Student Spotlight of the Week

Name: Kaylah Jordan

Grade: 5th Grade

School: Hope-Hill Elementary

Kaylah is an efficient student who takes advantage of all her resources to excel in school. She is a young and highly motivated student who was able to overcome her challenges with math. Within the past year, Kaylah was able to pull her grades up from a C average to an A or B average. Her persistence and hard work is rewarded with high scores and her teacher identified her as the most improved student in her class. Kaylah’s mom played an important role in her improvement with math as she continually tested her and helped her understand math problems.

“My teacher helped me a lot online through a website called Edmodo,” Kaylah says. “We can call him through the website and he helps us whenever we need it.”  Mr. Childs, Kaylah’s teacher, supported Kaylah by telling her to never give up and to always try again. “I feel good because I didn’t really get math when I started 5^th grade and thought it was hard, but now I get it and it’s pretty easy,” Kaylah says.

Kaylah was a performer in Hope-Hill’s Holiday program this year. She sang “Feliz Navidad” with the chorus, played the xylophone, and performed the rockin’ around dance. Outside of school, she enjoys playing basketball with her cousin, and the playground with her sisters and brothers. She participates in science club, tutoring, and Cool Girls.

Name: Zykeria Douglas

Grade: 4th Grade

School: Heritage Academy

Zykeria Douglas is a dynamic fourth grade student at Heritage Academy. She enjoys math because she likes to focus and strive when she encounters tough problems. She encourages her fellow students to “keep trying” when the answers are just around the corner. “Zykeria always excels in her subjects, likes challenges and is very enthusiastic about learning.” says Heritage Academy gifted teacher Mrs. Brown, who has worked with Zykeria since kindergarten. “She always helps and encourages students in her group.”

Zykeria aspires to be an attorney because she loves discussions and diplomacy. Her passions include cheerleading, gymnastics, and math. If Zykeria were granted one wish, she states it would be for world peace.

Name: Amanda Watts

Grade: 11th Grade

School: Mays High

As Amanda Watts sat in math class on November 29th, she overhead an announcement being made over the speaker system honoring a student who received a perfect score on the Georgia High School Writing Test. The loud cheers and claps from students throughout the school made it difficult for Amanda to hear the student’s name. But, nonetheless, she thought this was a fantastic accomplishment, and couldn’t wait to congratulate her fellow Raider. When she entered the hallway after class she was greeted with smiles, hugs and congratulations. To Amanda’s surprise, she was the student with the perfect score.

“I was like wow, and I couldn’t believe it,” Amanda explained. “I immediately hugged all of my English teachers. I was just so happy.”

Beyond her glowing accomplishment on the writing exam, Amanda shines in other ways as well.

“Amanda is the epitome of excellence,” explained Ms. Veronica Barnes, an ELA Teacher at Mays.

Amanda serves as a member of the Science National Honor Society, Kappa Pearls Service Organization, Wind Symphony, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chemistry Club, Soccer Team, and the Student Government Association. In the little free time she has left, she enjoys playing soccer, reading, and playing the piano.

Upon graduating from Mays, Amanda aspires to attend Duke University, where she will major in neuroscience to begin her path towards one day becoming a neurological surgeon. When asked who inspires her to succeed, Amanda explains that the past Mays High School Valedictorians are her inspiration. She looks forward to the day in May 2014 when she too can recite the Valedictorian speech in front of her classmates, family, and friends.

Name: Reginald Grant 

Grade: 2nd

School: Carter G. Woodson Primary School

At seven years old Reginald Grant already stands out as a natural leader, a star student and a truly gifted conversationalist.

He loves reading, and spends a good amount of his spare time absorbed in schoolwork and his Kindle. Reginald’s enthusiasm toward reading has definitely enhanced his vocabulary and his gift for gab.  And his gift for gab has allowed his enthusiasm for learning to help and encourage his peers, communicate well with adults and promote his school.

