Grady’s Lacrosse Team Finishes Undefeated Season!

Grady High’s Lady Lacrosse team went undefeated this season with a score of 11-0! They entered the TILT, the State’s largest and most prestigious girls J.V. Tournament, held at Northview High School in John’s Creek.  Thirty-two teams participated from across the extended metro region, including traditional powerhouses such as Roswell, Alpharetta and Augusta. After two days of spirited competition, Grady returned home with the championship trophy for the West Bracket — the first ever in APS lacrosse history!

These unprecedented accomplishments are the result of many factors, but perhaps the most influential is the arrival of 15 experienced freshmen from Inman Middle School.  Grady High School started a CLUB Lacrosse team five years ago; two years later, Inman began a CLUB team and Grady became a JV team. The expectation was that the programs would improve over time, as the Inman players would enter into the Grady program, and pave the path for lacrosse in APS.  In fact, that evolution has progressed so rapidly that it has produced something more analogous to a revolution. After struggling to win a handful of games in the first few seasons, Grady Lady Lax finished this season undefeated!

“We were so pleased to augment our talented veteran players with this wave of new players,” says Coach Martha Jones.  “They’ve given our team the depth and breadth we needed to truly compete.”  That depth was evidenced as 17 of the 26 girls on the team scored goals over the season.  Grady did not simply compete — they dominated!  The ladies scored an average of 11 goals per game, but gave up an average of only 3 goals per game.

Eighteen of the current Grady players were members of the inaugural team at Inman Middle School, which current Grady Coach Katie Meyer led at the time.  Coach Meyer says, “I’m thrilled about how far these girls have advanced since that first season, but I’m even more excited about the future ahead of them.  We are going to convert the team to varsity next year, which will be tough for this young a team, but they’ll be competitive and will gain a ton of experience.  So the year after next, watch out Atlanta!”

The Inman and Grady lacrosse combo has catalyzed lacrosse activity throughout APS.  North Atlanta High and Sutton Middle are now also fielding teams.  This is consistent with APS Athletic Director Jeff Beggs’s vision for APS athletics, which includes starting lacrosse programs at every APS middle and high school.  Grady Lady Lax has been the vanguard for APS, and next year will be raising the bar by fielding a Varsity Lacrosse team.

Inman’s GEMS Club Receives GA Tech Educational Partnership Award

The Inman GEMS Club has received the 2013 Educational Partnership Award offered through the Georgia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL).  The Educational Partnership Award is an annual Georgia Tech award of $7,500 that recognizes genuine and substantial partnerships between the faculty and students of Georgia Tech and the K-12 community. GEMS club, which stands for Girls Excelling in Math and Science, will accept the award at the annual Georgia Tech staff and faculty awards luncheon in April.

Now in its fifth year of operation, GEMS attracts more than 40 girls in grades six through eight to its sessions. Club members meet after school for 1.5 hours each week to engage in hands-on experiments and leadership activities.

Georgia Tech professors, Carol Colatrella and Mary Lynn Realff, co-direct GEMS Club. The club is a joint initiative sponsored by the Center for the Study of Women, Science, and Technology (WST) and Inman Middle School.  Members of the educational partnership include several Georgia Tech students, as well as Paula Herrema, Principal at Inman Middle School, and Candice Price, 7th grade Science Teacher at Inman.

 

Student Spotlight of the Week

Name: Karin Wilksa

Grade: 8th

School: Inman Middle

Karin transferred to Inman from Finland this school year, and placed 2^nd in the Georgia State Technology Fair on March 9.  Karin and Max Nevins, an Inman 7^th grader, were among 700 participants from around the state. Karin’s multimedia project from math class won 2^nd place in the Multimedia Division for 8^th grade. Her movie was created with Windows Media Maker and explained mathematical functions with photo drawings, text, and voiceover. “I was not expecting to win and was really surprised when I won,” Karin says. “I decided to do a little more than what was required for my math project, and my teacher submitted it for the APS Technology fair, but I didn’t expect to go this far.” The State Technology Fair was a great experience for her, and sparked further interest in technology. “I am going back to Finland next year, but I would really like to participate in a technology fair again,” Karin says.

This year was an adjustment period for Karin, as it was her first time in America. The new school environment was also a major change for her, as her previous school only had a few hundred students. “In the beginning, it was pretty hard for me, but now, it’s really easy and I will be sad to leave my friends and teachers,” Karin says.

Karin hopes to become an architect, engineer, or a software designer. She loves to draw, and hopes that her skills will benefit her in the future. Her other hobbies include photography and sailing, and she’s part of Inman’s Karate club as well. “Basically, I want to do really well in school so that I am in good shape for the future,” Karin says. “I think school is really important for success, and I really enjoy it.”

Name: Jordan Malloy

Grade: 2nd Grade

School: Connally Elementary

Jordan Malloy is a second grade student at E.L. Connally Elementary School.  Jordan’s teachers and administrators recognize him as a star student  because he always strives to do his best each day. Jordan is very inquisitive and remains dedicated to his education and goals, even in the midst of challenegs or adversity.

