Day of Discovery for GA Education Leaders

Georgia Fine Arts Standards Open for Public Comment

Georgia Department of Education Invites Public Comment on the New Fine Arts Standards

August 13, 2009, Georgia's State Board of Education approved Draft Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for Fine Arts Education. These standards were developed in the spring and summer of 2009 by Georgia Arts Educators, School Administrators, Teaching Artists and Community Leaders under the guidance of the Georgia Department of Education.

Review & Comment

October 12, 2009: draft standards for K-12 Dance, Music, Theater Arts and Visual Arts are posted for 60 days of public review and comment.

Time Line for Implementation

November 5, 2009: draft standards currently scheduled to be presented to the State Board of Education for approval

February, 2010: training for Administrators and Fine Arts teachers begins

For questions or more information, contact:
Pam Smith, Curriculum and Instructional Services Director
404.463.4141
PamSmith@doe.k12.ga.us

Georgia Students Invited to Join State Advisory Council

Superintendent Cox Seeks Student Advisors

Are you able to describe the biggest issue confronting students in your school? Do you have ideas as to how to address the issue?
What do you think a world-class education for you and your peers should be?

If these are questions that matter to you, and you think you have something to contribute to this discussion, then consider applying for membership in Superintendent Cox's Student Advisory Council.

Georgia High School Students are invited to apply for a state level leadership opportunity. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox is accepting applications for her 2009-2010 Student Advisory Council.

The members of the Student Advisory Council meet three times during the school year with Superintendent Cox to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Georgia. Members are advisors and act as liaisons between the Department of Education and the students of Georgia.

All students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply. Meeting dates are:
November 9, 2009
January 25, 2010
March 8, 2010
(dates are subject to change.)
Applicants should be able to attend all three meetings.

To be eligible for the Council, applications must be received by September
30, 2009.

Interested students should contact:
Courtney Burnett, External Affairs
(404) 657-1340
cburnett@gadoe.org

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"Jumpstart to Success" Summer Academy

Summer Academy for High School Freshman

Frederick Douglass High School

Some Atlanta Public School (APS) students will be ready for school even before the 2009-2010 school year officially begins. APS is offering a High School readiness program to incoming Freshman. "Jumpstart to Success" Summer Academy is being held July 20-31, 2009 at the district's high school and small learning communities.

Frederick Douglass HS Social Studies Teacher, Daryl Hardnett

Students who attend the Summer Academy get to preview the High School experience by meeting administrators and teachers, learning the physical layout of the campus, taking core courses and gaining tips on effective study habits. Students will also find information about extra-curricular activities, High School graduation requirements and career options.


View Atlanta Public Schools Press Release

Thank you to Kimberly Willis Green, APS Communications Officer, for providing story information and photographs for this blog post.

Investing in Education in Georgia

ARCHE Report Quantifies the Benefits of Investing in Education

The number of years a student remains in school has a direct correlation to a wide range of factors that influence that student's quality of life. The same correlation also affects job success and other measures of prosperity for Georgia citizens (higher salaries, home ownership, children who tend to do better in school, etc.) and for society as a whole (more talented workforce, higher tax revenues, lower spending for prisons & public assistance and healthier citizens). These are the issues examined in a newly published report by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE).

Higher Return: How Investing in Education Pays Off For Georgia was sponsored in part by the Georgia Power Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. The report analyzes data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and other federal and state government data sources. Human Capitol Research Corporation compiles and analyzed the data for ARCHE.

The report contains 20 charts that provide a graphic understanding of the benefits of staying in school and completing an education that matches a student's personal and career goals.

One of those charts compares the salary for a high school graduate with the salary of a college graduate in 26 job categories. Example: full time Food Service Manager with HS diploma ($32,120) vs. Food Service Manager with college degree ($55,445)

Again from the study: People with college degrees average higher personal incomes and are less likely to be unemployed.

View the full report online on the ARCHE website.

Thank you to Beth Day for sharing the press release that provided the background and web link on the study.

