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APS Celebrates Star Educators at 2021 -2022 APyeS! Awards, Jayla Bailey Receives Excellence in Teaching Honor

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Honoring excellence in our classrooms, schools and beyond! Atlanta Public Schools announced Jayla Bailey, a math teacher at Sylvan Hills Middle School, as the 2021-2022 District Excellence in Teaching Award Winner (also known as Teacher of the Year) at the annual APyeS! Awards Gala, held Nov. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta. As the APS Excellence in Teaching Award Winner, Bailey will represent APS in the Georgia Teacher of the Year Awards next spring. 

This year, the APyeS! Awards transformed into a gala, offering an unforgettable celebration for honorees from across the district! Honorees are chosen for their excellence in education, dedication in the classroom, and unwavering support of our students and schools. Singer, actor, philanthropist, and APS alum Q Parker served as co-host alongside Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring during the awards ceremony. The event also honored the district’s top partners, GO Teams, Family Engagement stakeholders, and Excellence in Teaching honorees from each school. Performances included Parker and the Level 10 Live Band & Show.

Here are the 2021 – 2022 APyeS! Awards winners!

  • Teacher of the Year:  Jayla Bailey, Sylvan Hills Middle School (8th Grade Math)
  • Principal of the Year:  Forrestella Taylor, Finch Elementary School
  • Assistant Principal of the Year: Gerald Johnson, Finch Elementary School
  • School Counselor of the Year (Students First Award):  Dorothy Anntionette Thompson, Finch Elementary School
  • District Administrator of the Year (Schools First Award):  Dr. Katika D. Lovett, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
  • GO Team Leader of the Year:  Stacey Welsh Abbott, Principal, Garden Hills Elementary School
  • GO Team of the Year:  Maynard Jackson High School
  • Family Engagement Award (Schools):  Harper-Archer Elementary School
  • Family Engagement Award (Parent): Terri J. Weekes, Beecher Hills Elementary School
  • Family Engagement Award (Community Partner): United Way of Greater Atlanta
  • District Partner of the Year: Mercedes-Benz USA
  • Cluster Partners of the Year
    • Goodr (Carver Cluster)
    • Magnolia Chapter of the Links, Incorporated (Douglass)
    • Passion City Church (Maynard Jackson)
    • Wholistic Stress Control Institute (Mays)
    • Intown Ace Hardware (Midtown)
    • Everybody Wins! Atlanta (North Atlanta)
    • Gas South (South Atlanta)
    • United Parcel Service (Therrell)
    • Raising Expectations (Washington)

The APS graduation rate is at an all time high, and this achievement can only be reached with team members who are committed to preparing every APS student for college, career, and life. The 2021 APyeS! Awards Gala honorees are just small example of the many APS team members who are working to improve outcomes for students.

To #JoinTeamAPS pease visit; https://apscareers.org!

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goPuff Donates Essentials to APS Families at Meal Pick Up

by talkupaps
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In partnership with Atlanta Public Schools (APS), goPuff – the go-to platform for consumers’ everyday needs, has donated kid-friendly essential items for families picking up meals at King Middle School.

APS began the weekly meal distribution in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 forced school closures and students began digital distance learning from home. goPuff donated 4,000 items to APS students as a part of the APS meal distribution program, including toothbrushes and snacks.

Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola are co-founders and co-CEOs of goPuff.  “Given how incredibly challenging this time has been for so many families, we want to provide support for the kids in our communities across the country,” said Ilishayev. Gola added, “We have the utmost respect and admiration for APS and every parent, caregiver, teacher and administrator that has weathered this storm to ensure Atlanta’s children remain safe while getting the best education possible.”

Thanks to goPuff, 1,000 students from the King Middle School community each will receive a tri-color spinning highlighter, toothbrush, toothpaste, and fruit snacks.

