Greg Coleson writes in…
The City Schools of Decatur 5th Avenue school is in need of balls for recess. If you have any new or old, but in good condition, balls please drop them off at the school or at 125 Wilton Dr.. Any type of balls will do, but we really need some kickballs and basketballs. Don’t worry if they need air, I will fill them up.
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125 Wilton Dr. Map
Photo courtesy of Anne
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Not the story I was expecting after reading the headline…
+1
The 10-year-old boy inside my brain couldn’t help but snicker when reading this headline.
he said “balls.” heh-heh-heh
Does anyone find this ridiculous? We have a new $5 million school building, $16 million gymnasium and performing arts center and sports complex but we can’t afford kick balls? Kudos to Greg but come on!!!
I too am puzzled. I’m not saying that kick balls are more important than math, reading, art, music, or technology but they are very cheap and the benefit to cost ratio has to be astronomically high. I’m puzzled in general by the low priority for playground equipment given how cheap and long-lasting it is compared to things like salaries, bus transportation, technology, construction. Maybe it’s always been that way and most playground equipment in the South has been installed by hard-working, fund-raising parents and PTO/As. But isn’t physical education an important part of IB? Is there any way that SPLOST funds could cover permanent playground equipment? Sounds like an issue for the FAVE SLT.
There are 2 separate issues: permanent play structures and playground consumables.
The F.Ave PTO is working with the school administration on the issue of playground structures. If I am recalling a recent conversation correctly, parents, students, and teachers have already been surveyed, donations are being gathered, and there has been some indication that additional funds may be budgeted. I.e. the i’s are being dotted and t’s crossed.
Permanent playground equipment is a capital expenditure and must therefore go through the central office and board. As much as we would like to see a solution available as soon as possible, it is important that the necessary time be taken to do it right.
School Leadership Teams have no authority to accept donations or make capital expenditures. So permanent structures such as playground equipment will need to be taken up with central office and board. Regarding playground consumables… balls may be able to be classified as consumables and/or instructional materials. -Which would make it possible for the SLT to attempt to make accommodations in the current year’s budget.
This seems like just one of those glitches of a new school. PTO is just forming and school budgeting process overlooked consumable playground equipment due to many other needs associated with equipping a new school.
No disrespect intended to hard working PTO leaders but why does it take a survey of everyone involved to get a few kickballs and basketballs ?
It has been quite a few years since my children were in CSD but I know we’d have just passed the hat and bought a few balls to get through this year . Then we’d write up a funding request for balls to be included in the next year’s PTA budget.
I worry that these days we have too many layers of committees competing for power to run our schools.
Sorry if it wasn’t clear. The surveys related to permanent playground structures.
As for passing the hat for balls, I believe that is exactly what is going on now.
There have been balls, etc. available from the beginning of the school year. However, balls don’t appear to have a very long life expectancy when played with by 500+ students.
The hat has gone around and around and around. The new playground will be funded by funds raised by the PTO but that will take awhile so current FAVE students are unlikely to ever use it. A school budget of ?$20 million?, ?$22 million? cannot come up with $200 to buy some decent kickballs for recess on the empty field. Weird. Heck, I’ll bet you could buy two balls for $20 or less and just watch them carefully.
Why should schools pay for something they can get for free? People have things sitting around they’re not using, why spend the money on them? If SPLOST doesn’t pass, wouldn’t it have been ridiculous to spend money on something that could be painted as frivolous? Donations and fundraisers are the way to go, writing checks with tax dollars for every little thing is not the answer.
Appropriately timed:
Colorado voters reject raising taxes to support education
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/colorado-voters-reject-higher-taxes-education.html
I’m wondering how many good condition balls are really going to show up. I immediately went to our garage to look for balls to donate and realized that there’s a reason we have a garage full of old soccer, basketball, and kick balls–they wear out when stored in the heat and humidity of a southern garage so we keep replacing and they pile up. Plus many of ours were cheap quality to begin with. I would think that a one time investment in good quality sports balls that were stored properly inside would be more practical than sporadic calls for donations. These balls are by no means the only items that parents are donating–we’re always coming up with supplies, costumes, books and other items–this is just the item that made it on to DM.
I know that a lot can be done by donation–heck, I remember when all city government buildings in NYC were devoid of photocopy paper and toilet paper and you had to bring your own. And I think a good short term solution is to collect good condition used balls because, even if CSD were to commit a couple of hundred dollars towards kick balls right now, the ordering and purchasing process might take awhile. But long term, I’m surprised that low-end recreational equipment is too much to ask for the elementary schools.
Well, if 100 people brought 3 balls in and 1 or 2 could be used, that would be a decent start. Glad to see a donation approach for this, and a resistance to spending money where donations can appropriately fill a need. Signals fiscal responsibility to me.
