Bulletin Board

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Excerpts from the Regular Meeting of the City Schools of Decatur

Board of Education held on September 14, 2021

Decatur High School Principal Rochelle Lofstrand shared a presentation with the Board highlighting information about changes the administration has made to the DHS school schedule, how PBIS has been rolled out, and other opportunities this year that have helped to create community. View the Presentation

Personnel Report

The Board unanimously approved the CSD Personnel Report for August 2021.

School Nutrition

The Board unanimously approved the CSD School Nutrition Financial Reports for July 2021.

Financial Reports

The Board unanimously approved the CSD Financial Reports for July 31, 2021.

Approve Purchase of Equipment and Service Contract for Secondary 1:1 Devices

CSD has long had a goal to provide 6th-grade through 12th-grade students with a device that travels with them between home and school. The Board unanimously approved the one-time purchase of equipment and deployment services, and a four-year accidental damage protection (ADP) services contract, for the middle school and high school take-home 1:1 program. The pandemic and subsequent (and ongoing) supply chain and labor issues delayed this undertaking, but we’re very excited to be moving forward with this program!

Approve Samples Foods & US Foods - Grocery Bid/Contract for FY 22 School Nutrition

The City Schools of Decatur (CSD) School Nutrition Department annually solicits bids and proposals for the purchase of goods and services for the School Breakfast Program, the School Lunch Program, and the After-School Snack Programs. The Board unanimously approved the grocery bids/contracts with Samples and US Foods for the CSD School Nutrition Department.

RFQB 21-005 System-Wide Kitchen Equipment / Replacement

The Evaluation Committee recommended the Board authorize the execution of a contract for $494,064.49 for the RFQB #21-005 System-Wide Kitchen Equipment/Replacement. The contract will be funded with SPLOST V funds. The Board unanimously approved the contract with Citisco.

Approve 2022 - 2023 School Calendar [FOR DISCUSSION]

The 22-23 school calendar was discussed and the Board unanimously approved the calendar.

Monitoring Reports [FOR DISCUSSION]

Policy 4.3 Continuous Monitoring and Reporting

The Board will monitor the Superintendent’s performance continuously. To enable the Board to fulfill this responsibility, the Superintendent will submit Monitoring Reports detailing the Superintendent’s interpretation of each Policy set forth in Section 1 (Ends) and Section 2 (Executive Limitations); the means employed to achieve and/or comply with them, and a corrective action plan to address any known deficiencies. Monitoring reports will be submitted on the schedule identified in the Board Work Plan described in Policy 3.6.

• Human Resources Annual Report
• Equity Pillar in DIP

Development Report [FOR INFORMATION]

In collaboration with the City of Decatur, CSD put together a report for the board to be aware of ongoing development in the City of Decatur. This report includes a list of the housing developments that have been built, are under construction, and are in the planning process in the City of Decatur.

Monthly Data Report [FOR INFORMATION]

The monthly data reports from principals are provided to support school improvement plans that take a systemic approach to improve student achievement and school quality. These reports will present a graphic summary of important school data to allow the Board easy access to important metrics that the school is measuring to determine how the district and the school are doing on meeting district and school goals. The reports will be updated monthly and posted on the Board of Education agenda to provide all stakeholders with up-to-date information on how the school is progressing in meeting its goals.

Board Comments: Ms. Jana Johnson-Davis shared that the monthly data reports were very informative. The information provided was very relevant. Mr. James Herndon shared that he appreciated the details of the report. Ms. Heather Tell shared that she was really glad to see the reports and that the MAP growth data was interesting, but would like to have a comparison to two years ago so that the board can see the "delta". Superintendent Fehrman explained that additional information will be shared next month which would include the delta when the team takes a deep dive into the accelerated student learning pillar.

You may access City Schools of Decatur Board of Education meeting agendas, supporting documents, and meeting minutes at Simbli Solutions.

• Go to the top right of the home page
• Click on "Meetings" then "Meetings Listings"
• Click on "Date-Time", enter the date(s)

Visit Simbli

Overview
These meetings are held on an as-needed basis. When these meetings are required, the regular Board Meeting is recessed while the Superintendent and Board meet to discuss sensitive topics prior to public meetings or votes.

Topics
The topics handled in these sessions include real estate purchases, employee issues, and legal issues. Once the Executive Session has concluded, the Superintendent and Board will re-enter the BOE Meeting to conclude the Board Meeting.

Voting
If any of the topics discussed require votes, the Superintendent and Board will call for the vote. Once voting occurs, if necessary, the regular Board Meeting is adjourned.

Minutes
Executive Session Minutes are not posted online. If you have any questions about the minutes from these meetings, please contact the Superintendent's office at (404) 371-3601.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Sept 15 to October 15. It is a time to appreciate and celebrate the colorful cultures, rich histories, and diversity of the American Latino community. The theme of the 2021 Hispanic Heritage Month is Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope. According to the National Council of Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM), “the theme invites us to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and to reflect on how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope.” Hispanic American month is a way to recognize and honor the ways in which hope has persisted in the face of the challenges faced this year. Hispanic Americans have been integral to the prosperity of the U.S. Their contributions to the nation are immeasurable, and they embody the best of American values.

By now everyone has seen the new statue in the courtyard. The unveiling took place on Sunday, September 12 on the green space between Ebster Recreation Center and the City Police Department and board member Ms. Jana Johnson-Davis was one of the speakers. The statue is “What Sonia Said” by artist Ellex Swavoni. The Art for the People installation was organized by The Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights. This is the first public art in Decatur specifically commissioned and designed to actively change oppressive and racist narratives. Dr. Mari Ann Banks, Equity Director and an attendee at the unveiling said, “ The opportunity for people of the Global Majority to be able to see ourselves represented in such a historic and substantial way is long overdue. The Afrofuturism represented by “What Sonya Said”, is a theme underlying CSD’s goals toward changing negative academic and disciplinary outcomes for future generations of Black and Brown students and the powerful stance of the image reminds us of our unwavering commitment to this goal.”

Board meeting information can be found on the District homepage https://www.csdecatur.net under Announcements. The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 12, 6:30 PM. The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education meeting schedule for 2021-2022 is posted on the district website. All regular meetings are open to the public, with the exception of the executive session as outlined in the Open Meetings Act.

Letters and email are effective ways to make your views known. Email addresses of school board members are listed below. You may also email the entire Board at board@csdecatur.net. Letters written to the Board should be addressed to the board chair, who will see that all five board members receive a copy.

• Tasha White, Chair......twhite@csdecatur.net

• Heather Tell, Vice-Chair......htell@csdecatur.net

• James Herndon.....jherndon@csdecatur.net

• Jana Johnson-Davis......jjohnson-davis@csdecatur.net

• Lewis Jones.....lbjones@csdecatur.net

• Dr. Maggie Fehrman, Superintendent & Board Secretary......mfehrman@csdecatur.net

Email: board@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net
Location: 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371.3601