Druid Hills Charter Group to Refile Petition

The Druid Hills Charter Cluster group Monday night said it plans to revise and refile its petition seeking to establish a cluster of seven schools under its own administration.

Matt Lewis of the group's organizing committee requested that the DeKalb Board of Education provide written notification of denial of the group's petition in order that a revised petition can be filed. The board voted 5-4 Nov. 11 against the group's petition.

The group seeks to create a charter cluster of seven schools managed by a nonprofit organization, including Druid Hills high school and middle schools, along with Avondale, Briar Vista, Fernbank, Laurel Ridge and McLendon elementary schools. The school board has to approve such a request.

Fred Daniels, also a member of the DHCC's proposed governing board, wrote a letter to board Chairman Melvin Johnson and Superintendent Michael Thurmond on Nov. 21 indicating a plan to file a revised petition, Lewis said.

Kirk Lunde also spoke during the public comments of Monday night's Board of Education meeting. Lunde, who does not live in the Druid Hills area, is the chair of the Special Needs Committee of the DeKalb Council of PTAs. (He also writes a blog on school district issues on Tucker Patch.)

Lunde sought to clarify the "confusion" over the DHCC's petition budget, particularly $11 million in expenses that were in question at the Nov. 11 meeting.

"There was confusion about the approximately $11,000,000 difference between the revenues "earned" by the students and the expenses currently allocated to the schools. Please allow me to help clear up that confusion. Approximately $5,000,000 is for food service, transportation, and maintenance. These expenses are spelled out in the DHCC budget submitted on August 16. The other $6,000,000 is money "earned" by the students, but currently spent by the central office. It is money that does not go into classrooms, approximately 14%, " Lunde said.

Lewis and Lunde's full statements can be found on the Druid Hills Charter Cluster Facebook page.