Author Archives: Stan Jester

2018-2020 Calendar Update

Posted on November 15, 2017 | 15 comments

DeKalb Schools is in the process of putting together the school calendar for the next couple years (2018-2020 calendars)

The Calendar Committee is charged with presenting calendar options to the DeKalb County School District’s community of stakeholders. Stakeholder input, for non-calendar committee members, will be collected through a survey/questionnaire that will be posted on the webpage and pushed out via DeKalb’s app, social media, email networks, local school websites, and other organized communication efforts.
The Calendar Committee will have representation from a variety of stakeholder groups, including students, parents, community members, school-level staff, and district-level advisors. Each school will select six representatives from the identified stakeholder groups to participate in the random selection process: one student, two parents, one community member, and two school-level staff members. Teacher Groups/Organizations have an opportunity to weigh in on the calendar options through teacher membership on the calendar committee and/or through the stakeholder survey.
Inclement Weather/Emergency Days:
In recent years, the Calendar Committee identified only one inclement weather day. For 2018-19 calendar, and going forward, the committee has been charged with the identification and designation of five inclement weather/make up days each semester.
December 4, 2017
The Superintendent will present and discuss the 2018-2020 calendars with the Board of Education (BOE)
January 8, 2018
BOE will discuss and vote on the 2018-2020 calendars.

2018-2019 Metro Atlanta Area Calendars

Calendar Attributes Atlanta Public Schools Clayton County Cobb County School District City Schools of Decatur Fulton County Gwinnett County Henry County Rockdale County
Pre-planning July 26-31, 2018 Not Posted as of Nov 2 July 25-31, 2018 Not Posted July 31 – Aug 3, 2018 Not Posted as of 11-2-17 July 23-27, 2018 July 23-27, 2018
First day of school Aug 1, 2018 Aug 1, 2018 Aug 1, 2018 Aug 6, 2018 July 30, 2018 July 30, 2018
Fall Break Oct 8-12, 2018 Sept24-28, 2018 Sept17-21, 2018 Sept17-21, 2018 Oct 1-8, 2018
Teacher’s Workday Oct 8-9, 2018 NA Oct 8, 2018 Oct 5, 2018 Oct 8, 2018 Oct 8, 2018
Nov 5, 2018
Election Day in NA Nov 6, 2018 Nov 6, 2018 NA Nov 6, 2018 Nov 6, 2018
Nov/Staff (half day)
Workday
Thanksgiving Break Nov 19-23, 2018 Nov 19-23, 2018 Nov 19-23, 2018 Nov 19-23, 2018 Nov 19-23, 2018 Nov 19-23, 2018
Last day of 1st semester Dec 21, 2018 Dec 21, 2018 Dec 21, 2018 Dec 20, 2018 Dec 21, 2018 Dec 20, 2018
Winter Break Dec 24, 2018 – Jan 4, 2019 Dec 24, 2018 – Jan 4, 2019 Dec 24, 2018 – Jan 2, 2019 Dec 21, 2018 – Jan 4, 2019 Dec 21, 2018 – Jan 7, 2019 Dec 21, 2018 – Jan 4, 2019
Post planning 1st semester/Pre- Jan 4, 2019 Jan 3-4, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3-4, 2019 Jan 7, 2019 Jan 4, 2019
planning 2nd semester
First day of 2nd semester Jan 7, 2019 Jan 7, 2019 Jan 3, 2019 Jan 7, 2019 Jan 8, 2019 Jan 7, 2019
Feb Break Feb 18-22, 2019 Feb 18-22, 2019 Feb 18-22, 2019 Feb 15 and 18, 2019 Feb 18-25, 2019 Feb 18-22, 2019
Inclement Weather Day NA NA Feb 18-19, 2019 March 8, 2019 March NA Oct 1-5, 2018
March 11, 2019 11, 2019 Feb 18-22, 2019
April 1-5, 2019
Teacher’s Workday Feb 18-19, 2019 NA March 11, 2019 March 8, 2019 March Feb 25, 2019 March Feb 5, 2019
March 18, 2019 11, 2019 18, 2019 (half day)
May 24, 2019
(half day)
Spring Break April 8-12, 2019 April 1-5, 2019 April 8-12, 2019 April 1-5, 2019 April 1-5, 2019 April 1-5, 2019
Last day of school May 24, 2019 May 22, 2019 May 24, 2019 May 23, 2019 May 24, 2019 May 24, 2019
Post planning May 28, 2019 May 23-24, 2019 Not Disclosed on Posted May 24, 2019 May 28-29, 2019 May 28, 2019
Calendar
Number of days 1st semester 92 91 90 91 91 92
Number of days 2nd semester 88 87 90 89 86 88
Total number of school days 180 178 180 180 177 180

CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Calendar Attributes:
• The calendar contains 180 student-contact days.
• The calendar contains a maximum of 190 teacher days.
• The calendar includes one evening workday comprised of parent-teacher conferences (2 per semester). Conference schedules are determined by individual schools.
• The calendar contains nine teacher workdays.
• The state designated testing windows and dates are considered during the development of the calendars.
• The calendar includes designated inclement weather days each semester.
• In recent years, the District has chosen not to employ ½ days or early release days; however, the committee may consider ½ days or early release days.
Inclement Weather/Emergency Days:
In recent years, the Calendar Committee identified only one inclement weather day. For 2018-19 calendar, and going forward, the committee has been charged with the identification and designation of five inclement weather/make up days each semester.

2018-2020 Calendar Committee Scope of Work and Status Report
• Randomly select committee members and notify them via email (In Progress)
• Gather calendars from metro area districts (In Progress)
• Gather testing calendars from Research, Assessments and Grants (Completed)
• Develop survey and communication plan (In Progress)
• Publish survey for stakeholder feedback (Not Started)

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DeKalb Turnaround Eligible Schools Trends 2015-2017

Posted on November 13, 2017 | 10 comments

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement calculates an annual Turnaround Eligible Schools list. Identified schools have a three-year average College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score that is in the bottom five percent of the state.
.pdf link icon Turnaround Eligible Schools List (Updated November 3, 2017)

DeKalb Schools Removed/Added – Georgia School Turnaround Lists (2015 – 2017)
Within the last couple of years, DeKalb Schools has created a Student Support and Intervention Division to provide “Wrap Around Services” and address the diverse needs of students and families. The school district has also flooded failing schools with paraprofessionals (parapros), social workers, teacher coaches, etc … DeKalb Schools has added over 1,000 school house full/part time employees across the district since 2014.
2017 (Georgia Turnaround-Eligible Schools – 16 total schools on list)
• Stone Mountain ES (added)
• Canby Lane ES (removed
• Cedar Grove MS (removed)
• Chapel Hill ES (removed)
• Columbia ES (removed)
• E.L. Miller MS (removed)
• Flat Rock ES (removed)
• Jolly ES (removed)
• Mary McLeod Bethune MS (removed)
• McNair MS (removed)
• Rowland ES (removed)
2016 (Georgia Chronically Failing Schools – 25 total schools on list)
• Allgood ES (removed)
• Cedar Grove ES (removed)
• Freedom MS (removed)
• Stone Mountain HS (removed)
• Woodward Elementary School (removed)
• Dresden (added)
• Jolly (added)
• Mary McLeod Bethune MS (added)
• Rowland ES (added)
2015 (Georgia Opportunity School District – 28 total schools on list)
• Salem MS (removed)
• Towers HS (removed)

The State Considers How To Turn Around Low Performing Schools
Members of the Georgia state board of education met recently to discuss how they’ll start the process of turning around struggling schools. The state’s efforts to turn around failing schools is thus far nebulous at best.
As reported by WABE Radio, officials haven’t decided when any school improvement efforts would begin or which schools they would target. However, the state board of education has hired a “chief turnaround officer” to lead the initiative.
Many aspects of the current effort remain unknown. Among them: How many schools would receive help; what that help would look like; and how much it would all cost.

House Bill 338 was passed earlier this session. It is a slimmed down version of the Opportunity School District resolution that doesn’t require a constitutional amendment.
It calls for a Chief Turnaround Officer, which the state hired last week
http://www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-education/georgia-hires-first-school-turnaround-chief/b0iQXUlApwqQZp9EbjnBNK/

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