Message from Dr. Atkinson - DCSD Citizens SPLOST Oversight Committee

Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:11:25 -0400
Subject: DCSD Citizens SPLOST Oversight Committee
From: cheryl_atkinson@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us

Greetings ~

The DeKalb County School System today announced a series of initiatives to ensure transparency, accountability and effectiveness in the operations and finances of all departments of the School System.

Today’s actions are a key component of Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L.H. Atkinson’s 90-Day Entry Plan, which pledged to identify and correct critical issues facing DeKalb Schools.

The accountability initiatives include establishing a Citizens SPLOST Oversight Committee, a 12-member body of community representatives formed to provide oversight of SPLOST-funded construction projects and to report to DeKalb County residents on how SPLOST funds are being spent.

The SPLOST, or special purpose local option sales tax, is an opportunity for voters to continue a one-cent sales tax that funds new school construction and ongoing facilities improvements. An extension of the SPLOST, known as SPLOST IV, will be decided by voters on Nov. 8.

In addition to the Citizens SPLOST Oversight Committee, the School System also has recently implemented a number of internal operational and financial checks and balances, including:

Independent Auditor. The auditor, who works in conjunction with the Office of Internal Affairs, conducts ongoing review of the School System’s finances and makes monthly public reports to the Board of Education

EthicsLine. Available on the DeKalb Schools website, the EthicsLine allows employees, parents, citizens and others to alert School District officials and the internal auditor of irregularities in finances or operations. Citizens can access the EthicsLine at
www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/audit-and-compliance
or by calling 888-475-0482

Purchasing Oversight. New purchasing reporting policies have been implemented in all departments to establish improved transparency and oversight of School System expenditures

“One of the central missions of our administration is to assure parents, citizens and taxpayers that we are committed to accountability at all levels,” Dr. Atkinson said. “We will continue to enact policies to ensure oversight, transparency and efficiency. Our schools, parents and, most importantly, our children deserve nothing less.”

For more information about SPLOST IV and the DeKalb County School System accountability measures, please visit www.dekalb.k12.ga.us.


Cheryl L. H. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent
DeKalb County School District

There's a Hole in My Bucket, Dear Liza

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole.

Then fix it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,

Then fix it, dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.

My, oh my! What a wonderfully wet week we've had children! Not only did we have four Board members running up the white flag on the superintendent search and the "leakiness" of their peers, we got a view of the fountain of youth that is the next SPLOST IV scope.

The drama of the reveal was breathtaking! What would the fourth down payment on our fantasy trip to a renewed capital plant look like? A lot like the last three is the answer. True, there are a few lucky communities with replacement, neighborhood-scale schools and there's the laundry list of other items that seemed to touch every school in the district.

Wow! Not ...

Besides Nancy Jester's brave 'no' vote, the only part of the entire proceeding that stuck in my head was a pesky image of a bucket full of holes like the one above. The "capital needs" were described as "$3 billion" and the SPLOST IV revenue target of $475 million. I thought, "Wow, that leaves $2.5 billion in unmet needs."

Then I remembered what we had been told by DCSS in past years whenever I asked where Cross Keys' auditorium was in plan: "Kim, we have over $2 billion in needs and only $500 million in SPLOST dollars - no one is getting everything they need and we are spreading it thin." Putting aside the fact that many are, in fact, getting "everything they need," I have been surprised that no one seems to be noticing the SPLOST death spiral we are in as taxpayers.

There are a lot of holes in our capital bucket and the money is running out those holes faster than we can fix them apparently. What are the holes? Too many schools and sites to maintain - way too many properties.

Let me over-simplify this so I can understand it ...

Five or six years ago we had $2 billion in needs. In the ensuing five years, we spent $500 million against this need. This should leave somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion in need, right? Not according to DCSS this week.

The current line is that we now have $3 billion in identified needs and $475 million to spend in SPLOST IV. What?! Our need more than doubled from $1.5 billion? What's going to happen in SPLOST V? We'll spend $500 million in SPLOST IV against the $3 billion in need leaving $2.5 billion which, if the next period is like the last period, will double to $5 billion in need??

Is our leadership blind or irresponsible or both? That this kind of dynamic can be allowed to persist without addressing the fundamental issue is a massive failure of fiduciary responsibility.

SPLOST has become for taxpayers like one of my favorite movies, "Ground Hog Day," where the protagonist is trapped in the same day over and over again. He says, "Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today." That is how I feel about the current "2020 Vision" and SPLOST IV - there is no tomorrow in these plans today.

When will the madness stop? Unlike for Bill Murray's character, I am afraid not soon for DeKalb taxpayers, not soon ...

An open letter to board members (Re: SPLOST)

Now in the midst of major redistricting, a superintendent search, a SACS audit and the worst budget crisis to come along in years, I want to warn the board not to become lax in SPLOST III decisions. Between the padded construction budgets, canceled projects and a crash in the building market, DCSS finds it has extra SPLOST money to spend. It is a wonderful position to be in but it could backfire if priorities are not well defined and transparent.

