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.
Shoutouts!
- Our amazing team of staff and students for being named the 2020 Charter School of the Year by the GA Charter Schools Association!
GCSA Representative, GCSA President and CEO, Tony Roberts, SA Principal, Mr. Kendrick Myers, EA Principal, Ms. Monishae O’Neill, Head of School, Mr. Peter McKnight, Board President, Dr. Cynthia Kuhlman, Dean of Academics, Dr. Keisha Hancock, and JA Principal, Mr. Greg Leaphart, pose for the camera after winning the GCSA Charter School of the Year Academic Excellence Award (photo courtesy Ms. Paquette)
- Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Valedictorian Solomon Adams and our Salutatorian Gary Sheppard!!
- Terron Joiner and Maddox Gates who have been selected as one of 4 debaters who will represent the state of Georgia at the Urban Debate League National Championships in Dallas, TX!
- The Debate Team for winning the 2nd consecutive State Championship this past weekend in the Atlanta Urban Debate League!!
- Tyra Jones 2nd Place Individual Novice Speaker
- Marissa Payne Owens 2nd Place Individual Open Speaker
- Alvin-Wayne Stewart 3rd Place Individual Open Speaker
- Kashawn Myers and Christa Augustin 2nd Place Novice Team
- Maesa Anderson and Marissa Payne Owens 1st Place Open Team
- Alvin-Wayne Stewart and Terron Joiner 2nd Place Open Team
- Solomon Adams and Abdul Malik Mohammed 3rd Place Open Team
- Patrick Gramme-Howell and Justin Yarbrough 4th Place Open Team
- Mr. Wynn for his support of the debate team serving as a judge for both novice and open debates!
- Ms. Schaffer and Mr. Gaines for their dedication, commitment, and time as coaches of the debate team!
- Senior Academy teachers for their flexibility, efficiency, and patience throughout this week!
- Ms. Simmons, Dr. Kurt, and Ms. Wilder for a great ChemVAS Cooks project showcase!
- The 10th grade team for developing a plan for their grade level project!
- The 11th grade team for being the first grade level to participate in our Mock STEAM Walkthroughs!
- Ms. Might for her support of the Spanish department and making sure all students are receiving their accommodations!
- Cody Johnson, Kayla Lewis, Jerrell Franks, Jamari Aycock, and all other students who wear their blazers on non-Blazer days!
- MS. Green and Mr. Williams for filling in for teachers whenever they are needed!
- Ms. Hancock for all of her communication and dedication to building a comprehensive E-Learning plan for our staff and students!
- The tech team for accommodating our students and providing timely feedback to ensure that we are prepared for instruction
- Officers Shannon and Bridwell for their diligence, support, and responsiveness to our staff and student needs
- Ms. Williams for guest teaching “The Science Behind Blood Transfusions at Omaha Beach” in US History classes!
- Ms. Fulton for supporting students in stations and class activities!
- Ms. Buford-Duffie and Mr. Powell for their tireless support of 11th Grade students!
- To Kailey Sadler, Taylor Hill, and Kayla Lewis: brava for your focused, mature, intelligent application of material covered in Spanish last week!
- To Patrick Hall, who made a teachers day with a random act of kindness by sharing a treat with a teacher he doesn’t know!
- Mr. Baker for his leadership and support of his students in the Putnam County Musical!
- William Harris and his SA PE/Health classes for working with Mrs. Price’s 7th grade science class to host the Biggest Loser Bootcamp!
- Students were amazing as they coached and cheered on participants through their different workout stations. Many have asked for the students to do it again!
Next Blazer Day will be announced at a later date!
Blazer Days are Required for Special Events & will occur at least once a month**
**Blazer Days are subject to change.**
[They are currently projected to occur every 2nd Wednesday of the month]
Guardian
Announcements
Drew Opportunity Fund: First Initiative
Last school year, Drew Charter launched its inaugural annual fund campaign, the Drew Opportunity Fund, in honor of our retiring Head of School Don Doran. Under Mr. Doran’s leadership Drew students had myriad opportunities to innovate, achieve, travel and compete, all of which help to close the opportunity gap and make Drew an exemplary learning community.
As this is a new initiative for Drew, please encourage others to participate, feel free to share ideas for support, and join me in making a donation to this year’s campaign if you haven’t already. The more we raise, the more we can do!
Lottery Application Window for **New Students** Open Through April 30, 2020
If your student has a sibling who is interested in attending Drew for the 2020-2021 school year, the lottery application for potential new students is available now through April 30, 2020. The online application is also available on Drew’s website. All qualifying applications will be included in the lottery on May 7th. Drew is not participating in Atlanta Public Schools’ pilot “Enroll APS Charter” project for the 2020-2021 school year. All Drew lottery applications must be submitted via Drew’s online process.
- Please note that the lottery is for potential new students only
- This includes students currently enrolled in the Cox Pre-K Program at Drew.
- All current Drew students will have the opportunity to re-enroll in March (more details to come).
- Additional lottery information can be found at www.drewcharterschool.org/enrollment. Please contact Mary Hartigan at 404-450-0567 or enrollment@drewcharterschool.org with any questions.
The **Re-enrollment Process for 2020-2021** has been paused until further notice.
The on-site portion of re-enrollment for the 2020 – 2021 school year, which was scheduled to begin on March 17, has been postponed.
- Please note that the online re-enrollment form, which was the first step of the re-enrollment process, is available now and should be completed by March 27.
- Thank you to everyone who has already completed this!
- If you have yet to do so, please look for an email with the subject line “Drew Online Re-enrollment Form”, which was initially sent on Monday, March 9 (you may need to check your spam folder).
- If you did not receive this, let us know by emailing enrollment@drewcharterschool.org with the name of your student, and we will make sure you receive it.
Once next steps are finalized for the on-site, in-person portion of re-enrollment, updates will be sent out to families.
- Information will be sent through Remind, this Blog,and emails on file with the school.
PTA UPDATES CLICK HERE TO JOIN PTA TODAY!
Calendar
Food Resources during Closure
See the information below regarding the importance of communities achieving a “complete count” in the upcoming 2020 Census!
Wifi and Internet Resources
Please see the Xfinity flyer above and information to internet access at a deep discount with Comcast–> CLICK HERE .
Week of 03/16/20 – 03/22/20:
Women’s History Month
E-learning via Google Classrooms
- E- Learning FAQ
- Drew Media Resources available:
- Please share and join the Media Services Google classroom: 7iy2jsh
- Please note: Google Hangouts will be available from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Click here to view the Google Hangouts Appropriate Student Usage Guidelines.
Please be advised that our School Norms still apply in our E-Learning Environments.
Students should participate in online class activities with the same respect and decorum that would be displayed in the classroom. Please refer the Student Code of Conduct for specific information on appropriate technology use.
Language and/or actions that violate our Student Code of Conduct in the virtual setting will have similar consequences.
03/21| Saturday
- None
- Please note access to the school building for the next two weeks will NOT be available. Security have been advised to not allow access to outsiders until further notice [inclusive of staff].
03/22| Sunday
- None
- Please note access to the school building for the next two weeks will NOT be available. Security have been advised to not allow access to outsiders until further notice [inclusive of staff].
Upcoming Events:
Future Dates – All dates are tentative concluding the two week school closure.
- 4/3-
- SGA Day of Play
- Senior Walk
- 4/6 – 4/10 – Spring Break
- 4/14- Potential STEAM Walkthrough [TBD]
- 04/18 – Prom
- 4/24 – Half Day Conferences
- 8:00-8:45 – 1st Period
- 8:50-9:35 – 2nd Period
- 9:40-10:25 – 3rd Period
- 10:30-11:15 – 4th Period
- 11:15 – 9/10 Lunch/Student Dismissal
- 11:30 – 11/12 Lunch/Student Dismissal
- 04/30- Lottery application for Kindergarten program due
- 05/11- College Decision Day
- 05/16- Graduation
- 05/21/2020- Last Day of School
Student Opportunity
- None at this time
Media Announcement
Arts
Thank you for your support on January 22nd, 2020 for the
Speak What Must Be Spoken Tour!!!
Traveling art exhibit funded by Emory University
An amazing honor has been bestowed upon Senior Academy through a traveling art exhibit funded by Emory University.
Check out the traveling exhibit recently installed at Drew. The exhibit is called Speak What Must Be Spoken.
- The theme of the exhibit is activism through the lens of art.
- The message to be received spotlights the importance of speaking truth which can correlate to power. A shared belief is that when injustice exists, it must be called out.
- The exhibit hopes to empower students to recognize that they have a voice and to learn to use it in a manner that will be effective to bring about positive change.
- The vision for the exhibit will be for students to learn about African American artists and others who spoke out against injustice in the United States and how that led to progress towards equal rights.
- We all know that injustice is alive in the US and the world at large. There is still a long way to go to address issues of racism, sexism, ageism, and poverty. Even though some progress has occurred over the years, concerned citizens must continue to speak up, just as those who came before us have done.
- Speak What Must Be Spoken uses materials from the Billops-Hatch: Still Raising Hell exhibit that was installed at Emory.
The exhibit was sponsored by Emory University's: -Graduation Generation in the Center for Civic and Community Engagement, the Rose Library, and Woodruff Library
Sports
Please Note
Spring Sports Registration is NOW CLOSED!!!
