Newsletter March 6, 2020

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VIsion Statement:

"Engaging hands and minds through the Environment, Agriculture and Technology. "

Office Hours

Dr. Wills
Monday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Dr. Wilson
Tuesday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Dr. McCladdie
Tuesday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Principal Thomas
Monday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Dr. Taylor
Tuesday 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

D.A.T.E. Receives Best of Stone Mountain Business Category Award

STONE MOUNTAIN February 26, 2020 -- Dekalb Academy of Tech & Env Elementary & Middle Charter Schools, Inc has been selected for the 2020 Best of Stone Mountain Award in the Local Business category by the Stone Mountain Award Program.

Each year, the Stone Mountain Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Stone Mountain area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2020 Stone Mountain Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Stone Mountain Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About Stone Mountain Award Program

The Stone Mountain Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Stone Mountain area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Stone Mountain Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.

SOURCE: Stone Mountain Award Program

TIPS for Testing:

How are you spending time preparing your scholar for GA Milestones testing? If you have not seen the study resources from the GADOE, please consider using these!

1. GA Milestones End of Grade (EOG) study guides:

Grade 3 EOG Study/Resource Guide
Grade 4 EOG Study/Resource Guide
Grade 5 EOG Study/Resource Guide
Grade 6 EOG Study/Resource Guide
Grade 7 EOG Study/Resource Guide
Grade 8 EOG Study/Resource Guide

2. For actual practice with the site used for GA Milestones and the tools for testing, click Here . Select the ORANGE “Secure Practice Test” link for the online practice.

3. Students should complete the assigned classwork, homework, and projects as assigned by each teacher. The instruction is differentiated to meet the individual needs of each student.

4. Students should attend tutorials. In addition to the tailored class assignments, tutorial is designed to address areas where support is needed for each child.

5. Continue to communicate with the teachers to support the students’ progress!

Dr. K. Taylor,
Chief Academic Officer

Greetings Family,

Here at D.A.T.E., our middle school team continues to work hard to give your child the best opportunities possible to be successful in an ever changing society. We are busy scheduling school visits and classroom trips that will both enlighten and enrich your scholar, as they make their choice on schools and career paths. Our counselor is providing guidance and allowing students to view different programs that local schools have to offer to best fit their needs.

We are providing hands on activities, so that students can experience the true definition of environmental change and technology advancements. Students are presented their Black History month projects focusing on recent black history figures. As always, thanks for all you do to make D.A.T.E a wonderful place to work, teach and learn.

How are we preparing students at D.A.T.E. for the Milestones test?

Teachers have been actively implementing the Common Core State Standards for throughout the school year. The Curriculum and Instruction team and teachers have been developing and using lessons and assessments aligned to the state standards.

In addition, we are ensuring students will be ready for online testing by practicing online test and having students take mock milestone. Again this school year, our CIA team made up of teachers, administrators, specialists and technology staff began creating a comprehensive plan to ensure that students are confident and ready to show their learning on these assessments.

There is always some question whether our students will be ready to take this challenging state assessment. I can assure you we are doing everything in our power to expose them everything they will see on the test. With that sometimes come lower grades because students are exposed to an even higher level of rigor. Parents please remember that the progress reports are just that (progress reports). These reports are supposed to be reflective on where students are currently in the curriculum, so students grades should show growth throughout the unit and lesson. Thanks for all your support and cooperation!

Dr. Edward Wilson,
Middle School Principal

March Mathness

Fouth grade scholars are gearing up for the GA Milestones Assessment taking place in April,by participating in March Mathness! It is a month long initiative to get students actively involved in various components in preparation for the assessment. Here you see scholars participating in Friday March Mathness, a circuit of spiral review games to get them out of their seats and on their feet! Students were placed in different groups playing Connect Five, Multiplication Jenga, and Hedbanz. Students were able to use Connect Five using prior knowledge to write the number created by the winning team in the three different number forms (word, expanded, and standard). Multiplication Jenga was a huge hit as students had to identify the product of the equation on the block they selected, if you knocked the tower down...you're out! Lastly, students were elated to play Math Vocabulary Hedbanz, which required their minds to think fast and identify the word for the given definition of their partner. This month is already off to an amazing start!

Ms. Erica Thomas,
Elementary Principal

Cell Phone, Smart Watch, Electronic Device "Away Each Day" Policy

Cell phones and electronic devices are not permitted during the school day. All devices should be put away in lockers from 7:30am-3:30pm; therefore, the phone or electronic devices is physically off of the students.

The most common reasons that students give for having their cell phones out in class are;

"I was just checking the time"
"I was just turning it off"
"It fell out of my bag or pocket"

None of these are acceptable reasons, thus, the phones will be confiscated. Parents, will have to pick up the confiscated item after-school.

Dr. H. McCladdie,
Director of Student Services

D. A. T. E. Family,

Our school has been pre-approved by Comcast for their Internet Essentials program. With the internet being a key component to how our kids learn and are educated, it is a necessity to have it in the home. Through this program, internet access is offered at a discounted rate of $9.95 per month+tax. As a bonus, you will also have the opportunity to purchase computers at a discounted price of $149.99+tax. You may qualify for the program if:

The link listed here is a link for to learning modules such as internet basics, online safety and security, building new skills, in-person classes, etc....... Please click here to access the learning center. In the coming weeks I will highlight some of these essentials in this portion of the newsletter. Again we are excited to have this opportunity available to our scholars here at Dekalb Academy of Technology and the Environment.

