Monthly update, 2022 April

Georgia Education News from GOSA

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APRIL, 2022
Dear Partners, Colleagues and Friends, Like many state agencies and organizations, we used the past two years during the pandemic to review programs and initiatives and look for ways to improve. Several examples of GOSA's continuous improvements include:
1. Partnering with Atlanta Speech School's Cox Campus to provide free-of-charge content to
Growing Readers Specialists;
2. Through our Governor's School Leadership Academy (GSLA), adapting teacher induction
and teacher leader training to asynchronous and synchronous models that can be used anytime and anywhere by educators;
3. GSLA partnering with the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) to provide
coaching to GAEL's aspiring principals program;
4. Enhancing the Governor's Honors Program (GHP) by adding computer science and
cybersecurity courses that are aligned to Georgia's industry needs;
5. Adding a college and career fair during the GHP 2022 summer program to encourage
some of Georgia's best and brightest students to stay in Georgia for both higher education opportunities and their careers; and
6. Developing a GHP alumni directory to keep GHP alumni engaged with the program in
years to come.
As all of us "reboot," and look forward to upcoming years, I hope that we never forget the way society leaned on schools and educators, as we all grappled with the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. I believe that parents have a renewed appreciation for public schools they not only educate children no matter the obstacles, but they also find ways to feed, counsel and guide their students even during a pandemic.
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Georgia Education News from GOSA

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This past legislative session's budgets and legislation show a genuine appreciation for public

schools and educators. In this newsletter, you will learn about highlights of Governor Brian

Kemp's FY23 budget recommendations and the General Assembly's support. You will learn how

Governor Kemp and the General Assembly found ways to strengthen the teacher pipeline,

provide more parental involvement through school transparency and give parents a choice about

whether their children should wear masks in school.

Many thanks to Governor Kemp and to the members of the General Assembly for supporting schools, parents and students.

Teachers and educators, now more than ever, we understand the many hats that you wear and the long hours through which you persevere to support Georgia's students. Thank you for your continued service to schools and students.

Best,

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Joy Hawkins Executive Director
2022 Legislative Session - Putting Parents, Students and Teachers First
The Governor's FY23 budget recommendations that the General Assembly approved include:
The largest K-12 investment per student in state history, with $1.4 billion in additional
direct funding for K-12 schools
A final installment of $2,000 to round out the largest teacher pay raise in state history, for a
total of $5,000 since 2019
Full restoration of the $388 million funding reduction, or "austerity cuts," made at the start
of the pandemic
Governor Kemp also recommended legislation to further strengthen the teacher pipeline and provide parents additional transparency and rights relating to their children's education. House Bill 385, by Rep. Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire), is Governor Kemp's recommended "Return to Work" bill. This bill allows retired teachers with 30 years of service to return to the classroom full-time in high needs areas. The retired teacher will draw their retirement but not accrue any more years of service. These retired teachers will be allowed to return to full-time
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Subscirnisbteruction aPfatesrt 1Is2smueosnths from retirement.

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The Parent's Bill of Rights, HB 1178 by Rep. Josh Bonner (R-Fayetteville), passed and will increase transparency and access in education by ensuring school districts have procedures in place for parental participation in schools.

The Unmask Georgia Students Act, SB 514 by Senator Clint Dixon (R - Gwinnett), passed that allows parents to opt-out of mask mandates, empowering them to decide what is best for their child's health and safety. Governor Kemp signed the bill in a ceremony with parents and students March 29th.

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The Georgia House has approved HR 650, by Rep. Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville), which creates a House Study Committee on Literacy Instruction. The committee is charged with: defining evidence-based literacy instruction; documenting the impact of low-literacy on Georgia's workforce competitiveness; identifying and understanding all the programs that exist and working together along the pipeline of instruction; determining how Georgia can best support and expand local ecosystems to maximize potential while enabling local flexibility; and recommending actions and legislation as needed. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement is named in the resolution as a committee participant.
First Lady, DECAL, and Malcolm Mitchell Unveil New Children's Book, "Hey, Georgia"
Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp were joined by Malcolm Mitchell and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) to
2/22/2023, 2:30 PM

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unveil a new children's book. The bookT,ranslate "Hey, Georgia" was inspired by First Lady Marty Kemp and written by former NFL and University of Georgia wide receiver Malcom Mitchell who made a special appearance for the event.

"I am so thankful to Malcolm Mitchell for collaborating with me and for writing this book for Georgia students. When we first started talking about this project, Malcolm and I kept coming back to something we are both proud of for inspiration spending college Saturday's 'Between the Hedges,'" said First Lady Marty Kemp. "While in college, Malcolm played for the University of Georgia's football team, and I had the honor of being a cheerleader for our flagship University. One of the things I loved most about cheerleading was the selflessness of the sport. At its root, it is about championing others and energizing a crowd to see what is special about your team.

As First Lady, my job is similar in a lot of ways, and I can say, without question, that I have the very best responsibility and team to celebrate: the great State of Georgia! We hope this book educates young learners about everything their state has to offer and brings the magic of reading, joy, and happiness to classrooms and homes all across Georgia."

