore into Briar Vista who didn't want to leave - what is the Lakeside community doing for those sacrificial lambs? At least a STEM charter is a viable solution and FYI it can be done in a year given the assistance the state is willing to lend to the Medlock community.
"I seriously doubt Fernbank will reach out to us again unless they see some way they can benefit from the relationship."
Very true. Many of those who fought hardest for Fernbank also care little about the Middle and High School issues, maybe because they have no intention of sending their kids there.
I think that comment was probably meaning to say Medlock was the sacrificial lamb - and that when Evansdale gets over-crowded, perhaps they could use the Medlock facility as a math magnet...
just guessing - typos account for a lot of misunderstanding on the blogs...
The fact is that Dan Drake, MGT, et al, met for hours with some parent groups (e.g. Lakeside, aka SCORE), but told other groups they did not have time and that it would not be fair. Talk about a potential lawsuit.
"Very true. Many of those who fought hardest for Fernbank also care little about the Middle and High School issues, maybe because they have no intention of sending their kids there."
Very wrong. Most of those are either at the middle school or will soon be.
oops, sorry. Mea (anon 11:25)Culpa.
I meant to say MEDLOCK, sorry for your loss! (It's hard to follow the blog and do my work at the same time...) I truly am sorry that Medlock is slated to close. It is a great location and a very nice neighborhood school. I hope it can be reopened, there is definitely growth projected in the area.
"Very wrong. Most of those are either at the middle school or will soon be."
Judging from the number of private school apps coming from Fernbank this year (I work at a nearby private school), I will believe it when I see it.
I'll just leave this here.
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/03/08/south-dekalb-parents-dont-get-mad-get-a-charter-school/
Congratulations to the administration. This might be $12-$15 million per year of bloat that they can keep for themselves and not down size like they should.
11:34 - Look, I understand that Fernbank parents/students would definitely not promote a plan to move schools... especially not into Medlock. I get that, I wouldn't either. But I'm not crazy about your statement "And I also know that there was a large contingent of the Medlock community who were actually glad to go to Laurel Ridge." I may be wrong, but the issue with Medlock parents supporting the move to LR was due to the fact that Tyson's plan redrew the lines and a number of our students who were slated to go to LR if Medlock closed were changed to Avondale. Just like your Fernbank parents who no way in hell would go to Medlock, these Medlock parents did not want their children going to Avondale (as compared to the original plan where they would go to LR). As the fight went on to save Medlock and, unfortunately the outcome looked grim as phone calls, letters , and meeting requests were ignored, the group of parents impacted had to choose their battle and the one easier to win was the one to move the line from Avondale to LR rather than the fight to keep Medlock open. I certainly can't blame them for that.
DCSS is so messed up and inequable that incremental improvements aren't going to help much. In fact, IMHO, they should scrap the entire system and start over again. Every child is entitled to the same opportunities, no matter where in the county he/she resides.
Slash the administrative bloat and return the savings to the classroom. Get rid of the magnets and shift the funding back to the neighborhood schools so each school can enhance its academic offerings. Provide quality gifted programs at every school instead of conducting some ridiculous lottery that benefits some students and excludes many other equally qualified ones. Stop focusing solely on the gifted while "warehousing" the average kids. Stop funding programs for special groups and equalize the funding and the opportunities for every single child in Dekalb County. Bring each and every school in Dekalb County up to a standard of performance that is acceptable to any parent.
Once EVERY child in Dekalb county has access to an equable and high-quality education, then and only then start adding in the "extra" programs and only if the system can truly afford them.
Perhaps some of you are not aware of just how many charter and "theme" and "choice" schools we already have in DeKalb - most of them concentrated in south DeKalb. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is these very charter, etc schools and the mass exodus of students from neighborhood schools into those application-based schools that has caused the neighborhood school enrollments to decline to the point we are now -- requiring consolidation.
