The RAMS Reporter

1. M. Agnes Jones Elementary School Atlanta Public Schools The RAMS Reporter School Reform Team 1 Spring Edition March 11, 2011 Linking the School, Home and Community “Continuing the Pursuit of Excellence” Spring Testing Is Upon Us - Don’t Succumb to Test Anxiety By Melanie Johnson, Leadership Support Specialist Our Principal Speaks… The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up and flowers are beginning to bloom. The signs of spring are all around us! Spring brings new life but it can also prove to be an anxious time for students as it signals the start of testing season. We want students to understand the importance of working hard and trying their best but we do not want them to be stressed! These strategies can help with test taking anxiety: Develop good study habits. One of the best ways to handle test taking anxiety is through proper preparation. Besides preparing you for the questions on a test, practice will also build your confidence, which will decrease anxiety. Be prepared. If you’re completely prepared for a test to the point of being familiar with any question that could be asked, anxiety will dramatically decrease. There is little reason to experience anxiety for a test you didn’t study for. Get adequate exercise. Exercise relieves stress and increases mental function. It can also increase energy. Get plenty of sleep. Not only is receiving adequate sleep necessary for good health, it is also a way to decrease anxiety. This is why it is recommend to get enough sleep the night prior to a test. If you do not get enough sleep prior to a test, you will be fatigued and more anxious. Get plenty to eat. Never take a test if you’re hungry. You need the nutrients necessary for proper brain function and physical energy. Although many neglect to eat prior to a test because they don’t want to take time away from last minute studying, it will increase test taking anxiety. Stay positive. Do not be overly pessimistic. Remain positive and concentrate on doing well on the test. If you dwell on negative thoughts, it will increase anxiety and make it more difficult to perform. Stay relaxed. Be sure to relax before taking a test. If you are struggling to relax, take deep breaths. Heart to Heart Dear Parents, Thank you for the opportunity to have open conversations during the Principal’s Fireside Chat/Heart – to-Heart event. Your willingness to become involved in making Jones a school that educates the whole child is commendable. I look forward to seeing even more parents next year and hearing your voice in shaping M. Agnes Jones into a highly competitive and cutting edge school for all students. As you know, we are quickly approaching the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (GCRCT) administration period. We need your help in reinforcing the importance of reading lengthy passages, solving real world math problems, and researching science and social studies, grade level specific, topics (see gastandards.org). I am convinced that if we become committed partners in educating OUR students, they will make tremendous academic and social gains. I look forward to hearing from you! Your committed principal,

2. Partnerships MAJ Math Masquerade By Tyrone Hankerson, Math and Science Coach The Second Annual MAJ Math Masquerade was held on February 24, 2011. The Math Masquerade was an opportunity for parents and students to explore a variety of fun math activities on each grade level. The Math Masquerade started with grade level math sessions. The classroom sessions provided an opportunity for teachers to model strategies that parents can use at home to assist their child with math. Mrs. Howard, our school counselor, provided an overview of the CRCT and attendees were given an opportunity to view the types of questions that students are exposed to on the CRCT. After the CRCT information session, the Math Masquerade commenced. When parents and students entered the building they were given beads which added to the festive atmosphere. A variety of math stations from all grade levels were set up in the gymnasium for students to discover and explore. The math stations include activities such as Skittles Math, Measure Up, and Tantalizing Tangrams and Backdoor Multiplication. There were also interactive games such as Fifth Grade Jeopardy and Are You Smarter than a Third Grader? After visiting the math stations and exploring rigorous math activities, the staff at M.A. Jones were offered A Taste of New Orleans which provided the opportunity to sample authentic New Orleans cuisine. The MAJ Math Masquerade was truly a wonderful informative educational experience. I hope to see everyone at the next MAJ Math Masquerade. Making A Difference at MAJ! Georgia-Pacific continues to be an important part of our school and community. This year, approximately 133 employees from throughout the company volunteer, mentor and tutor at our school. Students eagerly await their “Buddies” each day with assignments in hand for extra support. Our Buddies come prepared to teach and mentor our 3rd – 5th grade students. Our partnership activities for this year include: our annual trip to the Governor’s mansion, new computers for the perfect attendance incentive (6), Job Shadowing at GP, and many, many more! Georgia-Pacific also provides the school with a full- time, on-site technology person to support the school in their daily computer needs as well as publications and communication. GP has been a part of the MAJ family for many years and many more to come!” The Cascade-Buckhead Links, Inc. The Links have developed year long self- enhancement and service learning projects with our school. Students meet monthly to discuss and take part in such activities as self-esteem building, public speaking and participate in service learning projects. Our major projects this year is continuing our work with our adopted school in Haiti and implementing United Nations day. MAJ students look forward to working and learning with these extraordinary role-models. Dogwood City Chapter Links, Inc. The Dogwood Chapter of the Links, Inc. continue to share their energy, resources and commitment as they serve as catalysts for positive change at Jones. We are happy to have them join our efforts to curb childhood obesity through project “Walking Fete”, the Keep It Moving Project, and our new breast cancer awareness initiative. Community Churches Support School Friendship Baptist, Warren Memorial United Methodist and Shiloh Baptist continue to support Jones. They provide uniforms, tutoring, supplies and chaperones for trips. We are pleased to have these wonderful supporters for our students.