A Guide to Engineering for Girls

Engineer Your Life

Engineer Your Life (ELY) is a message, a campaign and a web site designed to encourage high schools girls, along with their families, teachers and advisors, to learn more about what life and work are like for engineers. The ELY website features reasons to become an engineer, video of inspiring women engineers, descriptions of dream jobs and resources for further decision making.

Engineer Girl! is a website for girls in middle school who are exploring career options in engineering. This website also includes suggested high school classes to take to plan for an engineering career.

HS Students Intern in Area Law Firms

Atlanta Bar Association Offers Summer Internships to Area Students

The Foundation for the Atlanta Bar Association offers a range of programs, including the Summer Law Intern Program. This opportunity allows high school students to experience a 6-week internship in local law firms, government agencies or corporations.

Thirteen current and graduating students from the Therrell High School of Law, Government & Public Policy were joined by students from Southwest DeKalb HS, Pebblebrook HS, Druid Hills HS and Eagle's Landing Christian Academy for the 2009 Internship.

In an Atlanta Public Schools press release, goals for the interns were listed as:
* Provide a valuable work experience
* Further the students' understanding of the law
* Provide a mentor relationship for the students

Road Trip Rolls Out the Final Episodes in a Popular Series

New Episodes Available for Students & Educators from this Award Winning Series

The producers of Road Trip, the award winning program with the tag line “staying in school is worth the ride” have completed episodes #11 and #12 of the 12 episode series. It is now available on GPB broadcast schedules and on the web for streaming.

In this new episode (#11), All That Matters, Daniel encounters a female student's bubbly, self-confident aunt, who insists that since she dropped out as a teen, her niece should consider it too.

Featured Road Trips

Tour of Moultrie Technical College's HS Horticulture and Construction programs

Tour of Sandersville Technical College's Commercial Truck Driving and Welding programs

Tour of Bainbridge Technical College's Industrial Maintenance program

In the new episode (#12), Home Again, a teen, overwhelmed by choices, is troubled by what to do after his fast approaching graduation from high school.

Featured Road Trips
Tour of East Central Technical College's Telecommunications Technology and Recreation Vehicle Technology programs

Tour of West Georgia Technical College's Digital Video Production and Sports and Fitness Management programs


Created by the Technical College System of Georgia in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting and in association with the national Stay-in-School initiative, Road Trip is now an official hit in the world of educational programs and is among winners that represent the best work in the industry.

20 Fellows Complete National Program Focused on Georgia

Education Policy Fellowship Class Honored

First Participants Add to State's Expertise in Education

The Education Policy Fellowship Program is an professional development initiative of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE) and co-sponsored by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia.

View a list of the first class of graduates and a presentation on the Education Policy Fellowship program. The charge given to the graduates was to "do the difficult work, ask the tough questions, and say what needs to be said".

Press Announcement from GPEE
The inaugural class of the Education Policy Fellowship Program graduated 20 participants June 18 with an observance held at Georgia Power headquarters. The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education brought the national program to the state last October and the first group of Fellows began their 10 month course of instruction.

Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Public Policy and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service & Outreach at the University of Georgia are co-sponsors. Georgia is one of 13 states and the District of Columbia to offer the unique program designed to build education policy expertise.

The Georgia Partnership has long recognized the need to develop leaders across the state who have a clear understanding of how education policy is made. The organization collaborated with The Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington DC, which oversees the national operation.

Speaking at the program were Dr. Art Dunning and Dr. David Sjoquist representing the University of Georgia and Georgia State University respectively. Both men underlined the importance of the program and encouraged the graduates to use what they had learned to make a difference in education in Georgia.

The program was composed of eight monthly colloquiums, attendance at a national leadership conference in Arizona, and a participation in a National Washington Policy Seminar. Speakers included leaders in a wide variety of subjects including funding, higher education, school choice, early education, politics, the demographic landscape and more.

For more information, contact Kelley Dean (kdean@gpee.org)

View complete press announcement.

Thank you to GPEE's Bill Maddox and Kelley Dean for providing the press announcement about the Education Policy Fellowship Program.


