Home › Neighborhood Issues

Redistricting

School Redistricting

From a concerned group of local residents 9/24/10: DeKalb County School System Begins County-Wide School Redistricting Initiative

Our Clairmont Heights neighborhood has been a vital part of the Fernbank Elementary School district since the school opened its doors in 1957.  As has been the case through all those years, many of our current residents serve as members of the School Council, PTA Officers, Room Parents, and all-around involved volunteers. 
 
Most of us chose to purchase our homes in this neighborhood specifically because of the quality of Fernbank Elementary School. Fernbank has been consistently ranked in the Top 10 Metro Atlanta Schools, features a unique-in-the-State International Baccalaureate curriculum, and is well-known for being a singularly tight-knit community.
 
We know that our own Clairmont Heights community thrives because of relationships developed within our schools and among our neighbors. As such, we feel that maintaining the current boundaries of the Fernbank Elementary School district is of paramount importance for our entire community—from North Decatur Rd. to Heritage Heights and North Superior Ave. to Clairmont Rd. 
 
This is an issue of concern to each and every Clairmont Heights resident: Those whose children have recently or long-ago graduated from Fernbank--or those who do not or never did have children attending Fernbank--still benefit from the excellence of Fernbank Elementary; as all of our home values are greatly buoyed by being within the school’s attendance zone
 
We want to work proactively to make sure that the Clairmont Heights neighborhood remains a part of the Fernbank Elementary community, as it has always been.
 
While information about redistricting is frustratingly scarce so far, we do know that:
 
1)    the redistricting planning process is already underway
 
2)    the Board of Education will host parent input meetings in October
 
3)    the plan is to finalize the redistricting decisions by the end of the year
 
4)    the School administration, School Council, and Fernbank PTA are 100% supportive of keeping Fernbank’s boundaries as they currently are
 
We want to remain vigilant about the input meetings and to generate as much neighborhood support and awareness as possible. Also to gather as many neighborhood contacts as possible for quick action, should this prove necessary. 
 
We will gladly accept offers of help as needed and provide the latest information as it is available to us.
 
What YOU can do right now:
 
1)    You may offer support by submitting your contact information to schulerod@bellsouth.net or mail/drop it to:   815 North Superior Ave.
 
2)    Bookmark this site and keep visiting it for updates on the redistricting process as it pertains to Clairmont Heights.
 

 

Updates

Redistricting Meetings

REDISTRICTING MEETINGS WORTH YOUR WHILE 

From the Fernbank Elementary PTA: 
 
The best way for the school community to be involved at this stage is to attend the Emory LaVista Parent Council Meeting on October 20, at 9:15am, to be held at Briarlake Elementary (www.emory-lavista.org).  The subject of that meeting will be the process of redistricting (as opposed to content -- there is no content, to our knowledge -- i.e. no proposal on the table), and speaking at that meeting will be Dan Drake, the demographer for DeKalb County Schools who is leading the redistricting plan effort, if one does come to fruition. 

Yahoo discussion group forming for Fernbank Elementary Neighborhoods

From the Fernbankd Elementary PTA: Dear Parents,  Some of you may be aware that the DeKalb County Board of Education and Interim Superintendent have stated that they intend to conduct a county-wide redistricting and school consolidation, to be effective next school year.  The main goal of the plan is to redistribute, or “right-size,” the student population to relieve overcrowding and potentially close under-attended schools.  The state will only fully fund elementary schools that have 450 students or more.   

Clairmont Heights Neighborhood Meeting about School Redistricting

Event Date and Time: 
10/22/2010 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

From a concerned group of CHCA neighbors: CLAIRMONT HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING ABOUT SCHOOL REDISTRICTING: Friday, October 22nd, from 7:00--9:00 PM  at the Fellowship Hall of North Decatur Presbyterian Church (corner of Medlock and North Decatur Roads).  Come find out about the Dekalb County School System’s redistricting plan and how it might affect our Fernbank Elementary attendance zone

  • 489 reads

Three important redistricting meetings this week

Hello Clairmont Heights Neighbors— This week promises to be a banner one for those concerned with the DCSS School Consolidation and Redistricting Initiative (kind of Orwellian, no?).  We will (hopefully) finally hear what the outlines of the plan are and what criteria are to be applied to any decision-making.  It has been stressed by Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson that we should not expect the big unveiling to be an ending point, but a beginning in the process.  I’m choosing to think of it as finally finding out what we are up against.

DeKalb county's school redistricting process

From Collette McDonald's newsletter: Redistricting: Yep, it's bound to happen but how will it affect you? Get involved by being part of the 11 month county process. More info is available on the County's 2020 Vision website here with dates, locations and times of the community meetings to hear your opinion. Also, there will be a presentation by Ramona Tyson, interim superintendent, at the Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council meeting on November 3rd at 9:00 a.m. at Dunwoody Elementary School.

  • 579 reads

DeKalb School Redistricting Survey Results

From the DHHS PTA: "....The results of an online survey addressing people's opinions on the priorities for closing or conslidating schools is now available from DCSS. You may read about the process at the first of the URLs listed below, and see the survey results at the second...."

 

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/vision-2020

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=cj_2fphr1CYbkRFJVqfbvljqVFNe4Kzz...

Important Dates Dekalb Redistricting and Consolidation

From Laurel Ridge neighborhood listserv:
January 3, 2011: Board Meeting: Superintendent presents preliminary recommendations

January 10, 2011 Board Meeting: Approve Attendance Area Policy

January 11, 13, & 18, 20: Workshop and Public Input

January 31, 2011: Superintendent present redistricting & consolidation plan

February 22, 24: Public Hearings

February 28, 2011: Board votes on final redistricting and consolidation recommendations
 

  • 469 reads

New Redistricting Meeting Dates

From the Fernbank PTA via a local neighbor: Dear Fernbank Families and Stakeholders,  In addition to the January 3rd Board of Education meeting (1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd, 6:00pm), at which our Interim Superintendent will present preliminary recommendations for school redistricting and consolidation, please see her e-mail below for additional public meeting dates and locations.

School board recommends closing Medlock

Mana would go to Laurel Ridge.  Clairmont Heights would stay in Fernbank district.  From the AJC: 14 DeKalb schools on proposed closure list By Megan Matteucci, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 12:24 a.m. Tuesday, January 4, 2011.  Fourteen DeKalb County schools could face closure next year.  On Monday night, the school board unveiled a comprehensive redistricting proposal that calls for 12 elementary schools to close: Livsey, Medlock, Rock Chapel, Bob Mathis, Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Sky Haven, Toney, Peachcrest, Wadsworth and Kittredge.

MANA meeting on Future of Medlock Elementary

Event Date and Time: 
01/06/2011 - 6:30pm

From MANA: Greetings Neighbors, Hope everyone had a very happy holiday season and wishing you all the best for a wonderful 2011 year! As many of you have probably heard, Medlock Elementary has been placed on a list for schools that the DeKalb County School Board is considering for closure this next year. Please read the following bulletin and attend this community-wide meeting Thursday evening to learn more and show your support for our neighborhood school.

More 2011 events and information will be provided in another e-news later this month.