ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Seth Coleman, Director of Media
404-802-2891, office
404-345-8630, cell
seth.coleman@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Jasmine Mosley, Media Relations Manager
404-802-2888, office
404-937-0473, cell
jasmine.mosley@atlanta.k12.ga.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2024
Atlanta Public Schools Weekly News Tip Sheet
(February 26 - March 2, 2024)
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, Director, Media, or Jasmine Mosley, Media Relations Manager.
Thank you for your interest in Atlanta Public Schools!
(Tuesday) APS to Host FAFSA Assistance Event for Students, Parents
It’s time for college-bound seniors to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and Atlanta Public Schools is here to help.
The district will host a FAFSA Fiesta on Tuesday (5:30-7:30 PM) to assist students and parents with completing their FAFSA applications, a process that can be tricky and confusing, especially for first-generation college students.
At the event, students and parents will receive one-on-one assistance from APS counselors. They can bring their own laptop or use one of the many computers that will be available. Refreshments will be served as well. APS students and parents have priority status, but students and parents from other districts are welcome as well.
WHAT: Parents and students can receive one-on-one assistance in completing their FAFSA application at the district’s FAFSA Fiesta.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 5:30-7:30 PM
WHERE: APS Dr. Alonzo A. Crim Center for Learning & Leadership (CLL), 130 Trinity Avenue, SW (Make entry in the parking garage at 155 Garnett Street, SW)
(Thursday) APS to Showcase Summer Activities at Summer Expo
Summer break will be here before you know it, and Atlanta Public Schools is making sure students and parents know where they can go and what they can do to remain active and sharp.
The APS annual Summer Experience Expo will be held on Thursday (5:00-8:00 PM) and will feature more than 50 vendors showcasing academic-based and athletic camps, enrichment activities and a host of other opportunities that are available to the city’s youth from May to August.
One such program is the district’s Power Up Summer, a full-day summer program for all elementary and middle school students that implements a whole-child system of supports by integrating social-emotional learning, behavior, wellness and comprehensive academic intervention. Students will also have the option to participate in extended learning activities through Power Up programming.
WHAT: Information on summer activities from more than 50 vendors will be available at the APS Summer Experience Expo.
WHEN: Thursday, February 29, 2024 | 5:00-8:00 PM
WHERE: APS Instructional Services Center (ISC) | 433 Peeples Street, SW
(Friday) King Middle, Midtown High School Moot Court Teams to Compete in Young Litigators Competition
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Midtown High School are ready to show that they have the next generation of great litigators.
The schools’ moot court teams will be competing in the annual Young Litigators Project, Friday at the Fulton County Government Center.
The Young Litigators Project provides a unique opportunity for middle and high school students to enhance their critical thinking, research, and public speaking skills. The project introduces students to the fundamental legal concepts, how to find and evaluate relevant legal precedents and statutes. This requires students to apply their knowledge of various academic subjects including social studies, politics, and language arts all which helps them to construct compelling arguments. This interdisciplinary approach can enhance their overall academic performance. With the assistance of volunteer attorneys, students learn to write briefs, formulate arguments, and cite relevant legal precedents.
The legal issue for this year’s competition is: How much influence are municipal governments allowed to exercise over Housing Policy in the State of Georgia? The issue is based on House Bill 404.
Other schools participating in the competition include Brookhaven Innovation Academy, Genesis Innovation Academy and Seeds of Excellence in the middle school division, and Fulton Leadership Academy in the high school division.
WHAT: King Middle School and Midtown High School to compete in Young Litigators competition.
WHEN: Friday, March 1, 2024 | 10 AM
WHERE: Fulton County Government Center | 141 Pryor Street, SW
(Friday) APS Encourages Parents to Here Come the Bus Mobile App to Track Students
Atlanta Public Schools is reminding parents to use its bus-tracking app to view the real-time location of their students’ school bus.
The Here Comes the Bus app shows the location of a child’s bus on a map, gives scheduled and actual arrival times at home and school for bus routes, and provides push and email notifications when the bus is near.
To sign up:
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Download the Here Comes the Bus app or visit herecomesthe bus.com.
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Click the “Sign-Up” button.
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Enter school code 87794 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm.”
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Complete the User Profile box.
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Under “My Students,” click “Add.”
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Enter the child’s last name and student ID number.
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Confirm all the information is correct.
Declaration for GO Team Candidates Open Through Feb. 28th
Atlanta Public Schools is looking for change agents who will help create thriving educational environments for neighborhood schools by becoming a member of a school's GO Team.
GO Teams include nine voting members and the school principal. Each team consists of three elected parents/guardians, three elected instructional staff, two appointed community members, one appointed swing seat, and one appointed student (high school only).
Parents and instructional staff must declare candidacy and community members must declare interest in participating. Parents and instructional staff are elected to their positions by their respective peers. The community member spots will be filled based upon a nomination from the principal and approval by the GO Team. Swing Seat members may be nominated by any GO Team member for approval by the full GO Team.
APS will provide the training and support needed to navigate the world of school governance. Those interested in running for a GO Team seat as a Parent/Guardian or as a Non-Supervisory Instructional Staff Member may declare their candidacy here until February 28.
Those interested in participating as a Community Member may submit their information here. Visit the district’s GO Team Information Page for more details.
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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 50,000 students across 87 learning sites, including 59 neighborhood schools, 5 partner schools, 19 charter schools, 2 citywide single-gender academies, and 2 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.
