September 25- September 26, 2025 2-Day Board Retreat & Professional Development

                    2-DAY BOARD RETREAT & EXECUTIVE SESSION
                                    OF THE
                       DEKALB COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

                               September 25 - September 26, 2025

The DeKalb County Board of Education held its 2-Day Board Retreat and Executive Session,
September 25 - September 26, 2025, at the Fernbank Science Center located at 156 Heaton Park
Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30307.

Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce, Chair, convened the 1st day of the retreat at 12:02 p.m. and noted the
following were in attendance; Vice Chair, Ms. Allyson Gevertz, Mr. Andrew B. Ziffer, Ms.
Whitney McGinniss, Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D., Mr. Diijon DaCosta, Sr., and Superintendent, Dr.
Devon Q. Horton.

Also in attendance was Ms. Carolyn Lloyd, Executive Director of Board Operations, Mrs.
Marissa Key, Executive Director of Employee Relations, Ms. Melanie Slaton, General Counsel
and Mr. Elijah Palmer, Chief of Staff.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
Mrs. Pierce asked if there were any objections to adopting the agenda for the September 25 -
September 26, 2025, 2-day board retreat and executive session.
With no objections, the agenda was adopted.
BOARD RETREAT & EXECUTIVE SESSION ~ (DAY 1 ~ SEPTEMBER 25, 2025, ~ 12:00
PM)

       1. WELCOME & OVERVIEW
          By: Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce, Board Chair

       2. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION ~ Day 1

           a. Superintendent Evaluation Follow-Up
              Presented by: Mrs. Julia Bernath, Board Development Specialist, Georgia School
              Board Association (GSBA)

           b. 2025-2026 Legislative Priorities Discussion
              Presented by: Mr. Thurbert Baker, Attorney General,
              Mr. Edward Lindsey, Jr., Dentons

ADJOURN TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce requested a motion to adjourn September 25, 2025, board retreat to an
executive session for the purpose of discussing permitted matters regarding land, legal, litigation,
personnel and student appeals.

On a motion by Mr. Ziffer, second by Ms. Gevertz, and with a vote of (6/0), the September 25,
2025, board retreat adjourned to executive session.
DeKalb Board of Education
September 25 - September 26, 2025
Page 2 of 2

ADJOURN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mrs. Pierce called for a motion to adjourn the September 25, 2025, executive session and recess
day one of the board retreat.
On a motion by Ms. Gevertz second by Hogan, Ph.D. and with a vote of (6/0), the September 25,
2025, executive session adjourned and recessed day one of the board retreat.


CALLED TO ORDER ~ DAY 2 ~ SEPTEMBER 25, 2025, ~ 9:00 AM

Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce, Chair, called the 2nd day of the board retreat to order at 9:06 a.m. and
noted the following were in attendance; Vice Chair, Ms. Allyson Gevertz, Mr. Andrew Ziffer,
Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D., and Superintendent, Dr. Devon Q. Horton. Ms. Whitney McGinniss and
Mr. Diijon DaCosta, Sr., attended the retreat virtually.

Also in attendance was Ms. Melanie Slaton, General Counsel Attorney, Ms. Carolyn Lloyd,
Executive Director of Board Operations, and Mrs. Marissa Key, Executive Director of Employee
Relations. Chief of Staff, Mr. Elijah Palmer joined the retreat, in person, at 10:30 am.

RECONVENE BOARD RETREAT & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ~ DAY 2
With no objections from the DeKalb Board of Education, Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce reconvened the
second day of the September 25 – September 26, 2025, 2-day board retreat.

       1. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION – Day 2

           a. Development of Board Norms & Protocols
              Presented by: Mrs. Julia Bernath, Board Development Specialist, Georgia School
              Board Association (GSBA)

ADJOURN
Mrs. Pierce, Board Chair requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education adjourn the
September 25 - September 26, 2025, 2-Day Board Retreat & Executive Session.

With no objections, the 2-day board retreat adjourned at 3:49 p.m.


_______________________                      ____________________________
Secretary Ex-Officio                         Chair