First, SPLOST—Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (1 cent/dollar) is a contract between the voters of the county and the school system. The voters agreed to pay an extra one cent on the dollar for five years to fund projects the system proposes and contracts to implement. Funds may not be used for operating expenses. Changes in spending, if necessary, may be made by the board. The only effective means of contract enforcement, that I am aware of, is a citizen lawsuit against the county entity. SACS will not judge, neither will the state.

Historically the DCSS board has a poor track record in managing SPLOST funds.

SPLOST I provided much needed new schools in a burgeoning south DeKalb. Things went pretty smoothly during those first five years. SPLOST II was, in my opinion, a train wreck. In a competitive and adversarial way, the board voted to commit more funds than were forecast to be collected. The administration opted for a sleight of hand called “above & below the line” funding and the interesting concept of allocating maybe 80% of a schools needs assessment.

SPLOST II resulted in the tax payers paying for two audits, a confusion of who was getting what and a scatter-shot approach to capital improvements. There was never a reference to the legal contract nor was it ever used as a framework. Mismanagement has resulted in the DeKalb taxpayers holding a very expensive lottery ticket. We are still waiting for the Heery-Mitchell lawsuit to land on our number and produce a big pay-out. So far the balls are still spinning in air and the years are beginning to pass.

Most notably in SPLOST II, the administration failed to produce a vision of goals and priorities. . Elected official failed to provide effective oversight. (Many couldn’t/didn’t even read the spreadsheets) Millions were spend on Career Tech additions but the instructional pieces were ignored. Demographic reports were paid for and ignored. Pet projects & partisan politics seem to govern numerous allocations.

My personal last straw was when I asked for proof of how Columbia High School could possibly be slated for a $25M priority renovation-completion in SPLOST III because I could find no minutes showing a complete renovation had ever been approved in the first place. My requests for proof of the allocation were ignored by all. The board voted to approve the Capital Improvement Plan we know today. As it turns out the board-condoned “deferred-work” was a canary in the mine of alleged illegal activities uncovered last spring.

All this is history, but the discussion during a fall Called Board Meeting concerns me. The discussion of how best to allocate $30+ million in surplus SPLOST III funds was unfocused and lax in determining real needs. Thirty million may not go far in meeting the needs of our school system but I’ll be darned if I want it to go to pet projects, done deals or used to buy votes. We’ve been down that road.

There are new faces on the board. We need new actions when it comes to the very big pile of money we call SPLOST. Images are tarnished; trust is nonexistent, challenges abound and the board is over-worked but if you want a SPLOST IV then please, be very honest & transparent in dealing with the last of the SPLOST III funds. Please demonstrate priority need and an over-arching goal.

The last thing this school system needs is additional litigation.

Most respectfully,

Faye Andresen

"I Heart CK" Open House - Valentine's Day 2011

The Cross Keys Foundation is co-sponsoring an "Open House" to mark the occasion of Evergreen Construction putting the finishing touches on the renovation of Cross Keys High School and the expansion of the 4th Wing to accommodate the former DeKalb School of Technology - North. The event will be February 14, 2011. A sweetheart of a reception will be held at 9:00am followed by student-guided tours of the facility during the period 9:30am - 11:00am.

Those that have been on this blog from its inception know that the story of Cross Keys' almost-didn't-happen renovation was one of the recurring and often depressing topics covered. If you ever saw the conditions at this school prior to this year or if you've never visited the school, this is your time for a major injection of positive vibes! Talk is cheap - pencil in Monday, February 14th and drop by for thirty minutes if you can and stay as long as you like.

In addition to seeing the amazing make-over, you have a chance to meet some of the nicest and sharpest young people you'll ever meet. If that isn't enough draw, the Sugar Shack of Brookhaven will be partnering with us to provide goodies appropriate for such a sweet occasion. Contact me with your RSVP at 678-361-4200 or RSVP online at:


"I Heart CK Open House"

I will be there co-hosting the event with Dr. LaShawn McMillan, other invited DCSS and BoE invitees. I hope to see you there. Please introduce yourself as a DeKalbSchoolWatch reader so we can dispense with formalities and talk straight turkey!

Educational Adequacy Reports

The School by School Education Adequacy reports are now available on line. A huge amount of kudos to Dan Drake, Director of Planning and Forecasting, for putting all this out there for us to see. As we go through the reports, DCSS faces some tough questions. Of the 134 facilities evaluated in the report, only 42 scored 80 or above in adequacy. Most of those were newer or have been extensively renovated and/or had additions. Contrast that number to the fact that 50 facilities scored poor or unsatisfactory! And there are a lot of schools that ranked fair that are actually just a point or two points better than poor!

NEW INFORMATION IS NOW AVAILABLE.