We did an in-depth report on this at the DeKalb School Watch blog. Charter and theme, etc schools are a good option, but then again, they have a negative effect on those neighborhood schools "left behind", with the children whose parents don't know how to or simply can't access the "competition".
North VS South - What's the Deal?
..."but south DeKalb has the most— Bouie Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 853), DESA Magnet school for the arts (capacity: 600, enrollment: 528), Marbut Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 844), Narvie Harris Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 984), Wadsworth Magnet (capacity: 462, enrollment: 166) and the soon to open Leadership Academy Charter School. There are 3,375 students attending these theme/magnet/charter elementary schools in south DeKalb (just about the same number of "empty" seats in neighborhood elementary schools in the south.)" ...
I'm curious to know...did any neighborhood/school group who retained an attorney NOT get what they were asking for? To list quickly those who I know had attorneys...The Greater Branches in Dunwoody, Austin 28 in Dunwoody, 2 (maybe 3?)different Vanderlyn groups in Dunwoody, Fernbank,...just to name a few.
If the county were trusted by the people, then attorneys wouldn't even be contacted in these situations, or the legal manuevering would be laughed off--BOE could look at the lawsuit and say, "sure. come after us." The schools in DeKalb are so different with regard to offerings and quality of teaching, parents do whatever they can to protect their children. Other school systems throughout the country redistrict regularly and NEVER face 5 or more attorneys from 1 part of a county...but then, their board is trusted.
The one thing I've learned from this process is that lawyers sway EVERYTHING at DCSS. Unfortunate for those of us who can't afford them.
Hey, get a job in the DCSS administration - then your lawyer would be free for you!
Lest your curiosity get the better of you —
“In the north, we have Kittredge Magnet (capacity: 443 and enrollment of 416), and Oakcliff Theme (capacity: 662, enrollment: 593) that’s 1,009 students in theme/magnet schools in the north – central DeKalb offers Robert Shaw Theme (capacity: 512, enrollment: 485) and Wynbrooke Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 933) totaling 1,418 students in theme schools in the central zone -” . . .
None of these theme, charter or magnet schools were included in the formulas for redistricting. Not even Arabia – ALL – Off the table. Not discussed. No threat of any kind of closure or consolidation. Not even Wadsworth ES with only about 160 students and a full staff… Not the Leadership Prep Academy Charter (160 students) Not Destiny Academy (<100 students) – Not even DeKalb School of the Arts with under 300 8-12th graders and a full staff…
@ 12:45 PM -- I agree! In fact, I think that your comment should be the basis for the "vision and purpose" the system is supposed to be creating for EDUCATION and student results...
Where is that again? Have never seen anything about an educational vision...
I'm very disappointed DCSS did not implement the Centralized Redistricting Plan that cost us tax payers over $400,000.00.
Why does DCSS continuously waste our tax dollars?
Where is the Evansdale math "Magnet" in your North/South/Central magnet count?
Probably didn't include that - we used the data compiled by the Citizen's Task Force...
The state BOE specifically told the county not to mess with high performing
Absolutely not true. The state DOE wanted to help maximize FTE counts and building construction funds, not at all the kind of advice they would give or what they would demand.
Stop trying to make yourself feel better.
Cunningham and Walker didn't want Bouie Theme School and Flat Rock switched.
(Two votes)
Jester wanted the Austin families to not have to go to Vanderlyn and the Vanderlyn families to not have to go to DES. (one vote)
McChesney, while he loves Briar Vista, decided that he didn't really want the Sagamore families to be unhappy and he might as well make Laurel Ridge folks happy, (one vote)
Womack wanted the Livsey people to be quiet. (one vote)
That equaled 5.
Bowen and Speaks just wanted this done.
That makes 7
"...there is a group of Fernbank parents who have been begging the Medlock community to get behind the idea of a charter school in the Medlock building and they have even gone to the state to work on a STEM charter. If Medlock would get behind it this would be a great solution for the neighborhood."
Exactly who have these Fernbank parents been "begging" to???
Cere,
Anon 1:24 summed it up perfectly. You can stop all further comments and lock the post.
