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Welcome to Smoke Rise, Atlanta's premier close-in community. Located in northeast Dekalb County, Smoke Rise is comprised of over 2000 upscale homes in over 30 neighborhoods. All homes in Smoke Rise are unique and nestled on beautiful, large, wooded rolling lots, most of which are an acre or larger. Our homes include many estate properties on acreage, and home styles vary from traditional brick to California contemporary, European stucco and many more. Prices range from the $200's to over $1,000,000. Shopping, dining and recreation of all sorts are a few short minutes away. Smoke Rise offers benefits to a diversity of home buyers including young families, empty nesters and single professionals. Nowhere else in Atlanta can you find such a great combination of location, quality, diversity and value. Smoke Rise has something for everyone. ____________________________________________________________________________ SRCA Annual Meeting March 25th!
Please join us at Smoke Rise Charter Elementary School (SRCS) as we review the accomplishments of 2009 and plan activities for 2010. We will be discussing items of neighborhood concern including plans for closure of elementary schools by DeKalb County. If you have news to discuss or an issue to bring forward to the group, you won't want to miss this lively meeting.
Time to Pay Your Dues! Also, be sure to pay your 2010 association dues. We have had a wonderful response to our recent membership mailing and want to be sure that everyone has an opportunity to join SRCA. Just $25 per household minimum ensures that Smoke Rise will continue to thrive-- many neighbors send larger donations! If for some reason you did not receive your invoice in the mail, please send your check to: SRCA, P.O. Box 870793, Stone Mountain, GA 30087
Your SRCA Board of Directors looks forward to seeing you on Thursday, March 25th at 7:30! _________________________________________________________________________________________ | School Closure? Not on Our Watch! By Lisa Khemani
In light of the $88 million deficit, the DeKalb County School Board has appointed 20 parents to a Citizens Planning Task Force to recommend school closures and redistricting. The Task Force was presented with a list of 23 Elementary schools that are candidates for closure, of which 4 will close their doors in May and not reopen this fall.
SMOKE RISE CHARTER SCHOOL IS ON THE LIST OF CLOSURE CANDIDATES.
The criteria presented to the task force for determining which schools to close did not include any performance data, impact on neighborhoods, or projected future enrollment They are to base their decision on the following:
*The ratio of the number of students currently enrolled to school building capacity (their data shows that Smoke Rise currently has 469 enrolled and instructional capacity for 663),
* The age and condition of the school buildings, and
* The number of students who attend within a 1-mile radius.
In addition, the task force must identify another 8-10 schools to be closed in the 2011-2012 school year. These will be a mix of elementary, middle and high schools. The vacated properties will not be sold immediately.
Unfortunately, the timing of this economic crisis could not have been worse for our school. The ratio used by the task force to determine which schools are under populated used the 2009-10 School Year's enrollment numbers. Since Smoke Rise Charter will be listed for the first time as a Charter School option for all of DeKalb county students in the 2010-11 school year, our population surge will not occur until this fall.
If you have been paying attention to community events during the last two years, it is hard to miss the fact that our Elementary School is getting better every day. Every day, more parents and community members are getting involved. Every day we're raising more funds for special programs. Every year we have more community members choosing to attend Smoke Rise over private schools or home school. We worked long and hard for over a year to ultimately be approved by the DeKalb County and Georgia State Boards of Education to become a Charter school where we can utilize the latest technology and teaching methods to improve the level of education we are able to provide. We are scheduled to receive a $200K implementation grant this spring to begin putting our Charter programs into place. Though our building is 40 years old, it is not in bad shape thanks to the fact that we recently received a new HVAC unit and a facelift from community members. In addition, SPLOST funds have already been allocated to cover the only minor facility improvements that are currently needed (and SPLOST funds are maintained completely separately from the DCSS budget). In short, at Smoke Rise Charter School, things are going well, and they're only getting better!
Allowing our school to close would be devastating for the Smoke Rise community. We all know that good schools make good communities, and that property values are directly correlated with test scores. If Smoke Rise closes, the county is not planning to sell the school grounds in the short run. Imagine trying to sell your home in a community with a 30-year old multi-acre abandoned school building and lot at its center... What does that say to potential homebuyers? That this community does not value public education enough to send our kids to the local school and fight for its success? That private school is their only option unless they want to drive their children (or allow them to be bussed) to another area? Most of us will depend on the sale of our homes for at least part of our retirement. Because of our generous lots and large home sizes, young families with children are our potential future homebuyers. I assure you that they will not come near this neighborhood if we don't keep our school open and continue building upon the successes we've been experiencing recently. Young families who stay in DeKalb will move to homes in the Livsey, Oak Grove, or City of Decatur school districts. They will settle their families in neighborhoods where the schools are supported by the community and they have the test scores and home values to prove it. Smoke Rise can and should be one of those destination communities, but it will never be without a good community school.
