Carver’s School of Health Sciences & Research launches GE Bee Healthy Campaign

In a partnership with GE’s Bee Healthy campaign, 9th and 10th-grade students from Carver’s School of Health Sciences & Research participated in a simulated health clinic at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers also was on hand, inspiring students to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Click here to view Devers’ visit to Carver.

Of course, Carver’s HS&R students also have amassed an impressive list of accomplishments. Members of the 2010 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) team placed first in Biomedical debate and second in CPR/First Aid during the state competition.

Garden Hills Elementary partnership with Young Audiences takes shape as a new sculpture

UPDATE: Check out the photo gallery here.

Thanks to a partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center‘s Young Audiences, Garden Hills Elementary celebrated the installation of a sculpture on school grounds Tuesday morning. Faculty and students cheered as Principal Amy Alderman and art teacher Cissy Cohen honored the work of Young Audiences “site sculptor” Jeff Mather. His colorful and geometrically dazzling masterpiece was inspired by sketches provided by fourth- and fifth-graders. The artwork features triangles and benches that form a circle and could easily double as an outdoor classroom.

Alderman noted that Garden Hills’ relationship with Young Audiences dates before her six-year tenure at the school. She was excited when Cohen — along representatives of the school’s PTA — approached her with the idea of a student-inspired sculpture through the organization. “Many of these projects are modeled on how to integrate Georgia Performance Standards through the arts,” said Alderman, who’s also partnered with the Woodruff on such programs as Smart Start and an artist-in-residence project last year. “We’re fortunate in that we’re one of four schools in the state of Georgia that’s a pilot school with the Woodruff Arts Center.

Burgess-Peterson Academy scores at first-ever East Atlanta Strut parade appearance

East Atlanta’s Burgess-Peterson Academy participated in this year’s 13th annual East Atlanta Strut parade on Sept. 18. In support of the school’s gardening theme, pre-K through fourth-grade students prepared for the parade by hand making their costumes: butterflies, bugs, flowers, grapes, ladybugs, bumble bees and peaches. The fifth-graders were gardeners. Parents showed school support by walking the parade route wearing the school’s spirit shirt.

On the day of the parade, the judges included Atlanta City Council Members Natalyn Archibong and Carla Smith and Dr. Andrea Dunnings of East Atlanta Animal Clinic. Award trophies were presented in several categories such as art car, marching band, best kids group and also two wild card Judges Choice awards for extraordinary strutting by a group of any kind. This year, Burgess-Peterson Academy won the 2010 Judges Choice Award!

“It was our first appearance in this event, and the students and parents had a great time!” said Burgess-Peterson Principal Robin Robbins. Neighborhood Charter School also participated in the a parade.

Page Foundation ‘Turning Event’ honors Stephanie and Arthur Blank

Stephanie and Arthur Blank were honored for their philanthropic work at the Page Foundation “Turning Event” Thursday evening at the Fox Theatre. The Arthur M. Blank Foundation has been an enthusiastic supporter of Atlanta Public Schools for many years. Associate Superintendent for High Schools Randolph Bynum represented APS at the event.

Grady High newspaper garners Gallup Award

This from Ashley Brown, published in Grady High’s The Southerner newspaper (hat tip to Grady’s Carrie MacBrien for sharing):

For the fifth time in the past six years and for the third year in a row, The Southerner has earned the George H. Gallup Award, the highest honor presented by the Quill and Scroll International Society for High School Journalists.

“The Southerner is what many high school newspapers strive to be,” the judge wrote to the staff of The Southerner. “It isn’t perfect, but it makes every effort to be perfect, something that’s apparent to its readers. It takes a lot to fill a 20-page paper, especially in high school, so everyone involved in [the 2009-2010] publication [year] should be proud of their work … It’s safe to say The Southerner will continue to serve its readers well, and be an example of what a high school newspaper can and should be for years to come.”

The judge also praised The Southerner’s breadth of coverage.

