Decatur High School Wins $3 Million Technology Grant for Career Academy
December 4, 2009 | 9:35 amUPDATE: Ha! Apparently I should have checked the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the AJC before posting this. They both have whole darn articles about the $3 million being given to create a “career academy” at the high school. It will be one of four in the state of Georgia.
DHS teacher Chris Billingsley reports in…
Great News!
Mr. Duane Sprull, DHS assistant principal in charge of vocational education, stopped by the Close Up meeting yesterday to announce that Decatur High just won a $3 million plus grant to upgrade the technology in our vocational building. Mr. Sprull gave most of the credit to DHS teacher Mr. Brent Eickhoff for leading this effort but I suspect that Mr. Sprull and longtime vocational teacher Mr. James “Big Jim” Streeter had a lot to do with this success.
Congratulations Mr. Sprull, Mr. Eickhoff, Mr. Streeter, and all the vocational teachers who helped to win this grant.
I’m going to follow up and see if I can get a few more details on this impressive grant. Stay tuned.
This is great news. Kudos to everyone involved and to Dr. Edwards for her sustained support for vocational schools in the City Schools of Decatur.
Last I heard, the grant will be used to fund a 10,000 sqft addition to the Frasier Center. I remember food service being one, but have forgotten the other vocations which will be taught. Can anyone fill us in on the specifics?
How will this affect the Frasier Center? Will we continue to have a location at DHS to provide a Early Childhood Learning Center on site?
“How will this affect the Frasier Center? Will we continue to have a location at DHS to provide a Early Childhood Learning Center on site?”
Ah, and if not, then where will those kids go? College Heights is already adding trailer[s].
Let me repost what I said on the other thread about reconsidering reconfiguration in light of the fact that College Heights was never part of the discussion.
People, every decision that is made involving our schools involves the whole system! I hope this doesn’t end up being yet another example of shortsightedness on the board’s part.
“Of note, I am concerned about the fact that College Heights and our Pre-K students were not included in the reconfiguration discussion.
-At any point in the future we could decide we need to fold Pre-K students back into the elementary schools.
-The agreement with the YMCA should not be considered something that will last forever.
-We should be considering Pre-K enrollments in our discussions about enrollment projections.
-CHECLC is adding trailer(s), and there are now Pre-K classes at three different locations.
-***NEW*** If the Frasier Center is displaced due to the new career center at the high school, where will those kids go? There are 2 Pre-K classes there now.
I firmly believe that we must completely reevaluate the reconfiguration options including College Heights in the mix. The Pre-K students technically belong to CSD (NOT the YMCA) and any reconfiguration discussion should have included them.”
Garrett is back in the HOUSE!
Here’s the full press release that just went out moments ago…
City Schools of Decatur Receives $3 Million for Decatur Career Academy
Decatur, GA (2009) – Lt. Governor Casey Cagle recently announced that City Schools of Decatur (CSD) will receive $3 million in funding for the Decatur Career Academy (DCA). The academy, to be housed at Decatur High School, will be a partnership between the City Schools of Decatur and DeKalb Technical College. The objective of the new career academy is to provide students with hands-on, specified training that will prepare them to be highly qualified individuals once they enter the work force.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the students of Decatur High School,” said Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards, “it is a key part of education, especially in these economic times we find ourselves in. A career technical academy is something that the board and I have envisioned for some time. Now we can make it come to fruition. We look forward to partnering with surrounding businesses and DeKalb Technical College.”
Eight career academies across the state of Georgia sent in proposals to be evaluated by the Technical College System of Georgia. Of the eight academies that applied, only four were selected for approval. The City Schools of Decatur’s grant proposal was co-authored by Director of Career Technology Duane Sprull and DHS Teacher Brent Eickhoff.
“The Decatur Career Academy grant award will provide career opportunities for the students of City Schools of Decatur as well as for the Decatur community,” Sprull commented, “Instruction will furnish students with skills that prepare them for education and careers beyond high school. Our community members will have the opportunity to receive training to improve their employment situations including career changes, underemployment and the enhancement of their current careers.”
“We are thrilled to have helped in the creation of an academy that will have an immediate and lasting impact on our students and the community,” said Eickhoff.
Nicely done Mr. Eickhoff, Mr. Sprull and Dr. Edwards!