“Jordan meets and exceeds the standards in all content areas,” explains Toni Pickett, Connally Elementary Principal. ”He is very good at reading and science and has a high interest in mathematics.”

In his spare time, Jordan enjoys sitting and looking at nature, playing football, and spending time with his family and friends. Jordan says his family serves as his source of inspiration. He always turns to them for advice and guidance in all that he does.

“I won’t let anything push me behind,” he says. ”I will do everything I can to make sure my family is okay. I know my family loves me, and that’s all I need to know to work hard in life.”

Jordan aspires to one day become a scientist or a police officer.

“I’m very intelligent so I think I can be a scientist,” he boasts.

But it doesn’t stop there. Jordan also recently received several awards, including recognition in spelling bees and football.

“We continue to be proud of Jordan and his accomplishments,” Pickett said. “We know that he is just one of the many bright stars at Connally Elementary.”

Name: Maria Gallo-Blanco

Grade: 5th

School: Margaret Fain Elementary School

Maria Gallo-Blanco is big on student achievement.  She sets high academic goals for herself, and expects the same from others – especially her students.

Maria says she teaches an excellent group of students.  Her favorites – Selena, Rihanna, and Nikki Manage – are every teacher’s dream; they follow directions and stay on task, turn in their assignments on time, perform well on tests, always smile and they never talk back to the teacher. Of course, it helps that the students are stuffed bears, and their permanently smiling mouths are sewn shut.    Maria says her biggest problems are with the live children in her class – her younger brother and sister.

“They act up, and I have to threaten to call their parents,” she says. She is working on a solution to this problem, and she will probably have one soon, because Maria loves solving problems.

She satisfies her hunger for problem solving by diving into challenging schoolwork like math, her favorite subject.  As an active member of the math league, Maria helped Fain’s fifth-grade team place first in the regional math competition.

“In math I can use numbers often.  I love numbers, because they don’t lie – no matter how many times or how many different ways you use them,” she says.

Maria, a Junior Beta Club member and Principal’s List student, also uses her problem solving skills outside of the classroom.  She recently won the bronze-key award at the district-wide Science Fair Awards ceremony.  And when she translates for parents at her school, in her community and her family, Maria shifts into problem-solving- mode again.

“My brain is always moving, because Spanish doesn’t really have all the words that English has,” she explains.   “I have to quickly find a way to say things so they make sense and everyone understands each other.”

Maria enjoys translating, because she likes helping people. She also helps her classmates with math.

“You don’t want them to struggle and fall behind; you want everyone to be on the same page in the book. And it’s fun watching them when they understand.”

Fain Challenge teacher and Math Team Coach Ms. Riddick calls Maria “a shining example of character who is always there to help other students.”

Away from school, Maria dances – she is a member of the school’s dance team – plays soccer and keeps the earth clean by picking up litter in her neighborhood. But she says her favorite pastime is playing “Lawyer” with her sisters. In “Lawyer” they pretend that one sister is the judge, one sister needs a lawyer and Maria is the lawyer.

“It’s fun, because the judge is tough and always asks for more proof, and I have to figure out how to keep my sister out of jail.”

And what does this bright and imaginative problem-solver want to be when she grows up? A teacher or a lawyer, of course.

Name: Jasmine Williams

Grade: 12th

School: Carver Early College

Jasmine Williams started her ninth grade year at Carver Early College by immersing herself in the Biology and Neuroscience Clubs. Now, as a twelfth grader, she plans to follow her dream of being an anesthesiologist or a general surgeon. She’d like to pursue her degree at either Duke University or Howard University. She says that the field of medicine will allow her to combine her love of science with her love of people. Her stellar academic record has her on the Principal’s List every semester. She also holds membership in the National Honor Society and Beta Club. For four years, she has been the SGA President of her grade level. She is a scholar-athlete leading the Varsity Soccer Club as their captain and boasts of last year’s winning season.

As a member of Sophisticated Ladies and Upendo JaJa, she has learned to value high self-esteem and intellect. Her community service involvement in the Key Club and the Knitting Club has rewarded her with warm feelings and she’s distributed hand-knitted winter clothing for the homeless and less fortunate. With her latest internship with the National Institute of Health, she conducted research on hypertension and cognitive decline and presented it to distinguished medical personnel. As Ms. Early College and the valedictatorian for this year’s graduation, Jasmine is poised to launch into her great future.

written by Linda J. Green, Media Specialist at Carver Early College

Inman’s Teacher Jatisha Marsh Selected as 2013 National Teacher Fellow

Inman Middle School Teacher Jatisha Marsh is among twelve teacher leaders from eleven states selected as a 2013 Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellow. The National Teacher Fellowship is a competitive program designed for teacher leaders wanting to share their expertise, experience and ideas in helping to shape education policy nationwide. Marsh was selected from nearly 100 applicants from 27 states to serve as representatives of Hope Street Group, advocating for education policy changes. She will meet with fellow educators to present to national, state and local policymakers, as well as peers across the country.

