John Lewis Invictus Academy celebrated the ribbon cutting of its new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. This state-of-the-art space gives students hands-on access to emerging technologies and creative tools that help turn their ideas into reality. The lab is designed to inspire innovation, collaboration, and future-ready skills for the next generation of learners.
Atlanta Public Schools celebrated the ribbon cutting of its eighth Verizon Innovative Learning Lab on Tuesday, February 10, at John Lewis Invictus Academy (JLI).
“We’re at what I call Ground Zero on our STEAM journey, but we’re taking it to the next level and we’re really excited to do that,” JLI Principal Langston Longley said. “In this generation, our students are no longer interested in what they can do when they grow up. They want to do things now.”
The new learning space at the school has been outfitted with new devices and tools that will allow JLI students to explore new technologies as they learn.
Inside the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab, students can explore the world beyond their campus with the virtual reality headsets. They can use the 3D printers to build their ideas from scratch and create something new. Students can also develop their coding skills and test the possibilities in a safe learning environment.
The partnership with Verizon, Arizona State University, and Heart of America has opened the doors for more students, regardless of their zip code, to have access to a high-quality learning environment with modern tools and equipment that will help students prepare for the futures ahead of them.
“These are half a million-dollar investments into these schools,” APS director of instructional technology Natasha Rachel said. “In this lab, students will be designers, engineers, coders, innovators, problem solvers, and entrepreneurs. They will build ideas, test solutions, and develop skills that prepare them for careers that don’t even exist yet.”
The B.E.S.T. Academy at the Thomas W. Dortch, Jr. Institute is the latest Atlanta Public Schools (APS) campus to cut the ribbon for its Verizon Innovative Learning Lab.
Through APS’ partnership with Verizon, the students now have a dedicated space where they can explore new technologies that will help them prepare for the future.
B.E.S.T. students, already familiar with the new technology, displayed their aptitude to utilize their new devices for guests at the celebratory ribbon-cutting.
The new learning space not only provides new tools for virtual reality, augmented reality, coding, and 3-D printing, but also presents opportunities for students to apply their curiosities, test hypotheses, and potentially discover future solutions.
Learn more about the APS Verizon Learning Labs:
Sylvan Hills Middle School 8th-grader, Sir’Eon Perryman, enjoys the school’s new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. Photo: Allison Slocum, APS ©
Sylvan Hills Middle School students can now access 3D printing, virtual reality equipment, and innovative STEM practices through their new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. The initiative is a part of Verizon’s national effort to expand access to STEM education and technology in underserved communities.
The Verizon Innovative Learning Lab provides students with hands-on experiences in emerging technologies and aims to prepare them for the future workforce.
Eighth-grader Sir’Eon Perryman was among several students who explored the lab’s equipment during the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 23 and demonstrated to attendees how the 3D software and printer worked.
“I like the lab because it has a lot of electronics, a lot of coding, and the 3D printers,” Perryman said.
LEARN ABOUT THE FIRST APS VERIZON INNOVATION LEARNING LAB
The Verizon Innovative Learning Lab program, developed in collaboration with the nonprofit Heart of America and the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University (ASU), offers students immersive, hands-on experiences in robotics, virtual reality, 3D design, and augmented reality.
The curriculum, custom-designed by ASU, centers on design thinking and real-world problem-solving, while ongoing teacher training ensures each lab remains a sustainable, evolving space for innovation.
Sylvan Hills Middle School Verizon Innovative Learning Lab partners. Photo: Allison Slocum, APS ©
Sylvan Hills Middle School principal, Larry Guilford, said the lab is a natural extension of the school’s focus.
“We are a STEM/STEAM school, so this gives us the opportunity to continue utilizing technology with our students,” Guilford said. “The students can do a lot of hands-on work right here in this lab, and they will do things that will improve our achievement scores in math and science.”
Since its inception, Verizon Innovative Learning has reached nearly nine million students nationwide and aims to reach 10 million by 2030. The company has committed more than $1 billion in market value toward supporting digital inclusion in education. In Georgia alone, more than 30,000 students have benefited from Verizon’s educational initiatives, with 30 Innovative Learning Schools and 10 labs now operating statewide.
