PAGE One Magazine, March-April 2014

March/April 2014

STEM

It Makes Us Think

The integration of science, technology, engineering and math goes full STEAM ahead in Georgia, as hundreds of schools seek certification.

PAGE Day on Capitol Hill | Academic Bowl Champions | Online Research Tools

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Contents

March/April 2014

Vol. 35 No. 4

Features

04 STEM: Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

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10 PAGE Principal Leadership Network Georgia K-12 Principals See Robotics in Action Understanding Engagement Has Moved Our Team from Complacency to Collaboration

Columns

Departments

2 From the President Let’s Ensure that STEM Runs Full STEAM Ahead

Legislative Special Report 14 PAGE Day on Capitol Hill

3 From the Executive Director You Are the Secret Sauce in Changing Education Policies

Foundation News 16 Thank You to Our 2013 Donors 20 30th Anniversary PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades State Championship

Legal 30 Disciplinary Policy for Students Committing Violent Acts News and Information 27 Now Showing 31 News Briefs 32 2014 PAGE Planner

24 PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades 2014 State Championship Teams

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26 Don’t Miss It! PAGE Foundation Scholarship Application Deadline is April 30 Technology 28 Credible, Powerful and Easy Online Tools that Facilitate Research at all Levels

PAGE ONE magazine Official Publication of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Providing professional learning for educators to enhance professional competence, confidence and leadership skills, leading to higher academic achievement for students, while providing the best in membership, legal services and legislative support.

March/April 2014

March/April 2014

STEM

It Makes Us Think

The integration of science, technology, engineering and math goes full STEAM ahead in Georgia, as hundreds of schools seek certification.

PAGE Day on Capitol Hill | Academic Bowl Champions | Online Research Tools

On the cover: Curi, a highly intelligent Georgia Tech robot.

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Photo by Raftermen Photography

Editorial Staff

New South Publishing

Editor Tim Callahan

President Larry Lebovitz

Graphic Designer Jack Simonetta

Associate Editor Meg Thornton

Publisher John Hanna

Production Coordinator Amber Mosler

Contributing Editor Lynn Varner

Editor Lindsay Field

Advertising/Sales Sherry Gasaway (770) 650-1102, ext.145

Associate Editor Jacqui Frasca

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From The President Let’s Ensure that STEM Runs Full STEAM Ahead Dr. Emily Felton

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he integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is critical to a 21st century education, but we must not disregard the arts. Many people, in fact, advocate changing STEM to STEAM to incorporate an “A” for the

arts in all of its forms.

Art and science are, in the words of astronaut Mae Jamison, ‘manifestations of the same thing. They are avatars of human creativity.’

The arts “fit perfectly well with the STEM curriculum,” states Georgia STEM Coordinator Dr. Gilda Lyon. Scan the QR code to view PAGE’s video interview with Lyon (or visit http://www.pageinc.org/associations/9445/pagetv/?page=915&tab=2).

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Education in the arts will help fuel the creativity and innovation that young Americans will need to compete in a global economy. Countless studies have shown that the arts significantly boost student achievement, reduce discipline problems and increase the odds that students will go on to graduate from college. And it’s no wonder that the correlation between math and art/music is strong—they both tap the same part of the brain.

The arts are a perfect fit with the crosscurricular projects at the heart of STEM education. Students can use art and design to demonstrate new science concepts in powerful and intuitive ways, for example.

Some teachers may think that tapping a student’s creativity results in less-productive work, but the rewards for students are great. More than ever, companies are seeking employees with proven creativity skills, according to a 2010 study by Americans for the Arts.

“The arts and sciences have much in common,” wrote Stephen Beal, president of the California College of the Arts in a June 2013 column in the Huffington Post.

“The studio and the laboratory are learn-bydoing, learn-by-making educational experiences. The iterative process and experimentation are key components to advances and discoveries in both fields.”

Creativity is an important part of learning. In fifth grade, I learned to play the violin, which required skill, dedication, concentration and commitment. It boosted my confidence. I no longer play, but the principles will stay with me forever.

According to the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute’s 2013 “Cutting Class to Make Ends Meet” report, 42 percent of school districts in the state are reducing or eliminating art and/or music programs. Because government testing focuses on reading and math instead of the arts, school districts are pressured to cut arts first. As one art teacher told me, she is an “endangered species.”

These are trying times for all educators, especially for those who teach art and music. As we continually work to improve education, we must make sure that the full spectrum of rigorous coursework includes the arts. Let’s make sure that STEM runs full n STEAM ahead!

March/April 2014

From The Executive Director You Are the Secret Sauce in Changing Education Policies Dr. Allene Magill

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f you need proof that motivated educators can make a difference, a recent experience with the State Health Benefit Plan provides a powerful lesson.

Political leaders tell us that a handful of calls from constituents are not unusual.

But, their antenna goes up when they receive 50 calls; and when they get 100, well, they know they have a formidable problem on their hands.

So, you can imagine what Gov. Nathan Deal and his healthcare policy advisors thought as more than 10,000 educators and family members took to Facebook and Twitter in recent months calling for relief in healthcare costs.

In response, Deal called upon the Department of Community Health to reduce co-pays for doctor’s office visits and prescriptions in the benefit plan that took effect in January.

As PAGE has stated all along, if educators want policy change, they must become a political force—one that elected officials must reckon with. PAGE can articulate your concerns to lawmakers—amplifying the voices of those who serve our students every day—but to be successful, our efforts need the “secret sauce” provided by thousands of educators throughout the state.

I hope the energy that surrounded the health benefit plan does not lose momentum. Can you imagine the relief that

might come from the misuse and overreach of tests if 10,000 educators come together to speak out?

Why stop there? What affect could such a critical mass of concerned educators have on budget priorities, class sizes and the restoration of a complete school year, as well as on a supportive system of professional learning? The prospect is very exciting, particularly in an election year.

I have interacted with elected officials throughout my career and was one myself when we had elected school superintendents. Understandably, professional

to encourage better policy making and electoral results for public education.

From now until November, let’s not lose the momentum. If your local delegation has served public education well, let them know they’ll have your support. If they haven’t, now is the time to encourage pro-public education candidates to run. It is entirely possible that united, educators can make 2014 a better year for challengers than for incumbents, thus helping reverse the policies that have hurt public education in Georgia the past several years.

Now is the time to encourage pro-public education candidates to run. It is entirely possible that united educators can make 2014 a better year for challengers than for incumbents, thus help reverse the policies that have hurt public education in Georgia.

March/April 2014

politicians fear losing their seat. They respond to phone calls and emails only if many constituents weigh in, but usually no one does.

More than 10,000 educators have surely captured their attention. Now that we have their attention, we must stay together

Educators Ensured Student Safety During Ice Storm

As the late-January ice storm paralyzed metro Atlanta’s interstates, trapping children at school and on buses, school bus drivers, teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel and administrators came through for the children entrusted to them each day.

The past 10 years of politically motivated budget cuts and potshots may have dented your morale, but they have not impacted your professionalism and dedication to your students. Still, we must collectively work to do better. We clearly know that much of the chaos could have been prevented with a pre-dawn conference among the governor, the mayor and all n metro school leaders.

