Agenda Item
ix. Extension of Memorandum of Understanding Agreement with Trust for Public Land (TPL) until March 31, 2027 ~ Added 6.12.2026
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Operations
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the DeKalb County School District to enhance schoolyards at Columbia Elementary School, Woodward Elementary School, Stoneview Elementary School, and E. L. Miller Elementary School until March 31, 2027.
Why: Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to build parks and preserve land for people. Central to its mission is to have a park within a 10-minute walk of every citizen. Investing in schoolyards provides students access to more park-like facilities during school hours and the broader community access to these facilities during non-school use. TPL has played a role in the creation of over 350 schoolyards across the country over the past 20 years, including 12 projects with Atlanta Public Schools in the past six years.
Details: Trust for Public Land (TPL) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with the DeKalb County School District in June 2024 to improve several school campuses so that they can serve as community parks during non-school hours when not being used for school purposes during the school day. Per the MOU agreement, TPL has raised funds for four schoolyard projects, managed their design, and hired design consultants to create construction documents. The four sites were suggested by each Commissioner and agreed to by the DeKalb County School District. The following schools were selected for investment based on the lack of parks in each of their communities:
Elementary School (ES)
DeKalb County Commission District
Community Impact
Columbia ES
District 6
(Unincorporated DeKalb)
1757 Residents
Woodward ES
District 2
(Brookhaven)
3873 Residents
Stoneview ES
District 5
(Lithonia)
1676 Residents
E. L. Miller ES
District 4
(Stone Mountain)
2570 Residents
Each of the four sites was designed through student-centered workshops facilitated by TPL, providing students with an understanding of park design, development, and related career pathways. Input gathered from these sessions informed the conceptual design for each school. TPL then advanced these concepts into construction-ready drawings. The designs primarily include accessible pedestrian connections, site furnishings, outdoor classrooms, select play equipment, and a futsal court planned for Woodward Elementary School.
Financial impact: Funding for the four schoolyard sites was secured through the American Rescue Plan by four DeKalb County Commissioners with TPL designated as the subrecipient in each case.
Contact: Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operations Officer, Division of Operations, 678-676-1470
Mr. H. Eric Hilton, Chief Legal Officer, Division of Legal Services, 678-676-0105
Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Strategic Advisor to Superintendent, Superintendent’s Office, 678-676-0898
Effective: June 25, 2026 - March 31, 2027
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs