APS GED College Event 2013

Superintendent Davis message

Superintendent Errol B. Davis Jr. reflects on the CRCT indictments, ethics, Atlanta Public Schools and its students, faculty and staff moving forward.

Superintendent Davis Interviews with CNN

CNN Article: Atlanta Schools Head Looks Beyond Cheating Scandal

 

APS is Honored for Serving Local Food to Students

Atlanta Public Schools was recognized on March 5, 2013, at the state capitol for their participation in the 5 Million Meals campaign, a statewide effort to get more local food in schools.  Marilyn Hughes, Director of Nutrition for APS, pledged to support her local economy and local farmers by increasing the amount of local food served to her students through farm to school programs.

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge, Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black, and Georgia Organics Board President Rashid Nuri honored these Georgia school districts for taking the “5 Million Meals Challenge” and pledging to serve more local food in their cafeterias.

In 2011, thanks to the hard work of dozens of Farm to School advocates, 3 million meals featuring locally produced food were served in more than 650 Georgia schools as part of a program to teach children where their food comes from, why that matters, and inspire them to eat more fruits and vegetables.

In October 2012, Georgia Organics and its partners launched the 5 Million Meals Challenge, a statewide effort to get 5 million meals made with locally grown food served in K-12 cafeterias across Georgia.

During the ceremony at the capitol, Dr. Barge and Commissioner Black presented the schools and school systems that have taken the 5 Million Meals pledge with “The Golden Radish Award.” The school districts were also honored with resolutions in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

“Children learn better when their bodies and minds are fueled by nutritional meals. This program helps create a better school environment so that students can reach new heights academically,” said Dr. Barge. “It also helps us expose children to science through agriculture. We must teach our children about an industry that is so critical to Georgia’s economy in order to inspire the next generation of farmers and agricultural scientists.”

“With great programs such as the Five Million Meals Challenge and Feed My School for week, students will discover the importance of agriculture through learning about the process that brings local produce and goods from an area farm to the cafeteria table, while at the same time receiving a healthy, delicious meal,” said Commissioner Gary W. Black.  “These programs not only allow children more healthy alternatives and promote local producers, but also bring communities together for a great cause.”

The Centers for Disease Control has identified Farm to School as a key strategy in addressing childhood obesity, but scientists and policymakers are not the only supporters of farm to school – these programs are being implemented on the ground by thousands of people in Georgia.

School gardens are the fun and public “face” of Farm to School, but there’s much more to it than that. Thriving Farm to School programs feature teachers who incorporate growing food into the curriculum, and parents who volunteer an hour or two to help weed that school garden. 
Farm to School also involves chefs from the community who conduct taste tests with students and farmers, connecting directly with the schools by hosting farm tours or making guest appearances on days when their food will be featured in the cafeteria.

Most importantly, the program causes the nutrition staff – the dedicated workers planning and preparing the cafeteria food – to take the extra time to plan and prepare healthy, local food that students love to eat.

Atlanta Board of Education – March 4, 2013 Meeting notice

March 4, 2013

BOARD MEETING NOTICE

2:00 PM:  COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE*
Special Presentation
Ms. Sis Henry, Executive Director, Georgia School Board Association
Dr. Mary Kay Murphy, Georgia School Board Association District 5 Director

Board Work Session

Work Session Presentations:

Chuck Burbridge, Chief Financial Officer
·       Financial Forecast

Stakeholders are welcome to provide comments at the beginning of the Committee of the Whole meeting on any item on the agenda.

In order to provide comments during the Committee of the Whole, please contact:  Dr. Howard W. Grant, Office of the Atlanta Board of Education at 404.802.2200, at least 1 hour prior to the start of the Committee of the Whole.

6:00 PM:  COMMUNITY MEETING

The Atlanta Board of Education welcomes input from the students/ staff/ parents and members of the community at its Community Meeting following the Committee of the Whole meeting; March 4, 2013
Speaker sign in:  5:00-5:50 p.m.
The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

7:00 PM:  LEGISLATIVE MEETING**

To view this month’s agenda go to https://www.boarddocs.com/ga/aps/Board.nsf

*An executive session may take place before, during or at the conclusion of the meeting to discuss any appropriate topics.

