tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post8139776208723465819..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: DeKalb schools cut lower paid workersCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-68580891500324876062010-07-29T15:17:48.031-04:002010-07-29T15:17:48.031-04:00I was not sure where to put this comment - but has...I was not sure where to put this comment - but has anyone looked at PDS-24 in the last few days? You can really tell the PR/Media department was let go. The graphics and videos are so amateurish - might as well just save more money and do away with PDS-24 altogether.Paula Caldarellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05515215184962897541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33675415730749995892010-06-25T01:01:04.463-04:002010-06-25T01:01:04.463-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-83891034628386207592010-06-23T23:51:26.402-04:002010-06-23T23:51:26.402-04:00We are glad to know that Yvonne Butler saw the wri...We are glad to know that Yvonne Butler saw the writing on the wall and RETIRED. DCSS is much better off is she actually retired and went to work with Martha Stewart. The salary promotion that she was given did not match her qualifications as a wellness director. Her degrees are in education and counseling. It makes you who overlooked this when she was promoted. I donot blame Shannon for not wanting to work under such an incompetent person such as Butler. Let us pray that she took her marbles and ran. She sold enugh cookbooks on DCSS school, use enough of DCSS money to travel to other states and give speeches on sugar whwn she should have been at work. Boy, she sure used this county.! HaaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-31952910412979114352010-06-14T17:49:24.274-04:002010-06-14T17:49:24.274-04:00ANNOUNCEMENT -
As you may already know, our coun...ANNOUNCEMENT - <br /><br />As you may already know, our county school system is undergoing restructuring of its personnel duties for next year. No longer will there be a county-level employee who is completely dedicated to overseeing gifted programs and services. Instead, this task will be handled by Mrs. Pat Copeland, who will also retain her responsibility for overseeing magnet programs.<br /><br />In light of this development, I am exploring the formation of a grassroots, countywide group of parents and teachers who are stakeholders in DeKalb's gifted ed programs. The group would be affiliated with the Georgia Association of Gifted Children. Such groups already exist in Fulton, Cobb, Douglas and Gwinnett counties. Activities would likely include advocacy on the county and state levels, as well as support for parents and teachers.<br /><br />If you believe that such a group would be useful and are willing to spend 3-5 hours per month working on advocacy activities, please contact Dori Kleber at <br /><br />doritoot@yahoo.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51197957128005219752010-06-10T20:06:42.707-04:002010-06-10T20:06:42.707-04:00All a subpoena is is a demand to testify as to wha...All a subpoena is is a demand to testify as to what you know... it certainly doesn't imply wrongdoing whatsoever.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-32957494497920250672010-06-10T19:18:45.118-04:002010-06-10T19:18:45.118-04:00Breaking News......Subpoena's have been handed...Breaking News......Subpoena's have been handed to Marcus Turk (Chief Financial Officer), Jamie Wislon (HR Director), Roanld Ramsey (we all know he wears 2 hats and collects two checks). Things are beginning to get a little heated in the new DCSS offices.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-8294209107576496412010-06-10T15:23:14.522-04:002010-06-10T15:23:14.522-04:00Great stuff Anon 3:16 PM.
DCSS MIS clearly needs ...Great stuff Anon 3:16 PM.<br /><br />DCSS MIS clearly needs both a forensic audit and personnel audit, along with new leadership!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-92103148817130185912010-06-10T15:16:06.825-04:002010-06-10T15:16:06.825-04:00The problem is we spend $19,000,000 a year for MIS...The problem is we spend $19,000,000 a year for MIS personnel, never budget any money for computers for students (only use what Lewis allocated from SPLOST), and pay double for computers so Dell will do all od theinstallation and maintenance. There is little left over for actual equipment for students.<br /> <br />MIS personnel costs run higher than other counties. You can't blame that on demographics or our higher than metro county number of Title I schools.<br /><br />In addition to the higher MIS personnel costs, DeKalb Schools handles funding for technology for students in a very different manner than other metro and many Georgia rural systems. Most systems use a three tier system to fund technology for students.<br />1. General funds<br />2. Bond referendums<br />3. SPLOST<br /><br />Sytems with high numbers of Title 1 schools also use a fourth leg with some Title 1 funds being used for technology access, particularly since Internet access to online learning is often scarce.<br /><br />DeKalb only uses one source of funding for technology access (SPLOST) and most of our general fund dollars go to MIS personnel costs. Title I dollars are use for admin and support personnel and learning program like Springboard and America's Choice.<br /><br />That's why our students have little access to technology.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-87143466851182486092010-06-10T14:02:39.566-04:002010-06-10T14:02:39.566-04:00Vanderlyn is a school where nearly 100 percent of ...Vanderlyn is a school where nearly 100 percent of all families have both computers and internet access. Last Fall, I worked with a group of Dunwoody high school students who had neither and had been signed up for credit recovery courses online at DOLA.