Comments on: Superintendent Reaches Out to Community Regarding CSD Master Plan

By: Glenn Carroll

Glenn Carroll — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:46:49 +0000

It was an empty process. Paid contractors and employees presented and defended the hastily conceived secret master plans and the school board was completely absent. Fox News came out though! http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/22083597/decatur-schools-present

By: At Home in Decatur

At Home in Decatur — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:19:09 +0000

LOL re selective use of “learning cottages” vs. “trailers”–language does influence thought! I have a middle-of-the-road opinion of learning trailers–they seem like a practical solution for short-term use while implementing long-term solutions. Their cost and use of outdoor space make them a less desirable long-term solution. My children are bummed that they’ve never managed to be in a trailer during their CSD career so far. But I have sent them to overnight camp!

By: TOK

TOK — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:48:23 +0000

Thanks AHID. The link actually is in the body of the announcement above (the words “a website where documents detailing the Master Plan process are housed” are the link), but for some weird reason it shows up as body text and not a clickable link.

Clicked over to the page and saw the following fun fact:

“What happens if we do not do a master plan?

Based upon the Projected Growth, if no improvements are made, then each of the current facilities will meet and exceed their capacities within the next three to five year period. This will force CSD to invest in Portable Classrooms (trailers). Each Portable Classroom costs approximately $35,000 per year to have installed and leased.

Example: It is projected that the Decatur High School would require up to 32 Portable Classrooms to accommodate its growth. This would equate into CSD paying approximately $1,120,000 per year for a temporary solution. Another 17 Portable Classrooms would be necessary to accommodate projected growth at Renfroe Middle School at a cost of $595,000 per year.”

32 classrooms housed in “learning cottages” at DHS. Awesome! I like the way they’re called “trailers” here to make them sounds bad but “learning cottages” when we want to reassure residents that they’re nice homey places. (Actually, my son has been in trailers 2 of his 4 years at Oakhurst, and it hasn’t been too bad, but long-term having lots of trailers ins’t the way to go.)

By: Rick Julian

Rick Julian — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:36:52 +0000

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/22058336/school-officials-decatur-is-1-of-fastest-growing-districts-in-country

By: At Home in Decatur

At Home in Decatur — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:16:27 +0000

Yes, this is good! Hope people will show up and speak up if they have something to say or ask! There’s a lot to the Master Plan and options so some may find it useful to review them first on the Master Plan website. To get to that website, go to the CSD website: http://www.csdecatur.net, then go down to “Hot Topics”, then click on Master Plan Community Forums and Information. Or you can go directly to http://www.csdecatur.net/master-plan/. (DM: You might want to add that URL to post above.)

I really like two things about the Master Plan website: 1) the video of the April 18 Joint SLT DHS/RMS meeting so everyone can see it and prepare for the forums; and 2) the option to ask questions of CSD or make comments and get responses. This website and the forums are true parent and community engagement. They are a great model that can be used for all sorts of school issues going forward. The Decatur and Renfroe SLTs get tons of credit for working with CSD to put on the forums. I hope that parents and the community use the website and forums. Folks cannot say later that they were not given a chance at this point to give input.