DeKalb school board: We can save Fernbank and middle school sports but only with a tax hike
The AJC reports that the DeKalb school board spent four hours last night debating how to close a $73 million deficit. Teachers won’t like the proposed solutions. Nor will many parents. And probably few taxpayers.
As has become the strategy of most ailing metro districts, DeKalb Schools will dig itself out of its serious financial bind by raising class size, shortening the school year, dumping teacher aides and adding teacher furlough days. It will also make employees pay more of their health care tab.
However, DeKalb is also looking at a $30 million tax increase in a county coping with record foreclosures, high employment and increasing frustration with the cost and size of district administration.
According to the AJC:
One by one, the board members went down a list of 33 potential cuts. After several tries over about four hours, they theoretically balanced the budget. A majority wanted teacher furlough days, fewer teacher positions resulting in higher teacher-student ratios and a one-mill increase in the tax rate. No formal vote was taken. .
Tax revenue continues to fall in DeKalb while costs for essentials such as employee healthcare continue to rise. . The school board adopted a tentative budget that cut away more than half of the $73 million deficit. But, the rest of that budget proposal was balanced using a $30 million tax increase, double what the board proposed Tuesday..
The board needs a balanced budget in place before the next fiscal year begins July 1.
The board is likely to find ardent advocates of any program it seeks to cut. For example, advocates of the Fernbank Science Center took up a petition to save the institution and its $4.7 million budget after it was added to the chopping block last week.
On Tuesday, board members took the Fernbank closure off the table. In an unofficial poll, they also scrapped the idea of saving $330,000 by eliminating middle school sports and saving $5 million by outsourcing custodians. They added cuts to health and dental insurance subsidies for employees for a savings of nearly $7 million, agreed to eliminate 200 teachers’ aides for another $7 million and supported cutting the school system’s pre-kindergarten program expenditures of $2.7 million.
Should all of them agree to the collection of cuts and tax increases, then class sizes will rise by an average of one student per teacher, and the school calendar will be two days shorter. Board member Tom Bowen introduced the proposal to increase taxes while cutting teachers and school days. He said the one mill increase should be rolled back by 2015.
DeKalb is in an unusually deep financial hole. Finance officials say the school system is on track to end the fiscal year with a $6 million deficit. That debt would have to be paid out of the next year’s budget, deepening the budget gap beyond $73 million. It also means the budget crisis won’t be cushioned with reserves, like in year’s past or in other metro school systems.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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149 comments Add your comment
Gwinnett Mom
May 30th, 2012
1:48 pm
If U dont have the refernce handy then why bring it up?
I’m talking about the non citisen job stealing minorites that caused the tax payers to teach there kids english.
Just a Mom
May 30th, 2012
1:53 pm
if you want to speak at the meeting tonight, you will sign in to do so until the 30 slots are filled. Last week only 18 of the 30 were filled but I suspect tonight will fill up. I also imagine it will fill up early with blocks of people who are going to say the same thing over and over. You are alloted 2 minutes to speak and they hold you very closely to that. (this is for someone who asked earlier how it works)
Living in an outdated ed system
May 30th, 2012
1:55 pm
Only an incompetent board would make statements as ridiculous as this one. You should title this post, “When a system is broken, THIS is what happens.”
Entitlement Society
May 30th, 2012
1:57 pm
@Progressive Humanist – Wow. I can see that government education did you a lot of good. Reading comprehension? Nowhere in my posts did I ever advocate getting rid of the public education system. And, no, I don’t speak in “code,” as you’d like to believe. The Westminsters, Lovetts, and Paces hardly reject science and distort history as you purport them to do, so stop writing lies about the private school world about which you obviously know nothing. So we’re in agreement, you can keep your mismanagemed, disasterous, public school systems, where I now refuse to send my children as guinea pigs in some science experiment and instead, I’ll send them to a well-functioning, private school which churns out successful, independent-thinking, productive members of society.
say what?
May 30th, 2012
2:18 pm
Once again good folk of Atlanta who do not read: Central Office Staff has been cut. More than 300 people have been invited to pink slip parties. Don’t believe me, then do an open records request, or better yet ask when will the DOL RIF list be public knowledge. Perhaps after June 11. It seems that because the media fails to report, people continue with “central office needs to go” mantra. And no where does the media say, well the truth is hundreds have been notified that they are no longer needed at the end of the budget year. The superintendent did follow the report and cut many people.