Some DeKalb County parents have asked a judge to intervene and halt the school board’s decision to close eight schools and redistrict thousands of students.
DeKalb parents ask judge to stop school closures
What is the point of the request? Is it another race-baiting claim? (I still just don't get this in a system where almost everyone in a decision-making position is a minority.) Or is it based on the fact that there are administrative cuts that could be made elsewhere?
I'm not in favor of keeping open schools that are under-enrolled and thus not providing what I consider basic services (art, music). But, I'm also not in favor of redistricting and school closures so we can pay Tyson even more (I can imagine the request now - she's accomplished this she now deserves an even bigger raise), or using the saved money to pay more attorneys fees for folks involved in lawsuits involving claims of wrongdoing by people in administrative positions.
My concern is that the money we are saving is just going to the legal defense fund. I have no faith that the system will reduce class sizes or address instructional needs. On that basis, I could understand a suit.
You would think they could come up with a better basis. Of course, they're attorneys, not accountants. They don't understand simple math-most of the empty seats were in Woods' supercluster.
Medlock was the group probably most harmed. The closed schools in South Dekalb generally had other similar schools nearby. Someone from DHMS told me some of the Medlock parents were in tears, not only losing their school, but getting moved to Clarkston/Freedom. If they had some of the special needs children they were probably even more concerned.
As for 11:39's comments, everyone at Fernbank was concerned that DCSS would blindly split a neighborhood and rip apart one of their few successful schools. So everyone started thinking about options in a school district where board members seemed interested in dragging everyone down to the lowest common denominator. And many thought they would be moved. So yes, you probably got more Fernbank applications than normal. And with the Sagamore students getting moved to Lakeside/HM and the closing of Avalon, its unclear what all these major changes will have on DHMS and DHHS.
So, this is somewhat off topic, but not really, given how unsure any of us are about our future as Dekalb residents and parents.
Let me get a vibe from you on this: If you were a betting woman/man, would you say that DCSS will manage to escape probation come October 31st?
If so, how long before they play roulette with our schools again? One year? Three?
Given what happened last night, I am not sure we will even make it until October 31
I think they will be continually changing lines and closing schools over the next several years. They didn't really seriously look at the high school and middle school lines this time. Just in supercluster 5, they left 774 of the 1,500 empty HS seats and 713 of the 1,661 empty MS seats (and that number is probably 200-300 higher due to the number of Avondale students moving to DH).
The schools that escaped this time, especially the smaller ones like Livesey, will be back on the block, but one at a time, not in a mass group.
The questions I have :
- How do "we" keep an eye on whether there are savings from these changes or not - transparency being an on-going issue
- What are the next changes the BOE / Super (intermin or otherwise) will make come August (20/20 vision plan)
- How do "we" make sure the consolidation in South Dekalb actually improves "things" for the students in schools that now have larger populations hence can have more specials (Art, Music, Band if they didn't already)
To start a list
Sen. Emanuel Jones (D-Decatur) has accused DeKalb County School Board Vice-Chairman Paul Womack of verbally attacking him and said he is in the process of filing an ethics complaint.
Jones said the incident took place at a Chamber of Commerce banquet on Feb. 24, over a proposed ethics bill, which, according to Jones, Womack vowed to do everything in his power to defeat. Jones also alleges that Womack called him a profane name.
Tiff leads Sen. Jones to file ethics complaint against school board member
@ 4:06
"How do "we" keep an eye on whether there are savings from these changes or not - transparency being an on-going issue"
I thought Ms. Tyson was going to present the BOE with a cost savings analysis for these neighborhood schools that are going to be closed.
Benchmarks need to be set with dates to review and statistics made public as to the savings DeKalb County is accruing with these school closings.
Did Ms. Tyson present the detailed cost savings to the BOE? Is this analysis posted on the BOE website?
That doesn't seem like a lot to do with the 1,200+ personnel Ms. Tyson has at her disposal in the Central Office.
