Milton High Senior Named Presidential Scholar Meghana Nallajerla of Milton High School has been named a participant in the 2014 Presidential Scholars Program. Being named a Presidential Scholar is one of the highest honors for high school students. Application is by invitation only, based on academic or artistic scholarship, leadership, and involvement in school and the community. Only 141 participants were named nationwide. Meghana, along with the other finalists, are invited to Washington D.C. to participate in National Recognition Week, which includes enrichment activities and culminates with the presentation of the Presidential Scholars medallion during a special ceremony at the White House. The program was established in 1964, by order of the U.S. president, to recognize and honor the nation's most distinguished graduating seniors.
RTMS Student Wins Google Art Contest for Georgia Christine Jeong, a sixth-grader at River Trail Middle School, is the Georgia winner of the national "Doodle 4 Google" contest. Young artists throughout the country submitted doodles on this year's theme: "If I Could Invent One Thing to Make the World a Better Place..." The national winner's doodle will appear on the Google.com homepage on June 9, and the national winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for the school.
North Fulton Students Named Georgia Scholars Twelve seniors from North Fulton high schools have been recognized as 2014 Georgia Scholars, the Georgia Department of Education has announced. Students eligible for Georgia Scholar recognition are high school seniors who exhibit excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities, and in the home. Georgia Scholars are students who have carried exemplary course loads during the four years of high schoo; who performed excellently in all courses; who successfully participated in interscholastic events at their schools and in their communities; and who have assumed active roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. The 2014 Georgia Scholars include: Mirah Alix, Esther Hwang, Deeksha Malhotra, Keely Smith and Michelle Tam, Alpharetta High School; Jesse Couch and Will Whitaker, Centennial High School; Nichola Hyman, Milton High School; Daniel Muehring, North Springs Charter High School; Parker Cutler, Northview High School; and Lauren O'Connell and Shadman Uddin, Roswell High School. Each Georgia Scholar receives a special seal on his or her diploma.
Top Teacher, Principal Named for Fulton County Schools Fulton County School System (FCS) has announced its top educators: Jennifer Sweigart of Hillside Elementary School as 2014 Teacher of the Year, and Kindra Smith of Roswell North Elementary School as 2014 Principal of the Year. Sweigart and Smith each were honored with a bouquet of flowers and a special recognition banner in surprise presentations at their schools. "Your impact on students will live long after they leave your classroom or your school," said Robert Avossa, FCS superintendent. "You have created a legacy you've inspired them, nurtured them, and taught them to love learning. You embody all of the ideals of an outstanding, caring educator who lives up to our school system's motto, 'Where Students Come First.'" The Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year will serve as examples to their FCS colleagues for the next academic year. A formal recognition gala, the Legacy of Excellence, November 7 at the Georgia World Congress Center, will celebrate their accomplishments, as well as those of other Employees of The Year who were selected by their local school communities. Before joining the Hillside Elementary faculty in 2009, Sweigart taught at New Prospect Elementary and Alpharetta Elementary schools. She has taught third and fourth grades, as well as EIP (Early Intervention Program) reading and math classes that span kindergarten through fifth grade. She also has been a Teacher of the Year finalist, a member of the Local School Advisory Council, and has represented her school at the district's Summer Summit for Teachers and Title I Boot Camp. Her experience as a teacher-leader has assisted her peers, as she also has served as a Common Core Georgia Performance Standards facilitator and a School Quality Review team member. Sweigart said an atmosphere of creativity, respect, balance and community makes her third-grade classroom special and unique. "I value cooperation and collaboration among the students, as well as in my relationships with parents and colleagues," she said. "At the same time, I value individual achievement attained through high expectations and perseverance. I believe that teaching blesses us with the privilege of growing the next generation of leaders." 2014 Principal of the Year Kindra Smith joined the Fulton County School System in 1995 as a teacher at Crabapple Crossing Elementary School and then became an assistant principal at Northwestern Middle School. She was named Roswell North's principal in 2010. The experiences over her 19-year career have equipped her with the skills to lead a student-focused learning environment while also driving school improvement. She prides herself on helping her staff create a school culture that encourages success for all. "The strength of our school lies within the richness of our diverse population, which mimics the world in which we live," Smith said. "We seek to create a warm, student-centered environment that engages students with high-quality instruction. Our values are built around a unified purpose of strengthening their ability to problem-solve, communicate effectively, think critically and collaborate." Smith also credits Roswell North's success to the loyal support of the community, as well as a high-quality teaching and support staff. "Students come to school with various abilities, unique skills, experiences, and backgrounds. This calls for us to provide a quality support and enrichment program that is designed to maximize learning opportunities for students across the learning continuum. Our mantra is, 'If we can dream it, we can do it!' as long as it enhances the learning and experiences for all."
