August/September 2018
Allison Kerley Townsend
GEORGIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR
PLUS Educator Well-Being Employee Assistance Programs Address Work and Life Concerns
School Safety Community Leaders, Educators and Students Weigh In
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Contents
August/September 2018
Vol. 39 No. 5
Features
08 Allison Kerley Townsend, 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year
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10 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists
16 Georgia Principals and Vice-Principals of the Year
Columns
Departments
5 Meet Dr. Hayward Cordy, your 2018-19 PAGE President
School Safety 20 Community Leaders, Educators and Students Weigh In on School Safety
6 From the President Our Children’s Mental Health Is Everyone’s Problem 7 From the Executive Director Educators are Uniquely Qualified to Recognize Student Trauma and Aberrant Behavior
23 PAGE School Safety Survey: Educators Divided on Firearms; Most Would Not Carry a Weapon in School Health 24 Employee Assistance Programs Provide Free Counseling and Referrals for all Types of Work and Life Concerns
Legal 28 PAGE Attorneys Use Real Cases and Hypotheticals to Vividly Illustrate Code of Ethics Standards Technology in the Classroom 29 Flipgrid Video Response Platform Fosters an Engaged Learning Community 30 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Share Their Favorite Tech Tools
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24 PAGE One Official Publication of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Our core business is to provide professional learning for educators that will enhance professional competence and confidence, build leadership qualities and lead to higher academic achievement for students, while providing the best in membership, legal services and legislative support.
August/September 2018
EDITORIAL STAFF
NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING
Executive Editor Craig Harper
President Larry Lebovitz
Graphic Designer Jack Simonetta
Editor Meg Thornton
Publisher John Hanna
Production Coordinator Megan Willis
Contributing Editor Lynn Varner
Editor Cory Sekine-Pettite
Advertising/Sales Sherry Gasaway 770-650-1102, ext.145
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We’ve planned a great day for education pathway students…
Keynote address from an award-winning educator Engaging workshop sessions on teaching topics & college life College Fair with representatives from colleges across Georgia Mini-session with host college’s admissions staff Education & Ethics Knowledge Bowl Competition Lunch provided
Who’s invited?
FGE chapters Students enrolled in an Education Pathway (ECE or TAP) Any high school students interested in exploring a career in education (must be accompanied by a teacher)
Dates and Locations 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Start/end times may vary by location.) Thursday, September 27, 2018 Georgia Southern University Tuesday, October 16, 2018 University of North Georgia Thursday, October 25, 2018 Berry College Thursday, November 8, 2018 Mercer University Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Augusta University Thursday, January 24, 2019 University of West Georgia Thursday, January 31, 2019 Georgia Southwestern State University Wednesday, February 27, 2019* University of Georgia Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Valdosta State University *UGA date is tentative; please check website for updated information.
$10 per person Affiliated FGE chapters—$8 per person
Register Online
Statesboro Dahlonega Rome Macon Augusta Carrollton Americus Athens Valdosta
Meet Dr. Hayward Cordy
2018-2019 PAGE President Draws Inspiration from Tough Beginnings
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ayward Cordy, Ed.D., the 2018-2019 president of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, overcame great odds to become a leader in education. A chronic stutterer and one of 14 children of sharecropper parents, young Cordy had low self-esteem and saw himself as “damaged goods,” like the discounted, dented cans of food his family sought for survival. Hence the name of Cordy’s 2015 book, “Damaged Goods: Lessons Learned in Poverty Applied to Life,” which chronicles his journey to becoming an admired teacher and superintendent in Jenkins County and Johnson County schools. His father, though not schooled, emphasized education. Report card day was monumental, Cordy recalled. If a child had a grade lower than A, his father would roar, “You better pull it up!” “He learned that life was not always fair, but that he determined his destiny,” wrote former PAGE Executive Director Dr. Allene Magill in the forward to “Damaged Goods.” In an inspirational speech made to fellow Georgia educators a few years ago, Cordy related that we must “teach to the soul of children.” Dr. Hayward Cordy with Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal and We must influence their thoughts: “My struggles make Arianne Weldon of Get Georgia Reading. me strong. My condition is temporary. If it is to be, it’s up to me.” and given the opportunity to learn and be successful.” We must influence their will: “I am willing to sow now In addition to serving as PAGE president, Cordy is executo reap later. I will do my part to succeed. I control me.” tive director of Oconee Regional Educational Service Agency And we must influence their emotions: “Life can change for me; there is hope. I am unique and created with a purpose. My in Tennille. He has been a principal in an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. For five years, he was decisions will shape my life and change my world.” a director for the Georgia Network for Educational and agill said that “Hayward has spent his entire life giving Therapeutic Support, which serves students with disabilities. to others … regardless of their background, race or abil- He also is an advocate for early literacy and is a presenter for ities. He understands that children must be respected, valued the Get Georgia Reading Campaign. Cordy earned a doctorate in administration and supervision from Georgia Southern University, where he also earned a bachelor’s in elementary and special education, a master’s in special education and an education specialist’s degree in administration and supervision. — Meg Thornton
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“He learned that life was not always fair, but that he determined his destiny.” — Dr. Allene Magill, Former PAGE Executive Director
August/September 2018
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From the President “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” — Frederick Douglass
Our Children’s Mental Health Is Everyone’s Problem
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s a high school student in the late 1970s, I rarely heard of someone committing suicide, but it was a topic of discussion. Classmates would teasingly say to each other, “If you find me dead, I did not kill myself.” Our lighthearted comments showed our naivety about a devastating mental-health issue. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children ages 15 to 19, and the third for children ages 10 to 14, according to a December 2017 report by Voices for Georgia’s Children. The report also stated that when surveyed, more than 80,000 sixth through 12th graders in Georgia said they had seriously considered harming themselves on purpose within the past year. The number of kids hospitalized for thinking about or attempting suicide doubled in less than a decade, per a study published this May in Pediatrics, and this year, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation warns that youth suicide is on the rise. While the topic of suicide is not new, the recent, high-profile suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade and chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain have heightened our awareness of suicide and mental health issues, including depression. Educators know well that mental health impacts academic performance. In fact, 50 percent of students 14 and older with mental illness drop out of high school, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. Last year, student mental health made its debut onto Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s (GPEE) list of the “Top 10 Issues to Watch.” Yet
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Dr. Hayward Cordy Georgia is underprepared to address this mental health crisis. There is a “severe shortage’’ of child and adolescent psychiatrists statewide, reports Voices for Georgia’s Children. In 2015, 76 of the state’s 159 counties did not have a licensed psychologist and 52 counties did not have a licensed social worker. Yet, in that same year, 8 percent of Georgia’s children, approximately 91,000 kids, were reported to have a serious emotional disorder, according to Mental Health America. We tend to focus on cognition when measuring student success. Georgia’s student mental health crisis makes it apparent that we also must focus on mental health if we want to build strong children. As a practitioner, I know that educators are seeing an increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of inappropriate and challenging student behavior. These behaviors negatively impact time on task and student achievement. Georgia’s Commission of Children’s Mental Health, formed last year by Gov. Nathan Deal, found that children’s behavioral health issues are especially acute in rural areas of the state due to lack of access to basic and specialized behavioral health support. The closing of hospitals in the state has exacerbated the problem. Our state has made some progress on the mental-health front. GPEE cites the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports Program (PBIS) as one way that the Georgia Department of Education is addressing student behavioral health. The evidence-based, data-driven framework
from PBIS curbs discipline issues while boosting school productivity, safety and academic progress, reports the GaDOE. In addition to increased funding for PBIS, the Georgia Legislature has boosted funding for Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) to expand PBIS. RESAs also are receiving funding for service specialists to help schools develop a network of student supports. Additionally, through the GaDOE’s Project Aware, Georgia is training educators to deal with childhood trauma and mental health. To make further headway, GPEE suggests increasing the number of schoolbased health centers (22 in the state as of January 2017); addressing the state’s mental-health worker shortage; and expanding Georgia Apex, a pilot program supported by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities that is designed to improve access to mental health services for school-aged youth. As a state, we are making strides, but we have far to go regarding student mental health. We must build a network of supports to provide a safety net rather than attempt to repair and rescue children once they are in crisis and have fallen through the cracks. It takes a village; it takes all of us to improve mental health outcomes, services and support for Georgia’s children. The journey begins with acknowledging the problem, enhancing our skillset, advocating for all of Georgia’s children and affirming that our children’s mental health is everyn one’s problem.
August/September 2018
From the Executive Director
Educators are Uniquely Qualified to Recognize Student Trauma and Aberrant Behavior
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Craig Harper
nderstanding the various ways in which Georgia students struggle informs our critical responsibility to support them. With this new school year, we have a fresh opportunity to commit to really seeing our students and to make the kinds of connections that reveal student challenges, strengths and dreams. During the summer I was privileged to hear presentations highlighting the importance of paying close attention to the well-being of students — looking beyond behavior to potential causes. Our awareness is critical with regard to school safety. School (and other) shootings and violent acts manifest from disturbed, disaffected, emotionally damaged people. We know that in several of the most recent events, acquaintances, educators or even law-enforcement officers were aware of the assailants’ mental health issues to some degree. While schoolaccess hardening and safety procedure improvements are needed, prior knowledge and follow-up on concerning behavior, comments, social media posts and activities are even more important. Educators are uniquely qualified and situated to know their students and recognize when things are off. And, even if educators aren’t clued in, other kids often are well aware and are willing — and at times even wanting — to talk to someone. We can
We must ask well-intentioned questions that demonstrate a true desire to help the student. And if the student is willing, we must walk them down the hallway to the counselor. no longer shrug off the early signs of a student struggling with social/emotional issues or the effects of trauma. We must ask well-intentioned questions that demonstrate a true desire to help the student. And if the student is willing, we must walk them down the hallway to the counselor, and then make sure the counselor can take the time to talk with them. If the student won’t go right then, make a referral to the counselor, social worker or other appropriate person in your school
Educators — like law enforcement — develop a finely tuned “gut” instinct that tells you when something with a student isn’t quite right.
August/September 2018
or district. If the case seems urgent, be persistent until someone provides assurance that there will be immediate follow-up.