Enjoy the self-advancing photo slideshow of the Sylvan Hills Middle School Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. Photo: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Jerome Cheatham, Verizon’s vice president of the Atlantic South Market, said the lab represents more than a technological investment.
“At Verizon, we talk about empowering people to live, work, and play. A vital part of that is our students,” Cheatham said. “We want students to live out their dreams and have the technology to do that. Investing in students does that for us, and this is just a part of what we do.”
DID YOU KNOW APS LAUNCHED THE FIRST FOUR VERIZON INNOVATION LABS IN THE STATE AND NOW OPERATES NINE?
In addition to Sylvan Hills Middle School, Ralph Bunche Middle School, The B.E.S.T. Academy, John Lewis Invictus Academy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School have also opened their own Verizon Innovative Learning Lab this school year.
As students begin exploring robotics, coding, and design in the new space, the partnership with Verizon illustrates Atlanta Public Schools’ growing commitment to creating equitable, technology-rich learning environments, focusing on preparing every student for a rapidly changing, innovation-driven world.
Luther Judson Price Middle School unveiled their new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Verizon Learning Labs at Crawford Long Middle School 2023.
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) recently held its annual State of the District address to provide students, families, stakeholders and the community with an update on the district’s current status of operations.
Streamed live from the Junior Achievement Chick-fil-A Center, APS Interim Superintendent Danielle S. Battle shared the district’s accomplishments, how they are meeting the needs of their students and staff, what needs addressing, and what’s on the horizon.
In addition, members of the senior cabinet highlighted the outcomes achieved through their teams’ efforts in implementing the district’s strategic plan.
Here are the top ten takeaways from this year’s APS State of the District:
1. Literacy at the Heart
The theme for Dr. Battle’s administration has been Leading forward with CARE (Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Empathy). At the helm of that message is a desire to develop a district of readers.
To that end, the APS Division of Academics and the Superintendent’s office have implemented “Readers are Leaders,” an initiative named by the Teacher Advisory Committee. The initiative directly supports and meets the House Bill 538 (The Georgia Early Literacy Act) mandate, which calls for high-quality instructional materials, teacher training, universal reading screeners, and several other responsibilities and timelines to ensure teachers are fully equipped to guide students along their literacy journey.
“Atlanta Public Schools is utilizing the science of reading to equip our teachers with the additional necessary tools to birth a district of proficient readers,” said Dr. Battle.
Additionally, APS has teamed up with the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy to pilot eight schools in their Literacy and Justice for All program. Those schools are Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, Dobbs Elementary, Dunbar Elementary, Heritage Academy, Kimberly Elementary, Miles Elementary, Peyton Forest Elementary, and Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy.
2. Incentives that Motivate
To assist in carrying out the district’s objective to prioritize literacy and to ensure the success of the “Readers are Leaders” teacher initiative, APS is using the Cox Campus Modules to provide incentives for success.
All APS teaching staff participants, including the Superintendent, will engage in coursework over an 18-month period, in which teachers with a completion rate of 80 percent or higher in modules 1-4 will receive a $1250 stipend. Furthermore, an additional stipend of $1250 will be given for an 80 percent or higher completion rate for modules 5-8.
According to APS Special Assistant to the Superintendent Sherri Forrest, the work has already begun.
“I’m excited to share that we have already started professional learning in the Science of Reading,” Forrest said. “We are starting each module with principals, assistant principals, and instructional coaches first. Then we move to teachers so they will have the wraparound support needed to succeed. Families should stay tuned for some community engagement this Spring to learn more about our efforts but also how to support your students.”
In conjunction with monetary incentives, a competitive compensation philosophy has been implemented with the goal of making APS a leader in the space of Base Pay for teachers and administrators.
“We are currently reviewing our standing in the market and plan to recommend the necessary market adjustments in alignment with our compensation philosophy for the upcoming school year,” APS Chief of Human Resources Nicole Lawson said.
Additionally, APS offers sustaining programs designed to attract new teachers and staff, including a partnership with Georgia State University, where selected teachers will be able to complete fully funded master’s degree programs at the university.
3. Safety at the Forefront
The Atlanta Public Schools Police Department is committed to providing swift action in all situations involving the safety of students and staff and performing ongoing reviews of security protocols to ensure the best and most effective outcomes for those entrusted to the district’s care.
