School Board Postpones Action on Land Purchase Until Contract Finalized

The DeKalb County Board of Education Thursday night postponed action on entering into a deal to buy property on Allen's Ferry Road for the future site of a new DCHS complex until attorneys for the board and the owners finalize the contract. Once that is done, the board is expected to call a special meeting to decide on whether to move forward.

Under consideration is the purchase of a fifty seven acre site, which belongs to Mark and Karen Adams, Melvin and LeeAnn Crips, and Billy Crips. The property is located near the existing DCHS/DeKalb Middle school campuses. The purchase price has not yet been disclosed to the media.

Board Chairman Charles Robinson said this property has been under consideration since 2007 when a facility study was conducted at no cost to the board by the architectural firm of Kaatz, Binkley, Jones, and Morris of Mount Juliet. " This study was presented to the DeKalb County Commission in October, 2008. During this presentation, the commission was informed of two tracts of land in the vicinity of the present high school, suitable to build on. One tract was for sale. The other had indications that it could be available. The tract for sale in 2007 remains on the market today. This tract is centrally located and is accessible from all areas of DeKalb County and is adjacent to DeKalb Middle School and DCHS. The DeKalb County School Board can use cash reserves, up to a certain amount, from it's Basic Education Program (BEP) funding to make a purchase. BEP funding has many strings attached. This is state money the DeKalb County Board of Education receives from the state of Tennessee. It is not local funding. Mr. Bobby Palmer, who represents the state department of education and advises our board on budgetary issues, reports that the state would approve this one time expenditure. If this board votes to continue with this purchase, we must also get approval from our funding body, the DeKalb County Commission."

David Brown of Kaatz, Binkley, Jones, and Morris, who authored the 2007 facility study, took questions from the board Thursday night on the suitability of the property. Brown said the site is plenty large enough to support a new school. "We've looked at this with the engineers and I don't think we're going to run into an issue as far as the topography goes. We look at the grade. We look at transportation. We look at the road and infrastructure around it. We look at utilities. Have we got water? Is there gas available? Is there electricity? Then we look at the actual area of how much have we got to work with there. We don't have a concern on our end whether you would be able to fit as much as you wanted to on the property you've got available. Now that whole fifty seven acres is not usable, but what is usable (about 45 acres) is plenty big for what we would propose or what you would want to build out there. We've had our geo-tech engineer walk the site. We've had our civil engineer walk the site and it's a good site. (City) sewer is not on site, but it is close (within a half mile) and that's the only utility that's not right there on your roads so it would be the only utility we would have to extend and bring on site."

Director Mark Willoughby, who had hoped that the purchasing contract would be ready to present to the board of education Thursday night, said action on it would have to wait a few days. "Their owners) attorney and our (TSBA) attorney have been working on this (contract) today and we had an issue we needed to work out. Although we're not ready to present a contract (tonight) I believe we will be able to have an agreement by sometime next week."

Billy Crips, addressing discrepancies in the contract, informed the board Thursday night that "What I was concerned about was the clauses in there that had to deal with the board's due diligence and their studies on the property. And if the board deemed tonight to go through with purchasing the property, there was recourse in there for the board to be able to go to the seller and ask for costs in return for doing those studies. So I was uncomfortable with signing that. And also there was a stipulation in there with a discrepancy between a general deed and a special deed. I'm not really up on what that means, one versus the other and that's where the attorneys were kind of butting heads and saying let's do it this way, and the other one saying, let's do it this way. We just ran out of time today to get that clarified and move forward."

Willoughby said the school board could have a special meeting to consider approval of the contract, once the parties resolve those issues.

Meanwhile, Charles Atnip, local realtor, addressed the board members asking them to consider another site, located on Highway 56 north across from Northside Elementary School, belonging to Brannon and Katherine Hurst.

In a letter to the director of schools and the board, Atnip wrote that "As you consider choices for property of a new high school there are several choices you should consider, the location, the lay of the land, access to main highways, availability to other land if needed, and later and final price."

Atnip, who represents the Hurst family, stated that "they have choice property for sale just across from Northside Elementary on North Congress Boulevard. The property could also have access to Holmes Creek Road (Allens Ferry Road)."

"This land has all utilities in front of the property, with the main sewer trunk line running near the property line."

"This land is level to gently rolling with good drainage. The board would also have availability to as many acres as they desire."

