Dunwoody residents - please dispose of Household Hazardous Waste - free of charge. Sat Dec 15th at GPC

Click photo above for larger photo.

Dunwoody Police shooting near Perimeter Mall.

Video

Dunwoody police say one of their own officers shot and killed a man after he sped through an intersection and hit several cars near Perimeter Mall on Wednesday night.

Investigators say officers were directing traffic at the intersection of Perimeter Center West and Ashford-Dunwoody Road due to heavy holiday shopping traffic saw a vehicle driving erratically headed toward the intersection. They were able to flag him down and divert him into a nearby gas station.

When officers approached the car, they say the man sped off and hit at least two other vehicles. Officers fired shots at the vehicle, and one bullet went through the windshield and hit the driver in the chest. The car kept going for a few blocks before coming to a stop.

The driver of the vehicle, who has not yet been identified, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured.

The incident is now under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave.

Dunwoody School Redistricting - long term discussion starts again.

Click here for the draft version of Dr. Atkinson's presentation to the Board on 11/27.  You can also find the presentation on the DCSD Website under Community/SPLOST IV or on Nancy Jester's site.

Notes of interest from report:

1.  House Kittredge at Midway ES during Austin Construction
2.  House Austin ES at Kittredge during Austin Construction
3.  Possibly move up Austin construction by 2 years to open 2016-2017 school year if bonds are issued to accelerate the project.
4.  New Austin Elem to house 900 children
5.  Recommended Dunwoody Cluster Attendance Lines after new Austin ES.

Dunwoody listed as most expensive real estate market in Georgia with an average price of $349K

 Dunwoody

Atlanta Business Chronicle by Jacques Couret

College Park has the most affordable single-family housing market in Georgia and second most affordable market in America, according to new data from Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC’s annual Home Listing Report.

In College Park, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home costs an average of only $62,080.
Jonesboro ($79,686), Augusta ($83,936) and Ellenwood ($97,850) also were among the 20 most affordable cities in the United States.

The most expensive Georgia market is Dunwoody, where a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home costs an average of $339,835.

Atlanta is the state’s ninth most expensive market with a price for the same size property averages $230,043.
Click here to see how your area in Georgia fared.

The average price for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Georgia is $169,625, compared with the national average of $292,152. The Peach State is the third most-affordable in the union.

Looking for some special kids to join me for a Magical Journey Experience at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus.

 
For the last several years the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association, Gas South and Feld Entertainment have presented a "Magical Journey Experience" at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus. The Magical Journey Experience is a special pre-show interactive experience for local children with special (physical or developmental) needs and their families.

25 family (four packs) of tickets have been made available to the City of Dunwoody for this event taking place at the Philips Arena on Friday, February 15th starting at 5 pm. These special children and their families will not only see the preshow but they also get tickets for the circus show that evening. I attended this event last year, filling in for the Mayor, and I can tell you that the preshow was fabulous and that the love and caring attention that was paid to the children was just overwhelming.

Anyway, I have about 20 family four packs of tickets (actually special registration codes) still available that need to be distributed and used ASAP in order to get the physical tickets mailed to you.   If you are a Dunwoody resident and have a child with special needs and you want to attend, please send me an email to John.Heneghan@DunwoodyGa.gov with your full contact information (Name, Address in Dunwoody, Phone & Email) and I will reply on a first come, first served basis with instructions on how to go on line with a special registration code to get up to four tickets.

Magical Journey Experience

Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus

Philips Arena
Friday, February 15th starting at 5 pm

Request tickets from John.Heneghan@DunwoodyGa.gov

Thank you to Gas South, Metro Atlanta Mayors Association & Feld Entertainment for making this great event possible.

Frontier Baseball League at Murphy Candler for kids with Mild Challenges - Registration is Open / Space is Limited.

Video

Several months ago I stepped outside my comfort zone and volunteered to coach my sons baseball team as he and a group of special boys joined together to play in the new Frontier League at Murphey Candler. Many of the boys, like Jackson shown above, had never played organized baseball and though eager to play, they too were far outside their comfort zone. Together the boys and I learned the fundamentals of baseball, had fun and the boys as a team encouraged and cheered for each others successes. This evening I just signed up to coach baseball once again.

The Frontier League at Murphey Candler Baseball is designed for kids between ages 7 and 12 with mild life challenges. Teams are very small with about 10 kids each and the league is divided into younger and older age brackets. Due to field space, there will be a fixed limit of just 80 kids this Spring Season, 40 for Frontier I and 40 for Frontier II. There will be a total of 8 teams, 4 in each league and all practices and games will be at 1:30 on Sunday's.

Spaces are still available for this ground breaking league and I would like to encourage anyone with a child interested in baseball who fits the medical requirements below to join.

For Kids With Mild Life Challenges like ADHD, Appraxia, Auditory Processing Speech delays, Dyslexia, and Other Executive or Sensory Challenges.

Additional Information:
Games Will Be This Spring Starting In Early March For 9 Weeks
1 Day Per Week Commitment on Sunday Afternoons at 1:30
Early registration rate before January 6th is just $115.00
All Counties Are Welcome

There Will Be Two Age Groups:
Frontier I Will Be For 7 To 9 Year Olds
Frontier II Will Be For 10 To 12 Year Olds.

All Experience Levels Are Welcome, Space Is Limited

For More Information Contact: Adam Wickley at 770-722-4837 Adam@SullivanWickley.com

To Register Please Go To http://www.murpheycandler.org Click on Register Now, Then Frontier

Dunwoody Police Department is tweeting all of its live calls today. @DunwoodyPolice #dpdcalls

Twitter is a service available on the internet and smart phones whereby you can send a text message to the internet and anyone can sign up to follow what you say.  Public two way conversations can be had and photos and websites can also be sent via links provided in the tweet.  The Dunwoody Police Department is cutting edge as I can think of no other department who uses social media to the extent that they do. 

If you are not on twitter and you want to see what this is all about, the Dunwoody Patch has dedicated a simple webpage to watch the tweets as they happen and it can be viewed here.

Light Up Dunwoody this Sunday from 3 - 6pm at the Farmhouse

News Video - Bob Fiscella, Blake Tiede & Rep. Tom Taylor

Sunday, November 18, 2012; 3:00 to 6:00pm

An annual community event to welcome the holiday season, Light up Dunwoody Christmas Village opens at 3:00 pm and concludes with the lighting of the tree at 5:45 pm.

A cozy warm atmosphere is supported by vendors offering treasures and refreshments.

The Cheek-Spruill Farm House is the center of activity Santa and elves will welcome children on the front porch reindeer with a Santa sleigh will be available for more photo opportunities. Bring your own camera!

Everyone is invited, and there is no cost to participate in this family friendly festival.Everyone is invited, and there is no cost to participate in this family friendly event.

Click for Facebook Event details.

Dunwoody Community Wide Thanksgiving Service to benefit the Community Assistance Center - Tues Nov 20th - 7 pm at Dunwoody High School

Tuesday, November 20th - 7 p.m.

Dunwoody High School Performing Arts Center
5035 Vermack Road
Dunwoody, GA  30338

Join me and my family on Tuesday, November 20th as eight Dunwoody churches are joining together to offer a unique, community-wide Thanksgiving service complete with music, inspirational messages and good cheer.  This first-ever gathering will be hosted by the Village Church in Dunwoody High School's Performing Arts Center and begins at 7p.m. Admission is free.

A group of Dunwoody clergy, which meets regularly throughout the year, came up with the idea for the special evening of thanks-giving.  The pastors' group envisions future annual services at participants' various home churches.

Pastor Wiley Stephens of Dunwoody United Methodist Church will give the message and other pastors will participate with readings and prayers. Doug Allen, from The Village Church,  will be leading worship, with band members from The Village and other participating churches. Pastors and churches participating include Wiley Stephens, Dunwoody United Methodist Church; Jim Reiter, The Village Church of Dunwoody; Brian Dale, Kingswood United Methodist Church; Mack Hannah, Dunwoody Baptist Church; Jason Whitener, St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church; Ed Fuller and Dick Game, St. Patrick's Episcopal Church; Msgr Hugh Marren, All Saints Catholic Church, and Jeff Jansen and Bryan Marvel, Dunwoody Community Church.

In addition, Tamara Carrera, CEO and Executive Director of the Community Assistance Center (CAC) will be speaking about the organization's efforts to help Dunwoody and Sandy Springs neighbors in need. A special offering will be taken to benefit the CAC's work to provide compassionate assistance and promote self-reliance.

Hope to see you there!

PS: Facebook is not my expertise but added an event to spread the word.  Thanks.

Tilly Mill Road Metal Plates are Gone, Road Repaired

Video

Dunwoody High School honors Ms. Debra Hodge after Thirty Two years of Service.