Since APS moved to an all-virtual instructional model in March, the District has delivered approximately 120,000 meals per week to students. Thanks to a waiver announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in September APS began providing free meals to all children (ages 1-18) in all communities throughout the District. APS will continue to offer students weekly five-day meal kits (five breakfast meals and five lunch meals) by bus delivery and curbside pick-up at 14 school locations.

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We Are APS: Shaniya Longino

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Shaniya Longino (3)

South Atlanta Student Brings Back the Bronze in National Leadership and Skills Championships

Shaniya Longino, a junior at South Atlanta High School, competed against more than 50 students across the United States and took third place in the prepared speech category at the national SkillsUSA Championships this summer.

After winning first place in the Georgia state contest, Shaniya was awarded a $225 scholarship towards her participation in the national competition, held at the SkillsUSA 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. From June 25 to 29, more than 6,000 career and technical education students—all state contest winners—competed in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields.

“I feel honored to represent not only my school system, but also my state at the national competition,” said Shaniya, the only Atlanta Public Schools participant. “Starting out in the prepared speech category, I was not very confident in public speaking, but because of SkillsUSA I found this to be my passion and natural ability.”

Shaniya delivered a five- to seven-minute speech and was evaluated on voice, mechanics, platform deportment and her ability to present her thoughts on “Job Ready, Day One,” a theme selected by SkillsUSA.

“I met Shaniya in the 2016-2017 school year and immediately knew she was the perfect candidate for the SkillsUSA prepared speech competition,” said Cinzia Thomas, Shaniya’s coach and mentor. “Although Shaniya may come off as shy, she is a great communicator and is able to express her views and thoughts with passion and enthusiasm. As a ritual, Shaniya and I always put in the extra practice the day before competition until the wean hours of the night!”

A total of 142 Georgia high school students competed in this summer’s SkillsUSA Championships, ranking up 38 gold, silver and bronze medallions.

In addition to her bronze medal, Shaniya received $50 and an Amazon Kindle Fire.

We Are APS highlights APS visionaries (parents, students, teachers, principals, support staff, community members, partners, etc.), who exemplify our vision of a high-performing school district where students love to learn, educators inspire, families engage, and the community trusts the system. To recommend an APS visionary for a We Are APS feature, contact your communications liaison or email apscommunicationsoffice@gmail.com.

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Atlanta Public Schools Welcomes Eight New Principals

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With a combined total of more than 100 years of teaching and administrative experience, eight new principals will usher in the new school year at Atlanta Public Schools (APS).

“Strong schools begin with strong leadership. Effective principals are essential to achieving our vision to become a high-performing district where students love to learn, educators inspire, families engage and the community trusts the system,” Carstarphen said. “I am thrilled to welcome these outstanding school leaders to Atlanta Public Schools.”

With a caring culture of trust and collaboration, every student will graduate ready for college and career. This APS mission is strengthened through the recruitment, development and retention of school leaders who foster educational excellence.

APS has built a strong internal pipeline with an emphasis in school leadership development. As a result, 75 percent of the 2018-2019 new principals are internal hires. In addition, two of this year’s new principal pool are proud APS graduates.

Flip through the photo galleries below, and get to know our eight new principals!

