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Partnerships

goPuff Donates Essentials to APS Families at Meal Pick Up

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

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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APS Partners with City of Atlanta to Offer an Enhanced Social Studies Curriculum Inspired by Atlanta City Design

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

CityDesignPartnershipPhotoforWebsite
Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen joined City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to announce a new partnership to write an interactive curriculum based on the Atlanta City Design. The inquiry-based curriculum will be implemented as a six-week exploration into urban planning and the history of Atlanta’s design as well as aspirations for the city’s future. This new partnership is highly unique and represents the first time the City and APS have collaborated to develop a curriculum of this type. Department of City Planning Commissioner Tim Keane worked with Janean Lewis, APS social studies coordinator, to lead a team of teachers and the Atlanta City Studio staff in a collaborative writing camp, to design the curriculum.

“Atlanta Public Schools is proud that our students will have a voice in the future design of our city through this unique City Design partnership and curriculum enhancement,” said Dr. Meria Carstarphen, APS Superintendent. “Eighth graders will have an amazing opportunity to guide our city toward becoming a ‘Beloved Community’ by experiencing the city from a new lens and sharing their visions and plans for the future design of Atlanta.”

The Atlanta City Design: Aspiring to the Beloved Community is the anchor text for the urban planning unit of the new curriculum. The Department of City Planning, with the input of residents, visitors and local designers, worked for more than a year to create the Atlanta City Design. The Atlanta City Design promotes sustainable design that incorporates the social, economic and environmental needs of the city. The design also aims to improve and accentuate Atlanta’s authentic character in a way that can accommodate a much larger population, offer additional transportation solutions and ensure more affordable housing opportunities.

“The Atlanta City Design is one of the most forward-looking and exciting projects in our city’s history,” said Mayor Reed. “I am delighted that the City of Atlanta has been able to partner with the Atlanta Public Schools to integrate the design initiative into their middle school social studies curriculum. These young students represent our city’s future, and there is nothing more important than engaging with them as we plan for the future. I hope that we will learn as much from the students as they learn from us.”

APS eighth graders will engage with the learning modules in the Spring semester; the modules will culminate with each student completing a capstone project. APS also plans to teach the curriculum to ninth graders starting in the 2018-2019 school year.

“A major focus in our curriculum revolves around civic engagement. I proposed this project so that our city’s youth can take advantage of the invaluable resources that are right in their own backyards,” said Lewis, who is the main curriculum writer. “Our vision, with the partnership is to support students in understanding how their city’s history impacts its development and how they can be engaged and involved in its future.”
The Atlanta City Design focuses on five core values:

  • Equity is ensuring that all the benefits of nature, access, ambition, and progress accrue fairly to everyone.
  • Progress is to protect people and places with meaning from the market forces that will otherwise overrun them.
  • Ambition is to leverage the disruption of change to unlock new opportunities for people to do what they want with their lives.
  • Access is to update our hub of transportation for a new generation while also building a sense of community and place.
  • Nature is to protect and expand the ecological value of our watersheds, forest and habitat in the face of rapid urbanization.

The Atlanta City Design book is available at http://www.atlcitydesign.com. The document articulates an aspiration for the future city that Atlantans can fall in love with, knowing that if people love their city, they will make better decisions about it. These decisions can be reflected in all the plans, policies and investments the city makes, allowing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s concept of the Beloved Community to guide growth and transform Atlanta into the best possible version of itself.

 

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Another APS Partnership Provides Fickett Elementary Students with Glasses

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

 

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

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

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

by talkupaps
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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APS is Thankful for Delta! Global Giant Steps Up Again to Help Hutchinson and Dobbs Elementary Schools

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Group shot

Delta Airlines has pledged to donate $500,000 over five years toward programs and initiatives at two Atlanta Public Schools – Hutchinson and Dobbs Elementary.

Students and staff at Hutchinson and Dobbs Elementary Schools have one more thing for which to be thankful … the generosity of Delta Airlines.

Members of Delta’s cargo division, led by vice president Shawn Cole, visited Hutchinson on Friday and brought boxes of school supplies, along with large bags filled with snacks

 

and treats for every student in the school. The students can take the snacks home over the holiday to ensure they have plenty of nourishment between meals during the Thanksgiving break. Then, the 50 or so employees hung around for a few hours to read to students.

