Category Archives: Austin Elementary School

New Austin ES estimated opening: January 2020

The DeKalb Schools Operations Division was informed last week that they are experiencing a delay in the opening of the new Austin ES.

As a result of the unforeseen discovery of buried trees, trash and other organics below the surface of the school site, excessive rain over the past six months, and a slight delay in proving a notice to proceed, the opening of the new Austin ES is now 147 days behind in the projected completion date, which has now shifted from a June 9, 2019, substantial completion date to November 21, 2019. This has shifted the opening of the school from August 2019 (start of the first semester of 2019-2020 SY) to January 2020 (start of the second semester of 2019-2020 SY).

Based on this delay, here are the implications:

• Redistricting process will be delayed one year: the process will occur in Fall 2019 (instead of Fall 2018) and the redistricting will be effective for Fall 2020 (instead of Fall 2019).

• The Austin ES existing school will move to the new building over Christmas break (2019-2020) for a partial (only existing Austin ES students) opening in January 2020. The redistricted students would then attend the new Austin ES in August 2020.

• DeKalb Schools will communicate with the City of Dunwoody regarding:

1. Requesting a variance from their noise ordinance to allow construction to start at 6:30 AM Monday-Friday and 7:30 AM on Saturdays. DCSD will also request a 3:00 AM start for concrete pours for 8-10 specific days (similar to how we were allowed these hours from DeKalb County for Peachrest ES and Fernbank ES).
2. Discuss the implications of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on the use of the existing Austin ES (which we are leasing back from the City)

The Operations Division is bringing a September 10th Board agenda item that will include a change order for the additional costs of the unforeseen discovery of buried trees, trash and other organics below the surface of the school site and the formalization of the schedule change.

8/27/2018 – UPDATE

Dan Drake, interim chief officer with DeKalb Schools, is slated to give an update and report on the construction on the new 900-seat elementary school at the Dunwoody City Council’s Aug. 27 meeting. His report is posted online: https://onbase.dunwoodyga.gov:8081/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/CITY_COUNCIL_MEETING_1867_Agenda_Packet_8_27_2018_6_00_00_PM.pdf?meetingId=1867&documentType=AgendaPacket&itemId=0&publishId=0&isSection=false

UNSUITABLE SOILS – During site work activities, it was discovered that the baseball fields were essentially a landfill that contained buried trees, trash and other organics below the surface. In all, a total of 13,016 cubic yards of unsuitable material and trash was excavated and removed from the site.

REDISTRICTING – The redistricting process will be delayed one year: the process will occur in the Fall 2019 (instead of Fall 2018) and the redistricting will be effective for Fall 2020 (instead of Fall 2019). Existing Austin ES students will move to the new building over Christmas break (2019-2020) for a partial opening in January 2020. Redistricted students will not attend the new Austin ES until August 2020.

Related Posts

Austin Elementary School
Replacement Project Update
May 8, 2017 – The project is currently in the final design phase where all of the building and site elements are being detailed for construction.

Austin Rebuild – Approved by BOE
October 5, 2016 – On Monday, the DeKalb Schools Board unanimously approved an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the purchase, sale and exchange of land with the City of Dunwoody. After everything is said and done, DeKalb Schools will pay the City of Dunwoody $3.6 million.

Austin ES Rebuild
Dunwoody Senior Baseball Fields
October 1, 2016 – As reported by Dunwoody Senior Baseball, the plan is to rebuild Austin Elementary at the site of the senior baseball fields and move Senior Baseball to some of the fields at Peachtree Charter Middle School.