This is the guidelines that were used to evaluate each of the criteria.

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/vision-2020/suitability-report-setup-detail.pdf

I recommend that you start with the summary report here to get a sense of the range of scores.

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/vision-2020/educational-adequacy-and-technology-readiness-scores.pdf

You can find the school by school information here:

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/vision-2020

Scroll down to the bottom for the school by school report. The school reports are fairly self explanatory. If a school is scored less than good on a criteria, then the report explains the deficiency at the bottom.

Here is what the scores mean:

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/vision-2020/educational-adequacy-and-technology-readiness-scores-explanations.pdf

Having read through some of the reports, but certainly not all, there are a few things that really stand out to me.

• Several of the newer schools have classrooms that don’t meet DCSS’ own size requirements. What is up with this?

• There are some easy fixes out there for some of the issues. Lack of sprinkler systems, adequate fencing, etc cost money but can be corrected.

• There are some very complicated challenges out there as well. Many schools have spaces that are smaller, sometimes far smaller, than they need to be.

• The gyms that were added in SPLOST II to most elementary school are smaller than DCSS standards.
  

Once we have the engineering reports to combine with the adequacy reports, it is necessary to begin to develop a process to decide what we can live with and what we can’t. If every kindergarten classroom in a school is 50 square feet too small, what should we do? If the library is too small by 1500 square feet, what should happen? What problems are ones that we can live with and which demand solutions?

And now a brief word about the technology readiness reports. Again, these reports are straightforward, clear and concise. What is missing from the reports is an acknowledgment that most of those older elementary schools with high scores are there because the parents have invested a tremendous amount of time and energy and money modernizing their community schools and bringing in technology. Vanderlyn doesn’t have Smart Boards in every classroom because the system provided them; they have them because parents did! I think this should be indicated so both the board members and the general public understand how and why this has occurred.

The mad dash for the SPLOST cash

Check out item F-17 on the agenda for the board's business meeting this Monday evening, September 13:

17. William Bradley Bryant Center (WBBC) Renovation Approval
Presented by: Ms. Barbara M. Colman, Interim CIP Operations Officer

Exactly what is going on here? This is a newly listed project slated to be completed using some of the "savings" from SPLOST 3 projects that Ms. Colman refers to as "contingency" funds. This is a pet project of Ms. Tyson's. She is quoted as saying that she has been trying to get this project done for years, having done "cartwheels" and "backflips" to no avail. But now - she is in charge and her favorite project has cut to the front of the line. This project was never, ever mentioned or listed anywhere on any SPLOST budget or promotional brochure before voting. I am under the impression that the school board, by law, must use the sales tax dollars as promised - am I wrong? Who keeps changing the rules?

Ms. Tyson stated at the Dunwoody-Chamblee Parent Council meeting that the newly "found" $40 million in cost savings from under-budget SPLOST 3 programs will be allocated for projects by "her and the board". After that, she joked that "the hands went up!" What?! This is not a free for all. And this is certainly no joke. We've had a lengthy list of "needs" for a very VERY long time. This is not random money suddenly available to be used for those in power's favorite projects! This money should be put back into the till to address the very next SCHOOL project waiting patiently in this very long line. Students and their teachers should remain first and foremost on the priority list when identifying how to spend this money.

Ms. Tyson actually went on to state that she hoped everyone would vote for a SPLOST 4 because we still have so much need. She reiterated that in 2006, we identified almost $2 Billion of need in our school buildings - which we have collected $533 million of SPLOST 3 dollars for thus far to add to SPLOSTs 1&2. She even ticked off a laundry list of "needs" like roofs, HVAC, paint, carpeting, computers, windows and other major areas of deterioration. Then, I must ask, how can she disengage from the fact that she is cutting in line for this money—money that voters taxed on themselves for promised school renovations—in order to fund her own special, long-desired project at her own WBBC? I hope she will at least go around to the schools with the leaking roofs, mold, mildew, broken toilets and stairs and personally explain to them how she came to decide that the money their community paid in taxes to fix their buildings is now instead, going to fund some big data storage facility - because she wanted it!

If SPLOST proves such a temptation that even Ramona Tyson has fallen victim to wielding her power in order to grab her own personal handful of cash for her own department (that she is supposed to return to after her stint as interim super) then perhaps SPLOST has been the nail in our coffin. This school board has taken an initiative that could have profoundly impacted our children and brought magnificent change to our facilities and instead, so far, they have squandered much of it, and used it to sink us faster and deeper to the bottom. This board cannot be trusted with anymore SPLOST funds and I will personally not be supporting a SPLOST 4 in the future.

Color me disappointed, but SPLOST clearly represents the "love of money" and provides an irresistible temptation to hoard, squander, misuse, and abuse the hard-earned tax dollars of the everyday, trusting people of DeKalb. We have two top dogs under indictment proving so - costing taxpayers dearly in legal fees - both at the school level and the county level.

