Letter to the Editor: Concern Over New Heards Ferry Elementary Site

Sandy Springs resident Lee Duncan shared an open letter that he addressed to parties interested in Heards Ferry Elementary. The Fulton County School system recently announced the selection of a new site for Heards Ferry Elementary at 6151 Powers Ferry Road. Separately, Duncan is chair the Sandy Springs Planning Commission. 

Last Friday we received notification from Gail Dean concerning the identification of a new site for the students currently attending elementary school at the campus on Heards Ferry Road. The news has been anticipated for some time, but it still was not the outcome hoped for by some to include myself. I respect the decision and understand that nothing I may share in this correspondence will affect that outcome, but felt it appropriate to make several observations.

First and foremost, there has been a complete lack of transparency during this whole process. I understand the need to maintain information pertaining to site selection as proprietary, but that certainly does not apply to any discussions regarding the decommissioning of an existing campus. 

The stakeholders in this process are not only the families that have students currently enrolled, but those that are legacy families and anyone else that has invested in the area currently served by Heards Ferry. All of these stakeholders deserve the courtesy of an explanation for why a highly successful neighborhood school is being abandoned.  

The strategy I have seen utilized is to duck behind this policy and not provide those that the school board and administrators actually report to, or work for, with fundamental information used to make this decision. This leads one to draw the conclusion that there are other elements influencing the decision or that the decision has no sound foundation. In either case, this is not suitable for a decision of this magnitude.

The Sandy Springs community has been blessed with a world class elementary experience. Heards Ferry has a well-deserved reputation as highly successful neighborhood elementary school.  Those in the real estate community will be able to attest to comments from interested parties that request to be shown properties within walking distance of Heards Ferry and Riverwood High School.  

The web site www.school digger.com provides data to support a 2013 ranking in the 90th percentile. In fact, Heards Ferry consistently scores at the top of the elementary schools in Fulton County. There are 9 elementary schools within 9 miles of Heards Ferry, all of which are part of the Fulton County School District and Heards Ferry is the highest scoring by a very impressive margin.  This is in spite of the fact Heards Ferry has very poor facilities by comparison.  I feel that this indicates that other factors play a much more significant role in the educational process than simply bigger or better facilities. 

As a neighborhood school, Heards Ferry has become a very integral part of the community and the community has embraced the school as well. Families take advantage of being a part of a wonderful neighborhood school, frequently enjoying the opportunity to spend quality time while walking to school when possible.

Now we are being told that a new site has been identified at 6151 Powers Ferry Road, a site that currently is home to an office building. On relocation to this site we as a community, must be prepared for a transformation. In the announcement, we were told to expect a facility similar to Lake Forest Elementary and Ison Springs Elementary.  The proposed site is an office complex.  

To be noted is that the site is about the same distance on a direct line to the Mardi Gras Nightclub as Heards Ferry is to the entry of River Chase, is about the same distance to the Juice Box as it is from the front door of Heards Ferry to the Raider Drive fire station and as close to 285 as Heards Ferry Elementary is to Heards Drive.  

Currently, Heards Ferry is located about 150 yards to the nearest single family detached home and the proposed site is about twice that distance. All that is to say that the learning environment will most certainly be dramatically different from what the students currently enjoy.  

One need only to walk each site to visualize these differences. That may be completely inconsequential, but certainly provides one with the distinct difference each site provides as far as a learning experience.  

Last year Heards Ferry had a reported enrollment of 564 students and achieved test results since, in 2009 of 89 percent to a high of 94.7 percent in 2011 which meant they achieved a performance level better by that percentage of other elementary schools in the State of Georgia.  

Ison Springs and Lake Forest enrollments are much higher, the teacher ratios are similar, but their test scores are not to the same level as Heards Ferry.  

This to me simply points to the influence from sources other than facilities on the impact of the learning experience. The evidence supports a high level of achievement in a quality learning environment.  If that is the case, then why mess with success?

Given the lack of information coming from the board, it is very hard to support a relocation of the elementary campus. For some reason, our elected representative has not provided any foundation driving this strategy preferring to duck behind staff on every occasion that such questions are raised.  

These are legitimate issues that have everything to do with a relocation decision and nothing to do with site selection.  

While the decision has been made, that does not eliminate what is driving this considering everything Heards Ferry has bought to the community and all the investment the community has made into Heards Ferry. 

I sincerely hope the new campus proves to be as successful an experience for the students as the current campus has demonstrated. I feel confident that the support these students enjoy from their community will transfer to the new site. Everything I have seen tells me to fix the existing facilities and build on success.  

Just my thoughts.

See also:

Resident Strongly Opposes Moving Heards Ferry at Meeting

Confirmed Location for Heards Ferry Elementary