Central Learning Community News
The Heart of Fulton County Schools
August 2014
Elementary Schools
Hamilton Holmes
Students at Hamilton E. Holmes were very fortunate this year when it comes to school supplies and book bags. “Backpacks for School,” an organization comprised of Employees at Northside Hospital, collected funds to purchase 89 book bags filled with grade specific school supplies. Representatives were on site to personally issue the backpacks to students during Sneak Preview. In addition, Slalom Consultants distributed an additional 100 book bags filled with school supplies to students on the second day of school. This is the third year that Slalom Consultants have donated book bags to students.
Hapeville ES
Please join us August 29 as we celebrate our grand reopening! Hapeville Elementary School just completed its third consecutive summer of SPLOST renovations. This photo shows the new cooling tower being set in July. The building was constructed in 1939 as Hapeville High School, was renovated and reopened in 1991 as Hapeville Elementary, and welcomed 675 students when the doors opened for the first day of school. The Hapeville Elementary front lobby and gym are noticeably affected by renovations while lighting, flooring, heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical updates bring the entire 3 story-building back to life.
Bring Adults to School Day is scheduled for Friday, August 29, from 7:30-10:00a.m. to celebrate the grand reopening. All parents, staff, community members, and business partners are invited to attend. This is a beautiful example of our SPLOST funds at work.
Spalding Drive
Spalding Drive teachers and staff embraced the motto “Together, Anything is Possible!” after reading Anything is Possible by Guilia Belloni! This year’s focus for the staff is on:
Knowing the vision
Be willing to try new things
Perseverance
Working together toward a common goal
Woodland
Mrs. Amy Gamble, Principal of Woodland Elementary School, held a New Parent Orientation during the first week of school. The parents met the administrative staff, learned about Woodland’s unique programs, and took a tour of the building.
Ison Springs
Spinning and Cheering and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle…oh my!
The Ison Springs Hawks ended the first week of the 2014-15 school year with an exciting pep rally where returning students represented their previously-assigned House and new students had the opportunity to spin the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to find out which House they would now be part of. While the pep rally gave returning students the chance to exhibit some of Ison Springs Essential 15 Rules to Live By as they welcomed the new members of their House, new students learned the Ison Springs School Pledge. The rally culminated with a visit from The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Michelangelo, who provided a lesson on leadership via his Life Martial Arts instructor. The staff, students, and presenters couldn’t have asked for a better kick-off to this most exciting and innovative academic school year!
High Point
PAWS Up Pep Rally
High Point Elementary kicked off the year with their annual PAWS Up Pep Rally! High Point is implementing PBIS school-wide by handing out tickets, giving certificates to our Students of the Week, recognizing PAWS Up students in our weekly newsletter and morning news, and watching movies in the cafeteria. PAWS stands for Practice Good Manners, Always Be Prepared, Work Hard, and Stay Safe. We were also able to incorporate whole-brain teaching strategies into our rules and connect them with some of the IB learner attitudes such as respect and encouragement.
Lake Forest
This school year began with the staff at Lake Forest focusing on collaboration and team work. During preplanning, the Lions spent time uncovering the "Why" and what motivates us as educators. We know that in order to help our students achieve at the highest levels possible we as a staff must be working together at each step in PLCs and in the day to day operations. Throughout the first weeks of school, staff members participated in team building activities in team meetings and professional development sessions creating a culture of collaboration. During the first week, the principal and assistant principal were even called upon to live out the message of teamwork by serving lunches when the cafeteria was short on staff. This year, Lake Forest students will continue to show growth in academic achievement and will find new ways to grow as a school. The Lake Forest staff is prepared to lead the way with a focus on collaboration and teamwork.
Conley Hills
The students at Conley Hills Elementary School are focused on “STAR”-ting off strong this year. The first assessment of the 2014-2015 school year, STAR testing went well. Our students are off to fantastic start!
Heards Ferry
Heards Ferry Elementary students kicked off the year with a pep rally for positive behavior. While singing lyrics to go along with Katie Perry’s Roar (SOAR), students and teachers modeled SOAR behavior.
The positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) allows our students to build character and teach responsibility by developing, outstanding, accountable, respectful students within a safe learning environment.
Heards Ferry Eagles SOAR!
Oak Knoll
Oak Knoll’s “Owl”tstanding First Week of School
The first week of school brought new expectations, new standards and new excitement for our students. Teachers started providing differentiated instruction and center activities during the first week of school to meet the needs of all learners. Students have been engaged in meaningful activities that challenged them to strengthen their academic foundation as they prepare to dive into more rigorous activities in the weeks to come.
Mount Olive
Mt. Olive is living life on the edge...the cutting edge of technology! We are enjoying the interactive projectors and our new IPTV! Below is a photo of the IPTV in th lobby. We can see fantastic things happening in our building as well as keep up with world news at the same time. If you get a chance, come by to see what's in store for other schools in Fulton!
Dunwoody Springs
Teachers and staff at Dunwoody Springs begin the year "ready to work" with a construction team theme. They have mapped the plan, defined the roles and are off to a great start with building our future. With science, math and early literacy as their focus, we are sharpening our tools for another year of great work!
Parklane
Parklane Elementary School had a fantastic start to the 2014-2015 school year! During our morning breakfast you can hear the relaxing sounds of ocean waves or classical music, to assist our students with focusing on eating and relaxing their minds to prepare for a day of rigorous instruction. Our Parklane Eagle staff and students are Pleasant, Positive, Peaceful and Productive as we strive toward soaring towards new success!
