Normandy Journals
Nora Wilson
Oct 9, 2025
I wrote this story to summarize the events that took place at the BOE's monthly October meeting. This story's newsworthiness derives from the fact that two of the BOE council members, Lakeisha Gantt and Tim Denson, are running for Athens mayor in the upcoming May election.
The Athens-Clarke County Board of Education unanimously approved several key initiatives during its meeting on Thursday night, most notably among them: a comprehensive cleanup plan for West Broad Campus.
Since its vacancy in 2009, three buildings on West Broad Campus have been vandalized and broken into repeatedly. More recently in September, the ACC fire department responded to a structure fire in the Campbell Lane building which compromised its safety. Board of Education members agreed without exception at the District Office on Thursday, October 9, 2025 that the continued deterioration of the buildings, along with vandalism, has accelerated the need for enforcing stricter security and abatement of West Broad Campus.
“This has been an important place in our community, and we cannot allow it to continue to sit idle. We need to make sure that this place does something that will benefit the community,” said District 9 Board member and Board Vice-President Mark Evans, emphasizing the significance of West Broad Campus’s restoration and future potential.
Specifically, the board’s approval facilitates a cleanup plan that involves asbestos abatement and trash removal at a cost of around $142,000. The board also discussed increasing police patrols and potential fencing to prevent unauthorized access and vandalism to the buildings. District 3 Board member, Linda Davis, stressed the need to treat the property with respect, advocating for improved lighting around the buildings, given West Broad Campus’s historical significance in the African American community.
The board also heard a presentation from Donna Elder, Interim Deputy Superintendent, that focused on recognizable progress in Year Two and outlined targets for Year Three throughout ACC schools as a result of the 2024-2029 Strategic Plan. The presentation highlighted improvements in English and math proficiency, graduation rates, and teacher retention. However, concerns about student safety were raised when faced with the statistic that, in 2025, 40% of students across Athens-Clarke County School District reported feeling unsafe in school restrooms. The root of this fear was not addressed during the presentation, but board members plan to address these concerns through improved monitoring of school bathrooms.
Throughout the night, the board additionally discussed their next steps in the superintendent search process. The Georgia School Boards Association presented a detailed timeline from September 2025 to May 2026 that allows for transparency into the selection process while still maintaining candidate confidentiality as well as board and community input.
“It tells a story about Clarke County in terms of not only just the things that…will be in the profile…but it also tells the story of what’s going on in the district, in terms of mission, values, beliefs,” said Dr. Sam King, GSBA Director of Board Development and Superintendent Search Services while speaking on the importance of the Board of Education finding a superintendent that fits their qualifications and meets the city’s needs during his presentation.