Latest news with #DevonHorton
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeKalb County Schools to break ground on new Sequoyah middle, high schools
DeKalb County Schools will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday for its new middle school and high school. Channel 2 Action News first told you in April when the school board approved the Sequoyah Middle School and Sequoyah High School project. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, board members and other school officials will speak at a groundbreaking ceremony at 2 p.m. The new Sequoyah Middle School and future Sequoyah High School will be on the same campus on Aztec Road. The schools will share some facilities, like the new sports fields and gymnasiums. Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach spoke with Sequoyah Middle School Principal Sedrick Anthony when the project was approved. 'People are excited, now able to see [it] come to fruition,' he said. TRENDING STORIES: Braves celebrate 20 millionth fan to Truist Park Woman says she was tricked when selling car online using Zelle Civil Rights icon, former Ambassador Andrew Young honored at tribute for his 93rd birthday The new schools are needed for the growing city of Doraville, but also encompass the Buford Highway corridor from Chamblee to Norcross. Anthony said the current student population is more than 90% Hispanic, with English as a second language. He said the new schools will reenergize students, staff and the community as a whole. 'I would say a significant investment in students that have typically been marginalized so have opportunity to say you're important and you're invested,' Anthony said. The final contact approved by the school board includes a $230 million education special local option sales tax, or E-SPLOST. The middle school is expected to be finished first in 2027 followed by the new high school in 2029. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Video of fight involving teacher at DeKalb school being used in investigation
The Dekalb County Schools Superintendent responded Tuesday to a video of students fighting a teacher that has gone viral. The fight happened April 22 at Martin Luther King Junior High School. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The superintendent said there was a verbal altercation before what was seen in the video and an attempt to break up a disagreement, Channel 2's Candace McCowan reported. The camera picks up what happened next, and it is now being used in the investigation. You can see the teacher being punched, others trying to break it up and then other swings from students and the teacher himself. Three students have been charged with battery and disrupting public school. The teacher is on administrative leave during the investigation. Superintendent Devon Horton and Principal Michael Alexander laid out what they are doing to prevent fights like this one, like mentors and de-escalation training. Horton spoke about the three students who are now facing charges. 'I don't support them being criminalized. I do not,' he said. 'Every student deserves an opportunity, right? And I will say they are some factors that we are aware of that could have prevented this, and so we are looking into that right now.' One of the students involved just moved to the district a month ago. He wasn't in the mentoring program. There were parents have raised questions about the incident, concerned about what they saw and what they want to see happen. TRENDING STORIES: UPS to cut 20,000 jobs 'Emergency message' orders Social Security withhold 50% of benefits for those who were overpaid 2 women stole nearly $500,000 from their former job, Dunwoody police say [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeKalb County Schools brace for potential federal funding shifts amid DOE uncertainty
The Brief DeKalb County School District is preparing for potential changes in federal education funding, particularly concerning programs like Title I and services for students with disabilities. District officials are considering cost-cutting measures, such as school consolidations and closures, to address financial uncertainties. Significant achievements were highlighted, including a reduction in student suspensions from 16,000 to 9,800 over the past school year. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The DeKalb County School District celebrated a year of progress Thursday night at its annual State of the District event, even as district leaders acknowledged growing concerns about the future of federal education funding. Speaking from the Fernbank Science Center, Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton told FOX 5 that the district is preparing for the potential impact of the Trump administration's proposed dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. What they're saying While federal funding for the upcoming school year appears secure, Horton said the district is bracing for the possibility of significant changes in years to come. "We do feel confident that for next school year our budget should be solid but beyond that we're not sure," Horton said. At the heart of the concern is how federal programs—such as Title I, which supports schools with high numbers of low-income students, and services for students with disabilities—might be redistributed to other federal agencies. While the administration has pledged not to cut such funding, critics warn that shifting these programs could disrupt the flow of funds to local school districts. "Of course we are [concerned], I think it would be foolish to say we are not, but we will be prepared for whatever comes," said Deirdre Pierce, Chair of the DeKalb County School Board. Local perspective In response, district officials are exploring potential cost-cutting measures, including school consolidations and closures. "The right-size fitting is not just because we don't have enough students, it's really about financial opportunity to make sure that we're not overpaying for facilities that we don't have to," Horton explained. "Potentially, it could mean [closing schools], it could mean consolidating, it could mean a lot of things—but reimagining how we do DeKalb County Schools." Despite the uncertainty, Thursday's event highlighted significant achievements from the past school year, including an increase in identifying Gifted and Talented students, an increase in school attendance overall and a dramatic drop in student suspensions. "We're down to 9,800 suspensions compared to 16,000 last year," Horton said. District leaders say they are also pursuing alternative funding options, including local fundraising and seeking grants outside of federal channels. "For now, all of us are in the same situation and we don't really know what's coming for us," Pierce said. "But just trust us to know that we will do the best we possibly can to support everyone." SEE ALSO: Student loans to be managed by Small Business Administration, Trump says Trump's Department of Education executive order: Georgia's education leaders react with uncertainty Trump signs order to 'begin eliminating' Department of Education DeKalb school officials approve $9.4M purchase of electric school buses DeKalb County considering 3 new sites for Druid Hills High School The Source FOX 5's Eric Mock attended DeKalb County School District's State of the District event hosted by Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton.