3. Making Masks for the Math Masquerade MAJ Remembers our History By Louis Childers, School Social Worker The Black History Museum at M. Agnes Jones presents an exciting, wonderful and valuable opportunity for us to keep Black history alive every day. It provides a place for staff, students and parents to see our history come alive and unfold in front of our eyes. The MAJ Black History Museum will feature various themes, arts and crafts, music sports, military, and education. The M. Agnes Jones’ Black History Museum will also provide us with a most exciting forum to share with others our Genealogy, our Ancestral Beginnings.    “Dr. Larry Spruill a leading historian and professor led a lecture with the following introduction, ancestors are real people, everyone has ancestors… our ancestors were Africans. Ancestors and elders possess genealogical and cultural memory which must be excavated and preserved.”When I was asked to contribute to the MAJ Black History Museum I was excited and I felt like this was another opportunity for me to share my treasure of Black history artifacts. But more than my sharing, the museum will give us all the opportunity to share something about ourselves and our history. The MAJ Black History Museum is a dream come true for all of us. Our students will have the chance to see and appreciate all that is good and positive about who they are and what they can become. By Francine Stowe-Sinkler, Art Teacher The Math Masquerade began before the night of Mardi Gras, with the students using shapes and colors to create their own original masks. Fifth graders developed masks while exploring the use of symmetry in art. The other grade levels used the mathematical concepts of shapes and patterns to develop their own original masks. The masks were created in the original colors of Mardi Gras: green representing faith, purple representing justice, and gold/yellow representing power. The important relationship between math and art was emphasized in this activity, re-enforcing the math lessons of the classroom and encouraging the students to participate in the Masquerade on February 24th. Communities in Schools Sponsors Programs at MAJ! By Michael Thomas, CIS Coordinator Spelman Afterschool Mini Mentor Program The Spelman College Residence Hall Association is an on-campus organization that fosters growth, leadership, and unity for all of its residents and surrounding communities. The CLC members of Abby Hall participated in a mini mentor program that allowed the residents to interact and engage with the children of M. Agnes Jones Elementary School. This was a two day program that included a range of activities such as board games, arts and crafts, and fingernail painting.  Project Pay it Forward  This project was an extension of “Project Pay it Forward” which was a one-day destination project to impact the community in order to foster lasting relationships. M. Agnes Jones Elementary School worked with the Spelman Bonners to present art paintings and projects to the members of the New Horizons Neighborhood Senior Center. The target populations were 20 senior citizens, and 20 elementary school-aged students. The students were 4th and 5th graders, 10 boys and 10 girls. This project served as a bridge between the two generations, who live in the same community, but do not interact with each other. The words, "Mardi Gras", is in the French language. Broken down, the words are, "Mardi", French for "Tuesday". "Gras", in French, means "Fat". In translating French to English, the last word spoken should be, (more or less) the first word translated. Therefore following this loose rule, the translation comes to mean, "Fat Tuesday".