Next: cut Fernbank, cut magnet, theme, and high achievers programs. Allow true parent choice INSIDE of the community school. All of the parents wanting and demanding parent choice, stay in your neighborhood and fight for the best programming in your community. The community that is affected by poor schools thus decreasing home values. Stay and fight to make the home schools the best, get involved, and make YOUR school the school that you want to emulate. Cut transportation to theme, magnet, and high achievers schools. If parents are so dedicated to their students and still want to get the best outside of the home area (because parents fail to work hard at the home school), then pay the cost and pick up the transportation cost of busing your kids. Further return Pre-K back to the state. End Montisori in a select few schools for a small amount of children (less than what other teachers have to teach). If you just gotta continue with these special “parent choice” options, then “encourage” the principals to build their school programs around such option for the sake of the community. Imagine the bus and fuel cost saved by stopping these special programs. If they were stopped, then another office would be goone: the magnet and theme school office would no longer be necessary. That could easily be $300K in salaries and benefits saved.
Cut FSC and if Fernbank ES still wants it as its weekly trips for the students, then let the Fernbank parents purchase the building and call it the Fernbank ES annex. Simply a waste of money. $4.7 million for how many students? how much increase in science scores across the district? There are many research universities in metro Atlanta and the Zoo that has outreach programs to come to the schools to work with students. Ever heard of virtual science websites.
The biggest pain is that people are blaming the current superintendent for this nightmare. It can be said time and time again, that ALL of GA is going through these pains, yet people continue with name calling. How much could we have in next years budget if we did not have to send money to “poor” school systems such as Gwinnett and South GA through equalization grants? When will people call and demand that this farce of sending money to Gwinnett end? Because if Gwinnett is a poor school system, then the rest of GA is at the bottom of the caste system.
Ned
May 30th, 2012
2:19 pm
Really? You’re making up stories about “non citisen job stealing minorites that caused the tax payers to teach there kids english” and you question someone not providing you with detailed reference to established fact?
Go away
big picture
May 30th, 2012
2:23 pm
Salty, I do wonder if I know you. You sound like someone that I know the district is losing….or should I say the KIDS are losing.
Let’s remind everyone why those specialty programs exist. They are there because for so many years, under federal requirements, the only kids receiving any interest from the schools at all were those who were causing schools to miss AYP. Instructional time, programs, etc., were developed within schools in attempts to reach these kids – as they are perceived to be the ones who most need assistance. I agree that help needs to be offered to these populations.
HOWEVER, unfortunately, this assistance was provided at a significant cost to the average child…the child who absolutely is capable of better than B and C work with a little encouragement. The A student who can become creative if asked to push beyond the easy, monotonous work of the current county and state curriculum. These students have absolutely been “left behind.” And this is why families have fled local schools. We know. We tried to ensure that our local school provided supports for these kids, but all we ever heard about was how there were others who were “more” in need. I have not yet left the schools, but am looking. I am appalled that I am paying for a tutor because I have noticed my child is behind where she should be to enter the next grade level.
Cut the bloat. Keep programs where outside assessments occur (IB, etc.) because we cannot trust our administration or board to keep the kids – the great wonderful kids in the middle – learning and moving forward. Keep the teachers who really care – those who have stayed in the trenches over the years. Those who work to perfect their craft. Those who are wiling to evolve their style to reach different kinds of students. Get rid of those who have worked to, or stood by while the decision-makers have decimated true learning practices in the system so that they could pay for and support family and friends, and personal and private pocketbooks.
Unfortunately, I did not know about this meeting and had already put plans in place. I could say something, but you all know.
Teacher and Taxpayer
May 30th, 2012
2:24 pm
Again I ask, didn’t the audit recommend over 300 layoffs at the Administration Level? Why layoff paras and custodians, when you can cut off some real excessive salaries. Laying off paras but increasing classroom size in a district that is already near the bottom in reading comprehension is asking for the last shoe to drop. The discipline problems are going to be three-fold.
say what?
