The GLOBE Academy
Minutes
FTP Committee Meeting - April 2024
Transportation Pilot Program Update
Date and Time
Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 7:00 PM
Location
GLOBE Upper Campus
4105 Briarcliff Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
Vision, Mission and Core Values
Vision: To develop globally minded citizens who have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effect positive change in our world.
Mission: The GLOBE Academy fosters Global Learning Opportunities through Balanced Education for children of all backgrounds. With a focus on dual-language immersion, an experiential-learning model, and a constructivist approach, GLOBE inspires students to be high- performing lifelong learners equipped to make a positive impact in the world.
Core Values: The GLOBE Academy’s core values are expressed in the acronym, CREST: Community, Respect, Empathy, Sustainability and Trust. These values are expected of the governing board, faculty, staff, parents, and students. They are woven into daily life at GLOBE and incorporated into the curriculum.
Community: We are inclusive, and we nurture and support one another.
Respect: We treat ourselves and each other with kindness and dignity.
Empathy: We strive to understand and share the feelings of others.
Sustainability: We aim to conserve our resources for optimal use in the present and future.
Trust: We are committed to honesty, transparency, and respectfully sharing our thoughts and encouraging others to do the same.
Vision: To develop globally minded citizens who have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effect positive change in our world.
Mission: The GLOBE Academy fosters Global Learning Opportunities through Balanced Education for children of all backgrounds. With a focus on dual-language immersion, an experiential-learning model, and a constructivist approach, GLOBE inspires students to be high- performing lifelong learners equipped to make a positive impact in the world.
Core Values: The GLOBE Academy’s core values are expressed in the acronym, CREST: Community, Respect, Empathy, Sustainability and Trust. These values are expected of the governing board, faculty, staff, parents, and students. They are woven into daily life at GLOBE and incorporated into the curriculum.
Community: We are inclusive, and we nurture and support one another.
Respect: We treat ourselves and each other with kindness and dignity.
Empathy: We strive to understand and share the feelings of others.
Sustainability: We aim to conserve our resources for optimal use in the present and future.
Trust: We are committed to honesty, transparency, and respectfully sharing our thoughts and encouraging others to do the same.
Committee Members Present
C. Giles (remote), C. Henshaw, D. Hunt (remote), J. Clark (remote), J. Parker, K. Wakhisi (remote), L. Hertz (remote), L. Norton
Committee Members Absent
A. Williams, C. Elliott-Earby, D. Clayton-Purvis, D. Reynolds, K. Rho
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
II. Transportation Updates & Feedback
A.
Survey Feedback
- 358 Survey responses received
- Most were not interested in using the hub, but were interested in shuttle service
- More LC students were interested in transportation overall
- 23.5% responded Yes to the hub service - probably around 100-110 students
- 83.2% are interested in more hub locations
- 70.1% wanted shuttle buses
B.
Transportation Fees
- Transportation pilot hub service will start SY24-25, buses will also be used for field trips (supplemented by another bus for full-grade trips
- Overall, the intent is to try and recoup some of the operating costs given all the other competing funding needed for other operational items like security cameras, check-in/check-out service for student accountability
- Financial analysis shows that about $63 per month is what would cover the $100K in operating costs assuming full buses
- There will be a sliding scale offered according to need
- The suggestion from GLOBE Finance & Ops is that free/reduced lunch participants will not need to pay any fees
- Need for parents to commit to a semester/full year at a time for ridership
- Shuttle service will have a fee since it is more a convenience vs. need, but shuttle service will be phased in after hub service is well-established
C.
Driver Recruitment & Training
- GA DOE has standards for school bus drivers which includes annual training
- A county can decide to provide annual training and CDL training
- If this is the case, the county is the single source for training for all public schools
- Hitting a barrier with Dekalb County not wanting to make training available to GLOBE
- Our job posting for bus drivers will request they already have their CDL
- Rush Bus Company (bus vendor) has been excellent with customer service and have been super responsive; offered to come back out once drivers hired to give an orientation to the buses
- Trying to hire 2 drivers with a few back-ups - will pay higher than DCSD
- Found a temp driver to keep the buses running over the next several months
- Could start using buses for field trips if we can find drivers
- Bus safety will be captured in a driver manual
- Any bus breakdowns/emergencies will be worked through on a case-by-case basis - will be part of the safety manual
- U-Haul would be the propane provider, but also looking into delivery options
- Current plan is to store the buses at UC, looking at fencing, but cameras are covering them now
- Longer term plan is to keep the buses at the new campus and ensuring security
D.
Phasing of Pilot
- Will launch the pilot program starting SY24-25 with only hub service offered
- Shuttle service between campuses will be added once hub operations are well established - it could be after one semester or after a full year
E.
Next Steps
- Another survey to go out in May to confirm ridership which will include costs and sliding scale
- Final transportation plan will be shared at the June board meeting
III. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:02 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
L. Norton