4. Media News By Gigi Miller – Media Specialist Success for All: Implementation visits By Alicia Walton, Reading and Social Studies Coach M. Agnes Jones has a lively media center where the focus is on reading, research and Accelerated Reader. The students of MAJ have been doing a wonderful job at reading. I think we have some record numbers for AR points and books being checked out. Thank you for encouraging them to read. Reading can help with comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills which will help them in every avenue for the rest of their lives. Highlights: Princess Read-A-Thon- On February 25, 2011 the MAJ media committee hosted an overnight event, The Princess Read-A-Thon. The purpose of the Princess Read-A-Thon was to help our students discover all the joys of reading and to realize books can be a constant source of pleasure. The young ladies had a fantastic time! Yes, it was incredible to witness these young inquisitive minds grab hold of new people, places and ideas that books bring. Reading Is Fundamental-I’m proud to announce that M. Agnes Jones has received funding from Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) which is the largest nonprofit in the United States. RIF provides new, free books for children to choose from and make their own. Students will receive a minimum of three free books to build their home libraries. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to follow their dreams and achieve their potential. Six Fags Read to Succeed- Read to Succeed is a free educational program sponsored by Six Flags to inspire kids in grades K through 6 to engage in recreational reading. Students who complete six hours of recreational, non-school related reading are eligible to earn a free admissions ticket to a participating Six Flags theme park. Also, parents are a key component of Read to Succeed, as they can encourage their students to read recreationally. Visits from the SFA Consultants support and celebrate our teachers with their implementation of the Success for ALL Reading Program. Our teachers work tremendously hard to ensure that optimal learning experiences are evident and impact student success. KinderCorner Learning Labs---During our KinderCorner Visit, the kindergartens were engaged in a variety of creative art activities, exploring and reinforcing Reading and Writing Skills with Science, Math and Social Studies theme-based integration. Reading Roots Fluency----During our Roots Visit, partner readers were exhibiting fluency as they read with expression and smoothness and helped each other decode words. Reading Wings Rubrics---2nd – 6th Grade Readers—During our Wings visit, students were engaged in rich discussion, utilizing the rubrics to substantiate their comprehension. We continuously refine our instruction through Professional Learning Communities, where we strengthen our teaching craft from one another. A special thanks to all of our volunteers who have invested their time and energy in supporting the needs of our students. We have technology and Spanish classes for our parents at MAJ?

5. Classroom News Update from the Kinderkids By, The Kindergarten Team Cont’d Students are beginning to understand the kindergarten skills and knowledge. They are truly blossoming and making wonderful progress! Parents, thank you for partnering with us in “laying the foundation” for your child’s future success in school!! In this issue, the Kindergarten Team would like to give you an update on what our Kinderkids are learning, as we work hard to prepare them for first grade! Let’s go subject by subject: Reading: At this point in the year, almost all of our students have become emerging readers. They know their letter sounds and they are improving in their ability to blend these sounds together to read words. We are currently reading book #12, “The Jumping Sack.” Please remember to read with your child for 20 minutes nightly. By the end of the week, your child should be able to read the weekly KinderRoots book to you with confidence. In addition, the children should be able to answer the comprehension questions in the back of the book correctly. Please encourage your child to read, read, and read some more: books, words in the newspaper, magazines, billboards, road signs, anything they see or can get their hands on! Writing: Almost all of our kindergarten students can write their name in addition to all upper-case and lower-case letters of the alphabet. Furthermore, the children are growing in their ability to write their very own stories using inventive spellings, sight words, and words they see around the classroom. We highly recommend the use of a home writing journal to help improve overall writing ability. First, ask your child to think of a topic or story they’d like to write about. Then, have your child draw a picture/illustration showing what happened in the story. Finally, ask your child to write a few sentences to go with the picture. By the end of the year, we would love to see students writing short stories with a simple beginning, middle, and end progression. Math: The children recently spent three weeks learning about coins and their values. Specifically, our children are required to know the name and value of the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. In addition, they learned how to count sets of pennies, sets of nickels, and sets of dimes. Finally, we taught the students about how to make fair trades with coins (5 pennies for a nickel, 10 pennies for a dime, 5 nickels for a quarter, etc). Money is