View Slide Show of Graduation Event

Picturing America to Picture Success in Muscogee Co. School District

Muscogee County School District & the Picturing America Best Practices Institute

When students leave school for the summer vacation, teachers and administrators can be found still hard at work, refreshing their skills and learning new approaches to support student success. On June 3 and 4, 2009, teachers from Muscogee County School District gathered for a two day workshop inspired by Picturing America, a program of the National Endowment of the Humanities. The group included K-12 teachers in music, visual arts, Spanish, social studies, language arts and media specialists and was organized by Robbie Holt (Director of Arts & Humanities) and her team.

Muscogee County School District, an award recipient from the Picturing America Program, had portfolios of posters on great American art. Many teachers have been using these poster sets as tools to introduce students to the best of American arts and humanities. An example is pictured here: Thomas Hart Benton's The Sources of Country Music. The art work was a catalyst for a robust discussion among the teachers that led in directions as diverse as American History, history of American song, origin of musical instruments, transportation, social & economic influences, etc.

The skills teacher's used for this type of responsive and creative analysis were honed by the presentations, demonstrations and activities offered to the group by the three guest instructors. Object-based learning, literature and music as a focus for a sense of place, art and artifacts for increasing observational skills are some examples of the work the group undertook over the two day period.

The major assignment for all the educators attending the Best Practices Institute was to assemble a piece of art or personal artifact that told a family story. The collection of objects created an instant cultural museum and allowed the whole group to become deeply engaged in the applied lessons from two days of intensive work.

The W.C. Bradley Co. in Columbus, Georgia served as the host and location for the Institute. The building that began as a cotton warehouse in 1885 is now a whole block on the National Historic Register and in the second century of adaptive re-use. Susan Wiggins, Vice President for Stakeholder Relations, gave the group of teachers an overview of the history of the company and the buildings. She pointed out the historic photographs on the walls and artifacts (including Mr. Bradley's desk) throughout the building. The highlight of her presentation was the background and guided tour of the W.C. Bradley Co. Centennial Art Collection. After an extensive national search, 21 artists were commissioned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company by using their art to "document a company, a place, a people, and a place in time." With the historic structures, artifacts and art collection, the W.C. Bradley Co. was the living symbol of the work teachers were undertaking in the Picturing America Best Practices Institute.

About the Instructors

David Johnson is Professor Emeritus from Columbus State University in creative writing and American literature. He is know as a poet and storyteller . His work has been published nationally in juried periodicals and journals.


Kristen S. Hansen is Associate Professor of Music in the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. Dr. Hansen holds the DMA and the MM in Horn Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She previously received the degree of Bachelor of Music summa cum lunde from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She plays second horn in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. At Columbus State, Dr. Hansen is an active teacher and site director with study abroad programs in Paris and Oxford. She is currently engaged in writing a music theory text for undergrduate music majors.

Anne R. King is a veteran museum educator, who most recently has focused on developing interpretive guides and web-based interactive learning sites for museum collections and exhibitions. Her interest in American art and culture and in interdisciplinary learning grew through years of programming and interpretive work at the Columbus Museum.


View Slide Show

Creating Great Schools: NW Georgia RESA Leadership Conference

Conference Urges Administrators to Take Schools from Good to Great

School is not out for many of the administrators who work in the school systems located in the Northwest corner of Georgia. On June 10 and 11, 2009, the NW Georgia RESA held the 5th Annual Leadership Conference. Superintendents were joined by principals, assistant principals and curriculum staff from the area's K-12 schools, participating in lectures, panel discussions and breakout sessions.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Phil Schlecty (founder - Center for Leadership in School Reform) introduced the topic of Creating Great Schools. He got the audience thinking about trends in educations such as the way technology is making students independent learners, teachers becoming facilitators and designers of instructional experiences rather than just delivering facts, and the shift away from pushing information on to students but rather creating an array of resources that will allow the students to pull what they need and what they are looking for to solve learning challenges.

The second day began with a presentation given by a panel of distinguished principals who spoke to the Leadership Conference theme based upon their career experiences. Panel Members included: Dr. Molly Howard ( NASSP/Met-Life National POY 2008 - Jefferson Co. HS), Dr. Mark Wilson (NASSP/Met-Life National POY 2009 - Morgan Co. HS), Mr. Chuck Bell (Commerce MS, Commerce City Schools), Mr. Kip McLeod (Hahira MS, Lowndes County), Dr. Jolie Harden (Matt Arthur ES, Huston Co.), and Mrs. Diana Mills (Hickory Hills ES, Marietta City).

