Rose Calloway, parent mentor for Atlanta Public Schools Department of Special Education, was named a finalist for the Phil Pickens Parent Mentor Leadership Award. The award was presented during the Parent Mentor Partnership Fall Conference in Athens, Georgia, on September 12, 2013. Presented annually, the Phil Pickens Award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of a special education administrator and a parent mentor for their leadership roles.
The award is named for the late Phil Pickens, former special education director for the state of Georgia and founder of the Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership.
Calloway, one of only 10 finalists, was nominated because of her leadership in the local school district, the region, and the state. “It’s an honor to have been nominated among a group of people who give so much to their community,” said Calloway. “To be able to use the experiences of raising my daughter, who has special needs, to help others, makes our experience all worthwhile.” Calloway has been a parent mentor with Atlanta Public Schools for five years.
The APS Parent Mentor program provides one-one-one support to over 100 families of children who receive special education services within the district.
The Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership is a joint initiative between the Georgia State Department of Education, Division for Special Education and Supports, and local school districts with the goal to improve student achievement through increased family engagement.
For more information about the Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership or the Phil Pickens Leadership Award, visit the website: www.parentmentors.org.
