Posts tagged ‘Principal for a Day’
Humphries Elementary turns Principal for a Day relationship into partnership
As part of its annual Black History Month program, Humphries Elementary School received a bit of good news when Principal Donald Clark announced a partnership with MVG Consulting Group, LLC. The group participated in last fall’s popular Principal for a Day program at the school in which community partners follow a principal throughout the school day to gain a better perspective on how APS is educating our students.
The company is the husband-and-wife team of Monty and Von Green, who started their own business focusing on technology applications, software creations and utilization, and data usage and interpretation. According to Principal Clark, “They will work with our staff to enhance the quality of intergration into classrooms, expanding the knowledge of our staff in the use of technology and assisting with tutoring and mentoring with our existing partners.”
After the signing ceremony, Humphries students showcased their talent through a dynamic black history program. Performances represented all ages and grades at the School.
‘APS Today’ showcases Principal for a Day program tonight at 9 p.m.
Tune in to PBA30 tonight at 9 p.m. for the latest episode of “APS Today,” hosted by Nwandi Lawson. This month’s episode will focus on the exciting Principal for a Day program in which high-profile members of the community spend a day learning more about Atlanta Public Schools. While every school participates in the October program, the featured schools for this episode are Toomer Elementary (pictured), Springdale Park Elementary, and Coan Middle. (See the PFAD profile on Toomer here, and the Springdale Park profile here.)
Principal for a Day: Toomer Elementary welcomes Valarie Acree, Anthony Jewett
Toomer Elementary Principal Nicole Evans Jones hosts Anthony Jewett and Valarie Acree.
Toomer Elementary‘s Principal for a Day featured a double-shot of community partners as Valarie Acree, Target Assets Protection Team Leader, and Anthony Jewett, Zeist Foundation Fellow, visited the school in their honarary role.
The Principals for a Day began their morning with an inspirational announcement to students, parents, faculty and staff. “I am so excited to be here, said Jewett.” “Principal for a Day really gave me a chance to come inside the walls of Atlanta Public Schools and see all the wonderful things that I so often hear about.”
New Toomer principal Nicole Evans Jones provided an overview of the Direct Instruction reading model and the Mandarin Chinese language program that also extends to Coan, the feeder middle school. A school tour followed with observations of reading, mathematics and foreign language instruction.
The PFADs were “assigned” to lunch duty where they interacted one-on-one with students and heard first-hand about instruction and activities at the school. “We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Toomer in support of our commitment to public education,” said Acree. “There are wonderful things happening here at Toomer and inside of Atlanta Public Schools.”
Principal for a Day: Springdale Park Elementary welcomes Anne Fauver, Sue Wasserman and Hossein Akhtarkhavari
While Atlanta Public Schools held its 10th annual Principal for a Day event on Tuesday, it was the first ever for its newest school, Springdale Park Elementary. The Druid Hills school welcomed District 6 Atlanta City Council member Anne Fauver, as well as Sue Wasserman, public relations manager for Heery International, and Hossein Akhtarkhavari, district manager for Sodexo as Principals for a Day.
Their day started with an orientation followed by a tour of the school with Principal Yolonda Brown. Following classroom visits, the principals had a meeting with Springdale’s instructional team to explain the various programs and activities offered by the school, including the gardening, wellness and recycling efforts. The Principals for a Day were very impressed with Springdale Park’s students, faculty, and staff, and plan to visit us again in the near future.
Principal for a Day: Video reflections from the PFAD luncheon
APS Communications Media Production Manager Scott C. King was able to take some time with several of our Principals for a Day to see how these great community partners enjoyed their experiences with our schools. The “principals” took a break from the PFAD luncheon, and we think you’ll find their comments candid and enlightening.
You’ll watch, in order: James Bailey, of Operation Hope; David VanderMeer, of Central Presbyterian Church; John Inhouse, of Merrill Lynch; Lindsay Masters, of March of Dimes; Robert Mason of EDU, Inc. (pictured, above); Marion Quaye, of Atlanta Housing Authority; and Tony McMurray, of DreamMaker Kids.
