M.A. Jones Elementary teacher selected to attend Teach For All Global Workshop in Mumbai, India

Erica Franklin, a second-year Teach For America corps member and fifth-grade teacher at M. Agnes Jones Elementary, is one of six corps members nationwide who was chosen to participate and represent Teach For America in a global workshop sponsored by Teach For All. The other five corps members joining Franklin hail from the following regions: Tulsa, Okla.; the Mid-Atlantic; Miami-Dade County; New Mexico, and Washington, D.C.  Franklin was chosen as Atlanta’s representative in the national competition based on her work ethic, transformational vision in her classroom, desire to always better herself and those around her and commitment to her students, her school and our entire region.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Erica,” M. Agnes Jones Principal Margul Woolfolk said. “This was a very competitive selection process and we know that Erica will represent Atlanta Public Schools and our country well.”

Coretta Scott King YWLA earns honorable mention in the 2011 High Flying Schools Award competition

We recently learned that Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA) will receive an honorable mention at the 2011 High Flying Schools Award ceremony at the National Youth-At-Risk Conference, March 6-9, 2011, in Savannah. CSKYWLA was one of only 10 schools out of the 40 placed in nomination to receive this distinction. 

Each school that will receive an honorable mention will be honored at the opening session on March 7 in the Regency Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency, the site of the conference. Details about conference registration may be found on this page of the conference website. 

Following the opening session a special High Flying Schools Award Winners Showcase will take place that I know you will find of particular interest. Presentations will be given by the 2011 High Flying Schools: McKinley School (Newark, N.J.), Pauline Jones Elementary (Fayetteville, N.C.), L. M. Smith Middle (Birmingham, Ala.), Parkland Magnet High Winston-Salem, N.C. and Wilkinson County Middle (Irwinton, Ga.).

Gideons Elementary student spells his way to success

Jamonté Kearse, a fifth-grader at Gideons Elementary (pictured above, middle), placed second in the Regional Spelling Legal Bee hosted by Michael B. King law firm on Dec. 18 at the National Archives on Jonesboro Road. During the competition, Kearse competed against students throughout Georgia. He received a trophy and $100 for his second-place finish. Kearse misspelled the legal word certiorari which means discretionary review of legal issue by an appeals court. The sponsoring teachers are Darlene Dobbs and Camille Neely.