Parents at Morris Brandon Elementary School in Buckhead want to know if creating a charter school can address overcrowded classrooms and teachers being removed from their school because of the Atlanta school system’s “leveling” process.
On Oct. 13, parents asked a top Atlanta Public School official and a parent of children who attended a “conversion” charter school in Sandy Springs. Allen Mueller, director of Charter Schools for the Atlanta school system and Kim Rask, a parent who went through the conversion process in Ridgeview Charter School and Riverwood International Charter School, discussed the process of converting existing schools into charter schools during the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods. Ridgeview and Riverwood are both in the Fulton County school system. The meeting is held at Peachtree Presbyterian Church.
“I do not necessarily believe there are things you would be able to do with a charter school that you would not be able to do with a traditional school,” Mueller told the parents.
Charter schools are publicly funded but have a higher level of autonomy than a traditional public school. There are no charter schools Buckhead, and there are no conversion charter schools in the Atlanta Public School system, but Mueller said the system has more start up charter schools than any other school district in the state. About half a dozen Morris Brandon parents attended the Oct. 13 meeting.
“Tonight was to explore options and think outside of the box,” said Katie Mori, a parent with children at Sutton Middle School and Morris Brandon Elementary. “Several parents feel our needs are not being met.”
Mori mentioned that eventually the north Atlanta area would need a new elementary school and asked if a charter school was a viable option.
Mueller said there are several steps to creating a charter school. Plans would have to be approved by the local school board.
“Charter is an exchange of autonomy and flexibility for accountability,” Mueller said.
District 4 School Board member Nancy Meister and Seat 7 member Courtney English attended the meeting.
Meister said she attended the meeting to listen and get better educated on the subject. When asked if charter schools could address the needs of parents in her district, she said, “I think many things can address that. Charter schools possibly could be one of them.”
In other business, the council is considering asking developer OliverMcMillan to change the name of a mixed-use shopping center in the Buckhead Village area. It is currently called Buckhead Atlanta, but board members think that’s too generic.
“Buckhead is kind of a distinct brand,” council Chairman Jim King said. “For the people that live here, I guess it doesn’t ring right.”
Morris Brandon parent Katie Mori:
School Board member Nancy Meister:
