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.

Shout-outs to:

• Drew dads Shawn Adams Marcus Foster and Jimmy McGee and YoungLife staff, Karl Mayberry, for serving dinner at the basketball and cheerleading Senior Night last week [see picture above]!
• Niara Botchwey, Daisha Thornton and Bryce Zelazoski for making it to the state round of interviews for the Governor’s Honors Program!
• Jalil Spearman, who received a $100,000 scholarship from the University of Oklahoma!
• District Science Fair winners!
  • SILVER:
    • Joshua Smith
    • Jaydin Beasley
    • Niara Botchwey
  • BRONZE:
    • Chloe Cannada
    • Landon Bennett
    • Nazjaa Hughson
    • Rashan Schoffner
    • Cydney Taylor
    • Shayla Victrum
• Academic Decathlon placed 7th during the district competition on January 11th.  Joyah Mitchell placed 3rd overall at district, competing against over 50 students!
• US History students, Ms. Schaffer and Dr. Morgan for a wonderful PBL night on Thursday, January 25th.  Students presented their video game project to a well turned out audience of businessmen, parents, other relatives, and peers. The evening was great!  Check out a sample game here.
• Ms. White who is one of five winners of the 2017-2018 GOSA Innovation in Teaching Competition, a recognition and reward opportunity for teachers who utilize innovative instructional strategies to advance student achievement.  Ms. White will receive a $5,000 stipend, and the school will receive a $10,000 grant to support innovative instructional strategies.  In addition, Georgia Public Broadcasting will film each winning educator teaching his or her unit and conduct an interview about preparation for the unit!
• Mr. Okorie Johnson, who joins us as our new Director of Culture and Equity!
• Mr. Jackson and Ms. Mayes-Adams for starting up our Step Team!
• Ms. Weaver-Kaney for coordinating the upcoming NCAA night!
• Mr. Baker and the prom committee for their work planning our upcoming prom!
• UPCOMING STAFF BIRTHDAYS!

• UPCOMING STUDENT BIRTHDAYS!

Calendar:   

Upcoming Events:

• 2/12 – 2/16 [Black History Month: Fashion Week]
  • 2/12
    • 9:30- PBS Documentary Films: “A Ripple of Hope”
    • Flex Time – B-Week Clubs
    • 6:00 – Eagle Nation Athletic Booster Club Meeting [Cafeteria]
  • 2/13 –
    • 5:00 – Soccer @ Grady
    • 5:30 – JV Baseball @ Maynard
  • 2/14
    • 9:30 – PBS Documentary Films: “Mr. Civil Rights” (2nd Showing)
    • Lunch – Fresh Fruit/Veggie Tastings [Cafeteria]
    • 4:30 – Teaching and Learning Committee Meeting
  • 2/15
    • Black History Month: Wear African Attire
    • 8:15 – PTA SA Parent Gathering [Brandi Beavers, Outreach Representative, Georgia Student Finance Commission – She will engage us around various state and lottery funded scholarships, grants and service-cancelable loan programs and share about free financial aid consultation to help our students prepare to go and pay for college.]
    • 4:30 – Tennis @ Atlanta International
  • 2/16 –
    • Black History Month: Wear Black History T-Shirts
    • 9:30- PBS Documentary Films: “Underground Railroad” (2nd Showing) 
  • 2/17, 11:00 – JV Baseball @ Lithonia
• 2/19 – 2/23 [Black History Month: Activism Week]
  • 2/18-2/21 – Junior College Trip [Washington, DC]
  • 2/19-2/21 – Regular Instructional Days (formerly Winter Break)
  • 2/19 –
    • 9:30 – PBS Documentary Films: “The Power Broker” (2nd Showing) 
    • A-Week Clubs
  • 2/21
    • 9:30- PBS Documentary Films: “A Ripple of Hope” (2nd Showing) 
  • 2/22 – Black History Month: Wear attire honoring Black Activists
  • 2/23
    • Black History Month: Black Out (students pay $2.00 to wear all black)
    • Early College Downtown Application Deadline
    • 2:30 – JA/SA Dance and Drama Black History Month Show
    • 6:30 – JA/SA Dance and Drama Black History Month Show
  • 2/24
    • 8:30 – 4:00 – Track and Field @ Landmark
    • 9:00-12:00 – Saturday School – Algebra 1
    • 9:00-12:00 – AP Workshop [RM304 and 11th Grade PBL]
• 2/26 – 3/2 [Black History Month: Arts and Entertainment Week]
  • 2/26 –
    • 9:30 – PBS Documentary Films: “Mr. Civil Rights” (3rd Showing) 
    • 11:00 – Drew Board of Directors Meeting
    • B-Week Clubs
  • 2/27- GSU Dual Enrollment Semester Midpoint
  • 2/28
    • 9:30- PBS Documentary Films: “A Ripple of Hope” (3rd Showing) 
    • 6:30 – Motown Review Dance Performance
  • 3/1
    • Chorus LGPE
    • Flex Time – Interview Prep [Cafeteria – Selected 9th and 10th students]
• 3/5 – 3/9 [National Dance Week]
  • 3/5 – A-Week Clubs
  • 3/6 –
    • SA Band and Orchestra Large Group Performance Evaluation
    • Early College Night [Junior Parents]
  • 3/7 –
    • SA Band and Orchestra Large Group Performance Evaluation
    • Book Buddies Field Trip
  • 3/8 – SA Band Large Group Performance Evaluation
  • 3/10 – Saturday School – Algebra 1 and Ninth Grade Lit.
• 3/11-3/14 – Sophomore College Trip [New Orleans]
• 3/16 – STEAM Day [see flyer attached]
• 3/17 – Design-o-rama [see flyer attached]
• 3/30
  • 2:00 – Senior Walk
  • 2:25-4:30 – SGA Day of Play [Gym/Field]
• 5/19, 4:00 pm – Class of 2018 Graduation Ceremony [Main Gym]
• June 4-15th – Summer Bridge Program for rising ninth grade students [Georgia Tech] 

Announcements:

• Beating the Odds  – I am pleased to announce that Drew Charter School (all three academies) received the 2017 Beating the Odds designation! According to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, Beating the Odds is a statistical analysis that provides contextual understanding of a school’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) based on student characteristics outside the school’s control.
• Reminder: Georgia Parent Survey – The Georgia Parent Survey contains 24 questions and  may be completed using personal computers, smartphones or tablets.  All parents should 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.
• Reminder: PTA Parent Gatherings – This past Thursday, January 25th we hosted our fifth PTA Senior Academy Parent Gathering.  Thank you to Dr. Kamau Bobb from Georgia Tech for presenting on STEM at the Intersection of Equity and Justice (a copy of his presentation is linked here.)  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 pm on Thursday, February 15th in the Eva Davis Board Room.  Join online by clicking here or call in to 1-855-880-1246.   Click Here to Become a PTA Member
• Oratorical Competition and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Student Competition (STEM-SC) – “On behalf of the CDC/ATSDR Chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG), I would like to invite your ninth-twelfth grade students to participate in our upcoming annual Oratorical Competition and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Student Competition (STEM-SC).  These competitions will be held at Mechanicsville Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System on March 18^th, 2018.  The Oratorical and STEM-SC provides your students the chance to develop computer skills and demonstrate their expertise and creativity using the computer technology as well as displaying their knowledge and skills in the use of the English language.  There are cash awards for the first, second and third place winners.  In addition to cash awards, the first place winner will go on to compete in the BIG Region IV competition in Durham NC. This year’s Oratorical topic is, “Making Ethical Decisions: What Challenges Impedes Today’s Youth’s Ability to Lead by Example Positively?”  The STEM-SC official theme is “Exploring Coding/Programming Opportunities.” For more information, please contact me at 404-718-1610 or by email at JClausell@cdc.gov.”