The Special Olympics Unified Basketball Team from N. Atlanta H.S. won the silver medal in the State Championship Competition this past weekend in Marietta Georgia. The level of competition was very strong and we neither won nor lost a game by 4 points!

All of our athletes have incredible talent which was led by their coaches Ms. Lisa Oglesby and Mr. Nic Hill, who worked countless hours shaping this championship team. Each and every athlete contributed to the teams’ success by scoring, rebounds, defense, ball handling or just supporting each other. The determination of these fine athletes was evident as they played Friday and 3 games on Saturday. Although tired they continued to work as a team to come away silver medalists.

This was the first year we have had a unified team which consists of half Special Olympians and half their typical peers (partners). The partnership did not end on the basketball court. The team socialized together and roomed together; they were truly a “team” in every sense. There was no barrier, only teammates and friends.

Ms. Lisa Oglesby, MOID teacher at N. Atlanta H.S. and Ms. Regina Gennaro, Special Olympics Liaison for APS, decided this was an excellent time to form such a team as the climate at N. Atlanta H.S. was perfect for this union. Ms. Oglesby has had and continues to have several peer leaders wanting to work with her students. Her students have many opportunities to work and play with their peers and this bridging of the typical gap has become almost non-existent. Much credit goes to the administration and teachers of N. Atlanta H.S. who continue to be extremely supportive.

Congratulations to the team! It was a well earned victory and hopefully we’ll have many more in the future.

The awards are presented in two broad categories – Highest Performance for Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards and Greatest Gains for Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards. In each category, individual schools are awarded platinum, gold, silver or bronze recognitions, based on their individual student performance. The following APS traditional and charter schools were recognized in these respective categories:

Highest Performance

Springdale Park Elementary School – Platinum, Morningside Elementary School – Gold, Lin Elementary School – Silver, Smith Elementary School – Silver, Brandon Elementary School – Silver, Jackson Elementary School – Bronze, Early College High School at Carver – Platinum and Inman Middle School – Bronze.

Greatest Gains

Charles R. Drew Charter School – Platinum, Toomer Elementary School – Gold, Kipp Strive Academy – Gold, Parkside Elementary School – Gold, Tech High School – Gold and Sutton Middle School – Platinum.

“I congratulate the students, principals, teachers and staff for the hard work and dedication that went into earning this recognition,” said Superintendent Erroll B. Davis, Jr. “Sustained academic performance over time is the best measure of real achievement, and these awards are indicative of the kind of performance APS is experiencing throughout the system.”

Click here to learn more about the measurements used for this award.

In advance of Black History Month, B.E.S.T. Academy students will gather Friday morning to discuss the Black World War II Tuskegee Airmen and screen a new movie on the group.

Sponsored by the 100 Black Men organization, the students will participate in a discussion with actors from the new movie, “Red Tails” and Tuskegee Airmen veterans in the high school auditorium at 9 a.m. Friday, January 20 at 1890 Donald Hollowell Parkway, NW, Atlanta 30318. The Tuskegee Airmen is a group of Black men who trained at a U.S. Army airbase in Tuskegee, Alabama prior to their deployment as combat fighter pilots during the Second World War.

Following the discussion session, the students will depart for the movie screening at 11:15 a.m. The screening will be at the Camp Creek Marketplace Theater, I-285 & Camp Creek Parkway, Eastpoint, GA 30344.

News media representatives are invited to cover these events.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, approximately 1,000 children between the ages of five and nine are killed each year in pedestrian crashes.  School crossing guards play a critical role in keeping students safe as they walk to and from school.  Crossing guards put their lives on the line by ensuring that all traffic is stopped before students enter the roadway.  A daunting task to say the least, considering the numerous speeding motorists, cell phone users and adults who jeopardize their own safety by jaywalking and ignoring traffic signals.  Crossing guards work outside in inclement weather and are confronted by hostile pedestrians and motorists, and yet they remain committed to their work of keeping children safe.

Atlanta Public Schools will pay homage to these “great protectors” during the APS School Crossing Guard Recognition Week, January 23-27 2012.  This is the district’s third year celebrating its 85 crossing guards and their dedication to safety.