Last fall, Target and the Heart of America Foundation, a non-profit that focuses on community, service and literacy, combined their efforts to provide Woodson Elementary School with a complete library makeover. The makeover included new technology for students, new books for the library and new books for every student to take home. Reginald was arguably the most excited person at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“This library is the best thing to ever happen to me.   Woodson was already a good school, and now it’s the best school,” said Reginald.  “We have so many good books to read, and now we can read in this good looking new library. Just look at how beautiful it is. Target and Heart of America really know how to do it right!”

Reginald’s teacher, Ms. Veronica Armstrong, says, “Reginald loves school. No matter the situation, Reginald is always enthusiastic, happy.”

And he is also very serious about learning.  Reginald is an excellent student who announced to Armstrong on the first day of school that his goal was to graduate from Georgia Tech.

His strong academic record, his enthusiasm for learning and his caring and compassion toward others earned Reginald the distinguished “Hero of the Heart” award.  Heart of America Foundation grants the award to inspirational individuals across America who have made extraordinary contributions to enrich the lives of others.

Reginald’s picture hangs on Woodson’s Wall of Fame in the school’s newly remodeled media center. Images of other notable individuals including President Obama, Nelson Mandela and Albert Einstein surround Reginald’s photograph, suggesting that the second grader is destined for greatness.

Parks Middle School receives top honors for giving

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walter Leonard Parks Middle School embraced the holiday spirit of “giving back to the community that has supported them”.   Parks Middle School’s Graduation Coach, Mr. MacArthur Randolph, facilitated and motivated the students during the Holiday Can Food Drive to benefit the Atlanta Food Bank. Over 1, 500 cans were collected during this annual drive.  Based on the number of cans collected, Atlanta Food Bank stated that it will provide at least 1, 213 meals to needy families. Every year many schools within the Atlanta Public Schools district participate in this event.  This year, Parks Middle School received top honors for collecting the most can goods by a school for the Atlanta Food Bank. Mrs. Natascha Hampton’s 7^th grade homeroom was recognized with a holiday meal for collecting over 500 cans.   Mrs. Patrice Mapson’s 8^th grade homeroom was also recognized for collecting over 280 cans.

Great job, Parks Middle School!

written by Yashica Green, Media Specialist, Parks Middle School

Morning Rally for Parents at Dunbar!

At Dunbar Elementary School, we make an effort to show our appreciation to parents once a month. Everyday, we are reminded of how we are not alone in this adventure of teaching, and how our decisions and ideas only reach so far without the support of our parents.  Mrs. Karen Brown-Collier, our Principal, and the Dunbar Leadership Team decided to honor parents monthly by having a Morning Rally for Parents! This event takes place on the last Friday of every month. All staff members stand outside to greet parents as they drop off their kids, pass out treats, hold up signs, and even do cheers!

We want our parents to know that we appreciate them at Dunbar Elementary School.  We understand that parenting is a full-time job. We appreciate all that parents do for our school, including taking the extra time to volunteer, donating supplies, energy, and preparing extra events. Parental involvement is special and plays a vital role in having a successful school. At Dunbar, we do not take our parents for granted. Supportive parents motivate us to become better, give more, and to dig deeper with ideas and instruction. Morning Rally for Parents is not about what happens in the classroom, but what happens in the community as we build up our incredible students.

Special message to Dunbar’s parents:

Thank you for placing your faith in the Dunbar staff, as educators and caretakers of our children.  Thank you for believing that Dunbar is a good fit for our children and that our abilities will help them achieve greatness!

- Written by Tomiko Cobb, Media Specialist at Dunbar Elementary

Whitefoord’s B.R.A.T. Club Hosts a Holiday Community Event

The B.R.A.T. Club at Whitefoord Elementary recently received funding by LOWE’S for their first Holiday Community Event called “Men Make A Difference.” The boys created a gingerbread house at LOWE’S with Media Specialist Mileeka Frank and Principal Timmy Foster. Fathers and siblings of the club members were also invited for the day full of events. The activities included a private breakfast at Kroger, Lowe’s Build and Grow, and Community Garden Volunteer with parents. The students made great memories to cherish over the holidays with friends, staff, and family.

