vol. 2
september 2013
Fulton County School System
INSIDER Making a difference with music She may only be five feet tall, but Amber Weldon-Stephens is a force. Whether she’s leading a group of elementary school students through a round of songs or providing direction to her college interns, it doesn’t take long to get the sense that she’s the right person for the job. As the Music Therapy Chair for Fulton County Schools, Weldon-Stephens makes a difference every day in the lives of Fulton’s students with disabilities. Housed at Sweet Apple Elementary School, she provides music therapy for students in the Georgia Network of Educational Therapeutic Services (GNETS) as well as other students with disabilities in north Fulton. “Music therapy uses music to attain a student’s therapeutic goals such as academic skills, communication skills as well as fine and gross motor skills,” she explains.
LEARNING LEADERSHIP
LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
STRATEGIC PLAN
FACE OF FULTON
District prepares to honor employees at annual luncheon
Read answers to commonly asked questions about Fulton’s Stategic Plan
Chick-fil-A Foundation offers kids leadership opp
Meet this month’s award winner from Alpharetta High School
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a publication of Fulton County Schools
2 Fulton County Schools is one of only two school systems in Georgia with a music therapy program. The Music Therapy Program falls under the Music Education Program in the Fulton County Schools, and as part of the county system, students in the GNETS program are served. What does a music therapy lesson look like? Weldon-Stephens points out that it looks very much like a general education lesson with music as the driver of instruction. “We do everything teachers do, we just do it musically,” she says. For younger students, the music therapy replaces a regular music class; however, some students receive a music education block as well as a music therapy block to enhance their skills in the areas of academics and communication. For WeldonStephens and the 12 other music therapists
who provide services for students at 65 Fulton schools, it means teaching students the necessary domains (communication, academic, motor, emotional and social) through music. Take, for example, the unit music therapists may work on in early September. In light of 9/11, the unit focuses on patriotism. But it’s not just singing. A music therapist will lead students through the song, “This Land is Your Land,” while asking them to identify states. They’ll also participate in a parade where they wave miniature flags while singing (this is after they’ve counted the stars and stripes on the flag). Older students even work on a lyric analysis of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Maybe that’s why she’s so passionate about her job – each day, each lesson she goes to work knowing that she can make a difference.
“It really is just the most rewarding job,” she says. And it does seem like it was meant to be. Flashback to 1990. Weldon-Stephens had just graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in music therapy. She knew she wanted to make a difference, but she wasn’t sure how that would translate into a job. She was hired by then superintendent James Fox to begin a music therapy program for Fulton County Schools, but the program didn’t make it through the final round of budget cuts. Scrambling to find a new job, she was hired the Saturday before the new school year started to teach general music at Conley Hills Elementary School. She won Conley Hills Teacher of the Year that year and left the classroom the following year to begin the county’s music therapy program. “For five years it was just me, driving all around town in my little car with a guitar, cassette tapes and ten pairs of sticks in the back seat,” she recalls. “I was the only music therapist serving 13 schools, so each day I was at a different location.” Then in 1998 Fulton County Schools started an internship program with the American Therapy Music Association. Today, there are only seven internship sites in school systems across the United States with Fulton’s being the largest. A group of new interns started this year, bringing the total number of interns who have moved through the program since its inception to around 70.
Fulton’s Music Therapy Staff L-R Top: Brittany Taylor, Missy Worden, Harry Lester, Roy Joyner, Joe Bailey, Natalie Generally, Marsha Lane, Stephanie Guest L-R Bottom: Carol Statella-Harris, Rachel Coon-Arnott, Amber Weldon-Stephens, Kirby Carruth, Jessica Brodley-Lopez
“All of our music therapists hold certification or degrees in music education,” Weldon-Stephens says. “Since we’re one of only a few places where you can intern, we have people applying from all around the country.” Watching Weldon-Stephens interact with the latest group of interns and it’s obvious that interns are drawn to Fulton County for another reason – the woman behind the program is inspiring.
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Students participate in Chick-fil-A Leader Academy The Fulton County Humanities Department has partnered with the Chick-fil-A Foundation to provide the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, a unique leadership experience for more than 90 students at three Fulton County high schools this year. Students from Centennial High School, Tri-Cities High School, and Westlake High School were recommended to participate in this program by their teachers. After being selected, they had to make the commitment to engage in leader labs each month after school and complete an impact project. Students attended an inspirational kick-off at the Georgia Tech Ferst Center on Sept. 27. The experience included key community leaders with valuable messages about leadership and creating value in leadership. In addition to inspiring leadership, the kick-off served as an opportunity for FCS students to give back to their community by participating in a large scale community service project with Kids Against Hunger where FCS students helped to prepare and pack over 25,000 meals for the Atlanta Food Bank. These meals will help to feed children and their families in the Atlanta area. According to Tri-Cities HS student Aminah Muhammand, the kick-off event was “epic.”
“ The way that the speakers engaged the audience through music and educational games really attracted everyone,” she says. “The fact that we were able to learn different skills and tools to help our communities while still having fun and enjoying ourselves was very interesting to me. We were encouraged to go outside the norms of society and be remarkable instead of being normal. I definitely felt remarkable after we helped package raw foods for the Kids Against Hunger organization. Now I am motivated to come back to school and create something to positively affect my community. I am so thankful to my school facilitators, Ms. Parks and Ms. McDaniel, for nominating me for this academy. This will be an inspiring experience to be a part of. I am sure of it.” Over the next seven months, these students will continue to learn about leadership in Leader Labs which will focus on building the following core leadership principles: Vision and Values, Service Leadership, Teamwork, Communication, Innovation, Impact, and Next Steps. Students will also work together to create “impact community service projects” that will be implemented at each designated school site. Some impact projects previous schools
have completed include: hosting a carnival for special needs students, visiting senior citizens on a weekly basis to serve them meals and spend quality time playing games and reading together, creating an afterschool tutorial program for struggling elementary school students and conducting a book drive to collect books for economically disadvantaged students. According to Kelley Webb, a Humanities Program Specialist for the Central Learning Community, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy will teach students the true meaning of leadership: serving others and creating value for others. “This academy is unique in its hands-on approach and project-based leadership,” she says. “The students will not just be talking about leadership and how to make an impact, but they will actually become leaders and make an impact on their community.” Webb says that the Humanities Department is looking forward to working to transform schools in Fulton County and make an impact on surrounding communities.
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Fulton prepares to honor its finest durin Each year, the Fulton County School System honors its employees of the year and exemplary business partners with an awards gala known as the “Legacy of Excellence.” The luncheon is sponsored by the Fulton Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial and in-kind support to the Fulton County School System. The Foundation’s Board of Directors include business and community volunteers who are committed to developing new resources, building collaborative relationships, and strengthening the link between business, community and schools.
Teacher of the Year Jennie Scott from Oak Knoll Elementary School is the district’s Overall Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014. Each spring, Fulton County schools are invited to nominate outstanding educators based on teacher, staff and parent input. These professionals are then evaluated a second time through a classroom visit and interview, and one finalist is announced from each of Fulton’s geographic Learning Communities – Northeast, Northwest, Central and South. From these four educators, one is chosen as the Fulton County Overall Teacher of the Year. Jennie Scott, in her own words, believes that the act of learning can be “loud,”“messy” and “scary.”“When students are in control of their learning and allowed to question and make meaning on their own terms, it can be downright scary. But I am committed to this
loud, messy, scary meaning-making,” she wrote in her Teacher of the Year application essay. “I believe that students must see education as their ticket to a successful life, a ‘how-to’ guide to solving real problems in their lives rather than a series of rote, forced steps that must be endured until the age of 18.” In her fourth-grade math, science and social studies classroom, Scott has a plan for her students. By the time they leave her class, she wants them not only to understand the content, but be able to apply it, evaluate it, and become lifelong learners and problem solvers. Scott’s dedication to her students and to Oak Knoll Elementary also is the reason principal Angela Parham calls Scott’s presence in he school “uniquely enriching.” “She is passionate about educating students so that they will succeed despite their ability, learning style, interest and preference in learning,” Parham says. Each Learning Community selected a Teacher of the Year. From those four, Scott, representing the Central Learning Community was selected as the districtwide winner. The finalists for the other learning communities include: Michelle Aga – Northeast Learning Community Teacher of the Year Michelle Wexler – Northwest Learning Community Teacher of the Year Jennifer Page – South Learning Community Teacher of the Year
Principal of the Year Melinda Springman of Elkins Pointe Middle School is the district’s 2013-2014 “Principal of the Year.” “I am so thankful for the recognition of our hard work at Elkins Pointe Middle School,” says Springman. I am blessed to work with a team of passionate, focused educators both within my school and throughout the Fulton County Schools district. It is an exciting time to be a principal, and I look forward to the opportunities that are coming our way. Principals were asked to nominate a peer who exemplified the school system’s beliefs and mission and how those exemplify the district’s strategic goals. From the nominations, four finalists were chosen from each of the district’s learning communities – Joy Schroerlucke of Holcomb Bridge Middle School (Northeast Learning Community), Melinda Springman of Elkins Pointe Middle School (Northwest Learning Community), Ivy Freeman of Dunwoody Springs Elementary School (Central Learning Community) and Carlene Millen of Palmetto Elementary School (South Learning Community). “We have many strong principals in Fulton County Schools, and Melinda Springman has risen to the top as a stellar leader,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. “She embodies a true passion for learning and teaching, and she brings enormous energy and dedication to her work. It’s exciting to see the students and staff at Elkins Pointe excel under her leadership.”
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ng annual luncheon In her nomination essay, Springman said that her mission at Elkins Pointe is to empower students for tomorrow’s global society. She recognizes that today’s students are more technology savvy than the generations before and through her school’s technology initiatives, she works to close the digital divide where some students have access to technology and others do not. The result has been higher student achievement and an increased appetite to learn. Since a strong middle school foundation is the stepping stone for success in high school, she believes that Elkins Pointe must offer rigorous programs that guide students toward college and career readiness. Through her leadership, the school also created an “On Pointe” program that focuses on preparing at-risk students for high school graduation. In her eyes, it’s never too early to set attainable goals for the future. In addition to strong academics, Springman also believes in educating “the whole child.” During the 2012-2013 school year, Elkins Pointe added two new courses, a Leadership Academy and Adventure Quest. Both courses focus on developing confidence and decision-making in crisis situations – allowing students to reflect on their own beliefs and strengthen their self-esteem. Students involved in these courses have benefited from the relationships they have formed and their academic performance has improved as well. As Fulton’s Principal of the Year, Springman will represent Fulton County Schools over the next year in leadership situations at the local and state level, providing a voice for the district’s
principals and administrators
Professionals of the Year Ron Willhite of Milton High School and Patricia Caffrey of the Professional Learning Center South have been selected as the district’s 2013-2014 School Professional of the Year and Support Professional of the Year, respectively. Every spring, each Fulton County school and administrative building is invited to select an employee – other than a teacher – that has made a positive impact on students and contributed to the school or department’s overall success. From these, one finalist is announced from each of Fulton’s geographic Learning Communities – Northeast, Northwest, Central and South – as well as from the district’s central support centers. Overall, the school system selects one School Professional of the Year along with one Support Professional of the Year. Ron Willhite – School Professional of the Year Ron Willhite, a school resource officer at Milton High School, puts his students’ needs above his own. “I desire the Milton High School cluster schools to be the safest schools in the state,” he says. “I meet with administration, teachers and staff daily to help address any concerns they may have and try to make myself available for any events, activities or special projects.” This dedication to service is what makes Officer Willhite an exemplary employee, according to Cliff Jones, Milton High principal. “Ron is skillful and highly analytical when approaching the never-ending challenges
of keeping our school safe,” Jones says. “Not easily flustered, he displays a calm and confident manner while working through problems with students and families. He is very good at performing triage in setting his work schedule by addressing problems that impact learning and teaching as the highest priority while balancing his other responsibilities.” But Officer Willhite doesn’t take the spotlight easily – he wants to share it. “I am surrounding by an exceptional staff at Milton High School. Each one goes beyond their ‘job description’ to serve the school, students and staff. They give out of their own time and resources to make Milton what it is. Many are worthy of this honor.” Patricia Caffrey – Support Professional of the Year Described by her supervisor as an employee who exhibits “grace, courtesy and professionalism,” Patricia Caffrey has served the students and employees of Fulton County Schools as a professional assistant at Ridgeview Charter School as well as the Professional Learning Center South, her current home, for more than 10 years. In these roles, she has stood out as a star employee and has applied her expertise in customer service by sensing the information needs of others and working to fill those voids. “Pat is an exemplar of stellar communication,” says Dr. Lydia Conway, executive director of Professional Learning. “She prides herself in helping each and every person that visits or calls
6 our department needing assistance. She also recognized a district need for better communication of what Professional Learning has to offer. She composes, edits and delivers our bi-weekly communication of learning opportunities titled, ‘The PL Post.’” Heather Wise, program specialist for Professional Learning, agrees with Dr. Conway’s assessment. “As a professional
assistant at PLC South, Pat’s strong work ethic and positive attitude make her the perfect combination of someone who cares about her work as well as her work colleagues,” she says. “Pat is knowledgeable and generous with her skills and talent. She never hesitates to help others and is the epitome of a team player.”
Fulton ranks second in Georgia for overall SAT scores The Fulton County School System has more schools with high SAT performance than any other district in Georgia and is ranked second in overall SAT score. Six Fulton schools also are among the top 20 highest scoring schools in the state, and seven schools reported increased scores from the previous year.
“The SAT is the ‘gold standard’ for accountability. It measures our performance against the nation and gives us a true snapshot of how our students are doing. Nationally and statewide, our students are excelling and outperforming their peers,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. “Although our overall scores dipped this year, I’m not discouraged – far from it. Since 2010, Fulton has risen from being ranked 25th in the state to being ranked second in overall score. That’s remarkable achievement for our students and our schools.” While Fulton’s 2013 scores fell an overall 13 points from the previous year, they still top the state and national average, which remain unchanged from 2012. Although rankings are not officially released, data shows that six schools in Fulton are among the highest-scoring schools in Georgia. They include: Northview High School – 1773 (No. 3); Johns Creek High School – 1707 (No. 6); Milton High School – 1697 (No. 7); Alpharetta High School – 1672 (No. 10); Chattahoochee High School – 1667 (No. 12); and Roswell High School – 1653 (No. 13). In addition, many schools reported increases from the previous year, including Banneker High School and North Springs Charter High School, which posted a 73-point and 87-point gain respectively. Three other schools had double-digit gains – Fulton Science Academy High School (50 points), Milton High School (16 points) and Alpharetta High School (12 points).
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Strategic Plan Q&A Arthur Mills IV, Director, Strategy & Innovation answers some commonly asked questions about the Strategic Plan
1. Why did Fulton County Schools develop a strategic plan? And why now? A strategic plan is an organization’s roadmap to achieve clearly defined goals aligned with its purpose, mission, and values. Strategic plans prioritize which work to pursue, when and where to begin, and how to direct critical resources. Finally, it is a means for publicly documenting an organization’s commitment to improvement. During the over 20-month “Exploring Fulton as a Charter System” community engagement process that began in 2010, we asked parents, teachers, school administrators, students, and community members to describe their “ideal” school. The challenges that more than 1,000 stakeholders identified after 10 large community forums and town hall meetings, thousands of Charter System website visits, focus group sessions with students and staff, and public reports to the Board of Education, led us to develop five strategic focus areas that will guide our work through 2017. These areas – Advancing Instruction, Energizing People, Integrating Technology, Ensuring Effective Schools, and Managing Resources – form the basis of the district’s strategic plan. This work led to a call for action and the three central goals that have become the district’s measure for long-term student success: iGraduation Rate: 90% of Fulton students will graduate on time iCollege Readiness: 85% of Fulton’s seniors will be eligible for admission to a University System of Georgia college or university iCareer Readiness: 100% of Fulton’s graduates will be work ready certified 3. I know the goals, but what work is being done to get us there? Dramatically improving student achievement across the district and transforming the effectiveness of our organization involves critical, interrelated work on several fronts. Staff members are working very hard in multiple central office areas to bring the strategic plan to life. Their tireless effort and commitment are already having an impact on the district.