May 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
@TEacher and Taxpayer: These positions are in addition to the other layoffs primarily listed in the audit. If the ajc wanted to tell the truth, they could do an open records request and see how many people were notified in meetings (with armed security, might I add)in late April/early May that they were no longer needed. That could be a story in and of itself. Six police officers in an auditorium. Telling people, you do not have to wait until June 29, you can leave now. Armed police escorts for chief of HR because of the vile bitterness waifing through the county. She is doing what her boss, the superintendent, is telling her to do.
This horrific mess goes prior to Lewis. He may have taken the stripping of DCSD to a new and faster level, but the problems began 45 years ago.
Tax the weed and there is the millions.
May 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
What about all of the non-violent people arrested for weed. Wright them a ticket instead of throwing them in jail costing tax payers more money. If you tax the weed millions will be made. Only use the jails for violent offenders. Spend the taxed weed sales on education! If you can’t stop it tax it!
john
May 30th, 2012
2:37 pm
The real problem is not Fernbank but the central office. More draconian cuts need to be made there. Board member McChesney challenged the board and superintendent to remove more “fat” from central office. Cutting Fernbank is taking away from the kids just as much as much as any of these other budget fixes. We don’t need to get rid of anything educational. We need to get rid of the friends and family members drawing $$$ salaries for doing nothing. All this is a ruse to keep the eyes and heat off central office. Jester accused Dekalb of trying to go to the welfare office in a mink coat. Most of the board scoffed at that idea and said Dekalb has no fur coats. Most of the commentors here need to put there money where there mouth is and to go the board meetings and raise hell. No one is even at these things. Central office needs to be trimmed down. that is really the only issue worth discussing. The rest of this arguing about FSC etc is a diversion. FSC is loved by students and provides educational benefits. Some offensive family member drawing big bucks for sitting on there arse all day provides no benefit
Progressive Humanist
May 30th, 2012
2:45 pm
Entitled,
It appears you are confused as to how cause and effect relates to academic outcomes when comparing public to private schools, but you’ll have to learn about that in another lesson.
A great many private schools do indeed reject science and distort history, though of course they don’t admit to this. The expensive, exclusive ones like Westminster and Marist try to deliver more objective subject matter, but the end result is wealthy, marginally educated graduates with a sense of entitlement (much like yourself). An example would be the “independent-thinking” Rob Woodall who went to Marist. I would hesitate to call him productive, though, and he doesn’t have a clue about science but does have a distorted perception of history, and he certainly has an air of entitlement. I wouldn’t want my child to emulate that model.
I will take public school education over private school education any day for a wide variety of reasons. And you are free to have your children programmed to expect to be entitled, as long as you keep your hands off public education.
DCSD teacher
May 30th, 2012
2:49 pm
The only reason FSC was saved is that the Board was finally informed by its attorneys that the site reverts to Fernbank Inc if the center ceases to be a science or social science educational center. The board was reluctant to give over any more turf to the Museum ( the forest is already gone), but it wasn’t put of concern for science education that they took it off the table. Don’t take this as a mandate for FSC: it’s just the latest installation of boys defending their turf.
KIM
May 30th, 2012
2:55 pm
Heaven help us.
Science Mom
May 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
Why is Fernbank the sole responsibility of DeKalb? Why can’t it have a number of fundraiser and other Non-governmental sponsorships? Why always depend on tax money?
There is a ton of citizen funded material available there such as the SEMAA – NASA sponsored classes and simulators, and could be intelligently and practically leveraged. No need to drag children / students there to admire snakes available at the Zoo. The cost of constructing the planetarium, or Fernbank like facilities pale in comparison of maintaining it, BUT, it should not be the burden of the DeKalb county. Please consider other approach besides: close or raise taxes.
By the way, our 3 magnet school kids are now going to private schools. Where would this theoretical money go? Could we be exempt from property taxes since we really saved the county a whole lot more they can ever dream of collecting annually from our property taxes?
Dekalbite@DCSD teacher
May 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
I’m sorry. I don’t buy this reasoning.
