Decatur Cemetery, Commerce Dr., Decatur GA (pic submitted by Daren)

Yes, I’m aware there are millions of other pizza preference options out there, but that’s another thread.

Why the City of Decatur was perhaps the only governmental entity left in the entire state of Georgia that still owned school property is a complicated story.  One that I tackled in all of its great detail back in late 2009.

Now you may not remember this – I sure didn’t – but in agreeing to transfer school properties to the City Schools of Decatur (mainly for funding and process reasons), the city had just one request.  If I may be allowed to quote myself (circa 2009)…

While keeping the city commission in control of school property has meant a lot more red tape for all parties over the years, it has allowed the city a final say on school development projects that have an inevitable effect on the city’s overall development pattern. So, in order to retain a voice in the development of school property, the city manager has requested that the city commission approve a zoning change from “residential” to “institutional” for the property, which would “allow the Planning Commission and City Commission in the future to hold public hearings and make recommendations and decisions about any changes to the development footprint.”

While the under-construction 5th Avenue school, along with the middle and high school, are already zoned “institutional”, the six remaining school properties are still seen as “low-density residential” in the eyes of the zoning gods.  They are: Clairemont, College Heights, Glennwood, Oakhurst, Westchester, and Winnona Park.

So, as requested back in 2009, Superintendent Phyllis Edwards will go before Decatur’s Planning Commission in a couple weeks and ask for this zoning change for these six properties.

You may have seen those lovely, scribbled white signs on planted in school lawns over the past few days and wondered what the heck they were announcing to their reading public.  Well, now you know!

I admit that two months is more than a lifetime when it comes to fresh produce – aside from those durable winter squashes -  but I think this story has a long enough shelf-life to still mention.  From Decatur Farm-to-School’s website…

City Schools of Decatur received funding from the Great American Salad Bar Project for three new salad bars valued at $3000 each. The new portable salad bar kits will be installed at Glennwood Academy, Renfroe Middle School, and Decatur High School this semester. The middle and high schools introduced limited salad bars this fall, however the new equipment will allow these schools to offer full salad bars every day. Glenwood does not currently have a salad bar. “The new salad bars are a perfect fit for our Farm to School efforts: we can use them to introduce a variety of fresh and local produce,” says Allison Goodman, Director of School Nutrition. “Besides,” she adds, “students really enjoy customizing their salads.”

The Great American Salad Bar Project, an initiative of TheLunchbox.org and Whole Foods Market, aims to put a healthy salad bar in every school across America so all school kids may have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins, every school day.

Decatur Farm to School is a grassroots effort led by parents, teachers, school administrators, community members and organizations. Farm to School programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, and providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime. Decatur Farm to School is now a branch of the Oakhurst Community Garden Project.

The Oakhurst Community Garden Project (OCGP) teaches environmental awareness through hands-on gardening and outdoor education programs. The OCGP engages students in projects that address real needs, both at the Garden and through outreach projects in our schools and community centers. The OCGP has been instrumental in helping create the outdoor garden environments at many of the schools in Decatur.

I wonder if the Glennwood salad bar will be transferred to 5th Ave.

h/t: Neighbor Newspapers

From Daren Wang’s Verb.org…

This year marks Agnes Scott College’s 40th annual Writers’ Festival. The festival which will be held this year from March 31st to April 1st hosts acclaimed writers of poetry, prose and for the first time this year songwriting come to Agnes Scott to give readings, performances, and lead workshops for the Festival’s magazine. At the end of the festival the writers then pick winners in the magazine’s categories of poetry, prose, playwriting and songwriting. This is an amazing time for Agnes Scott students and the Decatur community to rub elbows with the literary world’s elite. Past writers have included Junot Diaz, Joyce Carol Oats, Anita Desai, Yusef Komunyakka, Rita Dove, John Updike, Margaret Atwood and many more!

And this year’s writers won’t disappoint either! This is the first year where a featured writer and (Agnes Scott alum!) is a songwriter, a new category that was added to this year’s Festival creative writing competition. Maybe you’ve heard of her? The one and only Grammy award winning Jennifer Nettles of the hit group Sugarland! She cut her teeth on performing music right here in Decatur at Eddies Attic. Jennifer Nettles will be performing Thursday, March 31, 8 p.m. Gaines Chapel, Presser Hall. Ticket required.

More info HERE.