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Betty Jackson

First Lady Michelle Obama celebrates health and wellness efforts at Burgess-Peterson Academy

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

First Lady Michelle Obama marked the first anniversary of her Let’s Move initiative with a visit to Burgess-Peterson Academy on Wednesday afternoon. The school is one of the leaders in Atlanta Public Schools when it comes to health, wellness and nutrition efforts thanks to hard work among faculty, staff, students, parents and its network of community partners. (Check out a mini-photo gallery above, or the big one here.)

Principal Robin Robbins led the first lady on a tour of the school, which included a visit to Megan Kiser‘s second-grade class, munching on blueberries — the snack of the day. Students and master gardeners Adam Waterson and Michelle Rice — just some of the school’s community partners — took her on a tour of the outdoor garden the school built with support from Georgia Organics. “Coach” Betty Jackson, the school’s physical education instructor, has been instrumental in helping lead these efforts, and was excited about the visit.
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Join Burgess-Peterson Academy’s Coach Jackson on a walk through their great outdoors

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

While we’ve documented a lot of Burgess-Peterson Academy‘s award-winning wellness initiatives, we thought it would be fun to have Coach Betty Jackson — the mastermind of many of these projects — to take us on a tour of what’s been going on and what students can expect for the 2010-2011 school year. It also gave Coach Jackson a chance to explain why this is so vital, not just to Burgess-Peterson students the entire district as well. Enjoy.

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Burgess-Peterson Academy opens its doors to East Atlanta

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

UPDATE: Check out the photo gallery here.

It may have been increasingly hot outside, but the students and parents of the East Atlanta neighborhood were having a cool time Saturday morning inside Burgess-Peterson Academy at the school’s Open House Community Day. The event, similar to many around APS this past weekend, served as an introduction for students and parents for their school. Burgess-Peterson turned this introduction into a showcase of the school and its surrounding neighborhood, inviting community partners to provide everything from health screenings and parent support organizations to karate demonstrations and dance performances.

Principal Robin Robbins emphasized the school’s deep commitment to its community partners throughout the day, and the parents definitely got the message. They not only are able to join the school’s PTA, led by Chris Hampton, but also can participate in the East Atlanta Parent Network (represented by Dennis Madsen), which works with all of the neighborhood’s schools. As noted in a recent Atlanta Educator article, East Atlanta is becoming increasingly diverse, and prospective parents are drawn to Burgess-Peterson’s community partnerships that appeal to parents who want a quality education for their children and believe in public schools.

The Open House Community Day was a great example of the school’s diversity. All of the school’s pre-K slots were filled, and the halls were filled with pre-K students and parents. The school also was able to showcase its award-winning wellness efforts that now featuring a federal grant to promote increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as a teaching garden on the edge of the forest in the back of the school grounds. Burgess-Peterson already has an edible garden in the courtyard and is a participant in the Be Water Wise Atlanta program.

The guests enjoyed a healthy karate demonstration from Sensei Frank Crawford at Life Martial Arts as well as dance performances from the nearby Journey Performing Arts Center, which will help partner on a dance program this year at the school. Community partners Lejoy Gifts and Floral Shop, ExecSpa, the East Lake YMCA’s PrimeTime AfterSchool and Children’s Heathcare of Atlanta (which provided the blood-pressure screenings) all set up booths inside the school. Blackwell Entertainment provided the music.

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away at Burgess-Peterson Academy

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Do you remember hearing your parents and grandparents telling you the little folklore, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Well, we all know how important fresh fruits and vegetables are to our diet and also for our health. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 authorized funds for a program that offers free fruits and vegetables to students during the school day.  This year the students at Burgess-Peterson Academy (BPA) along with students from 49 other school districts in Georgia will have an opportunity to enjoy a fresh fruit or vegetable as part of their daily routine.