Why are NO cuts being made to the highly paid 28 admin and support staff – as many of them as teachers? Spending $500,000 on five Exhibit Designers and a Cabinetmaker while there is only $50,000 a year for equipment and supplies being allocated to the regular science classrooms that serve 95,000 students daily. Fernbank instructors who aren’t certified teachers earning $90,000 a year (what pay scale are they on? None the public can see.).
These inefficiencies have nothing to do with the Fernbank Museum. It is the Fernbank community liking things just the way they are.
Sade
May 30th, 2012
3:24 pm
FYI:
DeKalb Board of Education Public Budget Hearing 5/30/2012 – 6:00 PM
J. David Williamson Board Room, Administrative & Instructional Complex 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083
[App Store] [RSS Feed]
Meeting Agenda
A. CALL TO ORDER
B. ROSTER
C. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
D. FISCAL YEAR 2013 BUDGET PRESENTATION
E. CITIZEN COMMENTS (30 speakers\2 minutes each)
F. ANNOUNCEMENTS
G. ADJOURN
Pass Time
May 30th, 2012
3:26 pm
@Science Mom – FSC tried to get grant money a few years ago, but got shut out by the History Museum. The History Museum threw a fit claiming that FSC was competition to them for grant money, and therefore not allowed to apply for grants. The FSC director at the time got railroaded out for trying to bring grant money to FSC. The Dekalb Board got strong armed by the History Museum. The History Museum would love nothing more than to have FSC closed and turned into another event facility for martini sipping socialites. Until the History Museum turned into a hip event facility, they got along fairly well with the FSC, but once the History Museum saw dollar signs in the Fernbank name things got ugly. The History Museum even sued DCSS for ownership of the Fernbank name a few years ago (FSC won that one). FSC could be funded through other means, but until their hands are untied that will be a pipe dream.
Don't Tread
May 30th, 2012
3:43 pm
Raise taxes: the Democrat solution to everything. There’s never been a problem that couldn’t be solved using Other People’s Money.
How about getting rid of the bloat, fraud, and waste? Oh wait, that would require someone with some ungodly salary to actually DO WORK. Nope, not happening.
Atlanta Media Guy
May 30th, 2012
3:43 pm
I read only 73 positions were terminated at the central office. The others, who were located in schools but paid with CO funds, have been placed into those school budgets. It was mainly a shift of money and NOT many cuts. Now 73 is a lot of people, but I believe the audit called for at least 300+ cuts to non-teaching personnel at the CO.
I wish there was more transparency with our “new” administration. Just think if the stakeholders could see the names of the friends and family that have been so enriched with OUR tax dollars and that they have been shown the door. It certainly would do a lot for morale in the electorate and the employees of the district.
I’d be happy to give DCSS more money, but NOT until they get rid of the very people who got them into this morass of debt and corruption. Why are so many from Clew’s Crew still employed with DCSS? These folks failed. Tyson should have been gone months ago. Pamsey and Tucker, Moseley and Thompson. Tyson was hand picked by the indicted Super to kick the can down the road and continue the status quo. Most interims would have cleaned house and set the table for the new administration. Instead we have much of the same, a few names have changed to protect the friends and family, but it sure seems like we’re stuck on stupid, like Gump said.. “Stupid is as Stupid does!” Not another dime until DCSS hires people the stakeholders can trust in moving us out of the abyss of failure.
Brenda
May 30th, 2012
3:44 pm
Well if you start by closing all middle schools and start k-7 and start 8-12 you would not have a debt
problem you have to many buildings that are taking up space you close a school and build another one you have schools for high achievers , magnet school if the children are that far advanced send that child to next grade stop spending tax payers money for nonsense you are talking about raising taxes my home is worth nothing now the value is nothing. so do not raise my taxes if you are not going to raise the value of our homes
Livsey Mom
May 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
Ramona Tyson proclamed proudly last year that the DeKalb County School System was financially sound. In truth, our schools are in a downward spiral of financial ruin. DeKalb’s top performing schools, when compared to other school districts’ pinnacle schools, are mediocre at best. My children attend Livsey Elementary. When we first moved here five years ago we were told that Livsey was a Blue Ribbon School and one of the best schools in DeKalb County, comparable to a private school. If Livsey is a top school, I feel sorry for those of you who have children enrolled elsewhere in the county.
