Atlanta International Wants to Stay in Garden Hills Neighborhood

Atlanta International School held a town hall meeting Tuesday night to set the record straight on its possible upcoming purchase of the property it's leased from Atlanta Public Schools for nearly 20 years.

School officials told about 45 people gathered in the school's auditorium that they want to remain in the Garden Hills neighborhood and even though their current lease wouldn't end until 2051, the purchase would allow them to do that.

“We would like to stay in this Garden Hills neighborhood. We would like to stay here if we could. If we are unable to purchase the property, we will have to think about other arrangements … at some point. You have to think about owning your own home," said AIS Board Chairwoman Deborah Sudbury, as quoted in this Reporter Newspapers article.

AIS now leases the former North Fulton High and its nine acres for $225,000 a year. Their proposed purchase price would be $6.15 million for the property and an additional $2.25 million for International Baccalaureate services from APS. The money would be used to help the district close its $61 million deficit for the upcoming school year.

There has been community opposition to the school's move to purchase the property, however. North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools officially released a statement explaining why the organization's members felt APS' sale of the property would be a "fiscally irresponsible decision" while the area continues to experience "explosive growth."

What do you think about the possible sale? Is it best for APS to sale the property to help close its budget deficit?