During the redistricting process of 2011-2012 the topic of potentially turning elementary schools serving Jackson High into Kindergarten through 8th grade was not met with a favorable reaction from the APS Superintendent, Erroll Davis. However, this past summer this idea was put back on the APS Board agenda with Toomer as the possible location.

APS hosted one meeting last Tuesday, and will host a 2nd meeting today, Monday, October 28th, from 6 to 7:30 PM, at Maynard H. Jackson High School (currently at Coan Middle School, 1550 Hosea Williams Dr., NE, Atlanta, GA 30317).

The meeting is open to parents and community members of Coan Middle School and its feeder elementary schools, including BPA, to discuss the possible transition of Toomer Elementary School into a K-8 facility. If you have questions or concerns (see below) about this possible transition and how it would affect East Atlanta please plan on attending.

Why is APS now considering this change?
Why make such a dramatic change so soon after redistricting?
Would this decision mean the closing of Coan Middle School?
What is APS's vision for our cluster?
How will the communities of Coan cluster be included in the decisions?
Who will pay for this?
How will this affect your decision for your child's middle school?

Goals for the meeting include:

Complete transparency of process
Delay of decision
Cluster assessment and resolution supported by Atlanta Public School

Please direction questions to Lewis Cartee, Burgess-Peterson Academy Local School Council Chair and EACA Education Chair.

EAV-o-Ween this Thursday (10/31)

Come experience "The Deep", EACA's 2013 play in Brownwood Park

Far below the surface of the Big Blue floats a Drowned World where haunting beauty hides a sinister soul, shimmering light leads to infinite darkness, and the Monsters of The Deep reign absolutely...Do you dare test your sea legs?

The Deep will drown the forest of East Atlanta's Brownwood Park for six evenings--creating an immersive undersea world filled with sailors and sirens, whirlpools and monsters. It will be an experience not to be missed.

Thursday, October 31st - $10
Friday and Saturday, November 1st and 2nd - $12

The ship leaves the dock from the Brownwood Park Recreation Center every 30 minutes beginning at 7 PM on Thursday and 8 PM on Friday and Saturday. The last ship sets sail at 10 PM on Thursday and 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. The show will run just under an hour.

Advance reservations are strongly encouraged as there is a set number of seats on the ship. Last years' Druganacht sold out very quickly, so don't wait! Tickets can be purchased online by following this link:
http://draggingyouunder.wordpress.com/tickets/
Some of Atlanta's finest food trucks will be docked in the harbor, and various pirate favorites will be available to quench your thirst.

The Deep is a fundraising event for the East Atlanta Community Association.

Neighbor in Need Annual Pumpkin Sale - Ends Thursday

Don't miss your chance to buy a pumpkin and support Neighbor in Need--the last day to buy pumpkins is this Thursday, 10/31, at East Atlanta Farmer's Market. Pumpkins of all sizes are available and all proceeds benefit local residents who are helped by Neighbor in Need. We have small pumpkins great for cooking and large pumpkins for carving, ranging in cost from $5 to $20, depending on size.

Pumpkin Patch for Native American and Local Missions

This is the last week to visit our pumpkin patch, which features tons of beautiful pumpkins and other cool items from the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, NM. Proceeds will benefit both the Navajjo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI) and our local teaching ministries. The pumpkin patch is located at Oakleaf Mennonite Farm, 1088 Bouldercrest Drive, and is open Monday-Thursday this week from 12-1 PM and 5-9 PM. Cash only.

Bring the kids for photo opportunities and for a chance to meet the chickens, goats and sheep (and hopefully the newborn lambs!) as well. For more information, please call 404-244-0289.

Brownwood Frolic enters hibernation

As we move toward the end of the year as well as the colder months, the Brownwood Frolic will be hibernating for the winter. We closed out the 2013 season with a Halloween Frolic complete with trick or treating, apple bobbing, cider, and s'mores. There aren't many things that say East Atlanta more than cooking s'mores in the belly of a dragon.