DOE Must Examine School Resources The depth of social/emotional issues among students also necessitates that school districts and the Georgia Department of Education examine school resources. Too often counselors are overburdened with student scheduling, testing management and administration of indirect student-support tasks. The counselors I know have been increasingly frustrated by administrative demands that hamper their ability to offer caring and professional initial support to students that could make the critical difference in a student’s ability to successfully navigate issues that, unchecked, might escalate to serious consequences. Most students suffering trauma won’t lash out violently. They’ll withdraw, act out, disrupt classes or exhibit other coping behaviors. One of the disturbing reports I heard this summer described the realities of human trafficking. Georgia has one of the highest incident rates of human trafficking; metro Atlanta ranks sixth in the United States. While much of the activity involves sexual exploitation of young girls, it also involves boys and labor exploitation. If your image Continued on page 32
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Allison Kerley Townsend, 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year
Students and Teachers Can Help Change the World Right Now By Meg Thornton, PAGE One Editor
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llison Kerley Townsend, Georgia’s 2019 Teacher of the Year, urges students and teachers to not wait until “tomorrow” to make their mark. “Every single one of us can help change the world today,” she proclaims. “Some people believe that children are the ‘leaders of tomorrow,’” said Townsend, a third-grade teacher at Barnwell Elementary in Fulton County. “I like to challenge this idea. We cannot ignore the incredible impact children can have on the world today, if we let them. My mission is to help students take ownership of their learning and have an impact beyond the classroom … whether they are Skyping a scientist across the country, blogging about how they believe we should combat pollution or sharing the inspiring music videos we create as a class.”
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‘My mission is to help students take ownership of their learning and have an impact beyond the classroom … whether they are Skyping a scientist across the country, blogging about how they believe we should combat pollution or sharing the inspiring music videos we create as a class.’ — Allison Kerley Townsend
August/September 2018
‘Before I was in Ms. Townsend’s class, I felt like days had passed before lunch!’ — Third-Grade Student at Barnwell Elementary School
From presenting at conferences to using Twitter as a window into her classroom, Townsend has made connections with educators around the globe. She helped a teacher in North Carolina design a project-based learning unit based on nutrition and fractions; she taught a teacher in Virginia via Skype how to implement student-led conferences; and she inspired a teacher in Vietnam to share Townsend’s students’ personal mission statements with her class, which inspired them to write their own. In a handwritten letter, a student wrote that “Before I was in Ms. Townsend’s class, I felt like days had passed before lunch!” But it all changed with his new teacher. “I think Ms. Townsend should win teacher of the year because she makes me excited for every school day!” Teaching’s Ripple Effect Townsend believes that teaching has the most far-reaching impact of all professions. “It wasn’t until my junior year of college when I was traveling the world during a study-abroad program that I realized how small I was compared to this immense, beautiful world. It made me realize that in August/September 2018
order to help change the world for the better, I had to find a way … to create a ripple effect. What better way to inspire others and be inspired in return than to teach?” Good teachers are loving, risk-taking, passionate, curious and flexible, relates Townsend. But one quality separates the good from the great: “The best teachers are the ones who truly listen,” she said. “They listen to other educators share ideas and feedback. They listen to parents share concerns. And above all, they listen to their students; not just in a listento-respond kind of way. They listen to understand. They listen to change. They listen to give value.” She strives to give each child a voice in their learning and inspires them to grow beyond “engagement” to “ownership.” Her favorite part of the school year is when she sees “the shift” in her students. “Without warning, I look around one day and notice that they are empowered, confident and no longer afraid to take risks,” Townsend said. “It looks messy and sounds noisy because they are no longer driven by perfection, rewards or pleasing others. They are fueled by growth, curiosity and genuine passion. … That moment forward is pure magic and is the reason I teach.” Sore Brains Are Celebrated When students are struggling with new concepts, she reminds them that their brains are getting a workout. “Whenever we are learning something new and things get tough, I can see it on my students’ faces when they start to shut down — this happens every year when long division rolls around,” Townsend shared. “We take a moment together, and I let them know that when things get hard, that’s just our brains growing. Our muscles are sore after working out, and our brain can get sore, too. It’s important to stop what we are doing to celebrate the struggle! That means we’re working hard and learning something new!” Before joining Barnwell Elementary
in 2016, Townsend worked at Shakerag Elementary School. She has taught pre-K, third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students. She earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from Clemson University in 2012. As Georgia’s top teacher and a candidate for the 2019 National Teacher of the Year (to be announced next spring), Townsend is traveling around the state and the nation, serving as an ambassador for educators and for public education issues in Georgia. She is speaking to the public about the teaching profession and conducting workshops for educators. The 10 Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists were chosen from a pool of 150 applicants who have won their school district’s Teacher of the Year award. A panel of judges, including past Georgia Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, administrators and community leaders, selected the n finalists based on their essays.
‘Without warning, I look around one day and notice that they are empowered, confident and no longer afraid to take risks. It looks messy and sounds noisy because they are no longer driven by perfection, rewards or pleasing others. They are fueled by growth, curiosity and genuine passion.’ — Allison Kerley Townsend
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2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Doug Doblar, Math and Science, R.D. Head Elementary School, Gwinnett County
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oug Doblar, a fourth- and fifth-grade math and science teacher at R.D. Head Elementary in Gwinnett County, thinks that the two qualities of great teachers most often overlooked are intellect and integrity. “To be a great teacher, you have to learn a lot about child development, the brain, the content you’re teaching, strategy, poverty, sociology and countless other areas of interest,” he said. “It is as much a base of knowledge as it is a practice, and it takes some serious intellect to be a great teacher.” Integrity also is key, especially because teachers spend so much time working unsupervised. “We’re constantly faced with small decisions that require us to put quality over convenience, effort over ease and kids over ourselves.” The son of a teacher, Doblar was a substitute before becoming a teacher and a technology coordinator for Gwinnett County Schools. He also served as a college instructor while working on his doctorate. In those roles, he built a college course for 800 pre-service teachers and led the modernization of a school’s use of technology. In 2015, he came full circle, returning to the school he attended as an elementary school student to teach math and science. Teaching is far and away the best part of his day. “I have a whole different energy and personality with kids than I do with
adults,” Doblar said. He likes the fact that one never truly masters teaching. “There are hundreds of ways any teacher can improve, hundreds of practices out there to learn and hundreds of ideas out there waiting for you to try. It isn’t a job you learn how to do and then just show up and do it for years and years. You’re always learning and always improving.” He sees encouraging his charges as an important part of his job. “Kids are pretty hard on themselves. If they don’t understand something, they call themselves stupid. If they don’t have a great grade in something, they assume they’re bad at it. If they’ve gotten in trouble, they think it means they’re a bad kid. They really put a lot of weight on momentary negative outcomes,” he noted. “It is hard to rationalize that out of them, so a lot of the time I’ll just bring up something they recently did well. Got a low grade on an assignment? Don’t forget that you did great on the last three. Just got your conduct card signed?
Remember that you’ve had lots of better days.” Likewise with his colleagues. “Teachers get frustrated and down on themselves for all kinds of reasons, but it usually isn’t because they’re actually doing a bad job,” he said. It’s usually due to workload or a difficult situation. “They take one perceived shortcoming really hard a lot of the time, and forget that, most of the time, their students are happy and learning and really the important stuff is all OK.” On most days, Doblar rides his bike to school, which energizes him “especially in the winter.” He then typically records his “flipped” math lesson two days out because it takes a lot of concentration. After greeting the kids outside, he usually sneaks in about five minutes to just hang out with the kindergarten and first-grade kids in the cafeteria, “because they really make my day.” Doblar earned a bachelor’s in mathematics from the University of Georgia, a master’s in mathematics education from Georgia State University and a doctorate in instructional technology from Indiana University.
Teacher of the Year profiles compiled by Meg Thornton 10 PAGE ONE
August/September 2018
Shaylen Dixon, Third Grade, Peachtree City Elementary School, Fayette County
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s a young woman, Shaylen Dixon — the daughter of a teacher — wanted to be “more than just a teacher.” But that all changed during a mission trip in Ghana, West Africa. “I was watching this little girl living in extreme poverty, thinking that if someone could just teach her, train her, or the people around her, maybe this wouldn’t be her future,” she said. “Until that moment, I never understood how you could literally feel pulled and burdened to educate. In America, I always viewed education as a given, something that would always be there. I undervalued it.” Dixon realized that great teachers are wired to serve others and to help them fulfill their potential. “In my arrogance, I almost missed the point that teaching was/ is not a ‘job,’ — there is no way to be capable of ‘more.’ It is either something you are or something you aren’t. Had I never witnessed the absence of knowledge and education in
Ghana, I doubt I would have ever understood the value of such a calling.” Ultimately, Dixon believes that children need to hear that they are made for greatness and that they are made for a purpose. “I repeatedly tell them that they are valued, that we need what they bring to the table, and they are made the way they are for a reason.” She also fiercely celebrates diversity. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” she tells her students. “I want my kids to know their worth and to love their differences. If they embrace these things, they are unstoppable!” Diversity is critical among educators as well, as is teamwork, she added. “We need a myriad of character traits all pieced together. … No teacher is capable of being passionate, creative, energetic, loving, kind, persistent, resilient, patient, dedicated and flexible all of the time. That’s why we need all of us.” Her advice to fellow educators? “Kids are
going to need different teaching styles, so do what works for you. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Be authentic, and your kids will thrive.” And just like kids, teachers need to know that what they bring to the table is valued and needed. “I feel like it is part of my job to speak life into them, encourage them, invest in them, help them, create community with them, share ideas with them and serve them. We all need encouragement, including teachers. If the teachers around me are fulfilled, all of who they are will spill over to the kids they teach.” As to what keeps her in the classroom year after year, Dixon said: “I get to speak life into my kids each day. I get to see the impact that I make on a daily basis, and coming to ‘work’ each day breathes life into me.” Dixon attended the University of Georgia, where she earned an Ed.S. in gifted and creative education, a master’s in early childhood education and a bachelor’s in Teachers of the child and family Year Share Their development.