“I hope to improve student achievement, develop and support strong teachers and encourage collaboration throughout the building. I also hope to strengthen our partnerships with parents and our community. …: I am committed to ensuring that TAG Academy provides a safe and intellectually challenging environment that will empower students to become innovative thinkers, creative problem solvers and inspired learners.”
FUN FACT: “I am very athletic and love working out. I go to the gym at least five days a week and would be a personal trainer if “spare time” was to ever show up at my door.”
Yolanda Weems is the new principal at Tuskegee Airmen Global (TAG) Academy in Southwest Atlanta, located within the Washington Cluster. For the past two years, she has served as TAG Academy’s assistant principal, strengthening support and performance of struggling students through reduced class sizes and increased instructional aide. Under her leadership, TAG Academy teachers have the opportunity to collaboratively plan five days per week during protected common planning time. Ms. Weems has been a tenured early childhood educator in the state of Georgia for 20 years. Her previous positions include instructional coach at APS’ Margaret Fain Elementary, curriculum support teacher at Oak Knoll Elementary, as well as a classroom instructor at Seaborn Lee Elementary, where she won Teacher of the Year twice during her 10-year tenure. She has matriculated at Central Michigan University (educational leadership), State University of West Georgia (master’s in educational administration and supervision), and Albany State University (bachelor’s in early childhood education). A proud APS alumna, Ms. Weems attended Venetian Hills Elementary School, Price Middle School and Fulton High School.
“What excites me the most about being named as principal of TAG Academy is that I have the opportunity to serve in the neighborhood that I lived in as a child. As you know, TAG Academy reflects the merger of E. L. Connally and Venetian Hills elementary schools. I attended Venetian Hills, and my relatives still live in this area. Being the principal of TAG is extremely personal for me, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that the students in our community receive a quality education.”

“When I look at Jean Childs Young Middle School and the community it serves, I see enormous potential. From a community who wants a thriving middle school, to a faculty and staff who are committed to serving the whole child and working towards significant school improvement, to students who are have the ability to our next leaders, Young Middle School has the potential to be a model middle school, and it is that potential that excites me about leading the charge.”
“In this first year, our priorities are to create and implement a framework for Tier 1 instruction so that every student has access to quality, rigorous, engaging instruction in all content areas and to commit to a consistent approach to supporting our students’ social and emotional needs. It is my hope and belief that our commitment to quality instruction and whole-child support in a strategic way will enhance the quality of learning and experience for every child.”
Kara Stimpson is the new principal at Jean Childs Young Middle School in Southwest Atlanta, located within the Mays Cluster. For the past four years, she has been principal at Morris Brandon Elementary School, where she moved the school from good to great by increasing its College and Career Ready Performance Index score from 92.4 to 98.8, with gains in all four years. Ms. Stimpson has an extensive background in middle and secondary education. From 2012 to 2014, she served as an assistant principal at APS’ Sylvan Hills Middle School. She also held various positions at the Atlanta Girls’ School. In addition to serving as a new principal mentor, Ms. Stimpson led the APS Middle School Transformation Team and served on the Special Education Superintendent’s Advisory Group. She has matriculated at Georgia State University (educational specialist), Kennesaw State University (master’s in educational leadership), and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (bachelor’s in English and in education).
I am an avid runner and proud mother of three children — two Sutton Middle School students in seventh and eighth grades and one North Atlanta graduate who is off to Piedmont College, where he will be playing basketball and majoring in Exercise and Sports Science.

“As principal, I am most excited to meet and greet the students on the first day of school. I am motivated to do the best job preparing an engaging, safe and highly instructional place of learning for each child. I look forward to the smiles, hugs and handshakes from my super scholars.”
“My hopes for this year are to foster a highly positive school climate and culture where students are excited about learning, the staff loves coming to work and parents feel welcome being a part of the school dynamic. With a focus on positive school culture and intentional implementation of quality instruction our students will be unstoppable. … I am a firm believer of maintaining an open-door policy. I believe in making time to cultivate positive relationships with all stakeholders. It truly takes a village, and I need everyone’s input and support in making sure our students accomplish their educational and career goals.”
FUN FACT: “I am a big movie lover and enjoy the experience of going to the movie theater with a big tub of popcorn. I particularly enjoy science fiction, fantasy and action films.”
Ernest Sessoms Jr. is the new principal at Dunbar Elementary School in Southwest Atlanta, located within the Jackson Cluster. For the past three years, he has served as Boyd Elementary School’s assistant principal, where he was awarded APS District 2017-2018 Assistant Principal of the Year. At Boyd, Mr. Sessoms helped to increase the school’s College and Career Ready Performance Index scores by two points in the 2015-2016 academic year and by 11 points in the 2016/2017 academic year. He has also helped to increase End of Grade Assessments by 8.1 percent for grades three through five. Mr. Sessoms began his career in education as a middle school math, science and health teacher in Clover, South Carolina. Since then, he has dedicated more than 14 years to APS in the roles of assistant principal, teacher, instructional coach and site administrator. He has earned degrees from Central Michigan University (master’s in adult education) and the University of South Carolina (bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in elementary education).

