WELLNESS
SCENE
SECTION B
$3,000 in grants are up for grabs for good ideas and projects that push healthy alternatives in Decatur’s Belvedere community. A7
Popular gospel artist Marvin Sapp will be singing live on March 18 at the signing of his new CD “Here I Am” at the Borders at the Mall at Stonecrest. A8
Families can meet camp operators and hear talented kids perform during CrossRoadsNews’ annual expo at the Mall at Stonecrest.
Healthy grant
Copyright © 2010 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
Marvelous Marvin
March 13, 2010
Summer Camp Expo
Volume 15, Number 45
www.crossroadsnews.com
Residents urged to complete and return census form By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Census Day is almost here and in the next two weeks, the questionnaires will be arriving in 120 million mail boxes nationwide. This week, DeKalb elected officials and the Atlanta Regional Commission stepped up efforts to remind people to complete and return the forms ahead of the April 1 deadline. The census, which is taken once every 10 years, attempts to count every adult and child living in the country. Its results are used to determine how more than $445 billion in federal funds – for everything from schools to roads to senior centers – are distributed to state, local, and tribal governments over the next decade. It also
affects representation in Congress and the Electoral College. The 10-question form is the shortest census form in U.S. history. Census officials say it will take just 10 minutes to fill out. It consists of questions about the number of people living in your home and some demographic information about them. On Thursday, Congressman Hank Johnson Hank Johnson urged residents of the 4th District and all Georgians to fill out and return the 2010 Census form. “Our community can’t afford to lose out on crucial federal funds and programs,” Johnson said. “In order to get our fair share
of funding for our community, we must count everyone. Our schools, libraries, community centers and so many other important programs all rely on Census results.” On March 15, census officials will unveil a 20-foot replica of the 2010 Census Form at Underground Atlanta. Atlanta is one of 13 cities nationwide displaying the giant form, designed to increase awareness and participation in the census by familiarizing the public with the questionnaire’s look and feel. In the 2000, only 67 percent of US residents responded to the Census, an estimated undercount of more than 3 million people. A recent Price Waterhouse Coopers report, estimates that the areas affected
by that undercounting lost about $2,913 in federal funding for every person who wasn’t counted. Johnson said he doesn’t want the 4th District, which he represents, to miss out. “I hope you all join me in filling out the Census form,” he said. “It is the best way to help our community, our schools, and our children. Join me. Stand up and be counted.” To pump up interest in the census, the DeKalb Complete Count Committee, headed by DeKalb Commissioner Connie Stokes, is kicking off its Census Caravans through hard-to-count neighborhoods this weekend. Stokes says everyone in DeKalb County Please see CENSUS, page A2
Schools targeted for closure, all from South DeKalb School targeted for closing
Curtis Parker / CrossRadsNews
Midway Elementary School in Decatur is on the list of 25 schools that are being considered for closing as a cost-cutting measure.
By Deborah Alberto
When the DeKalb School System’s budget axe falls on four to 12 elementary schools, all of them will come from south DeKalb County. The 25 schools being considered for closure include a dozen in Decatur, four in Stone Mountain, four in east Atlanta, two in Tucker, and one each in Clarkston, Scottdale, and Avondale Estates. The school district is asking its newly appointed 20-member advisory Citizens Planning Task Force to pick the schools to close by April 13. The school board will vote on the final closures. At a March 9 meeting to discuss the list and hear from the community, task force members said they had no input in selecting the schools on the list . They also
“Children are being targeted. They are the youngest and most vulnerable; and the area you are targeting is the area of least resistance. We’re dealing with kids here, not picking up garbage.” Bruce McMillan
said the time span to make the selection is too short. Bruce McMillan, a Decatur task force member, said he wanted to make it clear from the start that the list of schools was given to them by the superintendent’s staff. “No one here had anything to do with
the schools on the list,” said McMillan, who was appointed by District 9 board member Dr. Eugene Walker. “We were restricted.” The school district, which is facing huge revenue shortfalls, is under the gun to cut $88 million from its 2011 budget. It has targeted schools with enrollment of less than 450 for closure and consolidation. The enrollments of the 25 schools range from 264 to 632. Together they have combined enrollment of 10,869. School officials plan to close four schools by the fall and savings of about $2.35 million. They have not provided financial figures for individual schools but estimate savings at $500,000 to $1 million
School Atherton Bob Mathis Columbia Flat Shoals Kelley Lake Knollwood Midway Peachcrest Rainbow Snapfinger Toney Wadsworth* Allgood Dunaire Hambrick Smoke Rise Sky Haven Meadowview Gresham Park Clifton Brockett Midvale Jolly Robert Shaw Avondale * Magnet
City Enrollment Decatur 410 Decatur 313 Decatur 537 Decatur 348 Decatur 374 Decatur 277 Decatur 546 Decatur 283 Decatur 546 Decatur 434 Decatur 442 Decatur 166 Stn Mountain 453 Stn Mountain 441 Stn Mountain 632 Stn Mountain 453 Atlanta 272 Atlanta 313 Atlanta 264 Atlanta 397 Tucker 429 Tucker 394 Clarkston 478 Scottsdale 440 Avondale Estates 404
for each school. District officials say time constraints made it necessary for them to narrow the list down to 25 of the 83 elementary schools countywide. The targeted elementary schools from Decatur are Atherton, Bob Mathis, Columbia, Flat Shoals, Kelley Lake, Knollwood, Midway, Peachcrest, Rainbow, Snapfinger, Toney, and Wadsworth. Together, they have a combined enrollment of 4,676. Stone Mountain has four schools on the list: Allgood, Dunaire, Hambrick and Smoke Rise. The four schools in east Atlanta are Sky Haven, Meadowview, Gresham and Clifton. Please see SCHOOLS, page A4