We are becoming more responsive to individual student needs and developing more personalized learning opportunities for students. We are developing a new balanced assessment plan so our teachers, parents, and students can have access to more timely performance data and feedback that we know makes a difference. We are focused on meeting our students‘ needs for more tailored supports and academic guidance to help them truly be college and career ready, from elementary to high school. We aspire to be the school district of choice for K-12 educators across the nation by building a strong culture of trust, teamwork, and professionalism. For the first time, a team is dedicated to this often overlooked aspect of an organization. We’ve launched strong, consistent performance management programs to identify and recognize outstanding work and provide ongoing support to improve. We’re working to balance pressures to improve with exceptional levels of support to meet the individual professional development needs of our 14,000 employees. PD360 will be a powerful tool to help us address this demand for timely, more relevant professional development that helps staff be more effective. We realize that today’s students crave a rich, engaging learning environment with access to technology that will prepare them for college and career in our digital economy. We are leveraging key learnings from several early instructional technology pilots across the district to better deliver these opportunities for our students. Teachers must have real-time access to data and systems to develop strong lesson plans, manage IEPs and monitor interventions, and collaborate with colleagues. We’ve launched FultonConnect to meet this need and are continuing to expand this platform for our instructional leaders. We must take full advantage of our status as Georgia’s largest Charter System to drive innovation and decision-making to local
schools. Newly developed processes and frameworks are guiding recently formed School Governance Councils to be effective voices of change in their school communities. We’ve developed new, more robust planning processes in central office to deliver improved service to our schools and help them be effective in meeting the needs of students and staff. 5. What is providing oversight to make sure the necessary work is being done? I am leading the district’s oversight and management of strategic plan initiatives. Through a disciplined framework, called Strategic Initiative Management, to drive stronger governance, greater accountability, and increased transparency in the execution of the strategic plan’s 16 initiatives. Ten initiatives began work during the 20122013 school year. Four new initiatives will begin during the 2013-2014 school year. This initial phase of work is laying a critical foundation that the entire program will build upon. I also develop quarterly updates for the Board of Education and the community to provide detail about our progress. District leaders and I routinely discuss the plan with parents, community leaders, staff, and our students, the ultimate beneficiaries of this work, and have gotten candid feedback. 6. How can I stay connected to the work that’s being done? Become familiar with the Strategic Plan. Ask questions about the work. Discuss with your colleagues about what you will do to contribute to our success. Read each month’s Strategic Plan Update and Employee Highlight in The Insider. The first anniversary of our strategic plan launch is coming up in October. Take advantage of current and future opportunities to engage and learn more about our district’s vision to dramatically improve achievement for all students. Continue to visit www.fultonschools.org/ StrategicPlan2017 to stay up to date on current strategic plan progress. Contact us at StrategicPlan2017@fultonschools.org.
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Face of Fulton I am the
I am in charge of bookkeeping and many other activities in the school. I was the principal’s secretary last year and was in charge of ISS the year before. I have an uncanny ability to pick up new jobs within the school and quickly master them. When I leave a previous job, I never let my successor down and never drop the ball. I train the next person and never miss a beat with my new job. I quickly master complex tasks. People say I’m “everywhere” in the school – from athletic events to PTSA breakfasts.
Darlene Gallagher Bookkeeper, Alpharetta High School
I have a positive and friendly attitude – which seems to “catch” throughout the support organization within the front office. I handle problem after problem on a regular basis while being cheerful and encouraging. I keep teachers, administrators, and students focused on the positive and the possibilities.
I AM the Face of Fulton County Schools.
Do you work with someone who deserves to be next month’s Face of Fulton? Nominate him or her today by sending an email to faceoffulton@fultonschools.org. Be sure to give examples of why your nominee deserves this honor. All nominations due the last day of the month.
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