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Review of Local Education Issues for May 5th May 12th
Pre-K Registration Information coming soon.
All families with rising Pre-Kers for the 2012-2013 School-Year should be keeping their eyes out for registration details soon. The state has to approve the locations of all Pre-K classes which has changed because of the final redistricting recommendations. The district will still have 41 classes and the tentative plan is that applications will be accepted in early June and the lottery will happen in mid-late June, if there is state approval.
Your children must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2012 and you must be an Atlanta resident. The documents that will be required for registration include: BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, and PROOF OF RESIDENCE(Deed, Lease or Rental Agreement, or Notarized Affidavit PLUS current Utility Bill. To find out more about the Atlanta Public School’s Pre-K lottery for next year, click/follow the following link http://decal.ga.gov/BftS/SearchingForAProgram.aspx
APS General Administrative Transfers & Special Needs Transfers
Applications and will be posted by May 14th. All application must be submitted in person with all required documents. General Administrative transfers will be permitted if space is available. You can apply May 19, 2012 from 9am-2pm or May 21, 2012-June 15 from 9am-3pm at Student Relations, 130 Trinity Avenue-2nd floor, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-802-2233. More information available at http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us//domain/96
Your Weekly Cheating Scandal Update
Three accused of cheating sue APS for $6 million – “Three, former APS top officials, APS Executive Directors Sharon Davis Williams, Michael Pitts and Tamara Cotman say the district violated state employment laws and breached job contracts after the July release of a 400-plus page state cheating investigation. Davis Williams is accused of instructing educators to cover up cheating and punishing a whistle-blower. Pitts allegedly knew about cheating at Parks Middle and discouraged teachers from making complaints against the principal. Cotman is accused of telling principals to send “go to hell” memos to state investigators.” (taken directly from the AJC article http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/three-accused-of-cheating-1435251.html
10 in cheating scandal have teaching certificates revoked, 23 suspended – “Members of the standards commission voted Thursday to revoke the teaching certificates of 10 school-level administrators and testing coordinators. They suspended 22 teachers for two years, and one teacher for 90 days.” (taken directly from the AJC article http://www.ajc.com/news/10-in-cheating-scandal-1435023.html)
Principal tells APS tribunal she isn’t ‘responsible’ for teachers – “Principal Selena Dukes Walton testified Monday that she remains “very qualified” to oversee her elementary school because she had been unaware of the massive cheating by teachers on a test to determine how well they were educating students.” (taken directly from the AJC article http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/principal-tells-aps-tribunal-1432933.html)
Racketeering expert aiding APS investigation – The state’s leading expert in racketeering prosecutions has been hired by Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard to assist in the ongoing investigation into test cheating at Atlanta Public Schools.” (taken directly from the AJC article http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/racketeering-expert-aiding-aps-1435975.html)
Fulton County Becomes Charter District
“Fulton County Schools won state board approval Thursday to become a Georgia charter system, an elite designation that gives the district creative freedom to improve student achievement. The unanimous endorsement from the state Board of Education paves the way for sweeping change in the district of 100 schools and 92,000 students .Fulton remains a public school district. But the vote making it a charter district releases Fulton from following state education mandates governing instructional time, class schedules, teacher’s pay, budgets and more.” (taken directly from the AJC article http://www.ajc.com/news/elite-designation-for-fulton-1435419.html)
Drew Charter
“APS school chief Erroll Davis is not recommending that APS approve the addition of a high school at the Charles R. Drew Charter school.” As reported in the Get Schooled Blog of the AJC http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/05/08/aps-school-chief-opposes-addition-of-a-high-school-at-drew-charter-school/
Communications campaign starts to support building the new Drew High School http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/05/11/proponents-of-new-high-school-at-drew-charter-gear-up-to-win-support/
Teacher Quality – Is it a priority in Georgia
A month-long investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found the state has spent millions on teacher quality with marginal results.” Check out some of the key findings in the Get Schooled Blog of the AJC http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/09/18/teacher-quality-matter-of-luck/
Board of Education Members English and Muhammad hosted focus group
Atlanta Public Schools board members Courtney D. English and Brenda J. Muhammad hosted a focus group of teachers, administrators, and community on May 10th to get ideas and concerns regarding efforts to improve district institutions. More information available in the East Atlanta Patch http://eastatlanta.patch.com/articles/share-your-thoughts-on-atlanta-public-schools
Atlanta Board of Education Resolution in 1947 for those of you that are interested.
Walkable and Bikeable Schools
Here is a video from a girl at Neighborhood Charter about walking and biking to School. Guess we are going to have to get some good programs going with the Bike Shop to get our older kids to Perkerson. http://www.blogonair.org/my-generation/
Wesley International gets new Principal
Mr. Duke Bradley was chosen as the new principal at Wesley International. Wesley International officially split from the Imagine charter school chain. Mr. Bradley is the first principal at Wesley that has been chosen by the school as a whole, including parents. Read more here on Wesley International’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=299914616756655&set=a.190454767702641.47942.160756364005815&type=1&theater
Dunbar Elementary/Casey Early Learning and Literacy Resource Center Celebration
Casey Foundation’s Atlanta Civic Site celebrated its two year anniversary of the Dunbar Learning Complex. The complex houses both Dunbar Elementary School and the Early Learning and Literacy Resource Center (ELLRC). Over the last two years the facility has witnessed improvements with the children it serves. Read more and see pictures in the APS Talkupaps Blog at http://talkupaps.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/annie-e-casey-foundations-atlanta-civic-site-to-hosts-celebration-at-dunbar-learning-complex/
