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AND THE WINNER OF THE 55TH ANNUAL SPELLING BEE IS…

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

By: Erica Fatima
ben big picture winnerBenjamin Song! “Ben,” as his friends call him, appeared unflappable as he spelled “V-I-G-I-L-A-N-T-E” and secured the victory after nine harrowing rounds of spelling. Ben, a fifth grader at Brandon ES, will represent Atlanta Public Schools in the District 4 Bee, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 27, at North Atlanta High School.

Upon being declared the winner, Ben exclaimed, “This is great! I can’t believe I won! At first I wasn’t going to participate in the Bee, but my teacher, Ms. Brown, said that I should try; so I did and I won. Wow!”

When asked how he practiced, Ben stated, “I see the words in my head. I visualize them and then spell them in my hand before I spell them out loud. I can actually see [words] them.” 

More than 35 schools were represented at APS’ 55th Annual Spelling Bee, including several APS charter schools. The event took place Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Lester W. Butts Auditorium at Frederick Douglass High School. spelling bee all

“I am so proud of Ben and all of my students,” Brandon ES teacher, Ms. Brown said. “I assigned the spelling list to the entire class as homework for the week, no exceptions. Ben initially didn’t want to participate, but once he started practicing he began to show real interest; and now here we are—he’s representing the entire system! I’m so proud of him!”

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2nd place winner:  Maya Ratchev and her mom

Maya Ratchev, from Jackson ES, was named the second-place finalist; showing great spelling prowess as she advanced to the final round. 

 

Spelling the words kabuki, juggernaut, vulnerable and triumvirate, the top four APS spelling champions: Harris Romas Tsiotras, Morningside ES; Timothy Salter Sliger, Springdale Park ES, will also attend the District 4 Bee. Kayla Mickens, Long MS will serve as the alternate.

Bee winners, left to right: Harris Romas Tsiotras, Morningside ES; Timothy Salter Sliger, Spingdale Park ES; Maya Ratchev, Jackson ES; Benjamin Song, Brandon ES

Dr. Zackory Kirk, APS Literacy Coordinator for grades 6-12, and this year’s spelling bee coordinator stated,“The spelling bee is a great opportunity to recognize some of our most studious learners. It also builds community within classrooms and schools while incorporating the family and community into the work of educating the whole child.”

Special thanks to this year’s distinguished judges: 

bee judges standing up

Above, left to right: Dr. Deborah Stephens; Dr. Zackory Kirk; Melissa Davis; Dr. Aleigha Rosser; Cheryl Collier; Natasha Daniels; Marcus Bivines, Esq.

Spelling Bee Judges 2016

  • Bee Master-Dr. Deborah Stephens-Lattimore (APS Speech Pathologist);
  • Head Judge-Cheryl Collier (President, Atlanta Association of Black Journalist);
  • Dictionary Judge-Natasha Daniels (Senior Council Aide at City of Atlanta); 
  • Listening Judge-Dr. Aleigha Henderson-Rosser (APS Executive Director, Instructional Technology); 
  • Scoring Judge-Melissa Davis (APS Science Coordinator, K-5);
  • Recording Judge-Marcus Bivines, Esq. (APS HR Training & Communications Specialist). 

“Congratulations to all of our spelling juggernauts. We wish Ben and our four APS Bee winners great success in the next competition,” -Atlanta Public Schools.

The top two finalists from District 4 will advance to the state spelling bee, which will be held on Monday, March 18, at Zoo Atlanta. The state winner will then advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C., which began in 1925.

Contributing writer: Alicia Sands Lurry

 

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APS Students ‘Take Care of Business’ at Junior Achievement’s Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

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Coan Middle School students were the first from APS to experience the Junior Achievement (JA) and Chick-fil-A Foundation’s, Discovery Center BizTown.  JA BizTown is designed as an interactive marketplace representing the local business community, including financial services, media, telecommunications, utilities, manufacturing and more.  In this interactive financial literacy program, students received unique job assignments as an employee, tax payer and consumer in their assigned businesses.

IMG_6449Coan students were engaged in their roles and worked as a team to develop a budget, make purchasing decisions, and deposit pay checks. Their business day included everything from staff meetings to shopping at the businesses.

