ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Seth Coleman, Director of Media & Social 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
August 5, 2024
Atlanta Public Schools Weekly News Tip Sheet
(August 5 - 10, 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 & Social or Jasmine Mosley, Media Relations Manager.
Thank you for your interest in Atlanta Public Schools!
(Wednesday, August 7 | 4:15 PM) Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson Conducts First Media Roundtable Session
Atlanta Public Schools and Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson will host a media roundtable session at Ralph J. Bunche Middle School, Wednesday at 4:15 p.m.
The event will take place following a school visit by Dr. Johnson, who is working toward his goal of visiting every one of the district’s 87 schools during his first 100 days. Dr. Johnson was officially sworn in as the 22nd APS superintendent on Monday.
During roundtable, Dr. Johnson will discuss details of his 100 Day Plan for the district, which will be released on Tuesday.
More About Dr. Bryan Johnson
For nearly two decades, Dr. Johnson has dedicated much of his career to public education, serving as a teacher, school administrator, and district administrator. Most recently, Dr. Johnson served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC).
Prior to UTC, he served as Chief Transformation Officer for U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc., where he supported the technology and management teams across the enterprise. From 2017 to 2021, he served as Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, a district educating 45,000 students across 78 schools. Under his leadership, Hamilton County Schools became the fastest-improving school district in Tennessee.
Dr. Johnson has received numerous accolades for his leadership, including being named the 2021 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents and honored as a National Superintendent of the Year finalist.
Before his tenure in Chattanooga, Dr. Johnson spent 10 years in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, where he rose to the position of Chief Academic Officer. Under his leadership, the district was ranked number one for student academic growth for two consecutive years.
Dr. Johnson holds degrees from Austin Peay State University, Belmont University, and Trevecca University, where he earned a doctorate in educational leadership. He is married and has two children, one of whom is school-age.
WHAT: Media roundtable with APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson, where he will discuss details of his 100 Day Plan for the district.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 7 | 4:15 p.m.
(Note: Media is asked to arrive by 3:30 p.m., to avoid dismissal traffic at 4 p.m.)
WHERE: Ralph J. Bunche Middle School | 1925 Niskey Lake Drive, SW
Available for Interviews
Dr. Bryan Johnson, Incoming Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools
(Saturday, August 10 | 2 PM) Douglass High School Football Standout Jontae Gilbert to Announce His College Commitment
Jontae Gilbert is widely considered to be one of the nation’s best high school football players. Now the Frederick Douglass High School senior is ready to answer the question everyone has been asking since he was a ninth grader: Where is he going to play college football?
Jontae will announce his college commitment, Saturday at 2 p.m., in the Dr. Samuel Hill Gymnasium, on the Douglass campus.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back who has a 3.4 grade point average (4.0 scale) is ranked in the top 150 players in the nation, and in the top 20 in Georgia, by a number of high school football recruiting organizations. He was announced recently as a nominee for the 2024 Mr. Georgia Football award.
After receiving nearly 50 scholarship offers, Jontae has reportedly narrowed his top choices down to three schools: Clemson, North Carolina State, and Georgia.
Jontae and his Astro teammates will launch the high school football season in Georgia when they take on LaGrange, August 14th, 4:30 p.m., at Kell High School in the Corky Kell - Dave Hunter Classic.
WHAT: Douglass senior football player Jontae Gilbert will announce his college commitment.
WHEN: Saturday, August 10 | 2 PM
WHERE: Frederick Douglass High School (Dr. Samuel Hill Gym) | 225 Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, NW
Available for Interviews
Jontae Gilbert, Senior, Douglass High School
Stanley Pritchett, Jr., Head Coach, Douglass High School
Alana Allen, Athletic Director, Douglass High School
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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.
