New hours for public library branches in Tri-Cities

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Fulton county leaders cut the hours of Atlanta-Fulton County Library system as part of their solution to deal with a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. (Here's the AJC story.) Libraries are closed two days a week at the three library branches in the Tri-Cities area. The new hours began in mid-February. To see the hours of operation for all the libraries, please click here.

East Point Branch
2757 Main St., East Point 30344
404.762.4842

• Monday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Thursday Closed


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.


• Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Hapeville Branch
525 King Arnold St., Hapeville 30354
404.762.4065

• Monday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

College Park Branch
3647 Main St., College Park 30337
404.762.4060

• Monday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Tuesday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Auction to help charter school in TriCities

Children's lending library opens on Bayard Street

.Simeon Smith and her kids have opened a "Little Free Library."

We have a handfull of books in it already and are getting more. It is a place for kids and young people in the neighborhood to exchange books with one another.  We want people to use it! If kids have old books that they would like to share, they simply place them in the box and if they see something they would like to read, they may simply take it home with them.

It's got its own Facebook page and email address: bayardlibrary@gmail.com

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The Main Street Academy gets state OK, opens in the fall

There will be a new education option for Tri-City parents with school age youngsters

The state Board of Education Thursday, March 11, gave its approval to the charter school that will serve the East Point, Hapeville and College Park. 

Organizers announced:

State Approval

We are now official...today, The Main Street Academy charter petition has been approved by the State Department of Education!
With approximately 4 years in the making, countless hours of hard work and several obstacles along the way, The Main Street Academy will finally open its doors this Fall.  This is only the beginning of our journey together.  We need all of you (parents, community leaders and concerned citizens) to join in and help our school succeed. 
Thanks to all of you who have participated in our events and fundraisers, volunteered your time and shared your ideas.  All of these things have helped to get us where we are and are critical elements to ensuring a bright future for TMSA.
Pre-Enrolled families will be contacted soon with enrollment information and timing, and we will post the enrollment period on our website.  Please stay tuned.
Thank you for your continued support of TMSA!

See the Web site for more information: http://www.tricitiescharter.com

Pizza Night for The Main Street Academy Charter

Coming on the heels of its successful community meeting that drew hundreds of people, supporters of The Main Street Academy are tucking into pizza tonight. 

Join them to learn more about this charter school slated to open in the fall.

Main Street Academy community meeting follow up.

By most accounts, the community meeting for the planned Main Street Academy was a great success.  Some 600 people attended Saturday's gathering. Organizers say they are swamped with requests from parents and other stakeholders.

Did you go?  What was your impression of the event? What did you tell your friends who didn't go? Did it leave you with any unanswered questions?  Please write The Jefferson Park Hub with your point of view.

From David Shaginaw, petitioner and founding member:

On behalf of The Main Street Academy’s Founding Committee & Governing Board I would like to thank all of you that took the time to attend our meeting at the GICC. The results are in and the event was an incredible success. TMSA hosted over 600 people, not including kids, and student registration stands at 423 and rising. In addition, continuing coverage in the South Fulton Neighbor and AJC print & online editions has TMSA on the front page of the entire Tri-Cities region of Atlanta. What began in 2005 and grew through 2008, erupted this past Saturday of 2010. TMSA is coming to town, are you ready? We have received inquiries from many of you who did not attend and complete pre-enrollment. Accordingly, we encourage those of you who have not pre-enrolled to do so by calling EdisonLearning’s TMSA hotline @ 404.377.5093. This gives you the opportunity to complete the pre-enrollment process before the window is open to new supporters. On Friday 2/5 the hotline will be re-posted publicly and given to new families. Seats are limited. If you want to attend TMSA this Fall, sign up now. On Saturday I spoke to you about money and how critical community and parental involvement is to the success of any school, especially our start-up charter. I also answered multiple questions regarding offerings such as band, beta, sports and pre & after care. Everything costs money, and as a start-up charter TMSA is on its own. TMSA’s founders want our school to be exceptional, and we want to be exceptional from the start. On Saturday TMSA received $1300 in donations and sales. That’s about $2 for every attending adult. Thank you to those who have contributed to our mission. To those who have yet to contribute, you should. If you want more from a school, you have to give more. How much money does a high quality public school save your family over the course of a child’s education? The figure is substantial. Don’t stand back, do nothing and expect everything to happen on its own. That’s not how TMSA was built and it’s not how TMSA works. Help us launch our new school with everything you, as dedicated parents, want. Help us help you. Stay tuned for more news about TMSA. Visit our website for current updates. Thank you for your time and support, I appreciate it.

Community meeting about the Main Street Academy Charter School

More than 300 people are expected at a community meeting focused on opening a charter school here. Folks will be talking at the Saturday meeting about everything from uniforms and curriculum to parental involvement.  The 'principal designate' will also be there. 

