Bulletin Board
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education - March 2022
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Bulletin Board Newsletter
The BOE meeting recap newsletter is shared after the regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The March Board of Education meeting was held on March 8. You can access the recording here.
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education
(left to right)
Mr. James Herndon, Vice Chair
Dr. Carmen Sulton, Board MemberMrs. Jana Johnson-Davis, Chair
Dr. Maggie Fehrman, Superintendent
Ms. Tasha White, Board Member
Mr. Hans Utz, Board Member
Highlights
National School Social Work Week
March 6-12 is National School Social Work Week, and the Board wishes to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for our school social workers. These individuals serve as vital members of the education team, playing a central role in creating a positive environment in our schools. Our school social workers are especially skilled in identifying and providing services to students who face serious challenges to school success, including homelessness, disability, discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, loss of a loved one, and other barriers to learning. Thank you, to the CSD social workers, for all that you do!
Chair's Message
Board Retreat
On February 24, the Board held an informative and robust retreat. We invited representatives from the Georgia School Board Association to join us to discuss their process for helping school boards develop a new strategic plan and explain how they assist boards in revising their board policy manual and board norms. The GSBA representatives explained how the board’s policy manual, board norms, as well as the superintendent’s evaluation should all line up with the strategic plan. The School Board and Dr. Fehrman are in agreement that we need to engage GSBA in helping us to develop a new strategic plan and in revising our current board policies and board norms.
The process for creating a new strategic plan can average about six months, but for some districts it can take up to a year. Stakeholder engagement is critical to this process, so the CSD community will have an opportunity to participate. Changes to CSD’s policy manual and our board norms will happen concurrently with the development of the new strategic plan. We are currently waiting to receive confirmation from GSBA on dates and a timeline for executing this work.
Hands Off Georgia Rally
On February 25, I was proud to attend and support the organizing effort of Decatur High School seniors at the Hands off Georgia Rally, where they expressed their opposition to the anti-Critical Race Theory bills that are making their way through the State legislature. To watch the students advocate for what they believe was to witness the IB learner profiles in action. Thank you to those students for making their voices heard and to the parents who supported their activism.
GSBA Capitol Watch Online
Community members have asked how they can receive information on legislation impacting education in Georgia, like the anti-Critical Race Theory bills. The Georgia School Board Association has a wonderful online resource, Capitol Watch Online, which tracks and explains current legislation. Please click here to access the Capitol Watch Online resource.
Talley Street’s First African American Read-In
After the Hands Off Georgia Rally, I ran home and jumped on my computer to participate in Talley Street’s First African American Read-In. As a former teacher, I can’t tell you how much I have missed read-alouds! It was such a pleasure and so much fun to share a book with Talley’s 5th-grade classes. Thank you to Talley Street media specialist Ms. Ashley Long for the invitation, and I look forward to participating again next year.
New Board Chair Workshop
This week, I attended an instructive 6-hour online workshop for new school board chairs in Georgia. The workshop was facilitated by GSBA and covered several important topics including:
Legal issues and governance leadership
Effective meetings and the role of board chair
Leading during high-stress times
Legislative updates and implications for leaders of leaders
I learned a lot in the session, and the workshop has me even more excited about serving in this role.
Board Spotlight
Renfroe Middle School
Greg Wiseman, Renfroe Middle School principal, introduced a video about the Young Ladies of Excellence (YLOE) and the Gentlemen Exceeding with the Needed Tools for Success (GENTS). The YLOE and GENTS clubs at Renfroe Middle School do amazing work. Led by Assistant Principal Alexis Glenn and Dr. Charlie McAdoo, YLOE and GENTS are clubs for young ladies and gentlemen of color that provide a safe space to build leadership skills and healthy self-esteem. Click here to watch the video to learn more about these clubs.
BOARD CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
The Board unanimously approved all consent items:
Personnel Report
School Nutrition
Financial Reports
ACTION/DISCUSSION/INFORMATION
Board Work Plan [ACTION]
Installation Rauland TCU Hybrid Intercom for DHS [ACTION]
The Board unanimously approved the contract to install and upgrade the intercom system for Decatur High School. The intercom system purchase will be from SPLOST V funds. South Western Communications proposes the installation and upgrade of a new Intercom System manufactured by Rauland Borg Corporation for Decatur High. Rauland Borg Corporation currently has a GSA Contract No. 47QTCA21D0098. Additionally, this upgrade/replacement will improve and protect the safety of the students and district employees in the school system.
Nutrition Department Purchase RFQB 21-005 District-Wide Kitchen Equipment [ACTION]
The contract for the purchase of new and replacement kitchen equipment district-wide was unanimously approved. The contract was awarded to Citisco, and funding is covered by SPLOST V funds.
Approval of Certificate of Distribution for Educational Local Option Sales and Use [ACTION]
The Board unanimously approved the execution of the Certificates of Distribution as they relate to the Educational Local Option Sales and Use Tax approved by the voters on November 2, 2021, so they may be provided to the State Revenue Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Revenue.
E-SPLOST 2022 received approval on November 2 in Fulton and DeKalb Counties. Collection and distribution of E-SPLOST funding are expected to start July 1. The distribution of E-SPLOST funding between Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb County Schools, and City Schools of Decatur is based on the latest student count prior to the election.
Administrative staff at each of the school districts have confirmed the percentage to be used between the school districts as follows:
Atlanta Public Schools (4.11%),
DeKalb County Schools (90.44%)
City Schools of Decatur (5.45%)
Policy Monitoring Report [FOR INFORMATION]
The March school monthly data report was on the agenda 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 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.
FY2023 Preliminary Budget Draft Presentation [DISCUSSION]
Chief Financial Officer Lonita Broome presented an update on the budget and the impacts of the General Assembly’s budget recommendations for the CSD FY22 and FY23 budgets. You can hear Ms. Broome’s presentation in the meeting recording beginning at 40:57.
Superintendent Search [DISCUSSION]
The Board discussed the firms that presented proposals and decided to get more information and have additional discussions before making a final decision.
Board of Education Meeting Information
Next Board Meeting: Next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:30 PM.
Link to Join Board Meeting: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/95614159391
Board Agenda(s): To access the CSD Board of Education meeting agenda(s), supporting documents, and meeting minutes, go to Simbli Solutions.
Public Comments: Click here for information on how to sign-up to speak at a CSD Board meeting.
Contacting Board Members: Letters and email are effective ways to make your views known. Email the entire Board at board@csdecatur.net. Click here to view board member bios and contact information.
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education
Email: board@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net
Location: 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371.3601