The B.R.A.T. Club is full of glee as they also recently received a donation of 6 reading tablets from DonorsChoose.org. Mileeka Frank requested 6 tablets for group projects and as a reading source. “My job is to help them understand learning and technology goes hand in hand.” Mileeka says. “Having this type of technology will allow the students to be exposed to a world they never knew existed.”

B.R.A.T is a book and technology club for male students with difficulty reading below grade level and no interest in reading. B.R.A.T. embraces the energy and action-oriented enthusiasm of boys while encouraging them to read using technology. This program motivates reluctant readers to build reading skills and connect with books while having fun! A club that focuses on the importance of reading will help to open the eyes of struggling readers.

South Atlanta CAD partners with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The South Atlanta School of Computer Animation and Design along with Career Technology Instruction (CTI) Coordinator, Phyllis Hayden-Johnson under the direction of Principal Jarod Scott, has organized a can, toy, and clothing drive in conjunction with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless (HFTH).  Since its founding in 1971 by the late civil rights icon, Hosea Williams, the organization has helped thousands of Atlantans by feeding and clothing the hungry, along with victims of Hurricane Katrina, through their Food Bank, Homeless Prevention activities, and programs for at-risk youth, and more.

We believe that every child deserves adequate food, clothing, and shelter and that there must be someone there to help them in their efforts to sustain self-reliance.  As individuals who want to cause positive change in the world, our goal is to encourage others and make a contribution that will make a difference.   Therefore, South Atlanta’s CTI students began collecting goods on December 3, 2012.  The Collection ran through December 14, 2012 during which time we collected over 650 can goods, a box of toys, several suits, shoes, purses, coats, slacks, and jeans.  On Dec. 17, the students collected, sorted, counted, boxed and will deliver the goods to the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless facility on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012.

Our students are “Proudly leading the way by being the next generation in Human Services.”   South Atlanta CAD students are truly “Leaders United.”

Written by Phyllis R. Hayden-Johnson 

CTI Coordinator

South Atlanta School of Computer Animation and Design

‘Leveling’ done, maximum class sizes in effect

Leveling, our annual process for adjusting staffing levels and reassigning teachers after student enrollment stabilizes, has been completed for the 2012-13 school year.

Every summer, APS assigns staff to schools based on projections of student enrollment. Leveling is necessary because by the time the new school year begins, projected enrollment may differ from actual enrollment for several reasons. One reason is that a large number of students register and actually begin school after the first day of school. Approximately 10,000 students began school between August 7 or Day One and September 7 or Day 24, which is our designated cutoff day for leveling this school year. As part of the leveling process, we have made staffing adjustments that reflect not only student enrollment, but also our careful consideration of the academic and programmatic needs of students and schools.

Now that leveling has been completed, class sizes across APS will be no higher than board- and state-approved maximums. Note that the official state-required count of student enrollment (i.e., FTE count) takes place on the first Tuesday in October (October 2, 2012), after which minor adjustments may be required to ensure that classes do not exceed the approved maximum sizes:

2012-13 APS class-size maximums (unchanged from last year):

• Kindergarten: 25 students
• Grades 1–3: 26 students
• Grades 4–8: 33 students
• Grades 9–12: 35 students in the core classes

APS Students Judged Outstanding at the 2012 International Student Media Festival

APS is excited to announce the results of the 2012 International Student Media Festival (ISMF).

Ten of the state competition-winning projects submitted by APS student,s in collaboration with their media specialists and teachers, were judged Outstanding and received the Excellence in Media Production award at the international media competition. Additionally, two of the ten Outstanding projects were bestowed the coveted Judges’ Favorite award.

The award winning projects are listed below.