Here’s the video link here. The runtime of the video is seven minutes. Enjoy!
Principal for a Day: Turner Middle welcomes Luz Borrero
This may have been the first time for Luz Borrero (above) — deputy COO, City of Atlanta — as Turner Middle School’s Principal for a Day, but she had plenty of experienced visitors along with her during her visit to the school on Tuesday. That’s because she was welcomed not only by Principal Karen Riggins-Taylor but also members of the Turner Alumni Association. Now, we’re not necessarily talking about Turner Middle graduates, but graduates from when Turner was a high school back in the day.
So there was Turner Alumni Association President Dorothy Thomas-Swann and several other alumni joining in on the walk through the hallways and in the classrooms to see the progress being made at Turner. They came away impressed, as Principal Riggins-Taylor pointed out how Turner is on its way to making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the second consecutive year after failing the previous six years.
Principal for a Day: Sylvan Hills Middle welcomes Pat Willis and Courtney Gay
Pat Willis visits a sixth-grade English/language arts class.
Their day started with orientation, followed by a tour of the school’s single-gender structure for its 442 students. Atkinson took Willis and Gay to visit Program for Exceptional Children self-contained classrooms and inclusion classrooms, as well as each wing of the school where sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls and boys are separated.
Courtney Gay visits a sixth-grade social studies class.
Following classroom visits, the principals had a meeting with Sylvan Hills’ instructional team to explain the various programs offered by the school, including the Success For All (SFA) reading program. Sylvan Hills’ SFA students are divided up by teams and the students name their teams after colleges. After the meeting, Willis and Gay had an opportunity to co-teach with teachers Johanna Melton, Cedric Peeples, Latanya Bailey and LaShawn Thompson.
Principal for a Day: Dunbar Elementary welcomes Dr. Gwen Benson
Georgia State's Dr. Gwen Benson and Dunbar Principal Betty Greene review performance standards.
Sometimes you really can go home again. As Dr. Gwen Benson of Georgia State University walked the halls of Dunbar Elementary, the former Atlanta Public Schools employee couldn’t help but note how far the district has come.
“It’s more inclusive of students with disabilities, and there’s more support for students and principals,” said Benson, who served as Principal for a Day. The associate dean of the GSU School of Community Partnerships also noted that, “professional development for principals is at a higher standard.”
Benson walked the halls with Betty Greene, Dunbar’s actual principal, and noticed walls covered with student projects that fulfilled academic standards in topics ranging from science to social studies.
“We don’t have blank walls,” Greene said. “[Students] are excited when they see their work up, and images of themselves on the walls.”
Principal for a Day: Connally Elementary welcomes William N. Failor
William Failor reads to Connally Elementary students.
William N. Failor, president and COO of Cobbs, Allen & Hall, Inc., is no stranger to E.L. Connally Elementary School. In his third year as a participant of Principal for a Day, Failor read the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin to a kindergarten class and later treated each student to a choice of a banana or blueberry muffin. He also distributed tokens for the school’s “treasure tower” used to earn treats from the school.
Principal for a Day: Jackson Elementary welcomes Target’s Andy Morris
Target's Andy Morris talks to Jackson Elementary's PTA while Principal Lorraine Reich listens.
Warren T. Jackson Elementary put its best foot forward in hosting Target Store Team Leader Andy Morris as its Principal for a Day. Principal Lorraine Reich showed off one of the school’s biggest assets — its teachers — following a video presentation for the community partner. Morris met members of the school’s PTA, including Co-Presidents Jennifer Wray and Marianna Pressgrove.
“We have a unique relationship with our parents and the community,” Reich pointed out during the visit, which is just another indication of Target’s commitment to Atlanta Public Schools. “Our PTA is heavily involved in our school, whic included a fundraiser for our Promethean Boards.”
Morris was impressed with Jackson’s approach: “You could tell that the kids wanted to be engaged in the classroom, and they wanted to sit in the front. I was simply blown away with what I saw!”
