Clairmont Heights Civic Association

Pam Speaks: We fully support you in your quest to clear your name and your good reputation. We all thank you for your years of service and our hearts are with you as you fight the forces against you. You were every bit as effective, qualified and respectful a board member as your replacement hand-picked by the governor’s personally selected committee.  We support you and wish you all the best.

Read the full report in the AJC (although you need the new “premium access” to read just about anything there these days.)

Enable your child to explore the local aerospace industry in a way previously unimagined. Students will experience aviation and space-related resources throughout the metro Atlanta area. There will be some hands-on activities and field trips daily. Some of the activities will take place in the EAA Hangar at the Gwinnett County Airport.

Sign up now for the last few available seats!

Course Title: SEMAA Advanced Aviation Camp
Grade Level: Rising 7th – 9th grades
Dates: July 1-3 & 5 (No class on July 4)
Optional: *Saturday, July 6
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Class Limit: 14 students
Instructor: Dr. Debi Huffman**

Tuition: $280.00

Selection: First-come, first-served basis. Participation in the Lockheed Martin Aviation Camp or SEMAA is recommended, but not required.

Transportation: Students will meet at Fernbank Science Center for a series of hands-on aviation activities and local field trips. On Saturday students are invited to a pancake breakfast and to participate in the annual Airplane Wash followed by a Young Eagles flight. Families are invited to the pancake breakfast as well.

Download an enrollment form

*Saturday is an optional day to participate in the monthly pancake breakfast at the local EAA Chapter at the Lawrenceville airport. Afterward, the students will have the opportunity to fly a Young Eagles flight with an experienced pilot.

**About Dr. Huffman …

Every child should have the opportunity to experience the pure joy of learning with Dr. Debi Huffman or with a teacher like her.  The SEMAA Advanced Aviation Camp is just such an opportunity!  We heard there were still a few slots available in the 2013 camp, so we wanted to get the word out to our loyal DeKalb School Watch readers.

Early in her teaching career, Dr. Huffman participated in an aerospace education workshop that inspired her to become a private pilot, and she has been teaching aerospace classes at Fernbank Science Center ever since. She is also very involved in Robotics and Engineering programs.

A graduate of the Aerospace Education Leadership Development Course at Maxwell AFB in 1978, Dr. Huffman made a lifetime pledge to support and promote aerospace education. She serves as the GA Wing CAP External Aerospace Education Officer; is the President and past Vice President of EAA Chapter 690; and is a member of the Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers and Airspace Systems Education Cohort, both NASA programs. She helped develop the Georgia high school aviation curriculum and the Georgia SkillsUSA Flight Contest.  Dr. Huffman also is a founder and board member of the Transportation Education Foundation of Georgia, and serves on the Careers in Aviation Board of Directors.

Dr. Huffman is an active member of CAP, EAA, Aero Club of Metro Atlanta, Women in Aviation, Silver Wings, AOPA, and Women SOAR 2009 and 2010 Mentor. Through these organizations, she helps students with scholarships and activities that promote their personal dreams of flight.

Dr. Huffman is a recipient of the 2007 EAA Major Achievement Award; the Frank G. Brewer Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of youth in aerospace activities; the 2003 Aero Club of Atlanta Member of the Year award; the Fernbank Science Center Teacher of the Year; the 2010 Epps Award for outstanding aviation achievement; and the 2011 Civil Air Patrol-Frank Brewer Outstanding Aerospace Educator for the Southeast Region Award.

Dr. Huffman has a degree in elementary education, a masters in science education and a Ph.D. in secondary science education.  She is all about passion and dedication to inspiring the next generation through real world and hands on experiences.

“We are Restore DeKalb and we have scheduled a town hall meeting for Saturday, June 15, 2013 (TOMORROW) at Sanford Realty Company Conference Room at 4183 Snapfinger Woods Drive from 10 AM- 12 PM. The Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC) will give a presentation and answer questions from the public concerning a second or ‘safety net’ accreditation.

“Please join us!

“Before the town hall meeting, please take a few minutes to visit the Georgia Accrediting Commission website and learn more about GAC.  Robert Boyd with the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC) will give a presentation and answer questions from the public concerning a ‘second’ or ‘safety net’ accreditation.

