Demographic Study Presentation

On Wednesday, May 18, Atlanta Public Schools conducted a community meeting on the next phase of the 2010 demographic study. Officials from Bleakly Advisory Group, LLC Cropper GIS and McKibben Demographics, LLC  provided an overview on the next phase of the process including time lines and a plan for when and how the community will be engaged.

Click here to download the presentation.

Click here to view video

Lleyton Weaver also received an outstanding performance medal for going undefeated during the tournament!

The Parkside Chess Club is open to 2nd and 3rd grade chess players. The chess club is a fun way for students to improve their chess skills through competition. During chess club meetings, students learn more about chess, sportsmanship, and critical thinking. Chess club meets on Tuesday mornings in the library at 7:30am. Our lead chess coach for Parkside is our outstanding teacher, Ms. Kareem.

PARKSIDE PTA MEETING MINUTES

3-3-11

6:00 PM Tammy Garnes, President, welcomed everyone and led the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Principal Dr. Luck gave his report which started with all of the fantastic publicity that Parkside has received lately including, students pictured in People magazine this week (page 98) with Jack Black and the zoo’s panda naming ceremony; Parkside students also made it to the Regionals beating 8 other schools in the Helen Ruffin Reading Competition; and Parkside’s Robotics Team was featured on CNN and made it to the Super Regionals.
Dr. Luck also reported that the dates for the CRCT testing have been pushed back to May this Spring.  Note that 1st and 2nd graders no longer have to take the CRCT.
March 18 is the Health Fair that will host over 20 vendors.  Dr. Luck encouraged everyone to participate.

Dr. Luck reported that the PreK Round Up at Parkside was last week and there are a lot of unknowns at this point since Governor Deal has recommended cutting PreK to a ½ day program.  Most parents and educators are against these cuts and are petitioning the politicians to keep it a full day program.

Beth Shorthouse updated us on the Box Tops fundraiser.  So far Parkside has collected 1300 Box Tops which equals $130.  She thinks we will end the year with approximately $200.  She encouraged everyone to ask their grandparents, friends, coworkers to collect Box Tops for us.  It is free money for the school.

Ms. Garnes thanked Aieda McFarland for organizing another wonderful Math and Science Night this year.  She always does an amazing job.

Tammy introduced our guests, Brenda Muhammad (APS School Board member), Sharron Pitts (APS Chief of Staff) and Dr. Park (APS Research and Planning Dept) and explained the history of zoning here at Parkside including last year’s zoning out of the Thomasville Heights neighborhood.  Parkside parents and administrators were told that there would be more re-zoning this year to get more Grant Park streets that are close to the school zoned into Parkside (ex. Delmar, Home, parts of Confederate).

Ms. Pitts reported that the bottom line is that there are no plans to rezone Parkside for the 11-12 school year.  Dr. Parks reported that every 10 years APS hires an outside consultant to make projections based on census data, housing trends, statistical predictions etc.  They also have in-house demographers who make recommendations.  Admittedly, Parkside’s zone has some oddly drawn lines that need to be fixed.  They are working on this now and hope to have the results in October.  This means that they will take their recommendations to the Board in November 2011.  Then there will be community meetings and feedback will be brought to the Board in March 2012.  After a 30 comment period the Board will make a decision for re-zoning for 2012-13.
Parents are welcome to send all ideas and recommendations now to Sharron Pitts at spitts@atlantapublicschools.us and get involved in this process.

She commended Parkside on being a very desirable school and has an extremely high number of APS employees children at the school due to the outstanding reputation.

Ms. Pitts also reported that Parkside will be an open enrollment school for 2011-12 and there should be about 80 available slots spread out pretty evenly across grade levels.  It will be a lottery system if more than 80 people request transfers into Parkside.  No preference for APS employees, families with siblings already at the school or people who live close by.

Brenda Muhammad reported on the six SACS requirements concerning the Board’s recent issues.  The Board hopes have this resolved by May 1.  They meet every Monday from 7-10 PM and invite all parents to attend.  Recaps are posted on the APS website and all meetings are streamed live on the internet as well.  Please feel free to contact Brenda with any questions or concerns at bjmuhammad@comcast.net

Tammy concluded with comments about the CRCT investigation which is still in its beginning phase with the federal inquiry.

Sherri Scott from St. Paul United Methodist Church presented a free one week certificate for summer camp at the church.  She described the new camp which will feature art and sports each week with lots of activities in Grant Park each day including swimming.  The cost is $180/wk and is from 8:30-3:30.  A drawing was done with all PTA members in attendance and parent Agenisz Samadhi won.  She has twin 2nd grade boys at Parkside.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15PM.

Dad and Kids Bowling Event! FREE! Ten Pin Bowling Alley – Atlantic Station - 261 19th St. NW, Suite 1200, Atlanta, GA 30363. Don’t miss this fun event. Free Bowling, Free Shoes!

 No School on Friday….Come & Bowl on Sunday!

BOWLING WTIH DADS!

Sunday, February 20th, 2011 2pm – 5pm

FREE TO ALL PARKSIDE FAMILIES

Includes:  Admission for the entire family and unlimited bowling!
Check your child’s backpack for the flyer with all the details.  Be sure to return it with them to school no later than Friday!

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Enthusiasm about science and math abounds at Parkside Elementary School this year.  In addition to daily science lessons taught by Mr. Thomas in the school’s science lab, students can participate in after school programs such as the rocket club and robotics club that prepare them for their annual summer trip to Space Camp.

Check out this phenomenal piece by CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on Parkside’s competition robotics team!

KIDS COMPETE USING LOGO ROBOT – CNN

And the winner is………………

PARKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!

Congratulations to our stellar readers and quick fingered competitors who took home the first place award at this weeks Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (HRRB) competition for Atlanta Public Schools.  Team members will now advance to the Regional Reading Bowl on Saturday, February 5th at Clayton State University.

HRRB is one of the most rigorous reading bowls in the state.  Selected 4th and 5th graders from Parkside read 17 middle school level novels, all of which are Georgia Book Award Nominees, during the summer and the school year and attend after school practices to prepare for the competition.  We are so proud of our students, their parents, our Media Specialist Mr. Clay and our teacher volunteers!

Learn more about the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl:

Several Years ago Mrs. Helen Ruffin,a very dynamic and innovative person was the library media specialist at Sky Haven Elementary School in DeKalb County, Georgia. In 1985, she served on the selection committee for the Georgia Children’s Book Award nominee program. This literature program began in the Department of Language Education at the University of Georgia’s College of Education. This literature program inspired her to use the nominee books to encourage her students to read.