The EACA committees of Parks and the East Atlanta Parents Network would like to thank everybody that participated this year as we worked to create fun opportunities for the community to use our neighborhood green-space. See you in the Spring!

New Unincorporated Security Patrol

The East Atlanta Community Association, in conjunction with the East Atlanta Security Patrol, is planning to start a Security Patrol for the adjoining areas of unincorporated Dekalb County. Here is a link to the proposed boundaries of the new patrol. These boundaries are not finalized. We need the community's feedback on whether you would be willing to support such an effort. Please respond to dekalb360@gmail.com or 209-878-7360 with your address and contact information if your household would support such a patrol based on the cost and general parameters outlined below. If we don't receive sufficient interest from an area, we could redraw the map to exclude your area. If we receive interest from areas not currently on the map, we could redraw the map to include your area. Be sure to tell your neighbors and friends to contact us as well in order to guarantee that your street or neighborhood is included on the final patrol map.

Proposed start date of January 1, 2014, with enrollment starting on Dec. 1st
Off-duty Dekalb County officers will staff the patrol
Officers will be electronically monitored to ensure patrols are effective
Hours of patrols will be based on community need
Patrol frequency in each area will be based on paid members in that area
Members will be able to submit requests for extra patrols when they're out of town
All members of the community will have full access to the patrol phone and email
Proposed cost for membership is $200 per year, $50 per year for senior citizens
Information will be shared continuously with DKPD, APD and the East Atlanta Security Patrol
Meeting at South Precinct in first week of December to answer community questions

Fall is here at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market

As the seasons are changing, so is the produce at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. Come out on Thursdays, 4-8 PM and enjoy the start of new fall vegetables. The market will run through December 12th, so don't wait to come out and enjoy the farmers, vendors, chef's station, music, and more!

East Atlanta Security Patrol Update

EASP The East Atlanta Security Patrol ("EASP") is an effort to enhance safety in East Atlanta. Specifically, off-duty Zone Six Police Officers will be hired to perform additional patrols within Beat 612, which is the police designation for the East Atlanta community, beyond those presently being performed by the police. The amount of time that the officers shall patrol will be determined by the level of support from the community in terms of membership. Since more members mean more patrol hours, we encourage you to share this information with your neighbors and East Atlanta business owners. Both residents and businesses must be within the City of Atlanta to become a member. Donations to the EASP may be made by anyone.

For the week of October 13-19, four crimes were reported.

Larceny on Tuesday October 15th in 1600 block of Glenwood (No report available at this time)
Burglary on Tuesday evening October 15th in 1700 block of Piper Circle - Residence/Front door entry,(1)Flat Screen,(1)laptopComputer,(1)Digital Camera,(1)Asus Tablet,(2)Backpack,$100,Jewelry,Clothing stolen from location/ No Prints
Burglary on Monday evening October 14th in 800 block of Flat Shoals Way - Residence/Front Door entry, (1) Flat Screen TV, (1) PS3,(1) Video Game stolen from location/ Witness stated she observed a light in color SUV pull up to the listed location and an unknown B/M exit the vehicle to knock on the front door. Witness stated when suspect noticed that no one was home (2) other males approached the list location and made entry. Witness stated the males then exit the location with the listed items and fled the location in the SUV/ No Prints
Burglary on Monday evening October 14th in 1600 block of Grace Street - Residence/Front door entry, (1) Flat Scene TV,(1)Laptop Computer stolen from location/ Prints

In addition to the general benefit of having additional police patrols at the time they are most needed, members shall receive the following services as part of their membership:

Immediate Access to Security Patrol Service
Call, text or e-mail anytime with immediate or ongoing public safety concerns
Enhanced Police Patrol Services
Officers will check member locations as often as practicable
Out of Town Check for Residential Members
Officers will visit the member household and if possible perform an inspection on foot
Indicia of Membership
All members will receive an EASP yard sign

To learn more about the East Atlanta Security Patrol, view updated news and notes or to enroll, visit the EASP website. There is a 50% discount for longtime residents and those 65+. To qualify, you must have lived at the same address for 20 years or be over age 65. We also have a 20% discount for members of an APD-sanctioned Neighborhood Watch. Please contact us if you're interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch on your street.

