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!
- Kacy Caldwell for being accepted into University of Georgia!
- To all parents and families for their continued support and feedback as we embark on this E-learning journey as a community!
- Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Stokes, and Mrs. Schaffer for their frequent feedback and live instruction via Instagram!
- All SA teachers that have engaged in live instruction and feedback throughout the week!
- Marissa Payne-Owens and Shacari Hardy for their advocacy, interaction, and feedback on E-Learning!
- To ALL Special Education Teachers for providing accommodations and daily check in with all of their students!
- Mrs. Isbell for organizing the Women in Healthcare, Law, and Tech event for Women’s Empowerment Month last week!
- Mr. Canney for his consistent support of teachers and staff with everything concerning online learning!
- The tech team for their continuous support of students in need of devices as well as assistance to staff with technical concerns!
- Coaches and AIS’ for participating in meetings and providing leadership as well as support throughout the week!
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
Dear Drew Parents/Guardians: Thank you for hanging in there with us this week as we made our way through the first week of e-learning at Drew Charter School. As we approach the weekend, we wanted to remind you that this coming Monday, March 23rd, will be a Teacher Planning Day at Drew. There will be no new instruction or new student assignments Monday, March 23, 2020. The Teacher Planning Day will give our staff an opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of week 1 and plan for the coming weeks. Hopefully, it will also give your family a chance to breathe and regroup as new challenges confront all of us personally in this unprecedented global pandemic. Phase II of e-learning When students return to e-learning Days on next Tuesday, March 24th, we will move into Phase II of e-learning. We have taken this first week, known as Phase I, to adjust to the e-learning platform, find our rhythm, provide assignments, distribute as many devices to families in need as possible, and call our families with students who have yet to show up in their Google Classrooms. Under current circumstances, we feel as prepared as possible to transition to Phase II. We will take a moment to update you on what to expect in Phase II. We encourage you to take the time to talk with your student about what lies ahead in e-learning and the value of engaging in the e-learning process. During Phase II, we will officially transition to incorporating a combination of live, recorded, and vetted instructional videos to deliver mini-lessons, now inclusive of new content. Live instruction will be recorded and posted for future viewing in order to allow families the viewing flexibility we all need right now. Our teachers are positioned, prepared and committed to providing instruction that will best equip our students to access their current 4th quarter curriculum and ensure they are prepared for the next grade level. To ensure that our students are ready, it will require us to teach new content, specifically 4th quarter standards, in an engaging e-learning environment. We appreciate your patience and understanding with our school and especially with our teachers as you communicate with them about your student and about the new processes and practices that are being established. We realize that this level of e-learning is new for everyone involved –the students, teachers, parents and school administrators. I assure you that our commitment and dedication to providing an excellent education to all of our students is unwavering. Know that our staff is working incredibly hard to engage all students in the learning process. We appreciate your patience, support, understanding, and kindness as we transition to Phase II of e-learning. Coronavirus Webpage and Updates We continue to remain aware that the change in your student’s school environment is only one of the new circumstances you are handling daily. As we navigate our world while the Coronavirus outbreak unfolds, Drew hopes to help address some of the other daily living challenges that some of our families face. To ensure families can quickly access updates and available resources, we are continuing to collect and consolidate information on a new Coronavirus Closing and Updates page on Drew’s website. Click here or visit our website anytime to access the page. On behalf of the entire Drew Charter School staff, again, thank you for a productive first week of e-learning. Take the next three days to spend quality time with your family. We look forward to seeing your learner in our virtual learning environment on Tuesday, March 24th. Peter McKnight Drew Head of School |
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
The deadline to complete the online re-enrollment form, which was originally March 27, 2020, has been extended to March 31, 2020. Thank you to all the families who have already completed this!
If you have yet to do so, please look for an email with the subject line “Drew Online Re-enrollment Form: Now due March 31”, which was resent on March 24 to the enrolling/primary parent/guardian of any student for whom we have not yet received a completed form. Click the link in the email and follow the prompts to create a password for your account. Once signed in, click on the green “Re-enroll” button to the right of your student’s name to complete the form.
If you did not receive this email or are unable to complete the form online, let us know at enrollment@drewcharterschool.org or 404-450-0567. Please be sure to include your student’s name in your communication. If you do NOT plan on your student returning to Drew for the 2020-2021 school year, email enrollment@drewcharterschool.org. You do not need to complete the online form.
At this time, the on-site and in-person portion of re-enrollment remains postponed. We will distribute new directions for the submission of proof-of-residency documents at a later date. Thank you so much for your cooperation and understanding.
- 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 03/23 – 03/29
Women’s History Month
E-learning via Google Classrooms
- 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.
Students will follow the A/B Day Rotation in the E-Learning setting. Therefore, students’ will be able to login and look for assignments based on the students’ regular schedule.
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.
03/23 | Monday | Planning Day for Teachers
- No student instruction
03/24| Tuesday | “B” Day
- E-Learning
03/ 25| Wednesday| "B" Day
- E-Learning
03/26| Thursday| “A” Day
- E-Learning
03/27| Friday| “B” Day
- E-Learning
03/28| 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].
03/29| 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 current school closure.
- 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
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.
Portal for Paying for Nutrition/Lunch Fees
Portal for Paying for Drew Events, Dues, Field Trips, etc..
Update for Students:
Senior Academy Blog 