Monthly Archives: November 2017

Class of 2018 Graduation Ceremonies Schedule

Posted on November 17, 2017 by | 15 comments

Stan Jester
Board Of Education

During the summer of 2016, Dr. Green created a District Graduation Task Force to begin looking at venues, available dates and costs for specific locations to house district ceremonies. Based on a cost and accessibility comparison, the committee determined that the best option would be the Georgia World Congress Center. At price tag of $300K, I’m not sure about that cost analysis.
All high school graduations will be held during the week of May 21-26, 2018 at the Georgia World Congress Center. This is the second year to have graduation ceremonies at the GWCC. Last year the ceremonies were on time, air conditioned, streamed online with great production value.
What are your thoughts that I can share with the school administration and board members?

Superintendent Stephen Green

Georgia Wescott
Chamblee Charter High School graduating Class of 2017
Expressed her thoughts last year.

Open letter to DeKalb County School System:
How are you going to move our graduation against our will and then make us, the students who are graduating, pay to attend it? On top of that, how are you going to hold it at a time where no teachers or other students can attend because it’s on the last day of school immediately after school gets out all the way in downtown Atlanta? At this point I’m not even looking forward to my own graduation because the fact that it costs money has taken away money from some of our senior activities that we’ve been looking forward to. –Georgia Wescott
Superintendent Stephen Green

Dr. Stephen Green
Superintendent, DeKalb County School District

Graduation ceremonies are a major component of the closing of each school year. In recent years, schools have used governmental buildings, arenas and even churches to hold events. During the 2015-16 school year. However, the district was challenged by the AFL-CIO on the holding of school district graduation ceremonies in religious facilities. While measures were taken to comply with the request to not house ceremonies in religious venues (and some locations were changed), it was agreed that the district would work to address the [concern].

DeKalb County School District Graduation Schedule
Georgia World Congress Center
Graduating Class of 2018 (Congratulations!!)

Date School Time
Monday, May 21, 2018 Lithonia High School 10:00 AM
Elizabeth Andrews High School 1:00 PM
Dunwoody High School 4:00 PM
Chamblee Charter High School 7:00 PM
Tuesday, May 22, 2018 Lakeside High School 10:00 AM
Southwest DeKalb High School 1:00 PM
Miller Grove High School 4:00 PM
Druid Hills High School 7:00 PM
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Destiny Achievers High School 10:00 AM
Arabia Mountain High School 1:00 PM
Stone Mountain High School 4:00 PM
Towers High School 7:00 PM
Thursday, May 24, 2018 Martin L. King, Jr. High School 10:00 AM
Tucker High School 1:00 PM
DeKalb School of the Arts 4:00 PM
Cedar Grove High School 7:00 PM
Friday, May 25, 2018 McNair High School 10:00 AM
Columbia High School 1:00 PM
Redan High School 4:00 PM
Clarkston High School 7:00 PM
Saturday, May 26, 2018 Stephenson High School 10:00 AM
DeKalb Early College Academy 1:00 PM
Cross Keys High School 4:00 PM

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2018-2020 Calendar Update

Posted on November 15, 2017 by | 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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