A “school” within the Whitfield Career Academy will open this fall for incoming freshmen and will be modeled after a California charter school with a 100 percent graduation rate.
The 125 ninth-graders entering the Career Academy this fall will be issued take-home laptops — the cost hasn’t been determined, but the money will come from the school’s technology budget, officials said — to go along with a rejuvenated focus on modern technology and job skills in what educators are calling the 21st Century Learning Academy.
Lessons will involve ways for students to interact with members of the communities through public displays of their work, and learning will take place through hands-on experience and research, not just from textbooks and lectures. The students will also have a digital portfolio of work by graduation.
“We really saw a gap in what kids are learning in school and the skills that they need to be effective citizens and leaders in the 21st century,” said Eric White, a social studies teacher at the Career Academy who has been working for months on the new curriculum and teaching philosophy. “If we don’t do this, we’re not acting morally.”
White and 45 other Whitfield educators visited San Diego’s High Tech High in April at a cost of $850 a person to glean ideas. The money came from the school system’s $888,807 staff development budget. High Tech High has received national acclaim for its high graduation rate and teaching methods.
This fall, six teachers at the Career Academy will be devoted to the mini academy for each of six subject areas: math, science, social studies, language arts, English as a second language and special education. Classes will be less rigid and include lessons from multiple subject areas, officials say.
“We really want everything to connect for them,” White said. “We don’t want to teach in a vacuum.”
North Whitfield Middle School eighth-grader Zenaida Torres said she applied to the Career Academy because she’d heard good things about the school offering real-world connections and about graduates being able to get in college. She hopes to establish her own real estate and bakery businesses after school.
This fall’s ninth-graders will also be the first group of freshmen who won’t be able to enroll immediately in one of the career pathways. Instead, they’ll spend their first two years working on core academic credits and being exposed through classroom visits to each of the different pathways the school offers like culinary arts, cosmetology and engineering.
Principal Phillip Brown said current students won’t see a change. The freshmen were selected through a blind lottery, and each middle school was allotted a number of students based on its student population.
Changes across the system
Superintendent Katie Brochu said the five middle schools will implement the same teaching-learning approach for sixth-graders. She met with a group of about 50 educators at the Career Academy on Monday to discuss the visit to High Tech High.
Seventh-grade teacher Sondra Coffey said North Whitfield Middle School’s recent “A Walk to Remember” is an example of what’s in store for next year. Individual projects were designed by students based on lessons learned throughout the year, then presented for the community to view.
“I stepped back and let them select, decide — everything,” Coffey said. “It was a great success for them.”
Anne Hensley, a math teacher at Eastbrook Middle School, said she was impressed during the visit to High Tech High that students didn’t seem anxious to get out of school.
“They were all involved and could talk to you intelligently,” she said.
Brochu said school leaders will evaluate ways to implement the approach in other grades. Educators from several elementary and high schools are interested in implementing the techniques, she said.
Education
Related Photos
Discussion
'Mini academy' set for fall at Career Academy
- Education
-
-
Northwest students place high, take tech to next level
Several Northwest Whitfield High School students placed high in the Sequoyah Regional Georgia Educational Technology Fair. Pictured from left are Josh Rountree, Audrey Edds, Bryan Cooper and Eli McMahon.
Several Northwest Whitfield High School students placed high in the Sequoyah Regional Georgia Educational Technology Fair.
Continued ... -
Dalton student on GPS May Court
Christian Bryant of Dalton has been elected to the May Court at Girls Preparatory School and will serve as crown bearer to the May Queen during the May Day festivities in April.
Continued ... -
Northwest Whitfield High School Sweetheart Court
Northwest Whitfield High School's Tip Off Club hosted the 2012 Sweetheart Dance at the school recently.
Continued ... -
Art student’s work on exhibition
Gary Sanchez Soto will represent Murray County High School in “An Artistic Discovery: The Congressional Art Competition” at the Derrell C. Roberts Library on the campus of Dalton State College.
Continued ... -
Professor to speak on the Oscars during 'Lunch & Learn' program
Jonathan Lampley, assistant professor of English at Dalton State, will present “The Oscars: Winners, Losers, and Weird Moments” in the College’s James E. Brown Center, room 105, on Feb. 15 from noon to 1 p.m.
Continued ... -
Local high schools recognized for AP classes, exams
State School Superintendent John Barge named several local high schools as Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools.
Continued ... -
The Perfect Polish
Cosmetology and Skills U.S.A. at North Murray High School recently sponsored a community service project in which Donna Blankenship’s students gave manicures to the residents of the Murray County Senior Center.
Continued ... -
MCHS accepts letterman's jacket
James “William” Butler’s family presented his letterman’s jacket to Murray County High School Principal Gina Linder during halftime of a varsity boys’ basketball game recently. The jacket, which has a “1962 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP” patch on it, will be displayed in the school’s trophy case. Presenting the jacket to Linder were Butler’s nieces, Chloe Brown and Ashley Strong; his wife, Patsy Butler; his daughter, Robin Baggett; and his grandchildren, Jaden and Janna Baggett.
Continued ... -
Mountain Creek Academy honors December teacher of the month
English teacher Jennifer Weninger (center) was selected by her peers as December’s Teacher of the Month at Mountain Creek Academy. Principal Paula Martin (right) and Curriculum Instructor Facilitator/Counselor Jennifer Lents presented her with the award.
Continued ... -
Mountain Creek Academy honors December staff of the month
Mountain Creek Academy Lisa Sanford, center, accepts a certificate from Principal Paula Martin and Counselor Jennifer Lents (left) as she is recognized with a December Staff of the Month award. Sanford has worked at Mountain Creek for 12 years.
Continued ... -
Med students visit Murray High
In December, students from Murray County High School and North Murray High School were invited to meet with fourth-year medical students Allen Ligon of Augusta and Heath Petty, an MCHS graduate.
Continued ... -
Gladden honors December student of the month
Joey Ecklebarger is the December 2011 Gladden Middle School Student of the Month. Joey is motivated and puts forth great effort in all classes. His behavior and attitude towards school, other students and teachers is also outstanding. Sean Hammond, Joey’s social studies teacher says of Joey, “He is great to have on our team.”
Continued ... -
Coker honors students for Week 14 good behavior
As part of Coker Elementary School’s PBIS or Positive Behavioral and Interventions Support system, students that follow the school expectations are recognized each week for their Great Behavior.
Continued ... -
Gladden students use Facebook in lessons
Gladden Middle School eighth-grader Shaley Stafford shows her Facebook page model on the book “Alice in Wonderland.” Eighth grade reading teacher Keith Rollins had his students choose a book from the library to do a book report on. However, this was not an ordinary book report. After the students read their book, they were to do their report by making a Facebook page about their book.
Continued ... -
Gladden assigns January Dreamcatcher award
Every month, one of the faculty members at Gladden Middle School is recognized for having the most clean and organized room. The award given is called the Dream Catcher Award. Seventh grade social studies teacher Jennifer Bennett was awarded the Dream Catcher Classroom of the Month for January and will hang the Dream Catcher model in her room until the next month.
Continued ...
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
