Comments on: Cutting Back on Babies

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:59:24 +0000

X factor? Throughput? Sorry, too techie for me.

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:21:54 +0000

Meant to say West of Scott but northwest of Ponce also makes sense.

By: Bo

Bo — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:04:49 +0000

I believe birth rates in Decatur may be less of a factor than home prices in Decatur and the health of the overall Atlanta economy in the population of our schools. Decatur pricing has held up well enough that it’s becoming even more unaffordable for young families starting out with pre-school aged kids, and folks moving in may have older kids or none at all. That makes it much tougher to predict school enrollment. Of course, if our schools start performing as well as advertised, people should be kicking and screaming to get in here, get annexed, etc. Yet another X factor. Creates one heck of a throughput problem.

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:24:54 +0000

From what I can see, girls had the harder transition to Renfroe compared to boys so they are probably profiting more from the Glennwood social model. I think Glennwood is a wash, some things are lost by shortening the preK-5 experience to a K-3 experience but other things are gained. Given a 4/5 model, Glennwood was clearly the wrong location for it; right from the start, it was too tight, not just the limited number of classrooms but also the cafeteria and auditorium which were designed for a different size of student population. So I understand the need to find bigger space; I just worry that we’ll build a bunch more, relocate again, and then have population shrinkage. Then a school will have to be closed. Some neighborhood that has become used to having the school and the grounds will have to deal with the closing, whether it be Clairemont (the tightest squeeze and the water-logged playground is progressively shrinking), Glennwood (multi-story not so good for the littler kids), Fifth Avenue (not unheard of to close a school soon after a renovation), Oakhurst (I wouldn’t cross those parents if I was the School Board), or Winnona Park (another great field that would be a shame to lose).

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Oh and the building could be used for the Decatur Rec after-care program in the afternoon and evening. There was so much demand for Animal Crackers after-care this year that even the off-site spots filled up and lots of kids are on long waiting lists. Color Wheel is more expensive and may be full. Not sure about First Baptist or the Boys and Girls Club. The YMCA after care program is horrible and avoided by most.

During the morning, Decatur Rec could use the space for adult or senior programs. The Decatur Rec facility on Sycamore is a good location for DHA housing residents and central Decatur folks but a long hike for folks west of Ponce.

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:43:04 +0000

One optiob would be to give Westchester back to the city. That would save CSD money; they could use trailers for offices–the Clairemont trailer is great, and the city would maintain the grounds much better.

By: Smiley

Smiley — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:28:19 +0000

I was at Westchester this spring, and it was in great shape. We have yellow jackets on our own lawn too. They just happen sometimes – and quite suddenly from what I have experienced. I’m sure that if you called CSD about it that they would look into it.

Which brings me to another topic. I’m all for seeing the Westchester property maintained by someone. However, CSD is a school system that exists to educate all of the students who attend there. They are not in existence to provide a playground for a neighborhood. My guess is that there are taxpayers and school families would would rather see CSD money go to education than to maintaining a park that serves only one small section of the city, particularly in time such as these when school funding has been cut to the bone.

I’d hate to see a class of first graders lose a para-pro because CSD has to renovate a park.

By: Smiley

Smiley — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:21:36 +0000

I said part of the reason… not the whole reason. I agree that Mr. Roaden rocks and is a huge reason that Renfroe is in such good shape. All I can relate is my own child’s experience. Renfroe was a non-issue for her b/c she already had made the transition to a “big” school. It was nice to have the transition of puberty and all the drama that goes with that happen separately from the transition to a much bigger school environment. Maybe that’s not the case for other children. Maybe your experience was different.. and that’s fine. I’m really not trying to argue about it.. it’s just my personal experience.