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STEM

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

It Makes Us

By Lee Raudonis

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Think

eaching math or science in isolation is the way of the past. Georgia’s K-12 schools now aim to deliver an interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education that promotes high-level thinking. Through STEM, students are learning how to be creators of content and technology, rather than just consumers of it.

There are eight STEM-certified schools in Georgia—four elementary and four high schools—and 314 more are working toward it, including all eight middle schools in Columbia County. By 2017, the state hopes to have at least 300 schools certified. To earn certification, schools must deliver an integrated STEM curriculum and demonstrate teacher collaboration and business/industry partnerships.

STEM encourages critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork among educators as well as students. “It causes our teachers to think differently,” says Sheila George, principal at DeKalb County’s Hightower Elementary. “They must pull math, science, engineering, technology and even the arts into their lessons.”

STEM teachers act differently, too.

Rather than convey information, they facilitate. Accordingly, they use technology to facilitate exploration and scientific thinking rather than as a way to dispense information. “Teachers learn how to not rush in to help students do things the ‘right’ way. They learn to let kids fail in order to deepen the learning experience,”

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relays Magalie Awosika, STEM coordinator at Henderson Mill Elementary in DeKalb County.

Project-Based, Hands-On Learning

Jaime Punjabi, a third-grade teacher at Henderson Mill, uses the words “cooperative,” “critical thinking,” “cross curricular,” “interactive” and even “playful” to describe the STEM approach to learning. “We make connections among disciplines and emphasize practical uses of what students learn,” Punjabi says.

“When we are successful, students think they are playing.”

On this day, Punjabi’s unit of study focuses on energy, but she also incorporates language arts. Her students sit at tables of four, forming a

March/April 2014

Photos by Raftermen Photography

Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Baris Akgun shows visitors from the PAGE Principal Leadership Network how Simon the robot learns to mimic human movements.

community of learners. In doing so, they learn Hightower Elementary emphasizes projectthat four brains are better than one. When stu- based learning as well. Its monthly “Engineers dents are asked to demonstrate the effect heat for a Day” assembly begins with Principal has on molecules, they jump and move rapidly. George reading a book passage. The entire When a student later circles the word “cool- school is then assigned a related project. On the er” on the interactive board, Punjabi inquires, day that PAGE ONE visited, George read a pas“What part of speech is the word ‘cooler?’” sage about astronaut Neil Armstrong written The 40-minute lesson breezes by.

by President Barack Obama in “Letters to My Learning at Henderson Mill is project-based Daughters.” Students were then provided with and hands-on. Students plant and maintain a garden, they help manRather than convey information, STEM teachers age a hatchery that releases trout into the Chattahoochee River and they use facilitate. Accordingly, they use technology LEGOs to create metaphoric representations of what they are learning. to facilitate exploration and scientific thinking “STEM has enhanced our son’s edurather than as a way to dispense information. cation by providing hands-on activities that focus on the process of coming to an answer instead of just the product,” says Jen Starr, the parent of a second grader grade-appropriate materials and challenged to at Henderson Mill. “Some of his favorite days build representations of vehicles that would get at school are when they do a LEGO WeDo Armstrong’s crew to the moon and back. One Robotic build or when they work on an engi- class crafted a rocket to lift the astronauts off neering kit. He often comes home excited to Earth. Another class replicated a lunar-landing discuss the concepts he has discovered.” vehicle. Still, another class designed a lunar

March/April 2014

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“When we are successful, students think they are playing.”

Henderson Mill teacher Jaime Punjabi, who was named the 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year by the Museum of Aviation’s National STEM Academy in Warner Robins. Punjabi is shown here with her third-grade students.

rover that could navigate the moon’s surface.

‘It Lights a Spark’

In 2012, Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology in Conyers, which opened in 2000, became the state’s first STEM-certified high school. Admission relies heavily on math and science CRCT scores, and only about a third of the school’s 275 applicants are accepted each year.

The school requires that all ninth, 10th and 11th graders complete a major scientific research project. Seniors complete a fourth research project or an advanced course, such as anatomy, organic chemistry or psychology.

“The key is exciting hands-on science that incorporates math and engineering into other disciplines. It lights a spark and creates higher-order thinking,” says Principal MaryAnn Suddeth.

Results are impressive. A large case in the entrance hall is filled with trophies—and none were awarded for sports. Student projects earned two silver prizes at the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering and Environmental Project Olympiad, and two students, Aaron Barron and Crystal Brockington, were national winners of the Siemens “We Can Change the World Challenge.” They each received $25,000 scholarships and the school earned $5,000 to pursue work on cadmium and nanocrystals. Last year alone, Rockdale had 33 first-place winners in regional science fairs, four first-place winners in the state science fair and five participants in an international science fair.

Jordan Dobson, a Rockdale Magnet School junior looking to major in engineering in college, says that a STEM education is about much more than excelling in science and math. “It is important to emphasize science, technology, engineering and math because they support the development of critical thinking processes,” he says. “These subjects are also important for a wide range of careers related to improving our

March/April 2014

world. Personally, I know that a STEM education will help me get a great job.”

Senior Savannah Bryan, who plans to pursue earlychildhood education, agrees.

“You don’t have to love science and math to be here,” she says.

“Students here have so many experiences and opportunities. By your senior year, you know how to study and how to manage your time, and you are very secure about your future.”

A Rare Coalition

STEM-Certified Schools in Georgia The Center for Advanced Studies in Science, Math and Technology at Wheeler High School

Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (3rd-5th grade)

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology

Carrollton Elementary School

Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology

Henderson Mill Elementary School

Hightower Elementary School

Kennesaw Mountain High School Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology

While acknowledging that STEM high schools cater to high achievers, Dr. Gilda Lyon, director of STEM education for the Georgia Department of Education, stresses that all Georgia schools must emphasize STEM. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics workers drive our nation’s innovation and competitiveness by generating new ideas, new companies and new industries. STEM occupations are growing at nearly twice the rate

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology students demonstrate robotics project to GSMST Principal Dr. Jeff Matthews and Jackson EMC engineer Craig Roberts.

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of non-STEM occupations, and STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of their occupation, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“STEM can and should be everywhere,” agrees Suddeth, former president of the National Consortium of Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology. “It’s extremely important because more than 90 percent of Georgia’s 65 hottest careers require the knowledge and skills acquired through STEM education.” Knowing this, Georgia’s business leaders and parents back STEM as passionately as educators, resulting in a rare unified commitment to an educational approach.

One of STEM’s biggest champions is the Georgia Institute of Technology. The school’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing—a coalition of educators, business leaders and policymakers—aims to make STEM accessible to all Georgia students, especially to those with fewer advantages.

TED Talk on STEM: Teaching ≠ Explaining Public high school teacher Frank Noschese, a 2012 winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teachers, presents an engaging TED Talk video on STEM and inquiry-based learning. To view, scan the QR code or visit tedxtalks.ted.com/ video/TEDxNYED-April-28-2012-Frank-No. Noschese has been featured in The Economist, The New York Times and on MSNBC.com

federal Race to the Top funding.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute has made STEM outreach a top priority as well. Among the state’s colleges and universities, Georgia Tech, the

Scientists Creating Exploring Discovering Reasoning Students Consuming Watching Verifying Recalling

Path to Economic Competitiveness

Business leaders see STEM as a path to economic competitiveness. The list of corporate powerhouses partnering with educators to ingrain STEM into Georgia schools reads like a “Who’s Who” list: Southwire, Gulfstream Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Georgia Power, IBM, Cisco, Intel and more.