<br /><br />So, while online learning sounds fabulous, there are real barriers in the real world to making it work.<br /><br />Lynn DeutschAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-3585619680435284162010-06-10T13:09:31.936-04:002010-06-10T13:09:31.936-04:00Regarding overall budget cuts - and the plea for c...Regarding overall budget cuts - and the plea for copy paper -- teachers: Check out this article on a Vanderlyn teacher who assigned homework to be done electronically -<br /><br />Congratulations to Ms. Kristen Drake and Ms. Nancy Lorenz of Vanderlyn Elementary School! Their successful grant application to Target resulted in $800 for a field trip project. Vanderlyn's third grade students visited the Seminole Landfill to see the impact we have on the environment. The grant was awarded for her paperless classroom. By having on-line homework she reduced the amount of paper used by over 12,000 copies. For more information on Ms. Drake's paperless classroom, visit her website at http://worksheetless.com.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-6979092711456628402010-06-08T13:42:42.620-04:002010-06-08T13:42:42.620-04:00Gwinnett uses trailers a long-term classrooms. Gra...Gwinnett uses trailers a long-term classrooms. Grayson HS currently has ~35 trailers. South Gwinnett has a whole football field worth.<br /><br />The trailers aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If DCSS tried to redraw lines, y'all would sue them back to the stone age. Many of you have expressed that you won't vote for SPLOST, so there go additions.<br /><br />Get used to them. They aren't going anywhere, and there isn't a precedent on using them as temporary classrooms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-81684001843407679602010-06-07T11:32:11.907-04:002010-06-07T11:32:11.907-04:00Right on - exactly true, Anon. Parents and commun...Right on - exactly true, Anon. Parents and community members need to rise up against trailers. We've been told that we have thousands of empty seats in our buildings -- there should be NO need for 300-500 trailers! Lakeside is burgeoning with over 1700 allowed to enroll (hundreds from outside the attendance zone) when the building only holds 1350. The school has to use 21 trailers - sitting on the tennis courts - to accommodate the overflow. Additionally, Oak Grove has 6 trailers - with enrollment over 600 (and a capacity for much less) - while discussions and arguments continue regarding Briarlake, about 1 mile away, with barely 400 students. So - redistrict to rebalance - this is not rocket science. Our board has no guts.<br /><br />Board meeting tonight at 6 PM -- plan to attend (Cedar Grove Middle School, 2300 Wildcat Road, Decatur) or watch it live on COMCAST 24.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-49609242697516963192010-06-07T10:55:42.416-04:002010-06-07T10:55:42.416-04:00Parents in my district are not putting up with tra...Parents in my district are not putting up with trailers. Parents of Nancy Creek were trying to keep the school open since we saw the growth coming to our community. We were nervous that the resulting overcrowding would bring trailers. Well, there are 4 or 5 at Huntley Hills already, this is after the Clew-less mob and Robert Moooooseley promised there would be no trailers. The fraudulent demographers report said so!<br /><br /> Also during this time parents in Dunwoody were complaining that we had no right to complain and we should embrace the trailers. Huh?<br /><br /> No one should embrace trailers, most of the school systems that are run properly redraw lines constantly to support the changing needs of a community.<br /><br /> Parents at Montgomery Elementary, which thankfully does not have a trailer yet, told Clew-less and his mob that the first trailer brought to Montgomery would have a plaque placed on it dedicating it to Clew-less, Redovian and the other BOE members that thought it would be "equitable" to close a school in the fastest growing area inside the perimeter. Check the Atlanta Regional Commission numbers. Chamblee, Dunwoody and Brookhaven areas are the fastest growing areas of DeKalb.<br /><br /> It's sad that politics overrule sound decisions by BOE members especially when it effects our kids.<br /><br />So please stop with the comments like the one earlier that parents don't complain about trailers. Our parents do. Just think if DCSS does bring trailers into Montgomery, Dunwoody kids will lose two soccer fields, which sit behind the school, that are currently used by Concorde. Let's hope the re-districting of the future will even out the populations of all the schools county wide. Plus, let's hope the NEW executive leadership actually have conversations with DeKalb planning and zoning unlike the Clew-less mob of, Moseley, Tyson, Turk, Mitchell, Thompson, Guilroy, Edwards and Ramsey.<br /><br /> By the way I haven't seen any resignations yet. Seems to me it's back to business as usual as the news stories of two weeks ago die down. Come on parents I know it's summer but this is the time we must watch DCSS closely. This is the time when most bad decisions are made and snuck through the process since parents are vacationing and sitting poolside sipping their adult beverages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-29422127009685393682010-06-07T09:53:11.362-04:002010-06-07T09:53:11.362-04:00Look at this announcement from Fulton County Schoo...Look at this announcement from Fulton County Schools -- Don't you wish we would have one of these for DCSS. Talk about transparent!