🌱 Patch AM: How is Stone Mountain High affected by new school improvement changes?

Hello Stone Mountain! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How is Stone Mountain High affected by new school improvement changes?
• What does this award mean for Stone Mountain school families?
• How a Stone Mountain firetruck crash changed a rookie firefighter’s life

Also on today's calendar: 11th Annual Procrastinator's Pop-up and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: A couple of afternoon showers, with a high of 58 and low of 45 degrees.
• Friday: Windy with plenty of sun, temps: high: 53, low: 28.
• Saturday: Sunny and not as cool, with a high of 60 and low of 37 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Six DCSD schools achieve major milestone, exits Federal Improvement Designations list (ocgnews.com) — Stone Mountain families are seeing major progress in local schools, as DeKalb County School District announces six campuses have exited federal CSI and TSI improvement lists. While Stone Mountain High is newly flagged for extra support for students with disabilities, district leaders say they’re using data-driven strategies and community partnerships to keep improving outcomes across all schools.
   

2. DeKalb County School Board Member Diijon DaCosta named ‘County School Board Member of the Year (ocgnews.com) — Stone Mountain-area school families are represented by an award-winning leader, as Board of Education member Diijon DaCosta is honored as County School Board Member of the Year. DaCosta, who represents the Stone Mountain and Stephenson clusters, says he’ll keep pushing for equity, access, and strong support for every student in DeKalb schools.
   

3. Rookie DeKalb firefighter seriously injured in firetruck crash: ‘I just prayed' (fox5atlanta.com) — A DeKalb County fire engine crashed along Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain on December 5, leaving rookie firefighter Eboni Kennedy with a leg amputation and two colleagues injured. Kennedy remains hospitalized after multiple surgeries but is preparing for rehab at Shepherd Center, while a firefighters’ union GoFundMe is helping support her long recovery.
   

4. James Nelson: Baseball America's 2025 Independent Player Of The Year (baseballamerica.com) — A former Redan High standout from Stone Mountain, James Nelson has been named Baseball America’s 2025 Independent/Partner Leagues Player of the Year after a record-setting 30-50 season in the Atlantic League. The story traces his journey from being released by the Yankees to becoming a two-time MVP in partner leagues, and his continuing push for a shot at the majors.
   

📸 Around Stone Mountain

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Stone Mountain

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday December 21

• 11th Annual Procrastinator's Pop-up
  4580 Lakeshore Dr, Pine Lake
  11:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 18

• The Pin-Up Girls
  ART Station Theatre , 5384 Manor Dr , Stone Mountain
  8:00 pm

Friday December 19

• M516 Holiday Mixer & Game Night
  D7 Lounge , 437 Hairston Way , Stone Mountain
  7:00 pm

Saturday December 20

• A Soulful Christmas Conert in Lithonia!
  1704 S Stone Mountain Lithonia Rd , Lithonia
  4:00 pm

Sunday December 21

• Acoustic at Cherokee Rose
  Cherokee Rose Restaurant , 975 Main St , Stone Mountain
  6:00 pm

Monday December 22

• Passive Puzzling at Stone Mountain
  Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library -
• Stone Mountain Christmas
  Stone Mountain Park , 1000 Robert E Lee Blvd , Stone Mountain
  2:00 pm

Saturday December 27

• CCS Nerd Yard Sale
  Charlies Collectible Show Inc , 6009 Memorial Dr Unit 14 , Stone Mountain
  10:00 am
• True Crime and Color
  Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library -
  2:00 pm

Monday December 29

• Passive Puzzling at Stone Mountain
  Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library -

📣 Stone Mountain Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• Matter of Balance
  Redan-Trotti Library -
  10:30 am
• LEGO Constructors
  Scottdale-Tobie Grant Homework Center -
  11:00 am
• Resistance Bands Exercise Class
  Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library Meeting Room Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library -
  11:00 am
• Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion
  Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library Conference Room Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library -
  11:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Stone Mountain PatchAM possible:

• Cmtkreations
  150$ Electrical Inspection full home Inspection stay safe
• Mastering Essential Living Skills with Arlene — (770) 595-7888
  Sewing is Fun Again! Sewing is fun again
• Stone Mountain Farmers Market — (770) 224-7535
  Farm Fresh Produce, Delicious Baked Goods And More......

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Christmas Eve at "The Village Church" 5312 W. Mountain St, Stone Mountain, GA —Doc Lawrence Read on Patch

• The difference between the impossible and the possible is your determination!
  Tough times never last, but tough people always do! Good morning and blessings!!! (Nextdoor Scarbrough Square)
• So proud of my daughter.
  She continues to go above and beyond with this Event planning. I never tell her no. I know every dime is going to come double. Hope everyone is… (Nextdoor Hidden Hills)

• Food Depot posted a job opening for Full Time Stocker in Stone Mountain. Apply here.
• Retirement Housing Foundation posted a job opening for Service Coordinator in Stone Mountain. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Stone Mountain here.

Ok Stone Mountain! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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