Bulletin Board

On May 27, from 7-9 p.m., CSD will celebrate Decatur High School Senior Bulldogs. These seniors came to Decatur High as students but will leave as Decatur High alumni following their graduation that evening. Congratulations to DHS Seniors and their families!

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education has concluded the investigation into Dr. Dude’s use of vacation time under his contract. The Board met with the Investigators who gave the Board an oral report. There was no finding that any illegal activity occurred. In light of these findings, as well as Dr. Dude’s and the Board’s mutual and amicable separation in April 2021, the Board does not believe that obtaining a written report is necessary or that the expense is justified at this point.

This investigation has nonetheless facilitated the Board’s review and reevaluation of various District policies and practices and will improve our future operations to address the many challenges and opportunities we have to serve the families and children of Decatur.

Congratulations to all of the CSD retirees. Thank you for your years of service. We hope you have a beautiful and exciting time ahead. You will be missed. Happy Retirement!

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center

· Ellen Carpenter - Teacher

Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary

· Carl McLaughlin - Paraprofessional

· Jackie Theisen – Teacher

· Bill Withers - Teacher

Oakhurst Elementary

· Laura Deming - Counselor

· Kathy Harber - Teacher

· Suzanne Hawkins - Media Specialist

· Kira Wilsterman – Teacher

Decatur High School

· Susan Boutier - Teacher

· Bill Roberts - Graduation Coach

The Board unanimously passed the FY22 Final Budget on May 11 during the regular Board of Education meeting. The tentative millage rate was approved unanimously. The final millage rate will be approved based on the release of the tax digest from DeKalb County. If the tax digest shows a higher projection in revenue than what was anticipated by the district, the millage rate will be adjusted accordingly. The district does not anticipate the millage rate increasing beyond the proposed 21.00. Please visit https://www.csdecatur.net/finance to obtain the most up-to-date information on the budget.

On Thursday, May 13, Board Chair Tasha White and DeKalb County School Board Chair Vickie B. Turner hosted a joint press conference with DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and leaders of the DeKalb County House and Senate Delegation to celebrate the passing of Senate Bill 293 after several years of negotiations to preserve funds for the students and families of DeKalb County and the City of Decatur. The bill states that DCSD will provide both services and facility access in return for taxes received by DCSD from CSD. Senate Bill 293 provides for DCSD to receive an amount equal to all ad valorem taxes for educational purposes collected on property zoned for commercial use or that portion of a mixed-use property where the primary use is commercial within all annexed areas.

A vaccination clinic was organized for Renfroe Middle and Decatur High School students ages 12 and up. Over 1100 CSD students pre-registered to take their first shot on May 12 and their second shot to follow three weeks later. An enormous thank you to our community partner DeKalb Pediatrics for working with CSD to facilitate vaccinations for our students, teachers, and staff! A big thank you to our school nurses for helping support the event.

We celebrated the grand re-opening of the Decatur Student Center (DSC), Tuesday, May 5. After years of planning and collaboration, the Decatur Student Center is ready to welcome students into a beautiful space that was designed just for them. The newly renovated space was redesigned by DEF Board member Lauren Pelissier with input from DHS students. Students have also created murals and designed the clothing closet. The newly renovated space is warm and inviting and honors the memory of DHS graduate Joe Bodine ’15 whose family spearheaded the DSC initiative after he tragically lost his life to addiction in 2016. The Decatur Student Center offers a range of wraparound supports, including housing the lost and found, clothing closet, group and individual counseling, as well as support for career and post-secondary planning. Thank you to the Decatur Education Foundation and to Joe Bodine’s family for helping us create this beautiful space for our students!

Did you know the monthly Board Meetings for this upcoming year are listed on the district's calendar, https://www.csdecatur.net/calendar? The next Board Regular Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 8, 6:30 p.m.

Board meeting information, including agendas and recordings of meetings, can be found on the CSD webpage https://www.csdecatur.net/boardmeetings.

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