As part of the weeklong celebration, parents, students, teachers and administrative staff are asked to create handmade thank you cards, or simply say thank you to APS school crossing guards for their hard work and commitment to child pedestrian safety.

Centennial Place Elementary School, an APS year round school, is among fourteen district schools to earn the state Title 1 Distinguished School recognition this year.

Centennial Place has earned this recognition for nine consecutive years and has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for eleven consecutive years. AYP is a federal measure of academic achievement covering various categories of students, including those with disabilities and language challenges. Title 1 schools have significant populations of students who are economically disadvantaged and receive federal funding to assist with the education of their students.

Centennial Place is one of the district’s three year round schools that operate on a different calendar than most APS schools. The year round calendar provides more enrichment and academic enhancement opportunities throughout the year, as well as more remediation opportunities for students requiring additional time to achieve academic success. The school has over 30 partner organizations that provide economic and ‘sweat equity’ support, including The Coca-Cola Company and Georgia Tech.

“Centennial Place Elementary embraces social-economic diversity in a truly modern urban education environment in the heart of Mid-Town Atlanta,” said Principal Alison Shelton. “Our academic achievements and recognitions affirm the fact that this melting pot environment really works.”

More than 60 students classified as homeless are currently enrolled at Centennial Place, and the school draws students from diverse neighborhoods throughout the Mid-Town area.

Capitol City Bank & Trust Company partnered with L.P. Miles Elementary school to celebrate the 5th year of business for the school’s Tiger Savings Bank.

We take a look at Dr. Aruna Kailasa and her advanced chemistry class. She highlights the importance of chemistry in the professional world and everyday life.

Watch our latest video:  Mike Peterson Foundation partnership with Grove Park Elementary

Through the foundation’s Top Dog Readers Club program instituted at partner school Grove Park Elementary in Atlanta, students read over 1,000 more books in the 2010-2011 school year than ever before at Grove Park.  His efforts were recognized earlier this school year when the Atlanta Metro Chamber  awarded him their 2011 Business-School Partnership Award in conjunction with the Atlanta Partners for Education.

His latest effort is the school’s football camp, a skill the Falcon’s player knows well.

In 2010 Mike Peterson and his foundation adopted Grove Park as one of their schools and covered the school’s $7,500 matching-fund commitment for the playground, which often costs about $60,000.

Fans who want to donate to the program or drop of gently used books to expand the library at Grove Park can contact Michelle Robie, executive director for the Mike Peterson Foundation at (727) 501-6767 or via email at michelle@mikepetersonfoundation.com.

Thank you “Uncle Mike” for all you do for the students in Atlanta Public Schools.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Actions on education legislation under the Gold Dome for 2012 General Session Days 1 – 4

The 2012 Legislative Session began Monday, January 9, 2011. Action was taken on Day One by the Senate, which passed two pieces of legislation that were carryovers from the last session. The two bills passed both chambers last session with slightly different versions, but time ran out before the changes could be made and voted upon. Senate Bill 38 gives the state school superintendent hiring/firing powers without need for SBOE approval. It also increased the amount of contracts the superintendent has authority to sign contracts from $50,000.00 to $250,000.00. SB 184 is the Reduction in Force bill that establishes a task force to review professional learning requirements and make recommendations to the State Board of Education. It also prohibits local boards from making length of service the primary or sole determining factor when implanting a reduction in force. Instead, the primary factor shall be the performance of the educator. Both are headed to the Governor’s desk for signature.

We considered it a victory last year when SB 87, which was a voucher bill that would allow vouchers for dependent children of active duty, National Guard or Reserves, or deceased military parents, was tabled on the Senate floor when the sponsor realized there were not enough votes to pass it. On Day One, of this session, it was removed from table and goes back to the Senate Education & Youth Committee for consideration.

Education Highlights from Governor’s State of the State Address

In his State of the State Address, this week, Governor Nathan Deal said he is including in his budget $1.6 million for a reading mentor program. His goal is to have all children reading on grade level by the third grade. He has added $3.72 million for school nurses, $146.6 million for student enrollment growth and $55.8 million to fund teacher salary increases for their training & experience. He has also added $8.7 million dollars in grants to both the FY 12 supplemental budget and the FY 13 budget for state special charter schools that were affected by the Supreme Court decision on the State Charter School Commission. There will be no reduction in QBE or Equalization. However, after closer review, there is a 2% cut to all other areas.

