Category Archives: DeKalb County School District

Central Office Reorg Phase II

Posted on March 3, 2016 by | 10 comments

Jim Collins, author of “Good To Great”, says that, “leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with WHERE but with WHO. They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats.”
On every data point, prior to Dr. Green, Central Office administration was bloated and there was no improvement in academic achievement.  Dr. Green is bringing on a new team and restructuring the Central Office as he attempts to bring reform and improvement to DeKalb schools.
ReOrganizations To Date
  Phase I – (DEC 2015)
  Phase II – (MAR 2016)
  Phase III – (APR 2016)
Reorganization – Phase II

Jennifer Hackemeyer Jennifer Hackemeyer  –  (.pdf link icon  resume) (Chief Legal Officer, Office of Legal Affairs) – For the last 10 years Ms. Hackemeyer has been the General Counsel for the Georgia Department of Education.
Eileen Houston-Stewart Eileen Houston-Stewart – (.pdf link icon  resume) (Interim Chief Communications and Community Relations Officer, Communications) – Ms. Houston-Stewart has been in Missouri since 2007.  She worked at Kansas City Public Schools from 2010 – 2015 where she met Superintendent Green.
Oliver Lewis Oliver Lewis – (.pdf link icon  Oliver Lewis resume) (Executive Director of Professional Learning, Leadership Development, and STEM Program, Curriculum & Instruction) – Mr. Lewis has been with the DeKalb County School District since 1993 where he started off as a substitute teacher.  He was a Math & Science teacher and in 2005 was promoted to Principal at Hightower ES.  He was most recently the Director of Professional Learning
Manomay Malathip Manomay Malathip –  (.pdf link icon  resume) (Interim Executive Director of Student Advancement, Student Support & Intervention) – Superintendent Green worked with Manomay Malathip at Kauffman Scholars and Kansas City Public Schools.
Laura Stowell Laura Stowell –  (.pdf link icon  resume) (Director, Charters, School Governance, & Flexibility) – Laura Stowell was the Charter Schools Coordinator at Fulton County Schools for superintendent Robert Avossa from 2008 – 2016.
Focused on accurate financial disclosure and academic achievement of charters.

Reorganization – Phase I
Dec 2015 – DeKalb Schools Central Office Reorganization Part I

Leo Brown Leo Brown – .pdf link icon  Dr. Leo Brown (resume) was the Assistant Director of Human Resources for Emory University from 2005 – 2011. He was also the Chief Human Capital Officer for Kansas City Public Schools from 2011 – 2012 where he met Superintendent Green. Dr. Brown will start as DeKalb Schools’ Chief Human Capital Officer in January 2016.
Vasanne Tinsley Vasanne Tinsley – .pdf link icon  Dr. Vasanne Tinsley (resume) started with DeKalb Schools as a School Counselor in 1994. She was most recently the Director of Support Services and is now being promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Student Support & Intervention.

 

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Posted in DeKalb County School District

How to Qualify for Gifted Services

Posted on January 16, 2016 by | 1 comment

Results from ITBS and CogAT should be delivered by now. Here’s what you need to know about qualifying for gifted services.

History
In the 1958, Georgia became the first state to pass legislation that requires all public school systems in Georgia to offer programs for gifted education students.  In 1994, Georgia added subjective measures to its gifted evaluation process to provide an additional path for students, especially minority students.
Resources
.pdf link icon Georgia Resource Manual for Gifted Education Services 2014 – 2015
.pdf link icon Georgia State BOE Rule 160-4-2-.38 – Education Program for Gifted Students
.pdf link icon DeKalb Schools Gifted and High Achievers webpage
.pdf link icon DeKalb Schools Program for Gifted Brochure
.pdf link icon OCGA § 20-2-152. Special education services
Programs
Elementary students participate in the gifted program for a minimum of 225 minutes per week and are supported by a certified teacher of the gifted.  Middle and senior high school gifted students are taught at least one period per day in a content-based program by a certified teacher of the gifted. In high schools, gifted students may also participate in advanced placement (AP), directed-study courses.
Eligibility
To be eligible for gifted education services, a student must meet the criterion score on a norm-referenced test and either have observational data collected on his or her performance or produce a superior product as described below.  Students in grades one, three, five, and seven go through a district-wide assessment process (gifted identification testing cycle). This process usually begins with a mental ability assessment (CogAT) and an achievement test (ITBS) during the fall semester. A creativity and motivation assessment is provided during the first week in November.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for gifted services, students must qualify in three of the following four areas:

  • Mental Ability – Minimum score of 96th percentile (or higher) in at least one sub-test area
  • Achievement – Minimum score of 90th percentile (or higher) on the total reading, total math, or complete composite
  • Creativity – Minimum score of 90th percentile (or higher) on an assessment for creativity
  • Motivation – Minimum of 90th percentile (or higher) on an assessment for motivation (Grades K-12)

-OR-
Grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, using an average of core grades over the previous two school years in English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language if applicable (Grades 9-12)
Assessment Scores

  • A qualifying score on a nationally normed test is required to meet the criteria in at least one area.
  • Any data used to establish eligibility in one area shall not be used to establish eligibility in another area.
  • Assessment scores are valid for two years.
  • Private test data may not be used to determine eligibility; it may be used as a referral for further evaluation.
  • Assessments administered outside of the district-wide gifted identification testing cycle are inadmissible.

Continuation Policy
All identified gifted students are given a Continuation Policy form that must be reviewed and signed by the parent and the student. All Gifted Students must maintain a minimum 80% or higher in the gifted class and regular classes.
Probation Policy
If students receiving gifted services fail to maintain a minimum of 80% or higher in the gifted class and regular classes, the student will be placed on probation for a period of one semester.
Models for Gifted Programs
The State of GA requires schools to service gifted students using one of the following classroom models:
Resource Model (K-12)

  1. Students are “pulled out” for a minimum of 225 minutes per week.
  2. Teachers are gifted certified.
  3. The teacher/student ratio is 1:23 for elementary and 1:27 for middle and high school.
  4. Lessons are interdisciplinary, enrichment and extension activities.

Cluster Grouping (K-12)

  1. Twelve or fewer gifted students may be served in a regular classroom setting.
  2. Gifted endorsed teacher.
  3. Differentiated curriculum in content, process, product and/or assessments.

Advanced Content (K-12)

  1. Minimum of one core content class.
  2. Gifted endorsed teacher.
  3. 1:25 teacher/student ratio.
  4. Accelerated curriculum emphasizing process skills, problem-solving activities, research projects and other higher order thinking skills.
  5. Advanced Placement (AP) classes is included as long as the teacher is AP certified and has completed ten clock hours of the Nature and Needs of Gifted.
  6. Some IB and Advanced courses may be used to provide gifted services.

Resources for parents in the Atlanta Metro Area
Find your school district below and follow the link to find out how your child can be considered for gifted programs in your area.

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Posted in DeKalb County School District, DeKalb Schools