MS HODGE RETIRES

Please join the Math Dept to honor Ms Hodge

Thurs Nov 15th

4 pm - 6 pm

DHS Auditorium



Please view Invitation



In 1989, Debra Hodge moved from Kansas City, Kansas to Atlanta and was immediately hired by DeKalb County Schools. She was assigned to then Peachtree Junior High School. While at Peachtree, she was appointed Math Department Chairperson, she was trained by the County to become a Teacher Support Specialist, and was voted Teacher of the Year in 1996. Debra transferred to Dunwoody High School in 1999. Since arriving at Dunwoody, she has been sophomore class sponsor, JV football cheerleader coach, JV and Varsity basketball cheerleader coaches, and is presently the senior class sponsor. In 2005 she was voted "Teacher of the Year" at Dunwoody. Up until last year, she has scheduled students to sing or play on their instruments the National Anthem at all home varsity basketball games, and she has been in charge of the Senior Night for the basketball team.  She has tutored countless students of her own and students preparing for the Graduation Test. Debra Hodge has supported many of the team sports and is known for wearing her red hat at the games. Over the years she has mentored new teachers, students, and athletics. The results of her passion for teaching with high expectations for her students have yielded her students to either come back to visit or written emails proclaiming to let her know how well they performed in their college math classes. As well as being inspirational in their everyday life.

Debra Hodge wrestled with the decision about when she should retire because she loves her job, her co-workers and many of her students! On November 30, 2012 it will be "so hard to say good-bye to yesterday."

Dunwoody School System idea has a long road ahead.

Video

Current situation - Georgia constitution has locked the number of school systems whereby no new ones can be created.   Changing this requires a Georgia Constitutional amendment and "Only amendments which are of general and uniform applicability throughout the state shall be proposed, passed, or submitted to the people."   An amendment can be proposed starting in either chamber of the assembly, i.e., the House of Representatives or the Senate.   A proposed amendment must be approved by 2/3rds of the membership of each chamber before going to the state's voters for approval.   Once passed Statewide to allow cities to break away to form separate school systems, the City of Dunwoody would have to have a plan and a referendum actually break away.   If current school taxes were to be used for general operations, would additional start up costs be needed and to what level?  I am told DeKalb wouldn't have to transfer the schools over to us for free, instead Dunwoody could buy them at the appraised value if DeKalb was willing to sell or we could build our own schools.

As much as I like the idea of a Dunwoody School System and would be willing to work toward that goal, I think my wife and I will continue to devote much of our time in making sure that we are involved in the day to day education of our children.  Even if a Dunwoody system were in place, parental involvement both individually and collectively is what is needed to have a successful educational system for all children involved.

Dunwoody City Council recap Mon Nov 13th - Roundabout, GIS Tool and the Dunwoody School System

Video

There will be no video from tonight's meeting from me as I was having network issues with Ustream whereby it was kicking me off the system repeatedly time after time.  Hopefully the city gets its video up quickly and it should be available here when put on line.

There were no big decisions for council on Monday's agenda as most items that needed a vote have been discussed previously or were just common sense items.  For example, we voted to take over the top layer of street paving repair when a water or sewer issue is repaired by the county but they then have to wait for a subcontractor to be hired to repave the street. Dunwoody wants to be that subcontractor so that the streets are fixed to our satisfaction and it should drastically cut down on the number and longevity of the steel plates on our roads.

There were a number of presentations and discussions but no real surprising issues or votes.

The big issue of the evening was the Womack / Vermack intersection and the discussion on the intersection design contract that is already in place.  At the last meeting the City Council voted to pull all construction funding from both the 2012 and 2013 budgets to halt any movement on the suggested roundabout at Womack and Vermack by Dunwoody High School.  Months previously council approved funding for full design of the intersection and more than 50% of that contact has been used therefore I and most of Council (Shortal was against and Bonser was absent) agreed to allow that contract to move forward as originally intended.  The original intersection design contract was not specifically for a roundabout but instead for the safest and best design that the engineers could come up with for that intersection.  Future councils may or may not agree with the recommendation but it will be that design which will be vetted to the community to see it that proposal is a good fit for that location.  Doing nothing is always an option for council on capital projects if the engineering study recommends a fix that the community as a whole may not want. 