During her address, Dr. Battle stressed the importance of parents and caregivers talking to their children about making wise and safe choices and working together to provide safe environments, both at home and at school.
“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,” Dr. Battle said, quoting the proverb.
APS is also proactive in ensuring students have support and direct access to trusted national agencies that offer social, emotional, and mental health resources.
By combining proven safety protocols, prompt law enforcement, compassionate support, and parent partnership, APS stands ready to successfully navigate any challenge.
4. Graduation as the Goal
The mission of Atlanta Public Schools is to ensure every student graduates ready for college, career, and life through a caring culture of equity, trust, and collaboration. The graduating Class of 2023 demonstrated that mandate in action by achieving the district’s all-time highest graduation rate of 86.6 percent, exceeding the state graduation rate of 84.4 percent by 2.2 percentage points.
A comprehensive overview of this amazing accomplishment can be viewed on APS Today, the official blog of Atlanta Public Schools.
5. Milestones that Glow and Grow
Dr. Battle highlighted the gains APS experienced regarding the 2023 Georgia Milestones, sharing ways in which students were excelling and improving in their competencies. Likewise in transparency, Dr. Battle also shared the areas where there is still a need for improvement. Below is an excerpt from her address:
“In English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 3-5, we saw the highest year-over-year gains in proficient and distinguished levels since 2015. That year also brought a decrease in the percentage of beginning learners.
However, with a 34.7% proficiency rate, we know there is much more work for us to do.
In the middle grades ELA, seventh grade had the most significant year-over-year gains since 2015, with a 3.8% increase.
Sixth and seventh grades also saw a decrease in the percentage of beginning learners from 2022-2023.
In 2023, 68% of students in grades 4-8 in Atlanta Public Schools achieved typical or high growth in ELA. Growth denotes student’s academic growth compared to their peers.
But with a 31.8% middle-grade proficiency rate, we still have work to do.
We had an increase of 4.7% in 2023, which was the most significant year-over-year increase since 2015. This year also marked a decrease in those identified as beginning learners.
But we know that with a 34.1% proficiency rate in math for grades 3-5, we still have work to do.
We experienced growth in math in grades 4-8, with 66% of students experiencing typical or high growth.
2023 brought a 1.9% gain for sixth grade students scoring at the proficiency and distinguished levels. The sixth and seventh grades also saw a decrease in the percentage of beginner learners from 2022-2023.
But with a 22.8% proficiency rate, we still have a lot of work to do. The End of Course Tests brought about the most significant increase in Algebra I. Algebra I saw the largest increase in students scoring proficient or above from 2022-2023.”
—Dr. Daniells S. Battle, APS Interim Superintendent
6. Nutrition’s New Home
Larry Hoskins, Chief Operations Officer for APS, shared the news that the district will transition to an in-house food service model after partnering with outside vendors for more than 20 years. What’s especially exciting about this is that all nutrition workers will be APS employees, and more importantly, the enhancement of the quality of ingredients used in school meals will provide students with healthier and more nutritious food options.
APS has already begun the process of hiring food assistants and cafeteria workers, offering competitive salaries and incentives. The new Nutrition model will officially launch in the 2024-2025 school year.
7. Support Where it Counts
Atlanta Public Schools is prioritizing efforts to ensure the leaders on the front lines in their schools receive the support they require to effectively educate students and run the day to day operations of their facilities. By doing so, ongoing and personalized support to principals across various domains is being provided, including budget planning and management, staffing optimization, school safety protocols, strategies for student promotion and retention, and addressing retention challenges through targeted interventions and professional development opportunities.
In addition, APS will host a summer retreat to design and foster equitable learning environments, address systemic barriers, and promote inclusivity in teaching and learning practices.
8. APS by the Numbers
Each State of the District attendee received a copy of a summary of the district’s current numbers for 2023-2024 school year, which included stats on student enrollment, graduation numbers, diversity percentages, and other key indicators unique to Atlanta Public Schools.
*To view the district’s current numbers, click the image directly above.
9. Innovative Developments
With the rapid advancement of technology, APS is dedicated to ensuring its students and staff have access to state-of-the art tools and devices that will usher them into the future.
This school year, APS oversaw the implementation of the only four Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in the State of Georgia. Students at Crawford W. Long Middle School, H.J. Russell West End Academy, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, and Price Middle School now have access to robotics, equipment and other emerging technologies designed to elevate the educational space.