Favorite Tech Tools. Pages 30-31
Ike Thompson, English/Gifted, Veterans High School, Houston County
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ccording to Ike Thompson, an English/ gifted teacher at Veterans High School in Houston County, “Great teachers don’t use phrases such as ‘he is beyond help,’ ‘I’m glad she’s not my student,’ or ‘It’s the parents’ fault I can’t teach these kids.’ Instead, they work to watch every single child succeed.” Thompson says his own teachers drew him to the profession. “I had a couple of amazing teachers who saw something in me that I had not seen in myself. [They] found reasons to praise me, not for my athletic ability, personality or the like, but for my writing, building in me a confidence yet untapped.” The best advice he has received about teaching was to be a leader. “After the first six months of my teaching career, I was struggling with managing behavior in the classroom,” he said. “At the time, I was working at a rural, poor district — 100 percent of the students were on free-andreduced lunch.” A colleague told him that students crave leadership and order, and that they are forgiving. He said: “We need not do anything to make kids like us. If we are good at what we do, and they come to understand we have their best
August/September 2018
interests at heart, and you come to honestly love them, they will inevitably like and love you.” The following year, Thompson entered the classroom prepared to do just that. “While the first four months weren’t the most enjoyable because the kids didn’t seemingly like me, something soon happened. The students began to respect me, and that respect turned into a liking and appreciation of me. The last four months of that second year of teaching were some of the most enjoyable and life-changing in my life. I left that school at the end of that year. When telling the students, I was leaving for a variety of reasons, these ‘rough’ and seemingly ‘grown’ students and I bawled together. They loved me, and I loved them. It was in that moment that I knew teaching would be a catalyst for happiness in my life.”
To encourage his charges, Thompson leans on his experiences. “Students oftentimes don’t recognize teachers as having endured times of adversity, pain, discomfort, success, et cetera,” he said. “When I see a student struggling, I attempt to explain how things most certainly will get better if he or she commits to making it so.” For students of military families who struggle with their nomadic life, Thompson relates that he moved to the area from Michigan 14 years ago without a single friend. “I was lost for some time, but eventually I made a friend or two, which led to many more, which led to happiness.” Thompson earned a bachelor’s in English from Western Michigan University and a master’s in professional writing from Chatham University of Pittsburgh.
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2019 GEORGIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS Dr. Stefan Lawrence, English, George Washington Carver High School, Muscogee County
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hen Stefan Lawrence, Ed.D., embarked on his teaching career at Muscogee County’s George Washington Carver High School nine years ago, his father, mentor and former basketball coach advised him “Son, in every way be a reflection to your students of everything you want them to be.” Today, as a Georgia Teacher of Year finalist, the English teacher is recognized for heeding that advice well and for inspiring hundreds of students and athletes to excel. With Lawrence serving as coordinator for Advanced Placement, the school was named a Georgia AP Champion, and participation in Pre-AP and AP classes soared. He also has served as head freshman and junior varsity boys’ basketball coach and assistant for the varsity. Last year, the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation selected him as a Harvard University fellow. This spring, however, Carver High sadly bid Lawrence goodbye following the star teacher’s promotion to assistant principal of Muscogee’s Aaron Cohn Middle School (ACMS). Lawrence considers education “a higher moral calling” and is primed to make a
difference. “The only reason I got my doctorate in the first place is to be an advocate for kids on the systemic level,” he told the Columbus LedgerEnquirer. “There are a lot of things our kids are forced to combat every day, and a lot of those things are outside their control but are very real, like the school-to-prison pipeline, allocation of resources, things like that. I just want to get to that level where I can be a larger voice for them.” He further asserted: “Whether we know it or not, public education is at war. There are people intent on dismantling it. There are people who believe it has served its purpose, and it’s a relic of time passed. I don’t believe that’s true.” Trying to end generational poverty is reason enough to be “a servant of public education,” Lawrence added. His experience student-teaching solidified his decision to become an educator. “There was a child who hated school;
however, through building a relationship with the student and investing in his personal interests [in his case, to be a barber] I was able to reach him. I let him practice his barber skills on me every two weeks, and today he is still my barber and a high school graduate!” When asked what keeps him in the field, Lawrence responded: “Every time I see a young person who made a bad decision in the news.” After being named ACMS assistant principal, Lawrence said, “I think that my story and where I’m at is a testament for what education can do. My parents are from a low-income neighborhood here, in Beallwood. They understood the value of education.” Lawrence graduated from Northside High School in Muscogee County and Columbus State University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and played basketball. He then earned his doctorate from the University of Georgia.
Nancy Rogers, English, Thomas County Middle School, Thomas County
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n her previous career, Nancy Rogers, an eighth grade English teacher at Thomas County Middle School, made a great living as a pharmaceutical representative. But while flying home from a week-long meeting in San Antonio in 2000, it struck her that something was sorely lacking in her life. “I was making a living, but not making a difference,” she noted. These days, her life brims with satisfaction. Described by her principal as a “student-first teacher,” Rogers delights in seeing her adolescent students transform into more knowledgeable, confident and secure human beings by the end of each school year. Encouraging students happens a lot in her classroom. “In eighth grade, so many students struggle with identity, academics, family situations and social issues,” she said. “Children come to us with problems that we will never know or understand — broken homes, abusive situations and countless other issues.
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They look to us as role models, and we should always be mindful of that fact,” she said. “The first thing I always do is look them in the eye and listen to what they are telling me,” Rogers added. “I try to understand the situation and relate it to something I have experienced in the past.” Knowing her students well enough to understand what they need is critical, she said. “Some students just need a smile, a hug or a snack, while others truly need my guidance in making tough decisions.” Part of that “knowing” is learning all of her students’ names by the end of the first week of school. “I know how important that is to them. I feel as though each and every child who enters my classroom was sent to me personally,
that there is a reason that particular child ended up in my room instead of someone else’s.” Rogers also is a prolific note-writer, frequently sending missives of encouragement or congratulations to students who are upset or who have made impressive strides. “I have found that students love getting a handwritten note from the teacher,” she said.” In summarizing her role, Rogers said: “Every child is unique and intelligent in his or her own way, and it is our jobs as teachers to find the potential in each one of them.” Rogers grew up in Sale City in Mitchell County and earned an undergraduate degree in English and a master’s in secondary English at Valdosta State University. August/September 2018
Melanie Thompson, Science, Georgia Academy for the Blind
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elanie Thompson, a science teacher at the Georgia Academy for the Blind (GAB), was destined to be a teacher. “When I was 13, I started working at a summer camp for kids with disabilities and at-risk youth. I fell in love with serving others,” Thompson said. When she graduated from high school, she wondered how she could continue her work with people with special needs. Ten years in, she can’t imagine a more fulfilling career. According to Thompson, great teachers need a heart for service, mentoring and advocacy. “It also doesn’t hurt to have patience, creativity, flexibility and a good sense of humor,” she added. Sadly, Thompson relayed that she didn’t have a teacher that she connected with until she was in college. “I don’t want my students to have to wait that long!” she proclaimed. Her favorite part of the school year is the spring. “As a senior advisor, I play a big role in the end-of-the-year activities for our graduates. I see the excitement, the anxiety and the sorrow all related to graduation. The senior trip we planned all year finally happens and the students start understanding and internalizing how
meaningful their time at GAB has been. Parents get to see their 15-ounce miracle babies that they feared wouldn’t live 15 hours go to prom and walk across the stage. The work of the whole village comes to fruition.” According to Thompson, the best advice she has received about teaching is found in scripture. “James 3:1 says “… you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” With that being said, I’ve taken to heart other advice such as giving my students the attention, care and education I would want for my own children and to be aware that somebody is always looking up to me even when I’m not looking.” As for her before-school morning routine, Thompson muses that with a five-year-old and a two-year-old at home, chaos often reigns. “I guess you could say I am prepping my kids for a future on the wrestling and debate teams because I tend to leave the house every morning having
wrestled my daughter into matching socks and having sometimes lost the debate on whether my son can have cookies AND chips in his lunchbox.” Thompson is joyed and humbled by the way her students tend to accept their visual impairment with humor and grace. Recently, during a weekend camp activity, the students were blindfolded to create an even playing field between students with low vision and students without sight. At the end of the hour-long activity, several of students with low vision were happy to remove their blindfolds and regain their limited vision. “But one witty student [who is totally blind] pulled her blindfold off and without skipping a beat said, ‘Nope, didn’t work. Still blind.’” Thompson earned an associate science degree from Georgia Military College, and both a bachelor’s in special education and a master’s in visual impairment from Georgia College & State University.
Kayla Yeargin, Mathematics, Troup High School, Troup County
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ayla Yeargin, a math teacher at Troup High School, is grateful for the opportunity to teach her students about life, as well as math. “I love to see my students mature and take pride in their successes, no matter how big or small,” said Yeargin, who also coaches the school’s softball and girls’ golf teams. Her advice to students when they need encouragement? “Be confident in what you know. You are awesome and need to show it off.” Being a great teacher requires patience, Yeargin notes. “Students may take a little longer than you expect to come to a conclusion. Educators must be patient to allow students to show what they know.” Instructors also must be able to adapt on
August/September 2018
the fly, as lessons will not always go as planned. Her favorite part of the school year is November. “It is a time that I feel like I know my students and that they know me. They are more open and willing to do anything that I ask of them because we have built a level of trust. They know that I want what is best for them and will do anything in my power that I can for them,” she said. The best advice she has ever received about teaching is to build up your students. “Let your students know you are a human too,” Yeargin said. “You have the same emotions they do, and they need to see that. Laugh with them, own your mistakes and let them know you care about them.”
Likewise with your fellow educators, she said. She lets her colleagues know that “You are not alone. You have a team behind you that supports you. Although all of our experiences are not exactly alike, we can learn from one another.” She’s also known to give small prizes or tokens of appreciation when other teachers need encouragement. Yeargin graduated from Oglethorpe County High School and LaGrange College, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, played on the softball team and served as a graduate assistant coach. Last year, she was selected to attend the Project Zero Classroom at Harvard University. At her school, she serves on school culture, school improvement and leadership teams. She also has led professional learning sessions on teaching techniques and assessments, and last year she presented at the Model Schools Conference in Nashville.
