May 2006
Copyright
© 2006 Queue, Inc.
IN THIS
ISSUE:
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
The following letters
were sent in
response to the March 2006 newsletter articles. Back issues of this
e-newsletter can be found http://www.queuenews.com/GAnews.html.
Georgia
is close to becoming the first state in the nation to pass a
bill mandating the development of curriculum to teach Bible studies in
public schools.
Demand that Governor Perdue defend the Constitution and Georgia's
citizens from the attack on the doctrine of separation of church and
state.
To the delight of the radical religious right, the Georgia State Senate
passed two pieces of legislation that pose a serious threat to the
separation of church and state. One would create state-funded Bible
classes in Georgia public schools. The second would allow the Ten
Commandments to be displayed by county governments.
By singling out the Bible and the Ten Commandments as symbols to be
promoted in the public sphere—one in classrooms and the other
in
government buildings—the government of Georgia is showing
preferential treatment to a specific religion and violating the rights
of its citizens. Both bills are on Governor Sonny Perdue's desk, and he
is contemplating whether or not to sign them. That's why we need you to
take action today.
The religious right will stop at nothing to push their theology in the
public square or our public schools. And now, they want to use public
dollars to do it!
Urge Georgia's Governor to veto these bills and protect the sanctity of
our nation's Constitution and the doctrine separating church and
state>>
http://go.care2.com/e/JPL/JW/qaPG
Sincerely,
Michael Lawley
To submit letters to the
editor for this e-newsletter, please reply to jdk@queueinc.com.
Please indicate whether or not we have permission to publish
your
comments in future newsletters. The editor reserves the right
to
trim content for length purposes when necessary, but will not edit the
tone of the letters.
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GEORGIA'S NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF
EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS SCORES
To view this chart online or download it as an Excel spreadsheet:
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/stateprofiles/sresult.asp?mode=full&displaycat=7&s1=13
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GEORGIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
ENROLLMENT AND SPENDING
Enrollment, per-pupil spending, labor costs, and three-year trends for
every public school district in Georgia, and "65% solution" status for
the 2003–2004 school year:
http://www.eiaonline.com/districts/Georgia.pdf
The charts come from the Education Intelligence Agency (
http://www.eiaonline.com/).
Established in June 1997, the Education Intelligence Agency (EIA) is a
private, for-profit, one-man contract research firm. EIA itself
supports no particular program or specific reform, but does focus on
the
inner workings of the teachers' unions. Its clients cover the political
spectrum, from conservative public policy organizations to teacher
union affiliates themselves.
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THREE GEORGIA SCHOOLS NAMED
FINALISTS FOR SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION AWARDS
Forty-eight schools have been named as finalists for the Intel and
Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards. Three are from Georgia. The
awards honor schools for implementing innovative and replicable
programs that support positive educational outcomes.
The schools will compete for $190,000 in grants from the Intel
Foundation and additional prizes from sponsoring companies will be
presented at an awards ceremony in October.
The 48 finalists were chosen from public and private schools that
participated in the application and judging process, which was overseen
by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Center for Classroom
Teaching and Learning. Sixteen winners will be selected in each of
eight categories -- one each for elementary and secondary schools.
Winning schools will also compete to be named "Best of the Best."
The Georgia finalists are:
Literary Achievement—The
language arts curriculum is designed to
ensure high levels of achievement for all students and is consistently
implemented, regularly evaluated and modified for more effective
instruction.
- Liberty Middle
School, Cumming, Ga.
Leadership Excellence—Dynamic
leadership based on vision, data,
research, best practices and continuous monitoring and assessment
engages the school community in continuous school improvement focused
on student achievement.
- Ruskin Elementary
School, Waycross, Ga.
Professional Development—Professional
development is innovative,
ongoing and relevant, and has a significant impact on the professional
growth and development of staff and on student achievement.
- Alton C. Crews Middle
School, Lawrenceville, Ga.