“I am excited the most to serve as a principal in a school located in a community that I grew up in, Southwest Atlanta. The culture of the community at large has always brought joy to my heart. I am very proud of Cascade Heights and its residents that have worked extremely hard to make it a great place for families. With this new role, I have the opportunity to mold the future home owners to ensure that this neighborhood continues to thrive.”
“My hope for Cascade Elementary is that it will be a proud school of choice for the residents located within the school zone. I want the parents of this community to regard the school as a school of excellence and know that their children are receiving a quality education each and every day and the school’s academic data supports learning excellence. … Cascade Elementary will be a family environment where we are doing more than providing knowledge of instructional skills, but we are shaping lives, developing personalities, and ensuring that every member of the team is growing by leaps and bounds, using strategies that possess care, collaboration and consistency.”
Tiffany Momon is the new principal of Cascade Elementary School in Southwest Atlanta, located within the Mays Cluster. Ms. Momon has more than 18 years of combined teaching and administrative education experience – the majority of which she has dedicated to APS. Ms. Momon most recently served as program administrator at Morris Brandon Elementary School, where she co-led the Attendance Committee initiatives that improved overall school attendance rates, ranking second place in the District for the past two years. As Morris Brandon’s math committee administrator, she supported and facilitated initiatives that improved overall math achievement and College and Career Ready Performance Index data during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years. Her exemplary work at Boyd Elementary School earned her the APS 2010-2011 Teacher of the Year Award. Ms. Momon has matriculated at Georgia College & State University (education specialist), Georgia State University (master’s of social work) and Spelman College (bachelor’s in education). A proud APS alumna, Ms. Momon graduated from Benjamin Elijah Mays High School, where she holds the 1994 title of Miss Mays.
FUN FACT: “When I am not working, I love spending time with my beautiful daughters, taking them to new places to broaden their view of the world.”

“Above all, I hope to build and sustain positive relationships that set the tone for success. With a team of committed teachers and staff; supportive parents and community members; and students who are eager to learn – Bolton Academy will become a model of academic excellence! Our school has the advantage of being in a diverse community where people from different backgrounds can learn and grow together. I hope to create a culture where all students have a sense of belonging, and all stakeholders work together to achieve a common goal,” said Principal Lawrence.
“I’m most excited about the opportunity to share my experiences with the school community to positively impact student achievement. With an International Baccalaureate curriculum model, dual-language program, and a significant ESOL population, Bolton Academy is the perfect culmination of my past experiences. I’m also excited as a parent of a rising second grader as well as a rising fourth grader, to have found a new school home for my children.”
FUN FACT: “I am quite the early riser! I usually wake up at 4:30 a.m. to get my daily workout in and focus on the day ahead of me. There’s no pressing snooze on the alarm clock for me!”
Anita Lawrence is the new principal of Bolton Academy in Northwest Atlanta, located within the North Atlanta Cluster. Ms. Lawrence has successfully developed practices for and monitored implementation of world language programs across the Atlanta metropolitan area. She most recently served as Primary Years Program principal at Wesley International Academy, an APS charter school where students receive daily lessons in Mandarin. As an educational consultant, she developed interdisciplinary Spanish curricular tools and facilitated the opening of the GLOBE Academy, a dual language charter school in DeKalb County. From 2008 to 2013, she coordinated world language and ESOL instruction for the entire APS system, moving the District to compliant in the 2009 Title III federal audit status. During her five-year tenure at APS’ Mays High School, she taught Spanish, chaired the foreign language department, and served as academy leader. Ms. Lawrence has matriculated at Kennesaw State University (educational leadership certification), Simmons College (master’s in urban elementary education), and Brandeis University (Bachelor’s in psychology/Spanish).