@1:44 In the newest lawsuit, one of the five plaintiffs is Latasha Walker. I wonder if she is related to the good, voluble doctor on the BOE
"The injunction request was filed by parents Latasha Walker, Kim Ault, Kendall London and Annette Davis Jackson and DeKalb NAACP board member John Evans."
Should read: "Convicted Felon John Evans"
Off topic- but I had to share because I couldn't believe my eyes when I just read that the BOE will be addressing the missing salary audit at the next business meeting. (3/14/11)
Check out the agenda:
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/meetings/viewmeetingOrder.aspx?S=4054&MID=17922
Item E 1: Ernst & Young Compensation & Classification Audit Report Update
You can't assume the Medlock building can be used for a charter school. The Museum School was denied a charter by Dekalb and granted one by the state. They wanted to use the old Forrest Hills Elementary and Dekalb said no.
off topic - http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/ex-dekalb-schools-exec-865532.html?cxtype=ynews_rss
115 years. wow.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/ex-dekalb-schools-exec-865532.html?cxtype=ynews_rss
"You can't assume the Medlock building can be used for a charter school. The Museum School was denied a charter by Dekalb and granted one by the state. They wanted to use the old Forrest Hills Elementary and Dekalb said no."
I have never heard a Board of Ed member address why the Museum school was repeatedly turned down, yet the syste pays $120,000 a year to New Birth to house a charter school. Shameful.
Ron Ramsey Bombshell below.
Guess having a high paid six figure DCSS job that allows him to be off at the state senate for three months plus giving him time to run multiple family businesses is not enough!
http://www.atlawblog.com/2011/03/more-than-50-lawyers-vie-for-dekalb-judgeships/
More than 50 lawyers vie for DeKalb judgeships
The Judicial Nominating Commission has appointed a subcommittee to vet more than 50 nominees for two open DeKalb State Court judgeships.
JNC Co-Chair Pete Robinson of Troutman Sanders will chair the three-lawyer subcommittee, working with DeKalb District Attorney Robert James and Chris Carr, chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. The subcommittee will conduct a preliminary review of nominees and make a recommendation at the JNC’s next meeting, which has not yet been scheduled but likely will occur later this month.
The open judgeships were created by the resignation of Barbara Mobley, who stepped down to end a Judicial Qualifications Commission inquiry, and J. Antonio DelCampo, who announced he was leaving to join plaintiffs’ firm Harris Penn Lowry.
The nominees are: Angela Afflick; Akintunde Akinyele; Charles Bailey; Gina Bernard; Kimberly Blackwell; Scott Bonder; Lynne Borsuk; Todd Boyce; Marco Corales; Robert Dallas; La Tisha Dear; Fatima El-Amin; John Gatto; Sylvia Goldman; Jason Graham; Joseph Hardy; James Hollingsworth; Stacey Hydrick; Yvonne Hawks; James Hays; Asha Jackson; Laurene Jackson; Claire Jason; Kenneth Jones; Henry Kwak; David Lipton; Greg Lohmeier; Nicole Marchand; Johnny Mason; Matt McCoyd; Toni McDowell; Dionne McGee; Curtis Miller; James Miller; Michael Miller; Jody Peskin; Ronald Ramsey; Stefan Ritter; Eleanor Ross; Michael Rothenberg; Anton Rowe; Thomas Stubbs; Christopher Timmons; Caroly Torres-Mable; Denise Warner; Roreita Walker; Thomas Walker; Carol Walker-Russell; Charles Webb; Natalie Wilkes and Phyllis Williams.
Ms. Jackson is back??!!
http://southdekalb.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/dekalb-redistricting-faces-lawsuit-but/#comment-676
"DeKalb redistricting faces lawsuit, but..."
