Join your Neighbors for Jump into Spring |
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Jump, Jaw, or Just Enjoy Donuts! |
Springtime weather is on its way. Jump into the season at our upcoming neighborhood gathering to be held at 731 Densley Drive (corner of Densley Drive and Woodmoor Lane) from 4 to 6 pm on Saturday, February 25. |
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CHCA will have free donuts on hand (while supplies last) and a pile of jump ropes. Practice your own jumping skills, check out the kids' abilities, or lend a hand by turning the long rope for a spell. Talk to friends you may not have seen in a while. Or simply enjoy your donut. ;)
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Local Schools Welcome New Leaders |
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Parents, students, and teachers at both Fernbank Elementary School and Druid Hills Middle School welcomed new principals in January , 2023. Ms. Aaronlyn Wright will lead Fernbank Elementary, and Ms. Sheveeta Bonner will guide Druid Hills Middle. Both previously served as assistant principals at their respective schools, and both received strong parent support during the process.
Candidates for Principal in DeKalb County schools demonstrate their proficiency as leaders and their successful community engagement during an evaluation sequence that provides for parent and stakeholder input. Principal Advisory Councils (PACs) are a significant component in this vetting process.
CHCA eagerly supports neighborhood parents who devote their time and abilities to such school-improvement efforts. We are grateful that, over the past decade, PAC members from Fernbank, Druid Hills Middle, and Druid Hills High School have generously served simultaneously on our Board in order to keep our community informed about school matters. Our current Chair for the CHCA Schools Committee, Steve Langdon, is an excellent example. Please thank your school's PAC members when you see them!
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Neighbors will be happy to learn that Ms. Jacqueline (Jackie) Taylor, previous Principal of Druid Hills Middle, received a promotion in October 2022 to become the Regional Superintendent for Region 6. This portion of the DeKalb district abuts our own and comprises the high school clusters for Columbia HS and Towers HS, as well as the International Student Center. (Clairmont Heights lies in Region 2, with Trenton Arnold as Regional Superintendent.)
Ms. Taylor began her DCSD career 30 years ago as a teacher at Dunwoody High School. In 2000, she became Assistant Principal at Druid Hills High before moving over to the middle school in the same role. She served as DHMS Principal for almost 10 full years before stepping up to lead Region 6. During her time at Druid Hills Middle, Ms. Taylor focused on a broad array of efforts to improve the retention of teachers, the quality of instruction, and student participation in Performing and Fine Arts programs. The CHCA Board wishes her the best in her newest position.
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Melton Park Workday - SUN 2/26 from 1-3 PM |
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Join Friends of Ira B Melton Park and Ranger Jonah at a workday to spread gravel on the Three Creeks trail, install two bird feeder/sign hangers, and pick up trash at Ira B Melton Park. We may also pull privet.
Wheelbarrows and shovels are needed. Please contact meltonparkfriends@gmail.com if you can bring a wheelbarrow. Plan to wear shoes or boots appropriate for muddy conditions, and bring your own drinking water. All are welcome.
Spread the word!!!
Valerie Boss, 2023 Park Pride Inspiration Award Winner
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CHCA happily announces that
Valerie Boss received a
2023 Park Pride
INSPIRATION AWARD!
In the words of Park Pride Community Reactivation Manager Cecelia Borgman,
"You stood out among a highly
qualified group of nominees, as
you have clearly inspired others
to get involved in local
conservation, preservation,
and connection."
The CHCA Board joined Ranger Jonah and other neighbors from Clairmont Heights in nominating Valerie for this well-deserved honor. Valerie will be celebrated for her achievement on Monday, March 7th, at Park Pride's Parks and Greenspace Conference to be held at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
Please congratulate her when you see her around the neighborhood or in Melton Park. More importantly, offer to bring your wheelbarrow, wear boots suitable for muddy conditions, and PULL SOME PRIVET with her this coming Sunday!
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Druid Hills Modernization Update |
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$50M dedicated to High School |
In January of 2023, the DeKalb County Board of Education officially approved $50M for the modernization of Druid Hills High School, including it on the project list for ESPLOST VI. Great news!
Local voters approve ESPLOST funds (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax receipts) for specific periods of time. You can read more about the program as it impacts DeKalb County district schools here: DCSD ESPLOST Info
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DeKalb voters approved ESPLOST IV in November of 2021, with a tax receiving period from 2022-2027. Now that Druid Hills High School is on the list of approved projects, planning and design work can begin. ESPLOST projects take several years to complete; there are still incomplete ESPLOST IV projects, for example, even though the tax-receipt period for that initiative is long past.
In our area, parents and other stakeholders working through the Red Devil Task Force and Druid Hills Cluster Alliance diligently keep pushing the BoE forward. Next steps should include hiring a design firm to visit with the staff and community to confirm what the scope of improvements should include.
Our local Board of Education member, Ms. Whitney McGinniss, reports that ESPLOST VI features construction, maintenance, and renovation projects. Of note for District 2, in addition to the modernization of Druid Hills High School, projects include: construction of a new “Cross Keys” Middle School; roofing projects for McLendon Elementary, Kittredge Magnet, and Margaret Harris Comprehensive; and HVAC projects at Ashford Park Elementary and Kittredge Magnet. See the full list of project here:
Since commencing her work on the Board of Education, Ms. McGinniss has examined in greater detail the condition of local school buildings. Please see her report on those conditions in the document linked below:
To highlight the age of many of our school facilities, it is useful to compare the graphic below with the aerial photograph from around the year many of the original homes in Clairmont Heights were built!
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Bar graph showing age of DCSD facilities. Druid Hills High School lies to the left of the 50-year mark. The "New Building" (Math Hall) was added in the 1960s. The Science Building in the 2000s. |
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Aerial view of Clairmont Heights neighborhood, 1954 (view north along Clairmont, with CH in upper right). Students from CH have attended Fernbank and DHHS since our earliest days. |
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GA Legislature - Town Hall on March 2, 7 PM |
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State House and Senate legislators for our neighborhood, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver and Sen. Elena Parent, will host a Town Hall in early March at Druid Hills Middle School. A Zoom option is available as well. Sen. Kim Jackson, leader of the DeKalb Delegation, will also host.
THU 03-02-2023, 7 - 8:30 PM
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One issue you might want information about is a proposal to change the allocations for future SPLOST tax proceeds that DeKalb County uses for infrastructure construction and maintenance. Although DeKalb voters will only address this ballot issue in November of 2023, legislation related to it must pass during the current 40-day session.
On Monday, February 13, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond appeared before the DeKalb House Delegation to speak about proposed legislation to renew the county’s SPLOST and
modify the existing spending allocations currently set as follows:
- 85% for transportation purposes (including roads, streets, bridges, public transit), public safety facilities and related capital equipment used to support public safety
- 15% for the repair of capital projects
According to the CEO and his governmental affairs team, the bill is currently in the hands of the state’s legislative counsel. Once it is released by that office it will be made available to the House delegation and will need a delegation sponsor.
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