Georgia’s economic prosperity depends upon a large population trained in STEM, says Georgia Power executive Henry Kelly.

To that end, Georgia Power has hired 11 education coordinators—many of whom are former Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math teachers—whose sole responsibility is to infuse Georgia classrooms with STEM experiences. “So far, our hands-on programs have touched more than 160,000 elementary, middle and high school students,” Kelly says.

“STEM learning is critical to our state’s workforce,” adds Jennifer Giffen, vice president of human resources with Gulfstream University of Georgia, Kennesaw State Aerospace in Savannah. “More than 20 University, Georgia State University percent of the jobs at Gulfstream are and Georgia Southern University turn STEM-based.”

In support of STEM, Gulfstream sponout about 90 percent of the state’s college graduates with a STEM-related sors on-site aviation career days, teacher degree, but schools like Valdosta State workshops, scholarships and internships.

University and Georgia’s technical col- “Students see firsthand how the skills leges are also heavily invested in the they learn in school can translate to n careers,” Giffen says. success of STEM.

STEM occupations are growing at nearly twice the rate of non-STEM occupations, and STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of their occupation, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“We hope to move the needle for rural and low-income middle and high school students so that more of these students can gain admission to Georgia Tech and other colleges specializing in STEM degrees,” says Kamau Bobb, a research scientist who coordinates the University System of Georgia’s STEM initiative. The center also develops STEM teachers using

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March/April 2014

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PAGE Principal Leadership Network

Georgia K-12 Principals See Robotics in Action Photos by Raftermen Photography

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n January, 38 principals from across Georgia watched a robot hold an extension of lumber steady as it waved its hips in hulahoop fashion. Another robot showed off its ability to mimic the exact movements of a human.

These glimpses into the future were presented to the PAGE Principal Leadership Network by Georgia Tech’s new Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM). The institute hosted the principals to showcase STEM opportunities awaiting today’s K-12 students.

Intelligent, adaptive robotic systems will automate manufacturing, health care and first responder security in big ways in coming years—and Georgia Tech expects to be at the forefront.

“The visit to Georgia Tech reinforced the need for STEM in our school,” says Ken Overman, principal of Pine Grove Middle School in Lowndes County. “It demonstrated why students must begin thinking about the design process and begin applying what they have learned. It’s all about application.”

Rusty Tondee, principal of Schley County Middle School, agrees.

“The field trip reinforced the need to develop high school graduates who can successfully pursue STEM in college.”

In addition to transforming the healthcare sector through advanced robotic surgical technologies and other innovations, robots will increasingly support us as we age, Dr. Henrik Christensen, Tech’s KUKA Chair of Robotics and executive director of IRIM, told the principals. Some elderly or disabled baby boomers, for example, will likely use robots to fetch things for n them or to deliver medicine.

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March/April 2014

2

3 1. Georgia Tech’s Dr. Aaron Bobick demonstrates robotic delivery of BMW parts as Dr. Elizabeth Anderson (from left), Beth Holcomb, Dr. Allene Magill, Gayle Wooten and other educators look on.

2. Marc Feuerbach (left) and Richard Green 3. Reada Hamm (left), Angela Ezzell and Ben Wiggins learn about the latest in robotics from Georgia Tech’s Dr. Henrik Christensen.

4. Dr. Jessica Swain and Dr. Ja’net Bishop

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5. PAGE Principal Leadership Network cohort 1 and 2 meet with Dr. Henrik Christensen (second from right), chair of Georgia Tech’s new Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines.

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PAGE Principal Leadership Network

Understanding Engagement Has Moved Our Team from Complacency to Collaboration

By Shawn Carpenter, Principal of Perdue Elementary School (Houston County)

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hrough participation in the PAGE Principal Leadership Network during the past 18 months, my school now has a working roadmap for achieving student engagement through true collaboration. Furthermore, it is clear that our work to optimize student engagement dovetails well with the public education improvement initiatives.

to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

‘What’s In It for Me?’

One of the goals of our team was to build trust among faculty members to

Developing leaders who focus on student engagement has been the key to our school’s success, but without the Principal Leadership Network, I would not have realized how willing my team members were to serve as leaders of engagement-focused work. Nor would I have had the tools to support them. My school’s Principal Leadership Network team includes three teacher leaders and myself.

Our assistant principal for instruction participates in the PAGE Assistant Principal Academy, and three additional teacher leaders participate in the PAGE Teacher Leadership Institute.

As educators, we know that superficial, temporary memorization holds little value. Boring work reaps only compliance. Our world requires us to develop students who understand concepts and related facts, who can think, synthesize and apply that knowledge, and who can collaborate to produce a product to solve problems and make informed, fact-based decisions. Students must be truly engaged 12 PAGE ONE

Photo by Ben Dashwood, Raftermen Photography

Awareness of the various ways that engagement is expressed has prompted our teachers to notice everything a student says and does.

thing. Our leadership team pooled our best ideas to engage our staff in a professional learning experience. We conducted a survey about staff engagement, asking them to look at their own engagement and we used their feedback to guide our next steps. It’s the same thing that teachers do when they collaboratively design student work that leads to profound, meaningful learning.

What a novel idea!

Our faculty and staff then participated in playful team-building exercises that took them from isolation to mutual support and genuine conversations. They quickly evolved from complacency, to strategic compliance, to a new and improved collaboration for everyone’s success. Competiveness dissolved in a nanosecond. Teachers came to understand that designing relevant learning tasks requires cooperative teamwork.

Whole-staff reflection of our activities concluded that collaboration results in greater productivity for all. Collaboratively designed learning tasks lead to more ideas and better developed instruction for meeting student needs. It became clear that isolated planning and delivery of a one-size-fits-all les-

Shawn Carpenter and Georgia Tech’s Dr. Henrik Christensen

catalyze collaborative work. When students decide whether to participate or to engage in learning, they ask themselves, “What’s in it for me?” Adults do the same

Educator work focused on improved student learning.

Student learning occurs when students are engaged.

Students are engaged when they have high quality, meaningful learning tasks that they are willing to do.

High quality, meaningful learning tasks are designed when educators are themselves engaged and their work is focused on student engagement.

March/April 2014

Planning conversations are richer and more creative, and teachers are employing advanced tools and strategies for grabbing and maintaining student attention.

CCGPS

School Accreditation (SACS)

Profound Student Learning

CCRPI

We Now See Students Differently

TKES & LKES

son was not appropriate, ever, to meet the needs of all students.

Our teachers now routinely exchange ideas. They work in teams and grade levels to plan units and learning outcomes. They address student strengths and weaknesses.

Tasks encourage student collaboration— ranging from brief “turn-and-talk” moments to choosing projects and making presentations. Beyond enticing students to actively do something with what they are learning, lessons provoke a willingness to persevere.

Awareness of the various ways that engagement is expressed has prompted our teachers to notice everything a student says and does. Teachers reflect about the child and the learning experience to discern what is happening and why. The importance of having deep knowledge about our “who” (the student) has become abundantly apparent.

Rapport alone isn’t sufficient.

