Lights and Sound

Grady High School Foundation launches auditorium fundraiser

Candler Park INMAN PARK

By Clare S. Richie

The Grady High School Foundation has launched a $50,000 capital campaign to renovate the outdated and failing light and sound systems in its Vincent Murray Auditorium.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity with an incredible group of kids and faculty to teach at the top levels of theater, production, technology, entertainment – but we don’t have the tools to do it as we would like to and as industry demands,” said John Brandhorst, who wears many hats – Grady art teacher/ art department chair, Grady Go Team faculty member, and Grady Foundation vice chair.

The Midtown school currently operates the busiest theater and performance program in the city at 40 percent of technical capacity.

The auditorium is in constant use as a performance space for theater, band and chorus, as a classroom for AP Human Geography, for parent information sessions, for Atlanta City Council and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) community meetings, as a place for CNN to film, and much more.

“It’s become a nexus for all kinds of community engagement,” Brandhorst said.

However, 2004 renovations at Grady High School did not include updates to all the systems this workhorse relies on for light and sound.

For example, the 1984 dimmer rack, which controls the lighting, is obsolete and operating at half of the 96 dimmers’ capacity. “Little by little, the dimmer pods are becoming corroded or are failing – so we’re losing channels by the week – and we cannot get new coils to replace them,” Brandhorst said. The light system still accepts floppy disks.

North Atlanta High School’s technical apparatus, which has been compared to The Alliance Theater, in addition to dimmers, has hundreds of lights. Grady is down to 40 lights.

And Grady’s sound system is also obsolete. The auditorium soundboard doesn’t accept USB drives, so students and faculty can’t interface with computers. It also lacks a functioning intercom system so the back stage and front stage booths can’t communicate. Contemporary systems are run with software and iPads.

“At Grady, all of our tech is student run, which inspires many students to pursue professional theater,” Grady student Roshan Anita explained. “We do not let our outdated systems hold us back, however, we do not properly prepare many of our technicians for professional theater.”

Grady faculty and parents have asked APS to renovate these systems for several years. “If you have the best actors and the best set in the world but you can’t hear them or see them, then all your hard work is lost,” said parent Stephanie Szalkowski.

APS’ solution is a few more years down the road.

According to APS Chief Operations Officer Larry Hoskins, under the district’s SPLOST 2017 Program, Grady will receive a new classroom addition and building renovations, estimated to cost $33 million. The auditorium lighting and sound systems will be upgraded as a part of the investment but is not likely to be completed until 2020 or 2021.

When asked what happens if the Grady auditorium lighting and sound systems fail prior to construction completion, Hoskins said, “We will repair the systems.” But repair isn’t a viable option when parts are obsolete.

“We can’t wait,” Brandhorst said. “We are looking at imminent system failure.”

So, the Grady High School Foundation has decided to take matters into its own hands.

“The Grady High School Foundation is ready to address needs not met by APS – school wide big ticket items,” Elizabeth Rogan, Grady HS Foundation Chair and parent, said.

Parents created the foundation in 1997 to serve Grady students, faculty, and community. The nonprofit supports reading, writing, and math centers, student scholarships, and Advanced Placement Faculty professional development, primarily using funds donated by the Atlanta Boys’ High Alumni Association.

By tapping into alumni, the community, and other groups that use the auditorium, the foundation seeks to raise enough for this infrastructure project plus additional funds to support technology, curriculum and other unmet needs.

Plans are also in the works for a 70th Anniversary Gala in 2017 to raise funds that will benefit the entire school.

“I have attended so many musical and theatrical events from the students at Springdale Park, Inman, Mary Lin, Morningside, Hope-Hill, and Grady in this performing facility,” said Interim Principal Dr. Betsy Brockman. “Effective sound and lighting systems are a basic need for the thousands of students, parents, and teachers who use this venue on a continual basis. Our students cannot wait for three years; we appreciate the financial support of the Grady Cluster in this campaign.”

For more information, visit gradyhsfoundation.org.

By Isadora Pennington

“We really believe in the power of small schools,” said Peter Lefkowicz, one of the cofounders of The New School, a small independent high school with an emphasis on meaningful work.

It was back in 2014 that Lefkowicz, Mary Campbell Jenkins, and James Watson first opened up the doors on the school. The three, all with a background in education, felt that the standard for high schools were not adapting well to the changing times. “Ultimately it just hasn’t been serving many kids for a while,” Watson explained.

“As teachers and parents, Peter and I had long imagined the possibility of creating a high school where students could do work that really mattered to them – and to the city and world around them,” said Jenkins. “The opportunity to create a place where students learn as much outside the classroom as they learn inside school has always been a dream.”

The New School is a fully accredited high school, and operates on a relatively traditional schedule. Classes begin at 8:45 a.m. and the students are out at 4 p.m., with student-run groups and meetings running until about 5 p.m. The structure and course load is where the difference between The New School and public high schools is evident.

Students have immersive class experiences, where they learn and practice their skills in the real world, and outside of the realm of the classroom. For example, if they are acting, they might have their rehearsals and performances at Horizon Theater. This also provides opportunities for interactions between students and experts in the field, and often leads to mentorships.

Another element that The New School employs is major projects within the community. These projects are complex and center around real issues like clean water, homelessness and civil rights. Students have to employ multiple skills that they have learned from classes when they approach these issues, a tactic which often cements the lessons in a more real way. By empowering the students to tackle problems within the community, it encourages entrepreneurship and opens up the door for valuable internships.

The students also benefit from a weekly speaker series when experts and community partners are able to share their stories. Some featured speakers have included the folks behind King of Pops, Michelle Nunn and performers from the World Poetry Slam. Student-run courses by the name of TNSX at the end of each day provide the last notable difference in approach, with topics such as drone design, virtual reality, murals, poetry and art. These classes offer an opportunity for students to pursue understanding of topics that are important to them, and not just what is dictated by the school.

“We really want our kids to be doing real work in the real world,” said Lefkowicz.

Until recently, the school held residence in a few rooms at the Inman Park United Methodist Church. Over time, as interest grew and more students enrolled, the organization started to outgrow the confines of their building. Their numbers have steadily increased, from the initial 17 students, to about 55 kids now. It is estimated that for the fall semester of 2017 that is currently enrolling, they will have about 75 to 80 students. Ultimately, they plan to cap their student count at about 150 in order to retain healthy student to teacher numbers and to foster a sense of community within the student body.

Thanks to the work of Jenkins, Lefkowicz, Watson, and the dedicated parents, students, and community partners, they were able to purchase a building at 655 Memorial Drive to become their permanent home.

“At The New School we are just getting started. We’ve gathered an incredible faculty and built a new model for high school,” said Jenkins. “We want each one of those students to experience the benefits of a tight knit school community and the excitement of playing an active role in the vast and vibrant city around them.”

For more information, visit tnsatlanta.org or call (404) 500-9753.