DON McCHESNEY

2008-11-25T10:56:00.000-08:00

RUNOFF ON DECEMBER 2.

I know many of you are focused on the upcoming holidays beginning with Thanksgiving. I am also aware that voting, campaigning, and political speech is probably last on your agenda at the moment. However, I need your help one more time. I truly would like to represent the district on the school board. I see multiple challenges ahead for the board and I would like to be part of the change that takes us to more positive territory. I have spent months studying the issues in DeKalb schools. The task ahead is daunting, but we must help our school system return to more positive days. I have followed closely the zoning impact on our school system, also the condition of our school buildings along with numerous transportation issues. We have to try return the schools to our neighborhoods and involved parents. We must also begin to enforce our residency requirements. We have enough problems without importing someone else's responsibility. We must also get control of discipline in our schools. Without that, you will not see an appreciable rise in test scores.

The school board is in charge of policy not daily interference in school activity. We must get Dr. Lewis to enforce our rules by empowering our principals and staff. If we do these things we will attract better teachers and principals that will buy in to their daily jobs. We can make them decision makers and not just pawns.

Lastly, I ask for your vote on Dec. 2. I know how schools work. I have 34 years in the classroom. I know what school boards can do to help or hurt educational endeavors. I am also retired. This will allow me to devote the proper time to this position. I am also mindful that you would like to see some positive return for your tax dollars. I assure you, I am paying attention.

Thank you for your vote.

2008-11-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

LINDBERGH-LAVISTA CORRIDOR COALITION

I attended the Lindbergh-LaVista Corridor Coalition meeting on Sat. Nov. 22. I found out some interesting information regarding their development plan and its impact on schools.

For those who may not be familiar, the LLCC is a group of homeowners, businesses, and interested parties that are trying to develop a more livable community in an area that is undergoing change. The concept is to affect the change rather than change occurring without any input from residences. The study has been worked on by numerous Ga. Tech architectural students that are planning travel corridors, environmental studies and design improvements. Their plan is beautifully done. They have made sincere efforts to address living conditions in the area. However, one of the things they did not address was impact on schools. I asked the first question. Have you thought about the impact that the increased density of population will have on the school system, particularly in the Briarcliff-LaVista area where some of the major changes would take place? The Tech professor looked at me furrowed his brow and said simply, NO. This is true of much of what our county commissioners are doing. The heart of district 2 is the primary focus of development within DeKalb County. With numerous Town Centers and and smaller developments being planned from Buford Hwy,Executive Park, Toco Hills and now the Briarcliff - LaVista road area we better become mindful of the impact on our schools. If all this development takes place our neighborhood schools will be overwhelmed. Somehow we must make county commissioners, developers, and planners be responsible for the impact they will place on the schools. Please stay involved in your communities affairs. If we are not vigilant we will add another problem to our school system.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON DECEMBER 2.

2008-11-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

SOME FACTS ABOUT POSITIONS

I have seen that some want to paint me into the corner as a one issue candidate. Nothing could be further from the truth. In my campaign I promised that I would represent all DeKalb neighborhoods in a fair and equitable manner. Nothing has changed there. One of the things I feel we need to start looking at is the information we get from county staff. This is one place we need to start asking the hard questions. Our goal is to improve all of DeKalb schools not just some of them. I remain committed to neighborhood schools and will follow closely zoning items that may have a direct effect on our neighborhood schools. We must also be aware of our crumbling buildings and how we can better maintain them in an economical manner.

2008-11-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

DON IS IN THE RUNOFF ON DEC. 2

Thank you for everyone that supported me in the school board election. Now I need you one more time. I know that many people are tired of campaigns and voting right now, but I need for you to go to bat for me once more. December 2, is the day. I want to represent the district on the school board and hopefully help take it in a less contentious direction. I am prepared to go to work with the newly elected members and those that remain on the board. Please help me in my quest.

2008-10-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

SOME THANKS ARE IN ORDER

A thank you is in order to all my former students who have contacted me and wished me well in my quest to be a member of the Board of Education. I have heard from Shamrock, Tucker, and Parkview students that are supporting me. I also have heard from large numbers of Briarcliff graduates who are in my corner. It has been great seeing and hearing from many students that I went to school with at Briarcliff. Your support is greatly appreciated.

2008-10-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

Some new responses on zoning.

