Monthly Archives: November 2016

Doraville Keeps Losing E-SPLOST V Projects

[poll id=”3″]

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them”    — Frederick Douglass (August 3, 1857)
Case in point:
Cary Reynolds ES and Indian Creek ES
This image has been part of every Dekalb Schools SPLOST presentation since May. Note that the graphic clearly states: “Approximately $60 million committed to two new elementary schools in the Cross Keys Cluster”.

At the most recent school board meeting (11/7), the promise to Doraville for a new elementary school was quietly removed from previous plans. It was supplanted with a rebuild for Indian Creek.
Not only should Doraville be getting a new elementary school to alleviate over crowding, Cary Reynolds should either be rebuilt entirely or have a far more significant renovation than is now planned. The District’s most recent plan shows Cary Reynolds as only getting a $5 million (Roof, HVAC, Site Improvements, Site Utilities – $5.55M). This won’t begin to address the overcrowding or inadequacies at that school.
Note: The main factors used to determine which schools need renovations, additions and/or rebuilds are:

  1. The Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) score;
  2. The Facility Educational Adequacy Assessment (FEAA) score; and
  3. The capacity and enrollment data and projections.

Also note: In 2016, 300 students were redistricted out of Cary Reynolds.

Enrollment Capacity PctCap Fcst Trailers FCA FEAA
Cary Reynolds 900 701 128% 905 20 31.62 51.43
Indian Creek 1,158 898 129% 1,070 12 38.43 80.17

Enrollment
While enrollment at Indian Creek has flattened out and declined over the last few years, enrollment at Cary Reynolds continues its steady increase.

Year
Capacity 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Cary Reynolds 701 877 994 1058 1163 1193
Indian Creek 898 964 1056 1092 1,087 1064

It is also noteworthy that half the elementary schools surrounding Indian Creek ES are under capacity while all the elementary schools surrounding Cary Reynolds are at 110% – 120% capacity.
DeKalb Schools seems to well understand exactly what the city of Doraville will quietly submit to.

Austin Elementary – Secondary Schools Study Position

Austin Elementary School Council, among numerous other elementary school councils, did not originally come out with a position on how to alleviate overcrowding in North DeKalb.
They have recently come out with this position saying, “we believe that children should attend schools within their own municipalities and priority should be placed on creating a new cluster in the City of Doraville.”

From: Austin Elementary School Council
Subject: Final AESC Position E-SPLOST V

On behalf of the Austin Elementary School Council, we would like to thank you in advance for allowing us the opportunity to provide our input regarding the proposed E-SPLOST V Project List. We hope that you will give as much weight to our feedback as you would other Councils.For the reasons set forth herein, we believe that children should attend schools within their own municipalities and priority should be placed on creating a new cluster in the City of Doraville. Below you will find what we believe should be guiding principles in your decision-making regarding the approval of the E-SPLOST V Project List as well as allocations of the E-SPLOST V funds.
Proximity Matters
Successful schools are created when a sense of community leads each student to have a feeling of belonging, purpose, and accountability. Students must have easy access to wrap-around services that allow them to participate in academic, athletic, and social activities after school to keep them connected; parents must be able to work together to strengthen the school environment; teachers must feel supported by the community in order to best serve students. This neighborhood engagement can only be achieved through close proximity to school facilities.
We believe that children should attend schools within their own municipalities. As the City of Doraville is experiencing and will continue to experience tremendous growth, we ask that the DeKalb County School District prioritize the creation of a much-needed Doraville Cluster.
Size and Environment Matter
As stated on the Georgia Department of Education website, “A good well-developed site… is a basic physical tool for a quality education. Current school programs include many activities that must be carried on outside the walls of the educational facility. Well-planned and properly developed outdoor areas are essential to support outdoor activities, provide vehicle circulation, adequate and convenient parking and also be conducive to the safety of children. Therefore, the site should contribute positively to the health, safety and social aspects of a child’s life at school.”
Unless supported by the surrounding environment and structures, a large school does not have the ability to preserve the integrity of educational best practices and community cohesiveness. Mega-schools on property that is deemed to be grossly inadequate in size, do not have the ability to truly give students the quality education or the feeling of belonging desired by all families.
We believe that the physical and capacity addition to Dunwoody High School, an already large school of 1800 students, on a land-locked property which has been deemed inadequate in acreage by the Feasibility Study, must be re-evaluated.
Long-Term Planning Matters
Entities such as the DeKalb County School District and municipalities such as Dunwoody and Doraville, must work together to plan for the foreseeable future. This includes long-term planning for schools where disruption in school operations are kept to a minimum, giving children and families a continuity of service for as long as possible. Students benefit from the bonds they form when they move through elementary, middle, and high school together.
As shown in the City of Doraville’s Comprehensive Plan for 2017-2037, with projected growth in the City of large family households, there is a “need for increasing space in schools due to high percentage of young children.” Through the City’s public engagement process, schools have been deemed a high priority in the City’s overall Comprehensive Plan.
We believe that the City of Doraville and DeKalb County School District should prioritize the inevitable creation of a City of Doraville school cluster over the creation of mega-schools on land-locked properties.


We truly applaud the District in their efforts to create transparency through public engagement. We hope that in the spirit of this mission, the DeKalb County School District and the DeKalb County Board of Education will consider delaying this vote to approve the current E-SPLOST V Project List so that all stakeholder opinions can be factored into these appropriations.
Thank you again for allowing us the opportunity to provide our input regarding the proposed E-SPLOST V Project List. We are committed to supporting the DeKalb County School District and our community in all efforts to provide an excellent education and experience to all of the students in DeKalb.
Sincerely,
Austin Elementary School Council