No more SPLOST.

===

UPDATE: Ok, so I went to the trouble of reviewing the board meeting online. Here's what I found out -

The "move" of the data storage from building A to the WBBC will cost $3.5 million.

We have NO IDEA why this was not moved waaaay back when the rest of building A was moved. (I will assume here that this is how they were able to spend SO much money on the new digs at Mtn Industrial - they didn't spend any money to move the entire data dept.)

So, with apologies to Ms Tyson, I get what she said now - which she couched as "saying as delicately as possible". She pleaded with everyone when the original move was done to include moving the data system - and she was completely ignored. (That would be by Dr Lewis, Pat Pope and the Board of Education I assume.)

So now, instead of having responsibly spent their allotment for moving building A by moving ALL of building A (and instead moving their own offices to plush new digs complete with $2,000 chairs), we have no choice but to go back and spend an additional $3.5 million to complete the move that should have been completed when the rest of the building was moved. (The data department is the only department left in the building.)

And yes, this money is coming out of SPLOST 3 funds -- funds that voters approved to be used as promoted very hard before the vote -- to upgrade our school buildings, HVAC, roofs, etc, as listed. As these projects have come in under budget due to lower construction costs, the unspent money goes into a large fund called "Program Contingency" (as opposed to 'project contingencies' which exist for unexpected cost overruns on each project).

The board is supposed to go on a retreat to decide how to spend this "Program Contingency" fund of $35-40 million or more. I would sincerely hope that they take the original list of promises along and fulfill as many of those as possible first and foremost.  Amid this money grab, the Chamblee High School community is reeling from the news that their project has been put 'on hold' and that 'if' there is a SPLOST 4, they may see construction in 2015. Is that fair?

I don't think it's fair that this WBBC project was allowed to dip into the Project Contingency funds when no one else could - they all have to wait until the board decides at the retreat. (I would have encouraged the board at this retreat to consider outsourcing all of the data storage.) I would have hoped that this data department move to the WBBC should have at least been part of those retreat discussions and competed for placement right alongside the list of projects like unfinished roofs, HVAC, classroom technology, renovation and restroom projects in our many needy school buildings.

Another Reason "Y" to Love Cross Keys High School (and this blog ...)

Some like to belittle this blog and its followers as a few hacks with little or no impact. I can testify to the opposite.

Twelve months ago almost to the day, the readers and host of this blog took up the cause of Cross Keys HS renovation after seeing images like the photo at right of CK field and track. I firmly believe that the renovation may have not gone forward as it has without the public pressure documented on this blog. I may not have started out on my own personal mission to form the Cross Keys Foundation and advocate for this most deserving group of students without the inspiration and guidance of this blog’s hosts and contributors.

Twelve months later I am happy to report another positive, progressive development in the cause of Cross Keys. Working with peers on the Foundation board, with community members, and, yes, with the school system chain of command, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has put a partnership proposal for Cross Keys in the hands of DCSS for consideration at this Monday’s Board of Education Work Session.

The current SPLOST III investments of public capital into Cross Keys High School is delivering a much needed renovation to the buildings of this 52 year old school. However, the DeKalb County Schools administration, the DeKalb County Board of Education, and community members all recognize that these significant improvements leave a few gaps in the school's facilities. Specifically, no current funding has been designated for an auditorium addition as planned at other area schools nor to improve the athletic grounds in dire need of restoration.

The YMCA proposal seeks to address the athletic field and related security concerns.

The goals of the proposal are: 1) Provide a quality athletic field for the school, 2) Provide enhanced security of the site, 3) Displace unauthorized activities, 4) Provide a platform for youth services to an under-served population.

The scope of the proposal is for the YMCA to restore the athletic field at Cross Keys HS to YMCA standards for youth programs. The proposed project will include the grading, leveling and installing sod on the field areas, the installation of portable fixtures such as bleachers and tables, and the installation of security fencing and gates. This will be accomplished using YMCA funds and no public funds.

The YMCA will offer youth soccer and other programs as approved by the Principal of Cross Keys HS at the improved site. The YMCA will carry liability insurance to cover all programs managed by their staff and volunteers. YMCA managed weekday practices will be staffed by at least one, full-time employee of YMCA, and by at least one off duty police officer to provide security and traffic control. Competitive game days (Saturday youth soccer) will be staffed with two off duty police officers.

The offered programs will never be allowed to conflict with the ongoing uses of the fields by current athletic, band, and other authorized student uses.

This proposal is scheduled for a vote at the Board of Education Work Session of July 12, 2010 and I expect a positive outcome. I will be speaking in the #1 public slot to advocate for this proposal. Here's what you can do:

1)    Attend the meeting to show your support 6:00pm this Monday at:
Work Session/Business Meeting:
William Bradley Bryant Center of Technology
2652 Lawrenceville Highway
Decatur, Georgia 30033
2)    Sign an electronic petition in support by Monday at 12:00pm at:
    http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ymca-partnership.html
3)    Send a note of encouragement to your Board of Education representative(s) asking them to vote 'yes.'

