The fall weather has arrived just in time for the Community Building Coalition of Northwest Atlanta to hold its second annual Fall Festival at Boyd Elementary School from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) at the school (1891 Johnson Road NW, Atlanta 30318). The festival will feature health screenings, adult stress-management tips, games, face-painting, workshops, children’s activities, refreshments and free school supplies.
Four APS teachers rewarded with $1,000 worth of school supplies from OfficeMax’s ‘A Day Made Better’
UPDATE: Check out these videos of Slater’s Gwendolyn Taylor here and here.
Four Atlanta Public Schools elementary teachers got a needed boost in their classrooms Tuesday when OfficeMax provided $1,000 worth of school supplies as part of their national “A Day Made Better” project. The recipients were Boyd’s Trina White, Fickett’s Merilyn Tickles, Slater’s Gwendolyn Taylor and West Manor’s Francine Ferguson.
Armed with flowers, a plaque and a large box of office supplies, representatives from OfficeMax flooded Taylor’s classroom, leading students in shouting, “Surprise!”
The supplies ranged from markers and notebooks to a new leather chair. Two gifts that got the most response were digital cameras and electric pencil sharpeners.
“I wish I were Ms. Taylor,” said one student as her teacher displayed each item. Each year, Office Max selects 1,000 winning educators around the country. Based on their research, teachers spend about $1,000 a year outfitting their classrooms with colorful signs, banners and other tools to enhance instruction.
“It is our way of giving back to the community,” said Todd McBride, national account manager for the office supply retailer. “It’s really awesome to be here and watch the kids’ expressions.”
Taylor, who has taught at Slater for the past five years, also serves as the school’s Teacher of the Year as well as a Project GRAD master teacher. While the supplies definitely made her day, she was eager to put them to use by returning to that lesson.
“Partnerships like this encourage our teachers to keep doing their best each day,” said Principal Selina Dukes-Walton. “Miss Taylor is a great ambassador for Slater Elementary.” On Wednesday, Slater will welcome the city’s top ambassador; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is scheduled to attend the grand opening of Slater’s SunTrust Youth Bank.
Merilyn Tickles, a second-grade teacher at Fickett Elementary, was surprised by the OfficeMax A Day Made Better team along with her principal, Dr. Anthony Dorsey. “I am just shocked and overwhelmed,” said Tickles, who has been an educator for 31 years, and seven of those years have been at Fickett.
Over at Boyd, Principal Emalyn Foreman was delighted for Trina White, whom she nominated. “She’s a very nurturing person who brings love and compassion to the kids everyday,” Foreman said of White, currently in her second year at Boyd. “No matter her students’ circumstances, she brings them under her wing and gives them what they need to succeed.”
Congratulations go out to Boyd Elementary and Atlanta Charter Middle for each winning a $2,500 from the Kroger Earning Plus Learning Program. The grants are provided by the supermarket chain to help tie student achievement to environmental awareness, hence this year’s theme: “Active! Mind. Body. Community.”
According to Boyd Elementary school counselor Mignon Hardeman, the grant focused on how students focused on three areas: academics, health, and community service. “We need to develop the whole child,” Hardeman said, “not just academically but physically and giving back to your community. I try to teach my kids about service. Giving back is the most important thing you can do, not just for your community but for yourself. It’s taught my kids a great deal, that academics, physical health and service to the community can take you far.”
As part of the grant process, Hardeman had students keep scrapbooks on their various activities while showcasing everything from their Junior ROTC program to their grade-level gardens. Boyd Principal Emalyn Foreman hopes to use the money to upgrade the school’s technology resources.
No, the principal and staff at Boyd Elementary weren’t crazy from the summer heat. They figured the only sane way to ensure high attendance for the year-round school’s first day of school July 14 was to literally go door-to-door around the school’s neighborhoods. Only this way could they make sure that new and returning students knew that “Day One APS” wasn’t the same as some of their friends and relatives who attend APS’ “traditional” schools that start classes in August.
Boyd Principal Emalyn Foreman, currently in her third year, brainstormed with staff and decided high attendance required the personal touch — especially in a school zone where there’s a fairly significant amount of turnaround with students moving out of and into the neighborhoods. And if it meant braving 95-degree weather to do so, so be it.
We also enjoyed some media coverage and will update when we find it.
Parents of students at Boyd Elementary School and school staff members will be going door-to-door Friday afternoon (July 9) reminding parents and students that the first day of classes for the district’s three year-round schools is Wednesday, July 14. Groups of parents and school staff will assemble at Boyd Elementary (1891 Johnson Road, NW, Atlanta 30318), at 1 p.m. Friday, July 9. From there, they will fan out in the surrounding neighborhoods, knocking on doors and handing out flyers reminding parents and students of the July 14 start of classes for APS year-round schools. The two other APS year-round schools are Centennial Place and Hutchinson elementary schools. The majority of APS schools officially open for the new school year on August 9. News media representatives are invited to cover this event, starting at 1 p.m. Friday, July 9 at Boyd Elementary School.
Last month Boyd Elementary inducted seven students into the National Junior Beta Club. The induction ceremony was a huge success; the guest speaker was Ronnie DeVoe of the R&B groups New Edition and Bell, Biv, DeVoe.
First Row: Jennifer Newell, co-sponsor; Lakeitha Taylor, Bianca Wilson, and J. Gaither, co-sponsors. Second Row: Students Destiny Butler, Taya Butler, Jasmine McClain, Heaven Jones and Quiara Sharpe.
Last Row: G. Henderson, Beta Club Field Ambassador for Georgia; Mignon Hardeman, sponsor/counselor; Charlotte Davidson, co-sponsor/media specialist; Ronnie DeVore, guest speaker; and Emalyn Foreman, principal.
Hat tip to school counselor Mignon Hardeman for the info!
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