APS Parent Guide for Testing and Assessments.
APS Parent Guide for Testing and Assessments.
Atlanta Public Schools took a different approach at its latest Parent C.A.F.E. (Circle of Adults Focusing on Education).
With the focus on the Department of Special Education, the Parent C.A.F.E. gave parents the opportunity to share their experiences, concerns and suggestions with district leadership.
“Tonight’s was very special because we invited APS interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle to be our guest speaker and address our parents, as well as hear our parents’ concerns,” APS executive director of Special Education Emmaundia Ford said.
During the open forum, parents were able to express their concerns to the Department of Special Education leaders, Dr. Battle, and also meet with the special education coordinators for their respective cluster to discuss more specific situations to improve the educational experience for their scholars.
“This was a great opportunity again to speak to our district leaders about what is happening in special education,” former APS parent Nkoyo Effiong Lewis said. “As a parent who has been through this process in APS and who has represented families who are struggling to make sure their children are getting what they need, it was a great opportunity to share with the district what is happening on the ground which may have a lot of disconnect from what the expectations are at the district level.”
The change in format allowed parents to share some of the challenges that they face.
“I worked with the Special Education department to have everyone here and let the parents do the talking. We do the listening and answer their questions instead of us presenting to the parents,” Dr. Battle said. “Our parents want to be partners. They want to be a part of this work and a part of the solution.”
“I enjoyed hearing from the parents and their concerns and reminding us of the things that need to get done,” she added. “They even gave us some great suggestions, so we’re going to be incorporating some of those suggestions.”
All hands were on deck Wednesday at Harper-Archer Middle Schol. The school’s staff even created a special staging area to register students and address parent concerns.
Wednesday marked the first day of the 2013-14 school year for APS students, and thanks to dedicated parents, volunteers, partners and employees, Day One was a big success.
Despite the incessant morning rain, numerous parents around the district arrived at schools early to assist in the back-to-school effort, and help their children transition from summer break to school-time mode.
At Harper-Archer Middle School, one parent volunteer showed up at the school’s office – where she remained all day – an hour before school began. While she helped with office operations, the staff assisted students, managed registration and answered questions from parents. She was surprised but pleased when she saw a familiar face ring the bell to enter the school.
“That’s the superintendent — he made it to our school today,” she said. “That’s good, that’s very good.”
Superintendent Davis visits a Harper-Archer eighth-grade gifted class.
Superintendent Davis visited classrooms throughout the Harper-Archer building, talking to students and thanking teachers for their hard work and commitment.
At the B.E.S.T. Academy schools, members of The 100 Black Men of Atlanta welcomed students on the all-male campus to another year of opportunities
and possibilities. The young men received an additional boost of motivation when Ambassador Andrew Young surprised them with an inspirational message about leadership and team building.
“The leadership skills you learn here today won’t just help you at B.E.S.T., they’ll help you in the rest of the world for the rest of your life,” Young said to a captivated audience.
Members of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta listen as fellow member Ambassador Andrew Young, delivers a motivational back-to-school message to an attentive group of B.E.S.T. Academy students.
Young, a member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, ended his message by reminding the students that being a team builder is more than a good strategy for producing a winning sports team. “When you bring up others around you, you are developing a strategy that can change the world,” Young stated.
APS parents, please help us communicate more effectively by completing a quick survey. The survey includes 7 questions and is available on the homepage of your school’s website. In addition, printed copies of the survey are available at all schools. Your feedback is very important to us, as the results from this survey will impact our communication strategies at the school level and throughout the district. The survey will close on October 31st. Thank you for your participation!