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Membership Services Representatives Jo Breedlove-Johnson District 3a jbreedlove@ pageinc.org
Shirley Wright District 4a swright@pageinc.org
Nancy Ratcliffe District 7 nratcliffe@pageinc.org
Laurie Provost District 3b lprovost@ pageinc.org
Diann Branch District 9 dbranch@pageinc.org
Kathy Arena District 10 karena@pageinc.org
Melanie Evans-McHugh District 5 mevans@pageinc.org
Peggy Brown District 11 pbrown@pageinc.org
APS
Linda Woods District 1 lwoods@pageinc.org
Gina Tucker District 4b (Clayton, APS) gtucker@pageinc.org
BJ Jenkins District 6 bjjenkins@pageinc.org Joey Kirkland District 12 jkirkland@pageinc.org
Laura Clements District 13 lclements@pageinc.org
Gwen Desselle District 2 gdesselle@pageinc.org
College Services Representatives
Dale Gillespie District 8 dgillespie@pageinc.org
North GeorGia
Diane Ray dray@pageinc.org
Jo Breedlove-Johnson jbreedlove@pageinc.org
South GeorGia
Dale Gillespie Mary Ruth Ray dgillespie@pageinc.org maryruth@pageinc.org
2019 GEORGIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS Stephanie Vidrine, Mathematics, Woodstock Middle School, Cherokee County
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oodstock Middle School teacher Stephanie Vidrine shapes math lessons into unforgettable stories. “Mathematics,” the 20-year teacher said, “is so much more than manipulating numbers and following procedures. It is art, beauty, creativity, patterns and connections to other mathematical concepts and life experiences.” Vidrine, who is a two-time school-level Teacher of the Year having previously earned the honor at Etowah High School in 2001, discovered her passion as a middle school student. Her eighth-grade prealgebra teacher had looked her in the eye and said: “You’ll never be any good at math.” Never say never. Vidrine dedicated the next three years of her studies to deeply understanding math and connected with
an Algebra II teacher who believed in her. She earned a perfect score on her Algebra II exam and found her perfect career. “From that point forward, I wanted to teach mathematics and provide for my students the opportunity to achieve and excel in mathematics no matter their previous level of performance,” said Vidrine, who went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from the University of Georgia. “She teaches in a way that almost prevents you from forgetting,” one student shared. “Almost every unit she taught had a personal story to it … and every story she told always related back to what we were learning.” As another student put it, her class is like a Dr. Seuss book: a story, a lesson, a delight. Principal David Childress recruited Vidrine to Woodstock Middle School from Etowah High School, where he previously
worked alongside her as a fellow math teacher. “She has a love for teaching the students who often struggle in math,” he said. The proof of her powers, he said, is in the numbers: All of her students earned proficient or better scores on their state exams and pulled CCSD’s highest marks for performance growth. The improvement comes from hard work — on her part and on the part of her students, like those who choose to attend daily remediation classes she volunteers to hold during lunch. Her favorite part of the school year is the spring. “It is a culmination of all the students’ hard work, and you can see the changes in them as they prepare for the next grade. Teaching eighth grade is magical, as they come in as children and leave with the signs of becoming young men and women,” Vidrine said. She delights in watching the students develop their abstract thinking skills and realize how far they have come in just 180 days. Article credit: Woodstock County Public Schools
Maleah Stewart, Speech-Language Pathologist, North Forsyth Middle School, Forsyth County
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aleah Stewart, a speech-language pathologist at North Forsyth Middle School, never wanted to be a teacher. It was only after she was working in a public school as a speech-language pathologist that she finally realized she was indeed a teacher. “Not a ‘clinician.’ Not a ‘therapist.’ A ‘teacher,’” she stressed. “And after 18 years, I can’t imagine any other career.” It’s the “wow” moments that keep her in the classroom. They occur on some level every single day. “I love to reflect on each day and celebrate the good stuff. It keeps me smiling and in a positive mind-set,” she said. Her experience growing up with a family member who had social anxiety and deficits in communication led her to become a speech language pathologist. Stewart’s favorite part of the school year is in March during the Special Olympics. “Our entire school lines the hallways to cheer on our athletes as they go to their buses. It’s a beautiful day, and I have yet to get through it without crying. That’s the good stuff.” Stewart believes that empathy, engagement, empowerment and strong relation-
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ships are the foundation of great teaching. Once trust is established, she encourages and challenges students. “Rather than retreating from discomfort, I encourage them to face it headon, and I support them as they work through the discomfort,” she said. “This is how students develop grit and perseverance, which are qualities they will need in order to achieve success in the future.” “Maleah has been able to find creative ways to help every student communicate, regardless of disability,” Kristin Morrissey, chairwoman of the Forsyth County Board of Education told Forsyth County News. She’s also known for being a supportive colleague, especially during challenging times. “I listen. I empathize. I hug. I con-
nect. And then I tell them how much they matter, sharing specific examples from their classrooms,” she noted. “It’s often hard to see in a single school year, but their impact is real. It’s really hard work, but teachers are changing lives every single day.” As teachers know, humor often carries the day. As a speech-language pathologist, Stewart has the privilege of working with the same students over a number of years. “Once, a fifth-grade student told one of my co-workers, ‘Four years with Mrs. Stewart really changes a man.’ My husband got a real kick out of that one. He said, ‘It certainly does!’ I’m still not sure how to take that.” Stewart earned a B.A. in psychology from Oglethorpe University and a M.Ed. in communication disorders from Georgia State University.
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Principals and Vice-Principals of the Year By Lynn Varner, PAGE Contributing Editor
GAESP Georgia National Distinguished Principal Julia Mashburn, Riverside Elementary School (Dawson) Julia Mashburn of Riverside Elementary School (Dawson) was named the 2018 Georgia National Distinguished Principal by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. The school, which opened in 2010, serves an economically disadvantaged population and a high number of students with disabilities. “We knew we had to do some-
(l-r) GAESP Executive Director Hal Beaver presents a check to 2018 GAESP Georgia National Distinguished Principal Julia Mashburn.
thing different if we were going to meet the needs of the students,” said Mashburn. Thus the new principal and her team focused on cognitive learning strategies, student leadership and problem solving. In 2014, the school had a CCRPI score of 69.1. But by the next year it jumped 18 points to 87.1 percent and then to 91.7% the following year. “In 2017, we maintained our score for the third year in a row,” she said. The school was recognized by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement with the Greatest Gains Gold Award in 2016. In 2017, Riverside was one of only 13 schools in Georgia to receive the GOSA Greatest Gains Platinum Award, and for the past two years the school has been named a Georgia Highest Performing Title I Rewards School (top 5 percent) in the state. Mashburn, who is a certified as a mentor by National Association of Elementary School Principals, is the 2017 recipient of
the GAESP School Bell Award “Catch Our Spark,” and in 2013 she earned the GAESP Jim Puckett Outstanding Principal Award. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s in early childhood education from North Georgia College (now the University of North Georgia). She earned her educational leadership degree from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. Mashburn credits the success of Riverside to the support of her administrators, teachers and surrounding community. Page Arnette, a Riverside parent, said, “Mrs. Mashburn is a role model and encourager to her students and staff. She is always professional and treats everyone with respect. She has a clear vision for the school and inspires a desire for continuous improvement. I can truly see how my child has grown and matured through her time at RES, and I am so thankful that she was able to be a part of such an exceptional school.”
GASSP Georgia Middle School Principal of the Year Sherri Berry of Coffee Middle School Sherri Berry of Coffee Middle School in Douglas was named the Middle School Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. Since Berry’s arrival seven years ago, the school has added a family and consumer science lab, an engineering and technology lab and a computer science lab, thus allowing for expanded Career, Technical and Agricultural Education pathway offerings. In addition to Future Farmers of America, the school now offers Family, Career, Community Leaders of America, Future Business Leaders of America
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and Technology Student Association leadership and service-oriented clubs. (This past spring, the school opened a state-ofthe-art agricultural facility, providing a show area, classroom and a barn for livestock projects.) The school also has made significant progress in increasing literacy. Each week, language arts, social studies and science teachers conduct Peer Assisted Learning Strategies sessions with content-rich reading materials. “Students use Thinking Maps to organize notes from lectures, written material and trade books,” said Berry. “We have revolutionized our teaching from simple anthology reading textbooks to a more deliberate and explicit reading and writing instructional approach that is cross curricular.”
Berry allows assistant principals “to use their strengths as major assets for our school,” and she credits much of the school’s success to their innovative leadership. She also cites tremendous community support (Coffee County is a charter system), as well as support from the central office. Berry earned her bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees (early childhood education and educational leadership) and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership all from Valdosta State University. A PAGE member, in 2014 she participated in the PAGE Principal Leadership Institute. Berry has also participated in the Georgia Educational Leadership Academy and in 2017 was awarded the Superintendent’s Award for Attaining 100 percent Parent Teacher Conferences.
August/September 2018
GAESP Georgia Distinguished Principal Traci Jackson, Ed.D., Shirley Hills Elementary School (Houston) The Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals named Traci Jackson, Ed.D., principal of Shirley Hills Elementary School (Houston), as the 2018 Georgia Distinguished Principal. Under Jackson’s leadership, Shirley Hills Elementary School has been named: • a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence; • a Georgia Reward School for Highest Performing in 2013, 2014 and 2015; • a Georgia Reward School for High Progress in 2017 and 2018; • and a “Beating the Odds” school for the past six years. The school also has been twice recognized as a Writing to Win school. Jackson is especially proud that the kindergarten class of 2016 wrote, illustrated and published “Barky the Mouse,” a story about friendship. The book is sold online, and when it was published, community members lined
up to get their copies signed. “Our book is being read around the state and is loved by all that read it,” Jackson noted. Certified as a mentor by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Jackson champions collaboration. She fostered a summer reading and math enhancement program for K-2 students in the bottom 25 percent of their class, and she launched a program by which teachers compile data from assessments, share resources, review data outcomes and talk through the implications. “Every six days for two hours, school-wide, we honor our academic opportunity time by honing in on more individualized instruction,” she said. The school also hosts a parent luncheon four times a year during which they learn about standards; strategies for teaching reading, writing and math content; and homework support. Parents may also observe classes.
Jackson earned her undergraduate degree and her master’s degree in middle grades from Fort Valley State University, her Ed.S. in education leadership from the University of Georgia in Athens and her Ed. D. in education leadership from Argosy University in Atlanta. Houston County Superintendent of Schools Mark Scott, Ph.D., said, “Dr. Jackson’s commitment to excellence is reflected in innovative programs designed to meet the academic and social needs of all children. … She is truly a visionary leader and her success can be measured tangibly with data and is also palpable in the atmosphere and climate at her school.”
GASSP Georgia Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year Elizabeth Bennett, Ed.D., Richmond Hill Middle School (Bryan) Elizabeth Bennett, Ed.D., of Richmond Hill Middle School (Bryan) was named Georgia Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. Bennett calls Richmond Hill a place where “teachers, students and stakeholders engage in decision-making, have a shared purpose and work together to support instructional goals and our vision.” In this collegial atmosphere, innovation is encouraged and explored. For example, through the school’s Extended Learning Time program, students may work on their needs or passions for 50 minutes each day. Bennett describes the four facets of the program: • English/language arts, math and reading teachers pull their lowest-performing students and work to pre-teach content and remediate students. The class is capped at 10 students.