We are now examining lesson design, the quality of which determines student engagement, and, ultimately, teacher performance. As we continue to learn from the Schlechty Center facilitators about engagement and how to design for it, we

are gaining a deep understanding of how everything connects to all of the other formal processes related to student and school success.

The joy I feel comes from observing teams and partners talking about students who are engaged and those who are somewhere else on the hierarchy of participation. Planning conversations are richer and more creative, and teachers are employing advanced tools and strategies for grabbing and maintaining student attention.

In classrooms, students are learning and working together, supporting each other to persevere through challenges and sharing their excitement about what they learned. Indeed, this is a picture of n profound, meaningful learning!

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For more informaiton, visit: www.valdosta.edu/maeslat March/April 2014

PAGE ONE 13

Legislative Special Report PAGE Day on Capitol Hill

Educators Gain Insight on 2015 School Funding and Proposed Bills

By Josh Stephens, PAGE Legislative Policy Analyst Photos by Robert Matta

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PAGE Executive Director Dr. Allene Magill

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge

Teacher and State Representative Amy Carter (R-Valdosta) 14 PAGE ONE

n February, scores of educators gathered at the state capitol for the annual PAGE Day on Capitol Hill. Attendees heard reports from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, House Education Committee and Professional Standards Commission, and they were encouraged to meet with legislators.

Claire Suggs, the senior education policy analyst for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, stressed the impact of state education budget cuts and summarized the fiscal year 2015 state education budget. Next year’s budget will reduce school austerity cuts by $314 million, which Gov. Nathan Deal said will help districts fund a 180-day school year, eliminate furlough days and increase teacher salaries. However, Suggs warned that while reducing austerity cuts is a positive step, $314 million will not allow districts to accomplish all three priorities. She predicted that districts will likely focus on the full school year and ending furlough days.

Rep. Mike Dudgeon (R-Johns Creek), vice chairman of the House Education Committee and chair of the House Subcommittee on Academic Innovations, highlighted House Bill 897, the Title 20 Rewrite Bill. The bill, which he sponsored, would tweak Georgia education laws.

Earlier in the session, the Title 20 Rewrite Bill was watered down when a section was removed that would have changed how charter schools are funded locally.

Dudgeon also addressed House Resolution 1109 and House Bill 802, proposed constitutional amendments allowing a portion of education special local option sales tax

(ESPLOST) revenues to be used on educational programs and materials.

He also described House Resolution 486 as a proposed amendment that allows the creation of new school districts in metro cities chartered after 2005 and in adjacent communities.

Spotlight on Tiered Certification

To close out the morning, a panel representing the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, including Kelly Henson, Dr. David Hill, Penney McRoy and Kelli Young, addressed the certification rule change to take effect on July 1. It creates four tiers of certification for educators: preinduction, induction, professional standard and professional performance.

Hill, who heads the Commission’s Educator Preparation and Certification Division, detailed the change in a video interview with PAGE Week in Review. He said that the pre-induction and induction tiers will help new teachers become better educators and improve student learning. Most current educators will fall under the professional standard tier, he adds. When fully implemented, the tiered system will require teachers to meet performance levels to renew certification. Commission Executive Secretary Kelly Henson said pointedly that educator salaries would in no way be affected by the change.

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge delivered the luncheon keynote address during which he heralded educators for their service and warned attendees about the dangers of Senate Bill 167, legislation n related to Common Core.

March/April 2014

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6 1. Anita Geoghagan (left), Dean Rusk Middle School, (Cherokee ); Jennifer Hall, Booth Middle School (Cherokee); and PAGE membership services representative Jo Breedlove

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2. Assistant Principal Maria Regan (left), Hasty Elementary School (Cherokee); Principal Christian Kirby, Little River Elementary School (Cherokee); Assistant Principal Lisa Williams, Pope High School (Cobb); and Abby May, STEM Program Specialist (Fulton) with State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge 3. PAGE Director of Membership and Communications Tim Callahan (left) with PAGE President Emily Felton 4. PAGE Treasurer Lamar Scott (left), District 13 Director Hayward Cordy and PAGE President-Elect Leslie Mills 5. Principal Jeremy Roerdink (left), Fairyland Elementary School (Walker) with PTO Vice President Melanie Reynolds and PTO President Caroline Williams, who are initiating Community Conversations in their district 6. Mick Buck (left) State School Superintendent candidate and Georgia Department of Education Communications Director Matt Cardoza

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7. PAGE Publications Manager Meg Thornton (left) and Membership Services Representative Shirley Wright PAGE ONE  15

Foundation News Thank You to Our 2013 Donors

By John Varner, PAGE Foundation President

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romoting a world-class education for all of Georgia’s children through initiatives that recruit, develop, retain and recognize highly accomplished teachers is at the center of the work of the PAGE Foundation.

Thanks to the support of the PAGE membership, along with our corporate, foundation and individual donors, 2013 was another great year in advancing the mission of the PAGE Foundation.

With the PAGE Foundation Scholarships program, we were able to provide financial assistance to educators who have distinguished themselves academically and professionally.

Scholarships also supported aspiring educators who are working hard to earn their undergraduate degree in education.

Furthermore, our SPAGE and FEA programs continue to grow, with more than 15,000 participants in 2013 alone. Throughout the state, we continue to be amazed with the caliber of students participating in PAGE Foundation programs. Through the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades, PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon and the State

Our SPAGE and FEA programs continue to grow, with more than 15,000 participants in 2013 alone.

16 PAGE ONE

PAGE STAR Student and Teacher programs, we have the privilege of working with the students who represent our future and the caring and committed educators who serve them so well. We see a bright future for our state thanks to these impressive young people and the professional educators who exemplify excellence in teaching.

As we pause to say thank you, we want to share the stories of three loyal supporters of the PAGE Foundation. You will read about our long-standing relationship with VALIC, a corporation whose commitment to PAGE Professional Learning and the PAGE Foundation has resulted in more than $167,000 in charitable support. We also highlight a family whose commitment to PAGE stemmed from what they were taught as youth. Anthony and Sheila James, both of whom had mothers committed to public education, share why Georgia’s students and educators are at the heart of their family philanthropy.

There are many more stories we could highlight. The Foundation continues to be humbled by the gifts we receive from our members and friends. Every gift to the Foundation makes a difference. I am proud of the Foundation staff, which takes its stewardship of every charitable gift seriously, managing Foundation assets with great care and frugality. We know that every gift we receive is a voluntary act by a generous donor, and we want to ensure that donations are handled respectfully and directed to programs that are managed effectively.

Thank you for a wonderful 2013. We know teachers determine the future and are honored n to be part of this work.

March/April 2014

VALIC: A Partner in Determining the Future VALIC exemplifies a true partner in its unwavering commitment to education in Georgia. During the past 17 years, VALIC has contributed more than $167,000 in support to the PAGE Foundation and PAGE’s Professional Learning initiatives.

“VALIC believes educators are vital to our communities and our future.

By supporting professional learning opportunities for Georgia’s educators through PAGE and the PAGE Foundation, we help create more engaged classrooms, which ultimately benefits Georgia’s children and local communities,” says Allen Thomas,

regional vice president of VALIC and chair of the PAGE Foundation Board of Trustees.