It is yet another example of the commitment Delta has made to partner with Atlanta Public Schools to improve the lives of students and give back to the community. Along with volunteer efforts, Delta has pledged to donate $100,000 a year for the next five years to fund various projects and initiatives at Hutchinson and Dobbs Elementary.

Shawn Cole of Delta

Shawn Cole, vice president of the Delta Airlines Cargo Division speaks with students at Hutchinson Elementary School.

“Atlanta is our hometown, and we want to make sure we focus on improving the community,” Cole said. “Education is the key to a successful future, and with Hutchinson and Dobbs being just five minutes away from us, we’re all part of the community. These students are our future employees and our future customers. We want to bring that ‘Delta love’ to them.”

So far this year that “Delta love” has been displayed in various ways at Hutchinson. The gym has been painted. The cafeteria has been refurbished with fresh paint, new lights and two large flat screen monitors, and Delta volunteers organized the school’s “Trunk or Treat” Halloween event and are active participants in the Delta Buddies reading program.

 

“We have made a huge and much-needed commitment to improve reading, and Delta is helping us with that,” Hutchinson Principal Dr. Shaunta Broadway said. “But there has been a trickle- down effect that has improved our school culture. To have an international company like Delta come in and be a partner, and donate so much time and money, it has made all of us – teachers, students, parents – feel more important. It’s just been a blessing.”

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M. Agnes Jones Elementary School’s Literacy Initiative Gets a Big Boost from Georgia-Pacific

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

MAJ and GP staff

Georgia-Pacific has provided all 547 students at M. Agnes Jones Elementary School with a “lit kit” filled with books, school supplies and flash cards. Students received their bags at the monthly honors assembly on Friday.

Agnes Jones Elementary School was “lit” on Friday afternoon … literally!

Thanks to community partner Georgia-Pacific, all 547 students at the school received a personalized “lit kit” during its monthly honors assembly, held on the last Friday of each month. Each kit includes several books, based on the student’s interests, flash cards and various school supplies. The kits, created by members of the sales team at Georgia-Pacific, were placed in white shopping bags and decorated for each individual student.MAJ students get Lit Bags

The “lit kit” distribution marked the official kickoff of M. Agnes Jones’ drive to improve the reading proficiency rates of its students, said Principal Dr. Margul Woolfolk.

MAJ students with Lit Bags“We want to help foster a love of reading in our students, so that they will want to read more,” Dr. Woolfolk said. “The more they read, the more their comprehension and proficiency will increase. We’re so grateful to Georgia-Pacific for their support in helping us reach our goals.”

Literacy T-shirt

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Atlanta Falcons Bring “Hometown Huddle,” “Play 60” Events to APS

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Falcons and Dr. C at Toomer ES

The Atlanta Falcons took care of business on the field Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers. Tuesday morning they showed how much they care about the community, as several players – including quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Devonta Freeman – visited three Atlanta Public Schools as part of the team’s Hometown Huddle program.

At Humphries Elementary School, Freeman, running back Tevin Coleman, safety Ricardo Allen, receiver Taylor Gabriel and long snapper Josh Harris surprised several teachers with gift bags, to show their appreciation for the important role educators play in society.

“What they do is so important, and sometimes teachers get overlooked,” Freeman said. “We just want to show them that we appreciate them and what they do means so much.”

The faces of the teachers at Humphries, and their students, lit up as the Falcon players – fresh off of a decisive 34-23 win over Green Bay – paid them a surprise visit.

“All of them were shocked,” said Humphries Principal Melanie Mitchell. “And it came at a good time. We have PTA [meeting] tonight, so it will be a very long day for our teachers. This was a nice surprise. [The players] brought a lot of spirit to our building.”

The same buzz was felt at Toomer Elementary School and at Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy, where two more groups of Falcons – including Ryan, receiver Julio Jones, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, safety Keanu Neal, linebacker Deion Jones, defensive tackle Dontari Poe, cornerback Desmond Trufant, receiver Nick Williams, cornerback C.J. Goodwin and general manager Rich McKay – put students to the test by running them through various agility drills. At both schools students spent 60 minutes running, jumping, throwing footballs, and playing other indoor games with the players as part of “Play 60,” a National Football League program aimed at encouraging kids to be active for 60 minutes a day to reverse childhood obesity.