August/September 2018
• Some students attend contentspecific project-based learning classes. Community members often serve as speakers and helpers. • Students needing additional enrichment attend STEM project-based learning classes where they tend to school greenhouses, work on a flight simulator per the Astronaut Challenge initiative or participate in other STEM activities. Area businesses, such as Gulf Stream, provide financial support. • Students who take the Georgia Alternative Assessment participate each morning in a physical education class with resources that aid them in full participation. Bennett also developed a successful professional learning program whereby teachers and administrators present to fellow educators several times a year. The administrative team conducts one of the sessions per semester.
A member of PAGE since 2007, Bennett has earned several awards, including being named the 2009 Savannah Coach of the Year, the 2012 Richmond Hill High School Teacher of the Year, the 2012 Region Coach of the Year and the 2012 Bryan County Schools District Teacher of the Year. She received her bachelor’s degree from Ohio-based Ashland University; her master’s of secondary education from Armstrong Atlantic State University; her educational specialist in curriculum and instruction from Georgia Southern University; and her doctorate of education leadership from Valdosta State University.
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NAESP National Outstanding Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year Jeff Kelly, Ed.D., Upson-Lee Middle School (Thomaston-Upson) Walton Jeffrey Kelly, Ed.D., of Upson-Lee Middle School in Thomaston was named the 2018 National Outstanding Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals (GAMSP). Kelly has served as assistant principal at Upson-Lee Middle School twice, first from 2004-2008 and currently, beginning in 2015. He administers and helped create the
school’s Response to Intervention program, which is now used as a model district-wide. According to Kelly, “[The] Response to Intervention program is vital to our school’s success. The foundation of this program is building positive relationships with our students. It’s about focusing on an individual student, and with the student’s help, developing strategies to help the student. We focus on the whole child and not one specific area.” Kelly served on the GAMSP board of directors from 2005-2008 and currently serves on the certification committee of the National Forum to Accelerate
Middle-Grades Reform. According to Upson-Lee Principal Rhonda Gulley, Kelly is active in all aspects of the school and is engaged with students, parents and faculty on a daily basis. “I can say many positive things about Dr. Kelly, but the one thing that stands out to me is that he makes connections with every person he meets,” she said. Kelly earned an associate’s degree from Gordon State College in Barnesville; a bachelor’s from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro; a master’s from Troy State in Alabama; and a doctorate from the University of Phoenix in Arizona.
NAESP National Distinguished Middle Level Principal of the Year Sandra Tinsley, South Forsyth Middle School Sandra Tinsley, principal at South Forsyth Middle School, is Georgia’s 2018 Distinguished Middle Level Principal of the Year, according to the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals. Under Tinsley’s leadership, South Forsyth Middle School was recognized for high-
est performance (Platinum Award) and greatest gains (Gold Award) by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The school was also named a 2014 Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School and a 2010 Georgia School of Excellence. Tinsley is a champion of collaboration and works to develop and utilize teacher strengths. She also engages the community in support of academic achievement. Kirsten Keith, a SFMS graduation coach, said, “Mrs. Tinsley not only strives
to develop meaningful relationships and trust with all stakeholders, but also actively engages in the work necessary for school improvement. She truly ‘walks the walk’ and models excellence each and every day.” Tinsley is a PAGE member and is a GAMSP district co-director. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Brenau College in Gainesville; a master’s in education from Brenau University; and an educational specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.
GAESP Georgia Outstanding Assistant Principal Robin Neal, Johns Creek Elementary (Forsyth) Robin Neal of Johns Creek Elementary School (Forsyth) was named the Georgia Outstanding Assistant Principal by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Neal, who was named the school’s assistant principal in 2015, launched an
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initiative called “Every Child Every Day” by which teachers work daily (rather than weekly) with each child in small, differentiated, guided reading and math groups. The result has been improved student learning and student-teacher relationships. Neal is a member of the Forsyth County Schools Literacy Task Force, which has designed a newly implemented literacy framework for K-12 instruction in the district. In 2017, the Governor’s Office of
Student Achievement announced Johns Creek Elementary as one of the Highest Performing and Greatest Gains schools in the state, and in 2015 the school was named as a National Blue Ribbon School. Neal earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Towson University in Maryland; a master’s in school counseling from the University of West Alabama; and a specialist’s degree in education leadership from Kennesaw State University.
August/September 2018
GAESP Georgia Distinguished Principal Kristy French-Graham, Vineville Academy of the Arts (Bibb) Vineville Academy of the Arts (Bibb) Principal Kristy French-Graham was named 2018 Georgia Distinguished Principal by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. During the past five years with FrenchGraham at the helm, the school has been honored in: • 2017 and 2018 with the School Bell Award by the Georgia Association of Education Leaders; • 2016-2017 as a Top 10 Georgia Family Friendly School by Georgia Department of Education Family Friendly School-Title I; • 2017 with the CCRPI Culture and Climate Five Star rating.
French-Graham believes strongly in collaboration and has created strong support among her administrative staff, teachers, parents and the community at large. Fellow administrator Marilyn WadeNewberry wrote, “I so admire the way she converses with the staff, parents and students, exhibiting dignity and respect when dealing with every individual and situation. She places the needs and desires of others first, at all times, in order to create a climate and culture of a stress-free environment. … Her passion is to ensure ALL students are loved, successful and educated in a nurturing environment where their individual dreams and talents are awakened.”
French-Graham earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville; a master’s in curriculum and instruction integrated through the arts from Lesley University in Boston; a teacher support specialist certification from the Bibb County School District in Macon; and an education specialist degree in educational leadership from GC&SU.
GASSP High School Principal of the Year Dara Bennett, Pierce County High School Dara Bennett, principal at Pierce County High School in Blackshear, has been named High School Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP). Bennett has been an administrator at the school for 19 years, serving as principal since 2012. Fourteen years ago, PCHS had a 56 percent graduation rate; the rate climbed to 91 percent by 2016. Bennett attributes that turnaround to an overall change in school culture. “As a school leader for curriculum, instruction and assessment, I worked with teachers to identify barriers that were keeping our school from being successful,” she wrote in her award application.
As a result, “teachers meet during their planning periods once a month to discuss, present or receive information on student achievement and other school issues. This arrangement has allowed teachers across the curriculum to collaborate, discuss best practices and to make decisions that will benefit all students,” she added. Setting high expectations for herself and the school community has resulted in overall school improvement, with Pierce County High honored as a NASSP Breakout School in 2012 and 2017, and as a Breaking the Ranks Showcase School in 2013. Creating a more rigorous curriculum, including an honors program, has resulted in 300 students taking college-
level courses, and the school being named by the local college as a Move On When Ready High School of the Year for the past two years. Bennett earned her undergraduate degree and master’s degree in educational leadership from Valdosta State University and her education specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University. In 2008, she was honored as the GASSP Assistant Principal of the Year.
GASSP High School Assistant Principal of the Year Tammy Jacobs of South Effingham High School Tammy Jacobs of South Effingham High School was named Georgia High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. Two years ago, Jacobs launched an initiative whereby selected counselors and teachers schedule one-on-one meetings with parents and students for the registration of classes. She also selected a group of teachers to meet with the leadership of three Georgia schools of similar
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size and demographics. The teachers, under Jacob’s leadership, then worked during the summer of 2017 to develop a school-wide instructional focus initiative. Jacobs, who in 1997 was in the school’s first graduation class, inspires leadership by encouraging colleagues to shadow her to see what an administrator does in a typical day. She also has created professional development opportunities by matching teachers with high student growth with small groups of colleagues.
According to South Effingham High School Principal Mark Winters, Jacobs “leads both by example and by being innovative.” Jacobs earned both her bachelor of science degree and master of education degree from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
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Legislative
Community Leaders, Educators and Students Weigh In on School Safety By Matthew Pence, Margaret Ciccarelli and Meg Thornton
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n kicking off the first meeting of the Senate Study Committee on School Safety, Chair John Albers (R-Roswell) reminded attendees that Georgia is a large, diverse state, and that school safety plans that work well in one area or district might not work well in another. The meeting took place in June at North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs. Garry McGiboney, Ph.D., from the Georgia Department of Education,
discussed the importance of school climate, especially as it relates to mental health. He proposed increased funding to help schools evaluate and address student mental-health needs and for school hardening measures, such as securing entrances and surveillance systems. (See “GaDOE School Safety Recommendations” on Page 22.) Two students, Niles Francis, then a rising junior at South Cobb High School, and Grace Truax, then a rising senior at Centennial High School, shared their concerns with the committee. Francis provided data regarding school safety drills in Georgia. He reminded the committee that 32 states require school safety drills; Georgia is not one of them. “There’s no reason a student like — Senate Study Committee myself should go to school that Chairman John Albers (R-Roswell) morning and fear not coming back that afternoon,” he said.
“We need to do more (about school safety). We have a moral and legal obligation to do so.”
