Teachers and Students Are Coming Back To School
December 16, 2020 – Community spread appears to no longer be a factor in the schedule for opening schools in DeKalb. DeKalb schools administration is moving forward with getting teachers and students back into school.
DeKalb Schools Reopening Plan
December 15, 2020 – DeKalb Schools has announced they will begin its re-opening process on a staggered schedule Jan. 4, 2021 with staff returning to school buildings. Selected grade levels will begin in-person learning on Jan. 19, 2021. Phase three will begin Jan. 25, 2021.
Regional Town Hall Meetings For Parents
November 30, 2020 – You are invited to attend the Region I-VII Town Hall Meetings for Parents. The purpose of each regional meeting is to provide detailed information about the reopening plan and answer questions.
DeKalb Schools 2020 Graduation Rates
November 10, 2020 – DeKalb County Schools four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2020 is 75.97%
Black Lives Matter in DeKalb Schools
November 9, 2020 – Black Lives Matter (BLM) began as a social media hash tag in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Giving Grace Network – Struggling and Hardships
October 28, 2020 – While the community is trying to flatten the COVID-19 curve with lockdowns and 100% virtual learning, the Giving Grace network has seen those who were already struggling only deepen into their hardships.
2018 and 2019 Auditor’s Reports
October 20, 2020 – The 2018 and 2019 Annual Financial Report and Independent Auditor’s Reports have been issued. Material Weakness and Significant Deficiencies were identified.
September Survey Results
October 19, 2020 – DeKalb Schools (DCSD) sought updated stakeholder input on preferences for returning to school in a traditional or hybrid setting or remaining in distance/remote learning.
Teacher Town Hall – My Notes
October 14, 2020 – My notes from the Teacher Town Hall. Teachers are not coming back to work on October 19.
Spectators – Billboards – Town Hall
October 14, 2020 – The DeKalb County School District will allow spectators for Football games starting the weekend of October 15 – October 17, 2020.
Returning to Face to Face Learning
October 7, 2020 – DeKalb Schools sent out a 2-Week return to hybrid working environment notification to staff yesterday.
Re-Open Athletics & Schedule
September 25, 2020 – DeKalb Schools will implement a phase in approach to allow athletic and extra curricular activity to return.
Formula To Calculate Moving To Hybrid
September 22, 2020 – DeKalb Schools administration stated the school district will begin the transition to a hybrid learning model if the Cases Per 100K (Last 2 Weeks) is below 100 for 14 days straight. How do we calculate that?
COVID-19 Cases Trending Down
September 18, 2020 – Over the last few days the COVID-19 “Cases per 100K (last 2 weeks)” in DeKalb have gone from 122 to 117.
Divisive Statement By Dr. Joyce Morley
September 17, 2020 – I was disappointed and disturbed by the divisive statement made by Dr. Morley at our last Board of Education meeting.
Conditions To Move To Hybrid
September 17, 2020 – On Monday, the DeKalb Schools administration presented the conditions under which the school district would transition to a hybrid learning environment. The Georgia Department of Public Health provides a daily report with numerous data points including the number of COVID-19 cases.
Sports – DeKalb Schools Delays Athletics
August 14, 2020 – DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is delaying all athletic activity for the Fall 2020 season until the end of September. This includes marching bands and auxiliary groups.
School Virtual Opening Update
August 11, 2020 – Teachers started pre planning yesterday and students are back to school 100% virtually on Monday. The following are my takeaways from the administration’s latest update.
Professional Development Institute
August 2, 2020 – DeKalb Schools has a new concept called the “Professional Development Institute”. It will be deployed this Wednesday – Friday (Aug 5-7). The goal of these 3 days is to learn how to teach virtually effectively.
DeKalb Schools Approved 2020-2021 School Calendar
July 24, 2020 – At the 10am Board Meeting this morning, the DeKalb Schools administration will request that the Board of Education approve the following 2020-2021 calendar.
What are your thoughts?
