TODAY'S ISSUE
Another principal feels that high expectations equal success
By Dr. Susan Remillard
For GwinnettForum.com

(Editor's Note: Take a look at another school that performs well. Dr. Susan Remillard is principal of Adairsville Elementary School of the Bartow County System. The column was originally distributed by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, an independent think tank. -eeb)

SEPT. 16, 2005 -- Adairsville Elementary School in Bartow County, about an hour's drive north of Atlanta, has seen its fair share of parents, politicians, friends and educators walking the hallways to witness learning in progress.

Remillard

Adairsville Elementary School in Bartow County, about an hour's drive north of Atlanta, has seen its fair share of parents, politicians, friends and educators walking the hallways to witness learning in progress.

Guests visit the classrooms and often stop to converse with students and teachers. The students describe these curious strollers in the halls as "strange faces from strange places." On any day of the academic year, visitors entering the school building sense something special happens at Adairsville. Student achievement is evident everywhere.

As a recent visitor articulated, "It's not just a visual thing; there is an atmosphere of learning that permeates the entire building."

What do visitors observe when learning is taking place? Peek into any classroom, and children are clearly and actively "working on the work." They're being responsible and accountable for their own learning.

How does an instructional leader create a small learning community where the focus is centered on students developing knowledge, with teachers as facilitators to that learning process? It's not simple, but teachers focus on making the individual student responsible for his or her own work, and teach them strategies to solve "their problems."

The results speak to a successful approach. Adairsville, a Title I school (with 43 percent of students receiving free or reduced lunches), made Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind Act for both 2003-04 and 2004-05. Ninety-five percent of third-graders met or exceeded reading standards on the statewide Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and 93 percent met or exceeded the math standards. Ninety-six percent of fifth-graders scored in the top three levels out of six in last year's Georgia Fifth Grade Writing Assessment.

The foundation of the teacher's commitment to each student as a learner is based on five design tasks - or best practices - at Adairsville:

• standards and meaningful assessment
  
• an aligned instructional system
  
• high performance expectations from leadership and management
  
• promoting professional learning communities
  
• parent and community involvement.

None by itself would lead to a long-term quality academic experience for students or staff members. But with all five design tasks in place, treated as equally important, the school has been successful at implementing high expectations, with positive results, for each student. The school has developed into a community of learners, comfortable with a commitment to generate strong ties among students, teachers and parents.

The key to motivating students to achieve high academic standards is a strong curriculum, brought to life by knowledgeable and dedicated teachers. The Adairsville Elementary School design promotes young students' intellectual and social development, ensuring they will be successful in elementary school, with this success serving as a fulcrum for the student to experience success in the middle school setting.

As the proud principal of this K-5 school of more than 650 students, I am guided by a cadet maxim generally attributed to West Point: "Care more than others think is wise. Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible." I also keep foremost the truism that "Leadership is action, not position."

If an instructional leader's goal is the creation of a sustainable transformation in teaching and learning, Adairsville has been deservedly identified as a National Demonstration Site for America's Choice, one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive school improvement programs.

At Adairsville, the students and staff take pride in the fact that the door is always open to those who wish to see learning in action. Strange faces may enter our building as guests, but by the time they leave, each is "a friend of the tigers."

ELLIOTT BRACK
Gwinnett on target to be largest county in Georgia in 2010
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

SEPT. 16, 2005 -- "How big will Gwinnett be by 2050?" We got that question the other day. Most everyone says that soon Gwinnett will be well past one million people. But pinpointing it at 2050?

In the answer, we suggested Alfie Meek would be the guy to give a more scientific guess. He's the director of forecasting and research for the Gwinnett Finance Department. So we asked him.

Alfie estimates Gwinnett will hit 1.25 million people by 2050, if the county continues to grow as it has, and with current land use rules.

However, Alfie Meek surprised us with another of his projections. "Gwinnett should pass Fulton County and be the biggest county in the state next time the census is taken, that is in 2010." We had not recently thought of that.

Fulton County now has 818,322 (2003 census estimate) people, 100,000+ more than Gwinnett now counts. But Fulton has virtually stopped growing compared to Gwinnett. It even dropped back to 814,000 people in the 2004 estimate.

Meanwhile, Gwinnett continues growth steadily. Between 1990 and 2000, it grew 226,000, or 22,600 people per year. It continued that in the years since 2000, up to 700,794 in the 2004 estimate, now averaging 28,086 newcomers each year.