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Truax spoke about being in class and thinking about what she would do if an active shooter came into the room, as well as the numbing effects of hearing about so many different mass shootings. “I don’t want this to happen at my school or at any school,” she said. David Custer, a math teacher at Decatur High School, echoed these concerns and noted the lengths educators take to protect their students from school-based gun violence. John Martin, Fulton County PTA president, added that this discussion must address gun violence and mental health. Sandy Springs Chief of Police Ken Desimone asserted that guns should be kept out of the hands of mentally ill people. “You’re going to have to start talking about gun legislation of some type,” he told the senators. “Having school safety talks and not talking about guns is like having a talk about the Civil War and not talking about slavery.” He said that his department conducts August/September 2018
ESPLOST FLEXIBILITY FOR SCHOOL SAFETY SOUGHT
active-shooter training regularly and has a criminal intelligence unit that works to stop acts of violence before they happen. ‘Stop the Bleed’ Training In the committee’s second meeting, held at Ringgold High School in July, Georgia State Patrol Col. Mark McDonough said that schools should conduct safety risk assessments every two years, and school safety exercises should be conducted regularly, especially with custodians, who have detailed knowledge of the buildings. “These exercises should be public because the community needs to see what you’re doing, how you’re doing it and why you’re doing it.” McDonough added. Continued on page 22
“There’s no reason a student like myself should go to school that morning and fear not coming back that afternoon.” — Niles Francis, a rising junior at South Cobb High School August/September 2018
Some school superintendents want the state to pay for school safety personal, or to at least let schools use Education Special Purpose Local Access to guns, Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) funds for school suicidal thoughts, resource officers, mental health providers and social workers. Currently ESPLOST funds may only despair and anger be used on capital expenditures. combine and The ongoing ESPLOST discussion among legislative committees on school security are part of contribute to school a broader discussion regarding whether to relax shootings. ESPLOST spending limitations. In February, two house bills proposed allowing ESPLOST funds — Catoosa to be spent on school maintenance and operaSuperintendent tion. Although supported by superintendents and boards of education in wealthier communities, the Denia Reese bills, HB 781 and HR 992 introduced by Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville), failed after passing the House Education Committee. Those bills followed the stalling of SR 319, a proposed constitutional amendment by Rep. Bubber Epps (R-Dry Branch) to let more Georgia counties levy Educational Local Option Sales Tax (ELOST). Existing law enables only 10 Georgia school districts to levy ELOSTS for school maintenance and operation. In January, several school advocates, including representatives from Cobb, Bleckley, Clayton and Dawson counties, testified in support of the legislation. However, representatives from some financially strapped school districts as well as advocacy organizations representing school boards and superintendents cautioned legislators that SR 319 could help some wealthier school districts, but would not solve underfunding in others. A representative from Madison County Schools, who assured legislators that his district did not oppose the ELOST constitutional amendment, said that communities with wealthier tax bases stood to gain substantially from SR 319, while counties such as his would continue to struggle due to depressed local economies and low tax revenue. In May, Pickens County Superintendent Carlton Wilson asked the House Study Committee on School Security to consider making resource officer funding part of Georgia’s school funding formula. He also requested that school safety and security expenditures come partially from ESPLOST. Dawson County Superintendent Damon Gibbs concurred, adding, “Allowing a local community to vote in a local referendum for ESPLOST flexibility is important,” he told members of the House committee, which met this spring at the Dawson County Board of Education. Catoosa County Schools Superintendent Denia Reese, who in July addressed the Senate Study Committee on School Safety, also requested ESPLOST flexibility to pay for safety upgrades. She added that her district has used ESPLOST proceeds to pay for school hardening upgrades such as installing front-door access systems, upgrading employee badges, installing surveillance equipment and re-keying doors. The system has also installed the Sielox Crisis Lockdown Alert Status System, which uses motion detectors and which sends video to school computers and law enforcement agencies. Reese also petitioned lawmakers to focus on student mental health. Citing recent research, Reese said that 10 to 15 percent of teenagers have symptoms of depression at any given time, five percent of teens are suffering from major depression, but fewer than 33 percent of teens are treated for depression. Untreated depression is the No. 1 cause of suicide, and many school shootings have a suicide component. Access to guns, suicidal thoughts, despair and anger combine and contribute to school shootings, Reese stated. Catoosa employs in every school a nurse and counselor trained on mental health issues. It also has four system-wide social workers who connect families with support services. In other measures, the district has implemented the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, Stop Walk & Talk bullying prevention, 1-800-Say Stop bullying hotline and is receiving assistance from Sandy Hook Promise.
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Legislative In the aftermath of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, many Georgia law officers have received Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) through the state Department of Public Safety, he said, adding that more officers need training. Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training also is ongoing. The Georgia Trauma Commission launched a “Stop the Bleed” initiative following a successful pilot program among Emergency Medical Services throughout middle Georgia. More than 39,000 Georgians have been trained on Stop the Bleed, including hundreds of school nurses. The trauma commission proposes such training for all school personal. It further recommends equipping all classrooms and school buses with bleeding kits. Large school districts are encouraged to utilize locked-in pricing to purchase more bleed-
“You’re going to have to start talking about gun legislation of some type. Having school safety talks and not talking about guns is like having a talk about the Civil War and not talking about slavery.” — Sandy Springs Chief of Police Ken Desimone
ing control kits (about $40 each). Other comments among attendees included the following: • A student from Ridgeland High School in Walker County voiced support for school resource officers at every school and for educating students about the importance of reporting suspicious behavior. • A teacher from Chickamauga City Schools stressed the importance of ongoing training for educators. • The Ft. Oglethorpe police chief asserted, “Prevention must start before a gunman shows up.” • The Catoosa County fire chief rec-
ommends that schools enhance exterior lighting; trim shrubbery; install intrusion alarms on doors and windows; store outdoor trash receptacles away from school buildings; and encourage neighbors to report vandalism and trespassing. The remaining four meetings of the Senate Study Committee on School Safety are as follows: Albany on Aug. 24; Chamblee on Sept. 18 and Savannah on Oct. 26. A wrap-up session is will be held in November at the Georgia Capitol. In December, the committee will issue a final report to include proposed n legislation, rules and budget items.
GaDOE SCHOOL SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS Enhance funding to address the physical and mental health: • Expand Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. • Expand Apex to provide mental health evaluations/interventions for students in distress. • Expand mental health awareness training for educators, school resource officers (SROs), parents, volunteers and communities. • Expand suicide-prevention training for educators, SROs, parents, volunteers and communities. • Expand trauma-informed training for schools (e.g. Haralson County School System WATCH/Handle with Care program). • Expand drug education to confront the opioid crisis. • Expand 2nd-Step Violence Prevention program (in conjunction with PBIS). Expand funding to harden schools: • Renovate school entrances to control access (e.g., safety vestibule/double entry door system). • Ensure that exterior doors and classroom doors can be locked from the inside. • Install duress/panic buttons that signal the front office and SRO, and alerts 9-1-1. • Use ID system that provides tem-
22 PAGE ONE
porary visitor ID badge and picture, and records the name, time and date. • Ensure that camera systems include off-site mobile surveillance. • Use communication systems that intersect with law-enforcement. • Use card access systems that can be programmed for certain areas of the school, activated at certain times and for certain events. • Have school safety architectural experts review architectural plans for schools using Crime Prevention through Environmental Design standards. • Require schools to record/document practice of Safe School Plan. • Add flexibility to ESPLOST to allow at least 10 percent for school safety equipment and/or personnel. (See ‘ESPLOST’ article on Page 21.) Formalize Safety Training: • Provide a school safety expert at each of the 16 RESAs to: – Conduct continuous on-site school safety assessments. – Assist schools in the development, review and practice of safe school plans. – Coordinate school staff safety/ Active Shooter training. – Work with local emergency
management and law enforcement to coordinate cross-training, school safety planning and crisis response and recovery. – Work with the school climate specialists to ensure safe climates in schools. • Combine efforts of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/ Homeland Security, Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement to offer an on-site walk-through school safety assessment for every public school in Georgia. • Expedite to all schools Stop the Bleed training. • Assist school systems in developing school/community partnerships (e.g., Neighborhood Watch programs). • Consider the presence of SROs, local police and/or security guards and require training in children and adolescent mental health and communications. • Explore the use of school safety alert systems that can reveal threats to schools in emails, documents, shared files, images, photos and more. • Utilize the newly formed Governor’s School Leadership Academy to train school principals on school climate/safety and crisis response principles and practices.
August/September 2018
PAGE School Safety Survey
Educators Divided on Firearms; Most Would Not Carry a Weapon in School By Margaret Ciccarelli, PAGE Director of Legislative Services
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hen asked in If your school district allowed you to February, Georgia carry a firearm at school, would you do so? educators said they were divided about whether they 53% No would carry firearms at schools if districts allowed them to do 21% Maybe so. In an online survey administered by PAGE, just over half of the 7,700 responding educators, Probably 9% 53%, answered “no.” The survey was conducted in the wake of Yes 18% the school shootings at Marjory 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida. Among the surveyed PAGE members, 20.8% answered “maybe,” 8.6% chose Should a school resource officer (SRO) be stationed at every Georgia school? Rank your support. “probably” and 17.6% answered “yes.” Reponses came from all but four school districts in the state. Supportive 91% Many Georgia educators feel safe at school. Among respondents, 33.9% indicate they feel “very safe,” Neutral 7% and 55.8% feel “relatively safe.” 8.4% of respondents feel “relatively unsafe,” and 1.9% feel “very unsafe.” Not 2% Supportive When asked, “If your district allowed school personnel to 0 20 40 60 80 100 carry firearms, would you feel more or less secure?” 43.8% chose “more secure” and 32.3% restrict access and 3.9% are “unsure.” chose “less secure.” 45.1% of respondents do not feel poliRespondents indicated very high levels cymakers are listening to educators in the of support for stationing a school resource current debate on school safety. 47.7% of officer (SRO) at every Georgia school. respondents feel that policymakers are 90.8% support the idea, 7.3% are neutral “somewhat” listening, and 7.3% feel poliand 1.9% are not supportive. When we cymakers are listening. asked those who supported the concept to indicate which level of government should Stark Diversity of Opinion pay for SROs, 27% indicated the federal PAGE also received thousands of government should do so, 21.5% chose responses to the two open-ended questions “state government,” 5.7% indicated “local included in the survey, and each one was school district,” 0.3% selected “local parent reviewed. The two opportunities for opengroup,” a plurality, 34.8% of respondents, ended participant comment were: support a “shared funding responsibility” • “What do you think should be done and 10.7% of respondents are “unsure.” to increase safety of students and When asked about restricted school educators in schools?” access, 77.2% of participants indicated • “Please provide any other comments that their schools currently restrict access, you may have on school safety.” 19% indicated their schools do not Themes in the comments are clear, August/September 2018
How safe do you feel at school?
