10.11 APS Weekly News Tip Sheet (Week of October 11, 2021)

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Seth Coleman, Director of Media Relations & Television Broadcast

404-802-2891, office
404-406-5570, cell
seth.coleman@atlanta.k12.ga.us

   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     

October 11, 2021

Atlanta Public Schools Weekly News Tip Sheet
(October 11 – 16)

Editors/Producers/Reporters: The following is a list of events, programs, accomplishments and/or initiatives occurring in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) this week. Please use it as a guide as you develop your coverage plans.

Members of the media are invited to attend all events on the Weekly APS News Tip Sheet. If you have an interest in these stories, please contact Seth Coleman, Media Relations Director.  Thank you for your interest in Atlanta Public Schools!


(Monday, October 11 | 6 PM) APS to Host Mayoral Forum on Educational Issues, Monday

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host a Mayoral Forum, with a panel of students asking questions of the top candidates for mayor of Atlanta, Monday, October 11, 6 PM, at the APS Alonzo A. Crim Center for Learning and Leadership (CLL).

This event is the only mayoral candidate forum focused on education issues, where students are directly addressing the candidates, and the last candidate forum being held prior to the start of the early voting period tomorrow.

APS extended invitations to candidates who had raised at least $200,000. Confirmed candidates for the event are:

  • Atlanta City Council Member Antonio Brown
  • Atlanta City Council Member Andre Dickens
  • Attorney Sharon Gay

 

Other candidates invited to participate are:

  • Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore
  • Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed


The six-student panel will ask questions that were generated by their peers, covering topics related to education in the city.

What:           APS will host a Mayoral Forum, featuring a panel of six students posing questions to the top candidates in the race for mayor of Atlanta.

When:           Monday, October 11, 2021 | 6 PM

Where:          APS Alonzo A. Crim Center for Learning and Leadership
130 Trinity Avenue, SW

Atlanta, GA 30303

Who:            Those available for interviews after the event include:

  • All mayoral candidates
  • Lisa Herring, Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools
  • Jason Esteves, Chair, Atlanta Board of Education
  • Student panelists

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(Wednesday, October 13 | 10AM) APS to Host First of Three Ribbon Cutting Events This Week at Refurbished School Buildings
(Hutchinson Elementary School)

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host the first of three ribbon cutting events this week, introducing the community to three learning facilities remodeled with Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.

 

The district spent $8.4 million on the refurbishment of the Hutchinson Elementary School (650 Cleveland Avenue, SW) building and campus. Upgrades to the school include a new Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Lab, a new school bus canopy and safety vestibule near the main office, upgraded building access to expand compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other facility upgrades.

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(Wednesday, October 13 | 11:30 AM) APS to Receive $40K Donation from Gen-Youth, Dairy Foundation and Kroger for Thermal Bags

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) uses approximately 2,400 thermal insolated bags as part of its food service program, to ensure the temperature integrity, quality, and safety of meals for students.

 

At Burgess-Peterson Elementary School (480 Clifton Street, SE) on Wednesday, three organizations – GENYOUth, the Dairy Alliance and the Kroger Company – will announce a $40,000 donation to the district for the purchase of more bags and use of the bags will be on display during the lunch period at the school.

 

The thermal insolated bags have been an important part of the district’s COVID-19 mitigation strategy since in-person instruction began in August, by eliminating lines of students in school cafeterias:  Schools that serve meals in the classroom use the bags to maintain the temperature of the meals as they are being transported from the cafeteria to the classroom, while schools that serve meals in the cafeteria keep them inside the bags until they are placed in front of each student.

 

School cafeteria staff members at Burgess-Peterson will demonstrate this on Wednesday, after the check presentation to APS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring.

 

 __________

 

(Thursday, October 14 | 10AM) APS to Host Second of Three Ribbon Cutting Events This Week at Refurbished School Buildings
(Atlanta College and Career Academy)

 

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host the second of three ribbon cutting events this week, introducing the community to three learning facilities remodeled with Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.

 

An $8.4 million investment by the district converted the old Parks Middle School building (1090 Windsor Street, SW) into the Atlanta College and Career Academy (ACCA) at the Dr. Michael S. Maze Campus. The work on the building included a refurbished media center and conversion of the school gymnasium into a state-of-the-art aviation and automotive repair lab.

 

ACCA is an APS program that will help students graduate with credentials aligned to high-demand technical careers in Atlanta. Students remain enrolled in their community high school but come to ACCA in the morning or in the afternoon. Transportation is provided by the district.

ACCA offers 12 career technology programs: General Automotive Technology; Carpentry; HVAC and Refrigeration; Culinary Arts; Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism; Dental Science; Patient Care; Graphic Design; Criminal Investigation; Emergency Medical Responder; Programming;  and Cybersecurity.  

Also, ACCA will offer two technical certificate programs: Infant Childcare Specialist TCC (one year commitment) and Early College Essentials TCC (college core classes with ATC instructor), which requires two years for completion.

__________

 

(Friday, October 15 | 10AM) APS to Host Third of Three Ribbon Cutting Events This Week at Refurbished School Buildings
(Humphries Elementary School)

 

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host the third of three ribbon cutting events this week, introducing the community to three learning facilities remodeled with Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.

 

A $10.7 million refurbishment of the building and campus at Humphries Elementary School (3029 Humphries Drive, SW) includes a totally rebuilt framing for the building, a new Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Lab, and a new safety vestibule near the main office. Additionally, the school’s former auditorium was converted into a larger, enhanced media center while the old media center was converted into more classroom space.

 

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About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 51,000 students across 87 schools and five programs. The District is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 64 traditional schools, 19 charter schools, six partner schools, two alternative schools and five alternative programs. To learn more about Atlanta Public Schools, follow us on social media – Twitter (@apsupdate), Facebook (Atlanta Public Schools), and Instagram (apsupdate) – or visit us online at www.atlantapublicschools.us.