You seem to be pretty plugged in to this, have you heard anything about a “plan B” for Decatur if SPLOST doesn’t pass again? Based on what I have read, there’s a fairly informed and organized opposition to it.
http://www.thecrier.net/our_columnists/article_23859d36-0497-11e1-9447-001cc4c03286.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/school-splost-has-opposition-1209780.html
Not plugged in enough to know about Plan B, only plugged in enough to be worried. But Plan B will not be good for students since money for instruction will have to be redirected to pay off construction lease costs already incurred. No SPLOST will also nix new construction projects but that worries me less than taking money away from classroom instruction.
Bravo Colorado!
Will you also say bravo if the SPLOST fails as well?
Because what it will result in is a net tax increase for you. Decatur property taxes will have to go up to pay for funds that have already been committed. In other words, the costs will be bourne 100% by Decatur taxpayers. At least with the SPLOST much of it is paid for by Dekalb County taxpayers in general and non Dekalb residents who spend money in the county.
Yes, since I made the conscious decision not to buy a house in Decatur. The taxes are too high for my taste. I understand that Decaturites want a very expensive school system, and that’s great for them. I would urge them to consider paying for it themselves. That would seem to be the efficient solution especially because most of the SPLOST $$ would go into the black hole of corruption and incompetence that is the DeKalb Co school system. I’m not in favor of wasting tens of millions county-wide so Decatur can (presumably) put a smaller amount of money to good use in its own schools.
Then I’m glad that you made it clear that this is your opinion as a non-resident of Decatur rather than a Decatur resident, because a defeat of the SPLOST will most certainly mean an increase in property taxes for Decatur property owners.
I can certainly see your point, but I find this position a bit odd in light of the many comments I’ve seen here saying that City residents are all too happy to pay high Decatur taxes b/c the schools and services are so worth it.
As a city of Decatur taxpayer, I share your concerns about SPLOST. However, my bigger concern is that non-permanent funds were committed for budgetary operating expenses. I like SPLOST for capital projects, those can be deferred if the funding doesn’t come through. Can’t do that with the debt service.
Granted, I don’t know all the details of the CSD budget so I’m hoping there may be a plan b (other than massive increases in city taxes).
Just let the higher ups know that Kick Balls ate made from materials that can be recycled, then the money will flow.
Farm to Court! Walk and Roll (the ball)!
Sounds like a sting operation to me. No way in H. E. double hockey sticks am I showing up at an elementary school offering my old balls for the children to play with.
Although I admittedly guffawed when I read this, I was at least ashamed of myself for doing so immediately afterwards.
A PTO Committee is working to develop options and recommendations for permanent playground equipment that is age appropriate and works well for the site We’ve surveyed parents, kids and teachers, talking to vendors etc. We’ll be presenting the plan to SLT and School Board and I expect there will be funds dedicated. There will also likely be some fundraising.
Regarding other playground equipment. Note that the PTO spent $200 to provide balls, hula hoops and jump ropes at the beginning of the school year. The school provided a storage cart and some additional balls. Almost all balls are now gone. Many likely rolled into the street.
I anticipate that Decatur will get behind this effort to reduce, reuse, recycle while further site planning is completed.
Anyone walking by 5th Avenue will see kids having fun running and playing outside. Some more balls, to replace those that were there at the start of school, will go a long way toward continuing that fun.
I am happy to answer any questions about the development of permanent playground equipment
Thanks to Margaret and Garrett for providing the correct information about the playground at F.AVE. CSD is committed to creating an age and site appropriate playground for our students. Our PTO has been generous in supplying items for our recess boxes so far this year – we appreciate that! We will be adding items to the recess boxes and, of course appreciate donations. Please call or email me if you have questions.
Thanks –
Bruce Roaden
Principal
F.AVE
Thanks for all the explanations. Sounds like they would be good topics for communications to parents. Everyone is hoping that their children will have a chance to have a playground before they leave FAVE. Meanwhile, balls are needed to use the big fields and impressive basketball court that do exist; glad they will be supplied one way or another.
Just found a list of capital expenditures in the FY2012 budget amendment being presented at next Tuesday’s CSD board meeting:
“The expenditure budget will be increased by $425,000 of which $100,000 will be used to install one new elevator at Renfroe and one new elevator at Decatur High School. The pump room will be repaired at Decatur High School with an anticipated cost of $60,000 and a playground installed at Fifth Avenue in the amount of $15,000 …”
I can’t be sure whether “playground” refers to site prep and/or equipment — or whether $15K is just a partial amount of total expense (to be matched by PTO funds?). But it’s comforting to have another sign that the playground is on CSD’s radar.
Agree that’s a great sign that the playground will happen. My guess is that a school playground costs more like $40,000 total or more so the $15,000 may be for site prep or seed money for matching funds. Can’t help wishing that it could have happened in time for the current classes to enjoy it, especially because parents asked for it way back when the school was nothing but a building plan. But I sure appreciate the hard work that Margaret McMaster and others have put into making sure one appears, through grants, fundraising, school funds, or whatever ends up being the funding sources.