Besides the numerous public comments against the roundabout that we received, these two precious children from the Chesnut Charter Elementary School Robotics Team wowed the crowd with a suggestion on a mapped walking path (in the streets) of the Dunwoody North Subdivision whereby about Five Miles of streets could be marked off on light polls.  Once identified a Senior Citizen Walking Club could be started to improve the health of the residents.  Myself, and the Public Works Director will be meeting with them on Thursday for more information.

Talking of mapping, the City released the new GIS Mapping tool and it has a number of neat features including measurement tools and hyperlinks to Tax data.   Please check it out.

 http://gis.dunwoodyga.gov/apps/smartmap/

Finally, a discussion was had on the City of Dunwoody's Legislative Priorities for the Georgia General Assembly and the thought of a City School System was discussed.  In my four years on Council, I can tell you that this is the number one request of residents and that I hear it on an almost weekly basis.  This idea is not new, nor solely a Dunwoody issue as a constitutional amendment will need to be voted statewide in order to allow the number of school districts to grow as the number is currently locked.  The charter school vote passed statewide with districts downstate as well as in rural areas approving therefore education reform should be on the Governor's agenda in this coming year. 

Just as the bloat and inefficacy of DeKalb County convinced us that we could govern the City functions at a lower cost to provide better services.  The thought that we could do the same within our borders educationally would be a dream come true to many who believe a Dunwoody School System would be the ideal situation.

Local control, closer to the people may be the end game for Dunwoody but this is a statewide issue and our local lawmakers will need to find consensus among those serving in the general assembly.  Gents I wish you well.

Dunwoody Christmas for Kids needs your continued support.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR CFK PROMO!

Important Dates:

• We are currently registering families in need. Please contact Sgt. Espinoza to determine eligibility: fidel.espinoza@dunwoodyga.gov or 678/382-6913.

• NOTE: Family registration for the private Christmas Party will CLOSE once we reach our 55 qualified children maximum. However, we will continue to accept applications for local organizations and families through November 16, 2012 for gift assistance as long as we can accommodate.

• November 1 through December 6, 2012: Gift Collections at participating CFK Gift Drop sites.

• Dunwoody Police Headquarters will continue to collect CFK gifts for families in need through December 21, 2012.

• November 18, 2012, 3:00pm-6:00pm: Look for the CFK program at the Dunwoody Police tent during LIGHT UP DUNWOODY.

• December 8, 2012, 2:00pm-4:00pm: Join the CFK program at First Baptist Church Atlanta for our WRAP-UP Event. Individual and group volunteers are welcome to share some holiday cheer while we "wrap-up" our collected toys for each and every CFK registered child. Contact Deborah Parsons for more info: deborah@fba.org or 770/234-8347.  

  2012 Participating CFK Gift Drop Sites in Dunwoody

  

  Greetings Dunwoody!

  It’s that time again! The holiday season is just around the corner. Which means the Dunwoody Police Department and our CFK team is gearing up for Christmas for Kids 2012. Our team looks forward to this event because it's our way of "wrapping up" an already amazing year with something very near and dear to our hearts.
  
  For those who are not yet familiar with our Christmas for Kids program, allow me to fill you in on the "crown jewel" of DPD's Community Outreach programs. Christmas for Kids began in 2009 with the goal of bringing our community together to collect new and unwrapped gifts for Dunwoody’s under-privileged children. Once gifts are gathered up, the Dunwoody Police Department invites members of the community to join our CFK team for a "Wrap-Up Event" in early December to personalize a bag of individually wrapped gifts for each of the 50 or so children who will be honored at a private Christmas party later in the month. Santa himself (along with his Elves!) make an appearance at the private event to spend quality one-on-one time with our honored guests and to hand out the gifts. CFK is unique in that the Christmas party is an intimate affair for the pre-registered children and their families only. Keeping the party private allows our CFK team to focus only on what’s important – the children and the joys of giving.
  
  CFK 2009-2011 were a great success; but only because of the outpouring of support from Dunwoody’s citizens and businesses. Over the next few months, our CFK team will be organizing and planning for this year’s program.
  
  Now is the time to give back within our community! Individuals and businesses interested in supporting the Dunwoody Police Department’s Christmas for Kids 2012 program should periodically check our CFK webpage for more information on donating supplies and gifts, hosting a Gift Drop site, or just volunteering your time or talent toward our preparations.
  Here’s to another successful Christmas season of giving back to those who really need it!
  