Let's Turn Brown to Green

This proposal will bring opportunity to the families of Buford Hwy for organized after-school programs for their children. The initiative will also enhance the “curb appeal” of Cross Keys and will generate a lot of interest in the school from Brookhaven area families with young children.

The character of this proposal is one that I think can serve as a model for future efforts throughout DeKalb County. I hope you agree and show your support by signing our petition. I will be presenting the results of the online petition along with personal statements of elected officials from Doraville, Chamblee, DeKalb and the State of Georgia during my public comments Monday.

Keep the faith and keep blogging - it is making a difference! -Kim Gokce

CKHS SPLOST III Reno - "It Will Happen"

Back in April, the Cross Keys HS community was told that the SPLOST III and DeKalb School of Technology-North move, site plans and schedule would be presented by DCSS in the June time frame. In July, Patricia Pope told the AJC that the community would see the plans by "mid-August." Last night, November 3, 2009 we got our look-see and our question and answer session in a public meeting in the school's media center (that's the library for oldsters like me).

Let's start off with the goods! Here are the four elevations shared at the meeting:

Building Addition - 4th wing	Art Classrooms - 4th wing
Main Office Enhancements	Corridor Upgrades

The only notable qualification on these images I should make is that the rendered floors leave a mis-impression that the original floors will be modified in some way - they will not.

The turn out was substantial with easily 100+ attendees crammed into the school's small library (literally standing room only this night). Faculty, parents, neighbors, local officials, and DCSS employees accounted for probably 80% of the audience and included friends of Cross Keys from outside our zone such as Ella Smith and Page Olson. The remaining 20% were current students!

The kids at CKHS did it again and took me off guard by their commitment and effort on behalf of their own school. How about that - the children are filling the gap in leadership in our community and school system! They had many great questions.

There were many touching moments during this 1 hour meeting that ran 2 hours. At the end of the meeting, there were still many hands in the air. Ms. Heckman, Area Assistant Superintendent, Region 1, did a great job trying to address the many questions and concerns while staying positive. Ms. Barbara Colman, described as "interim" construction chief, spoke directly, competently, and seemed very attentive to those present and their concerns. She also stayed quite a while afterward to answer individual questions.

While a lot of ground was covered, the majority of it had to do with the long history of neglect of Cross Keys HS. Everyone expressed delight with the planned improvements but it became very clear very early that the attendees felt the project will deliver far from what is hoped for and needed. This, of course, should be no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the overall situation. There was little in the way of revelations or "news."

That said, here are some random items worth noting:

1. Ms. Colman did indicate that interior ADA requirements would be in scope and I also heard her say the tennis courts would be restored/replaced after the modular classrooms were removed.
2. In a sidebar, there was agreement that DCSS Facilities could effectively encapsulate some of the fragmented asbestos tile that has been a concern of Jeff Bragg's (longtime CKHS faculty member) for some time without having to wait for the renovation plan to be executed.
3. "The Long Summer non-Start" - The construction team has been on hold awaiting 12 permits. The only one remaining is the Land Disturbance Permit which they are expecting any day.
4. Evergreen Construction has apparently done some work for Gwinnet Co. schools with some success and this is their first project for DeKalb Co. - there was much in the way of high expectations for quality and speed set by Ms. Colman and Evergreen.
5. The team is now talking aggressively again about being finished by next school year if things go well - that was a surprise but, of course, not a commitment.
6. Steve Donahue was present and immediately responsive to complaints about the conditions in the trailers. He stayed afterward and took down specific trailer numbers for action.
7. Jeff Bragg made the striking point that much of the items being discussed at the meeting were first discussed when the current CKHS seniors were in the 4th grade.
8. Don McChesney did a great job of summing up the situation with SPLOST overall and the failures of the past at Cross Keys HS and around the County.

I did not plan to record any of the meeting but once I sensed some very moving things being said, I fired up the mobile phone camera. So, even though they are poor quality, here are what I consider a few interesting excerpts from the Q&A. I will also post an update here with a long, uninterrupted segment of the Q&A later that includes some of the student interactions. I will answer any questions folks have to the best of my recollection if there are any specific ones you have in mind post it in comments.

During the SPLOST III public meeting on the topic of planned renovations at Cross Keys HS, a mother of a member of the girls soccer team expresses concern about the security and condition of the athletic field and whether this will be addressed in the plans. (first half in Spanish so wait for translation and answer in English)



Mr. Albert Martin, a life-long area resident and former substitute teacher and campus coordinator for Cross Keys, asks why Air Quality and Mold corrective action has to wait for the renovation while it has been a known issue for at least 3 years (see still photo at very bottom of this post). The answer is delivered by Ms Beth Heckman, Area Assistant Superintendent - Region 1. Ms. Heckman also asks to recognize the students and parents present.



