Purpose – Drew Charter School serves as a key component of the cradle-to-college pipeline within the holistic East Lake neighborhood revitalization. Appreciating our unique status as a mixed-income school, Drew Charter School’s primary purpose is to provide an excellent education to all children living in the Villages of East Lake so that each student reaches his or her full potential and is launched on a pathway to health, impact and prosperity.

Vision – Drew Charter School students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to create positive change in the world.

Mission – Drew Charter School is an exemplary, innovative education community that empowers all students to achieve their full potential.

Senior Academy Priorities for the Year

1. A school where character and school culture are developed through positive relationships with students, parents, staff and the community.
2. A school where we facilitate high quality STEAM/PBL learning, and everyone understands how these principles and practices prepare students for postsecondary success.
3. A school that supports all students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth and understands how these elements impact learning and development.

Shout-outs to:

• The JV and varsity volleyball teams for beating Douglass last Tuesday!
• Hannah Page, who joins us as our new Director of Research, Data and Analysis!
• Ms. Cain, for working with students on debate and oratory skills [see pictures above by Mr. Parker]!
• Ms. Isbell for going the extra mile to ensure ALL of our Seniors’ make it into the yearbook!
• The 11th grade team and Mr. Coley for the awesome BBQ after the solar eclipse!
• Ms. Bryant, Mr. Konieczny, Mr. Myers and all of the other staff who helped organize the solar eclipse viewing!
• Mr. Parker for capturing amazing photos of our Drew events!

Calendar:

WEEK 6 | 8/28 – 9/2

8/28 | Monday | B Day Flex Time – Clubs (B Week) 5:45-7:00 – Parent Meeting for Peru Trip [Room A219]

8/29 |Tuesday | A Day Flex Time – Extended Learning

8/30 |Wednesday | B Day Flex Time – Advisory 5:00 – Cross Country @Grant Park 5:30 – Girls Softball vs St. Francis [Home – Southside Park] 6:00-7:30 – Senior Grade Level Night [Theater – For all seniors and their families]

8/31 |Thursday | A Day Flex Time – Extended Learning 6:30 – Varsity Volleyball @Maynard  Jackson/Langston Hughes

9/01 |Friday | B Day 8:00-4:00 – Physics Field Trip [Charlie Yates Golf Course] Flex Time – Advisory/Free Friday

Upcoming Events:

• • 9/4
    • Labor Day [No school for students or staff]
    • GHSA Drama Auditions
  • 9/5
    • GHSA Drama Auditions
    • 5:00 – V Volleyball vs Paideia/Holy Innocents [Home]
  • 9/6
    • 12:30-3:00 – Mock Admissions Case Study [Juniors]
    • 5:00 – Cross Country Meet @Grant Park
    • 6:00-8:00 – Peach State Tour [Theater]
  • 9/7
    • 5:00 – JV/Varsity Volleyball vs S. Atlanta/Therrell [Home]
    • 5:30 – Girls Softball vs. Our Lady of Mercy [Home – Southside
           Park]
  • 9/8
    • 8:15-12:00 – North Atlanta College Fair [Select seniors]
    • Flex Time – Girls Tennis State Championship Ring Ceremony
      [Theater]

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • 9/13 –
    • Flex Time – Mentor Meetings
    • 4:30 – Board of Directors Teaching and Learning Committee Meeting
    • 6:00-7:30 – Sophomore Parent Night [Theater]
  • 9/14 – Yearbook Picture Day [Students must have their blazers in order to take their yearbook picture.]
  • 9/15 – Organic World Language Visitation Day

• • 9/19 – GSU Sing Fest [Select SA chorus students]
  • 9/20
    • PGA Tour Championship begins
    • Tentative: Cultural Experience Program Event for 10th Grade
    • 6:00-7:30 – Freshman Parent Night
    • 9/21, 8:15-9:30 – SA PTA Parent Gathering

 

 

• • 5/19, 4:00 pm – Class of 2018 Graduation Ceremony

 

 

Announcements:

• Homecoming Support – The homecoming committee needs a few parent/guardian volunteers to help with planning the dance and other activities.  If you are interested please email joshay.simmons@drewcharterschool.org.
• Volunteer Verification Process – At Drew Charter School, we are fortunate to have an engaged parent community that supports the school through various volunteer efforts. Based on the standards set by the Atlanta Public School District all non-staff volunteers must be cleared by the following means:
  • Level 2 Clearance – “Level 2 volunteers are non-district personnel who will have direct interaction with students with other adults present at all times.” Any volunteer who will interact with students in the presence of school staff will need to be cleared by:
    • Completing the APS Volunteer Release Form, and
    • Submitting a copy of government issued ID.

