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East Atlanta Community Association
January 13, 2014
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Please join us for our January monthly meeting tomorrow night (1/14) at 7 PM at Branan Towers.
The agenda will be as follows:
Welcome
Approve minutes from December meeting
Introduction of new officers
EACA goals for 2014
Committee updates and' last' call for committee members
Announcements and upcoming activities
Public safety
Land use and zoning
Adjourn
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It's a new year, which means it's time to renew your EACA membership!
Renew your membership or become a member today by visiting our membership page and clicking on the PayPal link.
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EACA is looking for community members who are interested in helping make EACA and East Atlanta even better!
We are looking for committee members for all of our committees, including Arts & Culture, Beautification, Communications, Land Use & Zoning, Membership, Events, Public Safety, Transportation, and others. If you're interested in serving EACA on one of these committees, please email president@eaca.net.
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DeKalb History Center Lunch & Learn: 20th Century American Architecture
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The DeKalb History Center will present a "Lunch & Learn" on January 21st with architectural historian Richard Cloues, who will present "After the Bungalow, Before the Ranch: The Small American House Phenomenon, 1920s-1950s."
Free - Bring your lunch! Tuesday, January 21st, Noon - 1 PM
Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur GA 30030, Second Floor, Old Superior Courtroom
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Jackson Cluster K8 Concerns
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As has been reported previously, during the fall, the Atlanta Public School Board discussed the possibility of a pilot K8 school within the elementary schools that flow into Coan Middle School (Toomer, Whitefoord and BPA). Originally, this pilot would have been planted at Toomer Elementary School, and APS discussed this possibility during two listening sessions. The goal of the Burgess-Peterson Academy Local School Council included a delay of this decision to allow for both the implementation of the newly elected APS Board as well as the education and inclusion of all communities impacted in this decision, given the tremendous impact this change would have.
As the fall progressed our goals were reached as the existing board agreed that the vote for this concept should be delayed until the new board is seated. Additionally, two community input meetings will be held in January along with the creation of a K8 task force comprised of the APS Board and the PTA Presidents, LSC Chairs and Principals of the affected schools in order to allow the communities to be involved in the APS Board process and decision.
The following three options represent APS Superintendent Erroll Davis' starting point for the Task Force:
- The least expensive option for the district is to convert all three elementary schools to the K-8 structure, consolidate them and house the newly consolidated school on the existing Coan campus. In its inaugural year, current Coan students would return to their campus, giving the cluster one K-8 school that serves the three elementary populations. Coan's effective 6-8 model would not need to be duplicated or redesigned, and the district would not need to make modifications to the existing structure. The bell schedule would be impacted, which could increase transportation costs. However, savings from the closing of the Toomer, Burgess Peterson, Whitefoord and East Lake buildings could be used to offset any anticipated transportation costs and increases. With the exception of Burgess Peterson, the physical location of Coan is an ideal distance for the elementary school communities.
- A second option would allow for a slower transition into the K-8 structure. Recognizing that some parents may not want younger children to immediately interact with middle school students, the current Coan students could stay at the East Lake building until they matriculate to high school. In the inaugural year, Whitefoord and Toomer would move to the current Coan facility as a part of the new structure. Burgess Peterson could be given the option to move into the building with Whitefoord and Toomer or of implementing K-8 in the Burgess Peterson building or remaining in their present format. This option alleviates some of the transportation issues, but it is more costly if the Burgess Peterson campus would need to be retrofitted to meet middle school standards. If Burgess Peterson chose status quo, the graduating students would be zoned to M. L. King Middle School.
- The district's most expensive option would be to convert each of the three elementary schools into K-8 models at their existing buildings. All three buildings would have to be restructured to meet the state's middle school criteria; the 6-8 models would need to be duplicated three times on three separate campuses and the district would have to creatively repurpose the existing Coan building in order to leverage the significant investments made by this community and its supporters.
Excerpt: Letter from Errol Davis, APS Superintendent, to Jackson Cluster Community, December 30, 2013 (Full letter can be viewed here)
These options do not reflect the position of BPA representatives. However, BPA LSC is seeking your input in helping make sure all issues and concerns, whether related to the current educational model of K5, 6-8 or K8, or those models proposed in the Superintendent's recommendations, are addressed as we move forward with the APS task force process. Please follow this link which will offer you the opportunity to voice your concerns as those BPA members on the task force want to make sure all voices are represented. Please frame your questions and concerns within the following themes:
Curriculum, Programming, Safety, Facilities
Furthermore, January 21st at 8 AM in the parents center of BPA has also been set aside to afford any concerned parent/guardian or community member the opportunity to discuss in person with an LSC representative.
Thank you,
Lewis Cartee
BPA LSC Chair
EACA Education Chair
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Fitness on the Beltline
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There's no better way to start 2014 than with free fitness programs on the Atlanta BeltLine, which rev back up Tuesday, January 21st!
New this year is the Nutrition Walk - led by a Registered Dietitian, with groups offered at several locations and at different times throughout the week. Of course, aerobics, FitWit, Trail Yoga, and Basic Mountain Biking are back! Check out the full schedule at our Events page.
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Friday Food for Firefighters
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 It's always a great time to deliver a meal to our local firefighters, and it has been a little while since they have had a visit!
Providing a meal means having a cooked meal to hand over to the firefighters at Station 13 on Friday evening. The firefighters request food without pork. A full kitchen is available to them at the fire station and they can heat something as needed. Meals should be delivered between 5 - 5:30 PM.
Sign up here (password is "friday") to see what dates are available for meals. You might think about sharing different parts of a meal with friends--one or two people might provide the main meal, another could provide bread or a side dish or dessert.
Please call Beth-Ann Buitekant (404-455-8746) for information or with questions.
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DeKalb 360 Security Patrol enrollment continues through Jan 17th
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The Dekalb 360 Security Patrol is operational as of January 1, 2014. The main goals are to reduce burglaries and address quality of life issues in portions of Beats 320 and 360 policed by the South Precinct of the Dekalb County Police Department. To become a member, you must reside within the patrol boundaries and be a resident of unincorporated Dekalb County.
The patrol borders are Moreland Avenue to the west and Glenwood Avenue to the north. The eastern border is Gresham Road until it reaches I-20, then I-20 up to Glenwood Avenue. The southern border to the west of Bouldercrest is Key Road. The southern border to the east of Bouldercrest is Weekirk Road.
Exceptions to the borders are the inclusion of the Boulder Walk and Parkview communities. The area just east of Moreland between Key Road and Hillcrest is excluded. The streets that comprise the borders are also excluded.
To become a member, visit the Dekalb 360 website. Enrollment will continue until January 17th.
For more information please use the following contact information:
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East Atlanta Security Patrol UPDATE | |
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. There is also a 20% discount for members of an APD-sanctioned Neighborhood Watch. Please contact the EASP if you are interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch on your street.
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:
- Call, text or e-mail anytime with immediate or ongoing public safety concerns
- Officers will check member locations as often as practicable
- Out of Town check for residential members
- All members will receive an EASP yard sign
If you have additional questions, please direct them to easp610@gmail.com, or call the EASP at 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:
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.
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| 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.
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