a challenging concept for our kids, so please practice with them at home. Simply let them explore change that you have around the house and ask them to identify the various coins and let them practice counting coins. You could set up a home “store” in which you let your child “buy” items with small amounts of change. Our next unit in math focuses on addition and subtraction! Just What the Doctor Ordered By, The First Grade Team The First Grade has been given a prescription by the doctor. He has given us a plan for success to help us finish out the year. What is the plan you ask? Well let’s review the plan as given to us by Dr. Knowledge. The first step of the plan is to pay attention in class. We have been working hard and making progress this must mean we are focused on being good listeners, and yes paying attention in class to gain all of the first grade knowledge. This step has helped us build our fluency and comprehension. Many of us can now use text from a story to help us answer questions about the story. This shows we understand what we have read. The second step in the plan is to get a good nights rest. We are coming in bright eyed and ready for the day. No time for rest and certainly no time for play unless we are doing it while we are learning how to make fair trades in 10 Land using cubes for our ones column, longs for our tens column, and flats for our hundreds column. We also play fair trades with money, learning that a nickel can be traded for five pennies, and a dime can be traded for two nickels or one nickel and five pennies. But there are so many more trades we can make. The third part of the plan is to eat a healthy breakfast and make good food choices when we eat our meals. First grade’s visitor in January, Dr. Knowledge, gave us the initial prescription and encouraged us to eat a healthy breakfast every morning. Our teachers and administration team also encourage us to eat breakfast when we get to school. Our cafeteria employees prepare scrumptious healthy meals to help our brains think better and to get us through the day. We also had Kaiser Educational Theatre introduce us to the food pyramid and choices we can make that will help keep us healthy and strong.

6. Classroom News First Grade - Cont’d The fourth step definitely includes doing our homework. First grade is doing a great job bringing in our Read and Response forms, completing our clock projects in math and finishing up our heroes projects on George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Jefferson, and Lewis and Clark, just to name a few. Step five in our plan for success is listening to our teachers. We are doing just that! Mr. Gale, Mrs. Moon, Mrs. Freeland, Mrs. Logan, Ms. Jacob, Mrs. Roberts and Ms.Sanford all encourage us to try our best, stay focused and think questions through before we answer. This will also add to our success on tests. If we continue to follow the plan that was given to us by Dr. Knowledge first grade will certainly have success on our end of the year exams and be outstanding second graders in the upcoming school year. The plan is good and it is just what the doctor ordered. Third Grade Celebrates African American History By, The Third Grade Team During the month of February, students connected Black History to third grade content by doing outside research on Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Thurgood Marshall. They worked on their research skills as they studied these famous African Americans. Students researched facts about these African American heroes' lives and what impact they've made on American rights. They were able to choose their own way of presenting what they learned to their class, whether it was a poster, mobile, a diorama or more. Next up, students will pick a different American hero from the third grade curriculum to research and present to their classes. We're in the final months before the CRCT. CRCT prep is being infused into their classes and tutorials. At home, students can practice on Study Island and GOAS. Additional resources, including a parent brochure and study guide for each grade, can be found at the Georgia Department of Education website. Students will be given a copy of the Third Grade Study Guide. They can use this guide to practice and study at home. Make sure that your student gets plenty of sleep during the week of the CRCT and gets to school early so that they have plenty of time for breakfast before taking the test. If you have any questions or want more tips, be sure to ask your child’s teacher! What’s new in grade two? By The Second Grade Team During our last issue Mrs. Walkers’ class was leading second grade in First in Math stickers. This team continues to be ON FIRE leading the grade level with thirteen thousand, one hundred, twenty two stickers. In other news around second grade, students are learning how to regroup while adding and subtracting. Second graders have stepped up to the plate using base ten blocks as a source of mastering this concept! Science skills are becoming ELECTRIFYING! Students are learning about energy and how it works. Second grade scientists have conducted several experiments about energy specifically about light. Students were excited to see how light reflects off objects such as mirrors. Great things are happening everyday in second grade! Nothing can stand in the way of these students as they reach their goal of transitioning to third grade! Don’t miss the next issue of “What’s New in Second Grade?” as students showcase their accomplishments during this school year!

