During the recent K-3 redistricting discussions, the City Schools of Decatur told parents of current-year 2nd graders, who would be moved to another elementary school under the final redistricting plan, that they would be able to request a “waiver” for the coming school year so their kids could complete their K-3 education at their current school.

According to Superintendent Phyllis Edwards’ note to the School Board for next week’s meeting, 25 parents requested waivers during the specified time-frame, which will require a trailer at both Oakhurst and Winnona Park Elementary Schools to accommodate enrollments in the 2011-2012 school year.

Here are the total enrollments at each of Decatur’s elementary schools next year, according to the Superintendent’s note…

• Clairemont – 316
• Oakhurst – 328
• Winnona Park – 320
• Glennwood – 226

Michael and an anonymous tipster report that a letter was sent out to parents from College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center principal Suzanne Kennedy announcing that the pre-K program had received a grant to add additional spots to the current Head Start preschool program and open an Early Head Start (birth to 3) program at the school.  Kennedy sees the need because CSD still is striving to close the achievement gap between blacks and whites and provide equal opportunities to infant and toddlers from low income families.

But as is often the biggest challenge in little ol’ Decatur, in order to expand, you need room to expand.  And in order to accommodate expansion needs quickly, we must call in the trailers…or as they’re referred to in the letter, “learning cottages”.

The principal has called an open meeting to help decide how to use the trailer, umm learning cottage, to implement the Head Start and Early Head Start programs while “keeping our goal to blend the Decatur-DeKalb YMCA with the PCA program”.  The meeting will be held next Tuesday, September 29th from 5p-6p in the school’s cafeteria.

You can read the full letter, provided by Michael, HERE (pdf).