**Action may be taken

2013 APS District Spelling Bee

On February 7^th, the Atlanta Public Schools District Spelling Bee was hosted at Gideons Elementary School. The APS Spelling Bee is sponsored annually by the Atlanta Association of Educators (AAE), with Ramon Reeves as President and Martha Henderson as the Spelling Bee Coordinator. Congratulations to the winners of the APS Spelling Bee who will advance to the Georgia Association of Educator Distinct Spelling Bee on February 23^rd!

“We wish you the best of luck and look forward to you advancing to the state and national level finals,” says Martha Henderson, Spelling Bee Coordinator.

 

The winners of the 2013 APS Spelling Bee:

• 1^st Place- Theo Weimar, Mary Lin Elementary
• 2^nd Place – Sydney Ragland, Young Middle
• 3^rd Place – Amanda Stevens, Sutton Middle
• 3^rd Place – Wen Lu, Beecher Hills Elementary

Schools that participated in the 2013 APS Spelling Bee:

• Bethune Elementary
• Beecher Hills Elementary
• Boyd Elementary
• Gideons Elementary
• Charles Drew Charter
• Continental Colony Elementary
• Dobbs Elementary
• Garden Hills Elementary
• Grove Park Intermediate
• Heritage Academy
• Young Middle
• Hope-Hill Elementary
• Kipp Ways Academy
• Fain Elementary
• Mary Lin Elementary
• M. Agnes Jones Elementary
• Miles Elementary
• Morningside Elementary
• Sarah Smith Elementary
• Sutton Middle
• Town Elementary
• Usher Elementary
• Jackson Elementary
• Finch Elementary

“Spelling bees offer an opportunity for students to exhibit their proficiency in the art of spelling,” says Martha Henderson. “We watched as you demonstrated your ability to decipher new and challenging words. On behalf of the Atlanta Association of Educators and President Ramon Reeves, we would like to congratulate all of the students who participated in APS District Spelling Bee. You are winning representatives from each of the Atlanta Public Schools across the district. Your journey did not end last week because you are proficient spellers.

“The Atlanta Association of Educators takes pride in hosting and coordinating the District Spelling Bee,” says AAE President Ramon Reeves. “We applaud each student and school who participated in the event at the school level and at the district level.  I greatly appreciate the AAE Spelling Bee Chairperson, Mrs. Martha Henderson, for the hard work she and her committee put into ensuring the Spelling Bee was successful.  Also, I would like to publicly thank Ms. Wanda Harmon, Principal of Gideons Elementary, for allowing the Spelling Bee to be at her school and assisting the chairperson.”

Maynard Jackson’s New Principal Steps Into Office

Board of Education Member Brenda Muhammad, Principal Stephanie S. Johnson and Superintendent Erroll Davis

A fresh new start begins at Maynard Jackson High School with their new Principal, Stephanie S. Johnson, who officially began her leadership on November 1^st. Mrs. Johnson is fully dedicated in serving the students and community members at Jackson High, and supporting the teachers and leaders to ensure student success. Her vision is to challenge Maynard Jackson to become an award school in a very short time.

Mrs. Johnson’s previous experience has led her to this new role with a desire to improve student performance in all areas at Maynard Jackson. She arrives at Jackson High with incredible experiences of advancing schools to higher standards. Under Mrs. Johnson’s leadership, Sequoyah Middle School made AYP consecutively for three years and moved from NI to Distinguished. Mrs. Johnson was promoted to Principal of Jonesboro High School, and Jonesboro High School made AYP for the first time since 2004.

As a new proud Principal of Maynard Jackson, Mrs. Johnson resets the school’s standards and shares her purpose, vision, and mission for the school year. Foremost, she drives for high performance from her students and educators in all areas. She wants to ensure that all teachers perform well under the new Teacher Keys evaluation system and are prepared for strategic, effective instruction. Her goal is for students to perform well under the new Common Core standards and achieve high results.  Her mission is to do everything possible to ensure that Maynard Jackson becomes an award school in all categories in CCRPI. “Ofcourse my vision is for Maynard Jackson to become the highest performing high school in all of Atlanta Public Schools,” she states.

