WALKtober

Four weeks of fun on foot around Intown

Pedestrian advocacy organization

PEDS is hosting WALKtober Oct. 1-31, a series of walks that will explore the BeltLine, neighborhoods and historic sites.

PEDS will lead five fun walks and is encouraging people in the community to create and lead others. Walks are free and open to all.

• Saturday, Oct. 1: Northside BeltLine Trail, 10 a.m.

• Thursday, Oct. 6: Oakland Cemetery, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 15: Lullwater Preserve, 10 a.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 22: Westview Cemetery, 2 p.m.

• Monday, Oct. 31: Midtown Java Walk, 7:30 a.m.

“WALKtober is all about the fun of exploring someplace new or enjoying the outdoors with others,” said PEDS President Sally Flocks. “Singles, families, friends, millennials or seniors…if you’re a walking enthusiast, we hope you’ll join

NPR [National Public Radio] study showed it’s the largest and fastest turnaround in the nation’s history, with graduation rates increasing by 19 percent.”

Under Georgia’s OSD, the state would have four options for underperforming schools: a full takeover; shared operation with a school’s local district; conversion to charter school; and, as a last resort, closing the school.

Former APS Board of Education member

Cecily Harsch-Kinnane, an opponent of the OSD, said she believed the plan was wellintentioned, but unnecessary. Preferring the term “chronically struggling” schools, she said the Georgia Department of Education already has the power to help troubled schools and questioned why a constitutional amendment was necessary.

Harsch-Kinnane also refuted the successes of Louisiana’s reform, stating that statistics show that New Orleans now has a high number of dropouts and that ACT scores were so low that kids can’t go to college. “As a model, I wouldn’t say that Louisiana’s plan has been a raging success,” she commented.

Another opponent, Michelle Constantinides, said the OSD plan failed to address issues within the community where a failing school is located. “Are there medical needs? Are the kids coming to school hungry? Are they rested? I wish the governor would look at these issues as well,” she said. “There’s one school in APS where 52 languages are spoken. How is that addressed?”

Harsch-Kinnane agreed, stating that a school cannot be fixed without fixing the community. “There needs to be a focus on health, housing, psychological issues and public safety,” she said.

Current APS Board of Education member Nancy Meister said the district had been working hard alongside Superintendent Meria Carstarphen to turnaround the 22 failing schools.

“We are trying to be proactive so we don’t became part of OSD should it happen,” Meister said. “We have targeted our lowest performing schools, partnered with outside resources, and took $23 million out of this year’s budget to turn these schools around so we are not on the list.”

APS Board of Education chair Courtney English said the district was “locked like a laser on what’s best for the kids.” one or more of our five fun walks, or plan your own walk and add it to the calendar at walktoberATL. org.”

“We have a turnaround plan in place and we’re going to be successful,” English said.

Walks can go anywhere or even have a theme. A few ideas: Walk to School Day (which is a national event on Oct. 5), explore Chattahoochee Nature, Morningside Nature Preserve or Arabia Mountain, or dress up and lead a Halloween walk.

Once a walk is on the calendar, anyone in the community is welcome to join. Be sure to visit walktoberatl.org for the latest calendar of walks and to RSVP for the PEDS walks.