In support of the school wellness policy, Coach Betty Jackson submitted the grant to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables to all students. The program will also support the garden and edible tree orchard already in place at the school. With the help of the Atlanta Public Schools Nutrition Department and local farmers, the BPA students will enjoy familiar fruits and vegetables native to Georgia and sample fruits like figs, pomegranate and kiwi as well as watermelon radishes, bok choi and other lesser-known veggies. The program will start in August and continue throughout the school year. The healthy snacks also will address an area of childhood obesity by giving students a choice of enjoying naturally grown produce  and cut down the amount of sugary snacks that the students and parents bring to school each day.

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Target Field Trip Grant helps Burgess-Peterson students enjoy the butterflies at Callaway Gardens

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Thanks to the generosity of the Target Field Trip Grant, 45 Burgess-Peterson Academy students and six teachers and parents enjoyed a wonderful day at Callaway Gardens on May 20. Coach Betty Jackson applied for and received a Target Field Trip Grant for $800 to take the Student Wellness Ambassadors, the Be Water Wise Atlanta and fourth-graders on a butterfly excursion.

This grant allowed the students to see what type of butterflies could visit their own butterfly garden in the school’s courtyard. The students were able to observe the butterfly emerge from its chrysalis and begin to walk. Once the butterflies started walking, they were released into the enclosed habitat and allowed to fly freely. The students giggled with glee as the butterflies flew over and around them and occasionally made a pit stop on the body. They watched the butterflies eat bananas and oranges as well as fly around the manicured garden of flowers and trees.

Students received a butterfly chart from the volunteers to help identify the different types of butterflies. The students at Burgess-Peterson Academy would like to thank Target for their generosity in making this trip happen.

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APS helps show Atlanta how to ‘Be Water Wise’

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

UPDATE: Check out the photo gallery here.

Burgess-Peterson Academy served as the host school Wednesday to help launch a city-wide effort, Be Water Wise Atlanta, in a partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and which helps celebrate National Environmental Education Week. Burgess-Peterson is one of 11 Atlanta Public Schools and 14 metro Atlanta schools to help raise consciousness about water usage and conservation.

Be Water Wise Atlanta is a collaborative public-private partnership which involves K-12 students in a comprehensive water conservation exercise, empowering students to improve conservation in their schools, homes and the community and to explore the connections between water and energy use. Burgess-Peterson was chosen as the host site thanks to its committed staff and its success in establishing and maintaining its schoolyard garden and integrating it into the curriculum, according to Jessica Culverhouse, program manager of National Environmental Education Week. Burgess-Peterson’s point people have been Principal Robin Robbins, physical education instructor Betty Jackson and custodian Kelvin Hester. Students will learn how to measure water usage, among other activities, but also will be able to apply several of these activities to their math, science and language arts curriculum.

“This project is another layer we’ve added on top of the other academic programs that provide real-life application of the things we study into the real world,” said Principal Robbins, noting that this is one of APS’ 26 Best Teaching Practices. “And that’s where we see our students achieve academically.”

Several officials were present at the event, including Diane Wood, NEEF president; Dr. Stan Meiburg, deputy regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 (Southeast); Felicia McDade, K-12 regional education manager, Johnson Controls; Natalyn Mosby Archibong, member, Atlanta City Council; Robert Hunter, commissioner, Atlanta Department of Watershed Management; Dottie Whitlow, executive director, APS Math & Science Department; and Dr. Robin Hall, executive director, SRT-3.

“Over the past several years, improving water conservation has become increasingly critical for many U.S. cities,” Culverhouse said. “Widespread drought, conflicts over water rights and other water-related issues have gained media attention and a place on the agendas of public officials across the country. Atlanta in particular faces unique challenges in water management. Be Water Wise aims to engage students from urban schools in learning about water conservation and developing solutions.”

Other participating Atlanta Public Schools: E. Rivers Elementary, Towns Elementary, Bunche Middle, B.E.S.T. Academy, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Inman Middle, Kennedy Middle, Carver School of Health Sciences & Research, Douglass High and Therrell High. The other three schools: Randolph Elementary School (Fulton County), Dunwoody Elementary School (DeKalb County) and South Paulding High School (Paulding County).

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