“Working as a CFO is kind of hard. You have to write checks and pay bills, and it felt very real. I would like to do this again and try being a physician next time.”
– Aaliyah Lewis, 6th grade, CFO at Emory University

“It’s been really fun having my own job and getting my own paycheck. I had to do a lot of paperwork, check on my employees, and give customers what they need. I had to learn about the company, and how to deposit and write checks. It’s been a rush, but it’s been fun.”
– Derrick Dorsey, 6th grade, CEO of Newell Rubbermaid

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Sixth and seventh graders from all APS middle schools will have an opportunity to participate in JA BizTown or JA Finance Park during the school year.

For more information, visit Junior Achievement’s Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center.

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Coan Middle: Greatest Student Achievement Growth from APS Middle Schools

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

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Sammye E. Coan Middle School earned the greatest gains in student achievement out of all 6th to 8th-grade Atlanta Public Schools traditional schools according to results of the Spring 2013 Criterion-Reference Competency Tests (CRCT). Dr. Betsy Bockman, who is beginning her second year as principal at Coan, along with her team, have been lauded for identifying strategies and purposeful interventions that have yielded student growth.

Coan’s progress reflects a cluster-wide effort as the entire Maynard Holbrook Jackson High School cluster worked collaboratively throughout the school year. The administrators and teachers met on a regular basis to analyze the data cluster wide, evaluate their teaching practices, and share strengths and weaknesses. In addition, students in 3rd through 8th grade in the cluster, including Coan, Toomer, Whitefoord, and Burgess-Peterson Academy, had an opportunity to attend 3 hours of classes on Saturdays. The Saturday classes were held for 20 weeks at Toomer Elementary, and had at least 100 students in attendance each session.

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Last year, Coan started an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), an initiative where every student set personal goals to reach in each content area. The students and parents met with an advisor three times during the school year, to establish goals and monitor their progress. They used benchmarks from the CRCT, computer adaptive testing, and additional assessments to keep students focused on their goals during the school year. The ILP resulted in 80 percent of the students meeting or exceeding their goals last school year.

Mathematics continues to be the leading focus at Coan, as students now attend two math periods per day.

“Early on last year, we noticed that math was a serious deficit area for our students,” says Dr. Betsy Bockman, Principal at Coan. “We knew the students needed more math, and as a result, every student at Coan has two math periods per day.”

One math period is dedicated to grade level content, and the second math period is tailored to the needs of each student. This individualized math class is dynamic and flexible, offering both accelerated and remedial math.

Screen Shot 2013-08-28 at 10.59.21 AMStudents who did not meet requirements and are retained this year will receive additional support to be successful. A graduation coach will work with each student, and a mentor will be available for additional guidance. The ILP will add more support to ensure academic success and improve school attendance and behavior.

“My experience at Coan was a struggle in the beginning, but my teachers and uncle always motivated me to put forth more effort,” says Racresha Brown, 8th grader at Coan Middle School. “I went to afterschool tutoring, did my homework, makeup work or any extra credit that would bring up my scores. When I grow up, I want to be a veterinarian or a pediatrician, so I’m willing to do all my work to reach my goals.”

Coan is looking forward to students and staff building on their success from last year, and continues to work closely with the Maynard Jackson High School cluster in providing the best educational environment for their students. They are committed to college and career readiness, and strive for every student to succeed.

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Student Advisory Program Launched at all APS Middle Schools

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps
This week, Young Middle School launched it Advisory Program as part of the Middle School Transformation district initiative in which all middle schools will implement a student Advisory Program this year.
 
Advisory is way to ensure that all middle students have an adult advocate at school. It is a way of personalizing the middle school environment so that each student has an adult who knows him or her well and is the vital link between school and home. The advisory program will focus on college awareness, career exploration, and academic support and life skills.

8th grader Caleb Smith, center, participates in a human chain activity with classmates as part of Young's advisory program

 
“Throughout our advisory activities today, there was a lot of self-reflection by students which in turn made it easier for them to buy into advisory. They were able to express how they felt without being judged,” said Felix Ruffin, 8th Grade Georgia Studies Teacher and Young’s Advisory Program Coordinator.
 
All Young Middle School students will engage in advisory activities one hour per week throughout the entire school year and take an active role in planning the activities. “The human chain team building activity was really great and gave me a chance to bond with my friends. I also enjoyed our discussion about what my hero means to me in my life,” said 8th grader Caleb Smith.
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APS elementary- and middle-schoolers get scientific at One Academic Fair, hosted by B.E.S.T. Academy

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

We spent some time Wednesday surveying the science projects by APS elementary- and middle-schoolers at the One Academic Fair that ran through Thursday at B.E.S.T. Academy. Come back to this post for more information.

