Charter CSD

WINTER 2010

Decatur High SLT presents scheduling work to CSD Board

Clairemont retreat helps clarify SLT roles

Spotlight: Julie Semones Glennwood SLT member

Winnona Park SLT seeks to help at-risk students

CSDCSDCSD

CharterCharterCharter

4

6

8

10

Meet fifth grade parent Julie Semones and read her thoughts on governing Glennwood.

Clairemont Elementary hosts the first SLT retreat to help clarify team’s Charter roles.

Decatur High School SLT takes its scheduling recommendations to the CSD Board.

A new role for RMS principal Bruce Roaden and a new chair for the Renfroe SLT.

2 Charter CSD Winter 2010

by Dr. Phyllis Edwards, CSD Superintendent

W hen we started down the road of becoming a system-wide Charter, no clear pathway appeared to highlight the way to go. The Charter System concept

was new and largely left to the imagination and determination of local school systems and their communities in terms of how to proceed. As we find ourselves now several months removed from the blush of becoming a charter, we find the real work has begun. Like most unexplored paths, there are ups and downs with steps forward and backward. Our hardworking School Leadership Teams (SLTs) are asking good questions of the system and themselves. The system is working hard to be responsive in terms of communication and providing resources. The implementation of a new role for Bruce Roaden as Director of SLT and Community Relations should demonstrate the Board’s commitment to our new leadership teams. The SLTs are determining the areas that need improvement and fleshing out where and how they can make a difference. The SLT at Decatur High School (DHS) has recently completed a two-year study to determine whether the school should remain on Block Scheduling for the 2010-2011 school year. It was on my radar screen three years ago to review the Block Scheduling and determine whether a different type of schedule might be more beneficial. However, when we became a Charter System, it seemed wise to allow the people closest to the students to do the research, surveys and fact finding to determine the best path as we move forward.

“We could use the help of our SLTs and parents to make their voices known about [further]

cuts to public education.” At a work session Tuesday, February 2, 2010, the DHS School Leadership Team Committee Representatives shared their process and findings with the School Board. It was a wonderful presentation. It is clear that the SLT took their charge very seriously and their decisions will have a real impact on the delivery of instruction with a different schedule. I think this is what the work of the charter is all about. While remaining a system and being concerned with how one decision impacts many others, there are issues at the school sites which can be tackled and solved. The SLT members can reach out to their school communities and parents to receive the input and certainly have the ability to solve school issues.

(Continued on page 7)


The Charter Process:

A Work in Progress

grade parent Julie Semones. “I wanted to sit back for a little bit,” she says, “and see what school leadership team (SLT) governance at Glennwood Academy was going to look like.” Semones was appointed to the late John Garrison’s seat by Glennwood principal Dr. Gloria Lee. “I was very honored and touched and hoped that I could represent his ideas in some small way.” She says her personal goal was to “to read as much as I could about what it meant to be a school leadership team member at Glennwood.” Julie Semones is also curious about how other SLTs in the Decatur school district are doing business. “We can run more effectively and efficiently if we understand what other SLTs are doing in areas like nominations and communications,” said Semones. “I like to collaborate and not reinvent the wheel if we don’t have to.”

Julie Semones

Charter CSD Winter 2010

“We need to give ourselves room to grow and be flexible,

adapt and change. We want this be a positive experience for everyone.”

Semones says the Glennwood SLT needs to be aware of how to make the Team as effective as possible given the short time that parents have children at the Academy. One way to do that she says might be to have a combined meeting with the K‐3 SLTs to better understand what’s going on at the elementary school level and to inform parents about events and programs at Glennwood Academy.

W hen the call went out to Glennwood’s Gator community for candidates for the

Academy’s new School Leadership Team, one person who didn’t volunteer right away was 5th

Spotlight:

4

Pictured: Laconia Massaquoi, Julie Semones, Lynn Holden, and Dr. Gloria Lee at a recent SLT meeting.

Glennwood hosts first SLT Listening Session on new 4‐5 Academy

G lennwood Academy’s School Leadership Team (SLT) was the first SLT to hold a Listening

Session on January 19, 2010 for community members interested in finding out more about plans for the district’s new 4–5 Academy. Rosser Program Manager Susan Simpson answered questions from those at the meeting, noting the current plan is still conceptual and more details will be available by the end of February.

“Plans now are still very conceptual, but we welcome ideas and comments from the community.”

‐ Susan Simpson Rosser Program Manager

Charter CSD Winter 2010 5

New DHS Schedule will be spotlight at February 9th CSD Board Meeting @ 6:30 pm

Decatur High SLT presents new class scheduling plan to CSD Board

The SLT’s scheduling work was inspired by an independent

project done by John Morgan, DHS Class of 2008..