The winners will be honored at an awards ceremony to be held October 5
in
Washington, D.C., and will each receive a $10,000 grant. One elementary
and one secondary school will be honored with a "Best of the Best"
award and will receive an additional $15,000 for a total award of
$25,000 each. Schools winning this award must have a comprehensive
program addressing technology, involvement of parents and the
community, professional development, teamwork and consistently achieve
high academic standards. For more information about the Schools of
Distinction Awards, visit
http://www.schoolsofdistinction.com.
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GEORGIA 2007 TEACHER OF THE YEAR
FROM DOUGLAS COUNTY
Pam Walker, a science teacher at Alexander High School in Douglas
County, was named the 2007 Georgia Teacher of the Year on March 16,
2006.
A 25-year veteran of the classroom, Ms. Walker taught in Telfair
County, Fitzgerald City, and Laurens County before joining Douglas
County schools in 1990.
Starting in July, Ms. Walker will serve as an educational ambassador
for all of Georgia's public schools and advocate for all school
systems, students and teachers. She will take a one-year sabbatical
during which she will speak throughout the state, conduct staff
development activities and participate in statewide committees and
conferences.
She will also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year
competition.
State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox made the announcement at the
Teacher of the Year Banquet Thursday, March 16, held at the Georgia
Aquarium.
"Pam Walker has a passion for science and a passion for teaching. She
realizes that her students learn by doing science, not hearing about
it," Superintendent Cox said. "She also knows that every child learns
differently and she has risen to the challenge of individualizing
instruction to meet each student's needs."
"As we work to improve our science achievement and redesign our high
schools, Pam's knowledge and energy will be a vital contribution."
Governor Sonny Perdue was one of the night's featured speakers. He said
great educators are a key part in keeping Georgia competitive in a
21st-century economy.
"The very best teachers, like Pam Walker, instill in their students
more than facts and skills. They inspire their students to develop a
love of learning itself," Governor Perdue said. "That's the real
key to education success. And that's why good teachers, and
particularly good science teachers, are a critical element to
increasing Georgia's competitiveness on a national and global
level."
Other speakers included Jason Kamras, 2005 National Teacher of the
Year; James Bostic, State Board of Education member; and Brenda
Shuman-Riley, 2006 Georgia Teacher of the Year. The event was hosted by
Donna Lowry, education reporter for WXIA-TV.
About the Winner
Ms. Walker, of Douglasville, received her Bachelor and Masters degrees
in biology education from Georgia College & State University in
Milledgeville. She received her specialist degree in Broad Field
Science from Georgia Southern University.
In her years at Alexander High, she has taught Honors Biology, Honors
Physical Science, Chemistry and Anatomy. Ms. Walker has also published
several instructional books, including a textbook,
Biology in Our
Lives, and many teacher resource and experiment books. She
leads
fitness and exercise classes in her school and in her community and has
also organized a feral cat rescue program in Douglas County.
In her application, Ms. Walker said educators must embrace change and
innovation and said the state's new curriculum, the Georgia Performance
Standards, is "a giant step in a positive direction."
"As educators, we must be the leaders who model a willingness and
eagerness to accept these changes for our students, who will one day
face an ever-evolving workplace," she wrote.
Rob Brown, Ms. Walker's Principal at Alexander HS, said in his letter
of recommendation: "It is teachers like Ms. Pam Walker that all
principals seek to have working with their students. Her
professionalism, caring attitude and focus on improving student
learning have a daily impact on our staff at Alexander High School."
Ms. Walker was chosen as Teacher of the Year from a pool of 11
finalists. Superintendent Cox congratulated all of the finalists,
saying they were all worthy of the honor.
"The real winners are the students who have had the privilege of
sitting in a classroom with these great teachers," she said.
How the Winners Were
Chosen
Each year, local districts name a teacher of the year. These local
winners become eligible to apply for Georgia Teacher of the Year. This
year, 169 educators applied for consideration. On their applications
they had to discuss what brought them to teaching, what they would do
as Georgia Teacher of the Year and their views on educational issues,
including the use of data to drive improvements in student
achievement.
The applications were reviewed by a panel of eight readers that
included educators and business leaders as well as members of the
Georgia Department of Education staff. A panel of educator judges made
site visits to see the finalists in the classroom and conduct
interviews.
