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

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

Shout-outs to:

Jalil Spearman, who graduated from Phillips Academy’s three-summer Mathematics & Science for Minority Students program—better known as (MS)^2 —on July 30, 2017. Jalil, selected from more than 400 applicants to participate in the rigorous academic program, was one of 37 students in the Class of 2017. For more information about (MS)^2 , visit www.andover.edu/ms2
Brendon Harris, Tyler Johnson, India Girault, Amber Donerlson and Julia Blackwell for helping facilitate the Senior Parent Night last Wednesday as well as Mr. Richardson, the CCR Team and the 12th Grade Team!
Mr. Anderson, who joins us as our new Theater Manager!
Ninth grade students, community members, Ms. Krachman and Ms. Shuler-Davis for a successful career fair that served as the entry event for their Algebra project [see picture above]!
Ms. Cain, Ms. Mayes-Adams and Mr. White for a wonderful and engaging class debate over ancient civilizations and Julius Caesar!
Ms. Simmons for a great project idea around conflict minerals used to produce cell phones!
Ms. Klein and Ms. Shuler-Davis for an engaging “Lit Gram” gallery walk which served as an awesome entry event with thoughtful discussion!
Ms. Krachman for winning a PTA Grant to provide snacks for JA students participating in tutoring with SA Math Mentors!

Calendar:

WEEK 7 ~ 9/4 – 9/9

9/04 | Monday | NO SCHOOL

Labor Day [No school for students or staff]
GHSA Drama Auditions

9/05 | Tuesday | A Day

GHSA Drama Auditions
Flex Time – Extended Learning
5:00 – V Volleyball vs Paideia/Holy Innocents [Home]

9/06 | Wednesday | B Day

12:30-3:00 – Mock Admissions Case Study [Juniors]
Flex Time – Advisory
5:00 – Cross Country Meet @Grant Park
6:00-8:00 – Peach State Tour [Theater – Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Georgia will be visiting Charles R. Drew Charter School for this event which is FREE and open to grade levels 9-12. Please sign up here, seats are filling up quickly! For questions, please contact, Ms. Young at ashley.young@drewcharterschool.org]

9/07 | Thursday | A Day

Flex Time – Extended Learning
5:00 – JV/Varsity Volleyball vs S. Atlanta/Therrell [Home]
5:30 – Girls Softball vs. Our Lady of Mercy [Home – Southside Park]

9/08 | Friday | B Day

8:15-12:00 – North Atlanta College Fair [30 seniors who have signed up with the college counselors]
Flex Time – Advisory/Tennis State Championship Ring Ceremony [Theater]

Upcoming Events:

9/11, 5:30 – Softball vs. Banneker [Home – Southside Park]
9/12, 6:00 – Varsity Volleyball @Atlanta International School/Wesleyan
9/13
- Flex Time – Mentoring instead of Advisory
- 4:30-5:30 – Teaching and Learning Committee Meeting
- 5:00 – Cross Country Meet @Grant Park
- 6:00 – Sophomore Parent Night [Theater]
9/14
- Yearbook Picture Day [Students must have their blazers in order to take their yearbook picture]
- 5:30 – JV/Varsity Volleyball vs. Decatur/Mt. Zion [Home]
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 [Theater]
9/21, 8:15-9:30 – SA PTA Parent Gathering [Eva Davis Boardroom – Ms. Tesi Gillispie from the Adolescent Health & Youth Development Department of the Dekalb County Board of Health will talk about STDs.]
9/25, 6:00 – Drew Board of Directors Meeting
9/27, 6:00 – Junior Parent Night [Theater]
9/28, Flex Time – Ninth Grade Community Forum [Cafeteria]
9/29 – End of First Quarter
9/30, 12:00-4:00 – PTA Fall Festival
10/19, 5:00 – SA PTA Parent Gathering [Eva Davis Boardroom – Attorney Doug Ammar, who is the Executive Director of the Georgia Justice Project, www.gjp.org will talk about the criminal justice system, knowing your rights and having resources for yourself and others.
11/8 – PBL Showcase
5/19, 4:00 pm – Class of 2018 Graduation Ceremony [Main Gym]

Announcements:

Reminder: 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.
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
- Students who currently eat free or reduced lunch and have not submitted an application will have to pay for lunch beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, September 6th.
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.
PTA Grants – The PTA Grants Committee has made its first round of awards. Congratulations to the following teachers: Catherine Muller (Engineering–EA), Jennifer Krachman (Math–JA), Jennifer Adams (1st Grade–EA), and the Drew Athletics Booster Club. These funds will be used to support projects for our students ranging from snacks for JA students in math tutoring to materials for a mosaic being built by first graders. Your membership in the PTA and participation in fundraisers like the fall plant sale ( https://www.pt-avenue.com/shopGP.asp?sc=30317) makes the funding of these projects possible. If you know a teacher or sponsor planning innovative opportunities for your student, please encourage them to apply for the next grant cycle, which will end Wednesday, November 22.
PTA Fall Plant Sale – Fall is on the way so get ready with the autumn colors of chrysanthemums at Drew PTA’s Fall Plant Sale. These beautiful flowers also make great gifts! For information or to order, visit our Online PTA Store now through September 12. Grown in a local nursery, these mums are available in 4 different sizes and 5 different colors. The live plants will arrive heavily budded so that they bloom after you take them home. The mums will be delivered to the school on September 28. Visit the Online PTA store again after October 1 because the PTA will also be selling Poinsettias for our Holiday Plant Sale! Poinsettia delivery will be in early December.