Today the Dekalb County Board of Education announced Dr. Rudy Crew as the sole finalist in its search for a new superintendent. Bring to an end of a five-month search that yielded 68 applications and community input. While Dr. Crew will be voted on after the 14 Day Public Input Period mandated by Georgia Law, […]
Author Archives: Zelda Andrews
We used to teach now we write full-time about all things education in Atlanta.
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Board of Education Announces Dr. Lisa Herring as Finalist for Superintendent
At Tuesday’s board meeting the Atlanta Board of Education announced the sole finalist for Superintendent job, Dr. Lisa Herring- current Superintendent for Birmingham City Schools in Alabama. To the surprise of many, in October the Board launched a nationwide search for a replacement of the sometimes controversial Meria Carstarphen. Dr. Herring will bring more than […]
Posted inOpinion
The Heart of a Teacher is Consistent
Guest Writer: Melissa Kloeckner Educators have gone and done it again. Despite the short notice, FAPE law restrictions, and the varying home resources and needs of students, they have stepped up to the plate and risen to the occasion. I can already hear the voices… “Well, teachers are still getting paid so they should be […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion:Why Would Anyone Choose to Be a Teacher in 2020?
Guest Writer: Madison Woodward When I was a child, I used to play teacher and do lessons to my stuffed animals in my room, I even received an overhead projector for Christmas one year. But as I got older, I worried more about money and prestige than anything else; I did not want to be […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta School Board Poised to Announce Carstarphen’s Replacement
On Friday Atlanta Public Schools Board President, Jason Esteves, released a statement updating the community on the status of the search to replace Carstarphen who came to the district in 2014 after a massive cheating scandal that rocked the district. The announcement came after in September 2019, the board announced that it would not renew […]
Posted inCoranovirus
While Others Districts Close Early, Cobb, Marietta, Fulton, and Atlanta Public Schools Opt to Stay Open
While other districts have opted to end school early, four metro Area school districts (Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Schools, Marietta City Schools, and Cobb County) have opted to keep school going to the end of the school as previously scheduled. While Governor Kemp’s announcement that Georgia schools will remain closed through the end of […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools Closes Two Food Sites Due to Employees Testing Positive for COVID
On Thursday, April 16, Atlanta Public Schools announced the closer of two Food Distribution Sites- Thomasville Heights and Washington High School after learning that two employees who volunteered in food distribution at Thomasville Heights Elementary School in late March and two employees who volunteered in food distribution at Booker T. Washington High School in early […]
Posted inAnti Racism
Two Carrollton City Students Expelled Over Racist Videos
Hours after a racially offensive 50-second clip was posted to TikTok and within hours had thousands of page views, Carrollton City Schools took the unprecedented move to expel those students according to a message from Superintendent Dr. Mark Albertus. “The racist behavior observed in the video easily violates this standard,” he said. “They are no […]
Posted inGwinnett County Schools
State Superintendent Woods Urges Compassion Over Compliance
This morning State School Superintendent Richard Woods urged us to choose compassion over compliance in a message to Georgia parents and stakeholders. The correspondence started by praising Georgia’s teachers, educational leaders, parents, and students by them doing a remarkable job during our “new normal”. Wood continued with, “We have seen public education rise up and […]
Posted inDekalb County Schools
Dekalb County Schools Will End School Year Early
Dekalb County Schools has announced the plan to close the 2019-2020 school year early. According to the district’s Twitter account, the school year will end 4 days early on May 15th for grades PreK-11 instead of May 21st, the school year for Seniors will end on May 8th. The newly published End of Year Guide for […]
Posted inFulton County Schools
Dekalb County and Fulton County Schools Both Change Food Distribution Schedule
With most of the metro Atlanta schools coming out of Spring Break on April 13th, two metro area school districts have changed the way food distribution will be given to students as they continue virtual learning due to COVID-19. Beginning Monday, April 13, Dekalb County Schoools will “transition to a modified meal service plan under […]
Posted inTeaching in Atlanta
Buford City Schools Implements New Grading System
