Education Archives - Reporter Newspapers

APS superintendent, BCN chair to speak at Northwest Community Alliance meeting Nov. 20

by Hannah Greco | Nov 13, 2019 | Buckhead Reporter, Education | 0

The Northwest Community Alliance will hold a meeting with guest speakers Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen and Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods Chair Mary Norwood. The community meeting will be held on Nov. 20 at the Northside Church of God, 1736 Harper St., at 7 p.m. There is no agenda for the meeting. NCA Chair Mike Koblentz said Carstarphen will speak first, followed by Norwood and both will take questions. Earlier this year, the Atlanta Board of Education controversially decided not to renew Carstarphen’s contract past June 2020. Norwood, a former city councilmember and mayoral candidate, invited Carstarphen to...

DeKalb school board dismisses current superintendent; brings in former interim chief

by Hannah Greco | Nov 11, 2019 | Brookhaven Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

The DeKalb County Board of Education voted at a Nov. 11 meeting to immediately dismiss Superintendent R. Stephen Green before his contract expiration. A former interim superintendent, Ramona Tyson, was named to the temporary position once more. “He is a lame duck,” a board member who asked to not be named said of Green after the vote. “Green is not being as effective as he should be.” “We appreciate Dr. Green for his service to the county and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Board Chair Dr. Michael Erwin said in a press release. “With Dr. Green’s...

APS Superintendent cancels Nov. 12 NAPPS meeting appearance

by Hannah Greco | Nov 11, 2019 | Buckhead Reporter, Education | 0

A Nov. 12 North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools meeting where Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen was to be the guest speaker has been canceled due to a “scheduling conflict.” “The superintendent had a conflict with the date/time that just came to our attention,” a spokesperson for NAPPS said. “We hope to reschedule.” An APS spokesperson said the meeting will be rescheduled to December but no official date has been set yet. Carstarphen was to discuss the North Atlanta High cluster at a Nov. 12 meeting in Buckhead at E. Rivers Elementary School. The meeting notice said that...

At DeKalb Schools superintendent search meeting, low trust and high demand for strong reformer

by John Ruch | Nov 7, 2019 | Brookhaven Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

At a community input meeting for DeKalb County Schools’ new superintendent search Nov. 6, attendees expressed lack of trust in the district and called for a leader strong enough to reform an era of administrative turnovers, financial problems and transparency disputes. Only about 20 people attended the meeting at Chamblee Charter High School amid concerns about spotty notice and a desire for a bigger community role in the hiring. “I’m just looking for someone who is there for the kids and is forward-thinking,” said Anna Cross, a Dunwoody parent of a Vanderlyn Elementary student, after the meeting. She was...

Former Riverwood student inducted in school’s 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame

by Hannah Greco | Nov 7, 2019 | Education, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

A former student was inducted into the Riverwood International Charter High School 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 18. Alexis de Groot, 24, is one of the youngest people to ever be inducted in the Riverwood Hall of Fame, according to a press release. Groot was the captain and a four-year starter for the Riverwood varsity soccer team and helped them qualify for the State Playoffs 2010-2013, according to Riverwood Athletic Association President Mike McQuary. Her accolades included Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year and the Raider Award, McQuary says. Her senior year, Groot was named...

Local schools advocate challenges Jester for DeKalb Board of Education seat

by Dyana Bagby | Nov 6, 2019 | Brookhaven Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Politics, Top Stories | 0

Andrew Ziffer of Dunwoody, who volunteers with several local school groups, announced Nov. 6 he is running for the District 1 seat on the DeKalb County Board of Education currently held by Stan Jester. His said his agenda includes creating an atmosphere of collaboration between school officials and the community rather than one of division.The District 1 seat includes voters from Dunwoody, Chamblee, Brookhaven and Doraville. The election is May 19, 2020. Ziffer has a daughter attending DeKalb Schools. He volunteers with the Peachtree Charter Middle School Foundation, is on the Peachtree Gateway Council on Schools, was on the...

Atlanta Public Schools chief to discuss North Atlanta cluster Nov. 12; won’t talk contract

by John Ruch | Nov 6, 2019 | Buckhead Reporter, Education | 0

Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen will discuss the North Atlanta cluster at a Nov. 12 meeting in Buckhead, where talk about her contract controversy is said to be off the table. Carstarphen will be the guest speaker at the meeting of North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools. The NAPPS meeting notice says Carstarphen will “provide a retrospective on the state of the district” and “share insights on the North Atlanta cluster and her thoughts on cluster priorities for moving forward and improving.” “Dr. Carstaphen’s contract will be not discussed,” the meeting notice adds. Earlier this year, the Atlanta...

Fulton Schools wants toll lanes moved: GDOT says it can’t

by Hannah Greco | Nov 6, 2019 | Education, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The Fulton County School System is calling for a change in the state’s plans for the Ga. 400 express lanes project, but the Georgia Department of Transportation says the change requested is not viable. “FCS and ultimately, students, their families and the neighboring community will end up being a ‘loser’ any way this progresses,” Fulton County Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney said in a letter to GDOT. “Unfortunately, this option is not viable,” said Scott Higley, GDOT’s director of strategic communications, in an email. The district has requested the Ga. 400 lanes be moved further west to avoid coming closer...

Exceptional Educators: Three Riverwood teachers honored for garden

by Hannah Greco | Nov 6, 2019 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Education, People & Places, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

Three teachers led Sandy Springs’ Riverwood International Charter School to bringing an award-winning outdoor garden and classroom coming to fruition. The garden won the District 3 Fulton County Citizens Commission on the Environment award on Oct. 16. The teachers involved included Patti Lawrimore, chair of the science department; Elissa Oliver, a chef and culinary arts teacher; and Isaac Seals, a science teacher and coach. “The garden project is the consummate opportunity to bring a diverse group of students together to learn important…lessons with real-world applications, while also benefiting the school and greater Sandy Springs community,” said Lawrimore. “We are...

Buckhead resident recognized for work with Atlanta’s disadvantaged children

by Hannah Greco | Nov 4, 2019 | Buckhead Reporter, Education | 0

A Buckhead resident was recognized for her work serving Atlanta’s disadvantaged children by the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network at the second annual Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Awards ceremony on Oct. 19. Chris Brodnan was presented with the 2019 Leadership Award. The award is given to one Georgia afterschool and youth program professional who has contributed significantly to their community, according to a press release. Brodnan is the regional program director of Horizons Atlanta, an affiliate of Horizons National, a nonprofit that provides tuition-free summer learning programs for underprivileged children. Before that role, she was the Site Director for...

Atlanta Board of Education faces hard questions from Buckhead-area crowd on superintendent decision

by Reporter Newspapers | Oct 29, 2019 | Buckhead Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

The board of the Atlanta Public Schools system continues to face hard questions regarding the impending ouster of its superintendent Meria Castarphen, whose contract will not be renewed in 2020 after five years on the job. At a community meeting for the district’s northwest quadrant, including Buckhead, held by the Board of Education at Bolton Academy on Oct. 24, parents and teachers expressed concern that board members have been less than forthcoming on the reasons for its decision. Nathalie Malkoff, a mother and Bolton PTA member, said there has been progress in recent years to fix things that weren’t...

New legal opinion says Dunwoody has no authority over DeKalb Schools construction, trailers

by Dyana Bagby | Oct 28, 2019 | Dunwoody Reporter, Education, Top Stories | 0

The Georgia Department of Education is the only government entity with authority over the DeKalb County School District when it comes to school construction and maintenance, including adding trailers to alleviate overcrowding, according to a legal opinion from an attorney hired by the city of Dunwoody. The new legal opinion backs up the city’s claims that it cannot force the school district to stop adding trailers to overcrowded schools as part of a years-long war. Frustrated residents have demanded the city stop the school district from adding more trailers by enforcing local building codes, but officials say they are...