January 16, 2016
Youth
A5
CrossRoadsNews
“Our students will be well-trained to meet the demands of one of Georgia’s strategic industries.”
Central Office revamp OK’d GPTC expands movie, TV courses
The second phase of DeKalb Superintendent R. Stephen Green’s reorganization of the Central Office has been approved by the Board of Education. It includes appointments of four seniorlevel positions previously approved by the board at its Dec. 7, 2015, meeting. “The Central Office reorganization enables the district to achieve the Strategic Plan’s goals and supports the realignment of the core business of improving the teaching and learning experience for increased student achievement,” Green said in a Jan. 11 statement. The following appointments were included in the approval: n Jennifer Hackemeyer, currently general counsel, Georgia Department of Education, to chief legal officer, Office of Legal Affairs. n Eileen Houston-Stewart, currently chief communications and community engagement officer for the Kansas City Public Schools, to interim chief communications and community relations officer, Office of CommuE. Houston-Stewart nications. n Oliver Lewis, currently DeKalb director, Professional Learning, to executive director of Professional Learning, Leadership Development, and STEM Program, Division of Curriculum & Instruction. n Manomay Malathip, currently director, Graduation and Postsecondary Research for the Kansas City Public Schools, to interim executive director of Student Advancement, Manomay Malathip
Division of Student Support & Intervention. In December, Green noted the proposed design had one goal in mind – to improve student learning. “It st re am lines, R. Stephen Green strengthens and makes the district’s executive team more effective, efficient, more responsive – ultimately leading to a higher degree of accountability,” he said. Green proposed his plan after six months of “personal observations, research, evaluations and explorations.” “This design reallocates resources – time and financial,” he said. “It flattens the layers of bureaucracy through decentralization, placing critical human capital and other services in the field. In the end, it will be cost neutral given the overall size of the district’s annual budget of $1.5 billion.” Green said it supports what he calls “the triangulation of services between the superintendent, regional superintendents and auxiliary support.” “Therefore through the elimination of unnecessary functions, the elevation of key functions and services, the reclassification of key positions and functions, and the creation of new positions, the reorganization of operational services is a means to support our ultimate goal: the improvement of teaching and learning for our students.” The 2015-2016 Central Office Reorganization (Phase 2) summary can be found at https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/ViewMeetingOrder. aspx?S=4054&MID=48968, Item F12.
Students interested in movie and TV production will find expanded offerings at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. Continuing education classes include Production Assistant, Independent Producer, and Key Production Assistant. GPTC President Jabari Simama said students completing the courses will be poised to take part in the state’s growing film industry. “We have developed credit and noncredit courses through our Center for Television, Film Jabari Simama and New Media curricula that meet the demands of Georgia’s $6 billion industry,” he said in a Jan. 11 statement. “Our students will be well-trained to meet the demands of one of Georgia’s strategic industries.” The eight-week Production Assistant class, which begins Jan. 25, is taught by Eric Morton, a film/TV production veteran with about 20 years of experience. The course combines hands-on instruction with classroom lectures. Upon completion,
participants will have an understanding of set etiquette, the stages of production, and how to interact effectively with industry personnel. The Production Assistant course, a prerequisite for the other two production courses, will be offered Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the DeKalb campus, 495 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston. Eric Morton It also will be offered during the same time slot on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Newton campus, 8100 Bob Williams Parkway in Covington. The 12-week Independent Producer 101 course will be offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. beginning Feb. 10. The Key Production Assistant class is a two-day workshop that will be held on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on March 19 and again on March 26. They will be taught by Morton at the Newton campus. To register, email contedu@gptc.edu or call 404-297-9522, Ext. 1121.
App Challenge deadline extended DeKalb high school students now have until Jan. 21 to create and submit their own software application for the new Congressional App Challenge. The deadline has been pushed back to Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. The winner will be selected in February by a panel of local computer science professionals and congressional representatives. The contest, which began Nov. 9, is open to all U.S. high school students in participat-
ing districts, including Georgia’s 4th District. It is aimed at encouraging students to learn how to code by creating their own applications, to highlight the value of computer science and STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – education, and encourage students to engage in these fields. For more information and to register, visit www.congressionalappchallenge.us or call U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson’s office at 770987-2291.
DEKALB ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE CHARTER SCHOOL
“Learning with Relationships, Relevance and Rigor!”
Dates for accepting New Student Applications for the 2016-17 school year:
Early Kindergarten Enrollment Only
Open Enrollment K- 8th
Jan. 18–28 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mondays – Thursdays
Feb. 8–11; Feb. 16–18 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Mondays – Thursdays
February 18th is the last day for application submission. For more information or to download an application, please visit us at www.dekalbacademy.org
Lottery Dates Kindergarten - 5th: Feb. 23 • 9:00 a.m. Notification date: Feb. 26 Middle School: March 3 • 9:00 a.m. Notification date: March 9 School Tours 7:30 a.m. 2nd and 3rd Fridays monthly through March 25.
DeKalb Academy of Technology & Environment Charter Schools • 1492 Kelton Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083