<br /><br />Salary hearings set for June 8 and June 15<br /><br />The Fulton County School System announces two public hearings on proposed salary schedules for the 2010-11 school year.<br /><br />Tuesday, June 8<br />6:00-6:30 p.m.<br />Administrative Center<br />786 Cleveland Avenue SW, Atlanta<br /><br />Tuesday, June 15<br />6:00-6:30 p.m.<br />Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School<br />8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs<br /><br />The school system will solicit public input on proposed salaries prior to the Board of Education adopting the FY11 Fulton County School System budget.<br /><br />All Fulton County School System employees are invited to attend and/or provide feedback. The final salary schedules and FY11 budget are expected to be adopted at the June 22 school board work session at the Administrative Center.themommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829171693817032539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-70402068228042412742010-06-07T09:37:50.357-04:002010-06-07T09:37:50.357-04:00I actually went to Sam Moss for a meeting some mon...I actually went to Sam Moss for a meeting some months ago. The little I saw was a total interior renovation. I would describe it as typical corporate office worker space - cubicle farms and small, modest side office enclosures and meeting rooms. I wasn't meeting muckity-mucks, mind you, so who knows what is in the bowels of the building reno.<br /><br />I also went to the new admin offices at MIC (KEY?) and that is a bit of a different story. The common spaces are much more grand (they had plenty of space to work with!). The area supers are in cubicle farm that is, again, fairly typical of a corporate office. I did see a few very nice private office enclosures for second and third tier managers. I did not see any of the "executive" offices.<br /><br />Having had the privilege of being in executive offices and meeting rooms at places like Coke and BellSouth, I have to say MIC is much nicer than I expected and I was "impressed." But then, perhaps that's what they were shooting for ...Kim Gokcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01855554437157990110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-91620056249006087432010-06-07T08:51:53.411-04:002010-06-07T08:51:53.411-04:00The construction section of the DCSS website is ve...The construction section of the DCSS website is very misleading - it only openly lists the SPLOST projects as school-related -<br /><br />http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/progress/projects/<br /><br />Unless you download the actual reports, you would be hard-pressed to see the amount of money and effort spent on Sam Moss and the Admin Offices at Mtn Industrial -<br /><br />Oddly, the old June 09 report that I downloaded a year ago is very different from <a href="http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/administration/operations/projects/2002-2007/files/SPLOST2/SPLOST%20II%20Report%20June%2009.pdf" rel="nofollow">the one that is currently at the DCSS website</a> with the same date. The original report has a photo of Sam Moss Center with this description of work -<br /><br /><i>Sam Moss Service Center: Work completed to date for Phase 1 includes interior partitions and associated mechanical and electrical work; installation fo flooring in the restrooms, electrical closet, and break room; and electrical and ADA requirements. We anticipate that all Phase 1 work will be substantially completed in the next 30 days, at which time work will begin on the second of the three phases of the project.</i><br /><br />Additional costs for Sam Moss in the latest report include -<br /><br />Sam Moss Center - Paint and Carpet 421-341-019 $67,700<br /><br />Sam Moss Center- Paving Repair and Replacement 421-341-037 $470,454<br /><br />Sam Moss Service Center - HVAC and Roof 421-131 $1,626,432<br /><br />You can find the latest summary of Sam Moss' recent expenditures on page 97 of the new CIP report.<br /><br />http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/administration/operations/projects/2002-2007/files/CIP/January%202010%20-%20Complete%20Report.pdf<br /><br /><br />Page 7 of the newest report shows that we have only spent $160 million of the $240 million collected, with a projected collection of $466 million in total by August 2012. <br /><br /><br />===<br /><br />I would like to add that whoever produced this latest report did a much, much better job than reports in the past. (120 SEARCHABLE pages - compared to Pat Pope's non-searchable 23 page report last time - or even her non-searchable 84 page mid-PROGRAM assessment - of which, 24 pages was the old demographer's report.) This one is much more transparent and forthcoming with information. In fact, each and every change order is listed in detail - Kudos!Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-15451639184037869352010-06-06T23:17:34.113-04:002010-06-06T23:17:34.113-04:00Can anybody describe the renovations to Sam Moss? ...Can anybody describe the renovations to Sam Moss? It's true that it looks pretty much the same from the outside... What was done to the interior? It was good (in a blood pressure-raising way) to see the pictures of the inside of Mountain Industrial - gave me a real sense of what our $$ bought the bigwigs. I would love to know what we paid for at Sam Moss.Dekalbparenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16376422781260452873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-29579878885991503462010-06-06T21:59:41.610-04:002010-06-06T21:59:41.610-04:00The queen reid/pope who ever she is had the buildi...The queen reid/pope who ever she is had the building renovated. You must remember this was her company. It was my understanding that there was a freeze on money so where did she get this money from. It was nothing wrong with the building the people had been working in the same places for years. Your work place is paid for by tax payers and it should not look like you home. This is another tax payer waste. You should be looking into where did the money come from? you might be surprise. It is sad that money is spent on such and the kids ARE TRYING TO LEARN WITH LEAKING ROOFS AND NO A/C OR HEAT. AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE ROACHES IN THE CAFETERIA AND KITCHENS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-20876509749798275742010-06-06T15:02:14.529-04:002010-06-06T15:02:14.529-04:00It's me again. My eyes are tired. Totally mi...It's me again. My eyes are tired. Totally miss read your comment DekalbParent. Please forgive me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-13365613646784169242010-06-06T14:55:23.652-04:002010-06-06T14:55:23.652-04:00DeKalb Parent:
I am so glad that you are voting o...DeKalb Parent:<br /><br />I am so glad that you are voting on SPLOST IV. I will not and actually drive to Fulton or Gwinnett County to purchase items for my home. I do live very close to both counties.<br /><br />I have been doing this for sometime because I am tired of all the waste in DCSS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-16178234873087458702010-06-06T14:29:47.848-04:002010-06-06T14:29:47.848-04:00I vote. My spouse votes. My two kids vote. We will...I vote. My spouse votes. My two kids vote. We will all vote against SPLOST IV. We will be campaigning for all good candidates we see.Dekalbparenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16376422781260452873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-35928759028532522322010-06-06T14:28:28.896-04:002010-06-06T14:28:28.896-04:00Cross - post from another thread re trailers:
Alt...Cross - post from another thread re trailers:<br /><br />Alternatives to trailers. I found this a while ago while on another magical mystery tour.<br /><br />http://architecture.about.com/od/schooldesign/ig/Winning-School-Designs/Druid-Hills-High-School.htm<br /><br />It appears it was designed as a contest entry, and it has never been implemented. I suspect if it had actually been done at any of our schools, it would have paid for itself. Might have also reduced the amount of construction DCSS has done.<br /><br />The design is cool, and the rest of the website is fun to look at.Dekalbparenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16376422781260452873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-62713568850155341932010-06-06T13:53:23.465-04:002010-06-06T13:53:23.465-04:00@ Anonymous, June 5, 4:42 PM
RE: Trailers
I com...@ Anonymous, June 5, 4:42 PM<br /><br />RE: Trailers<br /><br />I completely agree! The folks who leased that stuff -- some of which is just junk -- must have had a hard time keeping a straight face. Basically, they were given a bid-free unending contract, regardless of the service and equipment they provide. <br /><br />Stan Pritchett is a piece of work! I always thought it was amusing that Pritchett, of all people, was selected to be president of the failing Morris Brown College. Funny -- and, yet, pitiful somehow that Morris Brown could not attract/select a better class of candidate. <br /><br />At DCSS, Stan Pritchett was just another failed principal, appointed to a central office job for which he had no training and no ability. At DC$$, $tan Pritchett'$ legacy endure$.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-41596252736402736632010-06-05T22:08:00.403-04:002010-06-05T22:08:00.403-04:00I wonder if there is a way to know how long teache...I wonder if there is a way to know how long teachers are staying in DCSS. This appears to be a problem, and I wonder what can be done to solve this problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-22707527853276714222010-06-05T21:38:19.846-04:002010-06-05T21:38:19.846-04:00In tomorrow's Sunday AJC, there is an article ...In tomorrow's Sunday AJC, there is an article about the C of Atlanta school system not doing contracts correctly. It isn't on line yet, but I wonder how many similarities we will see to DCSS.<br /><br />There is something fundamentally flawed with the system's relationship to Arabia Mountain, though it looks like there is some kind of grant paying for it.<br /><br />Total cost is $51,140.00. Arabia Mountain High School will use the following grant to pay for the installation of two language labs: Fund for the Improvement of Education program; Title V, Part D, Subpart 1, Sections 5411-5413 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act.<br /><br />Of course, shouldn't every high school be getting this?<br /><br />Finally, I have heard that part of the reason Arabia's test scores were so good this year is that there is mandatory Saturday school and teachers are required to come up with individualized learning plans and call the parents and report whether or not students showed up for it.<br /><br />I hear many teachers are leaving.<br /><br />In addition, this time last year, when many principals across DCSS were having displaced teachers place in their schools <i> without an options to say no </i>, the principal at Arabia Mountain was hiring a new staff, mostly not from DCSS. I wish the parents at my childrens' schools had that much power. JUST SAYING!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com