Domecoming 10/13/2012

Three APS high schools—Therrell, North Atlanta and Grady—will celebrate their homecoming on Saturday, October 13, 2012 during APS’ fourth annual Atlanta Domecoming Classic. Young and Price middle schools will face-off in the middle school football championship at 11:00 am.  The championship will be followed by the three high school games: Therrell vs. Carver at 2:00 pm, North Atlanta vs. Southwest DeKalb at 5:00 pm and Grady vs. Washington at 8:00 pm. 

Domecoming is a celebration of APS’ athletic program and schools and an opportunity for student athletes to play at a professional arena—the Georgia Dome. Homecoming festivities begin at half-time.  Jumbo screens and ribbon boards will enhance the Domecoming experience for fans, as they cheer for their schools while watching vivid displays of the action. 

Domecoming is a great environment for homecoming, students and high school football.  Principals celebrating homecoming are hoping to see their school’s entire student body and their families at the dome cheering for their teams.  In previous years, students, families, alumni, APS staff and residents from school communities have come out to show their support. 

APS athletics director Jeff Beggs says, “Domecoming is a great celebration for the district as a whole, as well as all of our schools.  It’s also a great opportunity for our athletes, since it gives them a chance to play on a big stage, on the same field as professional athletes in the Georgia Dome.  For most of them, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Tickets for Domecoming can be purchased in advance at the participating schools for $10 or at the Georgia Dome on the day of the game for $15.  Ticket prices are the same for children and adults, and ticket holders may attend multiple Domecoming games.

APS and the CEP providing cultural, artistic experiences and learning to Atlanta Public School students

The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs created the Cultural Experience Project to give every Atlanta Public School student, from Pre-Kindergarten through the 12th Grade, the opportunity to experience the city’s premier arts and cultural venues. The vision is for every student in Atlanta Public Schools to have at least one on site experience at an arts and cultural venue each year. The goal is for the students to have an education enhancing encounter that directly ties to the Georgia Learning Performance Standards and curriculum goals.

The CEP provides field trips to APS students that are entirely funded by private donations from Turner Broadcasting, The Zeist Foundation, Loridans Foundation, Keneda Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts Shakespeare in American Communities program and other local businesses and partners. CEP was started under the administration of Mayor Shirley Franklin and has continued under Mayor Kasim Reed. Events are offered free of charge to all APS students and are administered by the APS Fine Arts Department.

“The Cultural Experience Project model ensures that all APS students can access Atlanta’s cultural assets regardless of family finances, where they live, or what school they attend,: said City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs Director Camille Russell Love. “We want every child to have opportunities at no cost to them. Even transportation is funded through a generous grant from Turner Broadcasting.”

“The Cultural Experience Project provides powerful educational experiences for all Atlanta Public School students and provides real-world connections for classroom learning while opening students’ hearts and minds to new intellectual and aesthetic horizons. Many students would never otherwise experience the rich cultural life of the city, and because of this program, new generations of citizens will grow up knowing how to take full advantage of the cultural, civic and artistic wealth here in Atlanta, ” said Raymond Veon, Interim Director, Fine and Performing Arts Department, Teaching and Learning for Atlanta Public Schools.

In its first seven years, the Cultural Experience Project has provided over 233,000 cultural experiences that have enhanced classroom learning to the district’s elementary, middle and high school students. The City of Atlanta envisions the opportunity for 100% of its students to experience the wealth of Atlanta’s cultural venues as a part of a “best in class” education through the Atlanta Public Schools.

D.H. Stanton’s New Playground

Students at D.H. Stanton Elementary were full of energy on September 24^th, as a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for their new playground! This event is one of the many improvements at the school since it was almost closed last spring. “Once the district decided to keep DH Stanton open, I started advocating for a playground from many different sources,” says the Principal, Clara Taylor. The playground was moved from East Lake Elementary, which was closed this year. The playground includes a slide, see saw, climbing equipment, tire swing, and more! It is originally built by Home Depot, and is in great condition with bright orange, purple, and green colors.

The children were cheering and chanting at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and rushed into the playground as soon as the ribbon was cut. They were overflowing with eagerness and excitement with smiles on their faces. Faculty and parents joined the students for this special event and refreshments were provided for this celebration.  “We are happy because this playground helps us to be fit and helps our brain to function, and this playground is going to be a lot of fun,” says Damien Roland, a 4^th grader at D.H. Stanton.