There are also several new developments on the horizon at APS that will not only support the mission of the district but also uplift the well-being of the entire family.
Over the coming months, the APS Division of Academics will be conducting multiple stakeholder engagement sessions to determine the needs of students and families to be incorporated into a new student and family services center, which will be housed at the Oglethorpe Building.
“All of our student support services [will be housed in the center] like school social work, homeless services, health services, student assignment and records, school counseling, etc.,” APS Chief Academics Officer Yolanda Brown said. “This will allow students and families easier access to services and supports.”
10. The APS “Battle Plan”
APS is moving forward along a solid, strong trajectory and will continue to lead the charge of effectively preparing its students for college, career, and life.
The reoccurring themes in the State of the District address supported what Dr. Battle called the “Battle Plan” of the district: prioritizing efforts in literacy, special education, principals and schools, and resources.
As APS continues to lead forward with CARE, celebrating accomplishments while maintaining transparency and addressing the areas of need will remain a primary focus, making APS a leader in primary and secondary education. “I say this all the time and I truly believe it to the core— Atlanta Public Schools can be that urban district that is the model for the country,” said Dr. Battle.
To view the video recording of the 2024 Atlanta Public Schools State of the District Address, please click the image below. APS ©
I am APS is a special series highlighting students, faculty, alumni, and others in celebration of the rich and diverse experiences, backgrounds and contributions within the Atlanta Public Schools family. Together, we stand in solidarity of our shared admiration of APS and the mission which guides us. #IamAPS
Many of the great opportunities available to APS students come through valued partnerships that provide new and enriching experiences. Making those partnerships work requires a lot of work and collaboration, but it helps when you have an inside woman like Verizon’s director of government affairs and community engagement, Michelle Arrington.
Michelle is a proud product of APS, who graduated from Frederick Douglass High School with the class of 1995. She comes from a family of APS graduates, and her mother worked for the school district for many years. In her role with Verizon, she has been a part of bringing the only four Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in the state of Georgia to APS.
After the unveiling at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, she shared with us why she’s proud to be an alumni and a partner with APS.
Q: How does it feel to be able to work with APS as an alumni?
A: It’s amazing to be able to have a job where you can also give back to the very same school system that you grew up in. My family were all Atlanta Public Schools graduates from various schools throughout the district. I believe in public school education, and I’m glad that Verizon is investing in these labs across the country for public schools and partnering with them to give students opportunities for digital inclusion.
Q: How did your experience through APS set you on your path?
A: At Frederick Douglass High School, I definitely learned leadership skills. I was the editor of the school newspaper. I was president of the senior class. I was the assistant business manager of the entire student government association. I was president of the communications club, so I did the announcements every morning. It really taught me leadership, the importance of leadership, working with others, and building those core skills I needed and prepared me for college. I definitely felt prepared when I went to Howard University, and leaned on the skills that I learned at Douglass.
Q: What makes you proud to be an APS alumni?
A: I think APS is the best school system in the country. What you learn from the Atlanta Public Schools system, and public school systems in general, is that you get to interact and work with everybody, kids from other walks of life. It makes you a more well-rounded person, and you develop core friendships. My closest friends are people I went to high school with, and we still see each other and get together on a regular basis.
Atlanta Public Schools, in partnership with Verizon and The Heart of America Foundation, is making sure APS students are prepared to use the tools of the future with the opening of two more Verizon Innovative Learning Labs at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSK) and Price Middle School.
“We’re very excited to be here in partnership with APS. One of our corporate social responsibility initiatives is to bridge the digital divide, so we focus on digital inclusion, and this is what this is doing today,” Verizon’s director of government affairs and community engagement Michelle Arrington said. “The Verizon Innovative Learning Labs are focused on giving access to young students in regard to science, tech, education, arts and mathematics. We’re really focused on building up the next generation of STEM leaders and letting them know what’s possible, what they can do and what they can create.”
The Verizon Innovative Learning Labs are equipped with 3D printers, virtual reality headsets and augmented reality. CSK sixth grader Giselle Walker was excited to use the new technology now at her fingertips.
