Decatur BOE, Commission will discuss annexation
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education during its July 8 meeting. File Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
City Schools of Decatur Board of Education during its July 8 meeting. File Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education and Decatur City Commission will hold a joint work session on Wednesday, Nov. 12, to go over the city’s draft annexation plan.
That work session will include discussion of enrollment growth in the school system. The city’s current annexation plan would bring 1.6 square miles into the city limits and add 747 students. The meeting will begin at 6 pm and will be held at Decatur City Hall located at 509 North McDonough Street. All meetings are open to the public.
Most of CSD’s enrollment growth over the next five to six years will come from within the city limits. A recent consultant’s report concluded that enrollment will grow to 7,398 students without annexation.
The BOE is in the process of expanding its high school and middle school to prepare for the expected population boom. The BOE’s agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 11, includes an item asking the board to approve a design concept for Renfroe Middle and Decatur High.
According to the meeting agenda, “After Board and Community discussions and seeking staff and student input, it appears that on the DHS options (No. 1 and No. 3) are the front runners with No. 1 being the most cost effective and at RMS options (No. 3 and No. 4) with No. 4 being the most cost effective.”
Here’s a quick recap of those options:
DECATUR HIGH
Option 1 – Collegiate Courtyard concept
Cost: $55.1 million
Size: Will add 125,752 square feet for a total of 250,125
Option 3 – Collegiate Campus concept
Cost: $57.9 million
Size: Will add 131,835 square feet for a total of 256,868
RENFROE MIDDLE
Option 3 – Campus Green concept
Cost: $37.3 million
Size: Will add 150,844 square feet for a total of 223,750
Option 4 – Academy Emphasis concept
Cost: $34.7 million
Size: Will add 134,570 square feet for a total of 207,328
To see all of the DHS options, click here.
To see all of the Renfroe options, click here.
Superintendent Phyllis Edwards also released another updated enrollment report for Tuesday’s meeting. The report says the system is at 99.4 percent of projected enrollment with 4,336 students. Oakhurst and Winnona Park elementary school enrollments already are creeping up to what CSD considers to be “crowded.”
The BOE meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 pm at 125 Electric Avenue in Decatur. All meetings are open to the public.
Here is CSD’s latest enrollment count and a letter from Edwards discussing the system’s capacity issues.