Here is a copy of the complaint filed yesterday. A quick read of the document, and the first thing out of my head was that this was not filed by an attorney. Usually at the bottom, you will see the filing attorneys information. Also The AJC reported that one petitioner, Annette Davis Jackson, moved out of DeKalb to Gwinnett because her kids were kicked out of school. The complaint states that Ms. Jackson is a resident of DeKalb. I do not know if that is sworn testimony, but if it is then she has some explaining to do also.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9oPT5XcHyhcNDE1ZDMzZDEtOWEyNC00NTJlLTg2NTItMWI2NmMxNGIyNmZl&hl=en
As I recall that story, Ms. Jackson always lived in Gwinnett, but her children attended the DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts. Apparently a relative lived in DeKalb and somehow got the children in. (Maybe their father?) Anyway, that is the reason her children were removed from the school (residency) - however, probably the real reason was her vocal opposition to the relocation of DESA,... old story. She had her children read prepared statements to the board at nearly every meeting. And then she'd read one. All three of them - every meeting... She may have moved to DeKalb since then.
Ramsey is much more dangerous as a Judge than he is in the legislature or as "counsel" for DCSS. It would represent a promotion of the "pyramid" of NB reaching higher and higher into public office and life -- once appointed it is extremely difficult to unseat a sitting judge and they have tremendous power and uathority. I encourage anyone who has had interaction with Ramsey which qualifies as unprofessional, arbritrary, capricious or unethical to let the Judicial Nominating Commission know about your specific experience (in detail) and, if appropriate, file a bar grievance, so he is not recommended as a "qualified" candidate. Here is some contact information: pete.robinson@troutmansanders.com; revans@mckennalong.com; http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm; http://www.gabar.org/programs/consumer_assistance_program/
What people don't seem to understand about the charter issue is that it doesn't just take a committed group of parents. The county may allow a charter school to use the Medlock building for free and money from the state pays for teacher salaries. However, the money for the principal, support staff, specials, food service, building maintenance, insurance, transportation, etc, must be paid for by the charter school itself. For some charter schools, these costs are several hundred thousand dollars per year. This means a lot of fund raising. The STEM charter money from the state won't pay for this. It is just for planning grants.
In many ways, Fernbank is better positioned for a STEM charter. They are across the street from FSC and the Fernbank community has the income to fundraise the money need to keep a charter afloat.
Keep in mind that a STEM charter would not replace a neighborhood school, as it doesn't fit the needs of all students. That said, it is definitely better than a boarded up building.
@ anonymous 8:22
"In many ways, Fernbank is better positioned for a STEM charter. '
The Fernbank community does not need or want charter status. They have a very insular community with an active and wealthy PTA and a thriving Foundation as well. They have lots of Gifted students for which they receive 66% more funding per pupil, allowing them to hire more teachers and decrease class sizes. They also do the fund raising to hire special teachers and provide special programs for their kids. If they choose to continue the public education route, their children have convenient access to the SST and AP programs at Fernbank Science Center as well as the Accelerated, AP classes and IB program at Druid Hills HS. They are very smart, well educated, self made individuals. No one gave them anything. They are where they are because they were the best students and the best competitors in their respective fields. They know how to work the system, and so the system works for them.
As long as the Central Office leaves them alone, they are fine, and their children will continue to be high achivers. They are the most powerful and contented group in DeKalb County. Dunwoody parents are pussycats compared to them.
I believe Ms. Jackson's husband was/is a DCSS employee. The powers that be removed her children from DCSS under the policy that children of employees can only attend the school where the parent is employed.
That is strange. Arabia certainly seems to have room. According to the Sept enrollment chart published by DCSS, Arabia has 1,311 students with a capacity for 1,611 (and expansion ability to over 2,100 according to the original press releases on the facility...)
So, why on earth have they placed 165 students on an "annex" at Lithonia HS?
