Deal signs Enduring HOPE

Joined by a bipartisan group of legislators, Gov. Nathan Deal today (March 15) signed the Enduring HOPE legislation.

“With today’s signing, we have closed a $300 million shortfall in the next year, we have pulled HOPE and Georgia Pre-K from the brink of bankruptcy and we have preserved our state’s elite status for having the most generous benefit programs in the nation,” said Deal. “Georgians are blessed to have legislative leaders who put aside politics to craft a new law of generational importance.”



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Deal to act quickly on APS probation

Gov. Nathan Deal will take an active role in helping Atlanta Public Schools prevent loss of its accreditation. Upon the announcement today that the system's high schools are on probation, the governor has reached out to Mayor Kasim Reed and has called a meeting tomorrow with the entire Atlanta legislative delegation.

"I will make every effort to ensure that Atlanta's children are not harmed by the adults who have failed them," Deal said. "I have begun the process of working with Atlanta's leaders, including my friend Mayor Reed, to implement corrective action immediately. The high schools are on probation but they have not lost their accreditation. We must do everything possible to stop an embarrassing situation from snowballing into a destructive situation.

"Children's futures are at stake. My budget showed the priority I place on education. My actions in this situation will demonstrate similar resolve. In addition to working with Atlanta's leaders, I announced today that I've asked the team investigating the APS administration of the CRCT to continue its work. I'm determined to get to the bottom of what happened, so we can guarantee the integrity of testing in Atlanta and throughout Georgia."

The report from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools details a dysfunctional city school board that has failed to serve the students of Atlanta. Current state law allows the governor to remove board members in such a scenario, but the law does not apply in this case because all of the board members were in office before the law took effect.

The probation of Atlanta high schools will have no impact on the HOPE scholarship eligibility of the Class of 2011.
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West Georgia Awarded Safety Grant

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Collaborative Safety Initiatives awarded Health Services a $12,500 grant to fund its Georgia Young Adult programs. It is the sixth consecutive GOHS grant awarded to UWG. UWG will use the grant to educate the campus community on alcohol abuse, underage drinking and impaired driving.

The Georgia Young Adult Program is designed for colleges and universities and focuses on peer education to promote and raise awareness of highway safety issues. In addition to education on alcohol abuse, the program includes education on the use of safety belts, dangers of speeding and reducing risks on the road.

Grant funding is also utilized by the health educators to bring nationally recognized speakers and trainers to campus. During Health and Safety Week, which is the week before spring break, educators highlight behaviors that may put students at risk while on vacation.

The long-term goal of the program is to create a safer, healthier campus environment. For more information, call 678-839-0641.

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Governor Creates Group to Look at Educational Abuse Policies

Will include a special look at alternative school settings, such as RESAs

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that he has accepted the recommendations of the Office of the Child Advocate and created a working group to examine policies and procedures that are followed when cases of abuse are alleged in an educational environment.

“Any accusations of abuse by school personnel against children must be addressed strongly, rapidly and appropriately,” said Governor Perdue.

The Governor’s Working Group on Abuse in the Educational Setting will convene experienced school administrators and leaders along with law enforcement personnel to develop consistent statewide policies and protocols for addressing reports of child abuse by school employees.

The Governor has charged the working group with developing specific child abuse reporting and response procedures that can be adopted by every school system in the state. The group’s recommendations will include specific processes for parents and students to report abuse as well as protocols for school system management to use when taking personnel action involving accused employees and reporting the incident to law enforcement, system leadership and the Professional Standards Commission.

A specific task of the group will include developing protocols for addressing allegations abuse in special settings, such as those involving special educational programs operated by Regional Educational Services Agencies (RESAs).

“We must strike the right balance between protecting our students from abuse while also treating school employees fairly,” Governor Perdue added said. “This working group will establish the clear lines of authority and responsibility that will ensure these cases are addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.”

Governor Perdue’s formation of the working group comes in response to recommendations from the Office of the Child Advocate. In June, following a disturbing case alleging abuse of a child by school personnel, the Governor charged the State Child Advocate with determining whether Georgia’s laws and policies adequately address issues of abuse in the educational setting.

While the Child Advocate’s report found the state’s child abuse reporting and response laws adequate, it also found that a lack of clear responsibility for addressing allegations of abuse sometimes results in an ineffective response. The Governor’s action will help ensure that those responsible for addressing these allegations must respond quickly and adequately. The report is available online at http://gachildadvocate.org/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/62/39/145977376school%20abuse%20allegations%20070609.pdf .