As a company that helps people plan for a secure retirement, VALIC knows firsthand about the importance of preparing for the future. With VALIC’s financial support, PAGE is able to provide transformational learning opportunities for educators, such as with the PAGE Teacher Academy, PAGE Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, PAGE Superintendent Leadership Network, PAGE Principal Leadership Network and the PAGE Teacher Leadership Institute.

VALIC Regional Vice President Allen Thomas

Anthony and Sheila James: A Personal Commitment to Education Individual donors are crucial to the PAGE Foundation, and two people who exemplify this are Anthony and Sheila James. “We focus our charitable giving on a small number of nonprofits we believe in,” says Anthony James, who is a retired Southern Company executive vice

president. “My mom was a teacher, and Sheila and I know the future will be shaped by the quality of the educators we prepare today. We have seen how hard the people of the PAGE Foundation work to ensure Georgia’s children the teachers they deserve, and we want to do what we can to help.”

Sheila and Anthony James

March/April 2014

PAGE ONE 17

Foundation News 2013 Donors to PAGE Foundation LEADERSHIP GIFTS

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Ms. Grace Herrington

Mrs. Tandy D. Ray

Mrs. Susan Adams

Mrs. Jo Hodges

Mr. David Reynolds

Mrs. Stacey Ansley

Mr. Leamon Holliday

Steve Green Properties

Mr. Stan Baker

Dr. Sheryl Holmes

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Rhodes

SunTrust Bank, Atlanta

Mr. Joseph Bankoff

The Coca-Cola Company

Mr. Tyler Bennett

Mr. & Mrs. Preston Howard

Dr. Jesse Bradley, Jr.

CORPORATIONS

The Coca-Cola Foundation Matching Gifts Program

A2Z Imprints, Inc.

Troutman Sanders LLP

Ms. Jo Breedlove

Adams, Hemingway & Wilson, LLP

United Distributors, Inc.

Professional Association of Georgia Educators VALIC AT&T Georgia Georgia Power Company Georgia-Pacific

Ariel Investments, LLC Atlanta Beverage Company Atlantic Capital Bank Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Richardson & Davis, LLP Cancer Treatment Centers of America

R L Brown & Associates, Inc. Randy Roderick & Associates, Inc.

Mrs. Maira Richards Mrs. Odessa W. Richards

Mrs. Ann Howell

Ms. Jane Riddle

Dr. Melvin Hunt

Mrs. Peggy Schwing

Mr. Phil Jacobs

Mr. Lamar Scott

Ms. Karen Bridgeman

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony James

Dr. Fritzie Sheumaker

Wells Fargo Bank

Mrs. Amy Brock

Mrs. Janet Jemo

Wilkinson and Magruder, LLP

Mr. Alec Brown

Mrs. Shamita Johnson

Mr. Ulysses O. Bryant, Jr.

Ms. Peggy Johnson

Mrs. Anne Burton

Mr. & Mrs. James Jordan

Ms. Rita Butler

Mr. Henry A. Kelly

Mr. Tim Callahan

Miss Maria Larsson

Mr. & Mrs. John C. Canter

Mrs. Stephanie Lasalle

Ms. Diana Cason

Dr. Thomas Lockamy

Miss Anne Chaly

Ms. Carolyn Lovett

Woodruff Arts Center AGENCIES, FOUNDATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS & UNIVERSITIES Alonzo L. McDonald Trust

Mr. Francis W. Bratton

Dr. Franklin Shumake Dr. Betty Siegel Ms. Teresa Steves Skinner Dr. E. Steven Smith Mr. Bill Stemberger Dr. Cyndy Stephens Dr. Patricia Stokes Dr. Ann Stucke Mr. Alex Susor

Cauthorn Nohn O’Dell

Atlanta Housing Authority

Citizens Trust Bank

Mrs. Margaret Ciccarelli

Mr. Steve Lusk

Coca-Cola North America

Board of Regents, University System of Georgia

Ms. Beverly Clark

Dr. Allene Magill

Copeland Insurance Services, Inc.

Chick-fil-A Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Ricky Clemmons

Mrs. Sandra Manson

Cox Enterprises

Darlington School

Mrs. Susan Cox

Mrs. Joanne Martin

Coxe Curry & Associates

Frances Wood Wilson Foundation

Mrs. Michelle Crawford

Mr. Peter Martin

Mrs. Joanna Culbreth

Mrs. Diane McClearen

Mr. & Mrs. John E. Varner, III

Mr. J. David Dunham

Dr. Jane McKinzey

Dr. Martha Venn

Dr. Merrianne Dyer

Mr. & Mrs. Richard D. Mock

Mrs. Julie Wade

Daniel, Hadden & Alford, P.C. Daniel S. Digby & Associates, LLC Deloitte Delta Air Lines, Inc. GE Genuine Parts Company

Georgia Chamber of Commerce Georgia Regents University Georgia School Boards Association Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce

Ms. Elizabeth Eakes Ms. Pat Falotico

Mrs. Lucy Molinaro

Mrs. Rose Thomas Mr. Don Thornhill Ms. Beverly Treadaway

Mrs. Marta Walker Mrs. Sandy Walker

Mr. & Mrs. Howard Morrison

Mrs. Jenel Few

Dr. Susan Mullins

Ms. Jan Weinberg

Mrs. Juliana Naleway

Mike & Nancy West

Ms. Joan Newell

Mrs. Shalanda White-Quimbley

Macon State College Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Warren Fortson

Georgia Transmission Corporation

Mary Lane Morrison Foundation

Dr. Migdalia Garcia

IBM

Metro Atlanta Chamber

Mrs. Sandra Gardner Dr. Lucille Garmon

Ms. Donna Elaine Oliver Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Petty

K.S.W. Enterprises, Inc.

Northeast Georgia RESA

Lockheed Martin

Spelman College

Myron F. Steves & Co. Newell Rubbermaid

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Oglethorpe Power Corporation

The Cousins Foundation, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Sam M. Griffin, Jr.

Orr & Brown LLP

University of West Georgia

Dr. Judy Henry

Dr. Diane Ray

Ms. Laura Herrin

Ms. Mary Ruth Ray

18 PAGE ONE

Mr. & Mrs. John Teasley

Dr. Emily Felton

Georgia EMC

Prior, Daniel & Wiltshire LLC

Dr. Michele Taylor

Ms. Mary Garrison Dr. Barbara Golden Ms. Ruth Greenway

Mrs. Kimberley Pierson Dr. Charlotte Pipkin

Miss Betty Lou Ware

Ms. Bertha Wood Ms. Linda Woods Ms. Gayle Wooten

Mrs. Carol Pruett Mr. Jim Puckett Mr. Lee Raudonis

March/April 2014

Fewer than half of all teachers in Georgia are registered to vote.

Make sure YOUR voice is heard in this important election year.

It’s about the future of public education.

“No election year in Georgia has ever been more important than 2014 when it comes to public education.”

-Dr. Allene Magill, Executive Director, Professional Association of Georgia Educators

Register to Vote. It’s Easy!

Download a registration form, visit a local library or register when renewing your driver’s licence.

Advance voting allows you to vote in person prior to the election or you may vote by an absentee ballot.

The registration deadline for the May 20th Primary is April 2nd.

Educators, support our schools!