Don McChesney Addresses Community Concerns (full text below - sound is hard to follow)




Text of Mr. McChesney comments: "Folks, I'm so old I remember when this school was new. And I remember when it was the show-place of DeKalb County. And I would like to get it started on its way again.

And I've heard what people have said; I hear your skepticism. You heard a lots of the problems of the past - the given schedules that haven't occurred. And I understand why you don't believe much of what we say.

The only thing I can say right now is: it's going to happen. It is going to happen. And these folks that ... there are eight other Board members besides me that ask these questions. And we've asked these questions of these folks here. We want to see you get a quality building here. And it is going to happen.

Evergreen has a very good reputation and I know of them in other Counties. What you've done some work in Gwinnett County and so forth and I'm very familiar with that.

To re-hash the past and all the failures will only make us spin our wheels. We can't reclaim that. It is done; it's gone and it wasn't a good story. But we're at a new place now. And I think if you start and look at what's going to happen at this new place, you will be pleased with what happens.

Now to address one other thing and this is what I telling Kim all the time we talk. And Mr. Moseley mentioned this tonight. Everybody wants so much. We have $2 billion dollars worth of needs in the County; $500 million of money to do it.

That means you get 25%. That's what all the schools get. They're going to get 25% ... [obscured by background noise]

Down the line I hope there will be further improvements but I think you're going to like what you get here. It's going to happen soon as soon as the County, not the DeKalb County Schools, but the County building permits people give us permission to go it is going to happen. And you'll actually see mortar, bricks, and dirt and things happen. And when that happens I think it will make it happen.

And if it doesn't happen, there are those of us on the Board that are going to be asking asking these people why it didn't happen. Because remember now, as a politician, I finally I have to answer to you. And you're going to ask well why didn't you get this done. Well, we're going to ask those same questions.

And I know these folks are very dedicated to what needs to be done here. And please please give them the chance now to do this. And try to get past as much as you can because, like I said, it is not going to help where we are now. This is going to happen and I think you are going to like it." -Don McChesney, BoE District 2

Supplemental Photo
Mold of unknown source has been growing in CKHS classrooms for years. This shot is in a room that has not had flooding from rain or condensation but is on a hall that has had sewage backups. There is no known source for moisture in the rooms that may be feeding the mold.

Cross Keys Renovation to Begin

As published in yesterday's Brookhaven Reporter, Evergreen Construction has begun to prepare for $20 million in renovations to Cross Keys High School. School system reps confirmed the plan to renovate without admitting the horrible conditions there. "By no means would I classify Cross Keys as dilapidated," said Pat Pope, the school system's chief operations officer. "It's a sound structure and a good environment for a renovation."

Although this is very good news, I am still perplexed as to why there are no plans for an auditorium/career tech addition, as was promised for every high school in DCSS when we voted for SPLOST 3 funding. SPLOST 3 collections are ahead of projections, and are providing money in the bank – earning millions in interest. The money is there - and it must be spent as promised. So, why no auditorium for Cross Keys?

The excuse has been that the population is low, however, when you check out the way the district has been gerrymandered, it's obvious that the population is what it is due to politics. To create a "low population problem" and then declare it the reason for lower spending is disrespectful and unfair. Don McChesney is the board rep for this school and he needs to get in there and fight for Cross Keys' fair share - and their auditorium, just as Jay Cunningham did recently for SouthWest DeKalb and then later for Cedar Grove.

I am also perplexed as to why Pat Pope has suddenly started blaming the community itself for the architect quitting the project.

"Pope indicated that frustration with the design team of teachers, administrators, students and parents played a part in the first architect quitting the project.

"The community would never come to a consensus on design," she said."

I"m sorry, I just don't believe that. Big, rough, hard-hitting corporate architects would never just walk away from a project due to community issues. The Design Team at Cross Keys' only contribution to the plans to renovate was a 2 page wish list. All they ever asked was if the architect had received that list. Something else came into play. We will be watching more closely this time.

Why is Cross Keys STILL in Limbo?

How Low Will They Go?


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Below are a few notes from the Friday, May 1, 2009 Budget, Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting Minutes
Jay Cunningham, Chair

Committee members Paul Womack, Eugene Walker and Don McChesney were present. Staff member Marcus Turk was present and PTA Council President Nathaniel Paxton and Organization for DeKalb Educators (ODE) President David Schutten were also present.

SOME DISCUSSIONS ITEMS

Ms. Pope said there is asbestos present in the Open Campus building and it would take $30 million to renovate the building. Ms. Pope would like to close the Open Campus building because of its appraised value of $18 million. Ms. Pope noted that there were only 60 students at the Clarkston Center and that it would be relocated. She said DISPAC will remain in Building “A” until it can be moved to the William Bradley Bryant Center for Technology. Ms. Pope mentioned the administrative offices needed a great deal of work.