Hillside Elementary Teacher Named Northeast Learning Community Teacher of the Year Jen Sweigart, a third-grade teacher at Hillside Elementary School, has been named Northeast Learning Community Teacher of the Year by the Fulton County School District (FCS). Every year, each school in Fulton County nominates one outstanding educator based on input from students, parents and staff. Then, these teachers are evaluated by FCS through classroom visits and interviews. One finalist is announced from each of FCS' geographic learning communities: Northeast, Northwest, Central and South. "We are so proud of Sweigart, but we're not surprised that she was chosen," said Principal Maisha Otway. "Her excellence as a teacher and commitment to her students, their parents and her colleagues inspire us all to greater heights." Sweigart joined the faculty of Hillside Elementary in 2009. She has taught third and fourth grade, as well as Early Intervention Program reading and math classes that span kindergarten through fifth grade. She said she strives to promote an atmosphere of creativity, respect, balance and community in her classroom. "I value cooperation and collaboration among the students, as well as in my relationships with parents and colleagues. At the same time, I value individual achievement attained through high expectations and perseverance. I believe that teaching blesses us with the privilege of growing the next generation of leaders." Sweigart will be honored by Fulton County Schools during a special gala in the fall.
Lake Windward Elementary Celebrates 25th Anniversary Faculty, staff, students and special guests joined together in celebrating Lake Windward Elementary Schools 25th anniversary. The Treasuring the Past and Building the Future celebration included a picnic lunch, musical entertainment by DJ Mr. Cooke, and a special message by Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. Also in attendance were former principal Marcy Messina and former students, who reminisced about their favorite school memories and inspired current students to continue to build their own future.
Johns Creek Student Wins IronCoder Competition Albert Shaw, a Georgia Tech freshman from Johns Creek, won first place in the IronCoder 2014 competition, held recently at Georgia Tech. The second annual competition, hosted by Cardlytics, an advertising and technology company specializing in card-linked marketing based in Atlanta, is designed to reward technology students and help identify talent for open technology and engineering positions with Cardlytics in Atlanta. Competitors were asked to complete 10 highly complex math problems, judged on accuracy and speed. Shaw, who finished second last year, won a $2,000 cash prize and an interview with the company.
Fifth-Grader is CVES Principal for the Day Dora Reed, a fifth-grade student in Allison Snows class at Creek View Elementary School, recently was selected Principal for the Day. As Principal for the Day, Dora assisted Principal Debbie Doss with various duties, including sorting books for the Leveled Book Room; being on the schools morning news show; helping with lunch duty; and visiting classrooms. Doras special day as Principal for the Day was a fun day for everyone at the school.
RTMS Teacher Wins Innovation in Teaching Award Amy Palermo, a sixth-grade English/Language Arts teacher at River Trail Middle School (RTMS), has been selected by Governor Nathan Deal as one of the winners of the Innovation in Teaching Competition. This recognition is awarded to teachers who demonstrate innovative teaching strategies for Georgia standards in English/Language Arts and Mathematics. As part of the award, a $2,000 stipend will be awarded to Palermo and a $5,000 grant to RTMS for the implementation of the Georgia Instructional Standards.
Golf Tournament to Benefit CHS Band The Cambridge High School (CHS) Band is kicking off a Share the Dream campaign with a golf tournament on May 12 at The Manor Golf and Country Club in Milton to raise funds to help defray travel expenses associated with the bands participation in the London New Years Day Parade. Registration for the Share the Dream Golf Tournament will begin at 8:00 a.m., with a shotgun start at 10:00 a.m. Individual participation fees begin at $250, and a variety of sponsorship levels are available for individuals and businesses. Our students are very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime chance to participate in the London New Years Day Parade, says Ryan Borger, Cambridge Band Director. Marching bands are unique to the United States, and students are eagerly awaiting the chance to showcase their skills and school before millions of international viewers.