Please see the list below of active winter sports team(s):
- Senior Academy E-Sports
- Senior Academy Golf (Girls & Boys)
- Senior Academy Track (Girls & Boys)
- Senior Academy Golf (Girls & Boys)
- Senior Academy Tennis (Girls & Boys)
- Senior Academy Soccer (Girls & Boys)
- Senior Academy Baseball (Boys)
- Middle School Track & Field (Girls & Boys)
- Middle School Golf (Girls & Boys)
- Middle School Soccer (Girls & Boys)
- Middle School Baseball ( Boys)
PLEASE NOTE: The deadline has passed to register your student.
For any questions or concerns contact: Tracy Edwards,Director of Athletics
Opportunities
Adult Opportunity
Want a RECAP of Homecoming?? Click here
PTA UPDATES
Procedure Notification!
Avoid Charges to Student Accounts.
Continued Afterschool Protocol [Effective 09/02/19]
– To see letter click here
This expectation is fully enforced and can result in the withholding of student records. Please read to be well informedRunning Late?
ATTENTION: JA/SA parents, if students arrive to school at 8am, then they should proceed to the cafeteria to get a late pass up until 8:30.
After 8:30 students will receive a late pass from the main office secretary- Ms. Edwards.Need to Visit a student/teacher?
- Parents/Guardians, Atlanta Public Schools has introduced a new way to record movement throughout the school on a daily basis. The new protocol is in effort to enhance Atlanta Public School’s student, staff and campus security. Once the system is installed parents/guardians will need to bring in their state ID, regardless of how long they have been a parent/guardian at Drew, to conduct any school business.
Dropping off Food?
REMINDER: If you bring a meal to the school for your student before your student’s lunch period, then the lunch is required to be placed inside the cafeteria in the designated lunch cubbies.
Instructional time cannot be interrupted. Moving forward administration will reinforce this policy as noted in the student/parent handbook.
| Message from Dean of Students CONCERNING: Food delivery and Item Drop-off Policy |
|---|
| Hello SA families, Due to recent safety concerns, we would like to reiterate our policy on food deliveries and item drop offs during the school day. Students are not permitted to order food to be delivered to the school at any time. This includes but is not limited to pizza, Uber Eats, GrubHub, etc. Any student order that is intercepted by staff will be disposed of immediately and students/parents will not be reimbursed. Also, any student that is caught in the process of accepting food from a vehicle will be directed to dispose of it immediately. In the event that a parent/guardian must bring a lunch to the school, please follow these guidelines: |
- Bring the lunch prior to the designated lunch period to the main office to sign in (students will not be called out of class)
- 9th/10th grade lunch is 11:10-11:40 and 11th/12th grade lunch 12:50-1:25.
- Meal drop off will not be permitted after the student’s scheduled lunch time.
- Pack and label lunch in a closed container (sack or lunch box/bag)
- Bring lunch only for students for which you are a contact
- Please do not send unauthorized individuals with food for your student. They will not be permitted to drop it off.
- Lunches must be placed in cubby in cafeteria
- Parents/guardians are not permitted to meet their student in front of the school to deliver food, but must park, enter the building and sign in
- Please note that the lunch cubbies are not secure and we are not responsible for any lost items. Students should do their best to bring their lunches to school with them as the lunch cubbies should be used in emergency situations only.
| Lastly, students are not permitted to walk out to a car or accept anything from a person outside of the school building during the school day for any reason. Students found doing this will face disciplinary action regardless of the item accepted. All items should be dropped off at the front desk for pick up and food items should be dropped off via the procedure above. Thank you for following this protocol and working with Drew staff to ensure that our students receive a wonderful education in a safe environment. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, Dr. Allen Senior Academy Dean of Students |
Other Concerns
Uniform Concerns!
Families who still have not received their orders:
– Please forward a copy or screenshot of the confirmation information to Kendrick.Myers@drewcharterschool.org and Tameka.Allen@drewcharterschool.org with the students’ name in the subject line.
Note: Students are still expected to be in uniform: Khakis, white button-down and tie are required.
– Khakis and button downs can be purchased outside of the Tommy Hilfiger.
– Ties will be onsite and for sell at the school store tomorrow morning!
- Parents looking for uniform options can visit our online store with Tommy Hilfiger.
- Parents be sure to order as soon as possible; the estimated time of delivery is 2-3 weeks from the day you order.
- Ordering Instructions for Tommy Hilfiger
- To reference the dress code for the Senior Academy, click here.
NOTE:
The School Store
Hours are 9:00 – 3:00 pm daily.
The School Store is located in the Theater Box Office at the Yates/Upper Campus.
- Stop by and get your Drew gear!
Portal for Paying for Nutrition/Lunch Fees
Portal for Paying for Drew Events, Dues, Field Trips, etc..
Update for Students:
Senior Academy Blog 