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Where

South Fulton School Construction Cuts

Your Homework Assignment   Updated April 21, 2009

You have the opportunity to further the cause of children's education in Sandtown.  Our objective is to educate you on the issues to empower you to join the voices of those currently advocating for your children.  We need you to move beyond just hearing the issues and convert the tsunami of injustice into an effective response. Don’t take the position that completing your assignment is all or nothing.  Commit to completing one or better yet both of these PTSA assignments: 

  • Commit to write an email to the school board members and the school superintendent. Just write a few lines asking the board and superintendent what they are going to do about the issue of overcrowding for instance.  You don’t need to be eloquent; we just need consistent targeted messages.
  • Ask why there are delays proposed for South Fulton SPLOST III school construction while North Fulton School construction moves on.  Email the board and superintendent and ask them why?

School Superintendent Cindy Loe's recommendation is to essentially delay all but one South Fulton Project while Moving Forward with North Fulton Projects:

  • move forward with the Centennial High and Chattahoochee High science lab and band additions. The completion date is 2010; however the band additions may be delayed until 2011 due to staging on the sites.  (North Fulton)

  • complete the construction of the Bethany/Cogburn high school in 2012 (North Fulton)

  • delay the Derrick Road elementary school until August 2012 (South Fulton)

  • delay the new MS South (Ga 138 area) until 2012 (South Fulton)

  • replace Banneker High school, instead of moving forward with an addition. The last S. Fulton High school in the SPLOST III program would be this replacement.  

  • delay the new ES South indefinitely (South Fulton)

The net effect of this revised SPLOST III plan and the SPLOST  II is only one (1) incremental New High School in South Fulton - as Westlake was a replacement, and the Banneker will be as well.  At the same time  quite a few were built in North Fulton from SPLOST tax dollars that we all pay!!

If plans to create Milton County from North Fulton go through, South Fulton will end up subsidizing in part the construction of an all new Milton School System, while our students remain in older buildings except for the recent new construction.

Here is the Milton County viability study posted on the fulton schools website:

 http://www.fultonschools.org/story_detail_masterdata.asp?id=2334

 
  • We want greatness for all of our children! Remember school and test scores are a means to an end – scholarships and children prepared to compete in college and in life.
  • Commit to attend at least one school board meeting every other month as you learn about the process and read the collateral we provide to bring you up to seed.  Imagine the impact of just 10% of the parent’s of 1,450 plus SMS students turning out at a board meeting.  There is power in numbers and that’s why they are getting their schools in North Fulton as we are absent because we’re too busy to further our children’s interests.  Your tax dollars are green also – aren’t they?

Individual Board Member's Community Meetings

  • Each Board Member conducts a community board meeting a few days before the month's pre-board and board meetings.
  • The Board member will go through the agenda of the upcoming Board Meeting.
  • This is your opportunity to hold your Board Member accountable.
  • You are particularly encouraged to attend the community board meetings of Board President Linda Bryant (South Fulton) and Board VP Julia Bernath.

See what they are telling their constituents about South County.  Ask North Fulton Board Members what they have done for South County lately? Part of Gail Dean's district is in South County!

When they tell you they are moving forward on construction down here ask them by school, the following five questions:

  1.  Has the land for the school been purchased?

  2.  Are all phases of the school funded?  (land, design and construction)

  3.  Have you planned for and funded required road improvements and connectivity?

  4.  When will you break ground on construction?

  5.  When will the school open?

Master School Board Calendar

Pre-Board Meeting – Pre-board meetings are on Tuesday and typically have workshops to work through the details and interact with the superintendent.   Typically board members discuss and seek information on items and define what they will be voted on in the Board meeting.  Sometimes based on the questions board members ask you get an idea of how they will vote on Thursday and you can lobby accordingly.

Board Meeting – Board meetings start at 6:30 PM on Thursdays. This is the meeting where the board votes on the consent agenda agreed upon in the Pre-Board meeting. 

Locations - The Pre-Board and Board Meetings no longer alternate between north and south locations.  The Pre-Board Meeting is at the Administration Center and all Board Meetings are in North Fulton at Dunwoody Springs ES.

Directions to Board Meeting Locations

Fulton County Schools Administrative Center
(786 Cleveland Avenue SW, Atlanta)

From I-85 Take I-85 to Cleveland Avenue, Exit #76 (north of the airport). Go west on Cleveland Avenue. The Administrative Center is about one block away from the exit ramp. Park at the front of the building and take the elevator to the third floor.

 
Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School
(8100 Roberts Drive, Sandy Springs)           

From GA 400 South Take GA 400 South to Northridge Road, Exit #6. Turn left onto Northridge Road and continue over the GA 400 overpass. At the stop sign just beyond the end of the overpass, turn right onto Roberts Drive and continue approximately 1/2 mile to the first stoplight. Turn right to enter the school. The meeting is in the cafeteria.

From GA 400 North Take GA 400 to Northridge Road, Exit #6.  The exit ramp becomes Roberts Drive.  Continue straight ahead after the stop sign, approximately ½ mile to the first stoplight. Turn right to enter the school parking lot. The meeting is in the cafeteria.
 

The agenda is posted on Board Docs. To become familiar with the new Board Docs site, view this illustrated guide. The link to Board Docs and other Board related material is on the Board pull-down on www.fultonschools.org. These meetings are now paperless.  The agenda is projected on big screens, but they no long provide a hardcopy printout.  If you want a hardcopy to follow along be sure to print one from Board Docs in advance.

 

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