Georgia   – Atlanta Public Schools
Bolton Academy, Atlanta GA
Making Paper Mache’	Excellence in Media Production
Rock Cycle	Excellence in Media Production
D.H. Stanton Elementary School, Atlanta GA
Figurative Language-It’s a Piece of Cake	Excellence in Media Production
Good Friends, Good Books	Excellence in Media Production
Hand-y Health Tips	Excellence in Media Production and Judges’ Favorite
Texting While Driving	Excellence in Media Production
Humphries Elementary School, Atlanta GA
Then and now: comparing life in the earl	Excellence in Media Production
South Atlanta School of Computer Animation and Design, Atlanta   GA
Short- Necked Giraffe	Excellence in Media Production
Springdale Park Elementary School, Atlanta GA
Reinhold Gliere	Excellence in Media Production and Judges’ Favorite
Warren T Jackson Elementary School, Atlanta GA
Kerpoof-Ghost Crab	Excellence in Media Production

New Customer Service Standards Launched by APS

Atlanta Public Schools is undergoing significant changes.  One of those changes is a new, focused effort on customer service.

Superintendent Erroll Davis has made it an imperative that we provide fast, efficient service in warm, welcoming environments for our students, teachers, parents, staff, and colleagues.

View our CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS.

APS Enforcing Student Enrollment in Zoned Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is auditing enrollment records throughout the district to ensure that students are enrolled in their respective zoned schools. The audit began at Grady High School, where the initial student enrollment for the 2012-13 school year was higher than projected.

Fraudulent enrollment makes it difficult for the district to plan and allocate resources and staff to schools and efficiently utilize available classrooms and other space, resulting in overcrowding and under-utilization of facilities.

As part of this process, the district will examine all aspects of registration documents, including affidavits. The enrollment affidavits signed by parents/guardians during enrollment and registration verify under oath that the information provided is true and correct. It also outlines criminal penalties and fines that may be enforced if false information is provided. A parent/guardian providing false information can be:

• Obligated to pay costs incurred by the district in investigating their case.
• Prosecuted, held criminally liable, and imprisoned for not less than one, or more than ten (10) years.
• Charged a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisoned from one to five years.

Examples of address fraud include utilizing another individual’s address as one’s own, improperly using a guardianship, or falsifying a document.

Parents/guardians of students who are not enrolled in their zoned schools are encouraged to withdraw their children immediately and enroll them in their zoned schools. The district will not seek penalties against those who voluntarily comply with this process. However, in instances where fraudulent enrollments are discovered as a result of investigations, the district is prepared to pursue all available legal remedies.

The community can assist in this effort by reporting instances of enrollment fraud, either by using the out of zone residency fraud email address (outofzone@atlanta.k12.ga.us) or by using the anonymous hotline (404-802-3450).

APS Cool Kid: Lucy Leonard

Lucy Leonard, a recent graduate of Grady High School, will spend her summer as a YMCA camp counselor, teaching zip lining and leadership skills to teens.

Since the age of 7, Lucy Leonard has spent part of each summer vacation in the same way.

Located only four hours outside of Atlanta, yet still worlds away, the Henry Grady High School recent graduate is a veteran at YMCA’s Camp Thunderbird, located in North Carolina.  Learning lifelong lessons and developing valuable friendships year after year as a camper, this year Lucy has chosen a summer of service, spending the next few weeks as a camp counselor.  Lucy hopes to further develop her leadership and management skills while teaching other youth skills that they can carry back to the classroom in the fall.

So how does she describe being responsible for a cabin of twelve 14 year old girls? “I find them both fun and challenging,” says Lucy.

This year, her counselor responsibilities have taken her to the challenge course, where she teaches young campers how to climb, rappel, and zipline.

Come August, Lucy will head to Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Having earned a merit-based scholarship to Tulane, she is currently pondering studying anthropology, international relations or journalism.  Lucy is very interested in travel, writing, and photography and developed her sharp newsroom skills while serving as the associate managing editor of The Southerner, Grady High School’s award winning newspaper.

Always seeking a new challenge, Lucy hopes to further her journalistic experience at the Tulane Hullabaloo, the university’s student newspaper.  Lucy has applied for the Hullabaloo’s Summer Journalism Experience, which would give her an advance taste of news writing in the Big Easy.