The meeting is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Georgia International Convention Center. See map below.

From David Shaginaw, a leader in the effort:

Please join us tomorrow from 10-2 at the GICC in College Park for TMSA’s 1^st 2010 open community meeting. To date over 340 supporters have RSVP’d for our event. Tomorrow will offer you the chance to pre-enroll and learn about our location, curriculum & school structure, uniforms and required parental involvement. EdisonLearning, along with county BOE and state DOE representatives will be there with TMSA’s founders and governing board. You will also have the opportunity to meet TMSA’s Principal designate, who will help lead our school this fall. Take the time to learn about our 2010 plans and how you can get involved and contribute to TMSA’s successful launch this fall. This is your chance to stake your claim at The Main Street Academy. I look forward to seeing you there. Thanks for your time. 

To learn more, go to The Main Street Academy website.

View Georgia International Convention Center in a larger map

East Point charter school awaits state decision

Supporters of a new charter school in East Point are hosting a meeting later this month to update the community. 

Leaders with the Main Street Academy are scheduled to answer questions at the Jan. 30 meeting. It is being held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.

On the agenda is a discussion about: 

• Pre-enrollment 
• Uniforms 
• Curriculum 
• Location

TMSA folks discussed the project with state education officials last month, after receiving the okay from Fulton County education officials.  The Georgia Education Board will need to sign off on this before it can move forward. A decision by the state board is expected in February or later. 

Meanwhile, the charter school supporters working on hiring a school principal.

Two fundraisers are scheduled for January: Monday, Jan. 11, at Oz Pizza; Jan 26, Chick-fil-A, Cleveland Avenue. 

For more information: http://www.tricitiescharter.com/

Charter school to open in 2010, so support it now

If cooking doesn't appeal to you tonight, come meet neighbors and learn about this initiative:

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night

Please join The Main Street Academy this Tuesday, 10/27/09, from 5-9pm at Chick-fil-A on Cleveland Avenue for our monthly Spirit Night.  Tell the cashier you are with TMSA and a portion of your total bill will be donated to the school.

As a pre-Halloween kick-off, let the kids dress up for some extra fun!  Costumes are optional.  Chick-fil-A will have games set up in the parking lot for a festive night,  weather permitting.

Come out and meet your friends & neighbors who also support TMSA.  Several Founding Committee and School Board members will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. 

Drying out and looking ahead

 

Rainfall, picture from National Weather Service, via AJC

The good people at Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms, on Washington Road, are trying to get in a Saturday class for would-be gardeners as Mother Nature's deluge of rain. 

Meanwhile, if you have some time this afternoon, Lovin' It Live, a  live food establishment in downtown East Point, will be at the farm at 3353 Washington Rd., East Point. Cooks will show people how to prepare dishes from the seasonal crops. 

This Saturday, the class on natural and organic urban agricultural methods will try again. Rain canceled the last two attempts . This focuses on fall planting and covers everything from soil preparation and composting to crop management to insect control.

It is a get-your-hands-dirty type of experience conducted at the East Point farm. 

Folks leave not only with new knowledge, but some fall seeds to plant.

The cost is $35 per person. Class size is limited. To reserve a seat, mail a check to:

         Truly Living Well
         P.O. Box 90841
         East Point GA 30364

For further information contact: K. Rashid Nuri at 404.520.8331

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Students perform at the Tri-Cities High School arts center dedication

Students in the performing arts magnet program at Tri-Cities High School entertained the hundreds of parents, faculty and visitors at the dedication of the new arts center Saturday.


View New arts center in a larger map

The Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program started with some 20 students in the 1990s and is now recognized as one of the most successful arts education programs in the Southeast. Students here have consistently won awards at competitions. (For more information about the school, see Thursday's post.)

Viola Turner, the director emeritus of the arts program, was honored at the dedication when the theater was renamed for her. It was in recognition for her work in laying the foundation for the program.


Scenes from the dedication:

Main Street Academy fundraiser --UPDATED

Supporters came out to help out the new public charter school at the Cleveland Avenue Chick-fil-A Tuesday night.

There were flyers, handouts and other material about the charter school, The Main Street Academy, for parents, as youngsters chased each other on the playground. Organizers hope to hold the first classes for students from East Point, Hapeville, and College Park in the fall of 2010.

Some features about Main Street Academy:

• It'll start as a K-6 grade and grow up to 8th grade.
• A charter school is a public school.
• Parental involvement will be a requirement, with uniforms and a curriculum that will include a foreign language options.

Stacy Kerber, a founding member of the school organizing committee, talks briefly about its goals. Listen.



School supporters are relying on donations until the education money kicks in next year. The spirit nights aim to bring parents together in a show of support and raise money. Oz Pizza, East Point, also hosts events for the school on the second Monday of every month.



A Jefferson Park family who is excited about the school.