7. Classroom News News from the Fantastic Fourth Grade By The Fourth Grade Team Cont’d Kamryn Roland from Mrs. Hill’s homeroom is leading the 4th graders in Accelerated Reader (AR) points. They are reading books and taking quizzes on what they've read.  How many points does your 4th grader have? Please be on the lookout for an upcoming 4th grade parent meeting to be held in March. The date and time will be forthcoming. The Fantastic 4th Graders are moving at a fast pace, and they're heading towards the upcoming CRCT!! Currently, they are learning all sorts of new methods and ways to multiply and divide.  Ever heard of the lattice method or backdoor multiplication?  Ask your 4th grader to show you.  Those are just two of the ways in which 4th graders are solving complex multiplication problems. They are also being introduced to traditional multiplication and division methods. Ask your child which method they prefer. Students in 4th grade are also learning about fractions, decimals, and place value in the hundredths and thousandths places. This would be an excellent opportunity for you to expose your child to adding and subtracting monetary amounts using decimals points.   In science students have been learning about light, sound, simple machines, and forces.  In social studies, students have been learning about our government and how America's early government was formed.  We've been reading stories about space, the old west, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in reading classes. After school tutoring continues on Wednesdays and students are moving along.  Parents, please help your students at home memorize their multiplication facts, regrouping across zeros and place value concepts.  Numerous notes have gone home asking for support.  They will continue to struggle in 4th (and soon to be 5th grade math) if they haven't mastered skills they should have entered 4th grade knowing.  Help your child help themselves. Fourth Grade buddies had an opportunity to shadow their GP buddies on Ground Hog Day and got to experience life in the business world for the morning.  Several 4th graders were chosen to go on a field trip to a Duke Ellington Performance based on their excellent behavior. Fourth Graders continue to lead the school in First in Math stickers.  Students need to "play" and practice on studyisland.com at least once a week.  If you don't have a computer at home, please take your child to the library at least once a week to practice. The Math Masquerade was a huge success last week. Many parents came out to support the students and the math programs here at Jones.   Fifth Grade Survivor News! by, The Fifth Grade Team   The fifth grade team has been working hard to prepare your children for the upcoming CRCT. Students who have been identified as “approaching the standards” for math are receiving extra tutoring during the school day to assure their success on the CRCT for math. We encourage parents to send their child to Wednesday’s tutorial and all of the other tutorial services provided for the students at M. Agnes Jones. Math News: This quarter, students have been learning about adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, finding the area of regular and irregular polygons, calculating the circumference of a circle, and finding the area of a circle. The standards for 5th grade math are rigorous and we ask that you have your child master his or her multiplication facts from 0 to 13 as these are the basic skills needed to perform mathematical problems successfully. Reading: As you are aware, students are to read at least twenty minutes per night. This is critical as students will be faced with the challenge of reading long passages on the CRCT reading test and will be required to answer approximately fifty questions within a sixty to ninety minute block. The Fifth grade team has created weekly reading log packets to assure that all students have access to reading materials. These packets must be completed nightly and turned in at the end of each week. We also encourage you to allow your child to read a variety of text such as: magazines, news articles, poetry, novels, etc… Students should be well rounded readers. Also this quarter, we are launching the Six Flags Read to Succeed program. All students are eligible to participate. Students can win a free Six Flags ticket at the end of the school year if they log six hours of reading beyond their regular twenty minutes a night commitment. Student log sheets have been distributed to students. All logs must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian and turned in by March 4, 2011. Social Studies: This quarter students have been learning about the Westward Expansion, World War I, The Great Depression, World War II and the Holocaust. Be prepared to see your child coming home with projects highlighting these time periods. Science: Students are having a fantastic time learning about plant and animal cells! They are serious scientists investigating, comparing and contrasting different types of cells with microscopes. We are also learning about the benefits and harmfulness of microorganisms. King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti! Ask your students what that means! They should be able to recite to you the seven levels of classification and explain how scientists classify all living organisms. Be on the look out for students raiding old photo albums as we will be delving into heredity and DNA! .