"Mr. Willoughby and the board need to consider more than just one piece of property in this important decision for the future of our county and it's taxpayers", said Atnip.

"The current property the school board is looking into, the site preparation of this property would run them hundreds of thousands of dollars. This does not include the sewer lines and a pumping station the school board will have to maintain for the duration of the life of the school. Not currently knowing if the current city sewer lines will handle the extra load of 800 plus students."

"I ask humbly for your consideration on this piece of property that I represent. Whether it be this property or not, I think we should think long and hard about the current property being sought."

Fifth district member W.J. (Dub) Evins, III said he became aware several months ago that the Hurst's, heirs of Alonzo Allen, had a desire to sell some land. "We were, at that time, still looking for real estate. Mr. Hurst contacted me a few weeks later and we talked for quite a while but the bottom line was he asked $25,000 an acre. At that time, I told him that you could call Mr. Willoughby and talk to him but I, as a board member, felt like that was not the kind of real estate we were looking for. It was way out of line with what our budget was."

Willoughby said the heirs of Mr. Allen also contacted him after speaking with Evins. "We rode over the land, walked over the land, and the $25,000 per acre is what was presented to me and in all honesty I told them that I did not even feel comfortable presenting that price to the board."

In response, Atnip said "I think that price is negotiable today."

Seventh district member Johnny Lattimore asked Atnip "Do you have any idea what the cost of the land would be today?"

Atnip responded, "not without you telling me what part of that land you want. Then we could arrive at a price."

Evins said he felt like it might not be proper or legal for the board to consider other property now since it is in contract negotiations on the Adams-Cripps property.

Board Adopts 2011-12 School Calendar

The DeKalb County Board of Education formally adopted the school calendar for the 2011-2012 year Thursday night.

Sixth district member Bruce Parsley voted against passage of the calendar saying he preferred a one week rather than a two week fall break next year. "I just think a two week fall break is a little long for our younger students. It puts a lot of parents in a bind. I've talked to a lot of elementary school teachers and they're not real fond of it because, especially your real little kids, if they cry when you drop them off to go to school. You're not in school very long. Then you've got two weeks and then you start back and it's the same, you've got to start all over again. Then you don't have very many weeks. You've got Christmas break with two weeks off again and then you've got to start all over again. I just think it would be better if we had one week of fall break and scoot our start time back a week."

In response, Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction for Pre-K to 6th grade and chairman of the school calendar committee, said that "We did do a survey that we sent out to all of our teachers and asked them about the fall break and how they wanted to set up the calendar. We based our calendar upon the survey results."

When asked by fifth district member W.J. (Dub) Evins, III why there is a two week fall break and only a one week spring break, Burklow explained that "At the high school, during that first semester, we have that first week (of fall break) set aside for high school students to come in and recover credit or improve their grades so that they have a passing grade. So we want to give them that additional boost fall semester so they do not feel like they are behind in the spring semester."

DCHS Principal Kathy Hendrix added that "we do have a good number of students who come during that first week of fall break and parents want us to have it (grade recovery) both weeks because they (students) get a lot of work completed during that time. We let them do grade recovery, credit recovery, Tiger Academy, anything they're behind in we allow them to do it during that period of time. Several students who didn't have passing grades at the end of the first nine weeks, the teachers submitted material for them to do during that period of time and at the end of that week, their grades had come up."

Director Mark Willoughby said that "it's been a big plus in the fact that students at the end of that first nine weeks, if they've gotten behind they can catch back up and they can start the second nine weeks without having a failing grade. That's where we catch a lot of kids up. They fall behind that first nine weeks, coming into a new school and everything. It's been very beneficial to us in the past."

Parsley then asked, "Is there a reason we can't do that (grade recovery) in just one week?"

Principal Hendrix replied, "we could but those students wouldn't have a fall break at all."

Director Willoughby added, "we're also concerned about getting teachers to agree to work that time, if they don't have any time off (for fall break)."

Parsley answered," but to me if you (students) had done your work like you were supposed to then you would have gotten a fall break. It's like you're rewarding and still giving them a fall break when they messed up to start with."

Under the 2011-12 school calendar, registration for all students will be Monday, August 1st. That will be an abbreviated school day from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday, August 2nd will be an administrative day

The first full day of school for all students will be Wednesday, August 3rd.

A system wide professional development day will be Monday, July 25th at DCHS and all teachers from all schools must attend from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

All teachers will report to DCHS for a system wide professional development on Tuesday, July 26th . All teachers will report to their individual schools on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday July 27th, 28th, & 29th from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day.