If you've wanted support our school, but weren't sure how you could help in the past, now is the time to step in! Please join us in campaigning against the closing of Smoke Rise Charter School.
Let your local School Board Members know that we are not OK with this possibility. Write letters, make phone calls, send emails, alert the media, attend board meetings and committee meetings... let's let DeKalb county know that Smoke Rise will not take this decision lightly. |
| | | About SRCA Smoke Rise Community Association Officers
Allan Diamonti - President Pam Heisler
Charlene Heyward Mike Huerkamp
Patti Kisling - Treasurer David Scott
Pam Speaks Sue Tolson |
Take Action Today! If you've wanted support our school, but weren't sure how you could help in the past, now is the time to step in! Please join us in campaigning against the closing of Smoke Rise Charter School.
Let your local School Board Members know that we are not OK with this possibility.
Write letters, make phone calls, send emails, alert the media, attend board meetings and committee meetings... let's let DeKalb county know that Smoke Rise will not take this decision lightly!
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 _____________________________________________________________________________________ CANONGATE GOLF CLUBS Join Smoke Rise Country Club before February 28, 2010 for $200. Entry fee! Purchase a Smoke Rise Golf Membership in January 2010 and receive (10) Free Rounds of golf @ Smoke Rise! Contact Tom Reid to Join Today! 678-877-0773 __________________________________________________________________________________________ Main Street Stone Mountain is having its’ last great push for the sale of the below mentioned items to be included in this PHASE 1 portion of the beautification of Stone Mountain Village. Don’t miss out…buy yourself, child, grand-children or friend a lasting memory and become a permanent part of our city’s future. BRICK PAVERS ~ $35 each or 3 for $100 GARBAGE CANS ~ $250 each BICYCLE RACKS ~ $500 each TREES ~ $500 each BENCHES ~ $1,500 each STREET LIGHTS ~ $5000 each If you need more information call : Susan Coletti 404-444-5607 or go by the Stone Mountain OPO Emporium located at 5379 East Mountain Street and pick-up a form. _________________________________________________________________________
SRCA continually works to improve Smoke Rise-- this is our home town. With 2,300 households and 30+ neighborhoods, we're proud of the accomplishments of our newly chartered elementary school and its foundation, the beautification works of our garden clubs, our swim and dive team participants, our new park and sidewalk, and the many neighbors who have made notable career achievements, won volunteer awards, and raised happy & healthy families. Currently your neighborhood association is in the process of installing six "Welcome to Smoke Rise" gateway signs.
SRCA is also proud to produce this web newsletter to add to our quality of life. We'll be able to disseminate news at lightning speed in an electronic format and utilize more photos, graphics, and color.
We're proud to roll out the first Smoke Rise eNews- If you're not a member of our vital organization, you should be. Our 2010 membership campaign is underway now, and soon we will have PayPal capabilities for electronic renewals and new memberships!