Dr. Walker stated the Cross Keys High School community is troubled by the development in the area. He inquired should the money be spent as recommended on Cross Keys or should we go in another direction? Ms. Pope thinks we should move forward with the renovations for Cross Keys with the idea of a different designation later, possibly a technology school, military school or school of the arts. Ms. Pope noted the DeKalb County Planning Commission does advise us of developments. She stated they build anyway without real input from the school system. Mr. McChesney made a report of the Cross Keys demographics and DeKalb County Board of Commissioners plans for the area. Ms. Pope stated the Board needs to approve the surplus plan for the future. Mr. Brown asked should we tear down some buildings and convert to green space?

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Well, now I decided to have a look for myself at the condition of Cross Keys HS and the surrounding area including Woodward Elementary so I signed up for one of Kim's group tours of the place. All I can say is – Yowsa! The only thing I can compare this horrific, terrible, unkept, crumbling school property to was some of the very impoverished areas of Brazil I witnessed when I traveled the countryside back in 1986 when they were in the middle of an economic crisis. I was shocked to witness homeless people living under cardboard shacks in the underbrush of the Brazilian jungle. That’s what has been going on at Cross Keys, folks!!! Homeless people have been living in the underbrush and trespassing (and urinating and defecating) on the grounds of Cross Keys High School!

There are huge plywood panels lining the fencing which are covered in graffiti. The fencing is mangled on all sides, the sidewalks and buildings are certainly ripe for condemnation and in FAR worse shape than Open Campus. There are many broken windows, some of which have been replaced with some kind of plastic. Now, granted, as Kim reported here a few weeks ago, due to a clean-up effort initiated by ICP Officer Josh Fritz, crews did finally show up with backhoes and cleared the underbrush, kudzu and debris from a large swath behind the ball field that encompasses a ravine leading to the sewage drains and a creek. Miguel Martínez of Mundo Hispanico posted a photo essay of the operation, deemed "Operation Urban Camper". The Brookhaven Reporter also published the story.

At any rate, after my tour of the area, I have to agree with Dr. Walker on this. We would be out of our minds to even attempt to renovate these buildings. The school owns 37.4 acres for Cross Keys and 13.6 acres for Woodward (the front doors between these two are steps away). Oddly, Sequoyah is posted clear out in Doraville, very near I-285, nearly 7 miles from Cross Keys and Woodward. That’s crazy. Make Sequoyah the Military Academy. Can we not bulldoze all of the 51 acres currently owned by DCSS at the Brookhaven site, and rebuild a campus composed of all three schools? Could we not make Cross Keys 2 or 3 stories instead of the rambling, dirt eating monstrosity it is now? Can we not recreate the Chamblee or Tucker Middle School model next to it or at least somewhere within reason? Can we not renovate Woodward into a nice, airy, cheerful elementary school for the children in this area?

Developers have already purchased at least 3 of the apartment complexes surrounding Cross Keys. Cortland Partners has great ambitions for the land and are currently in
the County Planning Process proposing to create a new, Town Center type of development called Symphony Park (you can find Symphony Park under the apartments tab). This area is a 15 minute walk from the Brookhaven Marta station and a couple of miles from the glitz of Buckhead. In fact, the Lenox Park development (former Standard Club) is directly across the street and donates landscaping services to keep up the curb appeal of Cross Keys, since it faces their development. This development is what is apparently causing new apprehension about renovating Cross Keys. It seems that some of our leaders are afraid that we will lose students or that perhaps it could be better to sell the property since it is so valuable. But there are almost 900 students in Cross Keys High School who, according to teachers I have spoken with, are excellent students and delightful young people. They deserve a quality community school to spend their days in, not this decrepit, depressing, disgusting, unhealthy old dinosaur of a school house. Our school board needs to get in gear and make some decisions. My personal recommendation is to “do a Tucker”, meaning build a brand new facility on another portion of the property (it’s an enormous plot of land) and then tear down the old buildings and use that land for an auditorium or stadium of some kind. I am not a professional developer or architect, but I believe that if consulted, a creative developer could come up with a wonderful plan.

Please keep in mind, even though our current administration has built some real showcases in the past 5 years, they still turn a blind eye to the condition of Cross Keys and make what has proven to be so far, empty promises. I have to ask, is it because the population at Cross Keys is largely Hispanic immigrants? I would have hoped that a black leadership who has spent the last 30 years combating racial inequities would at least be sensitive to the plight of these Hispanics. The school conditions these students are enduring certainly must rival or surpass anything our current black leadership had to endure in the past.

