As the AJC reports this morning, last night the DeKalb School Board took a final vote on closing eight county schools and redistricting those affected.
The vote was almost a year in the making. Board members made several attempts to pass new attendance boundaries but backed off because of criticism and political pressure.
More than 200 parents and community members showed up to protest the most recent round of changes, but the plan passed with a 7-2 margin.
…The plan approved Monday closes eight schools: Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Peachcrest, Medlock and Sky Haven elementary schools, Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School.
Some residents in areas just outside the Decatur city limits aren’t protesting, but rejoicing, as many of the homes in the Forrest Hills and Midway Woods neighborhoods were rezoned into the well-regarded “Druid Hills Cluster” – which includes Avondale Elementary School, Shamrock Middle School and Druid Hills High School. This was “due to hundreds of emails, going to meetings”, according to one Forrest Hills resident. So satisfied with the change, they exclaimed “I would vote against being annexed [by Decatur] now.”.
Students who formally attended Medlock Elementary will now be split amongst Laurel Ridge, McLendon and Avondale Elementary schools. (See page 8 of this presentation for a map of the change.)
It looks like they split up the Forrest Hills neighborhood … am I looking at it wrong? I can’t believe they’d close a school that’s only been open a decade (Avondale Middle). I know there are a lot of issues to consider but it seems so wasteful. Sort of like when they expanded Forrest Hills and then closed it.
When systems close schools, they never seem to consider the past, only the future costs. When CSD closed Westchester, it had been recently renovated, had tons of new PTO-funded enhancements e.g. in landscaping, lighted marquee, playground equipment, underground sprinklers, and probably a lot more.
Really? That’s such a shame.
If you look at who’s been indicted at the Dekalb school system you’ll understand the disconnect between construction and education. Lot’s of ways to funnel construction money into your pocket and the public can’t say no because it’s for education.
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Out of curiousity, does anyone know the story for Laurel Ridge? Wasn’t it slated to close? How did it get saved? I ask because we have friends in that school zone and at one point they started applying to private school.
I don’t recall Laurel Ridge ever being on the list of schools set to close. I believe that Medlock, an adjoining neighborhood school, was from start to finish.
Is there a better map available of the redistricting? We live right off of Katie Kerr and I can’t tell whether or not we are zoned for Druid Hills…
I am so happy Avondale Middle is closing. That school has been a failing school since it opened. My backyard is adjacent to the school track. No neighborhood children attend that school. 1/3 of the students are actually Tucker Middle Schoolers who are bused in and attend as the “Tucker MS annex”. It is very unfortunate to have such a new school be so un-fulfilled in its mission. That said, we are elated to be in the Druid Hills attendance zone. We will now have a choice of a quality high school for us to consider sending our sixth grader in a couple of years. Our only concern now is the building. We have heard rumors it might be used as a magnet school, which would be a great use.
Did you say cluster? What a sad mess.
According to this map it looks like Forrest Hills was not included? Confusing…
The closer I look at the map, I think you’re right JB. I think Forrest Hills is going to Bethune MS and Towers HS.
the link provided shows maps from the superintendent’s recommendation, pre amendment. The new map isn’t posted yet.
OK, thank you Karen. I’ll pull the map that I posted as well to lessen the confusion.
It’s not over yet: http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-parents-ask-judge-865105.html?cxtype=ynews_rss