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 GaDOE Library Media Update - February 2017


Table of Contents

  • GaDOE and GPEE to Host Solutions Summit to Address Chronically Underperforming Schools
  • Georgia Department of Education releases star ratings for School Climate, Financial Efficiency
  • Georgia Department of Education Launches Career Pipeline Tool
  • Governor Deal Unveils ‘Go Teach Others’
  • Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's Top Ten Issues to Watch Report
  • The Civil Rights Digital Library
  • Poet Laureate’s Prize - Call for Entries
  • GALILEO News, January 2017
  • GALILEO Position Announcement
  • Putnam County Middle School Learning Commons Open House
  • Worth Sharing
  • Going Social
  • GaDOE Media Mailing List

GaDOE and GPEE to Host Solutions Summit to Address Chronically Underperforming Schools

The Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education will co-host a Solutions Summit to address the challenges faced by chronically underperforming schools. 

The summit will bring together stakeholders from all invested groups – members of the education, business, policymakers and faith communities, as well as families – to have candid conversations about the issues these schools face and develop a shared framework for improvement. 

“There is no simple, one-step solution for every school that’s struggling to improve student achievement,” Superintendent Woods said. “We must look at a holistic approach to educating students in underperforming schools, and that must include the communities. More than identifying just the problems, we must develop real actionable solutions that engage stakeholders around the common challenges facing these schools.”

Dr. Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, reinforced Woods’ comments.  “The summit presents a unique opportunity to do more than talk about problems many of our schools face. We must move past talking to action,” he stressed. “Key education, business, community and government leaders will have the chance to leverage their collective will to make a collective impact.” 

The summit will include an overview of state, regional, and national efforts to support chronically underperforming schools, along with panel discussions on the opportunities and challenges facing districts, communities, and state agencies as they work to provide that support. Partners from GaDOE and GPEE will present a deep dive into the data of chronically underperforming schools, examining and discussing student achievement, school climate, demographics, turnover rates, discipline rates, attendance, and other related community data. 

These discussions will be followed by a time for candid conversations and brainstorming, and an opportunity for attendees to commit to an action framework to support underperforming schools.

The summit will be co-chaired by Dr. Mary Sue Murray, a retired State Board of Education member with more than 30 years of education experience, and Stephanie Johnson, principal of Maynard Jackson High School and a 2017 National Principal of the Year finalist. 

More details on the Solutions Summit will be announced in the coming months. 

Subscribe to updates from the Georgia Department of Education to be notified when more information is available.

Georgia Department of Education releases star ratings for School Climate, Financial Efficiency

Data shows 3.6% increase in 5-star ratings for school climate, positive correlation to reading proficiency

On January 26, 2017, the Georgia Department of Education released the 2016 School Climate Star Ratings for local schools, as well as the 2016 Financial Efficiency Star Ratings for local districts. These ratings are provided as informational tools for schools, administrators, parents, and communities; they do not affect a school or district’s College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score.

“We’re committed to providing – in a responsible fashion – information on school performance for the use of educators, parents, and communities,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “The Financial Efficiency Star Rating helps stakeholders see how districts are using the funds they’re allotted, providing a baseline for future conversations, while the School Climate Star Rating gives a clear overview of the climate and culture within a school, which is a crucial factor for student success. The School Climate rating, in particular, has clear ties to student achievement – and to third grade reading, which is a major predictor of students’ later success.” 

Georgia Department of Education Launches Career Pipeline Tool

Georgia businesses need a skilled workforce, and every year, Georgia high schools are graduating talented students in need of meaningful career opportunities. In an effort to better connect those two groups, to the benefit of Georgia students and the overall economic health of the state, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and state partners are launching the Georgia Career Pipeline Tool, accessible at gacareerpipeline.gadoe.org.

Governor Deal Unveils ‘Go Teach Others’

Gov. Nathan Deal, in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, recently unveiled “Go Teach Others,” the third installment of the "Real Teachers Real Voices” campaign. This initiative, which highlights exceptional educators around the state, stems from feedback from Deal’s Teacher Advisory Committee. “Go Teach Others” features Lauren Eckman, an educator at the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon and the 2013 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

“I believe that my success as an educator can and should be measured by the success of my students,” said Eckman. Acting as both a guide and a major source for academic support, Eckman now encourages her own students to “go teach others.”