So with Gwinnett growing quickly and Fulton flat in its growth, Alfie figures Gwinnett will hit 843,000 people by 2010, and be larger than Fulton, and be the biggest county in Georgia.

Having said that, consider the benefits that Gwinnett gets by being the largest county in the state. We can't think of many. While we are now the second largest county in Georgia, when you know the continued need for new classrooms, or find yourself way back in line at the Varsity, or realize that your short cuts are crowded, being first in size will only means growth continues to bring more of these situations.

Are there possibilities that Gwinnett's growth will slow, and the county won't reach 1,250,000 residents by 2050?

A few circumstances could slow, but probably not halt, the growth. Among them:

• Business recession. But the overall slowing of the national economy in recent years has actually seen Gwinentt's growth continuing.
  
  
• Natural catastrophe: While Gwinnett have no levees that might collapse, we all know what tornadoes can do to a community. Keep your fingers crossed.
  
  
• Traffic crowding: at what point will people stop moving to Gwinnett because of congestion?
  
  
• Education downturn: how Gwinnett, with the largest school system in the state, maintains top quality continues to amaze us. Should the school system find itself in dire straits, with poor performance, newcomers could decide to move elsewhere. But it hasn't happened yet.
  
  
• Delta implosion: it could harm all of Atlanta, including Gwinnett. But stop the boom? We doubt it.

For the life of most of us now living in Gwinnett, you can expect that major growth will still be the by-word many years down the road. If you aren't by now, get used to growth. For Gwinnett has so many good qualities that it continues to attract people.

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is the Aurora Theatre, Gwinnett County's First Choice for Professional Theatrical Entertainment. The theatre is located in historic downtown Duluth and is committed to producing quality, professional theatre for all of North Georgia. The 2004-2005 Master Season includes: Neil Simon's comedy Last of the Red Hot Lovers; Das Barbecü, a country western Ring Cycle; Hometown Holidays, now in its 9th smash season; Jamie Pachino's coming of age drama, Waving Goodbye; the romantic play Enchanted April; and 4 Guys Named Jose and una Mujer Named Maria. To purchase individual tickets, season tickets or for more information, visit their website at www.auroratheatre.com or call 770-476-7926.

For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm

McLEMORE'S WORLD
9/16: Next time

Another great cartoon from Bill McLemore:

FEEDBACK
9/16: Federal guidelines put person outside transit pick-up area

Editor, the Forum:

I find myself writing this letter in a very angry train of thought, having lived in Gwinnett County since 1972, graduating from Berkmar High School in 1974, attending Mercer University/Atlanta for two years and then attending Gwinnett Technical for two years. I left there for medical reasons being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Now I find myself needing handicapped transit within the county. However, I cannot access it, seemingly not on the paratransit bus route. Just the other day I followed one of these buses as it drove down Pleasant Hill Road and then turned north on U.S. 29 hauling passengers to their drop-off or pickup points. The bus went within 1.5 miles of my house, but I am told by the GCTA that they cannot come into my subdivision. I have spoken with others who would also like to access, and need, this service but they too are on able to use it for a number of reasons also.

Today I spoke with another disabled Gwinnett County person. They told me that they have been refused transit to their doctor after having already done this through them in the past.

I am proud that I am from Gwinnett County. One of my sons graduated from Brookwood and is now in Iraq with the Georgia National Guard. His younger brother is a United States Marine who has just returned from Iraq and may be going back there shortly. The Thomas family is not afraid of serving our country, even though their father is unable to access some guaranteed rights (ADA?) for him and others in the growing county of Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County has been at the top of many lists in the country for its growth. However, there seemingly is a shortfall when it comes to how it services disabled/handicapped citizens. I can't imagine that this shortcoming would be made known to the local press or any company that would be seeking a place for its new corporate identity.

Yes Gwinnett may have problems like traffic, infrastructure, county management and other aspects of being a growing place to live. Yet this one small problem is not small but huge to those who run up against it daily.