“My primary hope for this school year is to cultivate a culture of growth. It is my expectation that all stakeholders—students, staff, parents and community members—employ a growth mindset where good to great is the standard; where we are continually striving for better. In alignment with this year’s theme of P.R.I.D.E, we all have a Personal Responsibility In Delivering Excellence. Towards this end, we will be very intentional in our efforts to always give our best.”
FUN FACT: “My name is Octavius Harris, and I am addicted to basketball. I am willing to play anyone, at any time. A legend in my own mind.”
“I want my new school family to know that I am here to serve. I know that I cannot do this work on my own. I am excited to work alongside the staff to ensure we are delivering quality education in a collaborative and trusting environment. I want them to know that as a former teacher at this very school, I am familiar with the community climate, as well as the opportunities for growth that exist. With that, I am excited and prepared to help in any possible way that I can.”
Octavius Harris is the new principal of Ralph J. Bunche Middle School in Southwest Atlanta, located within the Therrell Cluster. A veteran member of the Charger family, Mr. Harris taught mathematics at Bunche from 2006 to 2012. For the past four academic years, Mr. Harris served as assistant principal at APS’ D.M. Therrell High School, where he decreased freshman cohort suspensions by 11 percent, developed a mathematics program to increase student enrollment in accelerated mathematics, and created an after-school program to engage Athletes in Technology and Mathematics (ATM). His 14-year tenure with APS includes stints as a Teach for America faculty adviser and a mathematics instructional coach at Crawford Long Middle School, where he founded the Men of Long Mentoring Program. Mr. Harris has matriculated at the University of West Georgia (education specialist in educational leadership), Georgia State University (master’s in educational leadership), and Southern Polytechnic State University (bachelor’s in information technology).

“Sarah Smith has an energy unlike any other school in APS. Our community has so much love and pride for this school. They not only embrace our diversity, but they understand that this is one of our core strengths. I am excited for the year ahead as we ensure our program addresses both the academic development and social emotional development of all students.”
“I hope to continue developing strong, meaningful relationships to nurture our sense of community so everyone can flourish. I’ve dedicated time for teachers to come in and sit down with me to discuss the strengths and opportunities for Sarah Smith this year, and it’s helped clarify our work this year. I am also excited about our new administrative team - they are amazing, and I consider myself so lucky that I get to work alongside them every day.”
Emily Boatright is the new principal at Sarah Smith Elementary School in Northeast Atlanta, located within the North Atlanta Cluster. Ms. Boatright most recently served as dean of academics for grades three through six at Westside Atlanta Charter School, where she led efforts to close achievement gaps and ensure equity for all students. She spent three years at APS’ Inman Middle School as assistant principal and interim principal. Under her leadership, Inman increased its College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores by six points in 2015. Prior to holding administrative positions, Ms. Boatright began her career as a high school world history teacher in North Carolina. Since then, she has dedicated more than 15 years of service to Georgia public schools – 12 years spent at Atlanta Public Schools. In 2013, under Ms. Boatright’s leadership as an instructional coach, APS’ Coan Middle School increased its CCRPI scores by 20 points and led the District in standardized test scores for traditional middle schools. Ms. Boatright earned degrees from Georgia State University (master’s of education) and Sweet Briar College (bachelor’s in history and government).
FUN FACT: “I am the proud mother of two APS students. Madeline is a rising sixth grader at Sutton Middle School, and Whitaker is a rising fifth grader at E. Rivers.”

