The Round 2 Scenarios of the Student Assignment Project are now available.   We encourage you to make every effort to plan to attend the in-person feedback meeting on Thursday, March 26th at 6:00pm at Dunwoody High School. 

Together, we will thoughtfully and respectfully advocate for Vanderlyn and for what is best for our students and the Dunwoody cluster.  Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of the Viking community.

 

Below are some talking points you are welcome to use/adapt:

 

The Numbers Do Not Work
Based on the district’s own data, there are not enough available seats within the cluster to absorb the students from closing schools. This creates a waterfall cascade scenario where students will inevitably be displaced from their current schools to accommodate others. Prior to any closure decision, the district must provide transparent, verified enrollment data and a clear, student-centered plan demonstrating where every child will be placed. 

Additionally, reliance on COVID-era enrollment data—during a period when many families temporarily exited the public system—raises questions about the accuracy of long-term projections.

 

Multiple Student Moves Are Unacceptable
The proposed plan introduces temporary placements followed by additional reassignment in future years. Requiring students to move schools more than once within a short time frame is highly disruptive to academic progress, social stability, and family logistics. A viable plan must minimize transitions and provide long-term stability.

 

Cluster-Wide Impact, Including High School
This proposal extends beyond elementary school boundaries and fundamentally alters the entire cluster. These changes have downstream effects on middle and high school pathways, yet a clear high school plan has not been provided. Without a defined strategy, the district is effectively shifting student populations into buildings that may not be designed or appropriate for high school educational needs.

 

Timeline and Readiness
The current timeline is too aggressive given the scope and complexity of the proposed changes. School closures should not occur until all necessary capacity solutions are finalized, funded, and in place. Proceeding without this foundation risks overcrowding, confusion, and further disruption.

 

Capital Planning Must Precede Closures
Any decision to close schools must be directly tied to completed or fully guaranteed capital improvements that ensure adequate capacity. Addressing capacity after closures occur is not a responsible or sustainable approach.

 

 

Below are the round 2 scenarios and map for the North clusters of Dekalb County.

 

 

We encourage all Vanderlyn families to share feedback with the district via the feedback link provided. In doing so, we ask that you keep comments calm, solution-oriented, and focused on facility planning and cluster-level impacts. Feedback can be provided on different browsers/devices.

Below are suggested talking points you are welcome to use or adapt. 

Option 1 – Planning & Sequencing Focus

  • Based on recent discussions, it appears the proposal affecting Vanderlyn is primarily driven by high school facility needs, rather than elementary enrollment trends or building condition. Given the planned opening of Sequoyah Middle and High School, it is important to understand whether current overcrowding pressures at Dunwoody High School are expected to persist over the next several years.

  • Additionally, Vanderlyn’s closure is contingent upon Chesnut’s expansion, yet no cluster-level reassignment modeling or post-reassignment utilization data has been shared. Prior to any closure decision, families need to see clear boundary modeling, receiving school enrollment projections, and transportation impact analysis.

  • We are open to collaborative, facility-aligned solutions, but decisions of this magnitude should follow transparent modeling, not precede it.

Option 2 – Facilities Alignment & Alternative Proposal

  • If the district’s objective is to right‑size elementary schools toward the 600‑student efficiency benchmark, Vanderlyn should be evaluated as a candidate for expansion rather than closure. The school is already operating efficiently and, given its shared campus, presents an opportunity to explore coordinated facility solutions that support Dunwoody High School’s needs while preserving elementary access.

  • We respectfully request comparative modeling that evaluates closure versus expansion scenarios within the Dunwoody cluster, including cost, utilization, and long‑term flexibility, before final determinations are made.

Option 3 – Community Impact & Consistency

  • Public messaging around SAP has emphasized whole-school transitions, yet discussions indicate Vanderlyn students would likely be split between neighboring schools, if closed. This is not comparable to combining two half-capacity schools and would create significant feeder disruption and transportation impact.

  • If this proposal is driven by high school facility needs rather than elementary inefficiency, and if future enrollment shifts may relieve this pressure, closure should not be assumed as the default solution. The Dunwoody cluster cannot be evaluated using the same framework as clusters with multiple under-enrolled campuses.

  • Before moving forward, families need cluster-specific reassignment modeling, receive school utilization projections, and a clear explanation of why expansion or shared-campus options were not prioritized.

2/16/26 PAC Update

 

Hi Vanderlyn families,

As many of you have seen, the district recently released preliminary SAP “scenarios” that include closure of Vanderlyn Elementary. At this stage, only a list of schools has been published. There has not yet been detailed reassignment modeling, receiving school capacity projections, transportation analysis, or a full facilities plan shared.

 

We support addressing capacity pressures at Dunwoody High School. Our students will attend DHS, and we all want strong, well-planned facilities across the cluster.

 

At the same time, the district has framed SAP around enrollment trends, utilization, and long-range planning. While high school capacity pressures are clearly part of the broader context, any closure scenario should clearly demonstrate how it aligns with those stated metrics at the cluster level.

 

We encourage all Vanderlyn families to share feedback with the district via the feedback link provided. In doing so, we ask that you keep comments calm, solution-oriented, and focused on facility planning and cluster-level impacts.

 

Below are suggested talking points you are welcome to use or adapt or click here for more scripts:

Suggested Talking Points

  • I understand and support the need to address overcrowding at Dunwoody High School.

  • I recognize that Vanderlyn’s proximity to the high school places our campus within a broader facilities planning conversation.

  • I also recognize that the district has framed SAP around enrollment trends and utilization. Any proposal should clearly demonstrate how those metrics are being applied at the cluster level.

  • The combined Vanderlyn and Dunwoody High School campus presents an opportunity to explore thoughtful, phased solutions that address secondary capacity while preserving elementary access.

  • The current proposal lists Vanderlyn for closure but does not outline receiving school enrollment after reassignment, class size projections, transportation impacts, or feeder pattern implications. This modeling should be shared before any closure decision is made.

  • Vanderlyn is a diverse, academically strong, and inclusive community. Preserving stable elementary environments while solving high school challenges aligns with district priorities.

  • I would welcome collaboration between district leaders and both school communities to explore campus-level solutions that address high school capacity while preserving the Vanderlyn community.

At this early stage, tone and clarity matter. Our goal is not to oppose for the sake of opposing, but to ensure that any final decision reflects thoughtful, comprehensive planning for the entire campus and cluster.

We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

 

Dear Vanderlyn Elementary Families,
Like many of you, we are aware that Dekalb County Schools has released the first round of scenarios as part of the Student Assignment Project (SAP), which includes an initial list of 27 schools identified for possible closure or reconfiguration. You can find that information here.


We want to emphasize a few very important points:
● This is the first round of scenarios and represents initial ideas only.
● Any changes would be implemented gradually over 6-8 years.
● Nothing has been finalized.
● No changes would take place for the 2026–2027 school year.
● Community feedback will be just as important as the data used to create these scenarios.

 

What we do know is this: Vanderlyn Elementary is an incredible community of families, teachers, and students. We are engaged, thoughtful, and committed to our school. Our voices matter, and they will be heard.

 

Our Principal Advisory Council will meet on Friday to discuss the proposal and begin formalizing a plan that allows us to present a united, informed, and constructive response on behalf of our community. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available, along with opportunities for families to provide input.

 

We encourage everyone to stay informed, attend community meetings when possible, and remain engaged in the process. Together, we will thoughtfully advocate for Vanderlyn and for what is best for our students.

 

Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of the Viking community.

 

 

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