UPDATE FROM 4/28/22

The recommendation is in from the superintendent! The proposal is to keep Piedmont Heights in the Morningside Elementary building. Also proposed is to make the Inman building a new school for K-5, which would include students from Sherwood Forest and Ansley Park. The vote is yet to come. See the interactive map.

May 2 Board Meeting: First Read of Final Recommendations - read an article about the outcome

June 6 Board Meeting: Approval of Final Recommendations

Thanks to everyone who voiced your opinion during this process!

PREVIOUS INFORMATION

Thank you to Marla Johnson, communications chair for Morningside-Lenox Park Civic Association, for compiling the majority of this information! 

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) recently released two new scenarios that will alter school attendance zones to relieve current and projected overcrowding at the elementary level.

APS proposes using the Inman building as either:

1. A new K-5 elementary school
2. Part of a Springdale Park (SPARK) dual-campus school

Each scenario rezones some current Morningside Elementary School (MES) neighborhoods into Inman beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. APS is no longer considering Inman as a 4th/5th academy for all Midtown cluster elementary schools. (The almost-renovated building on E Rock Springs Rd will not accommodate current enrollment for the 2022-2023 next school year, and MES will continue operating at the Inman Facility for its current K-5 zone.)

Almost all of Morningside/Lenox Park, Noble Park, Johnson Estates, and Edmund Park remain zoned for MES in both scenarios. However, current Morningside areas northwest of Cheshire Bridge Road (between Cheshire Bridge Road and the Buford Spring Connector) and west of Monroe Drive (between Monroe Drive and Piedmont Park) are proposed to be rezoned into the new Inman facility and out of MES along with Piedmont Heights,Sherwood Forest, and Ansley Park. Below are maps in which you can examine the proposed new boundaries: 

• Midtown Cluster Scenario 1: Create a new Inman K-5 Elementary School 

• Midtown Cluster Scenario 2: Create an expanded Springdale Park (SPARK) dual-campus at Springdale Park (K-2) and the Inman Facility (3-5)

APS representatives stated that lines can still be adjusted before the Board of Education approves a final recommendation in June.  Please see below for several upcoming opportunities for engagement. Many thanks to the MES Go Team and PTA for compiling, consolidating, and disseminating this information. (In APS, local school Governance Teams - Go Teams - represent each school and have decision-making authority over the school's strategic plan, budget approval, school-based solution flexibility requests, and more.) 

Facilities Master Plan and The Midtown Cluster

The Facilities Master Plan (FMP) is a multi-year effort by APS to address long-term capacity needs while optimizing the facilities in the district. On March 2, the consulting group Sizemore presented APS Board of Education a comprehensive overview of capacity, growth, and facility utilization throughout the district, and recommendations to address these issues.

The FMP must address the challenge of overcrowding at many of the Midtown Cluster elementary schools (specifically MES and Springdale Park) and in Midtown High School. The Midtown Cluster has the opportunity to leverage a new permanent facility at the Inman building in fall 2023 to alleviate that overcrowding after the MES renovation is complete and returns to its home campus on East Rock Springs. 

FMP consultants recommended two scenarios for the Midtown Cluster elementary schools. Both involve some rezoning of current and future Morningside Elementary students into the new Inman facility.

Where Can I Find More Information? (Click the following links.)

• An Overview of Student Enrollment in the Midtown Cluster and Impact on School Capacity
• An Overview of Community Engagement and Midtown Cluster Scenarios Presented by the FMP
• Midtown Cluster Planning Page
• APS Facilities Master Plan Web Site
• Presentation - March 2022 Board Retreat Presentation
• Recording - Midtown Cluster Advisory Team Meeting (March)
• Recording - Midtown Cluster Facilities Overview (February - Midtown Cluster Principals)

Next Steps: Upcoming Meetings and Engagement Opportunities (All meetings are open to the community.)

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 — MES Go Team Family Engagement Committee Meeting – 5:30-6:30pm via Zoom

• View the presentation

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 — APS Midtown Cluster Community Conversation – 6:00-7:30pm at the Inman Facility  

• Engage with APS on the scenarios specifically impacting the future use of Inman

• Inman Facility: 774 Virginia Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306

• Regarding the March 22 in-person meeting, our PiHi GO Team representative had this to say: Piedmont Heights was well represented, and the issue of townhomes and apartments being moved out of MES was brought up. I would encourage people to provide feedback via the links on this page and highlight the impacts of Scenario 2 on families with younger children. Also complete this survey that collects data that will be presented to APS. English survey | Spanish survey

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 – Gathering at 6pm at the home of Ed & Shraddha Strennen (415 Wimbledon, Piedmont Heights) with APS representative Michelle Olympiadis. More info and to RSVP...

Sunday, March 27, 2022 – The Future of the Inman Facility / APS District 3 Community Meeting with Michelle Olympiadis at 2pm at John Howell Park in VaHi

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 — MES Go Team Meeting – 5:00pm via Zoom

• Agenda will include discussion with APS about community feedback on the FMP proposed scenarios.

• Presentation and Recording, plus FAQs.

Board of Education Timing for Finalizing Which Scenario is Approved

• APS Timeline

• March: Cluster Meetings

• • Share scenarios and get community feedback

• April: Community-Specific Conversations

• • Engage in local conversations through Cluster Advisory Teams and Go Teams, other community-specific meetings, NPUs, and Let’s Talk

• April - June: Review, Approve and Finalize Recommendations (Phase 1)*

• • April 15: Final recommendation presented to the Superintendent

  • May 2 Board Meeting: First Read of Final Recommendations 

  • June 6 Board Meeting: Approval of Final Recommendations

*The FMP recommendations fall into two phases: The actions in the Midtown Cluster scenarios fall into Phase 1, meaning they would be implemented in the 2023-2024 school year. All of the Midtown scenarios would be completed under the Phase 1 recommendations.

Where Can I Send My Feedback or Ask Questions? 

APS Feedback Form — To share feedback on Midtown Cluster Facilities: http://tinyAPS.com/?MidtownFacilities

APS Let’s Talk — There are two “hot topics” you can choose from when submitting your feedback. Choose “Future Use of Inman” or “Facilities Master Plan” https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/14240

APS Board of Education Members: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/11326

• Aretta Baldon (Board District 2, covering Centennial Academy in Midtown Cluster)

• Katie Howard (Board District 1, including Hope-Hill and Mary Lin Elementary Schools, and Midtown High School)

• Michelle Olympiadis (Board District 3, including Morningside and Springdale Park Elementary Schools, Howard Middle School, and Midtown High School)

• Tamara Jones (Board At-Large Seat 7)

• Cynthia Briscoe Brown (Board At-Large Seat 8)

• Jason Esteves (Board At-Large Seat 9)

MES Go Team: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/Page/52934 — MES Go Team member contact information is on the MES Go Team web page. The Go Team has been told that representatives from APS will attend the Go Team meeting on April 12. The Go Team plans to discuss community feedback about the FMP scenarios in this meeting.

FAQs regarding APS Facilities Master Plan (PDF)

Morningside Lenox Park Association's letter to APS regarding two portions of their neighborhood being excluded from Morningside Elementary (PDF/March 2022)