Because of class size fluctuations, my daughter has had seven different teachers in just four years. Likewise, our music, art, and physical education teachers come and go like the wind. Parents must pay for everything from paper towels and household cleaners to sheet music and basketballs. Sometimes important student information is delayed in being disseminated because administration is unable to secure the funding for ordinary copy paper. Textbooks are falling apart and there are very, very few additional academic resources available to students. The computer lab is years behind with network connectivity issues that prohibit meaningful research. The computers the children are using are older than the computers we throw away. Because we keep increasing the number of students per class, the individual classrooms at Livsey are bursting at the seams with desks literally on top of each other. My son’s desk is so far away from blackboard that he has leave his seat and sit on the ground in front to take part in lesson – he is only in third grade.
Families with the financial wherewithal are opting to send their children to private schools in unprecedented numbers this year. Unfortunately, the families that care about education and want to invest in their children’s education are the families that are leaving in droves.
It is imperative that the BOE and Dr. Atkinson take steps immediately to reduce the bloat of administrative personnel who add nothing to the education of our children. Dr. Atkinson’s study recommended cutting 336 individuals from the payroll who have nothing to do with the education of our children. Dr. Atkinson is electing to cut only 21% of this recommended number. This is untenable and we need to make that known to our BOE loudly and clearly. Our children’s education cannot be left idly in the hands of incompetent (and sometimes criminal) people non-educators.
concerned teacher
May 30th, 2012
4:00 pm
Oh great… They saved Fernbank Science center. In the mean time, 2200 four year olds won’t have a place to go to school next year. How sad when all of the research shows that $1 spent on early education saves $7 later on. Good planning school board!
Pardon My Blog
May 30th, 2012
4:14 pm
While there have been some cuts at Central, @Atlanta Media Guy has it right. It was not the recommended amount provided by the audit.
Womack is right when he says we have plenty of teachers to choose from, unfortunately most should not be in the classroom. These are the ones no one else will hire.
I would not give them another dime until they get their financial house in order and show they are willing to take the necessary steps starting with a pay cut with the superintendent.
I do believe if Fernbank is reorganized and managed appropriately, it can continue to be a helpful tool for students and teachers alike.
No more money should go to Montessori programs, transportation outside of your “home” school other than transporting teams as necessary, and any before school and after school care (including any Pre-K programs not paid for by Hope) that is currently not funded by the parents themselves.
Tyson gotta go
May 30th, 2012
4:29 pm
Hey, Ramona Tyson got hers, didn’t she? In fact, she continues to get it – pay period after pay period. What exactly does she do these days to earn that paycheck?
dcss failing
May 30th, 2012
4:32 pm
Dunwoody Mom, Atlanta Media Guy, etc:
Do you all REALLY think that any money “saved” from closing FSC will be funneled back into the schools??? NO WAY…it will go into the entire budget only to be siphoned off to pay legal fees, etc. They will NOT take that money and directly put more funding into science in the schools and they will not use that money to avoid furlough days, etc. etc.
Jack
May 30th, 2012
4:40 pm
Cut the fat out of administrative jobs and keep Fernbank open.
N.Ga. parent
May 30th, 2012
5:17 pm
If Georgia had 10 trillion dollars to spend on Education in this state,the Democrates would still want a tax increase.When will people learn that a childs education begins and ends at Home.95% of kids that arent supervised by parents at home,to do homework,study and do extra reading end up poorly educated.The teachers can do only so much.I remember when the teachers or schools provided most of the things required for elementry children.Now,I send paper,crayons,glue,wipes,etc.etc..every couple months.The school I attended as a child(before High School) was built in the 1930’s.The rooms all painted the same drab Green,yet most of the students there got a quality education that prerared us for High School and beyond.If we did something that may endanger another student or students,we got a Ass busted ,yet none of the students there grew to be killers,wife beaters,or child abusers.I adopted 2 young children who are now 11 and 8,and both make the Honor roll,not because of the school they attend or the money put into the school(which there isnt much of) but because of their parents spending time with them making sure they complete there after school work ,read for 1 hour,and that they understand the importance of an education.Get your kids off the computers,tv,nintendo’s and make them study.If they dont agree bust their ass.I promise they wont grow up to be killers if you spank them….Money,Money,Money,does NOT make for a better education…
N.Ga. parent
May 30th, 2012
5:21 pm
AND…I nearly spelled all those words right..See the education I have..LOL
Atlanta Media Guy
May 30th, 2012
5:25 pm
I’m not sure what these people will do with the money. However, I certainly do not want to give them anymore, until I see some accountability with the money they have spent since Clew took over. Fiduciary responsibility. What happened since last spring when Tyson hailed, “DCSS had a robust financial future!” This year we find out our reserves are gone! Really?
