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De Kalb Board Of Education

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Question Of The Week

What Should DeKalb's School Board Do With All That Cash?

This week's news that millions have been found in DeKalb's school budget begs the question: where should the money go? Patch wants your opinion.

Talk about a nice problem to have. DeKalb school officials this past weekend came across $21 million in previously overlooked revenue - news that interim school superintendent Michael Thurmond shared with "stunned" school board members Monday. Thurmond also said another $7 million in unaccounted revenue in the current fiscal year was discovered. So, if you were running DeKalb's school board, where would you spend the money? Teacher pay raises, or hiring more teachers? Better classroom technology? Paying down those legal fees the board's suspended members racked up at taxpayer expense? Or paying down the system's $15 million deficit? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below. See Also: Questions Arise After School Board Millions …

Road Scholar

8:51 am on Sunday, May 12, 2013

Put it in a rainy day fund that cannot be touched w/o public hearings. Can anyone tell us how much the lawsuits by past board members will cost? I don't think so...if we have to pay them and their lawyers. Wait until next year to see if there is another surplus and how much.   more ›

Friday, May 3, 2013

Thurmond Opposed to Dual Accreditation

DeKalb's interim school superintendent spoke to the Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council earlier this week.

DeKalb School Superintendent Michael Thurmond spoke to the final meeting of the school year of the Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council, and expressed his opposition to the idea of dual accreditation for DeKalb schools. Here is a video of that meeting provided by Stan Jester, husband of former DeKalb school board member Nancy Jester. See Also: DeKalb School Superintendent to Speak at Final DCPC Meeting Thurmond Faces Tough Crowd at Dunwoody Meeting Thurmond Tells Dunwoody Residents 'We Will Keep Accreditation'

Friday, April 19, 2013

Cartoon Calls for Local Control of Schools

Check out this illustration sent to us by J.D. Clockadale.

Thanks to Brookhaven's own J.D. Clockadale for sending us this political cartoon. As you can see, it clearly calls for more local control of schools. See Also: Follow Patch's Extensive Coverage of the DeKalb Board of Education

BrookhavenJ

3:02 am on Wednesday, April 24, 2013

You no longer have children in DCSS. Unless this affects your tax burden, I respectfully request that you stick to your usual game of hoping Brookhaven fails. I'm honestly glad your daughter had a great experience and received a good education in DCSS. Those of us with young children want the same thing for them. If that means exploring options or alternatives to the current broken system, so be …   more ›

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Jester Speaking to Chamblee Business Association on Thursday

The former DeKalb school board member will be addressing the organization at 7:30 am.

Former DeKalb school board member Nancy Jester will be speaking to the Chamblee Business Association at its Thursday morning meeting on April 18. Also on the agenda are updates from local state representatives about developments in the recent legislative session as they pertain to Dekalb schools. The meetings are open to the public. They are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Chamblee Civic Center, at 3540 Broad St. in Chamblee. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. and the program begins at 8 a.m. There is no charge for first-time guests; the cost for returning guests is $10 and $5 for members. A continental breakfast will be served. Follow Patch's Extensive Coverage of the DeKalb School Board: New School Board Gets Active Live Blog: …

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Brookhaven Lawmakers to Speak to Dunwoody Chamblee School Council

The Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council will hear from local legislators on Wednesday, April 3, at Chesnut Elementary School.

Brookhaven state lawmakers will give a legislative update to members of the Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council on Wednesday, April 3, at 9:15 at Chesnut Charter Elementary School in Dunwoody. State reps. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven) and Scott Holcomb (D-DeKalb) will be present at the event. Also attending are two Republican legislators from Dunwoody: state Rep. Tom Taylor and state Sen. Fran Millar. Follow Patch's Extensive Coverage of the DeKalb School Board: Five Brookhaven, Chamblee Residents Volunteer for DeKalb School Board DeKalb Schools: 'There Is No Plan' New Schools Could Form Their Own Local School Systems Under Proposed Law Gov. Deal Suspends Six DeKalb School Board Members Replay Patch's Live Coverage of the State Board of …

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Eddie E.