Charles Allen,
IT Director

Infnite Campus Instructions

Google Classroom FAQ

Parents can enter their students carpool numbers in the app beginning at 2pm Monday - Friday within the boundaries of E Ponce de Leon Ave and Stonegate Industrial Blvd and in the D.A.T.E. parking lot. Doing so, will help expedite your student coming out at the end of the day.

After the app is downloaded, please send an email to carpool@dateacademy.org advising us as to the type of device the app was installed on and the email address that was used to register the account so that we can activate the account.

Please click on the link below for additional information and assistance.

Silent Dismissal

Elementary School

Students created and took a Technology Assessment based on the different types of technology they use or have used before using Google Slides. Students set a theme, backgrounds, fonts, styles, transitions, and answered 8 technology-based questions. Students began presenting their Date Academy Store Website that they created before the Christmas Break.

Middle School

Students created and took a Technology Assessment based on the different types of technology they use, or have used before using Google Slides. Students set a theme, backgrounds, images, text boxes, word font, fonts, styles, transitions, importing previously completed assignments and answered 13 technology-based questions. Students also completed 30 levels of pseudo coding using Code Monkey. Students have begun working on the first 40 levels of CodeCombat. Students also created blog posts based on current technology trends. Some of their topics were: List and describe 3 features of a cell phone that you find interesting. List at least 15 of the classroom rules while in the technology lab. What is Internet of Things? List and describe some of the devices that use them in smart homes? What are 5 differences between Mac and Windows Computers? What technology that you've seen in a movie/tv show do you wish really existed?

The dynamic STEAM Dream Team went on a trip to the Mercedes Benz Stadium and took 12 additional D.A.T.E. scholars with them to experience the S.T.E.A.M. and environmental science of the stadium.

Students were educated about the ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETEF) material that the stadium is built from and had an up close view of the retractable ceiling. It was a great day of learning and fun for the students. The most exciting part was experiencing the locker rooms in which the Atlanta Falcons prepare themselves prior to season games.

We viewed the art, observed the network communications wifi drops and also had a chance to grab some lunch at the CNN building. The kids had a blast. Looking forward to the next time.

Ms. N. Shillingford,
Environmental Specialist
S.T.E.M. / S.T.E.A.M. Coordinator

Greetings!

As a math teacher and a person with an analytical mind; it is at times difficult to understand why students struggle with a subject that I have loved for my entire life. My professional goal as an educator is to change lives one equation at a time. Throughout my time teaching, I have discovered more and more that students do their best to avoid abstract algebra, which has developed over centuries into what is now called modern algebra. This version of mathematics involves more intellectual rigor. Essentially, rigor is defined as being unyielding or inflexible which is the basis of mathematics, the truths of math will never change.

I am also a very excited and enthusiastic teacher. Despite the fears and anxiety that come with learning abstract mathematics, I do all I can to make my class engaging and entertaining. This school year, my students have done their best to bypass anything that may take a little extra time such as computing negative integers. So, I began the "Negative Signs Matter" campaign. I reiterate to my students that they are here and are not going anywhere. I want them to be able to look at any mathematical equation and know that it is important and it is ok to engage and not be fearful. They are more than capable to take on what used to be a struggle as a challenge with immense confidence and succeed with great knowledge that they have received.

The campaign will never end nor change because #negativesignsmatter and so do you!

Ms. Frenise Venisee
8th Grade Math Instructor

Grief can be an extremely challenging topic to address with children. There are two very amazing resources that are designed to help children, and their families, move forward with grief and cope with their loss. Kate's Club is the first option that families have to help address grief. Kate's Club is a free membership based program that offers activities, counseling and coping skills to help people process their loss. Camp MAGIK is an actual camp, that is also a free resource that allows children to work through their grief in an alternative way by attending spring or summer camp session. Please utilize these resources as you may need, and share with others who could also benefit.

Mrs. Angel Haye
School Counselor

Camp MAGIK (English)

Camp MAGIK (Espanol)

Dear D.A.T.E. Families,

We’re almost there! We are quickly approaching the end of another semester. Before we wrap up the year, we have one final school-wide fundraiser to complete. The funds will go towards our school spring production and end of year activities. We are asking parents to please do their best to sell at least 3-5 items. This is also an opportunity to earn your volunteer hours if you have not done so already. You can earn 10hrs for every 5 items sold! Order forms will go home with students this week for our Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough Spring Fundraiser. There are cool prizes to earn individually as well as a class level competition. Let's finish this year strong!

Below, you will find a list of upcoming events for volunteer opportunities:

Mar 6th: Skate Night (volunteers needed)
Mar 7th: Yearbook Personal Pages Deadline
Mar 10th: Club Pictures
Mar 16th - Winter Fundraiser Ends
Mar 20th – Pizza Friday
Mar 29th - High School Musical the Play

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at: PTO@dateacademy.org

Thank You,
Nicole Lundie
PTO President

Teachers & Staples Rewards

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1492 Kelton Drive, Stone Mountain, Ga 30083
www.DekalbAcademy.org

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Dekalb Academy of Technology and the Environment · 1492 Kelton Dr · Stone Mountain, GA 30083-1918 · USA