Bulletin Board

The City Schools of Decatur BOE meeting recap newsletter is shared after each regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The May Board of Education meeting was held on May 12, 2026.

Meeting Agendas:

Pre-Work Session

Work Session

Regular Meeting

The recording, which includes the pre-work session, work session, regular meeting, and public comment, is available here.

Dr. Carmen Sulton, Chair

Mr. Hans Utz, Vice Chair

Ms. Lorraine Irier, Board Member

Mr. James Herndon, Board Member

Ms. Tracey Anderson, Board Member

Ms. Nia Batra, Student Board Representative (not pictured)

Student Board of Education representative Nia Batra administered the oath of office to Student Board apprentice Zoe Smith, who will begin her term as the representative in June.

Smith has served as the board's student apprentice over the past year, preparing to take on the role of student representative during the upcoming school year. Smith is a rising senior with an interest in computer science and data analytics.

CSD BOE student representatives and apprentices are elected by their DHS peers to represent students' perspectives while serving on the board. Kate Bell, a current 10th-grade DHS student, has been elected as the new student Board apprentice.

The board recognized one of our youngest rising stars, College Heights ECLC student Frankie Rasheed. When the Decatur Education Foundation launched its City Schools of Decatur Mascot Contest, Frankie created the winning College Heights mascot design.

This contest supports art programming across our district, and Frankie's artwork has already been featured at the district art show and on official "Mascots of Decatur" t-shirts.

Frankie's creativity has made a lasting impact on our community, and we are so proud of you.

Presenting Frankie with her certificate are her Pre-K teacher, Stacey Jones, and paraprofessional, Anna Grace Rittenhouse.

Noa Hagigi, a kindergartener at Westchester Elementary School, was named a finalist in this year's Young Georgia Author competition for her piece, "The Story of the Sticker Stuffies."

This award recognizes the most creative young writers in the state, and we couldn't be prouder of Noa's achievement. Please join us in celebrating this fantastic success!

WOAH (World of Asian Heritage) is a student-centered affinity group at Fifth Avenue Elementary. The group celebrates Asian American history, culture, and identity while creating a welcoming, empowering space for students from diverse Asian diaspora backgrounds. Through student leadership, school events, and community engagement, WOAH helps strengthen connection and belonging across the school community.

Student member Jaiden Samtani, group sponsor and facilitator Tagie Tate Perez, and advisor Davis Man are recognized for their leadership and support of this important work.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are excited to recognize the launch of the Student Center Ambassador Program at Decatur High School.

This leadership program empowers students to promote wellness, strengthen peer connections, and support healthy school environments through student voice and advocacy. Student Ambassadors serve as communication leaders, peer liaisons, and wellness facilitators while helping establish Self-Care Stations at both Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School.

We are proud to recognize the inaugural Student Center Ambassadors:

• Said Abdikadir

• Carmen Arias Rodríguez

• Ian Cobb

• Sara Cullen

• Nathan Mulatu

• Jihoon Park

• Karma Soliman

• Gerald Winkler

Congressman John Lewis was a legendary leader of the Civil Rights Movement, a key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, and a longtime representative for the state of Georgia.

In his final address to the nation, Congressman Lewis reminded us of the importance of building the Beloved Community — a nation and world society at peace with itself. He deeply understood that democracy is not a state but an act, and that building a just and equitable community requires courage, sacrifice, and action.

He challenged all of us to "say something, do something," and to get into "good trouble, necessary trouble" to redeem the soul of America. That spirit is the foundation of the John Lewis Good Trouble Award. These awards recognize individuals whose actions demonstrate courage, advocacy, and a commitment to equity throughout City Schools of Decatur.

This year's nominees were selected by their peers and submitted a video of their work, which a district committee reviewed for their leadership and service to others. Tonight, we proudly recognize:

• Jessie McNulty, Beacon Hill Middle School

• Vivian Carter-Cain, Talley Street Upper Elementary School

• Stephanie Clark, Transportation

• Vanessa Williams, Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School

• Jerome Tillery, Decatur High School

• Dr. Ella Harley, Wilson Center

Our district's Good Trouble Maker of the Year is Stephanie Clark.