Scan for voter registration form:

Foundation News 30th Anniversary PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades

Gwinnett County’s Hull Middle School Wins State Championship

2014 PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades State Champion Hull Middle School team members and their coach were joined by presenters following their awards presentation: (back row, left to right) PAGE Foundation Trustee Charles Richardson, Coach Teresa Hawkins, Team Captain Jake Bickford, Joseph Zhang, Kevin Jin, Sumedh Garimella and PAGE President Dr. Emily Felton; and (front row, left to right) Julian Heske, Sana Hafeez and Shawn Im.

G

winnett County’s Hull Middle School is the 2014 PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades State Champion.

The event, held on Jan. 25 at Georgia College & State University, marked the end of the competition’s 30th anniversary season. The middle school competition, conceived in 1983, was the first academic program supported by the PAGE Foundation.

The day began with 24 semi-finalist teams competing in a round-robin competition during the morning session. The eight teams that emerged as finalists then competed in the afternoon single-elimination competition. All eight teams earned medals and awards and placed as follows: 1st Place: Gwinnett County’s Hull Middle School, coached by Teresa Hawkins; 2nd Place: Bibb County’s Stratford Academy (independent), 20 PAGE ONE

coached by Kathleen Peterson and Susan Hanberry Martin; 3rd Place: Fulton County’s River Trail Middle School, coached

by Cliff Roberts, Scott Fowler and Sarah Roberson; 4th Place: North Gwinnett Middle School, coached by Scott Johnson; 5th Place: Columbia County’s Stallings Island Middle School, coached by Deborah Hundt; 6th Place: Cherokee County’s Woodstock Middle School, coached by Charmaine Spink and Chris Hughes; 7th Place: Muscogee County’s Blackmon Road Middle School, coached by Nancy Butterworth and Lindy Dunn; and 8th Place: Columbia County’s Evans Middle School, coached

by Jenny Walsh.

“Congratulations to the dedicated team members and their March/April 2014

The PAGE Academic Bowl features teams of middle school students fielding questions on subjects ranging from Georgia history to mathematics, science, literature and performing arts.

hard-working coaches,” says John Varner, president of the PAGE Foundation. “We know we are joined by parents, friends and school administrators in saying that all involved should be proud of their achievements.”

The competition was sponsored by PAGE, the PAGE Foundation, the Chickfil-A Foundation and Georgia College & State University, with the Collegiate Middle Level Association serving as the host organization.

The PAGE Academic Bowl features teams of middle school students fielding questions on subjects ranging from Georgia history to mathematics, science, literature and performing arts. Opposing teams compete against the clock to answer toss-up and bonus questions in order to score points. The goal of the program is to inspire students to excel academically, enhance student self-confidence and selfesteem through high achievement and encourage both a team and competitive spirit.

To view a video report of the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades State Championship, scan the QR code, or go to: www.pageinc.org/associations/9445/ n pagetv/?page=905&tab=3&tab=3

Second Place Winner: Bibb County’s Stratford Academy (independent) coached by Susan Hanberry Martin and Kathleen Peterson.

Third Place Winner: Fulton County’s River Trail Middle School coached by Cliff Roberts, Sarah Roberson and Scott Fowler (not shown).

Fourth Place Winner: North Gwinnett Middle School coached by Scott Johnson.

March/April 2014

PAGE ONE 21

Foundation News Fifth Place Winner: Columbia County’s Stallings Island Middle School coached by Deborah Hundt.

Sixth Place Winner: Cherokee County’s Woodstock Middle School coached by Chris Hughes and Charmaine Spink.

Seventh Place Winner: Muscogee County’s Blackmon Road Middle School coached by Lindy Dunn and Nancy Butterworth.

22 PAGE ONE

March/April 2014

Eighth Place Winner: Columbia County’s Evans Middle School coached by Jenny Walsh.

Vice President of Community Affairs at Chick-fil-A, Inc., Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation and PAGE Foundation Trustee Rodney D. Bullard greeted the audience and shared with them that he had once been an academic bowl participant.

GC&SU’s Collegiate Middle Level Association hosted the PAGE Academic Bowl on its campus and provided volunteers for the event.

Assisting at the state championship were: (back row, left to right) Siobhan Fitzgerald, Tynisha Harris, Tarver Bechtel, Maggie O’Shea and Jill Starr; and (front row, left to right) Nicole Bullard, Michelle Walsh, Kymberly Hrosswyc, GC&SU Professor and CMLA Advisor Dr. Nancy B. Mizelle and Casey Crooms.

Colquitt County High School Principal Earns Jay Cliett Award During the Region 10 competition on Jan. 11, PAGE Academic Bowl State Coordinator Michelle Crawford presented the Jay Cliett Award to Colquitt County High School Principal Stephanie Terrell. The award is given to individuals who provide outstanding support to the Academic Bowl program. Terrell hosted the Region 10 Competition at Colquitt County High for more than 20 years.

March/April 2014

(left to right) PAGE AB State Coordinator Michelle Crawford and Stephanie Terrell.

PAGE ONE 23

Foundation News PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades 2014 State Championship Teams Region 08 Feagin Mill Middle, Host

Region 01 LaFayette Middle, Host

Stratford Academy – Bibb Independent Coaches: Kathleen Peterson, Susan Hanberry Martin

Sonoraville Middle School – Gordon County Coaches: Jane Farist, Kristi Payne Unity Christian School – Floyd Independent Coach: Kim Moates

Warner Robins Middle School – Houston County Coach: Lori Campbell

Region 02 Freedom Middle, Host Creekland Middle School – Cherokee County Coaches: John Carter, Mark Nazemazdeh Woodstock Middle School – Cherokee County Coaches: Charmaine Spink, Chris Hughes Region 03 Oak Mountain Academy, Host Lee Middle School – Coweta County Coaches: Suzanne Brooks, Lisa Redmon Madras Middle School – Coweta County Coach: Karin van den Hoonaard Region 04 Webb Bridge Middle, Host

Region 05 Mt. Carmel Christian, Host

Region 09 Georgia Southwestern State University, Host

The Paideia School – DeKalb Independent Coaches: Greg Changnon, Rachel Peterson

Blackmon Road Middle School – Muscogee County Coaches: Nancy Butterworth, Lindy Dunn, Ryan Dobbins

Pike County Middle School – Pike County Coach: Helen T. McDevitt

Robert Cross Middle School – Dougherty County Coaches: Dr. Ethelene Kimber, Kivea Burroughs

Region 06 North Gwinnett Middle, Host Hull Middle School – Gwinnett County Coach: Teresa Hawkins North Gwinnett Middle School – Gwinnett County Coach: Scott Johnson Region 07 Hart County Middle, Host

River Trail Middle School – Fulton County Coaches: Cliff Roberts, Scott Fowler, Sarah Roberson

Oglethorpe County Middle School – Oglethorpe County Coaches: Penny Miller, Ahna Chastain

Westminster Schools – Fulton Independent Coaches: Stan Tucker, Tom Pomeroy

Stephens County Middle School – Stephens County Coach: Wynette Neal

Region 10 Thomas Co. Middle, Host Brookwood School – Thomas Independent Coach: Sarah Beeson Thomas County Middle School – Thomas County Coaches: Heather Ward, Gail Trotter Region 11 Thomson-McDuffie Middle, Host Evans Middle School – Columbia County Coach: Jenny Walsh Stallings Island Middle School – Columbia County Coach: Deborah Hundt Region 12 West Chatham Middle, Host Oglethorpe Charter School – Savannah-Chatham County Coach: Monica McDermott St. Francis Xavier Catholic School – Glynn Independent Coaches: Brenda Hunt, Ingrid Metz

24 PAGE ONE

March/April 2014

Leadership Initiatives for all Educators PAGE High School Redesign Initiative The High School Redesign Initiative supports volunteering high schools and feeder schools.