“Academically, I hope to see school-wide growth in the area of language arts and reading. Implementing a new reading program and progress monitoring tool was something the previous principal started, and I can’t wait to implement it with fidelity and see the results. Socially, I hope to build long lasting, meaningful relationships with our students, parents, teachers and the community. I hope our new leadership team forms a bond like the one I had at Morningside, where we can feel comfortable problem solving and figuring out what is best for our students in a collaborative and inclusive environment.”
“I am excited to be back in the North Atlanta cluster but more importantly, being able to join a school like Brandon Elementary that has a history of success. I am beyond excited to work with an almost all new leadership team but keeping with the same traditions and successes that makes Brandon so special. Brandon has been lucky to have AMAZING leadership in the past, and I hope to continue the tradition!”
Jay Bland is the new interim principal at Morris Brandon Elementary School in Northwest Atlanta, located within the North Atlanta Cluster. Mr. Bland joins Brandon Elementary after spending three years as the assistant principal of Morningside Elementary School. Under his leadership, Morningside won APS’s Attendance Award for having the highest attendance rate in the District for three consecutive years and was recognized as a Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) Platinum Achieving school each year he was there. Mr. Bland also helped Morningside win both the Blue Ribbon and Green Ribbon school designations, becoming the only school in the country that won both in the same year. Prior to stepping into an administrative position, Mr. Bland taught physical education for 10 years at APS’ Price Middle and Sutton Middle schools. Mr. Bland also coached varsity boys soccer for seven years, leading North Atlanta High School to the 2011 and 2013 Georgia High School Association state playoffs. Mr. Bland has matriculated at Lincoln Memorial University (educational specialist in curriculum and instruction), Georgia State University (master’s in physical education and leadership certification), and the University of South Carolina (bachelor’s in physical education).
FUN FACT: “I love all things sports, and working out. I’ve done CrossFit (functional fitness) for almost 7 years. It’s a great stress reliever and helps me stay level and calm when work can seem tough. More importantly, I am a husband to my wife Leslie and the father of two children, a 1-year-old girl, Avery, and a 3-year-old boy, Liam, who do all they can to keep me busy outside of school hours.”

APS charter and partner schools also welcomed 11 new principals. They are Rajvee Bhlakia (The Kindezi Schools at Old Fourth Ward), Tasha Davis (KIPP Soul Primary School), Micheal Bray and Audrianna Archibald (KIPP WAYS Primary School), Chris Knowles (Atlanta Classical Academy), Jovan Miles (Thomasville Heights Elementary School), Chanika Perry (KIPP Atlanta Collegiate Academy), Rashaun Reid (KIPP Vision Academy), Deborah Satterfield (Wesley International Academy) Nathaniel Snyder (KIPP WAYS Academy) and Terra Walker (KIPP Vision Primary School).

Day One for the District is Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018.

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Humphries Elementary School Celebrates Students with Perfect and Near Perfect Attendance

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Humphries ES Perfect Attendance (2017)

227 students at Humphries Elementary School had perfect attendance or missed less than three days of school during the first semester. The students were honored at a ceremony at the school on Friday.

(Click here to view the video.)

School attendance is vital for academic success, and it is really serious business at Humphries Elementary School. On Friday, 96 students with perfect attendance, along with 131 more with no more than three absences during the first semester, were honored for their dedication to coming to school.

During the hour-long ceremony, students received a certificate and were treated to

Que 9 at Humphries ES 1

Teenage rapper Que 9 performed at the Humphries Elementary School celebration for students with perfect or near perfect attendance.

Christmas cookies and apple cider, while teenage rapper Que 9 made a surprise appearance and performed his hit single “Red Light, Green Light.” Parents who were winners of a lottery drawing received their gift – a $50 American Express gift card – and CIGNA Healthcare executives Helen Glenn, Thomas Hunter-James and Reggie White gave words of encouragement.

CIGNA Healthcare is one of Humphries Elementary’s community partners, and provided the school with funding to purchase one Christmas present for all 227 students with perfect or near-perfect attendance.

“At some point I hope it will become intrinsic,” said Humphries Elementary Principal Melanie Mitchell. “When they leave and go to middle school [attendance] may not be celebrated as large, I hope they remember the message that it is important to be in school every day. When you show up and you are accountable, that’s a skill that we all need.”

