From the AJC…

“Both Decatur and Marietta city schools today became two of Georgia’s first “charter” systems — piloting what state officials hope will be a nationally recognized effort to free local school systems from red tape.

State Board of Education members also approved a third system, Gainesville City. A fourth system, Chattahoochee County, failed; the board voted it down unanimously. State Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox had recommended Chattahoochee be denied.”

All changes will go into effect this August.

What changes you ask?  Here’s an AJC blurb from a December post that probably does the best job of summing up the very long and complex application.

“In Decatur, the biggest change would be in governance. Schools would establish individual “leadership teams,” giving parents and community members a bigger role in finance and program decisions. The system wants to consider bonus pay for teachers for both school-level and classroom achievement. Tenure and membership in the state’s teacher retirement system would remain. The system also would explore ways for students to earn academic credits based on knowledge, not just classroom time. What would change least? Student testing.”

Wordsmiths has lots going on this weekend in celebration of its first anniversary.

For all the details go straight to the horse’s mouth: Wordsmiths’ “official” First Anniversary press release

With all that’s going on I might recommend just camping out on the Square for the weekend, but I suspect bonfires and sleeping under the Civil War monument are illegal.

Love at the Pub’s Mary Jane Mahan has a proposition for you.

She’s seeking 25 volunteers to play with the kids at the children’s boardwalk at next Friday’s Decatur Beach Party (8p-10:15p).  In return for your service, she’s promising “automatic volunteer status at the Decatur Beer Festival later this year.

Interested?  Contact Mary Jane at maryjane[at]maryjanebrain.com with your name and contact info.  Then you can serve me tiny glasses of beer come October!

BTW…the Brick Store-inspired Love at the Pub book is now looking at a September release.

The AJC is reporting that the state BOE’s Charter School Committee gave unanimous approval to Decatur’s charter school application yesterday. Today, it goes before the Board of Education again for approval. If its approved, that’s it. Decatur becomes a charter system. No more hurdles or red tape.

The AJC seems to think that because of the unanimous approval by the charter school committee, Decatur is a shoe-in. Marietta on the other hand, only passed by a 3-2 vote and therefore might face greater criticism today during the full board meeting.

All will be revealed today! Stay tuned to DM for more exhilarating charter school red-tape coverage!