  Yours sincerely,
  
  Sergeant F. Espinoza
  Dunwoody Police Department
  

  Christmas for Kids past Highlights:

  Christmas for Kids 2011

  
  In 2011, there was an incredible outpouring of volunteers and sponsors who stepped up and performed like true Christmas Champions! Our only wish was that everyone who came forward to help with CFK could have witnessed first-hand the joy and elation on the children’s faces when they received their gifts from Santa at their private party! We know for a fact that for most of these children, these will be the only gifts they receive this year.
  
  There were a couple of special moments during the 2011 program that we wanted to share with you because they really capture the spirit of Christmas for Kids. The first occurred during the registration interviews. A mother of three asked CFK for help. When we told her we could help, we saw the stress and pressure lift from her shoulders. She began to weep and could barely speak the words, “Thank You” from her mouth. The second moment came during the evening of the party event. A Dunwoody citizen had donated a very nice bicycle for a teenager and the plan was for Santa to choose the teenage recipient during the event. Santa chose a 14 year-old young man who seemed shy as he and his younger siblings came forward to receive their gift bags. Santa pulled the teen close and whispered in the young man’s ear. The teenager’s jaw dropped and he was smiling from ear to ear. We seriously thought he was going to suffocate Santa as he hugged him over and over again! Throughout the evening, this teen’s eyes were fixated on his new bicycle. We spoke with him later and he revealed that this was his very first bicycle.
  
  Time and time again, we hear Dunwoody citizens tell us how happy and proud they are to have us. Well as a matter of fact, the entire staff at the Dunwoody Police Department are proud to have YOU as our citizens.
  
  Thanks to each and every one of our volunteers and sponsors for your endless generosity and dedication. The CFK program would not be possible without all of our hard-working volunteers each year including the many members of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce, Dunwoody Chamber in Heels, Dunwoody Woman’s Club, and City of Dunwoody staff as well as many other volunteers representing families, businesses and other organizations within Dunwoody.
  
  CLICK HERE to view more photos from the 2011 event.
  CLICK HERE to see our 2011 Sponsors.
  

  Christmas for Kids 2010

  The CFK program for 2010 was yet another success for the Dunwoody Police Department and its many Holiday Helpers. Nearly 70 Dunwoody children and their parents were special guests at a private Christmas party where they enjoyed festive games, crafts, food, and of course, a visit from "The Big Guy" himself.  The Dunwoody Police Explorers and several local Girl Scout troops teamed up with Dunwoody volunteers and the CFK "magical" Elves to help spread cheer throughout the evening.
  Seven-year-old Rishi Gowda of Dunwoody was in attendance once again this year - not only with donations of his own birthday presents, but CFK toys he collected throughout his own neighborhood.
  CFK toys were also distributed to several local shelters, hospitals, schools, and churches in time for Christmas.
  We'd like to thank each and every one of our CFK Committee Members and their teams of volunteers for the countless hours they have devoted towards making this year's program a success. Christmas for Kids could never happen without the tireless efforts given by these very caring and patient individuals and organizations.
  

  

  

  CLICK HERE to view more photos of the 2010 CFK event
  

   

  CLICK HERE to view Dunwoody Patch news article and photos link
  
  CLICK HERE to view Rishi's 2009 CFK story on CBS news
  
  

  Christmas for Kids 2009

  
  Dunwoody Police Department's first annual Christmas for Kids can go down in the books as being an absolute success. The idea was to bring a little Christmas joy and happiness to a few of Dunwoody's less privileged children. However, instead of just a few children, well over 100 received a bag full of gifts and experienced a Christmas event that they are sure to remember for years to come.
  
  This event was only made possible by the tremendous outpouring of support from citizens, businesses, and neighborhoods. There were many individuals and groups who demonstrated what this time of year is all about and without them this campaign would not have been able to make so many children happy this Christmas.
  
  Christmas for Kids 2009 is just one of many community projects and campaigns that are to come and we are looking forward to working side by side with you in order to make our City of Dunwoody an even greater place to call home.
  
  A heartfelt thanks goes out to all volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible!
      
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  CLICK HERE to view CBS News coverage of the 2009 event
  CLICK HERE to view more photos of the 2009 event
  

Dunwoody Girls win 5A Cross Country Championship

Congratulations Ladies !!

Leading the way for the Wildcats was Alex Cameron, Kailey Williams, Ansley Heavern, Ann-Marie Sills, Erin Berger, Jennifer Hardister, and Kenzie Johnson.

Dunwoody High School Basketball Season kicks off tonight.