“My first reaction was like, ‘Wow! OMG! How does technology do this?’ and I just really think it’s very cool,” Walker said. “I’m excited about VR because putting on a pair of glasses and seeing a whole new dimension, to me, is very cool. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s a life experience just with glasses on, and you can experience so many different moments from the one you’re in now.”
There are only four Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in the state of Georgia, and all of them are in APS schools. Earlier this year, two labs debuted at Long Middle School and Herman J. Russell West End Academy.
“The access to these tools for the students is invaluable in the sense of we’re here because we are a leadership academy, and we are preparing the leaders of the future,” CSK Verizon Innovative Learning Lab coach Edjohnier Phillips said. “I’m really looking forward to watching the students allow their creativity to bloom using these tools.”
After cutting the ribbon to officially open the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab, the students were able to use their new devices and demonstrated how to use the various digital tools.
“This is a stepping stone to new exposures and experiences that they need to embrace in order to be prepared for the next level of learning in technology,” CSK principal Eulonda Washington said. “The fact that our young ladies of color are underrepresented (in the tech industry) makes it that much more valuable to us because women of color make up 2-3% of the workforce for technology.”
“Being afforded this opportunity is truly a blessing, and it is setting a precedence for letting our girls know the sky is the limit and they have access to the tools to make sure the sky is the limit,” she added. “The students are truly grateful, and they embrace active learning.”
The students at Crawford W. Long Middle School and H.J. Russell West End Academy will be the first in the state of Georgia to have access to the Verizon Innovative Learning Labs, which opened on their respective campuses last Thursday.
Verizon and The Heart of America Foundation partnered with Atlanta Public Schools to help foster digital inclusion through a transformative education initiative called Verizon Innovative Learning.
“Technology and connectivity are incredible enablers for learning, and at Verizon we are committed to digital inclusion and ensuring that students have access to emerging technology and powerful learning opportunities in the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab,” Verizon’s director of community engagement and government affairs said. “This will be an exciting learning experience that will help ignite interest in STEM and an opportunity for everyone to become lifelong learners, creators and problem solvers. We expect this lab will offer opportunities for educators to leverage and integrate emerging technology in the classroom.
What used to be a standard classroom with rows of desks and limited equipment has been completely redesigned and repurposed to introduce the students to a variety of emerging technologies.
“This was about a year and a half transformation process, and this gives our scholars the opportunity to have hands-on engagement lessons and engage with technologies that are beyond the scope of the regular classroom,” Long middle school principal Carla McCall-McCou said.
The students now have access to Ultimates 3D printers, virtual reality (VR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), Spike prime robotics, Sphero RVR dynamic robotic rovers and more in the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab.
“The purpose of this lab is to offer our students real experience with the different resources and technologies that are available,” Long middle school Verizon Innovative Learning instructor Taquoya Portee said. “The new skills, in the STEM world, will allow them to go into different fields and be better equipped and exposed to different areas.”
Evan Flanigan, an eighth-grade student at Long middle school, had little interest in STEM learning until he walked into the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab at his school for the first time. When the class VR headsets put him face-to-face with a great white shark, the initial shock turned into a fun, immersive learning experience.
“Now, when I come to school and I have STEM, I’m happy to come here,” Flanigan said. “The activities are fun. The experience is fun. What we do is really intriguing and I learn a lot in the process.”
The students at H.J. Russell West End Academy were just as excited to show off their Verizon Innovative Learning Lab. School has been open less than a month and the students were already proficient in coding robots through mazes, setting up virtual reality museum tours and creating designs on their 3D printers.
Ni-khole Goulding and her brother Nikoh Goulding, eighth-grade students at H.J. Russell West End Academy, were excited to use the technology they have only had limited experience with.
“I was excited about the VR headsets because last year we were introduced to them, but we didn’t really use them much,” Nikoh said. “Seeing the whole lab and how the technology came together was pretty cool to see how much stuff we were open to.”
Having the Verizon Innovative Learning Labs in Atlanta, at APS, and on campus allows students at Crawford W. Long Middle School and H.J. Russell West End Academy to be prepared for a future with jobs and skills that have yet to be imagined.
“Because of great partners like Verizon Innovative Learning and the Heart of America Foundation, our scholars will be equipped to make a better tomorrow, to build a better tomorrow with tools that they may be touching for the very first time,” Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring said.