8. School Calendar

9. Creating Assemblage Art & Saving the Environment By Francine Stowe-Sinkler – Art Teacher “Give Peas a Chance” By Lance Irvin– Physical Education Teacher April 22nd is Earth Day! The first Earth Day was in 1970, created by Senator Nelson of Wisconsin. He wanted to bring awareness to the damage that contemporary society was doing to earth and its resources. Today, it has become a day of honoring the earth and preserving its resources. One significant way of preserving the earth’s resources is to recycle and reuse products in new and different ways instead of creating more trash. Assemblage art is one way that contemporary artists have expressed themselves and reused items within their environment. Assemblage art is non-traditional sculpture, made from re-combining found objects. Some of these objects are junk found in the streets. Artists like Betye Saar, Louise Nevelson, Man Ray and Michelle Stitzlein have taken old items and found new ways of using them to create art. We will be studying the work of these artists and their techniques this semester. In honor of Earth Day and these artists, the students of M. Agnes Jones will also be developing art using found objects and recyclable items. This project development helps our students in two ways. It requires them to think creatively, developing both their higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. It also helps students become more aware of waste management and taking care of the environment. We will also be reinforcing the mathematical/geometric skills of line segments, shapes, and forms, comparing and contrasting two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork. In addition to creating great art, these activities will help prepare the students for their upcoming CRCT testing as well. Want to help? Please feel free in donating the following items to the art room for recycling: toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, Styrofoam meat trays, and plastic bottle caps. Please clean all items before delivery. Thank you for your contributions! • The Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre visited MAJ to perform “Give Peas a Chance”, an educational puppet play that focused on nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention. The characters of the play consisted of Wanda B. Healthy, Cris P. Broccoli and Slim, the fat-fighting carton of skim milk! The Educational Theatre was sponsored by the Dogwood City Chapter of the LINKS Incorporated. • Obesity rates have soared among children of all age groups, increasing in large rates among those ages 6-11. • March is National Nutrition month. Use March and the entire year take the necessary steps to be more active and eat healthier. Diet and exercise are dependant on each other. The wellness committee at MAJ is encouraging ALL families to incorporate an additional serving of fruits and vegetables daily. These small and manageable steps can produce big results. Listed below are ideas that will get you and your family off on the healthy track. • Skip the sodas, drink water and juice! • Cut back on sweets! • Offer fruit for dessert! • Put a vegetable on your dinner plate! • Make healthy snacks with dried cereal, fruits and nuts! Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! Celebrate Read Across America Day By, Gigi Miller, Media Specialist March 2nd was the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to many young readers as Dr. Seuss. In his honor, we celebrated Read Across America Day with the help of Ms. Jenkins our public librarian. She read stories by the famed author and gave away prizes to Pre-K- 1st grade students. The event coincided with Theodor Seuss Geisel’s birthday, whose 107th birthday was Wednesday. Over the years Dr. Seuss’s fun with rhyming words has helped students gain reading confidence. Also, Ms. Jenkins reminded students to read when their done reading.

10. LINKS, Inc. Supports Artist Expression! By Francine Stowe-Sinkler, Art Teacher The Founder and CEO of Teach for America visits MAJ! By Lance Irvin– Physical Education Teacher On Thursday February 24th, , the Links Organization hosted their annual “Walking Fete” poster art competition at M. Agnes Jones Elementary School. The students were required to create a poster that depicted people walking to be healthy. In art class, students were taught how to draw people from a profile view. After observing people in motion, students learned how to use the basic shapes and letters that they already knew, and organize them in a way to create people in motion. Then they had to create an original background that expressed an environment for the people they drew. Once that was complete, they had to color or paint their image. The project took a little over a month to complete. While all of the students, first through fifth grades, were given the opportunity to participate in the contest, sixty-six students worked hard to successfully complete their posters for the competition. The effort of the Jones Elementary School artists was celebrated on Thursday with a reception of cake, and healthy snacks, graciously provided by the LINKS. The top thirty-five students won prizes of lunch bags, book bags, hula hoops, and games. Four students won trophies for their works. Our grand prize winner was Jazz Henderson, a fifth grader in Ms. Love’s class, who created a painting of a girl and a boy walking around the world. First