Blog

Buzzing with the Brandon Bees

August 13, 2014

When you step into the lobby of Morris Brandon Elementary you know that you are in a different kind of school.  You are greeted immediately by enthusiastic volunteers and staff members and the entry is decorated like one big living room – they obviously expect parents to visit and even stay around for a while!…

Itty-Bitty Kids with a Super Duper Future

August 8, 2014

When I walked into Ms. Cannady’s kindergarten class this week, the 5 year olds were engaged in a lesson about living and non-living things. “This is how we GROW” Ms. Cannady said, as she and the group stretched their arms to the ceiling.  The kids were stretching, they were answering questions, they were EXCITED to…

Historic Meets Hip at Springdale Park Elementary

August 8, 2014

Springdale Park Elementary School facility is breathtaking – where historic meets hip! This school is an excellent example of fusing the old with the new and setting high expectations for learning spaces in our district.  Principal Yolanda Brown has done a masterful job managing the four buildings, including two historic homes, which make up the…

Big Changes at Centennial Place

August 8, 2014

Centennial Place Elementary (CPE) opened this school year as the first conversion charter school in APS and welcomed their first 6th grade class to the school.  The 6th graders spent their first two days experiencing “classrooms without walls”, which was a big goal for the leadership team during this conversion.  Students were greeted by Falcons…

Long Middle School Update

August 8, 2014

Throughout our school visits today, APS has been aware of a bomb threat at Long Middle School this morning.  The school was evacuated for a short time and students were relocated temporarily to the South Atlanta educational complex. I’ve been kept abreast of this issue throughout the day by my safety and security team.  The…

My Uber Favorite Experience this week was at King Middle School!

August 8, 2014

I didn’t think I would be typing this but one of my favorite visits was this one!!! I thought because it was another temporary site, because they didn’t have much time to move in before the first day, because this is a swing space that no one really owns, that it would all add up…

Our Visit to Intown Academy Charter, an IB Primary Candidate

August 8, 2014

Intown Academy Charter School serves 360 students in grades K-8.  The school is located in the historic Old Fourth Ward, was founded in 2010 and is a candidate for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP).  In the IB design, IB learners strive to be, among other characteristics, inquirers, thinkers, risk-takers, principled and caring…

Today is a Very Special Day: Our New Partnership with Georgia Institute of Technology

August 7, 2014

Today is a very special day. A few moments ago I was standing at a podium, surrounded by students attending the historical Booker. T. Washington High School campus, and I found myself very emotional as I begin to speak about the gift the district received from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Dr. Bud Peterson, president…

B.E.S.T. Academy Students Soar High: Guest Blogger David Jernigan, Deputy Superintendent

August 6, 2014

B.E.S.T. Academy, an all-male middle school and all male high school sharing one campus, is a great example of how collaboration between school leaders can reap great benefits for students.  Our tour this afternoon was led by middle school students who were energetic, knowledgeable about their school and eloquent with their answers to questions.  There…

A Day at Dobbs: Guest Blogger Michael Nettles, Executive in Residence

August 6, 2014

Guest Blogger:  Michael Nettles, Executive in Residence Today was my first day as a member of the superintendent’s school tour caravan. We visited several schools today and I was especially impressed with John Wesley Dobbs Elementary School.  Dr. West is doing a fantastic job with this learning site. The school environment is warm and friendly…