Please join us in celebrating these outstanding members of the CSD community.

It is our distinct honor to recognize our retiring staff members. These individuals have dedicated their careers—and their hearts—to the students of CSD. While we will miss their expertise and presence in our hallways, we are incredibly proud to celebrate their legacy of service, totaling 293 years in CSD. On behalf of the district, congratulations on your retirement; thank you for making a lasting difference in the lives of so many.

Retirees:

• Carolyn Edwards, College Heights ECLC, 11 years of service in CSD

• Elecia Fulton, College Heights ECLC, 15 years of service in CSD

• Lynn Hanson, Wilson School Support Center, 24 years of service in CSD

• Denise Henderson, Westchester Elementary, 7 years of service in CSD

• William Hughley, Operations Department,18 years of service in CSD

• Lisa Johnston, Beacon Hill Middle School, 8 years of service in CSD

• Toni Olsen-Wilson, Beacon Hill Middle School, 12 years of service in CSD

• Regina Shipp-Jones, Decatur High School, 6 years of service in CSD

• Angela Spencer, Westchester Elementary, 21 years of service in CSD

• Kristen Tavel, Winnona Park Elementary, 24 years of service in CSD

• Julia Walsh, Westchester Elementary, 14 years of service in CSD

• Jackie White, Beacon Hill Middle School, 42 years of service in CSD

• Doug Whitehead, Beacon Hill Middle School, 23 years of service in CSD

• Arlethea Williams, Decatur Virtual Academy, 29 years of service in CSD

• Liz Williams, Beacon Hill Middle School, 10 years of service in CSD

• Greg Wiseman, Winnona Park Elementary, 29 years of service in CSD

Good evening. On behalf of the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education, I appreciate your in-person and online presence for our May Board meeting.

It is with immense pride and a mix of emotions that we thank Nia Batra for her leadership and insights, and for using her voice to amplify our students' voices this year.

Nia previously served as our first student board apprentice, helping to write the book for future representatives. After assuming the student board representative role this year, Nia has taken it to new heights. In addition to contributing during board meetings, Nia presented at district and statewide conferences and events. She worked with members of our legislative delegation on a state resolution urging all local boards to include a student representative. While that resolution did not pass during the legislative session, Nia successfully led the CSD board in unanimously passing a resolution she assisted in drafting that provides student immigration protection. She was also elected as the Southeast Regional Vice President of the National Student Board Member Association.

Additionally, we acknowledged this year's student board representative apprentice, Zoe Smith, who shadowed Nia in preparation for serving as the student board representative next school year.

Having a student serve on the Board of Education was an innovation envisioned early in this administration, in collaboration with the board. Student representation on the board is an objective that truly advances our strategic accelerator, "Building and Sustaining an Engaging and Inclusive Culture." Engaging the student body and seeking its input and feedback regarding the district's educational programs and activities advances our efforts to amplify student voice and is vital to achieving the vision, mission, and strategic plan.

Nia, again, it's been an honor and a pleasure serving with you. We congratulate you on being a graduate of the Class of 2026 and wish you the best as you continue to soar at Georgia Tech next year. On behalf of the Board of Education, please accept this plaque in appreciation of your invaluable service this year.

As we say farewell to Nia, we welcome Zoe Smith as the incoming 2026-2027 Student Board of Education Representative. Zoe was sworn in by Nia today, taking her oath of office. Zoe, we look forward to gaining from your insights and perspectives and to serving with you in the upcoming school year.

We also welcome Kate Bell, a rising junior at Decatur High this year, who will work alongside Zoe in preparation for her service on the board in the 2027-2028 school year.

We began the pre-work session with an important safety orientation, followed by several discussions related to monthly agenda-setting activities and board member information requests. These discussions aligned with our ongoing work to achieve the All In Decatur Strategic Plan objective of “Organizational Effectiveness and Excellence.”

There was also a draft policy on school utilization for continued discussion regarding school attendance zones.

After pre-work, the board transitioned to the annual legislative wrap-up luncheon, where we received an overview of the 2026 legislative session and the actions taken. The report reflected the status of legislation as of earlier today. The governor has until midnight tonight to sign or veto legislation.