-- Mark Thomas, Lawrenceville

Dear Mark: Transit officials say that ADA guidelines require that qualified handicapped citizens, to get home pick-up, must live within three quarters of a mile of the regular route. Your living 1.5 miles from the route means you are outside the federal standards. However, if you can get someone to take you to within 3/4 of a mile of the route, you could be served. You must be registered, and call 24 hours in advance for these special pickups. ---eeb)

9/16: Wants more questions asked of Supreme Court nominee

Editor, the Forum:

As I read all the usual media noise surrounding the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court and then the sudden change due to Chief Justice William Rehnquist's passing, I am sickened once again by the complete lack of any questions of public value coming from the media or the Congress. No one in either Party is asking anything of any relevance to this nominee.

Experience, qualifications and character ought to be the prime considerations of any nominated public service position. The recent disaster in the Mississippi delta ought to highlight that for all Americans who watched in horror as unqualified mayors, governors, FEMA officials and even the unqualified president and vice-president showed us why experience, competence and qualifications are necessary for civil service to function.

There are currently seven justices on the Supreme Court that are more qualified to be Chief Justice than Mr. Roberts. All have more experience and qualifications for the job than he.

Wesley J. Smith and Ralph Nader are co-authors of "No Contest", which describes the dishonest billing practices among corporate attorneys and the firms that employ them, including how their hours billed are used to award bonuses. Questions for Mr. Roberts could be asked about his own billing practices over the years and the percentage of his work that was pro-bono as well.

One more question I would have for Mr. Roberts is about the Constitution. Nader first asked the question recently on his website but it is worth repeating here; "Where in the Constitution, strictly applied, can Congress abdicate its authority to declare war or enact global trade agreements with their own enforcement powers over-riding or displacing our courts and regulatory agencies?"

Where are the real questions from our public servants to this 50 year old nominee for a lifetime appointment as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court with barely two years experience as a Federal Judge? We live in an age of politic cronyism where political favors are rewarded over practical experience and qualifications. It is costing more and more American lives both at home and abroad with each passing year.

-- Roger Hagen, Lilburn

UPCOMING
Triple Play is feature of Gwinnett Technology Forum Tuesday

Gwinnett's Technology Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 20 will feature Larry Bradner, Scientific Atlanta corporate vice president and president of SciCare Broadband Services. He will speak on the "triple play" of high definition television services. Those include digital video recorders, high speed data, and other services brought to customers by telephone companies.

There's a new starting time for the Technology Forum, now beginning at 7:30 a.m., with the program at 8 a.m. There's no charge for the program, though reservations can be made through the Gwinnett Chamber by emailing laurie@gwinnettchamber.org. The program is held at the Busbee Center of Gwinnett Technical College.


Norcross Art Fest set for weekend of Oct. 1-2

October 1-2 is the date for the Norcross Art Fest, with more than 100 artists participating, a new record. The setting is South Peachtree and adjacent streets for the weekend of fun, entertainment and a celebration of the arts. Talented art teachers from around the city will be on hand to create artistic treasures with children of all ages.

RECOMMENDATION

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
  
  
  

GEORGIA TIDBIT
Booker T. Washington's 1895 Atlanta speech was significant

On September 18, 1895, the African American educator and leader Booker T. Washington delivered his famous "Atlanta Compromise" speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta. Considered the definitive statement of what Washington termed the "accommodationist" strategy of black response to southern racial tensions, it is widely regarded as one of the most significant speeches in American history.

Washington

Washington's speech responded to the "Negro problem"-the question of what to do about the abysmal social and economic conditions of blacks and the relationship between blacks and whites in the economically shifting South. Appealing to white southerners, Washington promised his audience that he would encourage blacks to become proficient in agriculture, mechanics, commerce, and domestic service, and to encourage them to "dignify and glorify common labour."

The speech was greeted by thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Clark Howell, editor of the Atlanta Constitution, moved forward to the speaker's platform and proclaimed the speech to be "the beginning of a moral revolution in America." Washington's words, telegraphed to every major newspaper in the country, were greeted enthusiastically by whites-both northern and southern-and by most African American leaders.

But Washington had his critics, none more stringent than another leading black educator and scholar of his day-W. E. B. Du Bois. Although Du Bois recognized Washington's speech as important, he soon came to see Washington's ideas of gradualism for civil rights as acquiescence to many southerners who wanted to maintain the inferior status of blacks.

Most agree that to understand Washington's speech, it is necessary to place his thinking within its historical context. Despite the continued debates over the speech and the criticisms of Washington by many black progressive thinkers, his address continues to be one of the most important speeches in African American letters.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
All the great minds at work, but not at quarterback

"Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein."

-- Joe Theismann, former quarterback.

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

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