2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge announced March 1 the finalists for 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

The 10 finalists were chosen from a pool of 154 applicants who were selected as the Teacher of the Year in their school districts. The applications were read by a panel of judges that included teachers, past Georgia Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, administrators, community leaders and others. The finalists were chosen based on the strength of their essay responses.

"This is a strong group of outstanding educators who would each make a terrific 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year," said Superintendent Barge. "Congratulations to the finalists and to all those who applied for consideration. I know the judges had a very difficult job choosing just 10 finalists from this group of applicants."

Over the next several weeks, a panel of judges will observe and interview each of the finalists. The finalists will also give a speech at a luncheon sponsored by Georgia Power on April 1. The winner will be announced at the Georgia Teacher of the Year banquet on May 6, 2011, at the Georgia World Congress Center. The banquet, paid for through donations from sponsors, will honor each local district Teacher of the Year. A reception hosted by United Healthcare will be held prior to the banquet.

The 2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year will travel around the state and the nation, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession. The winner will also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

The 2011 Georgia Teacher of the Year is Ms. Pam Williams, a teacher at Appling County High School. To learn more about Ms. Williams and the Teacher of the Year program, click on the following link: http://www.gadoe.org/ci.aspx?PageReq=TOTY 

2012 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists (in alphabetical order by district)
Teacher, Subject, System, School

Jadun O. McCarthy, English Language Arts
Bibb County, Northeast Health Science Magnet High School

Ashlee J. Mitchell, Speech-Language Pathology
Bulloch County, Stilson Elementary School

Vicki Tarleton, Mathematics
Columbia County, Grovetown High School

Nancy Williams, Social Skills
Coweta County, Madras Middle School

Beth Sciarro, Reading
Houston County, Northside Elementary

Ivy K. Smith, Mathematics
Lowndes County, Pine Grove Middle

Christine W. Powell, Journalism, Art History and Literature
Muscogee County, Northside High School

Lisa Boyd, English Language Arts
Rockdale County, Salem High School

Melissa Webb, Second Grade
Savannah-Chatham, West Chatham Elementary School

Nancy C. Rogers, Literature
Thomas County, Thomas County Central High School

The Georgia Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by United Healthcare.

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Cast Your Vote to Help Georgia's Tyrone Elementary Win $10,000 in National Competition

Connie Redd in the car line spreading the word about Progresso Soup joining the Box Tops for Education Program. 

“SOUPer” news for Tyrone Elementary; the school has been selected as one of 10 finalists nationwide in the Progresso Soup Box Tops for Education Contest.

The school entered the competition last month by submitting a photo and short description of how they would creatively spread the word about Progresso Soup joining the Box Tops for Education program. Parent Connie Redd, the school’s campaign leader, wore a “Box Tops for Education” label and carried an oversized Progresso Soup can while parading through the school’s car line. She says she made sure everyone in their cars knew that the soups now have the box tops and each are worth a dime.

Her campaign and the photo of Redd wearing the costume landed the school in the finals for the competition. Now, it is up to voters to select the grand prize winning school that will receive 100,000 box tops worth approximately $10,000. If Tyrone wins, the funds will be used to repair playground equipment, purchase technology programs and instructional supplies.

Here’s how you can help Tyrone Elementary get the most votes and win the $10,000 grand prize. Log on to www.boxtops4education.com and click on the “Box Top” link at the top of the page. Enter the school’s zip code (30290) and select Tyrone Elementary from the dropdown menu. Follow the directions for registering and return to the BTFE home page, click on the contest link, find the school’s photo, and vote. Persons can vote once daily through December 13. The winner will be notified on December 17.

The Box Tops for Education program gives schools 10 cents for every Box Tops logo they send back. So far this year, Tyrone Elementary has earned $1,520 by participating in the program.

Of course, the school would like to add $10,000 to its overall total, so don’t forget to vote daily and help Tyrone Elementary become the national winner in the Progresso Soup Box Tops for Education Contest.