I want to see the money moved into programs that work in the CLASSROOM! Since they have saved FSC for now, why couldn’t they move that 4.7 million per year and start to stock the labs all over the county with new equipment, plumbing that works and better air circulation? To spend so much on a relative small ROI (return on investment Mr. Walker) it’s time we look at every line item.
I am so disgusted by Mr. Turk. He warned his former boss NOT to use his P-Card for his Bahamas and Reynolds Plantation trips, however he did not want the very people he worked for, US the taxpayer, of the impending doom of the 2012-2013 budget.
Tyson should resign tonight!
say what?
May 30th, 2012
5:53 pm
Tyson had the BOE give her a guaranteed salary through 2013. If they break the contract and fire her, she will continue to get paid. She is suppose to be over a new office that covers the foundation. The only work of which I am aware that the foundation does is to go begging for TOTY funds. This foundation should be managed by a real dollar raising, charity developer for a variety of issues going on in DCSD, not just the teacher of the year programming.
Magnet, theme, high achievers needs to go back into every community school. Since the new superintendent is continuing with the new regional supervision model such as Charlotte-Mecklenburg, then there should be a variety of models at the elementary level that prepares all the students feeding into the regional/area high school. transportation must stop going all over DeKalb county from 5am-9pm daily.
Also,some one continues to scream, the district should be broken into 3 districts. Then which district gets what? Who decides which area gets what? Just a knee jerk response to a problem that has festered since the late 1960s.
Progressive Humanist
May 30th, 2012
6:19 pm
Actually, N.GA.parent, they have a MUCH greater likelihood of growing up to be killers if you spank them. Of course, all children who are spanked won’t grow up to be criminals, but the vast majority of felons, upwards of 95% were spanked as children.
Teacher and Taxpayer
May 30th, 2012
6:21 pm
You guys get your tax assessment yet? My property value is down again…So they want an increase? Right…I think it’s a plot…Less tax liability so the BOE decides they will get what we should have paid if our value had been up and add to their budget. I say noooo to the increase…As far as Tyson claiming that we were solvent, wasn’t she brought in by Crawford Lewis? What did she teach before she magically rose to the top? Couldn’t have been Math!
bootney farnsworth
May 30th, 2012
6:39 pm
I always find it funny when people talk about paying “fair shares” when nearly 1/2 of the country doesn’t pay noticeable taxes at all. get back to me about “fair shares” when south DeKalb is paying anywhere near what North DeKalb is paying
and BTW: we don’t have a democracy. we have a representative republic (at least for the moment).
bootney farnsworth
May 30th, 2012
6:41 pm
for a brief moment in time, DeKalb had a chance at fiscal sanity.
and them blew it away.
I moved out of DeKalb nearly 30 years ago, and have never ever looked back.
Progressive Humanist
May 30th, 2012
7:51 pm
It’s a farce to say that half the country doesn’t pay taxes. Half the country doesn’t make enough money to pay federal income taxes, but they definitely pay sales tax, payroll tax, and property taxes if they are able to afford property. Do you suggest that we collect more taxes from homeless people and those living in poverty?
Would you be happier if I said that the public education system is one of the pillars of our representative republic? Aren’t you supposed to be a public school teacher, by the way?
