Collaboration and Support

It was a week of collaboration on many things.  There really is no way for me to capture the many external folks we individually or collectively meet with each week, but here is a snapshot of some of the collaborative work that is happening.


My team has been involved in some very robust conversations about extra behavioral supports at the middle and high school levels.  These dialogues are shaping up into a real plan and I have enjoyed the time spent with my team, Chief Sands-Hall, the middle and high school associate superintendents, as well as potential partners in the Department of Juvenile Justice, and Fulton and DeKalb Juvenile Court representatives.  We are looking at positive adult supports for students on campuses and ways to partner on behalf of some of our children with challenges.  Thanks for the dialogue and willingness to work together on solutions for kids.   That's what it's all about.

It was also my great pleasure to speak with Shean Atkins of The Atlanta Housing Authority.  As

A good meeting

we look to build out our collaboration with those in the community, it was great to hear of the many supportive things AHA is doing in the community already...and their own plans to expand those supports.  Besides the obvious housing supports they give to families, did you know they also sponsor a scholarship for students? The Atlanta Community Scholars Awards (ASCA) are available to members of AHA-assisted households ages 16-30 and are designed to build on AHA's "vision of building vibrant communities and encouraging individual self-sufficiency".  I love that whole picture look of support.  Nicole Spiller and I were so impressed with Shean and the potential we have in expanding our collaboration through our big bucket initiatives, that I just had to take a pic of us together. 

It was also a very productive meeting with the principals of Woodson Primary, Bethune Elementary, and Maynard Jackson High School.  We have a new pilot in place for additional campus based supports for their students with mental health concerns and of course, we will be expanding efforts as the year progresses and other school needs arise - our number one priority is to give supports to kids and schools in real time while we also build out systemic and comprehensive plans.  Lots of balancing, but we always ere on the side of the immediate needs. 

Thoughtful work has gone into all we do around any collaborations and I appreciate these principals (and many others) who consistently champion on behalf of their kids.  Those folks bring very thoughtful ideas around their needs and most importantly, what is doable and not doable on a campus. We couldn't effectively build out the work without their time and input.  Good things are being built around health and wellness for our school communities.

Finally, for those of you who call my office, the voice on the other end of the phone most often than
not is administrative assistant Valerie Ferguson.  She performs a myriad of duties for me and others in Student Services and we value her calm and the supports she provides. Proud mother of two, proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, and keeps us rockin' along in all things Student Services.