Superintendent Reaches Out to Community Regarding CSD Master Plan
Decatur Metro | April 23, 2013CSD sends along this letter from Superintendent Phyllis Edwards…
Dear City of Decatur Community,
City Schools of Decatur is the fastest growing school system in the state of Georgia! We are in the process of developing a master plan to prepare to accommodate our growing student enrollment within the confines of our existing campuses.
The first phase of planning began in the winter months of the 2012-2013 school year with principals and instructional personnel developing program and space needs, taking into consideration requirements from the Georgia Department of Education.
We have created a website where documents detailing the Master Plan process are housed. This website includes presentations and resources previously presented at Board of Education meetings and housed online at our eBOARD site. The Master Plan website also includes answers to Frequently Asked Questions, such as the one below:
What is the master plan and why is City Schools of Decatur going through this process?The City Schools of Decatur is the fastest growing school system in the state of Georgia. Current facilities are reaching their maximum capacity and a plan that would provide solutions to this growth was found necessary by the Board. The Master Plan development involves six (6) steps:1. Existing Facilities Survey - in this step, each of the current facilities were evaluated for their current condition, capacity and availability for expansion. Working with the Associate Superintendent, projections of growth for K-3, 4-5, middle and high school grades were developed and confirmed. This information was evaluated with regard to Georgia Department of Education requirements to determine areas that needed to be addressed to accommodate the growth.2. Building Space Needs Program - in this step, each of the current facilities deemed to be deficient to accommodate growth, had a Building Space Needs Program developed. This document outlined specific spaces, square footage, site improvements and others necessary to accommodate the projected growth. It also included diagrams illustrating how these spaces would or could be connected via Adjacency Diagrams.3. Concept Development Plans - in this step, architectural floor plans and site plans were developed for the high school, middle school and certain K-3 facilities that would address the growth and accommodate the Space Needs Programs and Adjacency Diagrams. At least two scenarios were developed for each as to give options for evaluation and consideration.4. Schedule / Sequencing - each scenario had a detailed Design and Construction Schedule developed taking into consideration working in and around an operating school.5. Cost Estimates / Budgets - once each scenario had a schedule / sequence developed, a complete Cost Estimate and Budget was developed including all hard, soft and financing costs to provide a complete Project Budget.6. GA DOE / Board Approval - in this step the CSD Board and public have a chance to consider and evaluate each of the options prior to deciding on a direction to move forward with.
In addition to the information presented at school board meetings, City Schools of Decatur is hosting four presentations and forums for parents and the community.
- Renfroe Middle School Plan Public Forum:
- Location- Renfroe Middle School Library Media Center
- Thursday April 25th @ 6:30-8:00 PM with time for public comment
- Friday May 3rd @ 8:00-9:30 AM with time for public comment
- Decatur High School Public Forum:
- Location- Decatur High School Performing Arts Center
- Wednesday May 1st @ 9:00-10:30 AM with time for public comment
- Thursday May 2nd @ 6:30-8:00 PM with time for public comment
Even after these meetings, additional steps and time must be taken before a CSD Master Plan moves to the level of actuality. For example, these projects would need to be financed through General Obligation Bonds (GO Bonds) which must be voted on by the citizens of the City of Decatur. If the vote for GO Bonds is positive, the design phase will commence and input sessions will be held by the commissioned architect and builder.
Thinking back to the original Decatur High School Campus Master Plan for the Performing Arts Center, Gymnasium and Stadium, the conceptual drawings were changed and altered as the project became a reality. A similar pattern will be followed during this next necessary phase of Master Planning to accommodate our growing student enrollment.
All Board of Education Meetings and Work Sessions are open to the public and publicized. The Board’s intent is to use the consultant’s plan to begin a dialogue, and there are opportunities for public comment online as well as in person.
Master Planning is a long process, and we are at the beginning stages. We appreciate the community’s support and patience as we prepare to accommodate our growing student enrollment within the confines of our existing campuses. If you have a question or a comment about the Master Planning process, please fill out the form located on the Master Plan website and a CSD leader will respond.
Sincerely,
Dr. Phyllis A. Edwards,
Superintendent
I’m surprised there are no comments on this.
Anyway, to state the obvious: this is good, right? The sort of dissemination of information and soliciting of input that lots of folks here (rightly) say they want and that contributes to a healthy school system.
Yes, this is good! Hope people will show up and speak up if they have something to say or ask! There’s a lot to the Master Plan and options so some may find it useful to review them first on the Master Plan website. To get to that website, go to the CSD website: http://www.csdecatur.net, then go down to “Hot Topics”, then click on Master Plan Community Forums and Information. Or you can go directly to http://www.csdecatur.net/master-plan/. (DM: You might want to add that URL to post above.)
I really like two things about the Master Plan website: 1) the video of the April 18 Joint SLT DHS/RMS meeting so everyone can see it and prepare for the forums; and 2) the option to ask questions of CSD or make comments and get responses. This website and the forums are true parent and community engagement. They are a great model that can be used for all sorts of school issues going forward. The Decatur and Renfroe SLTs get tons of credit for working with CSD to put on the forums. I hope that parents and the community use the website and forums. Folks cannot say later that they were not given a chance at this point to give input.
Thanks AHID. The link actually is in the body of the announcement above (the words “a website where documents detailing the Master Plan process are housed” are the link), but for some weird reason it shows up as body text and not a clickable link.
Clicked over to the page and saw the following fun fact:
“What happens if we do not do a master plan?
Based upon the Projected Growth, if no improvements are made, then each of the current facilities will meet and exceed their capacities within the next three to five year period. This will force CSD to invest in Portable Classrooms (trailers). Each Portable Classroom costs approximately $35,000 per year to have installed and leased.
Example: It is projected that the Decatur High School would require up to 32 Portable Classrooms to accommodate its growth. This would equate into CSD paying approximately $1,120,000 per year for a temporary solution. Another 17 Portable Classrooms would be necessary to accommodate projected growth at Renfroe Middle School at a cost of $595,000 per year.”
32 classrooms housed in “learning cottages” at DHS. Awesome! I like the way they’re called “trailers” here to make them sounds bad but “learning cottages” when we want to reassure residents that they’re nice homey places. (Actually, my son has been in trailers 2 of his 4 years at Oakhurst, and it hasn’t been too bad, but long-term having lots of trailers ins’t the way to go.)
LOL re selective use of “learning cottages” vs. “trailers”–language does influence thought! I have a middle-of-the-road opinion of learning trailers–they seem like a practical solution for short-term use while implementing long-term solutions. Their cost and use of outdoor space make them a less desirable long-term solution. My children are bummed that they’ve never managed to be in a trailer during their CSD career so far. But I have sent them to overnight camp!
It was an empty process. Paid contractors and employees presented and defended the hastily conceived secret master plans and the school board was completely absent. Fox News came out though! http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/22083597/decatur-schools-present
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/22058336/school-officials-decatur-is-1-of-fastest-growing-districts-in-country