Parent Councils United (PCU) hosted a roundtable discussion with some of DeKalb County’s most influential leaders: CEO Lee May, DeKalb Legislative Delegation Chair Howard Mosby, Board of Education Chair Melvin Johnson, and Chamber of Commerce Chair-Elect Al Edwards. In the midst of so much uncertainty in DeKalb, parent leaders sought to provide a non-threatening, low-key environment that would allow county leaders a chance to collaborate with each other and move DeKalb forward.
During the January 10th meeting, leaders discussed cityhood initiatives, annexation movements, transportation, the Operations Task Force recommendations, and county finances. The group acknowledged that the quality of the school system impacts all areas of the county. The selection of DeKalb’s next school superintendent is a high priority for all leaders. Rebuilding trust in the school district and the county will occur more quickly if leaders from all facets of DeKalb work together. Leaders pledged to become more involved in each others’ domains, to share resources, and to encourage more frequent communication.
PCU includes executive board members from Dunwoody Chamblee Parent Council (DCPC), Emory LaVista Parent Council (ELPC), South DeKalb Parent Council (SDPC), and Tucker Parent Council. This year, PCU has hosted the Superintendent’s State of the System Address, advocated for a transparent superintendent search, and worked to improve financial transparency in DeKalb Schools. PCU recognizes that one measure of our school system’s success is the citizens’ desire to remain part of DeKalb County. Looking at the county holistically, PCU hopes to continue working with County leaders to improve DeKalb for the sake of our children.