34%
Very safe Relatively safe
56%
Relatively unsafe
8%
Very unsafe
2% 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
If you answered “Yes” on the previous question, who should pay for the SRO?. Federal Government
27%
State Government
22%
Local School District
6%
Local Parent Group
0.3%
Shared Funding Responsibility
35%
Unsure
11% 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
though stark diversity of opinion is also apparent. PAGE did not survey on gun reform issues beyond questions related to arming educators at school, but we did receive many comments supporting and opposing gun reform outside of the school setting. In their comments, survey participants also mentioned strong opposition to and support for allowing educators to carry firearms in schools. Open-ended responses showed strong support for increased focus on student mental health; smaller class sizes; and lower school-counselor ratios. Participants also frequently mentioned support for increased SRO presence and improved school safety infrastructure, such as bulletproof glass, door locks, intercoms, panic buttons, metal detectors n and cameras. PAGE ONE 23
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Educator Well-Being Employee Assistance Programs Provide Counseling and Referrals for all Types of Work and Life Concerns
24  PAGE ONE
August/September 2018
By Christine Van Dusen
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lmost every week, Dawn Meyers encountered educators who needed help: A woman who was being abused by her husband, another whose son had died, another who was struggling with alcohol addiction. Each time, Meyers — a former social worker who is now associate superintendent of policy and school support services in the Clarke County School District — referred these teachers and staff to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Offered as part of the district’s insurance plan, the EAP provides employees with free and confidential mental-health counseling. “It’s so easy and seamless when you have an EAP,” Meyers said. “You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. The EAP helps you do that.” Student poverty, gun violence, budget cuts, standardized testing, disruptive behavior, parental pressure, weather disasters — with all of these issues swirling around education, being a teacher today is stressful and sometimes overwhelming, to put it mildly. And that takes a toll on the mental health of the country’s educators. So Georgia’s school districts are increasingly offering EAPs to help employees cope with everything from family issues, to emotional, financial and legal challenges.
Employee assistance programs are effective, and employees who use them miss work less frequently, according to a study from the OMNI Institute, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program. “EAPs are a first entry point for millions of employees and dependents seeking short-term counseling and specialized referrals for all types of work-and-life concerns,” the report states. Another study, this one from Beacon Health Options, found that EAPs can decrease absenteeism by 55 percent and increase productivity by 63 percent. To be sure, there can be some perceived barriers. Some educators feel ashamed about having personal challenges or mental-health concerns, and believe there is a stigma associated with psychological counseling, particularly for those who work with children. And some educators worry that the counseling sessions won’t be private because the EAP is offered through their employers. Meyers has heard these concerns before. “But honestly, it’s the easiest thing in the world,” she said. “You don’t have to spend time figuring out insurance or pay a lot for an appointment. All of that might stop someone from getting help. With an EAP, you can get back in the
“The sedentary nature of the profession, the continuous exposure to germs, the tendency to snack on poor-quality foods, the imbalance of giving and receiving, the stress of the profession, the decline of appreciation and much more have caused an influx of behavioral and physical health problems that are seriously impacting the profession. … The levels of burnout for faculty and administrators are alarmingly high.” — TeacherCoach co-founder Jared Scherz, Ph.D., M.Ed., ACS
August/September 2018
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“I can’t imagine a better tool for teacher recruitment and retention than one that keeps you healthy, mentally.” — Valerie Suessmith, assistant superintendent for human resources, Henry County Schools saddle at work. That’s a good investment in resources. Really, it’s a gift.”
Teaching Is Emotionally Taxing The United States has not paid enough attention to the mental wellbeing of K-12 faculty, according to Jared Scherz, Ph.D., M.Ed., ACS, co-founder of TeacherCoach, a consulting firm that offers personal and professional development for educators and school districts. “The sedentary nature of the profession, the continuous exposure to germs, the tendency to snack on poor-quality foods, the imbalance of giving and receiving, the stress of the profession, the decline of appreciation and much more have caused an influx of behavioral and physical health problems that are seriously impacting the profession,” he said. “The levels of burnout for faculty and administrators are alarmingly high.” Education, Scherz said, is one of the most emotionally taxing professions. “Teachers are highly imbalanced between what they give and receive,” he said. “Educators often feel devalued by the system, administrators, students and parents, and by not having their opinion considered or provided sufficient resources to do their work. Without proper mental health for educators, there is no possible way to improve student outcomes.”
Teachers who are more in tune with their emotional health are better able to serve as behavioral models for students, he said. “Teaching empathy, a tolerance for distress and constructive differencing can’t occur when teachers are unwell,” he said. Scherz has seen an increasing number of districts around the country offering EAPs as an antidote. “The reason why EAP’s are being offered is because absenteeism, turnover, recruitment, job stress and illness are all at alarming levels,” he said. “The EAP is an attempt to help the problem.” He recognizes that some educators could be hesitant to use the program. But that can be countered by better communication and awareness of what the EAP is, how it works, and the good it can do, Scherz said. “Schools need to take the next step,” he added.
Confidential and Free of Charge Some in Georgia are doing just that. Henry County Schools, for example, began offering the benefit in July. “We had been wanting to offer an EAP for many years, but with budgets being so tight it was not until we could determine a funding source that we were able to move forward with the idea,” said Valerie Suessmith, assistant superintendent for human resources at Henry County Schools. The district funds its EAP with federal Title II
“It’s the easiest thing in the world. You don’t have to spend time figuring out insurance or pay a lot for an appointment. All of that might stop someone from getting help. With an EAP, you can get back in the saddle at work. That’s a good investment in resources.” — Dawn Meyers, associate superintendent, Clarke County Schools
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August/September 2018
“These supports help educators feel better, perform better and model better for their students — and that’s incredibly important in the high-pressure and high-stakes world of K-12 education.” — Donna Bulla, director of human resources, Madison County Schools
funds that have been earmarked for recruiting, preparing, training and developing teachers and school administrators. “I can’t imagine a better tool for teacher recruitment and retention than one that keeps you healthy, mentally,” Suessmith said. A key part of making this EAP a success, she said, will be making sure the district’s educators understand how it works. “We want our employees to understand that this is a completely confidential and free-of-charge service,” she said. “Nobody at the central level is saying, ‘15 teachers from XYZ elementary school used it last month.’ That’s not how it works.” The program also includes legal consultations, retirement planning, prenatal programs, elder care and life-events services, she said. The district is now expanding its program to include the family members of employees. The program provides up to eight sessions per issue, per family member. “In terms of funding, we’ll have to figure out how to continue to fund it if we can’t keep doing Title II after the one-year contract is up. But I’m sure we will find funding somewhere,” Suessmith said. “The scope and breadth of our EAP should have a direct impact on the health and well-being of our employees, which should directly impact their effectiveness on the job and overall job satisfaction.”
‘Stronger, Happier Employees’ The Madison County School District instituted an EAP a few years ago to give staff members a way to address issues affecting them outside of work “so they can be stronger, happier employees,” said Bonnie Knight, assistant superintendent. “This will ultimately benefit our students and schools.” Teachers need to be able to build strong, caring relationships in order for students to succeed, said Donna Bulla, director of human resources. “If teachers have good mental health, they are better equipped to build those relationships and will hopefully be happier and more content in their positions.” Bulla takes care to remind teachers and staff that asking for help is taking a positive approach. “Mental healthcare issues are not always black and white,” she said. “Teachers need to feel comfortable using these supports without judgment.” These supports help educators feel better, perform better and model better for their students — and that’s incredibly important in the high-pressure and highstakes world of K-12 education.” “We can’t help students or solve any problem in education without attending to the well-being of educators,” Scherz concluded. n
“We want our employees to understand that this is a completely confidential and free-of-charge service. Nobody at the central level is saying, ‘15 teachers from XYZ elementary school used it last month.’ That’s not how it works.” — Valerie Suessmith, assistant superintendent for human resources, Henry County Schools
August/September 2018
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Legal
PAGE Attorneys Use Real Cases and Hypotheticals to Vividly Illustrate Code of Ethics Standards By Leonard D. Williams, PAGE Staff Attorney
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s a service to Georgia’s education community, PAGE provides free presentations of the Code of Ethics for Educators throughout the state. The Code of Ethics (COE), a code of conduct created by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, consists of 10 professional and ethical standards for educators and aspiring educators. The standards cover such issues as conduct with students, school funds and property, confidential information and testing. Disciplinary sanctions for violations of the COE include warnings, reprimands, suspensions and revocations. PAGE frequently presents the COE to schoolsystem personnel, students in educator preparation programs and other groups throughout Georgia. We
provided more than 400 presentations during the 2017-2018 school year and expect to provide a similar number of presentations this school year. Educators especially appreciate that PAGE attorneys use real-world cases and hypothetical scenarios to illustrate the essential points of each standard. Alyssa Degliumberto, an administrator in Forsyth
“The PAGE attorney was engaging, yet serious on this very important topic. She was able to [address] real Georgia cases and ensure our staff was knowledgeable to start the school year.” — Alyssa Degliumberto, Forsyth County Schools
yers coming out to refresh us on the legal issues that affect teachers in the classroom. They always make it fun, interesting and relatable; it is not just a lecture.” And Felecia Spicer, an educator for Fayette PAGE Attorney Matthew Pence demystifies the Code of County Public Schools “Mr. Pence began Ethics for Lake Forest Elementary (Fulton) staff. shared, “Before Matthew Pence, the Code of Ethics presenting the presentation was never Code of Ethics County Schools, stated that the COE pre- met with enthusiasm. … Mr. Pence began to my staff six years ago, sentation at her school “made the words presenting the Code of Ethics to my staff on paper really come to life.” She added six years ago, and now, they honestly look and now, they honestly that, “The PAGE attorney was engaging, forward to hearing his insights. He knows look forward to hearing yet serious on this very important topic. how to apply each standard to a realistic She was able to [address] real Georgia situation; he is engaging and appropriately his insights. He knows cases and ensure our staff was knowlentertaining.” how to apply each edgeable to start the school year.” An integral part of PAGE’s mission standard to a realistic A Jackson County educator shared is to share information about the Code that each time she has heard Margaret of Ethics with educators. Mant potential situation; he is engaging Elliott’s Code of Ethics presentation “it legal and ethical pitfalls can be avoided and appropriately has been so eye-opening while being when educators are simply aware of the entertaining.” entertaining at the same time. I highly standards. recommend this presentation for anyFor more information about the Code — Felecia Spicer, one working in a school setting.” of Ethics, or if you are interested in Fayette County Schools Lara Jackson, a Banks County educascheduling a COE presentation, please n tor, said, “We appreciate the PAGE lawcontact PAGE. 28 PAGE ONE
August/September 2018
engag
teach 21st-century learners
technology
This PAGE One column features technology-in-the-classroom advice from tech-savvy Georgia educators.