The first PSA of this series – “Purpose” – aired at the State of the State address and highlights Rep. Amy Carter. The second PSA – “High Aspirations” – was released January 17 and features the 2017 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Casey Bethel.

Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's Top Ten Issues to Watch Report

The 13th Edition of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's Top Ten Issues to Watch report has been released. The latest report looks at several recurring topics such as funding and early learning but introduces some new topics such as student mental health and school and district leadership. The Top Ten is a "go-to" resource for public education across our state.

Copies of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2017 publication are available for media centers across the state.

Media specialists can contact Bill Maddox at bmaddox@gpee.org to request their copy. GPEE will provide one free copy at no charge; additional copies are available with postage reimbursement.

The Civil Rights Digital Library

The Civil Rights Digital Library (CRDL) was launched in 2008 as part of the GALILEO Initiative. Its mission is to promote a better understanding of the civil rights movement by providing access to primary sources and educational materials from libraries, archives, museums, and public broadcasters.

The digital collection features video archives of unedited historical news footage from the WSB (Atlanta) and WALB (Albany, Georgia) archives from the University of Georgia Libraries.The CRDL draws upon holdings of more than ninety libraries and other partner organizations and also provides a variety of instructional materials, including contextual stories, encyclopedia articles, lesson plans, and activities designed to facilitate the use of video content in teaching and learning about the movement. Education, especially history education, is placing a higher value on primary sources than ever before. It is important for students at every level to learn and understand more about the Civil Rights Movement and the primary sources available via the Civil Rights Digital Library provide a great path to that understanding.

Poet Laureate’s Prize - Call for Entries

Georgia’s Poet Laureate, Judson Mitcham, in collaboration with Georgia Council for the Arts, is pleased to announce the third annual Poet Laureate’s Prize, awarded for an original poem written by a Georgia high school student. The winning poet and finalists will have the opportunity to meet Governor and Mrs. Deal and the Poet Laureate when they are honored at the Georgia State Capitol in the spring. The winner and finalists will also tour the historic Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta. The winning and finalist poems will be published at atlantamagazine.com.

Entry details are included in the guidelines below. Entry deadline is March 3, 2017. Contact Allen Bell at abell@gaarts.org with questions.

GALILEO News, January 2017

In the annual user survey, a media specialist asked why sharing the password over the phone is prohibited by the GALILEO access policy. The steering committee reviewed the policy and recommended it be changed to add the phone as an approved way to share the password. Check out the GALILEO newsletter to find out the 2017 password change dates, learn about the GALILEO browser toolbar and setting up journal alerts, and much more.

GALILEO Position Announcement

GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library, is seeking a talented and creative librarian to be our Acquisitions and Electronic Resources Coordinator. The person hired for this position will have a remarkable opportunity to work with vendors large and small, manage and curate licensed content, and serve the GALILEO community through outreach and training. GALILEO is staffed by a committed group of library professionals, who manage content, licensing, marketing, assessment, technology, development, support, and training for our users. 
Click here to learn more about the position, and to apply​. Applications must be received by: February 17, 2017.

If you have questions about the details of the position, please contact Lucy Harrison, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Library Services and Executive Director of GALILEO, at lucy.harrison@usg.edu.

Putnam County Middle School Learning Commons Open House

Putnam County Middle School has transformed its Media Center into a new Learning Commons.  Students now have a flexible, student-centered learning environment that encourages critical thinking, collaboration and creativity within the Learning Commons space. From the interactive wall where students can locate information with the touch of a finger to the Makerspace and Multimedia room that encourages critical thinking and creativity, the Learning Commons at PCMS offers multiple opportunities to enhance 21st century skills. These skills are crucial in building a college and career ready community. Putnam County Middle School invites you to attend an Open House on February 14 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. and learn about their journey from traditional library to a 21st century learning environment!

Worth Sharing

Going Social

GaDOE Media Mailing List

Do you want to share the GaDOE Media Updates with colleagues? If so, encourage your colleagues to join the email mailing list by following the directions on this page​.

Thank you,

Tony Vlachakis
Educational Technologist 
Library/Media Liaison