ALPHARETTA ELEMENTARY HOLDS ANNUAL SPELLING BEE

The fourth- and fifth-grade students of Alpharetta Elementary participated in the annual 2009-2010 spelling bee on Jan.15. Parents and invited guests attended  the contest in the Media Center while it was taped for broadcasting to the students via closed circuit. The Alpharetta Elementary Spelling Bee Champion is Rohith Nivas Sundaranageswaran and the runner-up is Isa Mahoney.

MOUNTAIN PARK

Mountain Park Elementary School held its annual spelling bee on Jan. 13. This year’s winner is fifth-grader Ashley Boyle, whose parents are Shannon Boyle and Robert Schmidt.

WINTER TUTORING FAIR PLANNED FOR FEB. 6

The Fulton County School System’s Title I Department will host a Supplemental Educational Services Providers’ Fair from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Teaching Museum South, located at 689 North Ave. in Hapeville. The fair will give parents an opportunity to meet tutoring providers and learn about their services.

The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools in their third consecutive year of not making Adequate Yearly Progress to offer supplemental educational services – or free tutoring – to students. These services provide students extra help in reading, language arts and math, and are made available before or after school, on weekends or during the summer. Schools must make Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years in order to be exempted from the NCLB tutoring services requirement.

Qualifying students must attend one of the following schools: Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary, McNair Middle, Renaissance Middle, Paul D. West Middle, Banneker High and Tri-Cities High School – and meet the criteria for the free or reduced meals program. Students enrolled in other schools are not eligible.

Parents can either attend the fairs to learn more about the tutoring options, or they can contact the school to register their child.

FOXWORTHY CHALLENGES MEMBERS OF LEADERSHIP JOHNS CREEK

Members of the Leadership Johns Creek Class of 2010 found they were not always smarter than a fifth-grader when comedian and television show host Jeff Foxworthy dropped in for a surprise visit during their Education Day program Jan. 21.

Fulton County Schools leaders schooled the Leadership class on the world of education starting at the new Johns Creek High School. Superintendent Cindy Loe; Martha Greenway, Deputy Superintendent for Organizational Advancement, Chief Financial Officer Robert Morales, Area Superintendent Randee Nagler, JCHS Principal Buck Greene and State Bridge Crossing Elementary School Principal Trey Martin provided their insights on topics ranging from budgets to classroom technology, testing data, parental involvement and much more.

LJC members enjoyed a typical high school lunch before heading across the street to State Bridge Crossing Elementary where they were greeted by teacher Ashley Adriansen and her fifth-grade Talented and Gifted students. The students whisked their adult visitors on a brief school tour before settling back in to present their version of the TV game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”

The students had researched the show over the recent holiday break, created their own set, drafted grade-appropriate questions, put together a PowerPoint presentation including graphics and music from the show and even had a pair of Foxworthy stand-ins, complete with the comedian’s trademark blue blazer, white shirt and blue jeans, to serve as hosts.

As part of their preparations for the Leadership program, they wrote to Foxworthy inviting him to participate. However, because the letter went out just several days before, it seemed highly unlikely that the celebrity would have room in his schedule. But just as the young hosts got set to introduce their production, the classroom exploded into screams and cheers as the Johns Creek resident strode in.

Foxworthy quickly charmed the students and Leadership participants alike as he talked about the real show, cracked jokes and guided the “contestants” through the series of 10 questions. Overall the LJC representatives and their fifth-grade helpers conquered the majority of questions such as, “What is the temperature, in Fahrenheit, at which water boils?”

Soon it was time to head back to JCHS, where Principal Greene led a tour of the system’s newest high school, which opened in August. LJC members got to check out classrooms; a variety of science, computer and career labs; music rooms; theater; and athletic facilities.

The day concluded with a panel discussion involving Greene, Martin and Ann Ferrell, principal at Autrey Mill Middle School, along with teachers from each of the schools.

Leadership Johns Creek is designed to develop leadership talent in individuals representing the diverse Johns Creek community through a structured as a series of learning experiences (workshops, meetings, tours, retreats, and community service projects). Class participants gain insight into business, government, community quality of life, volunteer service and local history. Graduates of LJC are projected to be the future leaders of Johns Creek, leading civic and business organizations for community action and improvement.

ROSWELL STUDENT INTERNING IN D.C.

William Francis Brown IV of Roswell has earned participation in the University of Georgia Washington Semester Program in the nation’s capital. Brown and 21 other students began internships in Congressional offices, nonprofit organizations and think tanks on Jan. 11.

“This is an outstanding start to our third year, and the class is comprised of exceptional students who have secured incredible internship opportunities. I look forward to working with all of them and learning of their experiences in the capital,” said Don De Maria, director of the Washington Semester Program and the Learning Communities Initiative, which was launched under the auspices of the UGA Office of the Vice President for Instruction in spring 2008.

The group of juniors and seniors participating in the program this spring will complete 12 credit hours of coursework and work at least 30 hours a week with the internships.