Dear Evansdale Parent,
As many of you know, Evansdale’s
School Council has
been working on formulating a proposal to revise Evansdale’s Magnet program. The
goal of this revision is to maximize student achievement for all students at
Evansdale Elementary.
We
recognize that this is an extremely important and difficult issue. While we have asked for participation from
specific groups (“in-district magnet parents,” “out-of-district magnet
parents,” and “non-magnet parents”) to ensure that everyone’s
view was heard, we ask you to please keep in mind that we are one school
and can accomplish more together than divided.
We
hope the following information provides you with an overview of how and why we
got here, and where we are today.
Why do we have
to revise our Magnet program?
DCSD’s final
budget they presented this past summer eliminated all funding for the Evansdale
Magnet program, with the exception of transportation for non-resident students.
How did Evansdale keep the Magnet program going this
year?
Since maintaining
the Magnet program at its current structure requires paying for a full-time
science lab teacher and a full-time French teacher, Evansdale funded both
positions this year by reallocating dollars the county originally earmarked for
Evansdale to hire a part-time school counselor and an Early Intervention Program
(EIP) teacher.
The principal
requested funds from the Evansdale Education Foundation to pay for an EIP teacher
so that this service would not be lost from the school. However, Evansdale did
not have enough funds to hire a part-time school counselor.
Will DCSD continue to cut our budget?
The budget for
next year is unknown, but further budget cuts are anticipated given the current
DCSD deficit.
Where can I get
a copy of the proposal?
The
proposal can be found here in English:
And
here in Spanish:
The
proposal is also available in the front office.
How are you ensuring that everyone has an
opportunity to be heard and that important information is made available in a
timely manner?
We have
tried to accomplish this by using a variety of methods and resources—emails,
focus groups, couriers, School Council bulletin board, The Eagle, Facebook, the front office, Evansdale’s school web site
(http://schools.dekalb.k12.ga.us/evansdale/SchCouncil.html)
and PTA website (http://www.evansdalepta.org/) .
Last week,
we held six focus groups to learn more about your thoughts, opinions, and
experiences. The groups reviewed the current Magnet program, its history, and
the proposed changes for the 2013-2014 Magnet program. Conducted by Dr. Boza, director of
leadership and development in DeKalb County School District (DCSD), these focus
groups were open to all Evansdale parents, staff, teachers and community
members.
As you can
see below, we had representation from the following groups:
· Out-of-district
Magnet parents: 12
· In district
Magnet parents: 27
· Non-Magnet
parents: 31
· Parents of
children in both Magnet and non-Magnet:
less than 10
· Community member
representatives: 10
· Evansdale
Teachers/Staff: 37
We
have also received numerous emails/letters of opinion which will be considered along with those collected during the focus
groups.
Most
recently, we sent out a call for final comments through the PTA email blast
system as well as through the room parent representatives. Communication must
be received by November 8th in order to be considered at the
meeting. Email comments to edaleschoolcouncil@gmail.com.
When will a decision be made?
The
School Council will review and revise the proposal regarding the expansion of the
Magnet Program at its November 13th meeting at 5 P.M. in the Media
Center at Evansdale. If a proposal is agreed upon by the School Council,
it will be presented to DCSD by Dr. McGuire with a request to make the proposed
changes for the 2013-2014 school year. This proposal will affect ALL
EVANSDALE STUDENTS.
Can I attend the
November 13th School Council meeting?
Yes. Evansdale’s School Council generally
meets the first Tuesday of every month) at 5 p.m. in the Media Center
Where
can I get minutes from the past School Council meetings?
Minutes
from the School Council meetings are posted on the information board at the
school (in the first grade hallway) and at the school’s website: http://schools.dekalb.k12.ga.us/evansdale/SchCouncil.html. The minutes and other School
Council information are also available on the School Council’s blog: http://edaleschoolcouncil.blogspot.come.
Minutes are always posted within 20 days of a School Council meeting on
the bulletin board. Minutes are
published to the web after approval at the following month’s meeting.
What role does
the School Council play in revising the Magnet program?
The School
Council provides advice and recommendations to the school principal and, where
appropriate, the local board of education and local school superintendent on
any matter related to student achievement and school improvement.
Evansdale
School Council is made up of 11 members (six elected parents or guardians of
Evansdale students, two local business persons, two teachers and the school
principal) who meet monthly to provide advice, recommendations, and
assistance to Dr. McGuire and our county board of education. School Council
members serve two-year terms and elections occur in the spring of each
year. All individuals with a child at
Evansdale are eligible to run for a position on School Council and to vote in
the election.
Here
is biographical information about your School Council representatives: http://schools.dekalb.k12.ga.us/evansdale/files/926C1FD59C0B4639806A08FBD9AE6EDE.pdf
Please know that your ideas and concerns
matter and will be considered. If you have additional questions or concerns,
please email the School Council at edaleschoolcouncil@gmail.com.
This is awesome. Great work putting it together.
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