More great news from Bolton Academy’s ePals exchange with Turkey

We love hearing from the folks at Bolton Academy and their impressive ePals relationship with Turkey, as noted in The Atlanta Educator. Here are a few snapshots:

In first photo, Cansu Samsun, Oktay Kuru and Zeynep Deniz Kavak interacted with Bolton Academy secondgraders. During the week of Sept. 6, the ePals Turkish exchange group of six students and two chaperoning teachers (Zeynep Deniz Kavak, Gencay Koç, Batuhan Gürsoy, Cansu Samsun, Ayça Karagülle, Burcu Özcanoğlu, Seda Ünaldı and Oktay Kuru) provided interactive lessons for kindergarten-12th-grade APS students. At Bolton Academy, Sutton Middle School and North Atlanta High School, the Turkish guests lead teachers, students and their families in comparing and contrasting Turkish and American cultures — celebrating differences and similarities.

On Sept. 9, North Atlanta High School’s International Studies Department and P.T.S.A. hosted a multicultural potluck for the ePals Turkish exchange group. The Turkish guests shared their courting ritual and wedding ceremony custom along with a Q&A session. (Watch the video here.)

Also, Cansu Samsun performs a Turkish folk song for Bolton Academy students’ families. Families were invited to cook dishes that represented their diverse cultures. On Sept. 7, these families shared their cultural food with Turkish ePals. The ePals exchange group shared their Turkish cultural presentation – singing, dancing and demonstrating customs along with children’s games.

Boyd Elementary welcomes second annual Fall Festival on Oct. 9

The fall weather has arrived just in time for the Community Building Coalition of Northwest Atlanta to hold its second annual Fall Festival at Boyd Elementary School from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) at the school (1891 Johnson Road NW, Atlanta 30318). The festival will feature health screenings, adult stress-management tips, games, face-painting, workshops, children’s activities, refreshments and free school supplies.

Four APS teachers rewarded with $1,000 worth of school supplies from OfficeMax’s ‘A Day Made Better’

UPDATE: Check out these videos of Slater’s Gwendolyn Taylor here and here.

Four Atlanta Public Schools elementary teachers got a needed boost in their classrooms Tuesday when OfficeMax provided $1,000 worth of school supplies as part of their national “A Day Made Better” project. The recipients were Boyd’s Trina White, Fickett’s Merilyn Tickles, Slater’s Gwendolyn Taylor and West Manor’s Francine Ferguson.

Armed with flowers, a plaque and a large box of office supplies, representatives from OfficeMax flooded Taylor’s classroom, leading students in shouting, “Surprise!”
The supplies ranged from markers and notebooks to a new leather chair. Two gifts that got the most response were digital cameras and electric pencil sharpeners.

“I wish I were Ms. Taylor,” said one student as her teacher displayed each item. Each year, Office Max selects 1,000 winning educators around the country. Based on their research, teachers spend about $1,000 a year outfitting their classrooms with colorful signs, banners and other tools to enhance instruction.
“It is our way of giving back to the community,” said Todd McBride, national account manager for the office supply retailer. “It’s really awesome to be here and watch the kids’ expressions.”

Taylor, who has taught at Slater for the past five years, also serves as the school’s Teacher of the Year as well as a Project GRAD master teacher. While the supplies definitely made her day, she was eager to put them to use by returning to that lesson.

“Partnerships like this encourage our teachers to keep doing their best each day,” said Principal Selina Dukes-Walton. “Miss Taylor is a great ambassador for Slater Elementary.” On Wednesday, Slater will welcome the city’s top ambassador; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is scheduled to attend the grand opening of Slater’s SunTrust Youth Bank.

Merilyn Tickles, a second-grade teacher at Fickett Elementary, was surprised by the OfficeMax A Day Made Better team along with her principal, Dr. Anthony Dorsey.  “I am just shocked and overwhelmed,” said Tickles, who has been an educator for 31 years, and seven of those years have been at Fickett.

Over at Boyd, Principal Emalyn Foreman was delighted for Trina White, whom she nominated. “She’s a very nurturing person who brings love and compassion to the kids everyday,” Foreman said of White, currently in her second year at Boyd. “No matter her students’ circumstances, she brings them under her wing and gives them what they need to succeed.”