With 10-12 Break Out Topics per scheduled session, everyone kept moving, studying and networking. There was not much time to enjoy the hospitality of Rome High School's signature benches.

Georgia Public Broadcasting was honored to be included in the list of presenters for the Break Out Sessions. Conference participants attending the two sessions got an overview of GPB's broadcast, web and new media resources designed to support Georgia's learning community.

Rome High School served as the host for the NW Georgia RESA's 5th Annual Leadership Conference.

Colquitt County Teacher Recognized

2010 Georgia Teacher of the Year

Gwen Desselle was named 2010 Georgia Teacher of the Year at an event held at the Georgia Aquarium on May 15, 2009. Mrs. Desselle is a high school social studies teacher from Colquitt County and a 32-year veteran educator. Her duties during her term will include speaking to the public about the teaching profession, conducting workshops and programs for educators, and serving as an advisor to Superintendent Cox and the Georgia Department of Education.

The Teacher of the Year Award is a competitive process that begins at the level of the individual school and moves to the district then state competition. Nominees are observed in their classroom as part of the application process. The state winner is eligible to compete at the national level.

2010 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists

Tiffany Todd, Southeast Bulloch High School, Bulloch County
Dr. Mark Lang, Camden Middle School, Camden County
Michelle Rigsby, BelAir Elementary School, Columbia County
Suzy Besson-Martilotta, Chattahoochee Elementary School
Merrill Boynton-Cheyne, Harris County Carver Middle School, Harris County
Sandy Akin, East Jackson Comprehensive High School, Jackson County
Krista Pearson, Lowndes High School, Lowndes County
Kathie Wood, Marietta Middle School, Marietta City
Jennifer Beckum Irvin, Toombs County High School

Visit the Georgia Department of Education website for the Office of Communications to view more information about Gwen Desselle and Georgia's Teacher of the Year Program.

Georgia Students Named as New Gates Millennium Scholars

10th Anniversary Class Announced

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) was begun in 1999 with a one billion dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the Scholars Program is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential. The program is administered by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).

In April, 2009, 1,000 students from across the country were notified of their selection as the 10th Anniversary Class of scholars. Sixty four Georgia high school seniors were successful in the extensive application process to become part of this group. The award is a needs-based scholarship that can be used at the college or university of the student's choice. The amount is determined on an individual bases after other sources of college aid and scholarships are figured into a student's situation. The scholarship can be applied to tuition, books and room and board.

Georgia's 2009 Millennium Scholars attended the following high schools:
Atlanta Public Schools
Carver School of Health Sciences & Research
Douglass High School
Maynard Jackson High School
Mays High School
North Atlanta High School
South Atlanta High School
Terrell High School
Washington High School

Fayette County Public Schools
Whitewater High School

Richmond County Public Schools
Davidson Fine Arts

Note: This is an incomplete list. Please let us know of 2009 Gates Millennium Scholars in your high school.

Georgia's Early College Initiative

Early College Awareness Week

The first week in May was designated nationwide as Early College Awareness Week. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia announced activities for Georgia students in a recent press release.

Year round, the Early College Program in Georgia provides students with an opportunity to earn a high school diploma along with one to two years of transferable credit towards a bachelor's degree. Begun in 2005, Georgia's Early College Program targets the student populations that are underrepresented in higher education in our state.

Georgia's Early College Program is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Education and the University System of Georgia. Visit the website for more information on this initiative.

NASA Offers Education Programs for Students

NASA Online Learning Community and Summer Studies Available to High School Students


High School students interested in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are encouraged to visit the NASA Education website. NASA is accepting applications for the Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience (INSPIRE) program. Eligible students will have the opportunity to participate in an online learning community that allows them to interact with their peers and with NASA scientists and engineers.

Students selected for the online learning community will then have the option to compete for placement in programs for the summer of 2010 held at NASA facilities and participating universities throughout the country.