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SCAD-Atlanta explores the world of art at B.E.S.T. Academy

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

SCAD-Atlanta’s Buzz Bus, filled with students, faculty and staff from “The University for Creative Careers,” made a surprise visit to B.E.S.T. Academy Middle School in December to lead students in a hands-on workshop in art and design. The event was coordinated by B.E.S.T. Academy’s guidance counselor, Joni N. Lawson.

The SCAD representatives demonstrated the use of the grid method to analyze and create art. The B.E.S.T. students, each of whom was given a photo of President Barack Obama, were asked to recreate their favorite square from within the gridded image. Once the squares were completed, each student’s square was placed with the squares of their classmates to recreate the original, whole image.

B.E.S.T. art teacher Sammie Gordon was also presently surprised to receive SCAD’s surprise donation of art supplies for his classroom. “I am so grateful and appreciative,” Gordon said. SCAD’s mascot, Art the Bee, participated in the fun, presenting the students with backpacks and notebooks.

Principal LaPaul Shelton was overwhelmed with gratitude at having SCAD conduct the workshop for his students. The finished piece will hang in the school as a testament to his student’s creativity.

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Coretta Scott King YWLA earns honorable mention in the 2011 High Flying Schools Award competition

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

We recently learned that Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA) will receive an honorable mention at the 2011 High Flying Schools Award ceremony at the National Youth-At-Risk Conference, March 6-9, 2011, in Savannah. CSKYWLA was one of only 10 schools out of the 40 placed in nomination to receive this distinction. 

Each school that will receive an honorable mention will be honored at the opening session on March 7 in the Regency Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency, the site of the conference. Details about conference registration may be found on this page of the conference website. 

Following the opening session a special High Flying Schools Award Winners Showcase will take place that I know you will find of particular interest. Presentations will be given by the 2011 High Flying Schools: McKinley School (Newark, N.J.), Pauline Jones Elementary (Fayetteville, N.C.), L. M. Smith Middle (Birmingham, Ala.), Parkland Magnet High Winston-Salem, N.C. and Wilkinson County Middle (Irwinton, Ga.).

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B.E.S.T. Academy High School students go for the bowtie look

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

The young men of B.E.S.T. Academy High School chose to wear a bowtie as a part of their school uniform. Principal Boris Hurst is convinced that “the bowtie fosters a new look of distinction among the high school students.” Students received their bowties at a formal ceremony where school partner 100 Black Men of Atlanta was on hand to assist with distribution of the ties.

B.E.S.T. Academy High School is a part of the latest phase in the Middle School Transformation Initiative that includes single-gender academies. B.E.S.T. and the all-female Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSKYWLA) each opened high schools this year, starting with the freshman class that grew out of their respective middle schools, and will continue to grow until they feature all four high-school grades.

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Coretta Scott King YWLA students get ‘pearls of wisdom’

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Students at Coretta School King Young Women’s Leadership Academy wore evening dresses this morning as the staff presented them with “pearls of wisdom” necklaces in recognition of their transition to high school.  While not a traditional graduation ceremony per se, it was a colorful event on this last day of the school year for most Atlanta Public Schools students. SCLC President the Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King, served as keynote speaker, while APS  Superintendent Dr. Beverly L. Hall also spoke to students. Hall thanked the Atlanta Board of Education members in attendance, as well as community partners including the Atlanta cluster of The Links Inc. and Spelman College, and CSKYWLA Principal Melody Morgan and SRT-4 Executive Director Tamara Cotman.

“It’s hard to believe that we’re already celebrating the first class of students to complete their middle school studies and ‘step up’ to high school,” Dr. Hall said. “What a difference three years can make!”

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College freshman and first-time author Noni Carter inspires Coretta Scott King YWLA students

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy welcomed Noni Carter (pictured, above center), a metro Atlanta native, Harvard freshman and first-time published author of the novel Good Fortune. CSKYWLA’s Pen-Pal Club Project hosted the visit. In two morning sessions, Carter met with students who have scored in the 70% in ELA/Reading Comprehension. It is the school’s hope that by sharing her story, students are encouraged and inspired to continue to explore the world around them through literature, and to express their ideas and to tell their stories through writing.

Pen-Pal Club Project members, and the two top students who have shown the greatest improvement in ELA/Reading this year, received an autograph copy of Good Fortune. Hat tip to Zola Mullen for sharing the news!

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