Anonmom
May 30th, 2012
8:27 pm
Livesy Mom – you described, more or less, my son’s experience at our top DCSS high school with an on-slaught of AYP transfers… not so different from that. Those of you who think you know what the “fancy” private schools are like — you have absolutely no idea unless you’ve had a kid sitting in the clasroom — it is not what you think it is — the noses are much much snootier in many of the public school haunts we were visiting before we went private (and frankly, it’s been shocking because it was contrary to all of my expectations) — a group of 28 of these “fancy school kids” are getting an education in Aids and working with township kids in south Africa this month and this is just one of many things they do to “counter” what you think is snootiness. It is an unbelivable education away from the “hoops” that my oldest was required to spend his days jumping through at his “best of the best” public school that didn’t serve him very well at all (and only graduated about 1/2 of the kids who were in 9th grade with him and yet when he was in 9th grade it made number 106 of the best high schools in america) — the guilt I feel for not giving him what his brothers are getting is pretty astounding. We thought we were doing the right thing by keeping them public at the time. Just masses of kids in hallways who couldn’t move, couldn’t get lunch in their allotted 20 minutes, teachers with classes stuffed to the gills who didn’t have time to really care for the kids (yes, there are some teachers there who are to this day near and dear to my heart) but too many kids in each class — not eanough time for them. An assistant principal cheking for skirts that were too short and shorts that were too low with different standards for white kids and non-white kids. Labs in insufficient classoroms. No supplies. It’s really not about the kids. At least in private school — it’s all about the kids. (And, yes, parachoial school is different than the other schools and my oldest did spend his last year and a half at one and it was much better than the “best” Dekalb had to offer but not nearly as good as the private we’re at now).
Anonmom
May 30th, 2012
8:29 pm
For what it’s worth — I have really seen high school – up close and personal — 3 high schools in as many years and there are some vast differences between what they all offer. My dream is to get what the best there is to be offered out to the poor … that’s where I’m coming .. because what’s out there is reallly, truly extraordinary and it doesn’t have to be what it’s like in the public school envirnoment.
Former DCSS Teacher
May 30th, 2012
9:01 pm
A few notes from the inside: (from a DCSS teacher who left the system)
1) While I love FSC, I am wondering what the “exhibit designers” actually do? Take it from me – I was a DCSS teacher for over 20 years and none of the exhibits have changed one bit in all those years. No kidding. So what are they designing?
2) Teachers are already expected to put in more hours with fewer materials. While we are trying to go paperless, using paper cannot be avoided, and yet we ran out of paper repeatedly. No, this wasn’t due to running “worksheets”, but due to running the many worthless “tests” the county demanded we give that yielded no valuable information about what the students knew or did not know.
3) For every light bulb that goes out, the county sends three men. Yes, three. It’s a comedy, actually. All three of these men, individually, make more than the average first-year teacher.
4) Last year, on the PATS website advertising open positions in DCSS, the position of “Grounds Manager” was listed with a salary of $84,000. This person was to be charged with creating a schedule for cutting grass at area schools. Not one long-time teacher I know makes that much money. Give me a piece of paper and a pencil – I’ll make a grass cutting schedule for half that amount.
5) When a principal or highly-regarded athletic coach gets in trouble, they are “reassigned” to the county office. No loss or cut in salary at all. Everyone knows it. THESE are the positions that need to be cut first. First.
6) The county spends millions on “programs” for the entire county that are only needed for a handful of students. Millions of dollars of materials are sitting boxed up and unused because they are not needed. The teachers tell the administrators this, the administrators pass it on, and it is ignored. Complete waste of millions of dollars.
The list could go on and on….
My own children attend DCSS and I have worked in the system for many years. It is sad to see the system crumble around our feet. Yet, in a county where teachers aren’t even allowed to contact anyone in the county office without permission, should anyone really be surprised? It is a top-heavy system that wants to put the burdens on the backs of their lowest salaried employees.
FoundFocus
May 30th, 2012
10:56 pm
New additions at FSC like the Bees, Meteorites, Mosasaurs, Aeronautics Education Laboratory or the many other rotating and visiting exhibits seem to have all been over looked by “Former DCSS Teacher”. They were all designed by the exhibit staff at FSC.