If you have additional questions, please direct them to easp610@gmail.com, or call EASP Organizer Myron Polster (404-954-1568).

Ongoing Meeting Schedule

Atlanta City Council, 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.

Branan Towers Bingo, 3rd Tuesday of the month.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

East Atlanta Business Association, 1st Monday of the month.

East Atlanta Community Association, 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Grant Park Neighborhood Association, 3rd Tuesday of the month.

Neighborhood Planning Unit-W, 4th Wednesday of the month.

NPU-W Land Use & Zoning Committee, 1st Tuesday of the month.

NPU-W Transportation Committee, 4th Wednesday of the month.

South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development, 2nd Thursday of the month.

Please view the EACA calendar here for more information on locations.

EACA Rewards

As a valued EACA member, you have access to our EACA Rewards Program. In partnership with local businesses, this program provides special promotions within the community when residents present their EACA Membership Card to participating businesses.

Current EACA Rewards Member Benefits:

Dance 411 Studio Due to popular demand, we are now offering our diverse series of Saturday Drop In Kids Classes as a monthly membership! For only $50 a month, your child can take everything from Ballet to Hip-Hop to Breakdancing every weekend! To see a full class listing please click here. If you register within the month of October we will waive the registration fee! Use promo code: CharterMember. Valid through 10/31/2013
PSS Injury & Wellness Center Dr. Edward Schneider, DC, CCEP, CSCS DBA - New Patient Comprehensive Chiropractic Exam (including Xrays if needed) for $30 ($185 value). Call 404.627.8998 to schedule your appointment today. Valid 8/15 - 10/31/2013
Parkside at East Atlanta - 5% discount off market rents plus 50% off application fees. Valid through 10/31/2013
Bound to Be Read Books - Get an extra 10% off the purchase of any used book (excludes rare/collectible books and special orders) through 12/31/2013
Completely Clean - $25 off initial cleaning for all East Atlanta residents through 10/31/2013
Park Pet Supply - 20% off all pet toys for dogs and cats through 12/18/2013
Homewatch Caregivers - 15% off all services through 12/31/2013
East Atlanta Copy Center - 10% off any order over $5 when you show your card through 12/31/2013
Max Eremine Photography - 20% off family portraiture and wedding photography through 12/31/2013
The Galish Group Insurance Solutions - Free Smoke detector just for getting a home and auto QUOTE, no purchase necessary, valid through 12/31/2013
Traci with an Eye Graphic Design - 30% off all graphic design services (limit one discount per customer) through 3/20/2014
Elder Tree Public House - 10% off on all food excluding already discounted food specials (eg., $5 burger night)
OMG! Cup and Cakes - 10% off
We Suki Suki - Sandwich + tea $5 (29% savings!)
Village Fitness - 10% off New Gym Membership
Big Daddy Dog Biscuits - EAV Thursday Farmer's Market Special - Bag of Dog Biscuits $4

Not a member? Join today! Annual dues are $10 per household or business per calendar year. As an EACA member, you can vote at EACA meetings on topics of interest within our community as well as show your support to East Atlanta.

If you are a business interested in participating in this free program, find more information here.

Email questions to membership@eaca.net.

Connect with EACA

If you're a Facebook member, be sure to become a fan of both the EACA Fan Page and the East Atlanta Village page, too! Click on links below to take you directly to each.

EACA Facebook Fan Page

East Atlanta Village Facebook Fan Page

EACA on Twitter

Contact Information:
E-mail: newsletter@eaca.net
Website: http://eaca.net

Submissions:
If you're interested in submitting an article to the EACA weekly newsletter, send it to newsletter@eaca.net by the end of the day on Friday. The announcement should be ready to distribute, with relevant dates, times, locations, contact information, and any images (optional).