Schools

Attendance zone boundary meeting Saturday at Grady

A roundup of Midtown school news you can use.

Atlanta Public Schools officials will hold a public meeting Saturday at to discuss proposed changes to attendance zone boundaries. The meeting is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. and Patch will provide full coverage.

On Friday evening, there was a spirited APS meeting at Coan Middle School to discuss its proposed closure as suggested by Superintendent Erroll B. Davis Jr. See East Atlanta Patch coverage of the event here.

The superintendent's proposal calls for the closure of 13 schools, including Coan Middle, the school that serves Edgewood, East Lake, Kirkwood and East Atlanta.

Find out what's happening in Midtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Davis, who released his plan March 4, recommended the kids zoned for Coan should be rezoned to attend King Middle School in Grant Park. Coan would then be converted to a sixth grade academy to serve the Inman Middle School in Virginia-Highland.

Coan parents and students vehemently oppose that idea. Davis will meet with stakeholders from the Jackson High and Grady High clusters on .

Find out what's happening in Midtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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The Inman Park Neighborhood Association released this week its position statement in response to the APS redistricting proposals offered by Davis

Re: APS Rezoning Proposals

Inman Park supports the Superintendent’s recommendation for the following reasons:

  • It keeps Inman Park in Mary Lin, Inman and Grady, and preserves our historic feeder pattern.
  • It affords Mary Lin its expansion
  • It creates a cluster focus
  • Provides additional middle school seats for the Grady cluster

We strongly recommend a location for the proposed 6th grade seats within the Grady cluster geographic area and are happy to work together as a community to find a mutually agreeable alternative :

  • Utilize temporary modular classroom space on the Inman Middle School property to facilitate the development of a permanent location.
  • Permanent location possibilities might include:
    • Expansion of the current Inman Middle School facility, or annex on an adjacent or nearby parcel
    • Alternative site within the cluster for a new 6th grade facility, such as:
      • rehabilitation of  the David T Howard school
      • construction of a new facility on a yet to be determined site

Inman Park strongly supports the following:

  1. Cluster Focus: Work together across neighborhoods and schools for a stronger, coherent  Grady cluster consisting of the following feeder elementary schools: Morningside (in its current form), Springdale Park, Mary Lin, Hope-Hill and Centennial Place.
  2. Support the requirements of special needs and gifted students in any implementation plan.
  3. Eliminate administrative transfers to overcrowded schools.

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was among four Georgia schools commended by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle this past week for their efforts to be green.

Springdale Park, which is located in Druid Hills, and three others were nominated to represent Georgia in the National Green Ribbon Schools contest, launched this year by the U.S. Dept. of Education to award conservation-minded schools. The other Georgia schools are Arabia Mountain High School in DeKalb County, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School in Milton and the Savannah Country Day School.

According to a press release from the Georgia Dept. of Education, Springdale Park can win up to $10,000 — pledged by the Turner Foundation — if it is one of the schools recognized with a National Green Ribbon.

The Green Ribbon program draws attention to schools that promote the "three pillars" of green school activity — 1. Optimal efficiency in energy, water and waste management; 2. Healthy students and school environment; and 3. Environmental education.

"In these challenging times, school systems across the state are embracing innovative ideas to reduce costs and focus on the classrooms where students learn," Lt. Gov. Cagle said during a commendation Monday at the State Capitol Building. "I'm proud to launch the National Green Ribbon Schools contest to recognize Georgia schools that are implementing groundbreaking tools to reduce their energy costs."

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Finally, if you have a rising ninth grader or know someone who does, make sure to take advantage of Grady’s spring campus tours. They begin in the cafeteria and include an overview of Grady and a comprehensive tour of the campus led by Grady teachers and students. The tours last about an hour.  

The dates are:

  • Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m.  
  • Wednesday, April 18 at 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m.
  • Saturday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

To make a reservation for a tour, please send an email to gradynextstep@gmail.com or call 404-802-3049 between the hours of 10 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.


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