HistoryMakers provide insight and advice to APS students at Dobbs and Bunche

From L-R: June Dobbs Butts, Juliette Dobbs Blackburn-Beamon, Oniola Day, Malik Person

For years students and educators alike have passed through the halls of John Wesley Dobbs Elementary without making a connection to the man for whom their school was named — until Friday. Dobbs’ daughter, June Dobbs Butts, and niece, Juliette Dobbs Blackburn-Beamon, appeared at the school as part of The HistoryMakers project. Dobbs was one of six schools around APS to welcome guests who provided educational and entertainment oral histories. This particular program is part of a nationwide back-to-school effort from the organization.

Save the date: APS Neighborhood Celebration for southeast schools, Oct. 2!

UPDATE: Check out these profiles on Coan Middle School, King Middle, Parkside Elementary, the participating Confucius Institute schools, and the charter schools. Download and share this copy of the flyer!

The second annual APS Neighborhood Celebration will take place between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 2, at Maynard H. Jackson High School (801 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta GA, 30316). Part pep rally, part open house, the “All for All, One by One” event will celebrate our neighborhood schools through student performances, a “Parade of Schools,” school displays and a canned food drive benefiting the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Hosea Feed The Hungry & Homeless. (Check out last year’s amazing Neighborhood Celebration!)

Parents, prospective students, Realtors and school, civic and business partners from the southeast Atlanta community are invited to attend to experience what’s happening at their neighborhood APS school. For more information, email zrobinson@atlantapublicschools.us.

Come back to this page for continual updates and previews from the participating schools as they give us a sneak peek at what you can expect as we celebrate our southeast Atlanta schools! For example, you can learn about such exciting school program’s as Jackson High’s performing arts offerings (pictured above).

Featured schools:
• Maynard H. Jackson High
• Coan Middle
• King Middle
• Atlanta Charter Middle
• Charles R. Drew Charter
• Imagine Wesley International Academy Charter
• Neighborhood Charter
• Intown Academy
• Benteen Elementary
• Burgess-Peterson Academy
• Cook Elementary
• East Lake Elementary
• Parkside Elementary
• Hill-Hope Elementary
• Toomer Elementary
• Whitefoord Elementary
• Tech High

Price Middle School teacher named one of Symetra’s ‘Heroes In the Classroom’

During a special faculty meeting this afternoon at Price Middle School, Principal Sterling Christy told his teachers and staff that they were here “to recognize the work of one of your peers.” Price Middle’s Janice Johnson, a 21-year veteran teacher at Atlanta Public Schools, had no idea she was going to be named one of Symetra’s “Heroes in the Classroom.”

APS and Youth Entrepreneurs Atlanta ‘dare to dream’ at fall kickoff

APS Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall met with some shining examples of young innovators at the Youth Entrepreneurs Atlanta’s’ “Dare to Dream” fall kickoff event held Tuesday at the Georgia-Pacific Center Auditorium. Dr. Hall joined several participating students as well as a host of “Dream Supporters” that included Martin Luther King III in helping support YE-ATL, an educational program sponsored by Georgia-Pacific and hosted in APS.

Hall noted a sea change of events that, while challenging, has provided a huge window of opportunity for today’s youth in the 21st century marketplace. She pointed to the Internet-driven social-media revolution, the increasing number of women in the workplace, and statistics that show soon there will be more English-speaking residents in China than the United States.

“What all of this means is that the top job offer or next big idea doesn’t always go to or come from the smartest individual. Success follows the one who can most adapt, adjust and transition in an environment of change,” Hall said.

Former Atlanta Brave Brian Jordan visits Centennial Place Elementary

Retired Atlanta Braves outfielder turned children’s author, Brian Jordan, visited Centennial Place Elementary School to promote the importance of reading as part of the Threshing Floor Academy‘s Authors in Schools Program.

Jordan shared his experiences as a professional athlete and how getting a good and well-rounded education was always the first priority in his family. Jordan also shared with students what inspired him to become a children’s author. “I love to read and I want every single one of you to understand the importance of reading and one day you can become an author, too.”