They haven't. Everybody has the annex concept backwards. They take students from a failing school, put them in another building or even leave them in the same building, give them different teachers and then lump them report-wise with a school that makes AYP. the students and teachers have NO relationship with the school they allegedly are annexed into. What they have are 165 Lithonia students, housed at lithonia, but with teachers who are not old Lithonia teachers , but instead are transferred teachers, who are now called Arabia teachers, even though few of the teachers ever set foot in Arabia. This is the bait and switch part. The students are sitting in their same old building but their scores are counted as Arabia and on paper they are considered to have transferred out of their failing school. These are not Arabia students, do not go to Arabia, never did go to Arabia and never will go to Arabia. They are Arabia ONLY on paper, in order to make it look like they were given the option to transfer out of Lithonia.
"The powers that be removed her children from DCSS under the policy that children of employees can only attend the school where the parent is employed."
Well, that's incorrect because we have children at from Gwinnett County who have a parent that works in the DCSS administration. Why would they remove her children and not others?
ANON 9:15pm
I have a suggestion.
Ask the school system to see the
results regarding testing and grades for JUST the annexes.
Do you think this would be a fair way to judge the education these children within the annexes are receiving?
Please email the central office for your requested information and keep us all posted on your results.
I am looking forward to hearing back from you soon with the results.
Actions speak LOUDER than WORDS my friend.
And I am asking you to ACT!
S7
Those children were at DESA, a magnet school. Magnet programs are only open to DeKalb residents regardless of the parent's employment status with DCSS.
Sagamore 7,
What if your child from Sagamore was sent to Sam Moss Center for classes, but on paper he attended the OakGrove annex? You thought your child was going to OakGrove. I'm not insinuating that Sagamore has any problems, just making an example. For example sake only, imagine that Sagamore really was pretty bad; you would jump at the chance for your child to go to OakGrove. Then, you'd be really peeved that he was going to oakGrove in name only and wasn't even getting a school experience because he's in an office building. That is the situation that the annex kids are in.
It is not only the education that the children in annexes may or may not be getting. The disingenuity of the approach is the problem. The Lithonia kids who supposedly attend Arabia, but really still attend Lithonia and are grouped with Arabia only on paper for scores, at least have it better than students sent to the other annexes called Chamblee and Tucker from non AYP schools (not sure exactly which non-ayp schools). These annex kids are not housed at schools, which the parents were led to believe when they accepted the transfers. At least the Lithonia/Arabia students have a school, with all its extracurriculars and facilities. These kids were at a failing school and were offered the option of chamblee, only to find out that they are sitting in an office building (WBBC) without any normal school resources, though on paper were given a transfer to Chamblee.
I can try to request data to determine if the educational outcomes are better for the kids at annexes. But the issue involves the entire high school experience, a situation I'm sure you can understand.
Again, i don't have a child at either the receiving school/annexes or at the sending schools. I'm just aggrieved that Dekalb is still NOT adequately serving these at risk students whose parents are trying to get them out of schools that do not offer them a quality education. That is part of the entire reason that we have such dire underenrollment issues at certain schools, which leads to the entire redistricting debacle.
kinda wonder if those kids have a law suit they could file against the county?
The annexes were established after the first NCLB mess, where Shamrock Middle and Tucker Middle were forced to receive hundreds of transfers, crowding classrooms, hallways, gyms, supply closets, etc. Because schools had to receive students up to capacity numbers, and because a school's capacity is defined, not as a capacity for an adequate learning environment but according to the fire marshall capacity (which is much more per classroom than maximum class size), these schools were crowded beyond comprehension. To comply with federal law, the county had to let these kids transfer, even though it led to a completly untenable situation.
A group of very dedicated parents, together with folks from Central Office, went to Washington to get permission for Dept of Ed for a relief valve. DOE agreed to the annexes so that is what we are stuck with.
Are there really no other schools that have space and have made AYP?
Anon 10:08
I truly believe that every parent that applied for their child to go to a magnet school was notified of the "Choice" to go to the annex or their existing home school.
In my opinion, I would probably try and have my child attend an annex as a potential alternative to a non-performing school.
I wish I had an answer for NCLB. It has hurt a generation of American children. I believe it will be gone in a couple of years.
The county dealt with the federal mandates as best as they could.
