DeKalb Interim Superintendent to Speak at Final Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council Meeting

The DeKalb County School District's interim superintendent, Michael Thurmond, will give an update on the school district at the DCPC final meeting of the school year.

The Dunwoody-Chamblee Parents Council will hold its Final meeting of the school year on May 1, and DeKalb County School District Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond will be the guest speaker. Thurmond, former Labor Commissioner, was appointed to serve as interim superintendent by the DeKalb County School Board in February. The meeting will give parents an update on DCSD overall. Thurmond said at his first board meeting in February, “I do not have a magic wand, but every day we will come with one goal in mind: to become better and to inspire and educate our children.” The group will meet from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. in the theatre of Dunwoody High School on May 1. DCPC meets monthly on the first Wednesday of the month (unless noted otherwise…

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Back To School? Already? Where Did Summer Go?

Patch's Question of the Week asks, are metro Atlanta kids heading back to school too soon?

Used to be, kids in most Atlanta schools went back into the classrooms after Labor Day. Man, those were the days. For the 2012-13 school year, Decatur schools open Aug. 1, and city of Atlanta students hit the books Aug. 6. DeKalb and Fulton county schools open on Aug. 13. To some, it seems as if summer vacation gets shorter and shorter each year. To others (harried parents running out of kid-friendly entertainment options, perhaps?), it can't come soon enough. So our Patch Question of the Week is, do you feel that summer vacation is too short? Do kids head back to school too early? Or do they need that classroom time in order to prepare themselves for a successful future? Take our Patch poll and share your opinion in the comments.

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DeKalb School Board Race Heats Up

Incumbents Paul Womack and Don McChesney face challengers as candidates qualified Thursday. Filing ends noon Friday.

Paul Womack and Don McChesney will face challengers for their seats on the DeKalb Board of Education. According to a qualifying list from DeKalb County elections, McChesney will face Marshall Orson in District 2. Candidates had until noon Friday to become eligible for the nonpartisan ballot. Incumbent Paul Womack faces a crowded field. Tom Gilbert, Jim Kinney and James McMahan had qualified for the District 4 race by Thursday. In District 6, Melvin Johnson, Denise McGill, Terrilyn Rivers-Cannon and Latasha Walker have qualified for the ballot. Incumbent Tom Bowen is not running. Meanwhile, incumbent Pam Speaks will face Michelle Jenkins-Clark for the District 8 seat. Dunwoody's representative, Nancy Jester,  isn't up for election this …

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DeKalb Schools aren't storing records properly, says consultant

Student transcripts and test scores are at issue

A consultant found that DeKalb County schools aren't storing student records properly, according to a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. At issue, according to the report, are records that need to be retained forever in accordance with state law, such as student transcripts, standardized test scores and other "vital" records. The school district needs to work on a document management plan to preserve the records, the consultant said. The AJC reported this came from the consultant's report: "According to state law, district-created student records that include enrollment, attendance, transcript, and standardized test scores must be permanently retained and are considered vital records," the report said. A district spokesman said …

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DeKalb County schools financial miscue could cost Dunwoody High $1.2 million

Local school board member says she will fight that proposal

DeKalb County school board representative Nancy Jester says she will fight a district proposal that could halt $1.2 million needed to complete a massive renovation at Dunwoody High School. The school board will meet this week to discuss how to handle a just-discovered $41-million shortfall of a Special Local-Option Sales Tax that was passed five years ago. The district's new superintendent, Cheryl Atkinson, has recommended cutting off funding for 35 building projects that are underway - either putting them on the shelf or scrapping them entirely. Jester said that can't be allowed to happen at Dunwoody High School. "Some of it is so basic that it's really non-negotiable," Jester said. "It's not asking for the sun and the moon and the stars…

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DeKalb School District to consider shorter summer breaks

Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said she would explore changing the attendance schedule

Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said that she is “exploring” shortening summer breaks and allowing students more time off during the regular attendance calendar, according to a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The potential change was merely mentioned by Atkinson at a Thursday state of the school district address, but it could wield a heavy impact on students in the state’s third largest school district.

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District Attorney: No Panel to Investigate DeKalb County School Board

No charges after allegations brought against board

Daily PatchCast: Safety In Midtown, Candidate Forums Throughout Atlanta, Keeping Halloween Safe

The day's top headlines for Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

Police Major: 'I Don't Want People Living In Fear' Security Increases At Chamblee High After Rash Of Break-ins. Dunwoody City Council Looks At Purchasing Nearly 42 Acres Of Land. Mount Paran-Northside Meeting On Tuesday Night. Live Blogging From Avondale Estates' Candidate Forum. District 6 Candidates To Speak Tuesday Night. 'American Idol' Winner To Perform At Macy's Christmas Tree Lighting. Safety Tips For Trick-or-Treaters.

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Daily PatchCast: Atkinson Promises Change, Sandy Springs Bank Robbery, Xerona Clayton Dedication

The day's top headlines for Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Atkinson To Focus On Students, Makes Changes Across System. Riverwood Audit Shows Several Areas Of Concern. Police Investigating Wednesday Morning Bank Robbery. Patch Profile: State Rep. Ed Lindsey Tucker Native Making An Impact At Stanford. Hundreds Celebrate Xerona Clayton Way.

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