It focuses on the critical need to support and sustain a focus on students and on the quality of the work provided to them.

Key Concepts: ■ ■ ■ ■

Systemic + Continuous Change Engagement + Design System Capacity Standards Social Systems

Location: Individual School District

PAGE Teacher Academy 2014-2016 Teacher teams, whose principals are members of the PAGE Principal Leadership Network, will focus on providing engaging experiences for in-depth learning.

Teams will attend eight sessions over two years.

Key Concepts: ■ ■ ■ ■

Engagement Design Collaboration Protocols

Location: PAGE Office

PAGE Teacher Leadership Institute 2013-2014 The PAGE Teacher Leadership Institute will consist of interrelated learning experiences for teacher leader development on behalf of school change. Series includes one 2-day session and two 1-day sessions. Teachers will work in school teams.

Key Concepts: ■ Engagement-Focused Classrooms + Schools ■ Collaboration ■ Facilitation ■ Design

Location: RESAs

PAGE Assistant Principal Leadership Academy 2013-2015 Assistant principals will focus on transformational change within schools.

Teacher teams will join them in year two to focus on the quality of the work provided to students.

Key Concepts: ■ Engagement + Design ■ Transformation ■ Principal + Teacher Leadership ■ Facilitation ■ Protocols ■ Capacity

Location: PAGE Office

PAGE Principal Leadership Network 2013-2014 Principals and two or three teachers from their schools will focus on creating engagement-focused schools that nurture profound learning for student and staff.

Key Concepts: ■ Transformation ■ Student + Staff Engagement ■ Profound Learning ■ School Design + Work Design Teams ■ Strategic Thinking ■ Capacity

Location: PAGE Office

Visit pageinc.org Professional Learning for details Copyright © 2014 The Professional Association of Georgia Educators. All Rights Reserved.

Foundation News

Don’t Miss It! PAGE Foundation Scholarship Application Deadline is April 30

T

he PAGE Foundation awards $1,000 scholarships to educators and aspiring educators. Download an application at www.pagefoundation.org/scholarships. Applications must be postmarked by April 30 and arrive in the PAGE office within a week.

PAGE Scholarships: Applicants must be pursuing a graduate degree in education or content area, pursuing initial certification, working to add a new certification area or endorsement or taking required coursework to be highly qualified under the standards of No Child Left Behind. (We regret that scholarships are not available to individuals taking courses to renew an existing certificate.)

• PAGE Professional Scholarship For eligible professional PAGE members.

• PAGE Charles “Coach” Cooper Scholarship Must be pursuing an advanced degree in science education.

• PAGE DeKalb Scholarship (contingent upon availability of funds) Must be employed by the DeKalb County School System and plan to remain in 2014 – 2015.

• PAGE Jack Christmas Scholarship Must be pursuing an advanced degree in elementary education or reading.

• PAGE H. M. and Norma Fulbright Scholarship Must be serving as a Future Educators Association of

Georgia chapter advisor or a PAGE Academic Bowl coach.

SPAGE Scholarships: For upcoming college juniors, seniors or graduate students majoring in education.

• SPAGE Undergraduate Scholarship For eligible SPAGE members.

• SPAGE S. Marvin Griffin Scholarship For eligible SPAGE members.

• SPAGE DeKalb Scholarship (contingent upon availability of funds) Must be a high school graduate of the DeKalb County School System.

• SPAGE John Robert & Barbara Moore Lindsey Scholarship Must be enrolled in or committed to enrolling in the education program at Georgia Southern University.

• SPAGE Betty J. Phillips Scholarship Must be a rising college junior, senior or graduate student enrolled in or committed to enrolling in a college or university education program in Macon.

• SPAGE Graduate Scholarship Must be pursuing or committed to an advanced degree in education.

For more information and to download an application, scan the n QR code or visit www.pagefoundation.org/scholarships.

• PAGE Support Personnel Scholarship Must be employed as support personnel within a Georgia school system and pursuing initial certification.

26 PAGE ONE

March/April 2014

Now Showing on The Next PAGE We invite you to view the “The Next PAGE,” a fast-paced video update on educational news, professional learning opportunities for current and future Georgia educators and PAGE Foundation academic programs.

The Next PAGE stories include: • PAGE member and PAGE Foundation Trustee Dr. Michele Taylor named 2014 Georgia Superintendent of the Year.

• Principals involved in the PAGE Principal Leadership Network glimpsed the future at Georgia Tech’s Robotics Institute.

• Tapping the power of educators who choose to vote.

Access “The Next PAGE” by going to www.pageinc.org/associations/9445/ pagetv/?page=891&tab=1 or by scanning this QR code.

Currently featured on PAGE TV • Highlights of the 2014 PAGE Academic Bowl State Championship held in Milledgeville, Georgia • The 2014 PAGE GAD State Championship held in Atlanta

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March/April 2014

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We want you to make an informed decision about the university that’s right for you. For more about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed each program, and other important information, visit www.apus.edu/disclosure.

PAGE ONE 27

engage

teach 21st-century learners collaborate

technology

Technology in the Classroom:

Credible, Powerful and Easy Online Tools that Facilitate Research at all Levels

By Lindsey Raulerson, Hahira Middle School Media Specialist (Lowndes County)

T

A member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Lindsey Raulerson is amused that her friends and family teasingly call her a nerd.

She taught English for one year in Atkinson County and for nine years at Lowndes County High School prior to becoming a media specialist at Hahira Middle School. Her degree as an Educational Specialist in Instructional Technology was earned at Valdosta State University. Raulerson serves on the PAGE Board of Directors.

28 PAGE ONE

hese days, when we want a quick answer, we tap a search engine. But is the information we access credible? Our task as educators is to guide our students to reliable, trustworthy sources.

We must model good research skills so that students follow our lead.

Galileo, available in all Georgia public schools, is an excellent research tool. Two of its databases, Britannica and SIRS Discoverer, are especially empowering and easy to use.

For seasoned educators, Britannica conjures up memories of tattered encyclopedias on a shelf. Today’s online Britannica is altogether different. It promotes excellent research skills, has interfaces for all education levels and is kept up to date.

Britannica provides a powerful interactive experience for students and teachers alike. Double click on any word in an article, for example, and a built-in dictionary pops up. Once an educator creates a Britannica account, he or she has access to state standards, as well as to prepared lessons and a lesson plan builder. This eases the strain of planning research-focused lessons. Once students create an account, they can archive articles for future use.

Britannica offers a vast array of pictures, videos and tools, including Googlelike interactive maps and country comparison tools—perfect for promoting highlevel thinking in social studies. For auditory learners or visually impaired students,

Britannica can read articles aloud.

Moreover, the database offers a wealth of citation styles, including MLA (Modern Language Association), Associated Press, (AP), APA (American Psychological Association) and Chicago. Citing properly can be daunting for some students; Britannica takes the guesswork out of it.