I did not state an opinion on how they dealt with NCLB, I stated they dealt with it as best they could.
I appreciate your concern and active participation in the betterment of all of the children's education.
S7
Where is the Office of School Improvement who made the decisions for $128,000,000 of federal funds last year in all this mess? Why are our Title 1 schools not able to make adequate yearly progress. We need new leadership in the Office of School Improvement. Lewis put Ms. Berry in charge of this department 5 years ago. Why hasn't there been a change to someone who can turn the Title 1 schools around so that we don't have this overcrowding with NCLB transfers and administrative transfers and under enrolled schools because so many parents are fleeing to magnets and charter schools. Something must be done about the poor decisions that Ms. Berry has made with hundreds of millions of educational dollars.
@ anon 9:01
"They are very smart, well educated, self made individuals. No one gave them anything. They are where they are because they were the best students and the best competitors in their respective fields. They know how to work the system, and so the system works for them. "
And they have no problem telling everyone how wonderful they are! Wow, if you all would give even a small amount of concern to the kids whose schools and parents can not "work the system", perhaps we would not have such a disparity in the quality of education ALL the children of DeKalb County are getting. It is the attitudes like yours that gives you Fernbank parents such a bad reputation in the county.
I remember that Shamrock got slammed and had forgotten that is how the annex concept evolved. I did not know that capacity for AYP is determined by fire marshall. Is this really true?
I know that Donna Edler was somewhat inelegantly trying to bring up the concept of consistent capacity figures at the BOE meeting on Monday as it relates to how neighborhood schools get redistricted, when employees may send their children to feeder pattern schools, and determining if there is room for AYP transfer kids at DCSS designated receiving schools.
What if the empty Avondale Middle and Avondale high became the annexes for all the middle and high schools not making ayp? They could be "theme" schools and require uniforms and parental involvement. With enough kids from enough non-AYP schools, extracurriculars could still be available. Of course, that might just defer the issue as it would leave even fewer kids with motivated parents in the schools not meeting AYP, and perpetuating the cycle of failure in those schools, leading to lower and lower enrollment and more and more closures.
Anon way up there: "How do you justify a long stretched district like Cross Keys?"
No one does because there is no real justification. However, don't worry about it! The CK kids are doing great!
I was reminded of this today when I learned there's yet another Gates Millenium semi-finalist named at CK. And it's not just the kids at the top of the curve who are doing well - check out the latest Math I and Math II EOCT (Winter 2010) and you'll see how they fared versus State and notable neighbors ...
Cross Keys:
Math I pass rate = 63%
Math II pass rate = 84%
State of Georgia:
Math I pass rate = 58%
Math II pass rate = 65%
Chamblee:
Math I pass rate = 44%
Math II pass rate = 50%
Lakeside:
Math I pass rate = 16%
Math II pass rate = 15%
Druid Hills
Math I pass rate = 47%
Math II pass rate = 60%
Tucker:
Math I pass rate = 17%
Math II pass rate = 7%
The Indians may be on a reservation when it comes to districting but they are definitely OFF the reservation when it comes to achievement in math!
Apartments, immigrants, low income families, "un-involved" community - bhah, blah, blah! No secret to success here, highly qualified, dedicated faculty and a positive, encouraging atmosphere for hard working young people to thrive... priceless!
Cere: "I hate to say this, but it really looks like some serious politics intervened and changed the course of the superintendent's original redistricting plan ..."
I love ya but this made me giggle. After all the ugliness, after all the evidence that old fashion, hardball politics pushes the money and the attendance lines around DeKalb schools, you are taken aback by this plan?
Time for a serious talk over an adult beverage, my friend ...
@ Sagamore 7 "I truly believe that every parent that applied for their child to go to a magnet school was notified of the "Choice" to go to the annex or their existing home school."