Campbell and Jones play catch at Toomer ES

“This program is designed to show students that it’s fun to play football and fun to be active,” said Chris Millman, director of community relations for the Atlanta Falcons. “It also allows us to make a real difference in Atlanta and the state of Georgia.”

 

 

 

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Sprint 1Million Program Provides Electronic Devices for APS Students

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Sprint 1Million at Douglass (Inside APS)

Atlanta Public Schools began the process of handing out nearly 1,500 fully activated electronic devices to ninth grade students as part of the Sprint 1Million Program. The district’s Instructional Technology organized three “activation fairs” where students received their devices and learned the details of the five-year program.

Atlanta Public Schools has passed out nearly 1,500 fully activated electronic devices to students in 11 of the district’s high schools, as part of the Sprint 1Million Program — a five-year initiative of Sprint and the Sprint Foundation that will connect 1,000,000 low-income high school students, nationally, who do not have internet access at home.

APS is one of 119 school districts across the country in 32 states participating in the first year of Sprint’s 1Million Project, designed to help bridge the digital divide for almost half of the district’s students in five years. This school year, Sprint will give 1,500 APS ninth graders a connected hotspot, smartphone or tablet, free of charge, for the four years they are in high school. By Year 5 of the program, about 25,000 APS students will have access to one of the connected devices.

The district hosted two “activation fairs” last week, one each at Douglass and Mays High School, where parents and students were given their device of choice and received instruction on the details of the program. A third activation fair was held Monday, Aug. 28, at Maynard Jackson High School.

See the video on the Sprint 1Million Project here.

Douglass Activation Fair

 

 Mays Activation Fair


Maynard Jackson Activation Fair

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John Lewis Invictus Academy Hosts Atlanta Falcons’ Rise Up 159 Event

by talkupaps
written by talkupaps

Rise Up 159 at John Lewis Invictus (8-25-17)

Atlanta Public Schools is partnering with the Atlanta Falcons’ on the team’s “Rise Up 159” program, which introduces kids to the sport of football through flag football. John Lewis Invictus Academy hosted physical education teachers from 79 counties at this year’s launch event for the program, Friday.

The Atlanta Falcons want to introduce more kids to the game of football, and Atlanta Public Schools is helping them do it.

APS is partnering with the Falcons on the organization’s “Rise Up 159” initiative, named for the 159 different counties in Georgia. The program is designed to introduce the sport of football to young students through playing flag football. “Rise Up 159” has a full curriculum that relates to several required core standards taught in physical education classes in elementary and middle schools in Georgia.

Last Friday, John Lewis Invictus Academy hosted physical education teachers from 78 counties around the state for a professional development session on teaching the Rise Up 159 curriculum. This is the second year for the APS-Falcons partnership in the implementation of Rise Up 159. The district’s physical education teachers used the curriculum last year.

“The curriculum is fun for the kids and allows them to be creative in coming up with their own [football] plays,” said Isaac Haynes, a physical education teacher at Hollis Innovation Academy, who attended the training and won an autographed Matt Ryan jersey in a raffle. “This is a fun way to get kids interested in football. They are playing and learning at the same time.”

Chris Millman, director of Community Relations for the Atlanta Falcons, said fun is key to the success of Rise Up 159. Schools that implement the Rise Up 159 curriculum receive football, flag football belts and cones, all courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

“Football has to be fun or kids won’t want to play – flag or tackle [football],” Millman said. “Rise Up 159 has fun activities so boys and girls will want to play this game.”

Daryl Rice, coordinator of Health and Physical Education for APS, said the district and the Atlanta Falcons are committed to the Rise Up 159 partnership for the long term.

“It helps our kids stay in shape and increases their cardiovascular endurance, and helps them learn football at the same time,” Rice said. “We’ve implemented the program in our elementary and middle schools, and we want to move it into our high schools as well. We want everything we do in APS to be sustainable and this is one of those programs.”

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