Technology in the Classroom:
Flipgrid Video Response Platform Fosters an Engaged Learning Community By Lindsey Martin, Instructional Technology Specialist, Lowndes County Schools
T
eachers constantly seek tools to help engage students in a meaningful and sustained manner. We want our students to love the material just as we do, and we strive to infuse them with our passion. A few summers ago, at a Regional Educational Service Agency presentation, I heard Barrow County Media Specialist Andy Plemmons enthuse about Flipgrid, an interactive website that allows teachers to post questions or discussion points that students respond to using video. Plemmons’ passion inspired me to try it, and I found it to be a highly engaging platform. (Note: Whereas the software used to allow a teacher to create only one free grid, this summer Microsoft purchased Flipgrid, giving educators unlimited grids for free.) Flipgrid is easily navigated and manipulated. Once you create an account at flipgrid.com, you can start creating grids. Think of a grid like a classroom or group of users. A grid houses topics or questions posed by a teacher. A teacher can choose whether approval is required before a student posts a video, the video time limit, whether the video is private (to just the teacher) or open for classmates to view and if students may include outside links. Teachers also may include rubrics for grading responses and can reply to student responses via video or text. Flipgrid is device agnostic; students can August/September 2018
use it on any device with internet access, and they need not create an account to use the platform. Each topic is assigned a code and password that students enter to ensure their responses align with the correct question. Once they enter the grid code, they’ll see the teacher’s question. The camera will activate, and students can respond to the prompt and re-record if necessary. When finished with their response, students are asked to take a selfie. This is one of the students’ favorite options because they can add stickers and drawings to their selfie. The Opportunities are Limitless I have seen teachers use Flipgrid for students to give short speeches, explain math concepts, argue for one side of a persuasive topic, create an infomercial for a geographic region and explain chemical reactions from a science experiment. Flipgrid also can be leveraged to gather student opinions on school activities, favorite books and school dance themes.
Additionally, teachers can find a wealth of assignment suggestions made by other educators on the Flipgrid Discovery page. One user suggests using Flipgrid to have new teachers introduce themselves to the district. The opportunities are limitless. Ambitious educators can earn Flipgrid certifications as they increasingly infuse the tool into their classrooms. One of the best parts about Flipgrid is the community of learners that blooms. When teachers allow students to view their peers’ videos, of course they are embarrassed at first, but then they absolutely love it. And what better way to review content than to hear it from their peers? Students also can respond to their peers using friendly emojis that reinforce the presenter. Flipgrid has developed into a major player in integrating technology into classrooms and empowering student voice. It fosters a learning community in the classroom and offers teachers an authentic look into how well a student n comprehends the content. Lindsey Martin is an instructional technology specialist for Lowndes County Schools and serves on the PAGE board of directors. She is a Google-certified educator and trainer and a Flipgrid-certified educator. Martin earned a master’s degree in education from Troy University and has a specialist in instructional technology degree from Valdosta State University. PAGE ONE 29
Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Share Their Favorite Tech Tools What makes a good teacher great? In part, it’s their effective use of technology to make lessons pop and stick. Below, Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists share their favorite tools. By Meg Thornton, PAGE One Editor Nancy Rogers, Thomas County Central Middle School CommonLit, Newsela, Google Classroom CommonLit.org is a feature-rich English language arts resource that helps students become better readers and writers. After teachers select a theme, discussion question and reading level, CommonLit serves up poems, news articles, short stories and more, all of which can be downloaded without signing up for an account. Materials align with state standards. According to Rogers, the questions typically are engaging and challenging, and they provide practice on skills that students need most. “It can be individualized for each student, and I can allow them to redo the assessments if students do not perform well,” she said. CommonLit.org is non profit. Newsela provides daily articles on current events. “It helps me connect my students to their world, while developing their reading and writing skills,” said Rogers, adding that it is especially beneficial for rural schools like hers. “I use Newsela for articles of the week with my students to keep them abreast of what is going on in the world.” Each passage can be leveled for different readers,
CommonLit 30 PAGE ONE
which is important to Rogers because she teaches three eighth-grade levels. Rogers also uses Google Classroom as the major means of communication/ assignments with students. “It has been game-changing!” she noted. Shaylen Dixon, Peachtree City Elementary School [Fayette] Kahoot! Kahoot! is a game-like student-response tool that sparks competitive fun. “They love it. It is like dangling candy in front of them. They will do anything when Kahoot is involved,” said Dixon. Kahoots are best played in a group setting, like a classroom or a conference room. Players join in using their own device, and they do not need an account to play. Doug Doblar, Math and Science, R.D. Head Elementary School [Gwinnett] Seesaw Doblar calls Seesaw a “digital SwissArmy-Knife for teachers. … It combines a lot of tools I used to have to go all over the place to get,” he said. Students can create voice-over videos, post pictures, share information, create tutorials,
record science labs, get links and so on. “I would be lost without it,” he added. Maleah Stewart, speech-language pathologist, North Forsyth Middle School Echo Dot “I love my Alexa [Echo Dot],” exclaimed Stewart. “She has become part of our classroom community.” Her classroom’s favorite Alexa skill is “Play Ditty,” which prompts Alexa to play songs of various genres. “Alexa brings so much laughter to our classroom,” Steward added. Kayla Yeargin, Troup High School Google Expeditions, GeoGebra, Twitter Google Expeditions take students on virtual field trips. By looking through the viewer, students can swim beneath the ocean with sharks or visit the vastness of outer space. GeoGebra enables students to create, share and modify math models and simulations. “Transformations are shown in a matter of seconds,” said Yeargin. Her students also tweet to show their knowledge and take polls to analyze real life-data. “The variety of technology keeps my students engaged and wanting more,” she added.
Seesaw August/September 2018
Stephanie Vidrine, Woodstock Middle School [Cherokee] Smart Board, graphing calculators Vidrine’s favorite tool is the Smart Board. She shows engaging videos to introduce new concepts, and students enjoy using it to teach classmates. Vidrine also likes to show students how graphing calculators can further their understanding of concepts. Ike Thompson, Veterans High School [Houston] Video cameras, green screens and editing software Thompson, who teaches Advanced Placement language arts, used grant money to buy video cameras, a green screen and video editing software. Now his students create commercials, documentaries, movie shorts and more to creatively present traits of rhetoric. “Not only do students enjoy using the video equipment, but they are proficient in doing so, often creating some really innovative and entertaining projects,” said Thompson. Melanie Thompson, Georgia Academy for the Blind [Bibb] IPad apps, including Voiceover “The iPad and its virtually limitless list of apps is my favorite technology to use with my students,” said Thompson. Lately, she and her students have been making a lot of science-related videos. Students access their materials on iPads via Voiceover and use their own refreshable Braille devices that pair with the iPads. “We can do everything from making movies to expanding on lessons with educational apps, music and videos; composing documents; making sound effects to playing fun trivia … and educational games,” said Thompson.
could and start sharing about what I was doing with my class.” Why was this advice so life-changing for Townsend? “Before I joined, I didn’t even realize how isolating of a profession teaching could be at times,” she said. “When I joined Twitter, it was like I KidBlog was being welcomed into an encouraging, innovative and inspiring family of educators from all around the world. The people I have “met” over Twitter have inspired me to be 10 times the teacher I once was. With every tweet about my classroom, I am reflecting, learning and growing alongside my students in front of an authentic audience.” Twitter also has opened up opportunities for her students to share their voice beyond the classroom. “Our purpose has grown from simply completing tasks in a small, closed-off classroom to having a n global impact,” said Townsend.
GeoGebra
ONLINE DUAL ENROLLMENT
Allison Kerley Townsend, Barnwell Elementary School [Fulton], 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year Twitter, KidBlog, Skype Kerley uses technology to connect students with people outside of their classroom. “We use tools like KidBlog, Twitter and Skype to connect with other students, teachers and professionals all over the world,” she noted. She said that the best advice she ever received came from another teacher at her school: “He encouraged me to join Twitter, follow as many educators as I August/September 2018
PAGE ONE 31
Attention PAGE Teacher Academy Alumni PAGE is evaluating professional learning initiatives that we have offered to Georgia educators throughout the years. To that end, we are asking all former PAGE Teacher Academy participants to please share current information about yourselves via the short form at www.pageinc.org/teacher-academy-alumni. If you have questions, please email teacheracademy@ pageinc.org. Your personal information will be kept confidential.
OFFICERS President: Dr. Hayward Cordy President-Elect: Nick Zomer Treasurer Lamar Scott Past President: Kelli De Guire Secretary Megan King DIRECTORS District 1 District 8 Dr. Oatanisha Dawson Lindsey Martin District 2 District 9 Brecca Pope Jennie Persinger District 3 District 10 Jamilya M. Mayo Khrista Henry District 4 District 11 Rochelle Lofstrand Dr. Sandra Owens District 5 District 12 TBD TBD District 6 District 13 Dr. Susan Mullins Daerzio Harris District 7 Lance James DIRECTORS REPRESENTING RETIRED MEMBERS Vickie Hammond Stephanie Davis Howard
32 PAGE ONE
Continued from page 7
of human trafficking only includes kidnapped girls locked up in a house, that’s often not reality. Much more common are school-aged girls who are manipulated and controlled by an adult — possibly even a relative — and the child still attends school. Educators may misread the signs of trafficking as difficult family situations or adolescent angst when the situation is actually much more desperate. Children caught up in these circumstances are conditioned to provide evasive or plausible answers to whatever catches an outsider’s attention. Law enforcement professionals inform us that breaking through to the truth requires awareness, persistence and trust. As the presenter said, educators — like law enforcement — develop a finely tuned “gut” instinct that tells you when something with a student isn’t quite right. Observe. Intervene. Refer. Follow-up. Follow-up, again. Let’s commit this year to being aware and being a lifeline for kids who need it. n You might save a life, or 10 or 20.
The articles published in PAGE One represent the views of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, except where clearly stated. Contact the editor: Meg Thornton, mthornton@pageinc.org; PAGE One, PAGE, P.O. Box 942270, Atlanta, GA 31141-2270; 770-216-8555 or 800-334-6861. Contributions/gifts to the PAGE Foundation are deductible as charitable contributions by federal law. Costs for PAGE lobbying on behalf of members are not deductible. PAGE estimates that 7 percent of the nondeductible portion of your 2018-19 dues is allocated to lobbying. PAGE One (ISSN 1523-6188) is mailed to all PAGE members, selected higher education units and other school-related professionals. An annual subscription is included in PAGE membership dues. A subscription for others is $10 annually. Periodicals class nonprofit postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices. (USPS 017-347) Postmaster: Send address changes to PAGE One, P.O. Box 942270, Atlanta, GA 31141–2270. PAGE One is published five times a year (January, March, May, August and October) by New South Publishing Inc., 9040 Roswell Road, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA 30350; 770-650-1102. Copyright ©2018.
August/September 2018
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