Other Finalists
- Mai Yin Tsoi, Gwinnett County, Collins Hill High School,
Honors and College Prep Chemistry
- Dawn Burnette, Fayette County, McIntosh High School,
English and Journalism
- Diana Lossner, Cobb County, Pope High School, Math
- Jesse Gates, Paulding County, Panter Elementary School,
Fourth Grade
- Jennifer A. Doss, Bibb County, Alexander II Magnet School,
Math and Team Teaching
- Janet Rembert Tomlinson, Oconee County, North Oconee High
School, Math
- Chanda Palmer, Jackson County, Jackson County Comprehensive
H.S., English
- Jacqueline B. Hornsby, Troup County, West Side Magnet
School, Media Specialist
- Aviva Goelman, Sumter County, Sumter County Elementary
School, Fifth Grade
- Karin Joann Manis, Buford City, Buford Elementary School,
First Grade
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PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS EARN HIGH
RATING
“The
State of Preschool: 2005 State Preschool Yearbook” was
released by the
National Institute for Early Education Research based at Rutgers
University. The report ranked all 50 states on access to,
resources
for and quality of state preschool initiatives.
Only
Arkansas met all 10 of NIEER's quality benchmarks, while five state
programs achieved nine of the 10: Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina,
Tennessee and New Jersey. Six states rated an 8: Kentucky, Delaware,
Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina and Oklahoma.
Twenty-six states ranked lower, most scoring between 3 and 6.
Twelve states had no pre-K programs at all.
NIEER
found that only one state, Oklahoma, offered preschool education to
virtually all children at age 4 with over 90 percent enrolled in a
state or federal program. Next highest in access was Georgia, where 67
percent of the 4-year-olds attended a public preschool program. Six of
seven states serving more than 30 percent of their 4-year-olds in state
pre-kindergarten were in the South: Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas,
West
Virginia, Maryland and South Carolina.
To see the full report, please go to:
http://nieer.org/yearbook/pdf/yearbook.pdf
To receive a free printed copy of the 2005 State Preschool Yearbook,
please e-mail your name and address to
yearbook@nieer.org
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COBB COUNTY AND FULTON COUNTY
INCLUDED IN THE "BEST 100 COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION IN AMERICA"
National Survey Finds
Communities Across the Country Value and Support School-Based Music
Programs
Parents, teachers, school administrators, and students from communities
across the U.S. consider music education vitally important for a
quality education—this was the resounding message from
applicants
that applied to be recognized as part of this year's "Best 100
Communities for Music Education in America" seventh annual survey. The
American Music Conference sponsored the survey. The complete results,
along with background information on music education and the survey,
can be seen in their entirety at
http://www.amc-music.org.
The 2006 roster includes Cobb County School District,
Marietta, GA
and Fulton County Schools, Atlanta GA. Their commitment to quality
music education--measured across a variety of economic, curricular and
programmatic criteria—has enabled them to stand out despite
the many
pressures on music and arts programs across the country.
In previous years, survey respondents cited that tight budgets in many
of the 50 states squeezed school music budgets, but this year's survey
revealed some changes in maintenance and overall support of music
programs.
Some 86 percent of survey respondents indicated that music is included
as a core academic subject in school curricula and instructional
priorities that are in line with the definition of arts as core
academic
subjects as defined in No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy. Furthermore,
more than 80 percent of survey respondents cited that their music
programs are growing in terms of funding, size of programs, and public
and school board recognition.
This outcome supports the views outlined in a 2004 nationwide Gallup
Poll that revealed that 93 percent of Americans said that schools
should offer musical instrument instruction as part of the regular
curriculum.
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NEWTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
LAUNCHES NEW STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
Newton County School System has selected Pearson Centerpoint as its
real-time, Web-based student information and performance management
system to serve its more than 17,000 students.
Newton County, a racially diverse district located 33 miles southeast
of Atlanta, has experienced an eight-year period of growth. Never has
it been so vital for the district's educators to have centralized
access to student data that can also be easily shared with students and
parents.
