From City Schools of Decatur…

Dr. Edwards announced today that Mr. Bruce Roaden will take the position of Secondary Education Director for City Schools of Decatur.  In a statement issued today, Dr. Edwards said, “In the summer, just prior to school starting, I posted and interviewed for a position that is needed at the Central Office. Mr. Bruce Roaden, who has been a Principal with CSD for the last ten years, applied and is the front-runner for the position.  With the SLT’s support, I will promote Mr. Roaden to the Central Office position.  Mr. Roaden assisted me in the “turn around” of Renfroe Middle School.  It is now recognized as one of the best middle schools in the state of Georgia.  He has been a principal for 23 years and also taught at the college level.  He has also completed his work to become a Certified School Improvement Specialist.”

The Director of Secondary Education will assist Dr. Edwards in the mentoring and supervision of two Principals.  “The position is also necessary as the system prepares for the upcoming SACS review,” Dr. Edwards said.  “I need someone who has had the experience of being a Principal at the secondary level and who understands the instructional direction and initiatives of the City Schools of Decatur.”

Dr. Edwards also announced, “With the SLT’s blessing, I will promote Ms. Karen Newton to Principal at the 4/5 and Mr. Rodney Thomas as the Assistant Principal.  Ms. Newton has been a key figure in the development of the International Baccalaureate Programme since Dr. Gloria Lee assisted my vision in the opening of the 4/5 Academy.  Mr. Rodney Thomas has been the Dean of Studen
ts at the 4/5 Academy for 9 years and an
important figure in advancing the positive spirit of the school.  These twopeople are outstanding educators and leaders.  They have worked diligently for CSD students, parents and teachers. “

CSD’s Communications Director Bruce Roaden was good enough to respond to me, answering two of your main questions from the other thread in more detail.

One, why precisely is the school day being extended?  And two, how will this time be used potentially?  He also includes a few other facts to consider.  Without further ado…

Principals and Instructional personnel have felt for some time now that there is not enough time in the school day for elementary students. For example, after consulting 40 or more elementary schools in Metro Atlanta, we discovered that 6.5 hours (the school day for our K-3 students) is the shortest day for elementary students in Metro Atlanta.

Also, City Schools of Decatur is one of a very few remaining (if not the only) school district in the state that has a second language taught to our elementary students every school day. Another important issue that many members of our community have brought to the attention of the Superintendent and the Board of Education is the issue of wanting more unstructured breaks (recess) for students. It is very difficult to add this kind of activity without extending the length of the school day.

If it is decided to extend the school day, there will no increase in the personnel budget.

This decision is not based on the fact that we use DeKalb County School buses. DeKalb has given us our own fleet of buses to use, so we are not tied to the start and end times of DeKalb’s schools.

We appreciate the input we’re getting on this issue from your blog as well as emails and phone calls. Naturally, the Superintendent and her staff will consider this feedback and continue to look into this issue in order to make decisions that are in the best interest of all students and their families.

If a penny sales tax is added to the City of Atlanta’s current tax rate as a result of the transportation referendum in 2012, the city’s sales tax rate would jump to 9%, the highest in the state and higher than Charlotte’s current rate of 8.46%.  That has Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed worried, according to the AJC.

With school capital improvement 1-cent sales tax (SPLOST) up for renewal by voters next year, Atlanta’s Mayor is rethinking his sales tax priorities.

How does this affect Decatur?  Well according to the AJC, because Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb and Decatur share borders, they all have to agree in order to put SPLOST on the ballot.  (Uh, OK.)  That means if Atlanta opts out completely, then the other municipalities can’t even ask their residents for the penny tax.

CSD’s Bruce Roaden is quoted in the article, saying that while a project list hasn’t been compiled, the Decatur school system plans to ask its voters to renew the SPLOST and if it wasn’t renewed, funding for capital improvements would have to come from “general funds or other sources”.   This at a time when most school systems around the state are strapped for cash.

Worried Decatur residents have wondered how not renewing SPLOST might affect paying back the city’s new under-construction 4/5 Academy at 5th Avenue, as it is currently a main source of funding for the project.  Mr. Roaden tells DM that 5th Ave is financed using Certificates of Participation (COPs) paid back with general funds.  However, the school system has been thinking about including language in next year’s SPLOST renewal that would cover the costs of the COPs long term financial obligations.

But all is not lost.  Atlanta Mayor Reed’s current solution is a “fractional tax” for his city, that would keep Atlanta’s tax rate down around 8.2% with an added penny sales tax for transportation.  (Whether that would mean that Fulton, DeKalb and Decatur would also have to go with a smaller fractional tax is still not clear to me.)

For any and all living under a rock last week, the announcement that Decatur schools’ current Communications Director Bruce Roaden would get back behind the principal’s desk at the new 5th Avenue Academy this fall set off a rather testy conversation here on DM and also lit up my Inbox with the voices of more than one CSD employee upset with the way the decision had been made and communicated.

Assistant Superintendent Thomas Van Soelen replied to my follow-up inquiry, stating in so many words that the administration stood behind the decision, noting the rarity of such “appointment hires” over the course of Superindendant Phyllis Edwards tenure, along with the looming budget gap – thanks in part to an additional K-3 school – in the coming fiscal year…

Hiring practices are at the discretion of the superintendent. Bottom line. Dr. Edwards’ history in Decatur has not been one of appointments, I can only remember a few in my 5+ years. I experienced multiple interviews for my own position (then Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Accountability) in December 2004.

Dr. Edwards is anticipating more cuts to the budget, and just as we would do for any teachers that we would anticipate cutting, we would want to place those employees in other jobs for which they are suited. Mr. Roaden is an experienced principal and his skills are needed for a smooth transition to a brand-new building.

That being said, will the Director of Community Relations position be cut? Perhaps.

I’m not sure how I missed this!

Karass writes in a comment that an article in today’s AJC metro section notes that current Glennwood Principal Gloria Lee is retiring and that former Renfroe Middle School Principal and current CSD Communications Director Bruce Roaden would be taking over the post.

The AJC article is not currently online, but the news was also mentioned in this Patch summary of the last School Board meeting.

Just received word from Bruce Roaden.  By now, you all know the drill.

CSD’s Bruce Roaden forwards the announcement…

Winnona Park Elementary School Awarded Platinum Award for the Greatest Gains in CRCT Scores

The Georgia Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement recognized Winnona Park Elementary School as being one of 46 Georgia schools whose students made the most gains on their CRCT scores from the 2008-2009 school year to the 2009-2010 school year.

In order to qualify for the Platinum Award (the highest honor given) for greatest gains, Winnona Park met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) three years in a row, had more than 35% of students exceeded standards, and was in the 98th percentile of Georgia schools that made the greatest gains in the meets and exceeds levels in the CRCT.