1:59 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Shawn, The concerns about size of the school system resonate more with others than myself. Dekalb is not the first system this large and certainly will not be the last. If a financial institution can be far too large, it stands to reason an education institution can be as well. Yet, the 'system' is a collective of individual schools. If each unit is performing optimally, there is no inherent …   more ›

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Brookhaven Adopts Budget; Thurmond Faces Tough Questions

Replay Patch's live video and blog of Tuesday night's historic Brookhaven city council meeting.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Brookhaven, GA

Live Coverage: Brookhaven Adopts First Budget in City History

Patch is live streaming and blogging from Tuesday's Brookhaven city council meeting.

Brookhaven made history on Tuesday night, as it adopted its first budget in city history. Also, later Tuesday night, Interim DeKalb Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond and state Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven), will address the city council and the audience. Patch is live streaming and blogging during the city council's work session, formal budget vote, and Thurmond's and Jacobs' addresses throughout the evening. The city council will convene a work session at 4:30 pm on Wednesday. The budget vote is set to begin at 6 pm, and Thurmond and Jacobs are anticipated to speak after 7 pm. You can also follow our RSS feed here. See Also: Major Decision Coming Tuesday for Brookhaven Budget Vote Postponed for Another Public Hearing Robocalls …

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Prissy Mae Millendorf, Brookhaven Socialite

6:59 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013

Edvard: Your incoherence is quite disturbing! Please see an attending physician STAT!   more ›

Monday, March 25, 2013

Brookhaven, GA

Major Decision Coming Tuesday In Brookhaven

The council is tentatively set to adopt a budget, and two of DeKalb's most high-profile officials will address the city.

In Brookhaven's road to cityhood, Tuesday, March 26, is set to rank up there with the vote to incorporate and inaugurate its first mayor and city council. After months of debate - not to mention charges and counter-charges over possible tax increases or service cuts - Brookhaven will adopt its first budget in history during Tuesday night's city council meeting at DeKalb PATH Academy. Also on Tuesday night, Interim DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond and state Rep. Mike Jacobs will speak to the city council regarding improvements to the local school system. Thurmond will give a brief presentation on the status of the new board of education and its next steps. He will be followed by Jacobs, who will discuss local …

TomMiller

11:03 am on Monday, March 25, 2013

Brookhaven Parks deserve better. First, the arrogant (claimed) statement by city attorney saying that $500K makes little difference? For a $500 For $500K, shouldn't the citizens know this: 1)Will the poor quality of service from Dekalb Pks and Rec when it comes to scheduling-reserving a field continue? Who gets the money from the field and pavilion rentals under the agreement? 2. Will groups like…   more ›

Friday, March 22, 2013

New School Board Gets Active

Brookhaven's Marshall Orson introduced a measure separating the board from the lawsuit filed by suspended members.

The DeKalb County Board of Education held its first meeting Wednesday with a new line-up. This included, of course, the six chosen by Gov. Nathan Deal in a controversial move that drew a lawsuit from suspended members. The most significant action taken Wednesday was a motion for the district to remove itself as a plaintiff from that lawsuit, thus saving taxpayers a considerable sum in legal fees. It passed 9-0 and was introduced by Marshall Orson (District 2 - Brookhaven). Orson, who was elected last year and began his term in January, said in his opening remarks, "My only criticism is that the three of us can longer call ourselves the new guys." He was referring to Jim McMahan (District 4 - Tucker, North Druid Hills, Lakeside) and new …

Shawn Keefe

10:52 am on Friday, March 22, 2013

Would have been nice if McMahan & Johnson would have voted against the lawsuit to begin with, and let's not forget the Orson was conveniently absent from the original vote.   more ›

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Live Blog: Nancy Jester Following the DeKalb School Board Meeting

A former DeKalb school board member will be live blogging during Wednesday night's board of education meeting.

Nancy Jester, a former member of the DeKalb School Board, will be live blogging during Wednesday night's board of education meeting. Her live blog will begin at 5:50, as the board prepares to convene its first meeting with six new board members that replace the ones suspended by Gov. Nathan Deal. Jester represented District 1, now represented by John Coleman. Brookhaven's school board representative, Marshall Orson, was not one of the six suspended board members. You can follow Jester's live blog here on Patch. Follow Patch's Extensive Coverage of the DeKalb School Board: Five Brookhaven, Chamblee Residents Volunteer for DeKalb School Board DeKalb Schools: 'There Is No Plan' Dunwoody's Nancy Jester Resigns from DeKalb School Board New …

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