Bulletin Board

The BOE meeting recap newsletter is shared after each regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The April Board of Education meeting was held on April 23, 2024.

Meeting Agendas:

Pre-Work Session

Work Session

Board Meeting

The recording, which includes the pre-work session, work session, regular meeting, and public comment, is available here.

Mr. James Herndon, Chair

Dr. Carmen Sulton, Vice Chair

Mrs. Jana Johnson-Davis, Board Member

Mr. Hans Utz, Board Member

Ms. Tracey Anderson, Board Member

Congratulations to DHS’s Olaoluwa Oguneye on being recognized as one of the 177 graduating seniors across Georgia named 2024 Georgia Scholars. Through the Georgia Scholar program, GaDOE identifies and honors high school seniors who have achieved excellence in school and community life. Each Georgia Scholar carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school, performed excellently in all courses, successfully participated in interscholastic events within their schools and communities, and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. Congratulations, Olaoluwa!

For the 2023-2024 Mock Trial season, DHS had three teams competing in three different regions. All teams advanced to their respective districts. As a school can only have one team for the state competition, DHS assembled a combined team, which competed in the State Finals and was named the 2024 State of Georgia Mock Trial Champions!

Congratulations to all of our students who participated, and thank you to the dedicated coaches who have worked with the students since September 2023 to prepare them for this season.

DHS Mock Trial State Champion Team Members:

• Ruby Kelly
• Penelope Goebel
• Devin Rao
• Adriana Walker
• Eli Yustein
• Gavin Byrne
• Lilah Didier-Sober
• Jovan Downs
• Noelle Gerardi
• Ben Hastie
• Nathan Reynolds

Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble Receive Superior Ratings

The DHS band, under the leadership of Mr. Ira Jenkins, has received several recognitions this school year. In March, the DHS Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble received Superior ratings at the annual Georgia Music Educators Association's Large Group Performance Evaluation. Both bands prepared and performed three academic works, and the Wind Ensemble performed works from the most challenging list of academic pieces allowed. All groups also sight-read a piece that they were given at the event. These superior performances continue the standard of excellence of our entire band program.

Indoor Percussion Ensemble

In March, the DHS Indoor Percussion Ensemble finished its first competitive season at the Georgia Indoor Percussion Association's state championships. Our group finished 8th against nationally ranked teams. This is quite an accomplishment since this is our school's first time having a competitive indoor percussion ensemble.

JV and Varsity Winter Guard

The DHS JV Winter Guard finished their competitive season at the Southern Association Performance Arts and impressively earned the BRONZE medal. Additionally, the JV Winter Guard earned the third-highest score in their round in the Novice classification, which is quite an accomplishment considering they competed against other schools' varsity teams.

The DHS Varsity Winter Guard finished their competitive season at the Southern Association Performance Arts with a fantastic performance at the championships and placed 4th in their round in the Scholastic A Class. After being named a finalist in a Winter Guard International competition in Mississippi, this was quite a finish for our Varsity team.

Students accepting the awards on behalf of the group during the board meeting recognition:

• Dean Cannon - Concert Band

• Sydney Jeffrey - Symphonic Band

• Lily Marti - Wind Ensemble

• Kaegan Lucas - Indoor Percussion Ensemble

• Kate Varkey - JV Winter Guard

• Lucy Hinton - Varsity Winter Guard

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has selected Decatur High School student Anastasiia Meshcheriakova as one of the 60 graduating seniors to receive the Cooke College Scholarship. This scholarship aims to help students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability, leadership, and persistence to attend top universities and avoid student debt. The award, which is last-dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide as much as $55,000 per year to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution in the United States.

In addition to substantial financial support, Scholars also receive ongoing academic coaching and advising, graduate school and career advising, and an invaluable connection to a robust network of peers in the Cooke Scholar community. Scholars will also receive opportunities for internships and study abroad, as well as eligibility to apply for graduate school funding.

Congratulations, Anastasiia!

Clairemont Student Recognition

Clairemont students Talia Peterson and Noelle Thompson are saving wildcats, one baked good at a time. After learning about threatened populations of wildcats, they combined their concerns, passions, and skills and collaborated on running a lemonade stand in their neighborhood. Together, they raised $235 and will donate all the money to Panthera, an organization devoted to preserving the 40 species of wildcats. These two students demonstrate the power of how simple efforts can make a big difference.

Clairemont Staff Recognition

Clairemont Elementary recognizes Jasmine Adams and Lori Bigham as grant recipients of two excellent opportunities that will enhance the learning experiences of our Clairemont Bulldogs.

Ms. Adams recently received a $5,000 fellowship grant through the highly sought-after Funds for Teachers to study the Civil Rights Movement in the Southeastern United States and the Apartheid Movement abroad in South Africa. This study will impact students by promoting equality for marginalized groups and empowering students with a profound understanding of the progress and ongoing struggle for equity using a civic action project that integrates art.

