Central Learning Community News
The Heart of Fulton County Schools
November 2013
Elementary Schools
Dunwoody Springs Elementary
Teachers at Dunwoody Springs are looking forward to implementing the effective writing strategies learned in the recent professional development session with writing trainer Shirley Poulton.
Oak Knoll
Our art teacher and the fourth grade science teachers collaborate to create a project that incorporates art techniques and science content. The goal is to help students deepen their understanding of the science content by exploring science concepts and expressing that knowledge through art. For example, to express their understanding of the water cycle, students had to create a watercolor painting that depicted each stage in the water cycle. They had to plan the details in their painting according to which type of precipitation they chose. Artists who wanted to depict snow knew they had to include winter trees; artists who chose hail also had to paint storm clouds. In the next unit, the students are going to create a scaled 3D representation of the solar system, paying close attention to planet size and composition.
Parklane
The 5th grade students at Parklane Elementary School had the chance to experience the Atlanta History Center’s Civil War Outreach Program. This program brought history to life at Parklane. The students were visited by a Union soldier that informed the students of what life was like for a soldier during the Civil War. The program encouraged student participation, and hands-on activities that included reproduction artifacts, photographs, and clothing from the time period. They enjoyed the journey through the past back to the Civil War time period where they relished the opportunity to speak with a Union soldier.
Ison Springs
Ison Springs 3rd graders have kicked off the K-9 Reading Program this year. Students practice their fluency and reading skills by reading to a trained K-9 dog once a week.
Hamilton Holmes
It is a proven fact that good nutrition leads to improved classroom performance, higher test scores and better behavior. Recently the Georgia Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs in collaboration with the Southeast Dairy Association, challenged school districts across the state to increase and sustain student breakfast participation in the Fall of 2013 by a minimum of 20 percent. The program was launched at Hamilton Holmes Elementary. Featured guest speakers included Superintendent, Dr. Robert Avossa, Chuck Smith (a former Falcon,) and Tim Mote from the USDA.
Hapeville
Hapeville Elementary students are excited about the start of the Technology Club this year. For over a year, students have learned to create multimedia presentations to document and share their learning in creative and unique ways. Students love to follow up and “debrief” after their experiences as they comment on each other’s work via their successful blog. The student blog now has over fifty users and is growing every day.
Clearly students have a voice at Hapeville Elementary!
Mount Olive
Mount Olive Elementary is very proud of their Tuesday tie day. Every Tuesday the boys are encouraged to wear a necktie. The purpose is to instill in our young boys a sense of pride, dignity, self-respect, and respect for others. This initiative shows young men models of exemplary behavior.
Conley Hills Elementary
Vernon Smith, award winning Journalist and author, came to Conley Hills. He spoke with the 5th graders and modeled effective writing strategies with the students. The students loved participating in this engaging event with a real-life author.
High Point
The staff at HPES held a Pep Rally for the students to promote their new PAWSitive behavior plan. Staff members sang “PAWS Up Baby!” to the tune of “Call Me Maybe” in order to remind students of the school rules.
Heards Ferry
Author/Illustrator Brian Biggs visited Heards Ferry Elementary School to share his knowledge and love of books with our students. The students were excited to learn from this author/illustrator. Here he is with one of our kindergarten students.
Lake Forest
Lake Forest has joined the technology revolution and is using iPads to enhance instruction throughout the building. @LFLions is using Twitter to engage its staff in conversations about instruction and academic learning. Currently, we have over 50 staff members tweeting. Additionally, this month teachers have even engaged in professional development through flipped meetings to further deepen their technology integration in their classrooms and in their professional lives. Follow us @LFLions.
Spalding Drive
Spalding Drive recently held their Annual Title I Meeting. During this meeting, parents participated in a World Cafe exercise. Our Parent Liaison solicited ideas for potential parent workshop ideas for the upcoming year. We will use this information to plan meaningful and engaging upcoming parent workshops.
Woodland
Fifth grade students at Woodland Elementary School recently brought history into the classroom with the help of a “Traveling Trunk” borrowed from the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The trunk held reproductions of soldier uniforms, newspapers, and other daily use items of the 1860s. Students had the opportunity to wear a uniform, research the Civil War, and create hardtack – a simple, long lasting hard biscuit made from flour, salt, and water – as part of their instruction.
Middle Schools
Sandy Springs MS
The Atlanta Falcons and Rooms 2 Go sponsored a room makeover for one of Sandy Springs Middle School's students. Thomas was picked up early from school under the guise that he had a doctor's appointment. He had to stop by his house before going to the doctor. There, Thomas was greeted by Thomas DeCoud, safety for the Atlanta Falcons and Jasmine C., an Atlanta Falcons' cheerleader. Thomas’s bedroom was transformed into a room fitting of a young Falcon’s fan. Thank you Atlanta Falcons and Rooms 2 Go for providing this opportunity for one of our students.
Ridgeview
Woodland MS
On October 17th, Woodland MS renamed its reading area of the Media Center to the Mother Hughes Reading Area. Mother Hughes joined us at Woodland for the dedication. Mother Hughes has made a tremendous impact in our community through her outreach programs. Several students competed in a writing contest, and she met several of our students and faculty. Mother Hughes inspired our students to strive to be all they can be. Only weeks away from her 100th birthday, it was wonderful to have her grace our school.
Paul D. West
This Halloween, Paul D. West Middle School’s Advanced Academy students showcased their Horror Fiction projects in a “haunted” media center. As students entered the room one by one, they were surrounded by gruesome decorations, creepy music, flashing lights that cut through the darkness, and horrifying ELA projects from all grade levels. Sixth grade students heard their own voices playing from an old radio at the back of the room. They had written and recorded terrifying radio broadcasts as a parody of Orson Welles’ 1938 War of the Worlds, and these were played throughout the day. Seventh graders saw the recreated setting of Ray Bradbury’s novel, The Halloween Tree. They created eerie ornaments for a class tree to represent the book’s colorful figurative language. Eighth graders stood in the middle of a story graveyard, in which their horror fiction narratives were propped up like tombstones. Students responded to others’ projects, enjoyed a story-telling session, and had a ghoulish good time!
High Schools
McClarin High School
McClarin’s Featured Artist of the Month
Imani Shabazz is Frank McClarin Success Academy’s inaugural featured artist of the month. Imani is a 12th grader at McClarin. Imani was one of McClarin’s students whose work was displayed and sold at the College Park Artist Festival held Saturday, September 28th.
North Springs
Seven seniors at North Springs Charter High School have been named 2014 National Merit semi-finalists: Adam Berger, Jake Busby, Daniel Muehring, Andrew Pyon, Olivia Sachs, Elizabeth Wilkes and David Zarge. They qualified for the competitive honor by being among the country’s highest scoring test takers who took the 2012 Preliminary SAT (PSAT) given to nearly 1.5 million students last fall.
Nationwide, 16,000 students are named National Merit semi-finalists and represent less than one percent of the each state’s high school seniors. These students will now continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships to be awarded in spring of 2014.
Riverwood
Tri-Cities
The Royal Court, Student Government, Cheerleaders and mascot of South Carolina State University visited Tri-Cities' students to discuss their college options. During this visit, they included a professional presentation about the school, the auxiliary team performed, and a question/answer session was held for students to ask S.C. State students about the college experiences. After this experience, many students applied for admission on the spot. We are college and career ready at Tri Cities High school!
The Central Learning Community
Email: griffind1@fultonschools.org
Website: www.fultonschools.org
Location: 786 Cleveland Ave. SW Atlanta, GA
Phone: 404-763-6804