Niether plan presented balances the schools or solves the problem of overcrowding in the PTC schools. Go to the meeting tonight and look at the maps. You will be amazed.

I would like some clarification about the west side of PTC. Do both maps move Centennial to Kedron, but not any other west side neighborhoods? If yes, I would love to hear some explanations about the thinking behind choosing just one neighborhood in the midst of several others.

With so many students being affected, the process for choosing who has to move had better be logical and fair! The more I learn, the more it seems like last minute politicking affected the final drafts of the proposed maps......

I have seen the maps, but my concerns are in Fayetteville, so I don't know the answer to your questions. Sorry. I do know that the maps will be at the committee meeting tonight at the board of Ed. The meeting starts at 7, but you should be able to see the maps approx. an hour before. Tonight is the night that should end the committee's "involvement". The two proposed maps will be presented to the BOE for their decision later this month. The BOE is who needs to hear your concerns.

So far, only one map has been finalized for presentation; one more is still in the works.

The completed map that is being presented has Centennial (including the townhomes & The Manor), Cedarcroft, and the Camden apartments all leaving PCES and going to Kedron. The only neighborhoods from the West Village that will stay at PCES are Wynnmeade and Chadsworth.

How you doing Girl?

I yam what I yam...Popeye

How are y'all doing?
I've been helping one of my Fayetteville friends. She needs our help. Please vote for Mickey Edwards for Fayetteville City Council. He's a good man and for the people.

I'm going to try to go to the Tiger/Panther game! My Tiger family members haven't missed a game!

Go Tigers!!

I voted against ole Al last time, and absence hasn't made my heart grow fonder. Guess what, the hutch turned fifty today, I never really thought I would make it this far. I guess Mrs. hutch and the hutchette civilized me when I wasn't paying attention. Have a good one and we'll set up a place to meet at the game.

I yam what I yam...Popeye

Happy birthday, bro! Go enjoy a Foster's!

Just popped the first one now. Also the hutchette turned 15 today.

I yam what I yam...Popeye

We share a birth year.

It was a good one for Chevies and guitars.

("I get off on '57 chevies. I get off on screaming guitars.... I've got a rock n' roll heart."--Clapton)

And Sputnik.

Happy Birthday.

To all my friends here I want to say thanks for all the good wishes I have received today to let ya'll in on a not so secret secret, 15b years ago today my wife bestowed the greatest gift ever on me on my birthday, she gave me a wonderfull baby daughter who has restored my faith in the world from that time on. This child has graced my life and I feel so blessed that God has given me such a child. I say most times that I'm as religious as a rock, but mt daughter proves that there is a God and he is benevolent. She is the light in my life and not a day goes by that I don't that God for her, she is smart , funny, happy, kind, and every positive that you could think of. My band parent friends on here know of what I speak and I would like to tell my wife of 25 years that I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the gift that can't be topped.

I yam what I yam...Popeye

25 years of being a great husband and 15 years of being a great dad is apparent in this post! Thanks for sharing - and congratulations on your 50th birthday!

Happy belated B-day! Ahhhhh, to be 50 again! I no longer have birthdays, just anniversaries of my 29th birthday.

So nice to hear about a good teenager; and to sense the pride in Daddy's comments. Since the directions for raising good kids aren't on the heel . . .it's always nice to hear about the good ones.

Your love for your daughter is inspiring. I truly wish all children had parents as loving as you and would be valued as gifts from a good God.

How special to share the same birthday. Your daughter sounds delightful.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUTCHETTE! Enjoy learning to drive (Dad sounds like he'll be a good teacher)!

Hutch, wishing you another 50 years as blessed as the last 50!

That was nicely done!!!
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Very nice. Wish the hutchette a happy 15th! See you Friday night.

Happy (belated) birthday wishes to you and your lovely hutchette!

I asked Lil Chippie if he knew (yesterday) was hutchette's birthday, and he did.

You are truly blessed with a wonderful daughter, she is everything you mentioned and more. I'm glad Lil Chippie and she are friends!

Party On, Dude!!

cheers hutch!