Micro-Schools: Students & Teachers Coming Together
July 21, 2020 – Given the recent failures of virtual learning this past Spring combined with the Fall semester starting virtually, parents are searching for options to educate their children. A number of families are coming together to start their own Micro-Schools.
New 2020-2021 School Calendar
July 18, 2020 – DeKalb Schools administration went back to the drawing board and has come out with a new 2020-2021 school Calendar. The first semester ends before Christmas Break, the second semester ends in May and there are 9 furlough days (calendar reduction days).
Results – School Re Opening Survey
July 10, 2020 – The DeKalb County School District sought stakeholder input on their preferences and perspectives for learning models and hybrid options that the school district is considering for the reopening of schools.
DeKalb Notice of Property Tax Increase
July 9, 2020 – DeKalb Schools administration is recommending to the Board no change in the millage rate for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The millage rate was 23.08 mills last year and that is what the Administration is requesting the Board approve again.
Opening Schools in Metro Atlanta
July 8, 2020 – Schools across Metro Atlanta will be opening next month. What’s the plan for DeKalb Schools? DeKalb Schools’ new fearless leader, Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris, and her team will be presenting the School Re-Opening Plan at the July 13 board meeting.
DeKalb Schools Re-Opening Update
July 5, 2020 – Will DeKalb Schools open on August 3rd as planned and what will learning look like when DeKalb Schools opens? Marshall Orson is currently the chair of the DeKalb Schools Board of Education. He addresses some of the most frequently asked questions about opening DeKalb Schools in the Fall.
Survey Results – DES 4/5 Academy Site Name
June 22, 2020 – A plurality of the survey entries support naming the DES 4/5 Academy site, “Dunwoody Elementary School Upper Campus”.
DeKalb Schools Re-Opening Framework
June 20, 2020 – DeKalb Schools Re-Opening School Task Force built a framework to serve as a transition document to the new Superintendent for final decisions on how to re-open on the first day of school on Aug 3, 2020.
Public Input on Name of DES 4/5 Academy
June 15, 2020 – The Naming Committee for the new Dunwoody Elementary campus is asking for input from our community to officially name the school site. The site will serve 4th and 5th graders from Dunwoody Elementary. Due to the physical location (former Kittredge building), we are asking for input from Dunwoody and Chamblee cluster schools.
DeKalb Schools – FY2021 Budget Considerations
June 14, 2020 – Revenues are expected to be down for this fiscal year. Ditto for the tax collection rates. DeKalb School’s administration is recommending that the Board of Education, tax payers, parents and employees contemplate these budget considerations.
DeKalb Schools Approves TSA Settlement
June 9, 2020 – This morning the DeKalb Schools Board of Education approved a settlement in the GOLD case (Tax Shelter Annuity – TSA Case) for $117.5 million over a 5 year period.
Cheryl Watson-Harris – DeKalb Schools Superintendent – Sole Finalist
June 4, 2020 – The DeKalb County Board of Education announces Cheryl Watson-Harris as the sole finalist in its search for a new superintendent.
Meeting 1 – Naming Committee – DES 4/5 Academy
June 2, 2020 – The Dunwoody Elementary School (DES) 4/5 Academy will have its first meeting Wednesday June 3 at 6pm to name the elementary school at the Nancy Creek site.
Officially Naming the DES 4/5 Academy
May 27, 2020 – Dunwoody Elementary School will be moving its 4th and 5th grades to the former Kittredge, and former Nancy Creek Elementary School site in Brookhaven this Fall. DeKalb Schools policy provides for the naming of the school.
CDC’s Considerations For Schools
May 23, 2020 – Spacing recommendations are going to be particularly burdensome for students and teachers in District 1 given the persistent overcrowding in this area. The arithmetic of students, bus seats, and square footage make it difficult to balance the equation.
Virtual Classrooms – The Future of DeKalb Schools
May 16, 2020 – There is still no definitive plan for what school will look like when it opens in August.