place was awarded to the beautiful work of Alaa McClain. Our second prize winner was a talented fourth grader named Ryan Parker. And Kijari Boyd’s outstanding drawing was awarded third place. All of the participating art works will be on exhibit in the back entrance hallway for the semester. Please congratulate the artists for their fantastic efforts: Taryon Sweet Asasha Reese Lorenzo Mumphery Edderick Walker Kijari Boyd Brandy Williams Destiny Key Jacquez Weston Mecca Rogers Cyentae Jackson Shawn Feliciano Kamahl Stone Dontay Weston Jaukya Davis Jalyn Baker Timia Johnson Ashanti Atchison Amanda Brydson Tyler Smith Rebecca MoselyDemarko Williams Nina Codd Brian Thomas JaCorey Harper Tyresha Smith Keiara Gooden Quincy Upshaw Ladayisha House Haley Whetstone Demetrius Stone Sekani Watson Ariyonna Smith Nile Maynard J’Kobe Jackson Miliyan McLean Sean Pemberton Libya Ross Amarion Clay Jamaya Brown Alaa McClain Angel Grier Jaiden Couto Yakia Edmonds Devonnia Willis Atta Giop Ryan Parker Jerrell Norwood Julian Warren Michael Graves Damany Brown Kyunie Cain Breanna Gentry Asia Smith Shenelle McCrary Jazz Henderson Janae Bell Kelsey Gearing The founder and CEO of Teach for America, a non-profit organization that strives to ensure an excellent education for every student; Wendy Kopp was accompanied by Donna Lowry from WAGA to Jones on Monday, March 7, 2011. They began their visit by observing students working in Ms. Franklin’s fifth grade class. Ms. Franklin is a Teach for America corps member and was very excited to have the CEO and founder of the organization visit her and her students. After going to Ms. Franklin’s class, Mrs. Lowry visited the school’s Black History museum and spoke with kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Nevers-Williams about the artifacts and their origin. Following the visit, the two conducted an interview. Wendy Kopp was visiting Atlanta in preparation for a community discussion with Spelman College President, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, about the current status of education in the Metro Atlanta area. And the Winners are… By Michael McMillian, Technology Specialist Fifth Graders, Keshunna Parker and Destiny Williams received a third place win for their technology project, “Texting and Driving: Danger” at the district-wide technology fair held at Best Academy on February 9, 2011. These young ladies showed superior knowledge of the use of technology and dazzled the judges with their spectacular presentation. Their project was judged on originality, creativity and content knowledge. We are very proud of these young ladies and want to get them a “yes, yes, yes” cheer…Here it is, yes, yes, YES! Congratulations on a job well done!

11. Counselor’s Corner By Mrs. Petrina Howard - Counselor YMCA News By Coach Q- YMCA Coach Basketball: The 2010 – 2011seasons of M.A.J basketball has been a very exciting one so far. Our junior rams started their season off on a mission to win it all and made sure that all the other teams in the league knew it with a 44 – 0 victory over the Centennial Place Falcons in their first game of the season. With four new members of the team returning members Jaiden Couto and DavionKates have been the cornerstones of the junior rams. Amarion Clay and Demarko Williams have been key parts of the team along with 1st graders Martez Johnson and AntaviousWillimas. The junior rams will continue their winning streak this season and into the playoffs as they try to win their third junior division championship in four years. The senior rams basketball team started their season off with a 22 – 16 victory over the F.L. Stanton Tigers. With a true home court advantage of playing in our very own M.A.J gym, they then won their next two games of the season without allowing the opposing teams to score a single point. A 53 – 0 win over the Bethune Eagles and a 32 – 0 victory over the Centennial Place Falcons. The senior rams are the first team to ever have back to back shutouts victories in the senior division. “I try to playing hard and I want to win the championship,” said Dontay Weston in Ms. Bullard’s class. The senior rams have set the tone for the rest of the season and are prepared to try to win the senior division championship. Cheerleading: Our M.A.J ram’s cheerleaders have shown why they are the best as they cheer on the basketball teams at the games. They have given wonderful halftime performances and spectacular dance routines. Performing at the junior games is fun, but when it is time to put on a show for the M.A.J faculty, staff and fellow students at the senior games our ram’s cheerleader turn it up a notch. When asked what it feels like to perform in front of her classmate’s fourth grader Corelle Hill said, “I like to go out on the court and do our routines in front of my sisters.” Being a ram’s cheerleader is a great learning experience for this group of very talented students. “I like being a cheerleader, it’s a lot of fun and I have made so many new friends,” says Alaa` McClain a second grader in Mrs. Walker’s class about her first season as a ram’s cheerleader. Elementary School Test Taking Tips • We are now in the season of testing. Teachers have spent the past months teaching the Georgia Curriculum in Reading, Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. Now it’s time to measure just how well our students have acquired the skills and knowledge taught to them. • Tips to