The Best of the Best
From classroom teachers to custodial staff…from food service workers to principals…Atlanta Public Schools pays tribute to the men and women whose work prepares future generations for success. The 7th annual Atlanta Public Schools Convocation provides a backdrop for celebrating student success at schools throughout the district, as “APS Today” takes you inside some high-performing schools and introduces you to the district’s top teachers..
Convocation: And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Which schools are at the top of the class when it comes to district targets for student attendance and achievement? You’ll find out at the 7th annual Convocation.
But first, we visit high achieving schools, like Benjamin E. Mays High School where the faculty uses school pride to encourage student success. Luther J. Price Middle School is proud of its consistent success record. A Project GRAD school, Price staffers say reform models like Success For All reading, MOVE IT Math, Consistency Management Cooperative Discipline, Communities in Schools and Modern Red Schoolhouse all serve the needs of the student body. Students say knowing that their teachers will be on campus by 7:30 a.m. inspires them. While at Mary Lin Elementary School active community participation ensures that all students will experience success.
State of the System: APS Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall told 200 Atlanta business, civic and community leaders that the school district has come a very long way in the seven years since she became superintendent, but that it still has some way to go to become a high-performing educational system. By then end of the 2007-2008 school year, Dr. Hall said, “we are going to have 100 percent of our schools meeting 70 percent of our targets while closing the achievement gap, and by doing so, we will become a high-performing school system.”
Newsbriefs: On the APS roster of top stories:
- Mays High School JROTC student receives Legion of Valor Award
- Eight APS students have been named semi-finalists in the annual National Merit Scholarship competition, and three have been chosen as semifinalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Program.
- APS Dietician wins honorable mention for “Golden Carrot” award
- Toomer & Coan middle schools receive grant to offer Chinese language
Teacher of the Year: Each year Atlanta Public Schools honors a group of educators who personify excellence in the classroom…Teachers of the Year. First, we meet Raine Hackler who brings the experience he gained teaching on three continents to the technology lab at Thomasville Heights Elementary School. At Walden Middle School, Gena Couben often goes home with a private smile on her face, as she thinks about the insights she gains from her students each day. Mary Carter Van Atta left a career in museum education more than a decade ago in order to introduce the wonders of world geography to students at Grady High School. Each brings an innovative approach to teaching, but only one can earn the title 2007 APS Teacher of the Year.
Lowery Lecture: Atlanta Public Schools celebrates the 85th birthday of civil rights icon Rev. Joseph E. Lowery at the 6th annual Lowery Lecture Series on Civic Participation. Bill Cosby was this year’s keynote speaker, combining his personal blend of dry wit and wisdom to encourage students to pursue higher education from technical school to junior college to colleges and universities. In 1957, Rev. Lowery helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and he led the organization for 20 years. Each year, select APS high school students are exposed to the experience of civic and business leaders by attending the lecture and taking the opportunity to pose questions to the speakers.