Ms. Bigham's achievement is equally commendable. She secured the highly competitive Lettuce Grow grant to purchase a farmstand with a hydroponics machine for her classroom. This will provide students with a profound connection to nature, knowledge of where food comes from, and the joy of growing it themselves.

The rigorous selection process for both grants underscores the exceptional accomplishments of both teachers and inspires their fellow teachers.

Good evening, and thank you to our school community for continuing to be ALL IN for the students of CSD. The school board joins the administration in commemorating the April celebrations, including Earth Day on April 22. I hope everyone took this day to reflect and act on ways to preserve our natural resources.

We are also joining in the excitement of our graduating seniors, their families, and the administration as we look forward to commencement on May 22, the pinnacle and culmination of every school year.

As we look toward graduation, this week marks the official countdown to the last day of school for all students. Today’s robust board agenda is evidence of our commitment to making the most of the time remaining.

Following the executive session, we began tonight’s meeting with pre-work, where we continued our book study on “Great On Their Behalf,” which provides a practical guide for school boards to adopt and maintain a student-outcomes-focused mindset.

Our work session began with additional discussion on the food services management policy and updates on the ELA K-8 Textbook Adoption and new Grading Regulation. All three presentations included the process, stakeholder feedback, and timelines, including implementation during the 2025-26 school year.

Additionally, we received a wrap-up report on the 2024 Legislative Session. I must thank our Dekalb legislators and Mayor Patti Garrett again for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend our luncheon earlier today.

This was a busy legislative session with more than 1800 bills considered by the House and Senate. While the governor still has until May 7 to sign or veto passed bills, we were pleased to learn about the bills aligned with CSD’s 2024 legislative priorities on safety and security, the budget, and early learning.

Safety and security and the FY25 budget remained a large part of the work session discussion. We heard a presentation on a new crisis alert emergency response system called Centegix, a security system that initiates alerts quickly anywhere on school campuses. As we enter year three of the five-year SPLOST VI program, we also reviewed the proposed E-SPLOST allocations for Teaching and Learning, Information Services, and Operations as a part of our ongoing efforts to approve next year’s budget. Our final presentation was a third draft of the FY25 proposed budget.

All of the presentations are available on Simbli and represent the board and administration’s commitment to increasing the transparency of organizational operations.

After the presentations, we recognized some outstanding students and staff for their achievements and service to the community. CSD students excel in all areas, from academics to athletics, the arts, and beyond. On behalf of the Board of Education members, I am pleased to congratulate all of you for representing the best of CSD.

Speaking of student representation, I have some very exciting news. A primary focus of the All In Decatur Strategic Plan is amplifying student voice. We are pleased to announce that, similar to the school board election process, 13 students have qualified to run for the district’s first-ever student school board representative. Campaigning is underway at DHS, and the election will be held next week. Students will elect two representatives: one who will serve during the 2024-25 school year and a second representative who will apprentice in preparation to serve for the following school year. Best wishes to all of the candidates! We are eagerly awaiting the election results.

Finally, as we continue deliberating on the draft FY25 budget, the board recognizes the importance of the district's current and future fiscal sustainability. We equally understand our role in maintaining organizational efficiency and attracting and retaining high-quality staff.

Community engagement in the budget process is encouraged as we work to approve the final FY25 budget in May. A feedback form remains available on the district website. There will also be two public hearings on Tuesday, May 7. The first hearing is at 9:30 am, and the second will be at 5:30 pm. Both meetings will be virtual.

We also invite you to attend our upcoming Board of Education Spring Community Meeting on Tuesday, April 30, at 6:30 pm at Beacon Hill Middle School to discuss the FY25 budget and other topics.

That concludes my remarks this evening.

Good evening. I cannot believe it, but only four weeks are remaining in the 2023-2024 school year. I want all of our students to focus on the end-of-grade, end-of-course, AP, and IB assessments. Let’s show what you know.

In that same vein, I would like to call on Ms. Karina Green, the AP/IB Coordinator at Decatur High School, to share how our students have shown what they know over the years in their Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate performance.

As you can see, DHS is a high-performing school because our students are high-performing. However, we do have areas of growth. Equitable access for students who are traditionally marginalized by race or place to AP and IB classes is a focus of this administration. We know equitable access does not begin at the high school level, but access to grade level and advanced content in elementary and middle school prepares students for the rigor of AP/IB. Additionally, perceptions of gatekeeping and comparisons to other programming, i.e., dual enrollment, create a barrier to equitable access. This administration has met with national representatives of the College Board and IBO. Through enhanced partnerships with these organizations, we will become more data-driven, i.e., interoperable, to support the learning of ALL students in CSD.

As with previous months, April is chock full of awareness and appreciation. Arab Heritage and World Autism Month are both celebrated in April. We appreciate all of our media staff as this is also Library Appreciation Month. Shout out to all our mathletes for Math Awareness Month. Lastly, April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month.