Middle Schools
Sandy Springs MS
We are off to great start to the school year! The energy is amazing and students came back to school ready to learn. As we approach the 2014 -2015 school year, the charge given to teachers is to “Dare Greatly.” Dare greatly to challenge students at the highest level and move towards levels of mastery that catapult them towards their true potential. As a school, we dared greatly this summer to reimage and rethink our summer offerings. This summer we had our first coding camp and student acceleration program. Students loved the opportunity to move ahead and advance their curriculum exposure. This year we have also added three virtual learning opportunities for the high school pathways, high school physical science, High school PE and ART, added 80 IPads for classroom instruction, and have Promethean boards coming for every classroom by December. We have also added a career and college readiness program, AVID, and are super excited as applications come in daily. The goal is for students to personalize their curriculum choices and have a seamless transition to high school as advanced as possible.
Go Stallions!
Woodland
Woodland Middle School received a grant from Captain Planet and the Nature Conservancy to plant a NatureWorks garden. The garden was planted at the beginning of June and students are already harvesting tomatoes, corn, okra, black-eyed peas, and squash. Sweet potatoes won’t be harvested until late October. The green beans and zucchini didn’t grow well, but Woodland is the first school in the metro Atlanta area to successful grow corn. Captain Planet will continue to work with Woodland students this year, provide professional development for teachers, and provide a mobile kitchen. Watch our garden grow!
Paul D. West
On August 7, 2014, Paul D. West Middle School held their back to school “Kick Off” for all new and returning parents and students. There was an estimated 400 families represented during this festive event. All 6th graders were astonished to receive a new backpack and school supplies as we welcomed them to our panther family. Several business partners contributed to make this an awesome kick start to the 2014- 2015 school year.
Ridgeview
Ridgeview Charter School student Grecia Hernandez and Principal Lisa Hastey prepare to lead their school in a bilingual introduction to their school wide International Baccalaureate/Middle Years Programme (IB/MYP) theme of COMMUNITY. Grecia and Ms. Hastey led the students in an examination of the gifts that they bring to their community, and a look at just where these gifts came from in their own family histories. The two prepared the school community for their school wide reading of Seedfolks, a novel that centers on community and a shared garden, just like the garden at Ridgeview! The entire community is ready to start reading!
High Schools
North Springs
North Springs Charter High School welcomed superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa on the first day of school to see new building renovations and visit with students in AVID and Freshmen Success; 2 of 3 new programs at NSCHS.
200 selected 9th and 10th grade Spartans are enrolled in AVID ( Advancement Via Individual Determination) a program that provides support for “students in the middle” to take rigorous courses and be prepared for college. Freshmen not taking AVID are taking a class to provide them with the support, study and organizational skills they need for success in high school and beyond. A new class for student leaders is also being offered.
Dr. Avossa also saw the new broadcast video lab with 6 editing bays and gleaming new maple floors in 3 dance studios. These and other renovations are part of an ongoing SPLOST construction project at NSCHS, which when finished, will include a striking new front entrance!//
TriCities
The Tri-Cities staff met at the top of Stone Mountain for their first day of pre-planning. The event was dubbed “Meet Me At the Top” and served as a professional learning day all centered on the challenges of climbing the mountain. This climb was compared to upcoming challenges with a new assessment system, new evaluation standards, and the overall struggle to change the world. It proved to be a powerful day and a strong foundation for the school year!
Riverwood
Almost all areas of RICS ACT scores showed improvement over last year, despite testing 24 more students. In addition, RICS students were 2.4 points over the State Average.
McClarin
McClarin Success Academy hosted our inaugural 2014 Community Fair, with support from our community partners Orange Duffel Bag Initiative and Wellcare we were able to provide the College Park community with resources obtaining to health, finance, and college. The community was offered free health screenings, college interviews, and learned about financial opportunities available to them. The children enjoyed magician Magic Mark, learned about fire safety from the College Park Fire Rescue department and participated in our community art project with our art teacher Mrs. Hill. The inaugural Community Fair was a success. McClarin Success Academy serviced 100 people in the College Park community.
Community
Sandy Springs, GA
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. -- Thirty-two leaders in the Sandy Springs community graduated from their nine month course with Leadership Sandy Springs, a nonprofit organization specializing in leadership training and community improvement, on Wednesday, May 7th. Preceding the organization's 27th annual graduation at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, LSS alumni convened to rekindle relationships and then joined graduates in the ceremony to honor special members for their contributions.
The class explored various industry sectors and engaged in discussions, listened to speakers, and considered many aspects of leadership in the 21st century. From nonprofit service organizations to businesses to government, LSS class members interacted with decision makers while studying issues facing our changing community and participated in teams to volunteer in community-building projects.
At the ceremony, two alumni from previous classes were honored, for their outstanding community contribution and leadership roles they have since taken. This year, Willis Lanier (Class of 2009) and Tochie Blad (Class of 2006) were awarded with the Carolyn Axt Leadership Sandy Springs Alumni Recognition Award, for their outstanding community contributions since taking the class.
Approximately 100 people attended the event which also included board members, sponsors, business partners and staff. The event kicked off with a song written by Amelia Holley, a recent graduate of Youth Leadership Sandy Springs, the junior leadership training program designed for high school sophomores and juniors from area schools. Attendees were treated to a humorous speech by 2014 graduate Chip Houston, Head of Middle School at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School. He shared how his class experience was embodied by three concepts: knowledge, relationships and action. He concluded by reminding them that “influence must be earned” and encouraged his fellow graduates to take action with what they learned.
The Central Learning Community
Email: griffind1@fultonschools.org
Website: www.fultonschools.org
Location: 786 Cleveland Ave. SW Atlanta, GA
Phone: 404-763-6804