Students will not attend on Monday, Labor Day, September 5th.

Schools will be closed for the fall break October 10th-21st

Students will be off for the Thanksgiving holiday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, November 23rd, 24th, & 25th and for the winter break December 19th through December 31st. Friday, December 16th will be the last day students attend before winter break and that will be an abbreviated school day. Students will return after the holidays on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16th and for President's Day, Monday, February 20th.

Schools will be closed for spring break April 2nd-6th.

Students will not attend on Tuesday, May 22nd. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend. The last day of school will be Wednesday, May 23rd. That will be an abbreviated school day and report cards will be sent home.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 4th and Tuesday, March 13th at DeKalb County High School from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 6th and Thursday, March 15th at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School.

Report cards will be sent home on Monday, October 3rd, Thursday, January 5th, and Monday, March 12th.

AYP-EOC/Gateway Testing at DCHS will be Tuesday through Thursday, December 6th-8th and May 1st-3rd at DCHS and a make-up AYP-EOC/Gateway Test will be Friday, December 9th and May 4th.

ACT Test for the 11th grade will be Tuesday, March 20th

Writing Assessment for the 5th, 8th, and 11th grades will be Tuesday, February 7th. Writing Assessment make-up will be Wednesday, February 8th.

TCAP testing of elementary students will be April 26th through May 4th

(Stockpile Days) Professional Development/Instructional Days will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7th and Monday, January 2nd. Students will not attend on those days.

In other business, Director of Schools Mark Willoughby gave his monthly report on personnel.

Those employed since the last meeting are:
Paula Pinegar, educational assistant at Northside Elementary School
Sally Exum, educational assistant at Northside Elementary School (new position)
Lindsey Barrett, January Agee, and Anna Hitchcock, substitute teachers.

Transfers:
Amanda Trapp, transferred from substitute to educational assistant at Smithville Elementary
Thomas Maney, transferred from substitute custodian to full time at DCHS
Ray Robinson, transferred from DCHS custodian to DeKalb Middle custodian
Gary Good, DeKalb West educational assistant transferred to DCHS position
Angie Moore, Northside Elementary educational assistant transferred to DeKalb Middle School
Jennifer Lewis, transferred from substitute position to ESL educational assistant at Northside

Resignations/Retirement:
Crystal Gordon, Northside Elementary educational assistant, resigned
Nancy Young, DeKalb Middle School educational assistant, resigned
Ginda Kilgore, DCHS educational assistant, resigned

Leave of Absence:
Trena Curtis, teacher at Smithville Elementary, leave as requested

The board adopted a resolution recognizing food service staff.

The resolutions states that "Whereas, school food service staff members plan, prepare and serve students healthy meals that keep them growing and learning each day; and

Whereas, food service staff members rise early each day in order to prepare breakfast and lunch for students and staff; and

Whereas, food service staff members consistently strive to be cheerful and encouraging to students that they encounter each day; and

Whereas, food service staff members act as public relations agents in their communities spreading stories of success from the schools in which they work, and

Whereas, food service staff members support the programs of the school and happily contribute in whatever ways they are asked to help make their schools the best places for children to learn; and

Whereas, the Board of Education and the Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools, view the work of the school food service staff as critically important to the success of the school; and

Now therefore, be it resolved that this board acknowledges and expresses its appreciation to each school food service staff member in our school district; and

Be it further resolved that next Thursday, January 20th is hereby established as Food Service Staff Appreciation Day in all DeKalb County schools.

Director Willoughby, in a memo to the board concerning Food Service Staff Appreciation Day, stated that "a member of the food service staff has many important responsibilities within the school. They are required to arrive early to prepare for the day. They cook nutritious and delicious meals for our students and staff each day. Even though it is demanding and hard work, most of them have smiles on their faces while they are doing it."

"The food service staff is of great value to each school. We want everyone in the DeKalb County School System to thank school employees on Food Service Staff Appreciation Day, which is Thursday, January 20th."

In other business, the board approved an overnight trip for members of the Senior Beta Club to attend the State Beta Club convention at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville February 14th-16th.

The board also approved a contract with Emily Thomas as Speech/Language Pathologist for the special education program in the school system, subject to funding and need at the rate of $40 per hour plus mileage to and from her home at 38 cents per mile. The term of the agreement is January 3rd through June 30th