give your child about taking tests: • Relax. Just do the best you can. • Your first choice is usually correct. Don't change an answer • unless you have a good reason to do so. • Be aware of key words such as "all," "now," "always," • "never," "only," "exactly." • In multiple-choice questions, don’t skip the longest answer. • It should be considered, since test writers want to be sure • the correct answer is accurate—they may add lots of details • to insure accuracy. • Watch for negative words like "not," "no," "never." • Look for information in some of the questions. This • information may help you answer other questions. • You can assist your child prepare for testing by doing the following: • Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep before a test, • and make sure your child eats properly the day of a test. • Maintain a pleasant home environment and avoid • unnecessary conflicts. Try to make the morning of the test a • pleasant one. Do not add to your child’s stress. • Make sure your child has taken any needed medication. • Ensure that your child is present during testing (children • generally perform better when taking tests in their groups • rather than at a make-up time). • Get your child to school on time the day of the test. • Wish your child good luck each morning of the test. Tell • your child that he/she is special and that you believe in • him/her! • Remind your child the test is important. Encourage him/her • to do his/her best. • If your child is too ill to attend, please call the school office. • If the test is on a subject for which you can review, help • your child go over the material. • Remind your child to listen carefully to the instructions from • the teacher and to read the directions and each question • carefully. • Explain to your child the importance of using time wisely. If • your child gets stuck on a • question, encourage him or her to make the best guess and • move on. • Tell your child to attempt to answer all of the questions and • not to leave any blank. • Encourage your child to stay focused on the test, even if • other students finish early. • If your child is disappointed after taking a test, reassure him • or her that there will be plenty of opportunities to improve • and succeed. • Excerpts from: www.jackson.k12.ms.us/student publications/testtips_elementary

12. ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION Mrs. Brenda J. Muhammad (District 1) Khaatim Sheerer El (District 2) Mrs. Cecily Harsch-Kinnane (District 3) Ms. Nancy M. Meister (District 4) Ms. LaChandra D. Butler (District 5) Ms. Yolanda Johnson (District 6) Mr. Reuben R McDaniel III (Seat 7, At Large) Mrs. Courtney D. English (Seat 8, At Large) Mr. Emmett Johnson, President (Seat 9, At Large) ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Dr. Beverly Hall Superintendent Ms. Kathy Augustine Deputy Superintendent Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Sharon Davis-Williams Executive Director School Reform Team 1 LOCAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Mrs. Margul Retha Woolfolk Principal Mrs. Melanie Johnson Leadership Support Specialist Ms. Alicia Walton Success for All Facilitator Mr. Tyrone Hankerson Project GRAD Math Facilitator Mrs. Petrina Howard Counselor CMCD Facilitator 10 Ways to Help Improve Your Child’s Math Skills Promote a positive attitude about math. What you say influences how your child thinks. Incorporate math into your child’s daily life. Have your child count out change or help with recipes that are halved or doubled. Help your child appreciate how math is used in everyday life – for example, in sports, or when making purchases and paying bills. Make math fun. Dominoes, cards and board games that use counting and paper money to improve mental math skills. Ask for explanations of math assignments so you know that concepts are understood. Challenge your child to be persistent about solving difficult math problems. Review your child’s homework and discover together how mistakes were made. Encourage your child to do extra problems to build upon math skills. Talk with your child’s teacher about how you can help with the learning process. Praise your child’s efforts and math accomplishments. REMEMBER – Practice in mathematics is the same as for sports – it helps if your child masters new skills. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Test Taking Tips • Be Positive • Do your homework • Do your best on benchmark and practice tests • Sleep eight hours each night • Eat Right • Dress Right • Be on time • Be Alert, Calm & Confident • Listen carefully and follow directions • Answer what each question asks • Answer questions you know first • Work at the right pace • Smile after each testing session • When you have done your best on the test, BE • PROUD! Staff LaVasia Bullard, Second Grade Teacher Michael McMillian, Technical Assistant School Photographer Yolanda Shorthouse, Paraprofessional M.Agnes Jones Elementary School 1040 Fair Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30314 (404) 802-3900 (404) 752-5655 www.apskids.org The Atlanta Public School System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services, or activities. For additional information about non- discrimination provisions, contact the Office of Educational Opportunities Coordinator, 2930 Forrest Hill Drive, S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30315. APS Website at www.atlanta.k12.ga.us