August 18, 2026, Board of Education Retreat

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education held a retreat on August 18, 2026, which included a detailed presentation by Jones Archaeological Consulting on the historical and archaeological survey of the Beacon Hill community. The discussion focused on the community's history, urban renewal impacts, and the archaeological findings indicating that much of the original community footprint had been destroyed by mid-20th century redevelopment. The board also reviewed and discussed superintendent evaluation tools, comparing their current evaluation instrument with the GSBA template. They deliberated on rating scales, the measurement of softer skills like communication, and the potential use of surveys or third-party consultants to gather evidence for evaluation. No specific procurement decisions, contract awards, or budget allocations were made during this meeting, but the discussion on evaluation tools may influence future professional services procurement related to superintendent assessments.