Following the luncheon, the work session included four presentations. The first was on CSD's work with artificial intelligence, its impact in the classroom, and the ways Zoe, our student board apprentice, has been working to amplify student voice in AI policy development. The next presentation was an end-of-year update on the state of Student Support Services, including an evaluation of student attendance and behavior, as well as the integrated systems supporting students in career planning, future-readiness skills, and overall well-being. The board also received a Human Resources update on our current talent management and staff engagement strategies.

Later, the board will hear, for first reading, policies on emergency closings, the wellness program, and facility naming. These policies were discussed in pre-work last month.

During the regular meeting, we will vote on the FY27 tentative millage rate and the tentative FY27 budget. Two policies will also be brought for approval related to charter schools and parental involvement in education.

All Board of Education meeting presentations are available on the district's website in Simbli.

Our board recognitions will highlight several achievements by our students and staff. From the College Heights ECLC, we will meet the winner of the Decatur mascot contest for her school. We will also recognize the “World of Asian Heritage” affinity group at F.Ave, the finalist in this year's Young Georgia Authors competition, the Student Center ambassadors and this year's Good Trouble Awards winners.

Human Resources will conduct our final recognition of the 2026 CSD retirees. Congratulations to all the students and staff honorees, and many thanks to our retirees for your many contributions to CSD.

As always, we join the administration in recognizing this month's celebrations. I want to add that in May, we also recognize the national observances of the heritage, experiences, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Jewish Americans throughout history. As a school district, we remain committed to cultivating inclusive environments where every student is seen, heard, and successful.

There are just under two weeks left in the school year. I encourage families and the community to check the school newsletters via the CSD Weekly to stay informed about wonderful end-of-year events and activities.

But first, we look forward to joining the DHS administration, districtwide staff, and families in celebrating our DHS class of 2026. This is an exciting time, and I wish our seniors the very best and continued future success. You did it!

I want to highlight a few important dates for the public:

• The next board retreat is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 12:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Agnes Scott College.

• Please note that the next board meeting will be held on June 2, 2026, which will be the first Tuesday in June.

As I conclude, I want to reiterate that as the Board of Education continues its discussions and advances public votes on the matter of the new Early Childhood Learning Center, we remain committed to leading with students at the center, listening with intention, and making decisions that strengthen opportunity and excellence for the long term.

Tonight, I have the pleasure of recognizing my 2025-2026 Superintendent's Advisory Councils. These individuals have advised me monthly, and their feedback and engagement have been extremely beneficial in informing my service to the students and staff in CSD and the Decatur community.

My sincerest appreciation to all of the members of the advisory councils who accepted my invitation to join us this evening for recognition. Please stand and remain standing when I call the name of your advisory council. Members of the Teacher Advisory Council, please stand. Members of the System Charter Leadership Team, otherwise known as SCLT, please stand. Members of the Support Staff Advisory, please stand. Members of the PTO/PTA/DEF/Booster and Decatur Performs Advisory, please stand. And now, to my most insightful advisory groups: members of the 6-12 and K-5 advisories. I also want to thank the parents of the Student Advisory Councils for supporting their participation this year.

At this time, I want to call on Colin and Gerald to share their perspectives as participants in the advisory council and what amplifying their student voices has influenced this year.

Colin spoke about how he loved seeing opinions about the school day from the advisory group influence policies and rules. Some of the policies on which the group provided feedback were the K-8 use of electronic devices by students and the policies on recess and unstructured break time. He said he learned that Georgia actually has a law that protects recess times.

Colin said, "After meetings, we also learned about district safety, how things work at the Wilson Center, text procedures, budgeting for PSD, and new laws that affect the districts. For example, we learned that there is a law requiring the cafeteria to serve grains, fruit, vegetables, and protein. The next day, when I went to get school lunch, I noticed the different food groups on my plate, and it made lunch a lot more meaningful knowing I was eating the right things to fuel my body.”

Gerald said he appreciated being invited to the table to provide student voice on district decisions. He said, “When I first joined this council, I wanted to be more than just a voice to bring in related problems. I wanted to be part of the solution. Being a student leader is about more than just having a seat at the decision table. It's about taking responsibility for making that table bigger, more representative, and more effective for everyone.”

