Archive for 2019
Celebrating our 2019 Valedictorians, Salutatorians, and STAR Students, and Knowing When to Pick Your Right Moment!
It’s that time of year! It’s time to celebrate! I wish everyone could have seen our shining stars this morning at our annual Val/Sal/STAR Awards ceremony at the Georgia Power corporate headquarters building. Our students’ accomplishments, academic achievements and positive outlook shone brightly across the room. Click here to watch an exciting video of each…
Read MoreGet Out the Vote from April 16-24! Because Strong Schools Start with YOU
Let’s get out the vote! We are three years into our operations as a Charter System, and we’ve seen amazing progress due to the greater levels of transparency and engagement especially at the school level. A major reason for these improvements has everything to do with our GO Teams. And, now it’s time to get…
Read More**UPDATE: APRIL 11, 2019: Funeral and memorial arrangements for our beloved friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Maze, have been scheduled as follows: A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m., at New Beginnings Full Gospel Baptist Church at 923 Valley Brook Road, Decatur, GA 30033. A funeral service will be held in Greensburg, Louisiana on Saturday, April 20 at 12 p.m. at Turner Chapel AME Church at 875 Turner Chapel Road, Greensburg, LA 70441. In addition, an Atlanta Public Schools’ Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m. at the Atlanta Metropolitan State College Easley Pavillion at 1630 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. In lieu of flowers and in honor of Dr. Maze’s work and legacy, the family is requesting that we celebrate his life by donating to the Michael S. Maze Memorial Fund (Click Here). The fund was created to support his passion for ensuring that every student has the ability to fulfill his or her dreams of achieving a post-secondary education. Proceeds will be used for the memorial service and to establish a scholarship fund for deserving APS students. **APRIL 8, 2019: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Michael Maze, our Dedicated CTAE Educator and Friend
When we learned today that our dear friend and colleague Dr. Michael Maze passed away over Spring Break, it devastated many across Atlanta Public Schools including me. As the Director of Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) for APS, Dr. Maze was an educator whose relationships extended far beyond the work of our district. He was a loving and engaged educator and…
Read MoreAPS Rocks … and Runs with First-ever District 5K!
As anyone who follows this blog or my Twitter feed knows well, running has not only become an essential part of my exercise routine and a marathon-sized stress reliever, but it also has served as an engagment opportunity with students and colleagues across Atlanta Public Schools… some of my favorite BFFs are my run buds.…
Read More‘Power Up’ for Another Enriching Summer
Although summer is a few months away, I am already asking our families in Atlanta Public Schools to get ready to “Power Up!” for summer learning. Why am I excited about this so early? It’s because I worry about the time we don’t have our kids in school almost as much as the time we…
Read MoreWe’re Continuing to Make our Schools Safe Places for Students to Learn and Grow
Even when our students, teachers and staff go away on a short break – like our recent Winter Break – I cannot wait for them to return to the classroom and resume learning. Amid my eagerness to see them back in the classroom, I continue to work with our schools and our Office of Safety…
Read MoreIn Remembrance of a Beloved Educator and Friend: Dr. Susan Crim-McClendon
As the daughter of Dr. Alonzo A. Crim — the first African-American superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools — and as a lifelong educator, Dr. Susan Crim-McClendon more than upheld her family’s revered legacy, but she created one of her own. As principal of Woodson Park Academy in the Douglass Cluster and a middle school teacher…
Read MoreRandom Acts of Kindness (and Love on Valentine’s Day)
Happy Valentine’s Day! And, what a wonderful time to show your love for others this week during Random Acts of Kindness Week! Have you shown or told someone how much you love and appreciate them? When my colleagues in the Center for Learning and Leadership and I entered the building on Monday, we were welcomed…
Read MoreGet APS WeatherWise! Use Tech to Learn During Inclement Weather
When inclement weather threatens Atlanta, we take precautions to ensure the safety of our precious students and staff. Taking those precautions can sometimes mean closing schools in light of impending bad weather in the area. At this time of year, that bad weather can come in the form of freezing temperatures and icy road conditions.…
Read MoreCelebrating Black History Month: Reflecting on African-American Women and APS
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and appreciate the immeasurable impact that African-Americans have had and continue to have on our society and even on our individual lives. For me, Black History Month is something I celebrate every month because I remain inspired by the trailblazers of the African-American community who helped clear…
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