Once they have submitted the paperwork listed above, a staff member must check their name on the US Department of Justice’s Sex Offender Registry.  If they are not listed on the website they can be cleared and added to the list of approved volunteers.  **Please note that all Level 2 volunteers are to submit necessary documents annually.

• • Level 3 Clearance – “Level 3: volunteers are non-district personnel who will have direct, unsupervised interaction with students.” All field trip chaperones require Level 3 Clearance. Any volunteer who will interact with students without a staff member will need to be cleared by:
    • Completing the above steps for Level 2 Clearance, and
    • Complete the GAPS Cogent Applicant Registration Form found and pay the $51 fee.

Once they have submitted the paperwork listed above, a staff member must enter all their information into the Applicant Registration section of the GAPS Cogent website.  After 2 to 3 days the applicant’s report will be ready to view by an HR representative who will determine if they are clear to volunteer. Volunteers are not able to join/meet the school on field trips without a Level 3 Clearance.

• • All potential volunteers, please email Ms. Mekka Raqib at mekka.raqib@drewcharterschool.org to schedule an appointment.
• PTA Parent Gathering Minutes – On August 17th we hosted our first PTA Senior Academy Parent Gathering.  Kudos to Genie McGee for facilitating and Jennifer McCrary for typing up these minutes.  These gatherings will occur every third Thursday of the month, alternating between 8:15 am and 5:00 pm.  The next Parent Gathering will be held at 8:15 am on Thursday, September 21st in the Eva Davis Board Room. Click Here to Become a PTA Member
• Reminder: Free and Reduced Lunch – Unfortunately, in contrast to previous years, breakfast and lunch are no longer free for all students.  Breakfast now costs $0.75 and lunch costs $2.50.  Students can bring cash, but we would prefer for students either to qualify for free/reduced lunch or for families to pre-pay.  Links to both options are included below.
  • Click here to submit a Lunch Application.  Paper applications are also available in the main office. (Please submit an application, even if your student does not eat school lunch or if you do not anticipate qualifying for free or reduced lunch.  It is important for the school to have 100% participation with this process.)
  • Click here to pre-pay for student meals
• Reminder: Infinite Campus Parent Portal Access – Parents of students in grades K–12 have access to class schedules, attendance records and grades through the Parent Portal which is an easy-to-use, secure communications tool. Additionally, the Parent Portal enables parents to verify household information, including their email address, home address and telephone numbers.  Parents can sign up using the directions available here.  Please note that in contrast to last year, students’ grades will be recorded in Infinite Campus, instead of Blackboard.  Parent/guardians can secure their own log-in using the link above.
• Reminder: MyPaymentsPlus – In order to make paying for dues, field trips and other fees easier and to limit the use of cash, we have enabled online payments by credit card and bank account through MyPaymentsPlus.  Information to register is available on this flyer.
• Reminder: Dues – We need to collect class dues in order to fund many of the cultural events that our students enjoy.  Payment of class dues includes access to Midnight Madness and SGA Day of Play as well as a class T-Shirt and participation in other grade-level specific activities.
  • Freshman and Sophomore

     

    $35

  • Junior
    • $200
    • Includes participation in prom both junior and senior years
  • Senior
    • $160
    • Senior dues have been reduced by $40 to help reduce the overall cost to students and families.
    • Please note that students will still need to purchase their cap, gown, tassel and stole which we expect to cost approximately $65.
    • See new flyer for additional information
• Reminder: Spirit Wear – We are excited to announce a Free Logo Promotion with Tommy Hilfiger School Uniforms now through August 14th, 2017!  You can add our school logo for FREE! No promotion code is needed.  The free logo price will automatically be reflected on our Tommy Hilfiger School Uniforms website! Please see the attached flyer for details.