RaNae Sims, Newton County School System director of Student Services,
said her district was seeking a comprehensive program that
administrators, teachers, parents and students could access through the
Web. "Centerpoint provides one-stop shopping, which is important
because we aren't staffed to manage separate pieces of software," said
Sims. Newton County School System had previously used Pearson SASI, a
server-based student information system, "and we always received
excellent service," she said. "It just made sense to stay with Pearson
School Systems to meet our growing needs."
Combining all aspects of a student information system, including
attendance, grading and scheduling with key functions such as skills
reporting, standards tracking, and an assessment engine, Centerpoint
optimizes school and student management in the district's 19 schools.
It allows administrators, teachers, parents and students to work
together toward maximum student performance—a long-held value
in this
district.
Despite the district's socioeconomic challenges—with 47
percent of
its students qualifying for free/reduced lunch—Newton County
students
consistently score above state averages on standardized achievement
tests. The average SAT score has topped the state and national average
for the past four years, while the dropout rate has been reduced to
well below the state average. Newton County students are recognized at
the state and national level for excellence in academics, athletics,
the arts and extracurricular activities.
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S&P ISSUES NEW REPORTS ON
THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN GEORGIA
Standard
& Poor's recently posted analytical reports for nearly 5,000
school
districts in 21 states, including Georgia, on
SchoolMatters.com
The
reports provide a summary and analysis of each district's academic and
financial performance in a demographic context—known as
Return on
Resources.
A district's Return on Resources examines
the level of student learning, achievement and personal development
that occurs given a district's available resources. The reports are
intended to help educators better understand the complex relationship
between achievement, spending and demographics, and were conceived as a
benchmarking tool that district administrators can use to help diagnose
challenges and make improvements.
Follow the instructions below to view a school district’s
report.
- First, find the school district using the search
bar located at http://www.schoolmatters.com/
- Next, once you have reached the School District Overview
page, select
the blue link that is available within the S&P Observations
section, located toward the top of the page. Selecting this link will
open the school district report.
- Individual school reports are also available.
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BRANTLEY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL
WINS STATE SPELLING BEE
For fourteen-year-old James David Keane Clark, it was his last chance
at the Georgia spelling crown. Next year, he would be too old
to
compete. James, from Brantley County Middle School, outlasted
21
other top spellers from across the state and made the best of his last
opportunity by earning the title of Georgia's top speller.
The spell-off between James and 12-year-old Bryan
Anderson from the Henry County Cherish Homeschool was especially
tough. They took turns carefully, but relatively easily,
spelling
words such as chrestomathy, stridulated, mnemonically, vicennial, and
nociceptive. But midway through the eleventh round, Bryan
misspelled "theriatrics," which means "the science
of veterinary medicine." James correctly spelled the word
and then was given "chatelet." Chatelet means "a small
castle." Taking his time, he confidently spelled every letter
and
was crowned the winner of the 44th Annual Atlanta Daily World/Georgia
Association of Educators (GAE) State Spelling Bee. James will
represent Georgia in the Scripps National Spelling Championships being
held in Washington, D.C. May 29–June 3. Should he,
for
any reason, be unable to represent Georgia at the nationals, Bryan
would take his place.
When asked if he was excited to be going to Washington [D.C.], James
responded as you might expect most 14-year-olds to respond.
He
simply said, "Yeah!" However, he did give some
insight into his preparation technique for Washington. "Half
study, half prayer. A lot of praying," he said.
In addition to his first place trophy (
Atlanta Daily World)
and an all
expense paid trip to the national championships and $1,000 (GAE), James
also took home a $200 U.S. Savings Bond (Wachovia), two dictionaries
(
Merriam-Webster
and
Houghton-Mifflin),
an Amazon.com gift certificate
(Scripps Howard), and one $100 U.S. Savings Bond (Samuel L. Sugarman
Award). Bryan, as runner-up, took home a second place trophy
(
Atlanta Daily World),
$500 (GAE), two dictionaries (
Merriam-Webster
and
Houghton-Mifflin),
and one $50 U.S. Savings Bond (Wachovia).