Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Devon Q. Horton, Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District, has been selected to serve on the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board. The DeKalb schools’ chief is one of only three superintendents appointed to the inaugural national advisory board. DCSD, Georgia’s third-largest school district, serves more than 92,000 students in 138+ schools and centers, behind the Cobb County School District with 106,358 students in 112 schools, and Gwinnett County Public Schools, Georgia’s largest school district, with 182,00 students in 142 schools. The 26-member board comprises school safety experts and education leaders who will…

 DeKalb County School District also offering free meals to majority of its students   ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) announced every student in the district will be eligible to receive school meals free of cost for the 2024-2025 school year under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This includes breakfast and lunch. Families no longer need to submit a Free/Reduced Meals application, the district said. Rockdale students return to school on Tuesday, July 30, and the program will begin immediately. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to offer school meals at no cost to our students and continue to…

  GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– A Lawrenceville man will serve life in prison for killing his estranged wife after telling police that she shot herself in his apartment.  A Gwinnett County jury found Glenroy Roberts, 53, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony for the August 2022 shooting death of his wife, 45-year-old Claudia Dionne Roberts.  “This couple has sons who have to grow up without either of their parents at home,” said Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “Domestic violence is a tragedy. We extend…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Rockdale County Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham announced that registration is underway for a free Voter Education Training Class that will be held on Aug.17, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Rockdale Board of  Elections, 1115 West Ave., S.W., Conyers. Registration for the in-person only class closes on  Aug. 13.  Citizens and organizations planning to conduct voter registration drives are invited to the training to learn about the necessary legal requirements that must be followed. “We have been getting a lot of calls from those who want to register voters. By law, we must provide the training upon the…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—W eather permitting, the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) construction partners will temporarily close interstate lanes at the locations below for the I-285/I-20 East Interchange project. The project will reconstruct the interstate system-to-system ramps at the I-285/I-20 East Interchange and add a combination of collector-distributor, or connecting lanes, and auxiliary lanes along I-20 east of the interchange and I-285 north of the interchange. Where/When: I-20 from the westbound ramp to I-285 northbound (Exit 67B) Monday, July 29, through Friday, Aug. 2, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Nightly) Traffic pacing operation on the I-20 westbound ramp I-285 southbound exit…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—The City of Stone Mountain will host its National Night Out event, Aug. 6, 6 to 8 p.m., at Baptist Lawn, 5325 Manor Drive. The city’s event will feature an outdoor family movie, “Paw Patrol.” National Night Out, held the first Tuesday in August, is a community awareness event designed to promote police-community partnerships in the United States. Residents attending the city of Stone Mountain’s outdoor movie are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and/or sports chairs, as well as snacks. Free popcorn and water will be available for all to enjoy. No alcohol is permitted. The City of Stone…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is proud to announce the extraordinary school-level 2024-2025 Teachers of the Year – the women and men who go above and beyond for their students, peers and community. This year’s Teachers of the Year are: Barksdale Elementary School – Tonya Grant C.J. Hicks Elementary School – Felicia Addison Flat Shoals Elementary School – Robin Anderson Hightower Trail Elementary School – Coria Miller Honey Creek Elementary School – Maria Hernadez-Gonzalez J.H. House Elementary School – Lorraine Gilbert Lorraine Elementary School – Valencia Dawson Peek’s Chapel Elementary School – Stephanie Gordon Pine Street Elementary…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – This Saturday, July 27, the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is hosting its annual Back-to-School Rally from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to welcome families to the new school year. The first day of the 2024–2025 school year in DeKalb County, Georgia is Monday, Aug. 5. The free event has been moved from James Hallford Stadium to the District’s Administrative & Instructional Complex (AIC), located at 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard in Stone Mountain. This year’s rally theme is “Disrupting for Excellence: New Levels, New Heights” and will feature live entertainment, a Fun Zone for children, school supplies, family resources, health…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— More DeKalb County School District (DCSD) students will be able to receive free breakfast and lunch during the 2024-25 school year. District officials said today that its Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) nutrition program will expand from 75 to 105 schools, and any student who attends one of the CEP schools is eligible for breakfast and lunch at no cost. No application is needed for the CEP  schools. DCSD, comprised of 138+ schools and centers that serve over 92,000 students, also will continue to accept applications for free and reduced meals for students whose schools are not part…