Dear Dekalb County Board of Education: We appreciate the hard work you put into the current redistricting proposal. We know that change is difficult, and we feel for all of the parents and children around the county who are asked to make sacrifices. We appreciate that, as part of the public, we were not only given the opportunity to speak, but that you heard and thoughtfully considered our input. We want to express our strong support for the redistricting plan as it relates to Evansdale Elementary. We also applaud that it is in keeping with the core principles behind the DCSS 2020 Vision. In particular: • It improves utilization: We support relieving overcrowding at Pleasantdale Elementary by integrating approximately 44 of their students into our Evansdale school community. We appreciate that you gave Evansdale enough new students to reach capacity without exceeding it. The new attendance area is also in keeping with minimizing distance traveled by non-choice students. We also appreciate that this plan relieves some overcrowding at Henderson Middle School. • It supports community cohesion by minimizing split feeder patterns: We appreciate that the proposal keeps the Evansdale neighborhood together, maintaining a united feeder pattern. • It provides equitable access to quality programs: We support the continued presence of the Evansdale magnet program which allows students from the entire county and from diverse backgrounds to become part of our Evansdale school, supported by the parents, teachers, administrators, and community. • It allows us to continue participating in a school that creates a safe and healthy place for our children to learn. We believe that our successful school provides all of our students, both current and future, the education and support that they need to learn, grow, and lead successful lives. We sincerely hope that any future plans maintain Evansdale’s current feeder pattern, magnet program, and neighborhood district lines, while adhering to the Vision 2020 core principles. Sincerely, Evansdale Elementary School and community