“We will provide critical information on serious issues that parents, homeowners, taxpayers and voters want addressed. Learn where we are with DeKalb’s accreditation to include:

“(1)  What has DeKalb County School System accomplished to-date to ‘restore’ full accreditation?

“(2)  Should DeKalb County School System have a second accrediting agency (Dual Accreditation) to provide a ‘safety net’ for our high school students?

“(3)  What are the plans to improve graduation rates for DeKalb County schools?

“(4)  Where does the school district stand on the issue of cell towers on school grounds?

“Please click here to view the 2012 graduation rates for DeKalb County School System compared to Metro Atlanta school systems as well as for individual DeKalb County public high schools.

“Ramona Howell Tyson will represent DeKalb County School System.

“In 2012, 3505 DCSS seniors did not graduate according to the data provided by the Georgia Department of Education. We must address the fact that more than 68% of our schools did not have a graduation rate equal to or above the state level. We also must remember that the Crossroads Newspaper reported 1,194 seniors did not graduate in 2012.  Why?  What was the source of their information?  What specific plans, procedures and policies did DCSS enact for the Class of 2013 and those following to correct this crisis?

“Please read the article published July 7, 2012 by Crossroads Newspaper by Jennifer Ffrench Parker and Carla Parker titled, ‘1,194 Seniors fail to graduate,’ that caused a major outrage in DeKalb.

“We dedicate our town hall meeting to one of our ‘Foot Soldiers for Justice’ – Gregory K. Davis who died during citizen comments to the Board of Education on Monday, June 3, 2013.  Please read Crossroads Newspaper article titled, ‘DeKalb bus mechanic remembered for standing up for co-workers, children‘ and the Restore DeKalb article titled, ‘Greg Davis – A Foot Soldier for Justice.’

“Please contact Viola Davis at 770-256-0034 for further information or email restoredekalb@gmail.com.  See you on Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 10 AM at Sanford Realty Company Conference Room at 4183 Snapfinger Woods Drive!”

UPDATE: Video of the Supreme Court oral arguments has been posted:

From “On Common Ground” News:
State school boards organization joins Eugene Walker lawsuit

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) has filed a friend of the court brief in the case of former DeKalb School Board chairman Eugene Walker against the state of Georgia. The brief was filed on Friday, May 31. The case is set for a hearing [Monday] before the Georgia Supreme Court.

“We are elated that the Georgia School Boards Association is supporting our position that the law that gave Governor Deal the authority to remove certain DeKalb Board members is a violation of the Georgia Constitution,” said Walker, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. “This friend of the court brief filed by this highly regarded organization speaks with us as a united voice for school boards all over this great state.”

The GSBA is the second organization to join Walker in challenging the state statute. 1Person1Vote, which is paying for Walker’s defense, is also challenging the statute. 1Person1Vote is a coalition of educators, former school board members, the faith community, business people, union representatives, and other activists. The organization emphasizes the ouster of DeKalb school board members is not an issue of personalities, but the constitutionality of the law that gives the Governor power to remove elected constitutional officers.

+++

S13Q0981 DeKalb County School District et al. v. Georgia State Board of Education et al.
The case was streamed this morning via the State Supreme Court’s live web feed. It should be available to view again in a day or so. Click here to check.

In the meantime, feel free to download the court briefings. They make for very interesting reading – and a very interesting discussion. Join us!

GSBA Amicus Brief to Supreme Court

State’s reply to Supreme Court

Tom Cox reply to Supreme Court

It’s going to be a fully packed day of meetings this coming Monday>>>

The DeKalb Board of Education will hold the following meetings on Monday, June 3, 2013 each at its indicated room at Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain, GA 30083:

12:00pm 3rd Public Budget Hearing
J. David Williamson Board Room
Download the revised 2014 budget here.