_________________________________________________________________________ SRCA Informant Pam Heisler
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Not Exactly Andy Rooney, but Not Too Bad Either… Over the past six years, I’ve filled this space with a mixed bag of topics germane to Smoke Rise and the Atlanta area…. When there hasn't been any important news of specific consequence coming directly from SRCA (which is periodically the case), I’ve reported on subjects of a more general nature but which are still of general interest to the community. I've written about lots of things over the years under the Informant banner-- Christmas lights, stuff in Northlake, farmer's markets on Buford Highway, Brain Train, Beltline, Hightower Trail, organic food movement, barbecue joints, dogs, Maine, Asheville, Colorado, Trader Joe's-- all sorts of diverse stuff. Columns in periodicals are like that and often reflect the opinions of the writer. Let me tell you, this is no cushy volunteer job. Every month I have to come up with something worthwhile to say AND say it in an entertaining manner utilizing correct English. Fortunately I have my graduate school studies at the Henry Grady School of Journalism to thank for a sound foundation. I even wrote and edited publications for a living for many years, although I re-invented myself and have been a realtor for quite some time now. So far, the overwhelming majority of feedback on the Informant is positive—heck even if I do say so myself, it’s been downright complimentary. Anyway with your permission, I’ll continue to do so. Anyone with an idea on a topic, please send it on over and forgive me if I occasionally digress from the straight and narrow…. WELCOME TO SMOKE RISE Gateway Signs SRCA has authorized Addresses of Distinction to fabricate “Welcome to Smoke Rise, Georgia” signs to be erected at six gateway entry points into our neighborhood. You may have seen similar signs that were installed about a year ago in Norcross. These signs will be black with gold lettering and include our logo—we hope to have them completed before Thanksgiving. SR License Plates SRCA still has a good quantity of the “Smoke Rise” front vehicle license plates available. You know you’ve been wanting one!! Call Charlene Heyward at 770.939.3285 or email her at
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to reserve yours! Smoke Rise Park SRCA will be installing SR medallions on the park entrance in the coming weeks. You have probably noticed a great deal of progress on the sidewalk down Hugh Howell connecting the Park to Lilburn-Stone Mountain Road. The second phase of the sidewalk project will continue the loop up to Silver Hill Road. SRCA has held off doing any further landscaping on the Park entrance until the sidewalk is completed, but we have it on the agenda for the Spring.
Smoke Rise Charter School
It can’t be said enough—our neighborhood will flourish if our school thrives! SRCA urges you to attend Smoke Rise Education Foundation’s Casino Night at Smoke Rise Golf Club on November 13th. Tickets are $35.00 each which includes hors d’ oeuvres and $5000.00 in chips. There will also be a silent auction & cash bar. Prizes for 1st through 3rd highest chip holders. It’s a very small price to pay for some amazing goodwill! France in Smoke Rise—the Continuing Story My story about Corentin Guilloteau, our French exchange student this Summer, elicited volumes more positive feedback letters & email than I‘ve ever received on anything printed in this publication. I am hoping that more SR neighbors have similar stories to share. Corentin has returned to his native Prefailles, France but the good news is SKYPE! What a wonderful George-Jetson invention that is! Many of you probably know about this service, but if you have a computer equipped with a camera (all the new ones do or you can purchase a webcam separately) and microphone you can talk to someone overseas (or next door, for that matter) while looking directly at them for FREE . There’s a little delay while the image uploads and is fed back down to the receiver, but it’s almost like having a conversation while sitting across from the person! I can’t say enough good things about the exchange and urge anyone who has considered hosting a student to take action. We took Corentin to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. However, he really got excited when we went to New York City . There’ll be more about that experience in an upcoming column. My son Gillen will be exchanging to Corentin’s homeland next Summer and I hope to join him on part of that journey. Meanwhile, Corentin’s aunt, Catherine Marin (she and her husband Frans de Waal are Smoke Rise neighbors on Silver Ridge Drive ) is kind enough to give Gillen and I French lessons every week in preparation. What a treat! Catherine was a professor of French at Georgia Tech for many years and is a wonderful teacher—we are incredibly fortunate and amazed how this has opened up our world. Corentin’s mother, Anita, will be visiting Smoke Rise for the month of November. If you happened to hear some French spoken at Publix or elsewhere locally—be sure to say “Bonjour et Bienvenue!”
Pam Heisler Smoke Rise Community Assn Smoke Rise, Georgia 30087 SMOKE RISE, GEORGIA 30087 Thanks to the efforts of SRCA and Bahia Mar’s Chris Brigman, the US Postal Service approved the usage of SMOKE RISE as an acceptable city/state designation within zip code 30087 as of March 1, 2009. Even better, SRCA was able to negotiate a dual option for neighbors to use either Smoke Rise, GA OR Stone Mountain, GA in the last line of your address. A neighborhood poll conducted last year indicated that almost 90% of respondents were enthusiastic about the change, but there is no obligation to alter if you prefer the old nomenclature. The USPS address matching software takes about four weeks to integrate the change and, of course, this will slowly trickle systemwide. If you use online autofill, type in Smoke Rise before the zip code since if you type in just the zip, it will default to Stone Mountain. It will accept Smoke Rise if you type it in first. So what does this mean to you? From now on, you can refer to our area officially as “Smoke Rise.” Most of Stone Mountain is located south of US78 which always, at least for me, set up some confusion when trying to describe where you live. This is a very exciting development that will impact our area very positively in the future. ______________________ |
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