APS salutes school achievements with Convocation 2009

UPDATE: Check out photo gallery here.

The Atlanta Public Schools celebrated elementary, middle and high schools that achieved at least 70 percent of their performance targets today during the APS Convocation 2009 at the Georgia International Convention Center. A total of 26 APS schools were recognized during today’s event.

Specific performance targets for each APS school are set at the beginning of each school year. The targets involve quantifiable measures, including attendance, test scores, enrollment in rigorous academic courses and participation in extracurricular activities during the 2008-09 school year.

Schools achieving 90 to 99 percent of their targets include: Peyton Forest and West Manor elementary schools; Inman Middle School; Carver School of the Arts and Carver Early College High School. Those schools achieving 80 to 89 percent of their targets include: Benteen, Blalock, Garden Hills, Jackson, Morningside and F.L. Stanton elementary schools; Turner Middle School; and South Atlanta High School of Leadership and Economic Empowerment. Schools achieving 70 to 79 percent of their targets include: Capitol View, Cascade, Deerwood, Hope, Humphries, Mary Lin, Perkerson, Rivers, Venetian Hills and White elementary schools; Bunche and Sutton middle schools; and Therrell School of Business & Entrepreneurship High School.

“Congratulations to the 26 schools that made at least 70 percent of their targets for 2008-2009!” said APS Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall. “As we celebrate our growing achievements today, I ask that you also stay focused on the future. Every day, more school districts are looking to APS as a model. People around the country know that something significant is happening here in Atlanta.”

Principals and staff assigned to schools that meet at least 70 percent of their performance targets receive financial incentives.

APS battles obesity in the schools: AJC

There’s a great story in the AJC today by Gracie Bonds Staples about how local school systems (including APS) are fighting obesity with innovative strategies. The story includes one of our favorite community partners, rock-star chef Linton Hopkins (Restaurant Eugene, Holeman & Finch Public House), and his work at E. Rivers Elementary.

But there’s also great work being done all over APS, which Staples captures nicely in this passage …

Officials at many schools have discovered that students will choose healthful food when given a choice and will take nutrition to heart if they are taught about the positive impacts on their bodies.
“Two years ago, I was making more pizzas,” said Katrina Church, cafeteria manager at Usher Elementary School in Atlanta. “Now I’m making more salads and turkey sandwiches.”
Although chicken nuggets seemed to be the top choice at Usher on a recent Monday, a good number of kindergartners seemed to enjoy salads and turkey on wheat. A few even munched on raw broccoli.
The key, Church said, is making food appear more appealing.
Zakiria Render, 6, was among those who chose salad.
“My mom always gives it to me at dinner,” she said.