Atlanta Daily World Digital Edition 2-14

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ADW

Volume 85 Issue 28

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD Powered by Real Times Media

www.ADWnews.com

February 14 - 20, 2013

Single’s Spotlight Page 6

Stacey Key on MARTA Board Pages 7

Atlanta Archbishop Reacts Page 8

Passion, Politics and Painting Obama Visits Decatur early at the High Museum of Art Childhood Learning Center

Atlanta’s High Museum of Art is the sole U.S. venue for “Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics, and Painting.” The exhibition features some of the best examples of Kahlo and Rivera’s art with more than 120 works, including iconic paintings from and photographs of both artists. Pictured here is Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait with Monkeys, 1943, oil on canvas.

Daily World Staff Fresh off his invigorating State of the Union speech on Tuesday, President Obama visits metro Atlanta Thursday to amplify his strategies to create jobs and strengthen the nation's middle class. "We have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and we can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is strong," Obama said in an hour-long address to a joint session of Congress and a television audience of millions. Education figured in Obama's plans to boost American competitiveness in the global economy. In his speech he proposed that the federal government should help states provide pre-school for all 4-year-olds. Officials did not provide a cost for the pre-school programs but said the government would provide financial incentives to help states. To underline this proposal, Obama visited the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center in Decatur. College Heights offers early learning programs for infant, toddler, preschool, and pre-kindergarten students ``through a unique partnership with City Schools of Decatur, and Partners for Community Action Inc. (Head Start Program),'' according to its website. College Heights’ website says the school serves 326 children. A report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution notes that the state was considered far ahead of

Business League names Michael Thurmond to Mary Parker new Chair Helm Dekalb Schools By Renee J. TuRneR Special to the Daily World Mary Parker, president and CEO of All (n) 1 Security Services Inc., is new chairman of the board of the Atlanta Business League (ABL). As chair of the historic organization, Parker will work with other members of the ABL board and CEO Leona Barr Davenport to plot a course for its future. “The Atlanta Business League is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. It has provided an invaluable service to the African-American and ultimately the entire Atlanta community continuously since 1933,” Parker says. “The Atlanta Business League fosters the growth, creation and development of successful business enterprises owned, operated and managed by African Americans in metropolitan Atlanta,” she continued. Page 3

Daily World Staff The DeKalb County Board of Education has appointed former Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond to serve as the district’s interim superintendent. He replaces Dr. Cheryl Atkinson who left the job by “mutual agreement” with the board. Atkinson will get severance pay of $114,583 through June 30. Michael Thurmond officially took the interim superintendent position this week with a one year contract and a salary of $275,000. Thurmond, who is credited with outstanding leadership at both the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS), and the Georgia Department of Labor, said last week, "I'm here today because I'm interested in the future of public education in DeKalb County and I came and offered my support to help the DeKalb School Board Page 3

its time two decades ago when it used lottery funds to launch a statewide pre-kindergarten program. In recent years, though, flattening lottery revenues and increasing enrollment have forced the state to reduce PRESIDENT pre-kindergarten schedules BARACK and increase class sizes. OBAMA “Our pre-k program is still a national example. But certainly we can do more to increase quality and access,” said Mindy Binderman, the executive director of Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, an advocacy group. “We have to be sure we don’t rest on our laurels.” Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, said the president’s expected proposal has the potential to offer “a remarkable boost” to efforts to provide educational and economic opportunities for all. “Well-designed preschool education programs could close the entire achievement gap between children from low- and high-income families at school entry and as much as half the gap permanently, Barnett said.

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