I am appalled and ashamed to live in a school district that allows children to attend third world campuses such as Cross Keys. This school has been #2 on the list of priorities for SPLOST 3 since November, 2006, yet nothing has been done. A forensic review from Rubina and McGeehin dated December, 2005 cites Peachtree MS as usurping $16M from the “above the line” projects, and the project size inflation for Miller Grove, New Tucker and New Oakvale also used more than their predicted share of funds. Under the direction of Stan Pritchett (an educator, not a construction manager) these projects became showcases, devouring SPLOST dollars, leaving little for everyone else. For example, Miller Grove’s projected cost was $22 million, yet in the end, it cost over $28 million. Schools like Cross Keys kept getting sidelined. Our school system's SPLOST 2 ineptitude continues to cause pain and angst for many students and teachers in our older buildings as we wait our turn and watch the money disappear.

In April at a public meeting at Ashford Park ES, Patricia Pope promised the community that the new RFP would be opened to bid, reviewed, and signed in a matter of weeks. She also promised that there would be an additional briefing for the community on the proposed plan and schedule for the SPLOST III project once a contractor was named. It is July and no additional update has been forthcoming, no public briefing and to my knowledge no contract signed. Is Cross Keys about to slip down the priority list yet again?

I encourage you all to drive there and walk the property and ask yourself, would you send your child to this school every day? Would Crawford Lewis? Would Pat Pope? Would Mr. Mosely? Would Don McChesney? Our board reps need to put all other projects on hold until they do something about Cross Keys. This has become a complete embarrassment.

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Construction Bond Funding for DeKalb County Schools: Requesting Equitable Funding

This information has been brought to us by Elena Parent, Sen. Adelman’s Chief of Staff. "It is Sen. Adelman’s belief that while there are many, many infrastructure projects of necessity in the DeKalb School System, there may not have been as many that were completely planned, passed by the School Board and “shovel ready” if you will as some of the other counties, and that those likely received the lion’s share of the bond package because they were ready for immediate funding."

When Ms. Parent asked for information from David Lakly, the Education Analyst for the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office, she got this response:

The Department of Education (DOE) awards money for Capital Projects based on need as determined by each system's five year capital outlay plan. The money allotted to DeKalb in the FY10 capital projects list is based on the plan DeKalb County submitted to DOE last year. This plan was approved by the DeKalb County School Board, and then approved by the State School Board. Without placing blame on either side, there has apparently been a good deal of miscommunication between DeKalb County and DOE. DeKalb contends that their current five year plan does not accurately reflect their current capital needs, and DOE has offered their assurance that they are currently working with DeKalb to assist with revision of their plan. This could result in more money for DeKalb in the FY11 for capital projects. Additionally, while it is currently a moving target, the proposed federal stimulus bill could provide additional money to DeKalb county for capital projects.

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DeKalb County Schools received significantly less than other Metro school systems for construction needs in the Governor’s FY2010 budget recommendations for capital outlay and is therefore requesting additional capital outlay funding.

Metro District Allocations

Cherokee $7,983,293
Clayton $4,316,934
DeKalb County $1,203,680
Cobb $41,797,726
Fulton(includes APS) $22,522,568
Gwinnett $42,431,993
Rockdale $3,327,568

The five year facility plan school systems must submit for funding under the Entitlement Program was developed by the state and does not accurately reflect the needs of school systems. The Entitlement Program formula used by the Department of Education (DOE) favors enrollment growth and currently provides significantly more funds to neighboring school systems over DeKalb. This Entitlement Program funding is not based on the needs assessments local districts provide to DOE. Instead, districts may only apply for a reimbursement based on DOE’s calculation, which does not factor in what the system’s believe reflects their needs. If districts do not accept this, they risk not receiving any construction funding.

DeKalb County Schools
• Is the third largest school system in the state and the current appropriation could not meet the facilities needs of even one school in the County
• Has more buildings than any other school system in the state
• Has over 600 mobile classroom units on our sites to assist with overcrowding
• Has aging school buildings (some are 40-60 years old) with older related infrastructure (ie: air conditioning units)
• Has $2 billion in facilities needs even after 3 SPLOSTs totaling $1 billion
• Spent $66 million on recent construction at 3 schools (Princeton ES, Flatrock ES and Dunwoody ES). As the current construction formula is structured, DeKalb is not eligible to receive funding reimbursement from the State for these necessary projects
• Has enrollment growth in particular regions of the county which has escalated the construction needs of these areas
• Can not provide SPLOST IV funds until 2014 and there are immediate construction/infrastructure needs that need to be met.

The construction bond funding formula was developed by the Department of Education and follows no Federal or State requirements. This formula can be changed without amending current state statute.

Proposed Changes/Recalculation for Capital Outlay Formula:
• Developing a formula which emphasizes school districts with stable enrollment and aging facilities instead of significant emphasis on school systems with enrollment growth.
• More transparency from DOE in the formula factors and funding priorities as they relate to construction bonds.
• A formula that does not penalize systems for 'seats' that are in buildings that have been decommissioned for use as instructional facilities. Simply redrawing attendance lines or redistricting would not solve the problem if this is still a factor in funding.