People are asking if the zoning commission pays any attention to impact on schools. As cochair of the Sagamore Hills zoning committee I have been to many commissioners meetings. Never once have I heard the schools mentioned when development is being proposed. These proposed increased density developments will have an impact on our schools. The Williamsburg area and the Toco Hills Town center along with the Ashkouti development on N. Druid Hills Rd. are potential dangers to our schools. When the economic climate improves you can rest assured that many of these developers will be back pressuring these communities again. Don't forget Sembler they still present a danger in the future. One of my opponents said at our Fernbank forum that the school board members were not really involved in zoning issues. It is obvious that some know little about the zoning issues that have impact on central DeKalb and the possible effects on students and school population.

2008-10-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

DON'S CANDIDACY ENDORSED BY FORMER DEKALB SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

James R. Hallford, former DeKalb County School Superintendent has endorsed Don McChesney. Mr. Hallford first hired Don to teach at Tucker High School when Mr. Hallford was principal at Tucker.

I am proud to have this endorsement. Mr. Hallford was one of the finest principal's I ever worked for. His ability to lead DeKalb County Schools, while superintendent, was outstanding. He was faced with operating DeKalb Schools during a difficult transition period. Thank you Mr. Hallford.

SCHOOLS AND ZONING

2008-09-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

One of my opponents suggested that he was the only one to see the relationship between planning and zoning commissions. NOT TRUE. In my answers at godekalb.com I specifically pointed out the relationship among the board of commissioners, zoning commission, and the school board. Many decisions made by the board of commissioners directly affects the school system. Look at the Sembler project or the current attempt to expand the Toco Hills Town Center. If these projects come to fruition as they were originally planned it will have a major impact on DeKalb county schools. As the board of commissioners continue to create greater density of population in Central DeKalb they put pressure on the schools. If you are a believer in community schools, as I am, you must realize that increased population density can overwhelm schools. In all of the board of commissioners meetings I have attended never have I heard one commissioner mention the impact on the school system. If Sembler had been approved as planned we would be missing 2 schools and a stadium. We must have a meaningful relationship with our zoning and planning boards or we will no longer be able to maintain a neighborhood school system. High population density and neighborhood schools do not mix well. Remember the planning and zoning commissions think about tax revenue and not about the operation of a school system.

SPLOST COMMENTS

2008-09-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Do you know we are already spending SPLOST 3 money? It technically does not become available until January 2009. Did you know that all major funding for school construction and remodeling comes from SPLOST money? Other than a few small repair funds for fixing a broken fan , faucet, etc. there are no other funds available to do major work. When I taught in DeKalb we built a whole school system, constructed buildings, supplemented teachers, and had NO SPLOST funds. It was all done with property taxes and grants. Schools were on a rotation for routine maintenance like painting, roof repair etc. Wow, could we benefit from this if it were in place today. Did you know the county has already projected SPLOST money to be spent that has not even been voted on yet? What do we do if your roof wears out before your school's SPLOST money becomes available? You have to get it from someone else in line that is in front of you on the repair list. Now everyone is pushed back on the list. With an aging system of buildings we are constantly chasing our tail. All this because maintenance was neglected over the years. We are facing some hard decisions about our buildings.

What a school board member should do

2008-09-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

1. I will be a trustee of your tax money,your schools, and indirectly some zoning issues. You need to see a benefit for your tax dollars.

2. I will NOT avoid controversial issues which effect the health of our schools.

3. I will attempt to listen to all reasonable suggestions from ALL of our neighborhoods in our district.

4. Right now there is a disconnect between practicality and theory. After 34 years in the classroom I know what works and what doesn't.

5. School boards often lose touch with how schools are run on a day to day basis. We must find a balance between education and business operations that reflect positively on all our students.

Some professional honors

2008-09-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

1. Shamrock High School yearbook dedication in 1986.

2. Coach of the year in baseball 1990 Gwinnett County.

3. President of The Gwinnett County Dugout Club 2000.

4. Who's Who Among America's Teachers 2003-2004.

5. Parkview High School most inspirational teacher 2003.

Biographical and educational background

2008-09-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

1. I am a graduate of DeKalb County Schools. I taught at Tucker and Shamrock High. I was hired by James R. Hallford former DeKalb County Superintendent of Schools.

2. My teaching background was quite varied. I taught in the inner city, suburban communities, and the second most diverse school in Georgia where 44 countries were represented.

3. I have a bachelors degree in history and an M.Ed. in education-social studies. Both degrees are from Georgia State University.

4. I am active in the Sagamore Hills Civic Association. I serve as co-chair of the zoning committee.

5. My wife, Melinda, and I have been married 37 years and are members of Smoke Rise Baptist Church.