“This fellowship will provide me the forum to combine my interests education and policy,” says Jatisha Marsh. “The opportunity to talk and collaborate with teachers from across the country regarding educational policy issues excites me. The fellowship will allow me to interact with business leaders and government officials while bringing teacher voice into the shaping of educational policy.”

Jatisha Marsh is a middle school teacher at Inman Middle School where she is a member of the Local School Council, an Atlanta Public Schools Ethics Advocate, and the Site Director for the Before Care and After School Program. She attended Florida A&M University on a full scholarship and graduated summa cum laude with Bachelor’s degrees in Business Management and History as well as a Masters in Business Administration. She also holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgia State University. Jatisha entered the teaching profession in 2006 through Teach For America.  She has received a number of recognitions and honors, which include appointment to the APS Farm to School Task Force, TFA/CRSS School Board Fellowship, and IIE Korean Workshop for American Educators Award Recipient.  Jatisha also serves as a Recruitment Ambassador for TNTP.

Community Meetings for District Calendars

January 22—January 29                 In February, the Atlanta Board of Education will take action on the district calendars for the next two school years (2013-14 and 2014-15). Prior to the board’s consideration, however, the Department of Organizational Advancement will present information about the proposed calendars to the community. The district calendar meetings will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in each region as follows: ·        South Region: January 22 – South Atlanta High School ·        West Region: January 23 – Mays High School ·        East Region: January 28 – Inman Middle School ·       North Region: January 29 – Douglass High School

Six APS Schools Named Highest Performing and High Progress Schools

This week, the Georgia Department of Education announced APS schools that have received the distinction of Highest Performing and High Progress Schools.

Congratulations to Inman Middle School and Carver Early College, named “Highest Performing” schools.

A “Highest-Performing School” is a Title I school among the 5% of Title I schools in the State that has the highest absolute performance over three years for the “all students” group on the statewide assessments.   A Highest-Performing School must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the “all students” group and all of its subgroups in 2011.  A school may not be classified as a Highest-Performing School if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.

High Progress Schools include South Atlanta Law and Social Justice, BEST Academy Middle, Washington HS (Senior Academy) and Drew Charter School.

A “High-Progress School” is a Title I school among the 10% of Title I  schools in the State that is making the most progress in improving the performance of the “all students” group over three years on the statewide assessments.  A school may not be classified as a High-Progress School if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.

As part of Georgia’s ESEA flexibility waiver that was approved by the United States Department of Education (US ED) on February 9, 2012, states are required to identify Priority, Focus, and Reward Schools as part of the next generation of accountability.

Congratulations to all of our schools who met these important milestones.

 

Ripley Smith – Cool Kid of the Week

APS is excited to introduce Ripley Smith, one of the youngest certified power paragliders in the country! On the ground, she lives an active life as an 8^th grader at Inman Middle School, and off the ground, she soars several thousand feet high by herself in her spare time. Her father is the inspiration behind her unique hobby, as he encouraged her to start flying tandem with an instructor at age 11. Within 3 weeks, she was certified and has completed 15 solo flights since then.  “At first I was a little nervous but I got over it, because it really feels like you’re flying,” says Ripley.

Power paragliding is different from paragliding because it has a motor, which gives the flyer more control and more airtime. Ripley’s longest flight was between 1.5-2 hours, which resulted in tired hands because she holds onto the brakes in order to steer.  Her dad is very scared for her every time she flies, but she is not scared at all and says, “If you’re scared, you will make a mistake.” Fear is the last thing that will keep Ripley from flying, because the adrenaline is what keeps her wanting more. “It’s one of my favorite hobbies because it’s really exhilarating and you’re in control of where you go and whether you live,” Ripley says.

Ripley is also part of two recreational soccer teams for AYSA (Atlanta Youth Soccer Association), school soccer team, school basketball team, soccer referee for AYSA, and a swimmer at Garden Hills Elementary School. She loves to be active in order to stay in shape and be productive with her time.  Ripley is also active in the classroom as she’s enrolled in several honors classes and accelerated math. She’s looking forward to joining the robotics team next year, because she’s been the mascot since she was 3 years old, and her mother, Aimee Smith, was one of the founders of Grady’s robotics team.  Ripley participates in more recreational activities than many of us, but this is not the end for Ripley as she says, “I really enjoy sports and staying active, and in the future, I want to learn base jumping and paragliding also.”

How to toot your own horn: Inman Middle

We here at www.TalkUpAPS.com know that our primary mission is share the incredible things that are going on around the district to show how APS is making a difference in students’ lives. So we think we know effective communication when we see it. That’s why we’re so happy to pass along a little memo about the accomplishments of Inman Middle School, assembled by Principal Dr. Betsy Bockman. We couldn’t break this down any better ourselves! We encourage all schools within APS to prepare something like this and share with their communities. Here it is, after the jump …