However, DeKalb Schools is full speed ahead planning on school in traditional classrooms as well as Virtual Classrooms.
Superintendent Search &
Anna Hill, CPA, For Board of Education
May 13, 2020 – DeKalb Schools continues to look for the right Superintendent. The vote on Monday on DeKalb Schools’ sole finalist brings to light why I strongly suggest that you take a look at voting for Anna Hill, CPA, for DeKalb Schools Board of Education, District #1 in the upcoming June election.
Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremonies
May 10, 2020 – Based on current guidance from CDC and other health agencies, DeKalb Schools is unable to pursue graduation ceremonies face-to-face for June. Face to Face graduation ceremonies may be possible in July or August.
FY2020 Metro Atlanta Teacher Salary Comparison
April 28, 2020 – Teachers in DeKalb Schools have some of the highest salaries in the Metro Atlanta Area. DeKalb Schools teachers with a Masters have the highest salaries in the Metro Atlanta Area. DeKalb Schools teachers with a Bachelors or Specialist degree have the 2nd highest salaries in Metro Atlanta.
Superintendent Crew – Positive Public Feedback
April 24, 2020 – According to DeKalb School’s Public Relations firm, public feedback is very positive regarding the announcement of Superintendent Rudy Crew.
Rudy Crew – Superintendent – Sole Finalist
April 23, 2020 – The DeKalb County Board of Education today announced Dr. Rudy Crew as the sole finalist in its search for a new superintendent. The decision is the result of a five-month search that included 68 applicants.
2020 Graduation Ceremonies
Superintendent Student Advisory Council
DeKalb Schools announced earlier this week that the original 2020 graduation ceremonies will be moved from the week of May 18-23rd to the week of June 22-27th. The Superintendent Student Advisory Council weighs in on the 2020 Graduation Ceremonies decision.
How Do I Claim My ‘A’
April 15, 2020 – How do I claim my ‘A’s in my classes and call it good for the school year right now?
Yesterday, DeKalb Schools released an End-Of-Year Guide explainging how the district plans on wrapping up the 2019-2020 school year. In addition to a modified calendar and end of year activities, it explained final grade calculations.
DeKalb Schools End Of Year Guide
April 14, 2020 – We are approaching the end of the school year at DeKalb Schools. So, what’s the plan? This will hopefully answer many of your questions.
DeKalb Schools Closing
March 10, 2020 – DeKalb County School District (DCSD), in collaboration with other metro area school districts, will close the school district on Monday, March 16, 2020, until further notice.
Central Office Reorg
March 10, 2020 – The Reorganization of the Central Office includes the reclassification of existing positions, the realignment of departments, the elimination of existing positions, creation of new positions, appointment of senior level and cabinet personnel, and the creation of a new division.
2021 Utilization Matrix
March 3, 2020 – DeKalb Schools utilization forecast the for all Region 1 elementary schools in 2021 given the current plan. Dunwoody ES Principal Sanders and Kittredge Magnet Principal Neely are members of a cross-divisional logistics team to assist with this transition for students, parents, teachers and staff.
DeKalb Schools Audit Policy Debate
February 16, 2020 – Despite board policy and best practice, DeKalb Schools has neglected to convene a meeting of the audit committee in over a decade.
FAQ – Fall 2020 Redistricting Plan
February 12, 2020 – On Monday, the Board of Education approved the interim Redistricting Plan for the 2020-2021 School Year. The administration released this FAQ in an attempt to answer the most Frequently Asked Questions.
E-SPLOST V Revision Plan
February 8, 2020 – On Monday, DeKalb Schools administration will be recommending to the board, changes to the E-SPLOST V budget, including defunding a new school and several building addition projects.
Fall 2020 Redistricting Elementary Schools
February 7, 2020 – DeKalb Schools administration is presenting their final recommendation for redistricting. 432 students will be relocated out of Dunwoody Elementary School this Fall 2020.
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“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”