The AJC reports that the DeKalb School Board approved funding cuts – including $1.9 million for Fernbank Science Center – and a 1 mill tax increase at a meeting yesterday.

Lots more info over at the AJC.

AJC is reporting…

Last month, when the school board negotiated a budget with $60 million in cutbacks, Fernbank and its $4.7 million in annual expenses was spared.

On Monday… hours before the final vote on the budget, Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said she would be recommending $3.2 million in cutbacks at Fernbank, a school facility that operates independently of the nearby Fernbank Museum of Natural History run by a nonprofit.

The AJC reports this morning that in the process of “theoretically” balancing their coming year budget, the DeKalb School Board took the idea of closing Fernbank Science Center off the table. Two petitions to save the Center made the rounds over the past week after residents received word that DeKalb School’s budget committee had proposed closing a $73 million budget deficit.

To see what the Board ultimately decided to do to help bridge the divide, click over to the AJC article.

Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor

Just a few hours ago, Kris sent in this letter written to the DeKalb County community, pleading that Fernbank Science Center not be closed as a result of DeKalb County Schools’ $73 million budget deficit.  “When did that happen?”, I thought.

Well, according to the AJC’s Ty Tagami, DeKalb County Schools budget committee recommended the closing of Fernbank just yesterday.  A move that would save the school system $4.7 million annually.  The article goes on to say that the Center is now looking like a luxury to school officials, who may still need to cut teachers and school days to make ends meet.

The letter to the community notes that Fernbank Science Center has operated for 45 years.  For those who have never been, the facility includes a “500-seat planetarium, observatory, classrooms, and exhibit halls”.

Apparently, the recent talk about coyotes in the area has been so frequent that Fernbank is hosting a “Fact & Fiction” forum on the topic.

Rina sends along this note…

Fernbank Science Center Presents: A Forum: Facts & Fiction COYOTES: How can humans and coyotes coexist?

Urban coyote problems in Atlanta will be addressed, with a focus on facts about coyotes and information on community concerns.

Featured speakers will be coyote researcher Dr. Chris Mowry, Chairman, Biology Department at Berry College, and Dr. Larry Wilson, ecologist at Fernbank Science Center.

• > Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012
• > Time: 7:00 P.M. – 8 P.M.
• > Where: Fernbank Science Center
• > 156 Heaton Park Drive
• > Jim Cherry Planetarium (across from Fernbank Elementary School)
• > RSVP-678-874-7102