Schedule for Application Process

Activity	Deadline
Applications for the INSPIRE Online Learning Community accepted:	May 1 to June 30, 2009
Students selected for the Online Learning Community will be notified:	Sept., 2009
Eligible Online Learning Community members provide additional documents to compete for optional 2010 summer experiences.	Fall, 2009
Online Learning Community members selected for summer experiences notified.	Spring, 2010

Georgia Student Media Festival

Student Work Judged at Annual Media Festival

May 1, 2009, over 160 judges assembled at Georgia Public Broadcasting to begin the process of reviewing work from over 1,100 of Georgia's K-12 students. This 33rd year of the Georgia Student Media Festival (GSMF) allowed groups of educators, media specialists, instructional technology specialists and university students to review the student produced media projects that had already earned high scores in competition at both the local building and system levels. The projects are organized into categories that include: Live Action, Animation, Sequential Stills, Electronic Picture Book, Electronic Photographic Essay, Interactive Stills and Website.

Student projects submitted to the state level of competition are awarded rankings of Superior (96-100), Merit (90-95) or Participation (Below 90). Projects are judged on their own merits for excellence in production, writing, creativity, lighting and impact. Students whose work earns a Superior at the state level will be entered into competiton at the International Student Media Festival (ISMF). Deborah Hargroves, IMSF Coordinator, says that Georgia is always well represented at this highest level of competition.

These instructional technology and media projects provide students with a creative outlet, along with:
*opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of technology
*an outlet to extend the learning beyond the classroom
*opportunity for self-expression
*another pathway for student success

Michelle Linderman

Deborah Gray (Gwinnett Co. Schools) and Michelle Lenderman (Bibb Co. Schools) served as C0-Chairs for the 2009 GSMF. Dr. Gordon Baker, Director, Libraries at Clayton State University Library, served on the leadership team. Joni Jones (Rockdale Co. Schools) designed the GSMF website.

Deborah Gray (GSMF) and Marylyn Stansbury, Director of Education & Outreach, GPB

Some of the Judging Stations

The Georgia Student Media Festival is sponsored by the Georgia Association for Instructional Technology, Inc. (GAIT), and the Georgia Library Association (GLA), in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

What Does Success in Schools Look Like?

Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement

At the first Quarterly Board Meeting of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE) in Febuary, the topic was school improvement. The tone of the meeting was set by GPEE President Dr. Stephen Dolinger when he asked the opening questions:
*What Does Success Look Like?
*What Are Your Metrics?
*What Are You Measuring?

The presentation, Evidence of Impact: Seeing Bottom Line Results was offered by the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) and three representative school systems in response to the theme raised by Dr. Dolinger's opening questions. Deb Page, GLISI's Senior Executive Director and Senior Practice Leader, provided a history and overview of the organization along with a compelling example of why a connected, sustained leadership training model makes a difference in the success of students and of the entire school community.

Dr. Wendy Ruona from the University of Georgia, spoke next on the research method, Success Case Methodology. In this part of the presentation, Dr. Ruona talked about the factors that make a difference towards change, capturing ways of doing the work, and providing evidence of and stories that point to change.

Three Georgia Superintendents who have worked with GLISI shared stories from their school systems and served on the panel that concluded the GPEE meeting.

View Opening Remarks and Presentations by Deb Page and Wendy Ruona

View Dade County's Definition of Leadership, Dade County Schools, Ms. Patty Priest, Superintendent

View Hancock County's Team-based Improvement of Student Achievement, Hancock County Schools, Dr. Awanna Leslie, Superintendent

View Implementing GLISI Initiatives to Increase the Graduation Rate in Jones County, Jones County Schools, Dr. Jim LeBrun, Superintendent

View Panel and Closing Remarks


Contact the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE)regarding details of the May 5, 2009 Quarterly Board Meeting.



Production Assistance was provided by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

Georgia Educator Recognized for Community Outreach

Art Educator Builds Bridges Between School and Community

The MetLife Foundation Ambassadors in Education Award recognizes outstanding educators in the public school system. Recipients of the Award are middle and high school educators who are building partnerships and communicating beyond their school for the betterment of the entire community. It is a project of the National Civic League and sponsored by the MetLife Foundation.

