Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council Urges Input at DeKalb Hearing

The Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council is urging people to attend Thursday's hearing to investigate whether the state will take any action regarding the DeKalb Board of Education's recent probation.

Last month, the board was placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS). The district has until May 31, 2013 to make progress in complying with several issues that SACS identified.

Shortly afterward, an online petition was started to build momentum for replacing the entire school board, which Gov. Nathan Deal has the authority to do.

In an email that was redistributed by Chamblee High School, the organization urged people to attend Thursday's meeting scheduled for 1 pm at the Georgia Department of Education, 2070 Twin Towers East, 205 Jesse Hill Jr Drive, during which the state board will determine whether or not to recommend any formal steps.

The council said several possible outcomes are:

• Maintain the status quo, and allow the current DeKalb BOE more time to correct the items SACS has cited;
• Replace the entire DeKalb BOE with an interim board appointed by the governor;
• Reappoint certain BOE members, or;
• Require specific skills of BOE members, i.e., must be able to read financial statements and be able to approve expenses listed in the annual budget, etc.

The parent council is designed to brings parents, school board members, school officials, and legislators together to discuss topics that affect public schools in our community. According to its website, the parent council serves these Dunwoody/Chamblee area clusters:

• Dunwoody High School - Peachtree Charter Middle School, Austin, Chesnut Charter, Dunwoody Elementary, Hightower, Kingsley Charter, Vanderlyn ES.

• Chamblee Charter High School - Chamblee Middle School, Kittredge Magnet/Nancy Creek, Ashford Park, Huntley Hills, Montgomery ES.

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