From the early Nineties to a few years ago the FSC Exhibit Designers also worked within the confines of a one-sided shared partnership with Fernbank Museum of Natural History. FSC E D’s helped the Museum with their exhibits as well as their own exhibit hall, traveling exhibits, printed material and planetarium programs. All of this effort to help the fledgling museum get through their rough beginning and later with there own mismanagement. But of course no one at the Museum wants you to know that bit of info. Taxidermy, groundwork, background painting, labels, brochures and exhibit panels,etc… All created by FSC design staff for the museum… Just ask a Museum person where all their taxidermy came from in their “Walk through time in GA” or where they got help to acquire the permits to have them… or the idea to put dinosaurs in the front entrance of FMNH… Remember this is a Natural History Museum!
The FSC designers will continue to work to support the education of students and the public in DeKalb County.
Dekalbite@Found Focus
May 31st, 2012
1:10 am
” FSC E D’s helped the Museum with their exhibits as well as their own exhibit hall, traveling exhibits, printed material and planetarium programs. All of this effort to help the fledgling museum get through their rough beginning and later with there own mismanagement.”
Why is DeKalb Schools paying $500,000 in educational for Designers to work on taxidermy at the Fernbank Museum?
So what does this have to do with the terrible student achievement our students have in science? You do understand that the ONLY job of the school system is to teach students and improve student achievement. If they can’t do that, they might as well pack up and go home. Almost half of our 8th grade students do not know the most basic science concepts while this is the Exhibit Designers who suck educational dollars out of the classroom make:
Designer $77,381
Designer $63,360
Designer $84,073
Designer $65,827
Designer $69,178
Total: $359,819
With benefits – $431,782 for five Fernbank Designers.
Let’s not forget the Cabinetmaker $56,600 salary and benefits
This is just wrong when we need science teachers so desperately.
FoundFocus@Dekalbite
May 31st, 2012
7:50 am
“So what does this have to do with the terrible student achievement our students have in science? ” These students should have more opportunities to visit the place of science and learning – Fernbank Science Center. And perhaps you should post credible information and be more supportive of all teacher and student opportunities offered in the community.
yes i am worried
May 31st, 2012
8:52 am
Found Focus,
Do you think it is appropriate for funds meant for public education, and this is the pile of money that funds FSC, were used for projects at Fernbank Museum, a Nonprofit entity that should pay its own bills. Are you kidding me? It is beyond inappropriate that my tax dollars were used for this. WRONG! WRONG!WRONG!
Students in DCSS suffer in large classes, teachers have salary cuts, etc and we were paying employees to work for another institution.
If you love FSC so much, send Dr. Atkinson an email today, volunteering to lead the effort to convert the center into a non-profit organization.
Anonmom
May 31st, 2012
5:30 pm
FSC needs to be supported by grants. Not by the DCSS budget. It may be one of the best programs, wtih the best scientists etc. that the county has to offer but in no way should it be funded out of the operations budget. Particularly in this climate.
Anonmom
May 31st, 2012
5:31 pm
Maybe Emory and Ga Tech want to adopt it and make it part of the universities…. but somehow the costs need to be offloaded away from the citizens so that the money being spent can get back to the classroom.
Dekalbite
May 31st, 2012
5:45 pm
You need to email the BOE members and Dr. Atkinson your thoughts about keeping Fernbank Science Center “just the way it is” with $500,000 devoted to 5 Exhibit Designers and a Cabinetmaker while we eliminate the teaching positions of science teachers in the schools that teach science daily in the classrooms. Mention the $50,000 that comprises the entire school system budget for science equipment and supplies for the 95,000 students in the science classroom across the county (50 cents a child per year).
ClearlyVisable@Dekalbite
May 31st, 2012
8:31 pm
Glad to see the Museum machinery out in force trying to justify their own existence.
Dekalbite@clearly Visible
May 31st, 2012
11:39 pm
LOL – I haven’t been to the Museum in ages. But I have been to Fernbank Science Center. It is old and dusty and in desperate need of renovation. I remember how fine it seemed in 1972 the first time I took students there. Different times for the center and different times for DeKalb.
Recession Ends In DeKalb. Unicorns for Everyone! — Peach Pundit
June 5th, 2012
9:38 am
[...] a competent County government and a functioning school system, DeKalb has chosen to raise taxes and spend, spend, spend! Hey, if you had a unicorn farm in your county, wouldn’t you go hog-wild by [...]