Shout-outs:

• To Gloria Kitchens, Brooke Turpeau, Naomi Ray, Ivy Diamond, DeGreer Harris, the SA Reading Bowl Team, who one first place in the district on Saturday
• To Ms. Ricks for her coaching of the SA Reading Bowl Team
• To Ms. Kaney for securing a $54,000 transportation grant from Georgia Student Finance Authority to provide buses for our Early College program next year
• To Ms. Young, Ms. Herman, Mr. Parker, Ms. Knight, Ms. Kaney, Ms. Henderson and Ms. Davis in celebration of National School Counseling Week
• To Henry Cox, Gloria Kitchens, and Kyia O’Neal for participating in the Janfest band program
  • Henry – Honor Concert Winds Band
  • Gloria – Shumick Band
  • Kyia – Bawcum Band
• To Ms. Ruffin for the positive and productive climate in her class
• To Mr. Sessoms for the careful planning and variety of activities in his class
• To Ms. Deiters and Ms. Allen for organizing the Ninth and Tenth Grade Town Halls
• To Ms. Davis and Ms. Ali-Ferguson for coordinating awards during the Town Halls
• To Mr. Konieczny for the frequency of labs in his class and for how his students use the LabQuest data collection devices
• To Ms. Allen for taking her class out into the PBL lab to get space to move around for Organic World Language activities
• To Ms. Nguyen for incorporating individual student presentations into her class
• To Ms. Simmons for her current project Rappers, Ravers and the Glorification of Drugs which included a visit from a drug counselor last week
• To Mr. Copeland and Ms. Wynn for their current project Then/Now: From Industrialization to Gentrification that requires students to contact local real estate agents and developers
• To Ms. Ulbrich and Ms. Akinyela for holding AP World History tutorial on Saturday
• To Ms. Kaney, Ms. Herman, Ms. Young and Ms. Knight for organizing the mock ACT administration on Saturday

Calendar:

• National School Counseling Week
• Monday, February 1^st
  • A-Day
  • Flex Time –
    • 9/10^th Grade – Extended-Learning
    • 11^th Grade – ACT Prep
  • 2:00-3:00 – 11^th Grade Town Hall [Center for the Arts]
  • 5:30 – Varsity Basketball vs. WD Mohammed [Home]
• Tuesday, February 2^nd
  • B-Day
  • Flex Time
    • 9/10^th Grade – Advisory
    • 11^th Grade – ACT Prep
  • 4:30 – Tennis vs. Elite Scholars [International Park Tennis Center – Early Dismissal – 3:00 pm]
  • 5:30 – JV and Varsity Basketball vs. Fulton Leadership Academy [Away]
• Wednesday, February 3^rd
  • A-Day
  • Flex Time
    • 9/10^th Grade – Extended-Learning
    • 11^th Grade – ACT Prep
• Thursday, February 4^th
  • B-Day
  • Flex Time
    • 9/10^th Grade – Clubs
    • 11^th Grade – ACT Prep
  • 6:00 – Varsity Basketball vs. Strong Rock [Away]
• Friday, February 5^th
  • A-Day
  • 8:00-8:45 – 1st Period
  • 8:50-9:35 – 2nd Period
  • 9:40-10:25 – 3rd Period
  • 10:30-11:45 – 4th Period
  • 11:15 – Dismiss 9/10th graders to lunch (parents can pick students up at this time)
  • 11:45 – Dismiss 11th graders lunch (parents can pick students up at this time)
  • 1:00-6:00 – Parent Conferences – Directions here
    • Student-Led: 9th grade sign up link 
    • Student-Led: 10th grade sign up link
    • Traditional: 11^th grade sign up link
  • 6:00 – Varsity Basketball vs. Atlanta International School [Away]