The winners for 2009 were announced recently, and a Georgia educator was among those 25 educators selected to receive the Ambassadors in Education Award.

Natalie Brandhorst, Art Educator at North Atlanta High School, was cited for encouraging her students to engage in their community through art projects. Her students take on issues such as environmental sustainability and hunger. Ms. Brandhorst will receive a $5,000 grant because of her role in building bridges between the school and the community.

Atlanta Public Schools and the National Civic League provided the following information in recent press releases:
Recently, Ms. Brandhorst worked with students, parents and local Girl Scouts to raise awareness about hunger in Atlanta. Students and scouts used the school kiln to make hundreds of cermic bowls as part of an Empty Bowls hunger education project. For the culminating event, members of the [North Atlanta] community brought canned goods to the school.
Ms. Brandhorst was also recognized for partnering with area artists and local businesses to provide her students with quality art supplies.

Digital Schoolhouse Conference for 21st Century Learning

Forsyth County Schools: Digital Schoolhouse Conferen

Technology Training for 21st Century Learners

On Saturday, March 28, educators from Forsyth County Schools gathered to hone their skills in creating a 21st Century learning environment for their students. The workshops and demonstrations for educators were organized under the heading of The Digital Schoolhouse.

Following the theme of Engage Me...With Technology, educators participated in a wide selection of workshop offerings geared to assisting them to provide new ways for using technology to engage their K-12 students. The generous schedule uncovered technology instruction through subjects such as Art, Poetry, Science, Virtual Communication and Language Arts. Georgia Public Broadcasting presented 2 sessions on the educational resources it offers to all educators in the state.

The Digital Schoolhouse Conference booklet states Forsyth County's vision for Digital Learning as using classroom technology to engage students in asking questions and choosing tools to facilitate real world problem solving. Chief Technology & Information Officer, Baily Mitchell, states that there should be no divide between instruction and technology instruction. There is only one thing - good instruction.

According to Director of Instructional Technology, Jill Hobson, the first Digital School House Conference was inspired by the experience of hosting a National School Board Association Technology Site Visit in 2005. The first Digital Schoolhouse took place in 2006 with the 2009 conference being the third of a growing tradition.

GPEE Bus Trip Across Georiga: Snapshot of the Riders

Strengthening the Pipeline to Graduation

For 16 years, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education has established a "bus route" into communities and classrooms all over Georgia, lifting up and celebrating success in education. GPEE reports in their "rider's guide" that in 15 years, more than 1,750 riders have participated in these Bus Trips, making almost 260 stops in more than 120 school systems and communities, covering a total distance of more than 24,000 miles.

Fall, 2008, two buses, with riders from classroom teachers, administrators, pre-service students along with business and community leaders set out to discover what Georgia schools need to do provide "top-notch educational opportunities for all students". Under the banner of Strengthening the Pipeline to Graduation, the 16th Annual Bus Trip Across Georgia took off again.

Snapshot of the Riders

North Route Chair, Jackie Parker. Jackie is Vice-President, Glrobal Inclusion & Diversity and Head of Corporate Philanthropy for Newell Rubbermaid.






Students majoring in education and college administrators were among the Bus Riders. Colleges and universities represented on the North Route included: Kennesaw State University, Macon State College, Fort Valley State, Clayton State University and Dalton State College.

Andrew Cameron, Senior Program Director with Amazing Young Minds and Atheletes Corp. represented the High School for Recording Arts/Studio 4.







Leanne Maule, 2009 Georgia Teacher of the Year
Leanne was chosen from a pool of 141 applicants that were selected as Teacher of the Year by their individual school districts.
Ten finalists were chosen based upon the scores of the essays on their applications, and interview process and observations in their school.


Andrea King and Susan Grigg are the Georgia recipients of the 2008 Milken Awards.

From the website:

The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards program provides public recognition and financial rewards to elementary and secondary schoolteachers, principals and other education professionals who are furthering excellence in education. By honoring outstanding educators, the program strives to attract, develop, motivate and retain talented people to the challenge and adventure of teaching.