2:00pm Work Session
Cabinet Room

3:00pm Committee of the Whole
Cabinet Room

4:00pm Executive Session for a personnel matter and a legal matter
Cabinet Room

5:45pm Community Meeting for Public Comments
J. David Williamson Board Room

7:00pm Business Meeting
J. David Williamson Board Room

Meeting information can be accessed online by going to: www.dekalb.k12.ga.us, click on Leadership, go to eBoard Home Page and click on the date for the meeting agenda\information.

One of the discussion items for the Committee of the Whole is Dual Accreditation. This would allow high schools to seek another accreditation in addition to the SACS accreditation. If you would like to share your thoughts on this with the Board of Education and Superintendent Thurmond, click our link on the right side panel to email the entire board and the superintendent.

DeKalb County schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond will speak Thursday evening at a meeting of the Northlake Community Alliance.

Speakers include school board vice chairman Jim McMahan and board member Karen Carter. They’ll discuss what the board is doing to get the district “back on track and on top,” according to an NCA announcement.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m., in the back lot building at Briarlake Baptist Church, 3715 Lavista Rd.

UPDATE: Below is a video of the meeting from Stan Jester’s Fact Checker website:

You’re invited to attend the K-12 Explorers Guild Workshop and Educator Showcase:
Re-imagining Education …
An Evening of Showing and Sharing
Thursday, May 23, 2013
4:30 – 6:30 pm
@ Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) –
next door to Georgia Public Broadcasting
250 14th Street NW, 5th Floor Boardroom
Atlanta, GA 30318

It’s the end of the year and what better time to celebrate the creativity and hard work of our fellow educators! Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Foundations for the Future (F3) is hosting a special event to showcase how our local educators are integrating technology into their classrooms in effective, engaging, and exciting ways to impact student success.

During this lively and interactive evening we will see examples from classrooms, media centers, STEM labs, and community events where students in grades PK-12 are re-imagining learning by using technology to create content, access information, collaborate in virtual learning environments, and manage online tools and resources. The showcase offers a chance for these educators to share their innovations with you in an informal setting as you enjoy refreshments and dessert.

WXIA-TV Education Reporter and Class Acts creator, Donna Lowry, will moderate a lively and informative panel discussion where district technology leaders, university researchers, and classroom teachers share their vision of contemporary teaching and learning, recognize our shortcomings, and give us a glimpse as to what’s coming next. We will end with a chance for you to participate in a question and response session.

Poster Session
Poster session presenters represent the following school districts: Cobb, DeKalb, Henry, Laurens, and Putnam.
Panel Discussion

Moderator: Donna Lowry, Education Reporter, WXIA-TV

Panel:

Aleigha Henderson-Rosser, Director of Instructional Technology, Atlanta Public Schools

Kelly Stewart, Digital Learning Specialist – Science, Atlanta Public Schools

Chris Thompson, Associate Director for Technology and Student Activities, Center for Education Integrating Science, Math, and Computing (CEISMC)

Hoke Wilcox, Director of Instructional Technology, Fulton County Schools

Workshop Location
The showcase will be held in the GTRI 5th Floor Boardroom at 250 14th Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, just west of I-75 / I-85. Take the 14th Street Exit and turn RIGHT. GTRI is located just past the Silver Skillet Restaurant, on the LEFT. Turn LEFT into the driveway that runs between GTRI and Georgia Public Broadcasting. COMPLIMENTARY parking is available in the parking deck.

For More Information or To Register
Please RSVP to make sure that space is available.
Contact Therese Boston at (404) 407-6305 or email: therese.boston@gtri.gatech.edu

The Explorers Guild and Foundations for the Future
This is a free workshop, held in a facility where teachers can exchange experiences, learn from each other, and experiment with tools and technologies. The Explorers Guild is sponsored by Foundations for the Future (F3) and is part of the Georgia Tech Research Institute. F3 is a collaboration of Georgia Tech researchers working with government and industry to support technology-enabled learning in K-12 settings across Georgia. For more information about F3 and the Explorers Guild, go to http://www.f3program.org.

To SUBSCRIBE to the F3 Explorers Guild email list and receive workshop updates, send an email to sympa@lists.gatech.edu with the subject line: subscribe f3-explorers-guild Firstname Lastname. Leave the body of the message blank.

www.f3program.org