Upcoming Events  

• Saturday, February 6^th
  • ACT Administration [all juniors]
  • 9:00-12:00 – AP World History Tutorial (flyer)
  • 11:00-1:00 – Summer Program Expo
• February 10-11 – Junior Compass testing
• February 12-16^th – Winter Break [No School]
• Saturday, February 20^th, 9:00-12:00 – AP World History Tutorial (flyer)
• February 22^nd – Ninth Grade Town Hall
• February 24^th –
  • Principal’s Coffee: Student-Led Conference Debrief [Please note that this meeting is a deviation from our schedule of the third Wednesday of each month, due to the fact that I will be at a conference.]
  • Tenth Grade Town Hall
• February 26^th –
  • PTA Dress Down Day Fundraiser
  • SGA Powderpuff Football Game [Gym]
• Saturday, February 27^th, 9:00-12:00 – AP World History Tutorial (flyer)
• June 6-10 and 13-17 – Rising Ninth Grade Summer Bridge Program

 

Announcements:

• Georgia Parent Survey – “The Georgia Parent Survey is modeled after the student survey and contains 24 questions. Parents may complete the survey using their personal computer, smartphones or tablet.  For parents that do not have access to the Internet, school administrators should consider scheduling dates and times to allow parents to complete the Georgia Parent Survey at school.  All parents should be encouraged to participate in the Georgia Parent Survey because the data will be used as part of the calculation of the School Climate Star Rating. Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis.  Individual data results from the Georgia Parent Survey will not be available to the public and will not be posted online.  The URL address for the Georgia Parent Survey is posted below: http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/parents.nsf/Survey.xsp”
• ACT Prep – Applerouth continues to partner with Charles Drew Charter School to offer a notable results-driven program with the finest tutors in Atlanta to prepare our students for the ACT testing dates throughout the year.  This spring, we will host two additional Applerouth ACT Prep Classes from February 20 to April 1 and from April 9 to May 20. The first session will run daily from 7:00am-8:00am leading up to the April 9 National Test Date, and the second session will run daily from 4:15pm-5:15pm leading up to the June 11 National Test Date.  These sessions are geared toward current sophomores and juniors.  More information available here.
• Yearbook Presale – The Charles R. Drew Charter School 2016 Yearbook is available for PREsale online. This year’s yearbook contains pre-k through 11th grade students, staff and activities. The book is 120 pages, full color, soft cover bound and is available for delivery after 5/1/2016. Get yours now as quantities are limited and the price will go up to $30 after the online sale ends 4/1/2016. http://link.entourageyearbooks.com/YBStore/YearbookStoreMain.asp?yearbook_id=19722
• Institute On Neuroscience (ION/Teach) – PAID Internship for High School Students and Middle & High School Teachers – Summer 2016 – “Summer 2016 program information is provided below as well as in this flyer. The Institute on Neuroscience (ION/Teach) is an eight-week summer program, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and hosted by Georgia State University, Emory University, and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. The program is seeking high school students who excel in science (must be 16 by June 6th), as well as for middle and high school science teachers.
  • Accepted Scholar Stipends:
    • Teachers – $10,000
    • Students – $3,000

Check out the new Institute On Neuroscience website including online application HERE!
Sign up HERE to be added to our ION E-blast list to receive information about this and similar opportunities.  For inquiries, contact the above program directly (http://sites.gsu.edu/ion-teach/).”

• Reminder: Report Cards – Parents/guardians should have received report cards and 2014-2015 Georgia Milestone Assessment report.  If you did not receive your student’s information, please contact Mrs. Keith in the main office.
• Reminder: Hiring for the 2016-2017 School Year – We are about to undertake the hiring process for the 2016-2017.  Below is a tentative list of positions that we will be filling.  If you are aware of strong candidates for these positions, please have them send their resumes to peter.mcknight@drewcharterschool.org and jobs@drewcharterschool.org.
  • Director of Data Analysis and Research
  • Project-Based Learning Coach
  • Counselor
  • Math teacher
  • ELA teacher
  • Science teacher
  • Social Studies teacher
  • Special Education teacher
  • Spanish teacher
  • Band Director
  • Part-time Theater Teacher
  • Part-time Dance Teacher

• Reminder: 2016 CEO of My Life Summer Experience – “Do you have students who are extremely talented, skilled or looking to gain experience and a competitive advantage to prepare for their future? Students looking to discover their passion and become more confident in their abilities? We are now accepting applications for the 2016 CEO of My Life Summer Experience at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Technology Innovation Square.  Admission to our summer program has become very competitive and spaces are limited. Applications are reviewed and accepted as they are received, so we encourage families to apply as soon as possible to reserve a space for their child. Please distribute this email to your student body or parents who may be interested in applying this summer.  We are seeking students who are motivated and interested in designing their future plans, exploring their talents, skills and interest, using them to create value and discover opportunities for themselves. Students looking to have an impact in the Global Innovation Economy in some cases even before they enter college.”  Apply here.