A t a Work Session on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, Representatives of a DHS School Leadership Team (SLT)

Subcommittee on Scheduling shared their process and findings on this issue with CSD Board members. The work began two years ago based on an independent student project and has culminated in a recommendation by the Decatur High School SLT to transition from the current block class scheduling to a yearly schedule for all students. The DHS representatives will present their information as part of the Spotlight at the

Above from left: DHS principal Lauri McKain-Fernandez, CSD staffer Shannon Kersey and DHS SLT Vice-Chair and parent Dr. Susan Strickland present the scheduling

work to CSD Board members.

City Schools of Decatur Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, February 9 at the district office at Westchester at 6:30 pm.

“It’s clear that the [DHS] SLT’s decisions will have a real impact on the delivery of instruction.” — Dr. Phyllis Edwards


T he Winnona Park School Leadership Team (SLT) is continuing its search for BIG IDEAS from their school

community. SLT members are hoping to develop a plan from these ideas to help students who are struggling to be proficient at their grade level. The SLT is looking for suggestions that can be implemented in the 2010‐211 school year and that include the following:

Winnona Park SLT still seeking

BIG IDEAS to help students succeed

Certainly none of us know what the future will bring. We could use the help of the SLTs and the parents to make their voices known in terms of cuts to public education which are looming before us in 2010-2011. However, I am optimistic that the work of the High School Leadership Team on this important issue is just the beginning of many good things to come.

• Can be targeted to vulnerable students; • Can be implement with limited resources

or volunteer contributions; and • Can be implemented in a way that

generates credible evidence of effectiveness.

If you have a BIG IDEA that you want to share with the Winnona Park SLT, email Paul Ferraro, email: [email protected].

(Continued from page 3)


Oakhurst Elementary School Oakhurst Elementary School Leadership Team at workLeadership Team at work

Clairemont SLT retreat helps team clarify charter roles, partnerships

c lairemont Elementary School’s Leadership Team (SLT) hosted the first SLT retreat on a December 12, 2009. Members heard from

CSD attorney Debra Golymbieski on several areas: the role of the School Leadership Teams; grants and contracts; communicating with the CSD Board; and the formal and informal roles

“As an SLT member, “As an SLT member, remember that you remember that you also represent the also represent the City Schools of City Schools of Decatur.”Decatur.”

-- Debra Golymbieski Debra Golymbieski Attorney, City Schools of Decatur Attorney, City Schools of Decatur


that School Leadership Team members play in their communities. School Leadership Team members also discussed ways to partner with the Clairemont Elementary School PTA during the retreat. PTA Co‐President Tracy Heaberlin is an appointed member of the Clairemont Elementary SLT.

Charter CSD Winter 2010 9

V olunteer tutors work with students in

Study Island at Clairemont Elementary

School’s Math Academy. The Math

Academy, an initiative of the Clairemont School

Leadership Team, started its second session this

year on January 30, 2010.

R enfroe Middle School Leadership Team (SLT) members recently elected parent Peg Baumgardner as the

Team’s new chair and congratulated Renfroe principal Bruce Roaden on his appointment as the new SLT and Community Relations Director for the City Schools of Decatur. At its February 1, 2010 regular meeting, SLT teacher members Cheryl Nahmias and Lori Flowers presented a Spotlight on “How Reading became Cool at Renfroe.” In addition, team members approved advertising for parents to serve on SLT Standing Committees For more information on the Renfroe Middle SLT contact Peg Bumgardner, Chair, email: [email protected].


CharterCSD is produced by Decatur EDtv, a partner of the

City Schools of Decatur. We welcome your ideas and

comments and encourage you to share this newsletter with those

who may be interested in the work of the City Schools of

Decatur System Charter.

Please direct all questions and inquiries about this newsletter to

Andrea Berry, email : [email protected]

404.604.7672

Renfroe SLT elects new chair as principal Bruce Roaden assumes new district role

Update: System Charter Leadership Team

11.18.09 Work Session with the CSD Board11.18.09 Work Session with the CSD Board

T he City Schools of Decatur’s System Charter Leadership Team (SCLT) has met twice since the start of the

2009‐2010 school year. At the November 18, 2009 Work Session with the Board of Education each Team member shared the successes and challenges of their specific

School Leadership Teams. The second meeting, held on January 27, 2010 featured an informal discussion of ways to identify resources and improve the effectiveness of the SCLT. Two SLT members from each school are members of the System Charter Leadership Team.


1.27.10 Meeting at Westchester

Documents

Charter CSD