Members in the News Jemelleh Coes named Georgia Teacher of the Year
Photo by Frank Fortune
Jemelleh Coes of Langston Chapel Middle School in Bulloch County has been named the 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year. The special education English language arts and reading teacher is now on a year-long sabbatical from the classroom and serving as an ambassador for Georgia educators. Coes is the site coordinator for the 21st Century Community Learning Center, an after-school program serving 100 at-risk
students. As chair and facilitator of the Delta Academy program, she mentors 30 middle schools girls to foster an interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Coes is also active in Kiwanis and Toastmasters, and she leads a monthly craft program for underserved children. The daughter of immigrants from Guyana, Coes is a graduate of Georgia Southern. She has spent her entire teaching career at Langston Chapel, where she is the youngest staff member. A teacher in the classroom and in the community, Coes “is concerned about students’ academic and personal growth,” said school principal Dr. Evelyn GambleHilton. “She helps students become successful and feel good about themselves,” added Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles Wilson. According to Coes, “It is important that lessons are choice-driven, authentically student-centered and goal-oriented.” Her mantra to students is: “You have a choice. Choose wisely.” As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Coes is a contender for the 2014 National Teacher of the Year. Outgoing Bibb Principal Earns National Award
Jemelleh Coes
Dr. Amy Duke, principal of Springdale Elementary in Bibb County, was named Georgia’s
Georgia’s 2014 Budget in a Nutshell For a condensed guide to Georgia’s 2014 budget, take a look at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute’s “Budget Primer 2014.” It is an easy-to-read guide to understanding the state’s revenue collections and spending plan. The Institute does the math and the report tells the story of the numbers. The primer also describes how budget decisions are made under the Gold Dome and provides an analysis of how budget cuts, especially in education and human resources, are harming everyday Georgians. See the full report at gbpi.org/georgia-budgetn primer-2014 or scan the QR code
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Dr. Amy Duke
2013 National Distinguished Principal on May 15 during a surprise ceremony. The award is from the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the U.S. Department of Education. Duke was nominated and selected by fellow principals through a statewide search conducted by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Duke will accept the award in Washington, D.C., in November. The ceremonies will include a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Duke is a three-time winner of the Governor’s Bronze Award for student achievement, and she has earned both the School Bell Award and the Education Patron Award from the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Duke is moving back to her hometown of Dublin to serve as principal of Northwest n Laurens Elementary School.