The first meeting of the working group has been tentatively scheduled for late August. The members of the working group are:

o Matt Arthur, Superintendent, Rabun County Schools
o Emily Lembeck, Superintendent, Marietta City Schools
o Jeannie Edwards, Student Health Coordinator, Dawson County Schools
o Stephanie (Taylor) Williams, Ed.S., Early Intervention Program (EIP), Montgomery Elementary School, DeKalb County Schools
o Jay Fowler, Principal, Rocky Creek Elementary School, Henry County
o Pete Skandalakis, Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney
o Rachael Barron, Parent Representative, Atlanta
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Governor Perdue Announces 57 New Master Teachers in Georgia

Governor Sonny Perdue today announced the names of 57 new teachers who have earned the “Master Teacher” certification designation based on appreciable gains they’ve facilitated in their students’ achievement.

“These 54 teachers join the nearly 300 Master Teachers before them who have clearly demonstrated their expertise in helping our children achieve at higher levels,” said Governor Perdue. “They are masters at inspiring students to learn, and I’m proud to recognize them for their outstanding work in one of our most honorable professions.”

Georgia’s Master Teacher Certification Program was championed by Governor Perdue during the 2005 legislation session and is coordinated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC). It provides statewide recognition to certified public school teachers in Georgia who have at least three years of teaching experience and who consistently demonstrate instructional excellence through their students’ achievement.

Master Teacher certification qualifies teachers to earn a stipend for mentoring new teachers or serving as Academic Coaches who use instructional release time to promote effective professional development practices among colleagues and make recommendations to improve schools and student learning. In addition, Master Teachers are eligible to automatically renew their teaching certificates as long as they continue to qualify for Master Teacher status.

“The Georgia Professional Standards Commission is proud to administer this important certification program,” said Kelly Henson, Executive Secretary of the PSC. “We extend our heartiest congratulations to these teachers for this well-earned recognition.”

For more information on the Master Teacher program, please visit http://www.gamasterteachers.org or send an email to MasterTeachers@gapsc.com.
Below are the names of those teachers who have earned the “Master Teacher” Certification in 2008:

Atlanta Public Schools Pamela Renee Andrews
Atlanta Public Schools Adella Lenore Dixon
Atlanta Public Schools LaTrenda Shanane Willis
Baldwin County Donna B. Kirby
Berrien County Staci Rentz Jernigan
Bibb County Kristy French Graham
Candler County Monicca M. Bohannon
Cherokee County Deborah Lynn Kelly
Clarke County Summer Elizabeth Tuggle
Clayton County Linda F. Kight
Cobb County Susan Elaine Blackwell
Cobb County Dora Phillips Brown
Coffee County Angela Rigdon Anderson
Columbia County Sandra Kay Thompson
Cook County Marian Sabrina Lindsey
DeKalb County Leisa Taylor Berry
DeKalb County Jisu Song
Dodge County Angela Lynn Peacock
Effingham County Margaret Nicole Davis
Effingham County Teshewanda B. Shuman
Fulton County Danielle Ruth Arnold
Glynn County Yondla Kanae Clark
Glynn County Oatanisha Renee Dawson
Glynn County Brentsie Bobo Walker
Gwinnett County Sonjyia Faye Bryant
Gwinnett County Denise Trosky Buckelew
Gwinnett County Tamara Nicole Candis
Gwinnett County Melinda Nicholson Lewis
Gwinnett County William B. Lewis
Gwinnett County Kim Michelle White
Hall County Lela H. Whelchel
Henry County Anthony D. DiSario
Henry County Michelle Leigh Platson
Jefferson County Jeffrey C. Dent
Jones County Angela Carnes Bailey
Lamar County Tami Tyre Barnes
Lumpkin County Sabrina Grizzle
Lumpkin County Patricia Richmond
Lumpkin County Rita S. Truelove
McDuffie County Felicia R. Cullars
McDuffie County Sharon N. Turman
Muscogee County Staci Nicole Allen
Muscogee County Nakia Hunter Farley
Muscogee County Tanya Lawrence Kearse
Newton County Lynn House
Newton County Leamon Carroll Jourdan
Newton County Shundreia N. Neely
Newton County Jeanne Roxanne Rachels
Newton County Stephanie Demitra Tyler
Pierce County Martha Joi McCarthy
Pierce County John Ratliff
Polk County Cristi M. Gober
Polk County Dale Loyd Tuck
Putnam County Holly M. Parker
Thomaston-Upson County Jodie S. Day
Thomasville City Catherine M. Briggs
Walker County Chastity Leann Steadman