• Reminder: Lab Atlanta – “Imagine Atlanta as your classroom — a classroom without walls. Welcome to Lab Atlanta, an honors-level semester school for high school sophomores, sponsored by The Lovett School, based at the Midtown campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD Atlanta), and in partnership with the Public Design Workshop at Georgia Tech.”
  • Lab Atlanta prizes deep intellectual and experiential engagement. Our challenging, dynamic curriculum invites and empowers our 10th grade students to:
    • treat their city as a learning laboratory
    • hone their skills as scholars
    • understand the world systemically
    • develop innovation skills and practice a designer’s mindset
    • collaborate on building sustainable solutions for a vibrant urban future

• Opening January 2017
• More information here
• Reminder: YouthBuild Atlanta – “YouthBuild Atlanta empowers youth to be leaders in the community through education, job training, volunteer service, and leadership development activities. The program provides a safe environment that will allow students to work towards their educational and career goals.  Through the 10-month program, students will gain the skills and training that will help them to rebuild their lives and develop a positive work ethic. Students leave with a lifelong love of learning and a sense of responsibility for themselves, their families, and the community.”  More information here.
• Reminder: Perry Outreach Program – “We’re very excited to announce an upcoming Perry Outreach Program on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. The Perry Outreach Program is a free, one-day, hands-on experience for high school and college-aged women who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. Students will hear from women leaders in these fields and try it for themselves by performing mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanics experiments.  We are now seeking applicants for our Atlanta, GA program. Participants should be women in grades 10 and up with an expressed interest in science, medicine and/or engineering.  We would very much appreciate if you could pass this information along to any high school principals, high school science teachers or high school students you may know.  Applicants should be directed to fill out our online application in advance of the February 18, 2016 application deadline.”
  • The application may be accessed directly using the following link: http://perryinitiative.org/programs/student-online-application/
  • More information and a printable flyer for this event can be found here.
• Reminder: After-School Tutorial in Math and Science (including ACT/SAT) – Mr. Domingo Uceda, one of our AmeriCorps members from Georgia Tech is offering after-school tutorial in math and science.  Details are available on this flyer.
• Reminder: Sophomore and Junior Dues –
  • Sophomore and Freshman dues are $30, which will help supplement funding from the PTA for events like Midnight Madness, Homecoming, College and Career Week and the SGA Day of Play.  A flyer about the dues is available here.
  • A schedule of payment for Junior dues is now available and outlined in the flyer available here.

 

Links:

• Echo – https://echo.newtechnetwork.org/
  • Echo Access Request Form (Please submit these to Ms. Mills, the registrar, in the main office)
  • Echo Parent Guide
  • E-mail Address to Reset Echo Passwords – tech.support@drewcharterschool.org
• Drew Senior Academy College and Career Website – www.DrewCCR.com
• Naviance – http://connection.naviance.com/charlesdcs

• Link to Sign up for Constant Contact Emails

• Remind (text message and email alerts) Enrollment Instructions:
  • Ninth Grade
  • Tenth Grade
  • Eleventh Grade
• MyGivingPoint – http://www.mygivingpoint.org/
  • All students should have accounts to this site in order to log community service hours.  Please direct questions about community services to Ms. Kaney [rachel.kaney@drewcharterschool.org].
• Hands-on-Atlanta Volunteer Opportunity Calendar
• Eagle Nation Athletic Booster Club – http://www.dreweaglenation.org/
  • Great information about our athletic teams, including their schedules and records.
• Band Booster Club – http://drewbandboosters.org/