Gerald went on, "I also believe that our physical environment reflects much of how we value our students. After noticing persistent issues of broken bathroom doors and non-functioning showers at the high school, I knew we needed a better system than just waiting for everyone to notice. Working with administrators, I developed a streamlined reporting process that allows students to flag repairs quickly and efficiently to ensure our facilities remain functional, safe, and respectful.”

Thank you, Colin and Gerald. I've appreciated our monthly interactions and look forward to meeting your successors in the fall. I'm also pleased to mention that Gerald will attend Emory University next year.

Deputy Superintendent Karen Newton-Scott presented the results of this year's SAT School Day.

SAT School Day Administration Presentation

In addition to the end of another school year, this month, we join the American Nurses Association in celebrating our incredible school nurses, who understand the link between health and learning to make a positive difference for students every day. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder of the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being. We want to remind our school community that support and resources are available to students and staff to help them overcome challenges. In fact, this assistance can begin tomorrow, May 13, at 4:30 p.m. at the Decatur Housing Authority Community Resource Center, where the Division of Student Support Services will host a parent workshop to empower parents and guardians with tools to increase their awareness of mental health and support student wellness. Registration is required, and dinner is included.

We also celebrated Principals' Day, specifically their dedication to leading our schools and their contributions to ensuring all students feel safe, seen, and successful.

Teacher Appreciation Week was May 4-8. CSD proudly joined the state of Georgia in celebrating our teachers. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the teachers in CSD. You inspire students every day with the new ways you find to engage our youngest learners, as well as our K-5 students and older learners in middle and high school. Again, thank you for being "All In" and committed to student success in all areas.

We are just four days away from the culminating event of every school year. As we prepare to send the graduates of the Decatur High School class of 2026 into their next chapters, we will continue to honor our teachers, school administrators, school and district staff and the families and supporters of our graduating seniors for our collective success in nurturing future-focused scholars.

The 2026 commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 16, at Georgia State University. Congratulations to the class of 2026 on this milestone achievement.

But first, we look forward to celebrating our 2026 CSD retirees. As they prepare to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, we sincerely thank our retirees for their collective 293 years of dedicated service to our students, staff, and schools.

The recording, which includes the pre-work session, work session, regular meeting, and public comment, is available here.

The regular meeting agenda was amended to remove this item. It was deferred to a future work session for additional review and discussion.

The board approved the tentative Fiscal Year 2027 budget, presented by Dr. Lonita Broome, Chief Financial Officer.

All budget discussions, presentations, and actions are outlined in the annual Board Management Oversight Plan (BMOP).

Numerous and extensive FY2027 budget presentations and discussions have transpired, consisting of:

After the tentative approval of the budget, the next steps are as follows:

The board approved the tentative Fiscal Year 2027 millage rate of 20.30 presented by Dr. Lonita Broome, Chief Financial Officer. The proposed FY2027 millage rate is the same as the current FY26 millage rate.

The district has received the early preliminary tax digest from DeKalb County. Based on a millage rate of 20.30, the digest growth for real property is 4.99%, and the total digest growth is 5.30%. Digest growth at the current millage rate is sufficient to provide the district with the revenue required to fund strategic initiatives and maintain a fund balance between 4-15% as specified by board policy DCL.

Before the adoption of the final millage rate on June 22, 2026, the district will hold three in-person public millage rate hearings in the boardroom of the Wilson Center on:

• June 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

• June 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

The board reviewed seven contracts and moved them to the Consent Agenda for approval.

• Convergint for Winnona Park Fire Alarm System Replacement

• Approve the superintendent to enter into a contract with Convergint for the replacement of fire alarm systems at Winnona Park Elementary School for a cost of $108,156.00.

• 34ED, LLC (Centegix)

• Approve the superintendent to execute the second of two renewals with 34ED, LLC, aka Centegix, for Centegix CrisisAlert, Visitor Management, and Safety Blueprint services for a cost of $116,400.00.

• Infinite Campus

• Approve the superintendent to enter into a contract with Infinite Campus for a Student Information System and related services, including messaging, online learning support, and nutrition support, for a cost of $86,589.40.