I remember you mentioned your birthday was on Halloween. Well, Happy Birthday Bro!!!!!!! 50 eh? That's like too old for rock'n roll and too young for medicare. I know AARP will send some brochures soon. Don't take it personal!!!!! Here's someone that just celebrated their 60th. Enjoy the photo.

Brithday Photo
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

Ain't never too old to rock and roll. AARP already sent some stuff. See you Friday.

I yam what I yam...Popeye

Time to party.

I hope you have a great birthday! Remember 50 is NOT old! Celebrate!

Mickey Edwards appreciate's your vote! A lot of people in Fayetteville haven't missed ole Al. LOL

Hope it was a good one. My daughter turned 16 a month and a half ago. It's pretty scary to see her pull out of the drive every day. God Bless and good night, bro

Kevin "Hack" King

Another elementary school was needed, and you're right - it wasn't needed "in the country". The school that SHOULD have been built was in the West Village! The school board should have more aggressively pursued school site options on the west side of PTC. And yes, this committee was given the thankless task of trying to fix the mess the school board created.

However, from conversations with people on the committee, my impression is that these committee members worked very, very hard to make the best of the situation. One committee member said that her impression was that the consultant and the school board were a bit surprised at how vocal and determined the committee members turned out to be! I think they thought the committee would rubber stamp their ideas.

I think it is very sad and unfortunate that so many students will be moved next year (my children included). Don't be surprised if the ever-important test scores take a bit of a dip next year! We never should have been in this mess - the school board should have planned for and managed the growth in the school system better. Now a couple thousand kids will pay the price for the school board's prior mistakes (and for some/many, this will NOT be their first move in recent memory - such a shame!).

I'd like to clarify my comments about the parent board being a farce. Maybe "pawn" would have been a better term. I in no way want to minimize the time and effort these people put into the process.
Unfortunately though, the outcome was probably determined long before their first meeting. The school board used a well tested business tool in an attempt to shift blame from themselves to this committee.
Who really believes that anyone could have an 'epiphany' on their way to a committee meeting that East Fayette should be closed? We are smarter than that!
Should the new school have been built on the west side of the county?-Absolutely.
Should East Fayette be closed rather than remodeled?-Perhaps.
Should the tax payers of Fayette county believe that a citizens committee that met only a few times in a very structured environment had all the information necessary to make such an important descision ?-I think not.
Is it the committee's fault they were led like sheep to this point?-Absolutely not!
What can be done now? How about a little accountability from those responsible, not more spin.

I agree that the committee has been ill used by Sam Sweat and CW Campbell. The Sweat's children do not attend the schools they are zoned for, so I question how objective Mr. Sweat can really be in this procees when he may send his children to any school he chooses regardless of the lines being drawn. It is a shame that Mr. Campbell's epiphany did not come two years ago when the idea of building a school in the country (5 miles or less from 2 other ES) was decided on. Then maybe we could have upgraded East Fayette at a fraction of the cost of building a new school. I want someone to tell me where the county plans on building the next school when Fayette County starts to attract new people again in a few years and they have closed one school that nobody thought needed to be closed until they realized they built the new school in the wrong place. I find it ironic that our school board so carelessly spends our tax money at a time when our county is not growing and our property values are decreasing. Maybe our "leaders" need to be replaced with people who understand that money doesn't grow on trees and that the Fayette County tax payer is tired of supporting their epiphanies and whims.This process started because we, the taxpayers, were told that our children were overcrowded and needed to have more space. This process has been hijacked by Sam Sweat and CW Campbell in order to justify a huge error in judgement. Well, I say that the mistake is made now and that there is no need to push this problem of "overcrowding" down the road a few years. Keep East Fayette open and let Inman come on line with a lower population until the people move in that the builders keep expecting. If the original expectations of county growth become true then Inman will be needed soon and the redistricting of an entire school's student body to the other schools now just to fill Inman will cause us to need another building sooner or this line drawing nightmare will have to be done again TOO SOON. Logic, tells you that if a major concern for our educators is space and money then the school board does not need to close a building or spend any money on new buildings again until they have truly done their homework. I encourage the school board members to limit the mistakes to just one instead two. East Fayette is a wonderful asset to the children within its district. You will be not be doing us any favors by closing East Fayette. The community within a school is more important than any building. Don't alter the communities of so many schools just because you jumped the gun on building a school that will one day soon be needed. Consider the extra space a rare blessing that will allow the county to welcome new families without the need to build another school to alleviate overcrowding. The effort spent redistrciting Fayetteville children needs to be spent on solving the overcrowding in Peachtree Schools. To all of you that are following this saga-- get ready for the school board meetings. Mr. Sweat may be able to limit your input and knowledge of the proceeding in these crazy committee meetings, but you have a right to be heard by the Board of Education that represents you.