CIGNA Execs at Humphries ES (2017)

CIGNA Healthcare executives Thomas Hunter-James (far left), Helen Glenn (second from right), and Reggie White (far right), helped provide Christmas presents for all 227 Humphries Elementary students with perfect or near perfect attendance. Humphries Elementary Principal Melanie Mitchell (second from the left) presented the gifts to students on Friday.

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Atlanta Public Schools to Host First Annual Minority Coaches Association of Georgia Senior Bowl

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MCAG Senior Bowl graphic (2017)

(Click here to view a video about the first annual Minority Coaches Association of Georgia Senior Bowl.)

A brand new high school all-star game featuring 150 of the state’s top senior players, including 50 from Atlanta Public Schools, will be held at Lakewood Stadium on New Year’s Weekend.

The inaugural Minority Coaches Association of Georgia (MCAG) Senior Bowl, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 29, at Lakewood Stadium, will consist of two all-star games featuring seniors from APS, Clayton County, Columbus/Muscogee County and South Fulton County:

— Game 1 (1 p.m.): South Fulton (coached by Banneker’s Mario Allen) vs.
Clayton County (coached by Lovejoy’s Edgar Carson)

— Game 2 (4 p.m.):  APS (coached by Douglass’ Rodney Cofield) vs.
Columbus/Muscogee County (coached by Spencer’s Pierre Coffee) at 4 p.m.

Octavious Battle (Carver QB, 2017)

Carver quarterback Octavious Battle is one of 50 APS players selected to compete in the first annual Minority Coaches Association of Georgia Senior Bowl, December 29, 2017 at Lakewood Stadium.

Recruiters from several colleges will be in attendance, giving these seniors another opportunity to earn scholarships. Just like the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Baker Mayfield, who began his career as a walk-on player at Texas Tech before transferring to Oklahoma, many of the seniors in this all-star game are diamonds in the rough who have been overlooked, according to APS Director of Athletics Jasper Jewell.

“Most of these seniors have not received the exposure that some other players have,” Jewell said. “These are some very talented student athletes, and we wanted to provide them with another opportunity to showcase themselves in front of college recruiters.”

 

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Another APS Partnership Provides Fickett Elementary Students with Glasses

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Vision to Learn 1 (Group) (12-13-17)

A partnership between Atlanta Public Schools, the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Vision to Learn provided prescription eye glasses for more than 60 students at Fickett Elementary School, Wednesday morning.

Vision to Learn 3 (Dominique)

Vision to Learn is a national program that works with companies, non-profit organizations and school systems to provide free eye exams and eye glasses for students in underprivileged communities.

Vision to Learn 2 (Hawks cheerleaders)On Wednesday, Vision to Learn’s Damian Carroll, Manager of External Relations, and Anne Morris Reid, Chief Strategy Officer, joined Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen and Atlanta Board of Education District 6 Representative  Eshe P. Collins, along with Atlanta Hawks Foundation Executive Director David Lee and Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins, a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Fame, in handing out glasses to students at Fickett. The 62 pairs they distributed now makes the grand total 111 students at Fickett who now have new eye glasses thanks to the Vision to Learn/Hawks Foundation/APS partnership.

Vision to Learn 4 (Group 2 - 1 student) (12-13-17)

 

 

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APS Volunteers Turn Out for Empty Stocking Fund/Santa’s Village

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Santa's Village 2017 - Sign (12-7-17)

(Click here to watch a short video about Atlanta Public Schools volunteers working in Santa’s Village.)

 Once again, Atlanta Public Schools students and staff members stepped up to help make Christmas merrier for hundreds of families in Atlanta, Fulton County and DeKalb County through the Empty Stocking Fund and Santa’s Village initiatives.

Cadets in the APS high school ROTC programs collected money for several weeks during the Empty Stocking Fund campaign, raising thousands of dollars. APS employees contribute during the campaign as well. The top collecting schools, according to APS Director of Army Instruction (Retired) Colonel Prentiss O. Baker, were North Atlanta (more than $10,000) and Mays (more than $7,500).

