MM: Superintendent’s Future, Streamlining Court, and Sweaty Atlanta Festivals
Decatur Metro | June 10, 2015 | 9:58 am
- Decatur superintendent not ready to retire [AJC]
- Decatur proposes streamlining municipal court [AJC]
- 1 year later: cyclist’s recovery continues, man accused of attacking him awaits trial [Decaturish]
- Landmark Diner asked to voluntarily close over failing health inspections [WSB]
- Is an underground parking deck with ‘living roof’ in Grant Park’s future? [CL]
- 19 Atlanta festivals to enjoy in June [Atlanta Magazine]
Photo courtesy of Google Streetview
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We need to make an all out effort to show Dr Edwards the love and convince her to stay. There’s not a superintendent out there who could hold a candle to her passion, smarts, and leadership for our schools. With the challenging decisions CSD is facing, there’s no time for a newbie to get acclimated before starting to make calls that will decide the future direction of our schools. And under the harsh Decatur microscope?? Surefire disaster in the making!!
Not that I blame Dr. Edwards for finally saying to hell with it when CSD was met with “Gosh, you sure have a problem” when they went back before the City Commission this year to again request a referendum for funding expansion. Dr. Edwards’ only real error was biting her tongue last year on Mayor Baskett’s Blue Ribbon Committee ridiculousness in response to CSD’s request. As it turns out, the proclamation wasn’t worth the paper it was written on– it was never even put into motion. Now CSD’s up against needing voters’ approval when tax bills are soaring, and nary a peep from the Mayor on what he and the City are going to do to help CSD out of this major jam.
Back to getting Dr Edwards to stay– CSD Chair Garrett Goebel and Vice Chair Julie Rhame participated in the recent DHNA meeting. When asked if there was any way to change Dr. Edward’s mind about leaving, they made it clear they’d tried very hard to convince her to stay. If the Board’s not behind her decision to go, then seems like we have a real shot at keeping Dr. Edwards here since she’s not looking to retire. If hiring a search firm is what it takes for us to fully appreciate the gem we have in Dr Edwards and to let her know she’s our top choice for tackling this near impossible job, then it will have been money well spent.
I get the impression her retirement is spurred more by her desire to move back to Palm Coast, Florida, rather than difficulties with the city commission. Of course, I could be completely wrong (wouldn’t be the first time).
That was my impression too when the news first came out, but I believe we got it wrong. In the article Dr. Edwards said she’ll likely return to Florida, not that it’s what she has to do or will definitely do. Looking back on when she announced her resignation, it happened fairly soon after the last City/CSD work session (unfortunately, not made available online). To me, indefinite plans would seem to mean that her decision probably came from utter frustration and exhaustion at having done all she can do, only to keep hitting the same wall– City Hall.
Oh please, spare us the drama. If it’s time to go, it’s time to go. What does someone who has stated they are resigning accomplish by sticking around another 9 months? We have big problems, and need the new person to start ASAP.
I understood it as Dr. Edwards being willing to take another job elsewhere, not here. She has resigned her position here. It’s pretty hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube after that.
PULLEASSE. I have kept my mouth shut long enough. Although Dr. Edwards likes to take all the credit for our success as a school system the real core of our success comes down to the teachers who interact on a daily basis with our children. This system was well on its way to becoming a stellar system despite the setback of Ida Love as superintendent. Ask anyone who really knows what is going on. IT IS TIME FOR PHYLLIS EDWARDS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, it is time for her to go. This is not a sudden move, Deanne. She’s been talking about retirement for at least 4 years. She stuck around longer because the Board changed faces dramatically with new elections in the past few years and she wanted to make sure it stayed under her control. But she had been talking about retirement before that.
And agreed with MzD–our system was already on the upswing before Dr. Edwards.
And now she’s point blank saying she’s not ready to retire and is exploring her options.
I’ll never understand why some parents feel it’s so necessary to diminish Dr Edwards’ contributions at every opportunity. Lord knows when she dies, folks like MzD will probably show up at her funeral to make sure she doesn’t receive too much praise.