Above is the full 2013 varsity basketball schedule for Dunwoody High School.

Chesnut Charter Elementary School in Dunwoody Selected to Host Farm to School Meeting

What is Farm to School? Farm to School programs are wide ranging, from promoting local food in the cafeteria, to working on a multi-disciplinary curriculum that ties in nutrition education.  Come see the awesome things Chesnut students are doing in this area, and see how our garden has grown over the past year!

• When:  Thursday, November 29, 2012.  Tours of Chesnut Garden starting at 4:30pm. Stakeholders Meeting at 5:30pm-6:45pm in the cafeteria.
• Why:  Learn how other DeKalb schools are using their gardens as teaching tools and expand our county-wide Farm to School program.
• Where:  Chesnut Elementary School, 4576 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody
• Who: Anybody who is interested in participating in a DeKalb County Farm to School program. Parents, teachers, school nutrition staff, administrators, community members, Master Gardeners, farmers, organizations, government agencies, etc.

Light snacking will be provided by Dunwoody's own FarmBurger, newly opened in the Georgetown Plaza shopping center.

RSVP and Questions:  Contact Rosalie Ezekiel at rosalie@eparchitects.com
Find out more about Farm to School programs nationwide at farmtoschool.org and specifically at Chesnut Charter Elementary at the Chesnut Changers blog site.

Dunwoody High School Band Auction offers some great items and fantastic deals.

The Dunwoody High School Band NEEDS YOU!!

Our award-winning band (straight 1’s at the 2012 Marching Competition) continues to experience growing pains. Your participation in our first annual auction will help provide support to a growing organization. In addition to the on-going cost of managing the band (band camp, game day meals, scholarships, etc.), we are hoping to replace a number of aging instruments — some as old as 1972!

Thanks to so many incredible donations from around the Dunwoody community, we have a virtual (pun-intended) plethora of items! Take a look at our catalog where you will find a wide variety of very exciting choices. Then make a bid! Get started by clicking on My Account (also in the upper right corner of the page).

Let the Bidding Begin!

http://auctions.readysetauction.com/dhsband/home

As you’ll see in the catalog, we have been blessed with a wide variety of exciting auction items. Please wander through everything! Then make a bid. Remember, all proceeds directly benefit the Dunwoody High School Band, so don’t hold back!

Thank you in advance for your support in making our first auction a brilliant success!

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday Nov 12th

Monday, November 12th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East

Dunwoody, GA 30346
5:00 p.m. Special Called Meeting

6:00 p.m. - Work Session

7:00 p.m. - Voting Agenda
Watch Live at 7 pm

5 pm - Discussion of Performance Review Process for City Manager and City Clerk.
6 pm - Discussion of Intergovernmental Agreement for Aerial Imagery.

7 pm Main Agenda

Resolution Appointing Member to Serve on Urban Redevelopment Agency

Approval of City Council 2013 Meeting Schedule.

Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase Parcel A2 of the 19 Acre Property.

Presentation of Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody Financial Statements for the 2012 Fiscal Year Through 9/30/2012.  Doc 2

Presentation of Financial Statements for the 2012 Fiscal Year Through 9/30/2012.

Presentation of GIS Webviewer.

Approval of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody Proposed Fiscal Year 2013
Budget.

Approval of Intergovernmental Agreement for Aerial Imagery.

Discussion of Amendment of City Position and Compensation Chart Related to the City Clerk
Position

Discussion of 2013 Planning and Zoning Meeting Schedule.

Discussion of Intergovernmental Agreement With DeKalb County for Water and Sewer
Pavement Repairs.

Discussion of Vermack/Womack Intersection Design Contract.

Discussion of Methodology for Transplanting Trees from Dunwoody Parkway.

Discussion of 2013 Legislative Priorities.

Dunwoody Veterans Day Event - Monday 1 pm at Brook Run Park

This Saturday - Dunwoody United Methodist Church Holiday Festival has something for everyone.

Holiday Festival

Dunwoody United Methodist Church Holiday Festival
100% of proceeds support Habitat for Humanity

Saturday, Nov 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dunwoody United Methodist Church

1548 Mt. Vernon Road

Atlanta, GA 30338

(770) 394-0675

 Video from 2011

Dunwoody United Methodist Church will celebrate the season and raise money for Habitat for Humanity during the 21st Annual Holiday Festival on Saturday, November 10. All of the proceeds will support the building of two Habitat Homes in the spring of 2013.

