Latest news with #NationalBlueRibbonSchool
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dougherty County School System sees leadership changes
ALBANY – As the Dougherty County School System closes out the 2024-25 school year, the Board of Education voted to make several leadership changes based on recommendations from the superintendent. Thelma Chunn, the principal at Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet School, was named associate superintendent for district effectiveness. This decision was about two years in the making as the position sat vacant for a year. In this role, Chunn will be responsible for school and student improvement across the district, working closely with students and school staff to make data-informed decisions about ways to improve the school. Dyer said Chunn was the ideal choice for the role because of the tremendous success she's had at the helm of Robert Cross. Under her leadership, the school was consistently ranked among the top middle schools in Georgia. In 2023, the school was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Dyer said the school soared in academic growth and achievement. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement recognized Robert Cross for both gains and high performance. Prior to her time at Robert Cross, Chunn served as principal at Dougherty International Education Middle School from 2001 through 2005, where she previously had served as assistant principal. She's also served as a teacher at Dougherty Middle and Westover Comprehensive High School. 'Dr. Chunn is one of the best educators in the country,' Dyer said. 'We're looking forward to her sharing that leadership in a more normal way with our colleagues throughout the district to help them continue to grow and become better as we meet the needs of our students.' For Chunn, the promotion may mean a new role, but she said she intends to stay true to the values and attitude that led her to professional success. 'As I transition into this new leadership role, I remain committed to those same values and look forward to collaborating with schools across the district to ensure every student has access to rigorous and relevant learning experiences,' she said. Christopher Sharpe, the current principal of Northside Elementary School and former assistant principal under Chunn at Robert Cross Middle, will take the lead as principal at Robert Cross. 'He's familiar with the Robert Cross way of doing school,' Dyer said. 'He's familiar with the employees there, faculty and staff, and familiar with the things that make Robert cross the school that it is. And so we're looking forward to him continuing that legacy of excellence.' Among the leadership changes throughout DCSS, the BOE named three people to serve in the newly-created Middle School Content Coordinator Roles. Shaun Foreman was named Middle School Studies Coordinator. Foreman has been with the district since 2008 when he served as middle school math/social studies teacher at Southside Middle. He most recently has served as an instructional support specialist. Ci'Andrea Jones was named Middle School Math Coordinator. Jones has been with the district since 2014. She served as a math teacher at Radium Springs Middle Magnet School of the Arts and was named the 2021 District Teacher of the Year. She has served as an instructional support specialist since 2021. Delisa Long was named Middle School English and Language Arts Coordinator. Long has been with the district since 2004 and has served as a middle school ELA teacher, literacy coach, instructional coach and now serves as an instructional support specialist. Before creating these roles, the distinct used secondary content coordinators who provided support for grades six through 12. Content coordinators work to support teaching, learning and developing curriculum that aligns with state standards and provides guidance for teachers. They also work with teachers who need support in instructional strategies. 'Our teaching core looks different than it did 20 years ago,' Dyer said. 'We have more and more teachers across the country who are coming in from alternative career paths, who haven't gone through a traditional teacher prep program. We felt that splitting up secondary to middle and high school would allow our district support folks to provide more support with smaller grade bands they're responsible for.' Other leadership changes include: Yvette Simmons, the principal at Sherwood Acres Elementary School, will transition to serve as the district's director of the exceptional students programCheryl Smith was named the executive director for the CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) Program, a post she's been serving in as interim director since 2024. Shanekia Williams, the current principal at Merry Acres Middle School, will become the district's next director of curriculum and Poole, currently principal at Sumter County Middle School in Americus, will serve as the principal at Merry Acres Middle School for the 2025-2026 school Holmes will become the new principal at Sherwood Acres Elementary School after serving as assistant principal. Khadijah Ali, who currently serves as athletics director, school administration manager and head girls basketball coach for Dougherty Comprehensive High School, has been named district athletics directorWhitney Webb, currently assistant principal at Merry Acres Middle School, was selected as the district's new early literacy coordinator DCSS is in the process of finalizing revision to its strategic plan as the current plan ends June 30. This process includes focus group meetings and steering committee meetings. 'The strategic plan is what guides us, and so once we finalize our strategic plan, we'll be in a better position to talk about specific goals for each of the divisions that we have in the school system,' Dyer said. Dyer said he is excited for the way forward for the DCSS. 'I think we have people who are highly capable,' he said. 'They have demonstrated their commitment to servant leadership, to provide support for our teachers as they help our students become the best they can be in terms of learning with a rigorous and relevant education experience.' The Dougherty County School System's annual graduation ceremonies will be held at the Albany Civic Center. Friday – May 23, 2025: Dougherty Comprehensive High School (6:00 PM)Saturday – May 24, 2025: Monroe Comprehensive High School (9:00 AM)Saturday – May 24, 2025: Westover Comprehensive High School (1:00 PM)
