​Good afternoon! Welcome to the sixth edition of GaDOE Updates, a newsletter from the Georgia Department of Education. Every other week, we send out a roundup of news, information, and spotlights on K-12 public education in Georgia. In between, keep up with GaDOE on Facebook and Twitter.

Remember: Send your tips, ideas and events to mfrick@doe.k12.ga.us and mcardoza@doe.k12.ga.us. We’re interested in ideas for in-depth feature stories, too.

Teachers spend summer hours sharpening math instruction

In classrooms at Tucker High School last week, Georgia math teachers took up the task of ensuring that all students are equipped with a real, contextual understanding of mathematics. It was the first of seven Mathematics Summer Academies offered by the Georgia Department of Education, all featuring sessions led by Georgia educators. Each academy is an effort to get beyond “pure math” and reach “contextual math” – math that students can understand because they can see it in context. As that happens, countless doors will open for Georgia’s students. Read more here.

About Georgia Milestones

All schools will transition to a new testing system, the Georgia Milestones Assessment System, during the 2014-2015 academic year. Georgia Milestones, which will replace both the CRCT and the EOCT, will include open-ended questions to better gauge students’ content mastery and, with some exceptions for special education students with specific testing accommodations, will be administered entirely online by the fifth year of implementation. To learn more about Georgia Milestones and implementation plans, click here. For details on the relationship between Georgia Milestones and teacher effectiveness measures (TKES and LKES), click here.

Georgia students win Gates scholarships in record numbers

Eighty-nine Georgia students are 2014 recipients of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, including 16 in DeKalb County, 15 in Atlanta Public Schools and 15 in Gwinnett County. The students’ undergraduate education will be fully funded, and their graduate education funded if they pursue a degree in computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, science, or public health.

Around DOE lately

State-level CRCT results were released Thursday. View them here. District-level results will be available no later than June 26, and school-level results will be available no later than July 10.

The State Board of Education met Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12. If you subscribe to updates from DOE, you’ll receive a roundup of the highlights in your inbox soon.

Georgia was recognized as the first state to implement the Presidential Youth Fitness Program statewide. From letsmove.gov: “Through the Georgia SHAPE initiative, Georgia leaders embraced the need to utilize a health-related fitness assessment as a critical component of physical education. To recognize the work of Georgia, the Presidential Youth Fitness Program resource partners recognized students with a Presidential Youth Fitness Award. The work of Georgia shows the possibilities when leaders from across government, non-profit and private sectors align to support student health. The opportunity to create lasting and sustainable change can become a reality.”

Around the districts

Congratulations to Georgia’s 24 new Master Teachers – one from Banks County, one from Chatham, two from Cobb, one from Effingham, seven from Fulton, one from Griffin-Spalding, five from Gwinnett, one from Henry, one from the KIPP Metro Atlanta charter school, one from Laurens County, two from Marietta City, and one from Muscogee. View the list here.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is using its website to spotlight educators across the district who are using technology and innovative teaching practices. Here, read about Beach High School teacher Melissa Maikos’ use of technology in the classroom.

Georgia’s public schools in the news

A conversation with Georgia’s Teacher of the Year | Macon Telegraph: http://bit.ly/1s0YUEy

Four former Mason Elementary students all accepted by Harvard | Gwinnett Daily Post http://bit.ly/1oSJrmo

Knee deep: School in the wetlands | Covington News: http://bit.ly/1krciIo

Sisters reunite at Cross Creek High School graduation | Augusta Chronicle: http://bit.ly/1ohxRDz

Save the date:

June 16: Applications due for SAMHSA “Now is the Time” grants for LEAs (supports training of school personnel and others to detect and respond to mental illness in children and youth)

June 19 and 20: Georgia Virtual Learning’s Professional Learning Symposium

July 8-10: Safety in Our Schools Conference, UGA Hotel and Conference Center, Athens

July 13-16: Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education’s 67th Annual Summer Conference, Cobb Galleria Center, Cobb County

July 15-16: Race to the Top Year 4 Summit in Collaboration with 67th Annual Summer Conference

August 24: Registration deadline for Atlanta Braves’ Home Run Readers program – K-12 students receive a free Braves ticket and free Subway meal for reading books and completing an online activity. Register here.

View previous newsletters: May 30, May 14, May 1, April 11, March 28​