The Festival will feature unique holiday gifts from more than 130 Artisans, delicious casseroles-to-go, a gourmet shop, attic treasures, photos with Santa, the “Book Nook,” a huge Silent Auction, “Kids Zone” activities and pony rides.

Dunwoody Cluster FTE Counts of October 2012

 Dunwoody Elementary School Zones

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) reporting refers to the state funding mechanism based on the student enrollment and the educational services local school systems provide for the students. For further information click here for the GABOE’s FTE General Information Guide.

Click here for an Excel Spreadsheet that outlines the FTE Counts for all DCSD Charter Schools (stand-alone), High Schools, Middle Schools and Elementary Schools

Click here to view the entire FTE database from the GABOE site.

	October, 2012	March, 2012	Diff	Capacity	Over/Under Capacity
Austin	647	649	-2	588	+59
Chesnut	471	445	+26	487	-16
Dunwoody ES	952	960	-8	1,136	-184
Hightower	776	705	+71	595	+181
Kingsley	587	566	+21	546	+41
Vanderlyn	778	711	+67	538	+240
Peachtree MS	1,339	1,315	+24	1,113	+226
Dunwoody HS	1,511	1,491	+20	1,242	+269

H/T to Dunwoody Mom at the Dunwoody School Daze blog who has the inside scoop of everything DeKalb County School System does in Dunwoody. Please follow her if you are interested in the schools.

Dr. Susan Rudnicki of Dunwoody discusses Bullying

Video

Bullying: A Societal Heartache

The social phenomenon of bullying has recently caught the attention of the media (again) in light of the teen suicides related to victims of bullying as well as the television news anchor who had been receiving emails about her weight. Bullying is characterized as a form of aggressive behavior that is intentional, hurtful (physical or psychological) and/or threatening and persistent. It has been a pervasive problem throughout society, though it occurs in more serious and intense forms today due to social media. Bullying has become more open to the public and more people jump in, creating a more catastrophic emotional impact for the victim.

Victims of bullying are prone to emotional, physiological, and behavioral problems. They are more likely to experience depression, loneliness, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and eating, a sense of shame and worthlessness, a lack of control, or posttraumatic stress disorder. In terms of physical health, they have greater likelihood of having colds, a suppressed immune system, headaches, and stomachaches. Certain behavioral responses to bullying include greater refusal to attend school, school absenteeism, and dropping out of school. Teen victims who engage in self-cutting and other suicidal behaviors, use drugs and alcohol, become promiscuous, or join gang-related activity are looking for acceptance from their peers, stemming from a feeling of desperation and emotional heartache.

How do we as a society tackle bullying behavior? First, we need to teach our children about bullying and what it looks like at an early age; that bullies force people to do things that they don’t want to do or that which makes them feel uncomfortable. We need to implement a climate of accountability such that the bullies receive consequences for the detrimental behavior (such behaviors ranging from name-calling and put-downs, hitting, threatening with intimidation tactics, and harassment). It is important that parents do not get sucked into the bully’s excuses and emotions as to the reasons for their behavior. There should not only be a discussion about their wrongdoing even if they become angry or throw a temper tantrum. Parents need to learn how to not be afraid of their children’s anger and remain consistent with implementing consequences, such as taking away electronics, phone, time with friends, etc. School personnel need to implement a zero-tolerance policy and follow through with sequential discipline tactics for such behavior. For example, a first bullying offense would lead to detention; a second offense to in-school suspension; a third offense to out-of-school suspension, and so on.

Another integral component to managing bullying behavior is to teach healthy social problem-solving skills to kids. They need to learn how to deal with their emotions without acting out behaviorally and without using control and intimidation tactics to get with they want (which has been reinforced either by getting away with such negative behavior or through social modeling from watching influential adults). Children and teens need to learn how to resolve conflicts by accepting compromise, sacrifice, sharing, and dealing with injustice — even when such values are emotionally challenging. Equally as important is that we need to encourage children to do activities in which they are successful (such as sports, band, drama, art) apart from their focus of social acceptance. These successes will lead to enhanced self-confidence, in fact for both bullies and victims, which in turn will decrease their desire to hurt others’ feelings.

Overall, bullies need to learn to accept responsibility for their behavior and that their shortcomings are not someone else’s fault. Similarly, adults should be mindful of taking to heart what their children/students tell them about being bullied and not downplay these social scenarios as “just being kids.” As a society, we can combat the frequency of bullying behaviors by modeling positive social behaviors for our children and by practicing what we preach.