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mesa View Elementary raises a flag in honor of national award
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — A ceremony was held Friday afternoon at Mesa View Elementary to honor its classification as a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School. Just over 350 schools around the nation were given the honor, and in the state of Colorado, only four got the award. Only two of those were elementary schools. The overall feeling in the office? 'I am so proud,' said Principal Stacey Cohen 'When a title one school, public school at that, can bring a community together like this… it is an extraordinary moment of pride. It's a lifetime achievement for me.' Cohen also received an award for her leadership within the school. The Terrel H. Bell award is given out to the nine best principals from blue ribbon award schools, and Cohen was one of them. Yet another lifetime achievement for her. 'I went back to school late to become a teacher in my mid-30s, and I really committed to offering a level of service to the community that could rival any school in the nation, private or public,' said Cohen. 'The Bell Award really just affirmed that that's what we're doing here and that when you bring a great team together, great things happen.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local elementary school awarded ‘Hall of Fame' honor
MINERAL RIDGE, Ohio (WKBN) – A local elementary school has earned a distinguished recognition. Seaborn Elementary School in Mineral Ridge has been selected as a 2025 Hall of Fame School by the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA). It is among 11 schools in Ohio to receive the honor. 'I got the call Wednesday [April 9] and it was like a Christmas Day moment, it was an unexpected and a cool surprise,' Principal TJ Koniowsky said. 'It brightened my whole day because our staff is extremely deserving of this recognition.' The award recognizes schools that engage faculty, students, and the community to provide a quality school experience through effective programming and instruction. These schools are deemed to have an atmosphere of growth, achievement, pride and a dedication to excellence. 'Our teachers and staff at Seaborn, and across the district, work extremely hard every day to provide the very best experiences and opportunities for every student,' said Damon Dohar, Weathersfield Local Schools superintendent. 'To be recognized as a Hall of Fame School is a testament to their dedication and to the wonderful partnership we have with our students and families. We are very proud.' The achievement will be celebrated on Wednesday at the board of education meeting. The OAESA will recognize Seaborn and the other winners during an awards celebration on June 16 in Columbus. Seaborn Elementary was also named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2022. The school has earned 5-star ratings on its Ohio Department of Education and Workforce report card in 2025, 2024 and 2022. It was also recognized as a Best Elementary School by U.S. News and World Report those same years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Parent files lawsuit against York Prep Academy alleging racial discrimination
A York County parent has filed a lawsuit against York Preparatory Academy in Rock Hill, alleging racial discrimination against his son, a sixth-grade student during the 2022-23 school year. The lawsuit, filed by Terano Nelson on February 27 in a South Carolina federal district court, claims that the school's administrators failed to address racial slurs and offensive comments directed at his son, leading to physical illness and a change in personality. 'As parents, we did everything we were supposed to do,' the parents said in a statement to the Herald. 'We spoke up each time there was an incident, we followed the proper channels, we made formal complaints with the administration, and we trusted the school to do what was right. But they failed him.' ALSO READ: Student disciplined after posing in racially charged photos Nelson is seeking compensation and punitive damages against Principal Rebecca Kick, Vice Principal Shannon Beltakis, and Managing Director Brian Myrup, whom the lawsuit accuses of facilitating and permitting a hostile environment. The lawsuit alleges that the racial harassment escalated to physical threats, assault, and battery against Nelson's son, who is Black. The school, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2018, has a student body that is more than 70% white, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. 'This is not just about our son; this is about every Black student who has ever felt unheard, unsafe, or unprotected at YPA,' the parents said. The lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about racial discrimination in educational settings, with Nelson's case emphasizing the need for schools to address and prevent hostile environments for minority students. VIDEO: Student disciplined after posing in racially charged photos