When my child was in the 5th grade at East Fayette ES (now a 9th grader), the kitchen was gutted, expanded, and parents were told it "will be state-of-the-art and be a dream kitchen" for any school. So now that big-dollar kitchen upgrade was a waste of how much money?

What was the thought process that made it worthwhile to spend that kind of money on a kitchen that will only be used FOUR years?

I agree with a couple of posts here: #1 - Brooks Elem. should be considered for closing before East Fayette; #2 - The West side of PTC is in dire need of another school before even considering building a school 'out in the country' in the East side of the county.

very inpressive article you have written
please give it some thought to ask the news paper to put it in the paper

print it and hand it out to everyone in that subdivision
you make a good point and it reads very well
i have no children in school anymore but what you wrote impressed me

it might take you to act on it and be the voice for folks to get behind

shadowalker

Right On!!!

What I would like to know is that you mean to tell me out of the SHMES parent body, there was not ONE person who came forward and asked to serve on the advisement committee? I find that hard to believe. Especially when NOTHING went home asking for volunteers and the committee's alternative "Voice" was an actual Minter district family but was told that they would only go when the Out-of-District Voice could not be there? Who was responsible for choosing this person? I doubt it was the Administration at SHMES -- I would personally like to know exactly who it is that we are supposed to go and thank for this mind blowing decision that has been made that so many students will be uprooted from their home schools and sent to the four corners of the county. Great job ladies! You've outdone yourselves now!

I think it is interesting that apparently the PTO was supposed to choose the redistricting committee rep, yet it was never discussed, decided, or voted on at the PTO meetings. There were actually 2 parents who asked to be put on the committee. Both are zoned to Minter. 1 parent was just outright told no. The other was told she was the committee rep and then miraculously it was decided she was only the alternate and that she could only attend the committee meetings if our out of zone rep was absent. And apparently, our principal actually approved this nonsense! Our school loves to call itself a "family". Yet, we were informed of nothing and kept in the dark about everything. The parents of our "family" finally suspected we were being duped, so we asked for a meeting so our out of zone committee rep could tell us what was going on. Our parents were welcomed to a meeting our school with an armed Sherriff present and a predetermined "agenda" that was allowed to be discussed. Nice family, huh? Our alustrious PTO President told 2 of the parents in the audience that they were not allowed to speak(they must know something they don't want the rest of us to know). These 2 parents were told that if they said anything the meeting would be stopped! And I thought Hilary Clinton was on a power trip! Good job PTO Pres . . . now Minter is going to be torn apart!!!

You mean to tell me that an elected official - a parent who is supposed to do for the school what is in its best interests - went to two of the parents at an open meeting and told them that if they wanted to address the audience and/or panel, the meeting would be closed and cancelled??? Pardon me, but isn't our right to the freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution? And this person had the nerve to try to silence these voices? And an armed police officer was in attendance at the meeting? Sounds to me like the parents are the ones that needed the protection. An armed guard - that's the final straw.
And to find out that the driving force behind this farce was actually the administration of the school? Again - why think that an 'outsider' in the real district has the best interest of those families within the school lines? Oh wait - maybe that was the idea all along - nobody to protect, not one neighbor to answer to as to why their children are being uprooted.
While tearing the 'family' (ha what a joke) apart is not in the best interest of the students or families who have dedicated their time and talents to SHMES is a mistake, perhaps in the end result it's a blessing. I mean, do you really want 'these people' making decisions about your child's education.... holding secret meetings, controlling who can speak and when? What's next?
Unbelievable -