Starting March 30th, Buford City Schools will implement a new grading system for the remainder of school closure (through April 27) for grades 1-8. The goal of this new grading system is to provide low impact grades for all students while providing additional support for those students who have not yet mastered standards in the […]
Posted inPolicy
Georgia Department of Health Gives Guidance on Picking Up Items from School Settings
Late Friday, the Georgia Department of Health gave guidance on picking up materials and other belongings for schools. Noting that there is still a lot that is unknown about the newly emerged COVID-19 and how it spreads. The Center for Disease Control has cautioned that it may be possible that a person can get COVID19 […]
Posted inCoranovirus
Nation’s Governors Send Letter to U.S. Department of Education
This week the on behalf of the Education & Workforce Committee, governors from around the United States urged the U.S. Department of Education to disburse funds to states and territories from the Education Stabilization Fund of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136). In addition to the ask, they also […]
Posted inPost Secondary
Fall Study Abroad Programs Canceled at Emory University
After canceling all in-person summer programming and going completely off-campus and in remote learning format, and May Commencement, Jan Love, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Emory University announced that all university-sponsored study abroad for undergraduate students in Fall 2020 is canceled. Love added to the announcement, “We have made this […]
Posted inFulton County Schools
Westlake High School Honors Top 25 Seniors With Billboards
In an announcement from Principal Jamar Robinson, for the next four weeks (starting April 7) there will be billboards throughout South Fulton honoring the academic performers of the top 25 students. During the final two weeks, the billboards will feature the remainder of the class. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=3xTUqd7NV_M The top 25 students are: Jada AlexanderVictoria BellJessica BrownDeja […]
Posted inFulton County Schools
Fulton County Changes Food Distribution Protocol
Starting the week of April 13th, Fulton County Schools will change its protocol to comply with additional guidance from the Georgia Department of Education regarding new precautions from the Center for Disease Control around employees reporting to work for essential functions. The school system will only be providing meals on Wednesday, April 15 for next […]
Posted inGwinnett County Schools
Gwinnett and Cobb County Schools Transition to Four Day Work Weeks
In correspondence sent to parents, both Gwinnett County and Cobb County Schools have opted to transition to a four day work week starting April 13 after hearing from hundreds of parents around how online learning is going for students and parents. Both districts opt for digital learning for Monday through Thursday and opt for Friday […]
Posted inCoranovirus
Federal Waiver Approved Federal Assessment Waiver- No CCRPI for 2020 or State Testing
Immediately following the closure of metro Atlanta schools for two weeks on March 16th, Superintendent Roger Woods took the step to suspend teacher and leader evaluation and state assessment, and consequences with attendance. Followed by an announcement of the United States Department of Education that encouraged states to request waivers from federal assessments, Georgia filed […]
Posted inCoranovirus
Starting April 13, Atlanta Public Schools Will Offer Front Line Workers ‘Hero Pay’
Even though the last day of in person instruction stopped on March 13, 2020, some of Atlanta Public Schools Front Line Workers will receive hero pay. While teachers and principals work to finish out distance learning to the end of the year, other employees such as food and nutrition, safety, facilities have to do their […]
Posted inNational News
Changes to Advanced Placement Will Focus on Access and Preparation for 2019-2020 Exams
As the country has shifted to virtual learning, it looks likes the College Board, the organization behind Advanced Placement has issued new guidelines for schools effected by COVID-19 closures. The most telling one is that all exams will now be digital, 45 minutes long with a heavy concentration of early semester learning. Now that students […]
Posted inCoranovirus
Atlanta Community Feedback Will Serve Food During Metro Area Spring Break
The Atlanta Community Food Bank will serve for Fulton County Schools families at 10 locations on April 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ACFB works with over 600 nonprofits including food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters and senior centers—to distribute over 60 million meals to more than 755,000 people in 29 counties […]
Posted inCoranovirus
COVID-19: School is Closed in Georgia: 5 Questions for Parents
Today at a 4:00 news conference, Governor Kemp announced that physical school buildings will be closed for the remainder of the school year. While a relief for some parents, for others it was a shocking turn of events that have left parents shocked, overwhelmed and anxious about what’s next. “I’m shocked. I know we’re to […]