Nobody is going to be grave dancing. MzD is simply reacting to your suggestion that “we should do everything in our power to get her stay”. When someone announces their resignation from a job like this and the Board embarks on an expensive process to replace her, it’s time to move on. Regardless of whether you think she was the best, the worst (sorry Ida Love has that spot nailed down), or somewhere in between, it’s time for us to fucus on finding the best replacement we can get.
Deanne I agree with you Dr.Edwards did a great job as superintendent What I appreciated about her she saw value in every student and she made sure the teachers teach and treat every student the same. When Dr. Love tried that they wanted her out they are still talking negative about her. Parents in Decatur wants what they want .Every child in Decatur is not gifted however they think they are. I worked under Dr.G Dr. Love and Dr. Edwards and I have much respect for them. They can chose a superintendent however the parents going to run it . I saw that firsthand. Teachers can have some of the credit however leadership is very important. I was around for over 20 years and saw many changes. However in the words of the late Phyllis Swartz if you can’t make it work in Decatur you can’t make it work nowhere speaking about the four mile radius. However she need to run not walk cause clearly she was not appreciated by some. Deanne nothing you can do about a negative mindset.
I am flabbergasted by MzD’s “This system was well on its way to becoming a stellar system despite the setback of Ida Love as superintendent.” The system lost many excellent administrators and teachers during the mismanaged/divisive years of Dr. Love. IMHO the ONLY reason we didn’t fare worse is because of the fiefdoms ES were at the time: the curriculum was whatever they wanted it to be and the PTA could fund: team teaching at Winnona, Barata-Lorton at Glennwood (especially bad for homeless shelter kids who could only be there for a short time) Expeditionary Learning at Clairmont. A student’s opportunities were drastically impacted by where they lived, good or bad. And this was before DeKalb County and APS tanked. We had plenty of room for tuition kids at all levels – heck, we could house an entire elementary’s population at the HS during ES renovations. And parents of special needs kids at all levels had unmet needs, leading to a parents’ group to try to get the system to work.
Or perhaps I was living in a different universe at the time? I do not credit Dr. Edward’s for all our improvements, but credit where credit is due: she made the system function like a System, employees seem to feel the professional environment is much more stable, and more families seem to stay in the system for the entire time.
I was around for the whole of Dr. Love’s tenure and I think this is a fair assessment. No argument that contributions at all levels since have been incalculable in volume and critical to our present success but school systems operate in the wake of vision and leadership. In that role, Dr. Edwards has inarguably (IMO) been successful and, accordingly, she deserves the credit she’s receiving.
That said, I think the timing of her departure is appropriate. We went through a period where building a high-performing system was our goal and, to that end, she was the right person for the job. But now we’re entering the era of coping with success and that’s going to require a Superintendent (IMO) much more intuitive and creative as it relates to land planning, space design and utilization, transportation, and the ongoing task of remaining an urban school system, with all the implied challenges of walkability, neighborhood integration, continued parental involvement, co-use of facilities by other segments of the community, etc., that go with it.
“But now we’re entering the era of coping with success and that’s going to require a Superintendent (IMO) much more intuitive and creative as it relates to land planning, space design and utilization, transportation, and the ongoing task of remaining an urban school system, with all the implied challenges of walkability, neighborhood integration, continued parental involvement, co-use of facilities by other segments of the community, etc., that go with it.”
Scott– Ahead of all this land planning and space design, CSD’s gonna need the City’s cooperation to get the acreage. Hopefully that’s happening now as it’s not always seemed to be the case. I’d be 100% fine with CSD relying on an architectural firm’s expertise for building related stuff. Far more important is what the superintendent brings to the job daily, and Dr. Edwards is top notch. However long she stays, she could stand to change a thing or two. Mainly, she needs to flat out tell the micromanaging parents: “ENOUGH!!” And the community needs to back her up. As for walkability, neighborhood integration, and *productive* continued parental involvement, all should be key focuses for the PTA, SLT and SRTS folks to tackle and carry through to the neighborhoods level. (Co-use of facilities by other segments of the community… uh what?? How’s that a top priority when assessing a superintendent??)