The money collected was used to buy toys and gifts for needy families in Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb County. That’s where nearly 100 volunteers who work in the APS Center for Learning and Leadership stepped in, as they spent most of the day on Thursday bagging and distributing those toys and gifts at a warehouse on the city’s northwest side, dubbed “Santa’s Village.”

“The students love this,” Col. Baker said. “They collect the money and then when they come here they are able to see what all of their hard work went for. And we really appreciate the efforts and generous hearts of all of the volunteers. They have done something really special for the community.”

 

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Sylvan Hills Middle School Teacher Mahoganey Jackson Picks Up Another Honor: CFP Teacher of the Month

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Mahoganey Jackson (Sylvan MS) - CFP TOTM 1 (Dec. 2017)

Sylvan Hills Middle School teacher Mahoganey Jackson was honored as the College Football Playoff Teacher of the Month. Atlanta Sports Council Executive Director Dan Corso presented Jackson with a $1,000 prize to help with classroom initiatives.

(Click here to view a short video on Mahoganey Jackson, the College Football Playoff Teacher of the Month.)

The good news keeps on coming for Sylvan Hill Middle School teacher Mahoganey Jackson.

In October, she was named the 2017-2018 Atlanta Public Schools Teacher of the Year. Then on Tuesday, Jackson was named the College Football Playoff Teacher of the Month, which comes with a $1,000 prize to help with classroom initiatives.

When Dan Corso, executive director of the Atlanta Sports Council, interrupted – albeit briefly – Jackson’s lesson on the Civil War to present the award to her, there were no shrieks of surprise or tears of joy. Jackson flashed a bright smile, thanked and hugged Corso, and went right back to work, helping her students break down the lyrics of a song sung in battle by the Union Army. It was a quintessential display of Jackson’s passion for teaching and serving her students.

“I knew I wanted to be a teacher in middle school,” said Jackson, an APS alum who attended Price Middle School. She will be featured on an upcoming broadcast of WSB-TV’s “People 2 People.”

“School was like a refuge and a safe place for me, coming from a disadvantaged neighborhood,” Jackson said. “My teachers looked out for me and encouraged me, and that inspired me to be a teacher. That’s where my passion for teaching comes from.”

Mahoganey Jackson (Sylvan MS) - CFP TOTM 2 (Dec. 2017)

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APS Middle Schoolers Hit the Field, Learn Life Lessons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

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written by talkupaps

SEC Youth Clinic 2017 at MBS

Nearly 200 students from seven Atlanta Public Schools middle schools took part in this year’s SEC Youth Football Clinic, Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The annual event is coordinated by USA Football.

(Go here to view a short video on this year’s SEC Youth Football Clinic.)

Two days before Auburn University and the University of Georgia will decide the Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 175 Atlanta Public School middle school students hit the field under the guidance of former college and National Football League (NFL) players, during the SEC Youth Football Clinic.

Sponsored by USA Football, the one-day event gives students the unique opportunity to learn lessons in football and in life in a big-time football venue. The event is held during the week of the SEC Championship Game and had been hosted at the Georgia Dome, previously.

Students from seven APS middle schools were represented at the event, Thursday (Brown, Bunche, Inman, King, Long, Sylvan and Young Middle School). They rotated through a number of stations, participating in a different football-related drill at each. At the end each student received a t-shirt, lunch courtesy of Jersey Mike’s Subs, and a football.

“I preach education,” said Michael Haynes, a 10-year NFL veteran, who played receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. He is a graduate of Northern Arizona University. “At some point, football ends for everybody. I try to get them to focus on their plan for what comes next. Education is forever.”

“It’s a great opportunity for our kids to get some football instruction but also hear positive messages to help them be successful,” said Jasper Jewell, APS Director of Athletics. “And the beautiful thing is that it is specifically for our kids.”

 

 

 

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