ICS Open Houses [Apr 29 & May 1]

CORRECTION: The second open house is TODAY Tuesday, May 1.

From the International Community School, our soon-to-be neighbor at the Medlock Elementary building:

The International Community School will be having two open houses to show our new school to those who have not yet been there.  We would welcome the chance to have our new neighbors stop in as well. 

The Open Houses will take place on Sunday, April 29th from 3 pm - 5 pm, and TUESDAY May 1, from 5 pm to 7 pm.  Preliminary work has begun at the school, and we are projecting that we will complete the renovation the second half of June. 

ICS Press Release: Fundraiser [May 5] & Walk-Through [Apr 29]

Special Charter School Coming Soon to Medlock Community

New neighbors representing 40 countries excited to bring global experiences to Medlock

New friends representing 40 different countries and are coming soon to the Medlock neighborhood. The International Community School, a K-6 charter school that has served refugee, immigrant and local children in DeKalb County for ten years, will be relocating to the building formerly used by Medlock Elementary School beginning with the 2012-2013 school year.  Having occupied space behind the Avondale Pattillo United Methodist church in Avondale Estates since 2002, the International Community School teaches some 400 students who speak 25 different languages.

The school will host its annual auction gala event to raise funds for the upcoming move to Medlock. The 2012 auction theme, “Sojourn to South Africa,” will feature a live auction, silent auction and entertainment, including music and a soccer ball juggling demonstration performed by students.  Come meet your new neighbors and celebrate with ICS next Saturday, May 5 for this special event at The Carter Center.  Tickets are $75 each and must be purchased before 9am next Monday, April 30.

Learn more about ICS and purchase event tickets online at: http://www.icsgeorgia.org

Contact:
Lauren Azoulai
404-499-8969
lauren.azoulai@icsgeorgia.org

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The International Community School is a K-6 charter and IB World school,

advancing the promise of America by cultivating voice, courage and hope

in refugee, immigrant and local students in DeKalb County, Georgia.

MANA was also informed that there will be Medlock Open House-Walk Thru this Sunday (April 29) from 2-5 p.m.


To review other ICS information on this website, click here.

Reminder: Regional Transportation Tax Focus of Town Hall at Emory [Apr 25]

Regional Transportation Tax Focus of Town Hall at Emory April 25

WHAT:   “Decision Time: The Clifton Corridor & Atlanta’s Transportation Future,” an Emory Town Hall with local government and transportation leaders to discuss the July 31 regional sales tax referendum that would support development of light rail service along the Clifton Corridor and transportation improvements throughout metro Atlanta.

WHO:  The panel discussion and audience Q&A will be moderated by local broadcast news reporter Sally Sears. Panelists include:

· Burrell Ellis, DeKalb County CEO

· Bill Floyd, Mayor, City of Decatur

· Beverly Scott, CEO & GM, MARTA

· Mike Alexander, chief of the Atlanta Regional Commission, Division of Research

WHEN:  Wednesday, April 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

WHERE:  Glenn Memorial, 1660 North Decatur Road NE, Atlanta

PARKING: Fishburne Parking Deck, http://tinyurl.com/FishburnParking. Additional parking also is available in the Lowergate South Parking Deck and the Oxford Road Parking Deck. http://tinyurl.com/EmoryTownHallParking

Emory University’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives, Bike Emory, and the Office of Governmental and Community Affairs, will host a special transportation town hall open to the community on April 25.

The Town Hall will feature discussion on the regional transportation 1 percent sales tax that the metro-Atlanta region will have the opportunity to vote on July 31. Panelists will address the impact of this referendum on the Clifton Corridor and Atlanta, as well as answer questions. Voter registration and absentee ballot requests will be available at the event.

The 1 percent sales tax is expected to generate $7.22 billion in the 10-county metro Atlanta region over a 10-year period and will be dedicated to specific transportation projects and improvements approved last October by elected officials representing the metro region. From this revenue, the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative is slated to receive $700 million to fund construction of the rail line and an additional $25 million for a new bridge and associated road improvements at Clifton and Haygood roads.

For more information: http://bit.ly/IY9EMt

A daycare must-read

If you have children in daycare or wonder how daycare is regulated in Georgia, today's AJC has an eye-opening report on how a menu of special exemptions allows a great variety of childcare providers to bypass the licensing process. The article includes disturbing vignettes of how one business owner felt "smart" in finding a suitable loophole and how another point-blank lied to AJC reporter Tim Eberly about part-owning a childcare business that handled its revoked exempt status by reopening under a new name.

The problem: childcare providers that strategically avoid meeting the definition of a "traditional" daycare program may be approved for a waiver that exempts them from basic due diligence such as running a background check on employees. It also exempts them from following best practices required for traditional daycares, which are extensive and outlined for various program types within the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) website as well as on DECAL's Rules and Regulations page.

Confirming rumors of Your DeKalb Farmers Market expansion

WSBTV reports that

"Documents show owners of the popular Your DeKalb Farmers' Market in Decatur want to expand their business to include more than 1 million additional square feet of retail and warehouse space...." Read about it @ WSBTV.

Emory sponsors Q&A on T-SPLOST [Apr 25]

Emory University will sponsor a Q&A on the upcoming T-SPLOST vote scheduled for next July.

As noted elsewhere, light rail is proposed for the Clifton Corridor; both Emory and MANA are within this corridor. 

Wednesday, July 25

6:30-8pm

Glenn Memorial Church [directions/parking info]

1600 Clifton Rd.

Click image to enlarge.

On the up side

The Atlanta Business Chronicle highlights positive economy indicators for the Atlanta area:

1. Per the US Census for 2011, population growth points to investment in urban areas (vs. exurban)

 ... from 2000-2010, Cobb, Fulton, Dekalb, and Gwinnett Counties added an average of 42,779 people per year, while the 14 counties on the edge of the region added an average of 57,425. From 2010-2011, however, the close-in counties added 55,168 people (up 29 percent from the 2000-2010 rate) while the edge counties added 21,077 (down 63 percent). At a finer grain level, growth in Fulton and Dekalb outpaced Gwinnett and Cobb last year by 26 percent, a stark reversal of the prior decade’s patterns. . . . the next 24 months are going to be all about close-in, lifestyle oriented product, and that looks like a trend that will stick. Whether hunting for land, raising money to break ground, or rehabbing existing product to take advantage of energy related tax credits, the action is decidedly urban.

2.  Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Georgia salaries were average as of May 2011 (annual pay of $42,590 vs national average of $45,230). This places Georgia 24th in the nation, bracketed by Mississippi ($34,770) and Washington, D.C. ($74,540).