The following legislation passed in the House Education Committee:

•                HB 705 – Amend Code section relating to direct classroom expenditures, also known as the 65% Rule for classroom instruction.  Technology, transportation, and instructional support including media centers and guidance counselors have been added.  This bill was recommendation of the Education Finance Committee.

•                HB 706 – Repeals over 20 sections of Education Title 20 to make it current to what is happening today. Changes include removing the April 1st deadline for evaluations; shifting the home school reporting to the Department of Education; repealing the requirement to send student codes of conduct to the state; and repealing the law on electronic communication devices at school. This bill was recommendation of the Education Finance Committee.

•                HB 713 – Amends bill passed last year on college and career pathway initiatives to delay the implantation schedule one year to the fall of 2013. This bill introduced at the request of the State Superintendent.

Other Bills Introduced:

•                HB 651 – Repeal a Code section relating to additional three charter system earnings for each full-time equivalent student.

•                HB 654 – Provide for the establishment of grant programs by local school systems. Authorize local boards of education to make available to its students grants to attend participating schools. Includes details on amount of grants, the method of payment and reporting.

•                HB 661 – Require that professional personnel in charter schools comply with the same certification requirements as professional personnel in the public schools in this state.

•                HB 664 – Provide that the Georgia Charter Schools Commission may elect to exclude all teachers in a commission charter school from membership in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia. Provide that the Georgia Charter Schools Commission may make an irrevocable election to exclude public school employees from membership in the Public School Employees Retirement Fund. Note: This bill was introduced prior to the State Supreme Court’s decision on the Commission.

•                HB 671- Provide for a reduction in the members of the board of education from nine to seven. It was also introduced last year but, was usurped by SB 79, which was similar and passed. Just as a recap, SB 79 set minimum four‐year terms for school board members; reduced the board sizes of districts such as DeKalb County from nine to seven, eliminating two at‐large seats. Though Atlanta was not named, the third part authorizes governor to remove all school board members, and appoint temporary replacements, if the school system has not regained full accreditation status by July 1, 2011.

•                HB 673 – By Jan. 2013, the state board of education, SBOE, shall develop and distribute to local school districts mandatory guidelines for informing and educating coaches, student athletes, and parents about the risks of concussions.  These guidelines must include criteria for removal and return to play, and risks of not reporting the injury and continuing to play.  Local school boards shall, by July 2013, develop procedures and regulations which must require:  annually, each student athlete and parent be given information about concussions and the athlete and parent shall sign that they have received same; immediate removal of a student athlete from activity should a concussion or brain injury be sustained; and no return to play on the same day and only after a medical evaluation with written clearance from the medical provider.

•                HB 679 – Revise certain laws regarding the carrying of firearms; and for other purposes. Would not require the carrier to have a permit or be a resident of the state.

•                HB 689 -Local Boards of Education are authorized to provide health insurance benefits to former board members with at least 12 years of service to be paid for by the former member.

•                HB 692 – A teacher or other certified professional personnel’s salary increase or bonus that is based in whole or in part on an evaluation which included student assessment results or standardized test scores that were falsified by that teacher or professional, or known of or caused by that teacher or professional shall be automatically forfeited. It also requires repayment of any and all amounts previously paid to him or her based, in whole or in part, on the results of falsified student assessments or standardized tests.

•                HR 1093 – A RESOLUTION urging local boards of education to apply for federal funding to retrofit school buses with pollution control devices.

•                SB 291 –Pre-K programs to be funded with general funds, rather than lottery by 2013-2014.

•                SB 308 – Permits proprietary institutions of higher education to participate in establishing college and career academies.

•                SR 646 – A RESOLUTION expressing the will of the Senate to ensure the necessary conditions for expanded high-quality digital learning opportunities for the students of this state.

•                SR 663 – A RESOLUTION supporting the Reading for Learning-Merit Based Student Program.

The General Assembly is in recess next week, and will reconvene on, Monday, January 23, 2011 for Legislative Day 5.