• Renaissance Learning

• Approve the superintendent to enter into a contract with Renaissance Learning for online learning and data tools, including the eduClimber data tool, DnA assessment tool, STAR universal screener, NearPod content delivery tool, and Freckle Math and ELA pathway tools, for a cost of $264,217.99.

• International Baccalaureate (IB)

• Approve the purchase of sole-source services from International Baccalaureate, not to exceed $85,000 (budgeted in general fund instruction category - FY2027).

• Communities in Schools of Atlanta, Inc. (CIS)

• Approve the superintendent to enter into a contract with Communities in Schools of Atlanta for the continued provision of integrated and comprehensive dropout-prevention programming that surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The total contract for the 2026–2027 school year is $210,000.

• Invitation To Bid (ITB) 26-004 Interior Painting Services

• Approve the award of ITB #26-004 Interior Painting Services to A&D Painting and CertaPro utilizing a multiple-award approach for summer 2026 interior painting projects at Decatur High School, Beacon Hill Middle School, Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary, and Talley Street Upper Elementary for an amount not to exceed $449,585.96.

The board approved the following consent items:

• March 2026 Financial Reports

• March 2026 School Nutrition Financial Report

• April 2026 Personnel Report

• Field Trip Approvals

• Contracts:

• Convergint for Winnona Park Fire Alarm System Replacement

• 34ED, LLC (Centegix)

• Infinite Campus

• Renaissance Learning

• International Baccalaureate (IB)

• Communities in Schools of Atlanta, Inc. (CIS)

• Invitation To Bid (ITB) 26-004 Interior Painting Services

The board discussed the following policies, which were originally on the work session agenda. These policies are now available for public comment:

• AFC: Emergency Closings

• EEE: Wellness Program

• FDC: Naming Facilities

The board approved the following policies:

• IBB: Charter Schools

• LEBA: Parental Involvement in Education

The pre-work session included a discussion regarding board meeting preparation and protocols, as well as an initial discussion about policy AD: School Attendance Zones.

The pre-work session portion of the meeting is available for viewing in the full recording.

The Board of Education heard four presentations during the work session preceding the Regular Meeting. These presentations included:

• New Early Childhood Learning Center and DHS Expansion

• Talent Management and Staff Engagement

• Student Support Services Second Semester Update

• Artificial Intelligence and Educational Technology

Due to time constraints, the policy discussion originally scheduled for the work session was moved to the regular meeting agenda.

The work session portion of the meeting can be viewed in the full recording, starting at 2:00:21.

Next Regular Meeting: The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for June 2, 2026.

Other Upcoming Meetings:

• Board Retreat: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Agnes Scott

• Budget Hearing #1: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:00 p.m. at Wilson Center

• Budget Hearing #2: Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at Wilson Center

Link to Join Board of Education Meetings Virtually: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/95614159391

Board Agenda(s): Go to Simbli to access the CSD Board of Education meeting agenda(s), supporting documents, and meeting minutes.

Public Comments: Click here for information on signing up to speak at a CSD Board of Education meeting.

Contacting Board Members: Email the entire board at board@csdecatur.net. Click here to view board member bios and contact information.

The board values hearing from members of our community. Each board member reviews and reads all emails sent by our stakeholders.

Georgia law governs school boards, and they cannot intervene in the day-to-day administrative operations of the school district, including direct staff and personnel matters. If you write to us with a concern about district operations, your message will be forwarded to the school or district administrator, who can best address your concern.

The board has also adopted a set of norms that govern our local communication protocols.

These include:

1. Emails to individual board members are shared with the entire board.

2. Issues and concerns received by the board and or individual members will be referred to the superintendent.

3. Board members will follow the chain of command and educate, instruct, and encourage others to do the same.

4. The board chair will reply to emails from constituents sent to all board members. That reply will include the superintendent and other board members on the thread, and the constituent will be informed that the superintendent or their designee will respond to the inquiry/request.

5. Direct all stakeholders' questions, input, or discussion to the superintendent, who will communicate them as needed to the board.

Email: board@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net
Location: 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371-3601