SusanPhd.com
Dr. Susan Rudnicki
1705 Mt. Vernon Road, Suite E,
Dunwoody, GA 30338

Dunwoody High School Harry Potter Alliance Hosts Quidditch Tournament on Sat Nov 10th

Dunwoody High School Harry Potter Alliance Hosts

Quidditch Tournament

November 10th from 1-4PM

Dunwoody High School Football Field

On Saturday, November 10th, from 1-4 PM, there will be a community Quidditch tournament at Dunwoody High School. There will be games available for kids of all ages, from preschool to high school. 

All proceeds will go to Team Summer and Camp Sunshine, two Atlanta-based organizations that assist children with cancer. Food and carnival games will also be available, and the event promises to be fun for all attendees, regardless of whether or not they are fans of Harry Potter.

Dunwoody Positions Available - Building Inspector and Community Development Planning Coordinator

Building Inspector
Yesterday, November 06, 2012, 4:29:00 PM
Dunwoody, Georgia
Begin Date: Tuesday, November 06, 2012
End Date: Friday, November 30, 2012


The City of Dunwoody, Georgia, has an immediate opening for the position of Building Inspector. As a response to a steady increase in our workload, we are currently seeking experienced building inspectors. The responsibilities include, but are not limited to, inspecting various facets of residential and commercial new construction to ensure compliance with all federal, state and city codes. Extensive knowledge of plumbing, electrical, structural and framing systems, along with appropriate certification from the International Code Council (ICC) is a must. Code enforcement experience is a plus. Customer service knowledge and computer literacy are necessary skills.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: ICC Certification as a building inspector for residential and commercial buildings, plan review and property maintenance are desired. Experience working in a comparable position for a public agency or private sector employer will be considered. A combination of education and work experience is preferred. Experience should include good working knowledge of MS Office Suite applications, especially Excel and Word, and overall proficient computer skills. A self starter with outstanding customer service and organizational skills are required.

Salary & Benefits: Salary commensurate with experience; Insurance - Medical, dental and vision; paid time off.

A complete Please send resume, salary history, references, and cover letter to:
City of Dunwoody
ATTN: Community Development Director / Inspector
41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 250
Dunwoody, GA 30346

Resumes will not be accepted if sent by Fax or email. No calls please.

Community Development Planning Coordinator
Yesterday, November 06, 2012, 4:27:00 PM
Dunwoody, Georgia
Begin Date: Tuesday, November 06, 2012
End Date: Friday, November 30, 2012


The City of Dunwoody, Georgia, has an immediate opening for the position of Planning Coordinator in the Community Development Department. The successful candidate will be responsible for the administrative duties related to Planning & Zoning for the Community Development Department. Work involves skilled clerical and technical responsibilities for reviewing applications for licenses and permits, logging information into computer, maintaining records, work on special projects and sustainability efforts, prepares agendas and records minutes of meetings. Provide administrative support to other members of the department and back up support to the permitting technician. Work is performed under general supervision of the City Planner and the Community Development Director.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: A Bachelor’s degree (or actively pursuing) in City Planning, Urban Studies, City Administration, or similar course of study is desired. Experience working in a comparable position for a public agency or private sector employer will be considered. A combination of education and work experience is preferred. Experience should include good working knowledge of MS Office Suite applications, especially Excel and Word, and overall proficient computer skills. ARC GIS and Sketch Up experience are a plus. A self starter with outstanding customer service and organizational skills are required.

Salary & Benefits: Salary commensurate with experience; Insurance - Medical, dental and vision; paid time off.

A complete Please send resume, salary history, references, and cover letter to:
City of Dunwoody
ATTN: Community Development Director
41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 250
Dunwoody, GA 30346

Resumes will not be accepted if sent by Fax or email. No calls please.

Dunwoody Chick-fil-A open for lunch & the Electoral College explained

Chick-fil-A Dunwoody is open for lunch at the old Arby's location on Jett Ferry, this week only with a limited menu and service only by drive-thru.

Video

I kicked myself yesterday that I forgot to bring one of my boys to help me vote as politics and elections were a big topic of discussion in my household as I am sure it was the same in yours.  I used the video above from TedEd to explain the Electoral College.  TedEd not only has educational videos but in the Watch, Think, Dig Deeper links on the right of the video page it also has tests and discussion points.

What is TedEd?