Editor's Note:  Come on Georgia!  Let's all help Tyrone Elementary in Fayette County win this competition!

Photo Source:  Fayette County Board of Education


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National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Finds Eight Race to the Top Finalists Supportive of Charter Schools

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools today released the following statement from president and CEO, Peter Groff. This statement is in response to the announcement of 19 finalists in the second round of competition for Race to the Top funding under the U.S. Department of Education.

"We are pleased to see strong representation from states supportive of charter schools as finalists in the second round of the Race to the Top competition. Eight of the finalists rank among the top 10 states shown to support the growth of high-quality charter schools in our annual examination of state charter laws. We commend these states for the commitment they've shown to education reform by enacting legislation that supports high-quality charter schools.

They are: Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts and New York. Two of the other finalists, Florida and Pennsylvania ranked eleventh and twelfth out of forty states with charter laws. We wish them success in their continued pursuit of a high-quality charter school sector within a healthy public education system.

Six states have raised or eliminated caps that hinder the growth of high-quality charter schools in response to Race to the Top. We are pleased to see Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York and Rhode Island advanced to the final stage of the competition.

Unfortunately, three finalists fail to meet at least one Race to the Top guideline because they continue to block charter school growth. They are: Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio. Despite education reform efforts that may exist in these states, they are keeping high-quality charter schools from bringing parents another public school option. Kentucky, in particular, has yet to pass a charter school law.

Maryland, also a finalist, was shown to have the worst charter school law in the country according to our rankings.

The remaining states, New Jersey and South Carolina, have charter laws that could be improved, but do not restrict the growth of high-quality charter schools with caps.

The Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Education have created an unprecedented opportunity for reform with the Race to the Top. We applaud the Department's efforts to date and urge them to reinforce their commitment to the growth of high-quality charter schools by awarding grants only to those states with a track record of supporting high-quality charter schools."

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (http://www.publiccharters.org/) is the national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools. The Alliance provides assistance to state charter school associations and resource centers, develops and advocates for improved public policies, and serves as the united voice for this large and diverse movement. More than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 40 states and the District of Columbia.

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Recommendation Received for Georgia Tech Presidency

Board of Regents Chair Richard Tucker and University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., have announced the name of the finalist for the Georgia Institute of Technology presidency, Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson.

Dr. Peterson currently serves as chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder, a position he has held since 2006. The university has 29,000 students, annual sponsored research of approximately $300 million, and a $1.1 billion annual operating budget.

He is credited with stepping into the University of Colorado at Boulder chancellorship at a crucial time in the institution’s history and positively correcting its course. The university had endured a reputation-damaging football scandal and the Ward Churchill ‘academic freedom’ controversy just prior to Peterson’s arrival in mid-2006. He has been lauded for successfully leading the university beyond these harmful episodes and developing a shared vision that will carry the university forward into the next decade.

Peterson earned bachelor of science degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics from Kansas State University, Manhattan. He earned a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. in the same discipline from Texas A&M University, College Station. He was a “walk on” receiver on the Kansas State football team, who earned a scholarship and started at the position for three varsity seasons.

Peterson’s post-Ph.D. academic career has been spent at three institutions, not counting a one-year assignment with the National Science Foundation in 1993-94. He worked for 19 years at Texas A&M, where he served as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for three years (1993-96) and executive associate dean of engineering for four years (1996-2000).
Peterson also had the title of associate vice chancellor for the Texas A&M University System from 1996-2000.

He was recruited to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, as provost in July 2000. Peterson served in this capacity until 2006 when he accepted the position of chancellor at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Peterson also has worked as a research scientist for the NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, and in the private sector for Black & Veatch Consulting Engineers in Kansas City, Missouri. He taught mathematics and science in several Kansas high schools early in his career.
Peterson is widely published in the field of phase change heat transfer and is a fellow of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He was recently appointed to the National Science Board. He and his wife, Val, have four grown children.

The Board of Regents expects to name the next president of Georgia Tech at a future meeting.

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