These parents did not apply for their kids to go to a magnet. The county told every parent in nonAYP schools which schools they could transfer to because of non-AYP status of their home school. They were told they would go to one of a couple of specific schools, including chamblee high(to the regular program, NOT to the magnet program) or for middle students, to choices that included Tucker Middle. After they accepted the transfer and were told they would go to Chamblee or Tucker, it was determined that there was no room at Chamblee or Tucker. However, they were also advised that a better solution than the office building would be forthcoming. They are still waiting for the better solution.
My point is that annexes in an office building are just not a good choice for students. If that is an acceptable solution for some students, then we can solve our overcrowding issues at any school and concurrently our empty real=estate problems (economy-related) by just putting students in the empty commercial spaces all over town! Not a good idea for regular students in crowded schools so its not a good idea for AYP transfer students either.
I understand that DCSS had to offer them a choice to go somewhere other than their own failing schools. But I'm not so sure that DCSS is making enough effort to offer quality remedial instruction in the failing schools. Other area school systems do not have the same emphasis on school transfers as DCSS and more aggressively offer meaningful remdiation within the nonAYP schools. I cannot imagine the desperation of parents who students attend bad schools but have such poor options that they have to send their kids to an office building for online courses instead of to a real school.
@Kim
Are you sure about those numbers (particularly Lakeside and Tucker)? Are those maybe just Hispanics?
"After they accepted the transfer and were told they would go to Chamblee or Tucker, it was determined that there was no room at Chamblee or Tucker."
I remember it coming down that way, too.
"I cannot imagine the desperation of parents who students attend bad schools but have such poor options that they have to send their kids to an office building for online courses instead of to a real school."
I can. They feel defeated. They feel victimized. They feel taken advantage of by others. They feel jealous of others. And why don't they "do something about it?"
Because they don't believe they will win because they've lost every time they've fought. Because they've learned that they can't beat "the system" and that they are destined to be second best, at best.
How, you ask, did this happen to them? Have you not read the 193 comments above? The thousands of comments before these?
There is a true pathology of failure and defeatism that developed in DeKalb. The only question I have left is: Are they crazy or is everyone really trying to put them down?
I don't think this is a trivial question. Talking to the young people of CK has taught me a lot about the view "from the bottom."
Kim,
Where did you find EOCT Dec. 2010 data?
Thanks.
Deal, Kim! Say -- where did you get those math scores? What happened at Lakeside and Tucker? Whoa!
Regarding the EOCT figures, they were taken from a report distributed by Beasley's office with the follow intro:
"Greetings Principals,
The December 2010 EOCT results have been attached. The green highlighted
scores denote an improvement or consistency from each campus' December
2009 EOCT passing percentages. The number of test takers for each
administration is fairly consistent (16,541 in December 2010 versus 17,783
in December 2009). As anticipated, we will have greater participation for
May 2010 EOCT. You have been provided the following: (1) Overall
Highlights; (2) Highlights for EOCT Subjects; and (3) Implications for
Teaching and Learning.
Overall Highlights
• The district improved or remained consistent in five of the eight
EOCTs: American Literature (84%); 9th Grade Literature (71%);
Economics (66%); Math II (49%); and U.S. History (47%).
• The district's Math II passing percentage improved 7% from December
2009.
• The district's U.S. History passing percentage improved 6% from
December 2009.
• DeKalb is closing the achievement gap with the state in American
Literature. We are one percent away from matching the state's passing
percentage in American Literature (84% versus 85%).
Seven campuses (Dunwoody, Miller Grove, Clarkston, Cross Keys, Martin L
King, Redan, and Southwest DeKalb) reflect increases in passing
percentages in five of the eight EOCTs.
• Elizabeth Andrews High School had the greatest number of EOCTs showing
an increase in passing percentages with six of the eight tests
demonstrating an increase in passing percentages.
"
With the current lawsuit that parents filed today, I do not see DCSS ever rising above the ashes and becoming the "premier" district that I have heard it being in the past.
Sad for the children, as no sane person is going to want to run this insane organization. I truly fear that we will have a puppet of sorts as the superintendent and that the same old same old DCSS behavior will continue.
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