Chair Herndon, today we have referenced safety and security multiple times. It was discussed in executive session, twice in the work session during the legislative recap, and with the Centegix presentation. Finally, there is a consent item regarding it on tonight’s agenda. However, I want to take a moment to reflect on the absence of safety at Beacon Hill Middle School during the recent Solar Eclipse event. Students and parents should not have experienced an unsafe and disorderly dismissal. I am keenly aware of the dangers presented and have taken measured steps with the school administration to ensure it will not happen again.

As I close, I want to invite the school community to my final 2023-24 listening sessions. Students, staff, families, and the community are invited to attend on:

May 3 at Clairemont ES at 5:30 pm;

May 8 at Glennwood ES at 5:30 pm and virtually on

May 13 at 11:30 am

Chair Herndon, that completes my report.

The Board approved the FY25 Tentative Budget. Board member Anderson abstained from the vote. The FY25 budget includes a minimum of a 5% salary increase for all permanent employees and a step increase for eligible employees. Additionally, employees paid on the teacher’s salary scale will receive a $2,500 salary increase.

Dr. Broome’s presentation is included in the meeting agenda linked here and can be heard starting at 3:02:47 in the meeting recording. The public is encouraged to share feedback on the FY25 budget using this form.

The Board will have two virtual public hearings on May 7 at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm.

The Board unanimously approved the following consent items:

• February Financial Report School Nutrition Fund

• March Personnel Report

• February Financial Reports

• Chief Financial Officer Dr. Lonita Broome presented an overview of the February monthly financials. As of February 29, 2024, the district has collected 76% or approximately $76.3 million of the budgeted revenues and has expended 53% or approximately $53.2 million of the overall expenditure budget. Approximately $859,135 is encumbered for February (Encumbrances are open purchase orders that have been issued and have not been invoiced/paid). The overall effect of the financial statement is a net income of approximately $23 million. The $23 million represents the year-to-date difference between the total revenues and total expenditures. Additional information and Dr. Broome’s presentation can be viewed here.

• Overnight/Out-of-State Student Travel

• FY25 E-Rate Contract

• The Board approved an agreement with PC Solutions & Integration, Inc. for $22,162.95 for wireless access point licensing as CSD's share of expenses through procurement via the federal E-Rate program.

The Board unanimously approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to award and execute a contract for Centegix. The Board heard a presentation on Centegix during the work session. Centegix, a trusted leader and the largest provider of wearable panic alert systems for K-12 education, is dedicated to innovative technology that empowers and protects people. Currently, Centegix is being used in 11,500 sites, with 600,000 badge users, serving over 10 million people. It is utilized by over 75% of school districts in Georgia and covers 17 of the 100 largest school districts in the United States. The work session presentation can be viewed here.

The Board unanimously approved the Superintendent’s recommendation for changes to the Teaching and Learning Department, which was made in executive session.

As part of the UVA District Readiness Assessment, the Teaching and Learning structure was cited as an area of opportunity. The report stated, “Consider revising the way teaching and learning are collaboratively structured and communicated. There appears to be ambiguity regarding the roles of district staff, leading to redundant communications and inefficient efforts. Determining the specific roles of district personnel in supporting teaching and learning at schools as well as streamlining communication efforts is crucial for improving efficiency and coherence within the district.”

Therefore, five existing positions would be reclassified into new positions.

• Two director positions (Director of ELA/SS and Director of Math/Science) will be merged to form one Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

• Three district coach positions will be reallocated to the schools, and four coordinator positions will be created.

• 1 PK-5 ELA

• 1 PK-5 Math

• 1 6-12 ELA

• 1 6-12 Math

The recommendation does not increase headcount but is expected to yield at least a $10,000 cost savings. Most importantly, direct support to schools will increase by using highly skilled reading interventionists to support students with the greatest need, and schools will now have one content grade-band expert. Mrs. Jennifer Dunn was recommended for the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction position in the executive session. The coordinator positions will be posted.

The Board unanimously approved one policy:

• Policy DB - Planning, Programming, Budgeting System

Policies discussed at the Work Session are available for public comment:

• Policy EE - Food Services Management

Community Meeting: The next Board of Education Community Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 6:30 pm in the Beacon Hill Middle School Media Center.

Next Board Meeting: The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at the Wilson School Support Center. The times for the work sessions and the meeting will be made available a week before the conference.

Link to Join Board Meeting Virtually: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/95614159391

Board Agenda(s): Go to Simbli to access the CSD Board of Education meeting agenda(s), supporting documents, and meeting minutes.

Public Comments: Click here for information on signing up to speak at a CSD Board meeting.

Contacting Board Members: Email the entire Board at board@csdecatur.net. Click here to view board member bios and contact information.

Email: board@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net
Location: 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371-3601