Content is Level Appropriate

SIRS Discoverer is another great database for educators. Common Core encourages educators to push students to a higher reading level. This database helps you do that.

SIRS makes searching easy. My favorite feature is that each article includes a Lexile score that matches readers with level-appropriate content. Students are presented with a choice of subjects, including nonfiction and biographical articles. SIRS provides citations at the end of each article, which is important in helping students understand the importance of credible sources. Most often, the same criteria cannot be found in random search-engine results.

Newsela.com is a great Web 2.0 tool for current events. Teachers can easily assign class-appropriate articles. It also offers reading guides and quizzes. My favorite Newsela feature is that an article’s Lexile score can be changed on the fly for students who need an extra challenge or for students who need a lower reading level to achieve n full comprehension.

March/April 2014

We Don’t Know Where You Are Unless You Tell Us! We won’t be able to update your record unless you tell us.

Someday it might be critically important for insurance purposes!

Help us keep postage costs (and your dues) down.

• Are you in a new school this year?

• Have you recently been married?

• Has your job title changed?

• Has the phone company changed your area code?

• Has the post office changed your zip code or address for 911 purposes?

• Have you moved?

Call 800-334-6861 Or write: P AGE, P.O. Box 942270, Atlanta, GA 31141-2270

YOU spend all daY in a classrOOm

Earn Your PLUs at Home!

Stay current in your profeSSion!

We currently offer over 100 PLU-approved courses online—and the list is always growing! Each online course earns 1–2 PLUs, and is available 24/7 to give you control of your schedule.

To see a complete list of these courses, visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu/plu.

changing careerS?

We offer more than 300 online courses and 42 certificate programs to help advance your career, change your career, or learn new skills.

The College of Continuing and Professional Education at Kennesaw State University is recognized for excellence in education and training.

Questions?

770-499-3355 online@kennesaw.edu to register: 770-423-6765 or 1-800-869-1151 ccpe.kennesaw.edu

Legal

Disciplinary Policy for Students Committing Violent Acts

By Margaret C. Elliott, PAGE Assistant General Counsel

U

nfortunately, school employees are sometimes pushed or hit by students. Georgia law OCGA 20-2-751.6 requires disciplinary policies for students who commit acts of physical violence against school employees. The law defines physical violence as: Intentionally making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with the person of another, or Intentionally making physical contact that causes physical harm to another, unless such physical contacts or physical harms were in defense of himself or herself.

The law requires local boards of education to create policies in the student code of conduct and provide penalties to be assessed against a student by a disciplinary hearing officer, disciplinary panel or

tribunal. This is not merely a suggestion; it is a requirement under the law.

A student found by a disciplinary panel, hearing officer or tribunal to have committed an act of physical violence where the student actually makes physical contact with the school employee and causes physical harm shall be expelled from the public school system for the remainder of the school year (unless the physical contacts or physical harms were in defense of himself or herself).

The local school board, at its discretion, may permit the student to attend an alternative education program for the period of time that the student is expelled. If a student who commits an act of physical violence is in kindergarten through eighth grade, then the local

The law requires local boards of education to create policies in the student code of conduct and provide penalties to be assessed against a student by a disciplinary hearing officer, disciplinary panel or tribunal.

30 PAGE ONE

school board at its discretion and on the recommendation of the disciplinary hearing officer, panel or tribunal may permit such a student to re-enroll in the regular public school program for grades 9-12.

If the local school board does not operate an alternative education program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade, the local school board, at its discretion, may permit a student to re-enroll in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Additionally, any student who is found by a disciplinary hearing officer, panel or tribunal to have committed an act of physical violence against a teacher, school bus driver or school employee (where physical contact was made and there was physical harm) shall be referred to juvenile court with a request for a petition alleging delinquent behavior.

Also, any student who is found by a disciplinary hearing officer, panel or tribunal to have committed an act of physical violence under definition (1) of the law (above), which is intentionally making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with a school system employee, may be disciplined by expulsion, long-term suspension or shortterm suspension.

However, please note that nothing in this code section shall be construed to infringe on any right provided to the students with individualized education programs (IEP or 504 plans) pursuant to federal law.

Some may not be aware of these requirements under the law. If there are questions about this law please call the PAGE legal department, and we will be glad n to assist you.

March/April 2014

News Briefs Post-Recession, More Georgia Teachers Have Advanced Degrees

T

oday’s Georgia teachers and school administrators are more likely to have an advanced degree and more years of experience than in years past, states a January 2014 report by Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. That’s because many educators postponed retirement during the recession, and many of those who did retire were not replaced, reports the institute, which studied Georgia Department of Education personnel data between 2001 and 2012. Although these trends pre-date the recession, they accelerated in recent years due to budget pressures.

As a result, a public school student in 2012 was less likely to have a newly hired teacher or administrator, or one that does not have an advanced degree. They are also more likely to

experience larger classroom sizes and fewer school administrators per student, states the report.

Over 7,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching positions were eliminated during the recession, representing a 6.7 percent decline. Georgia’s student population grew modestly at 0.52 percent annually at the same time, increasing the demand on the remaining teachers.

The wages of educators also flattened or decreased during this period, and they had fewer paid contract days. Meanwhile, the student-toadministrator ratio has increased.

Real per-student teacher salaries declined during the recession by 15 percent, as fewer teachers were asked to teach more students at a similar n level of nominal compensation.

PERCENT CHANGE IN DISTRICT TEACHING POSITIONS 2009 THROUGH 2012

Source: Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

• Common Core • 21st Century Skills • Arts Integration • Earn two PLU Credits • Open to all grades & content areas.

Inaugural

Woodruff Arts Center

Educator

confErEncE

alliancetheatre.org/edconference

June 3-5, 2014

March/April 2014

PAGE ONE 31

2014 PAGE Planner March 16-17 Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, PAGE Office, Atlanta

23-24 Principal Leadership Network, PAGE Office, Atlanta

27-29 FEA Spring Training (FEAST), St. Simon’s Island

Share Your Technology Tips Do you have a brief classroom-related technology tip to share with your peers? Email techtips@pageinc. org and tell us about a helpful tool, site or technique you use and why. We’ll publish tips on our website and feature some in PAGE ONE. Be sure to include your name, what you teach and your school.

April 5 GACE Program Admission Workshop, Mercer University, Atlanta

22 State PAGE STAR Banquet, Crowne Plaza Ravinia, Atlanta

30 Scholarship Application Postmark Deadline

June 6 PAGE Summer Event, Crowne Plaza Ravinia, Atlanta *Please check website https:// m360.pageinc.org/frontend/ portal/ viewcalendar.aspx for the most current PAGE Planner.

Officers President Dr. Emily Felton President-Elect Leslie Mills Secretary Chris Canter Treasurer Lamar Scott Past-President Dr. Tim Mullen Directors

District 1 District 8

Amy Denty Lindsey Raulerson

District 2 District 9

Dr. Todd Cason TBA

District 3 District 10

Allison Scenna Shannon Hammond

District 4 District 11 Rochelle Lofstrand Dr. Sandra Owens

District 5 District 12 Stephanie Davis-Howard Donna Graham

District 6 District 13 Dr. Susan Mullins Dr. Hayward Cordy

District 7

Kelli De Guire Ex-Officio Megan King

32 PAGE ONE

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.

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March/April 2014

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