Governor Kemp, First Lady Kemp, and Malcolm read to two Georgia Pre-K classes from Heards Ferry Elementary School in Fulton County. Copies of the book will be given this fall to all students enrolled in Georgia's Pre-K Program!
Georgia's K-12 Teachers and Paraprofessionals Receive Classroom Grants These grants, which Governor Brian Kemp announced earlier this year, are part of the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. GEER funding totals over $47 million and will support K-12 and higher education entities as they continue to address the disruptions and challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

"As we work to meet the needs of students, parents and teachers by maintaining in-person learning, we know that our schools and education support organizations will need additional help," Kemp said. "We also know our education providers play a critical role in providing the workforce needed to combat the health and economic effects of the pandemic. This round of

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Subscfruibndeing is gPeaasret dIstsouweasrd the goal of keeping our kids in the classroom with minimal disruptionTrtoanslate their education while strengthening that classroom-to-workforce pipeline. By working around the clock, we have weathered the difficulties presented by COVID-19 for almost three school years. With this new round of support, we will help get our educators and students across the finish line of the pandemic."
Georgia Department of Education Announces Grants to Expand Opportunities for Teachers
The State Board of Education has approved State School Superintendent Richard Woods' recommendation to award $6.8 million in Expanding Opportunities for Teachers Grants to 19 school districts, Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) and higher education institutions. The grants may be used by the awardees to cover tuition, fees, and exam costs for Georgia public school teachers currently enrolled in approved Teacher Preparation and Teacher Leader Endorsement programs.
The board also approved Superintendent Woods' recommendation of $5 million in grant funding to be awarded to 15 school districts, RESAs, and higher education institutions to support the Georgia Teacher Academies for Preparation and Pedagogy.

BROADBAND EXPANSION CONTINUES IN GEORGIA Governor Kemp announced a newly-formed partnership between Reynolds-based Flint Energies and Conexon Connect to deliver fiber broadband to 31,000 underserved and unserved homes and businesses in Crawford, south Houston, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Talbot and Taylor counties.
The pandemic shined a bright light on areas of the state that lack broadband connections. Virtual education was impossible in many of these areas. Educators, parents, and students in these areas had tremendous obstacles. Governor Kemp recognizes and applauds efforts like this partnership to close the broadband divide in Georgia.
"Today is another milestone in the ongoing effort to bring broadband to unserved and

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SubscurinbdeerservePdacsutsItsosmueerss in rural Georgia," said Governor Brian Kemp. "I thank Flint Energies, Translate Conexon Connect, and the state and local leaders who are partnering to make this
transformational project possible. We're showing that Georgia is continuing to lead the nation in
developing collaborative, innovative, and fiscally conservative approaches to leveraging funding
to positively impact and serve our citizens."

Governor's School Leadership Academy

GOSA is continuing to address the teacher and leader pipeline with leadership strands designed to instruct, guide and coach educators to meet the needs of students. "GSLA has been the most rigorous, relevant, and transformative leadership development program I've ever experienced, and I'm looking forward to witnessing how my learning informs my future performance." - GSLA 2021 Cohort Member

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022-2023 Governor's School Leadership Academy (GSLA). Applications for the Aspiring Principal and Teacher Leader Support Academies opened April 4, and will be closing May 16 and May 20 respectively. Click those links to find out more about how you can join either of those GSLA Academies. Information will be available soon for the Principal Support and Induction Teacher/Leader Support Programs.

GSLA will host a friends and family event for current and potential participants in early May. To learn more about the event and for questions about any GSLA program, visit the GOSA website at https://gosa.georgia.gov/governors-school-leadership-academy, or contact Stacey Lutz at stacey.lutz@gosa.ga.gov.
Superintendent Woods Names 2022 AP Honor Schools State School Superintendent Richard Woods recently commended 239 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools from 88 Local Education Agencies.

"We are committed to expanding opportunities for Georgia students, including in advanced and

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SubscaricbceeleratedPcaosutrIsseswuoersk," Superintendent Woods said. "I offer my sincere congratulations to each of

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this year's AP Honor Schools, and thank each teacher, student, and school leader who worked

hard to create strong AP opportunities in these Georgia schools."

2022 AP Honor Schools are named in eight categories, based on the results of 2021 AP courses and exams. You can find the full list of categories and schools on the Georgia Department of Education website.

"Follow the Students to the Future" - GAEL Summer Conference Registration is Open
The 49th Annual Summer Conference of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders will be held this year on Jekyll Island at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, July 10 - 13. In-person registrations are already sold out, but you can still register for the virtual conference.

Breakout sessions will be presented at this year's conference in three main areas of focus:
Engaging "Student VOICE" to design and improve instruction, climate and innovation in FY23.
Targeted Recruitment Ideas and Intentional Retention Strategies for all Staff Members.
Data Driven Decision Making...in the classroom, at the school level, at the district level.

Governor's Honors Program (GHP) Finalists Chosen This year, 641 finalists from 71 school districts, 47 private institutions and two state charter schools, have been selected to attend the summer Georgia Governor's Honors Program (GHP) hosted at Berry College in Rome.

Over 3,200 students were nominated at the state level, with nearly 1,400 competing as

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Georgia Education News from GOSA

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SubscsreibmeifinalistPs ainstlaIstesuFeesbruary. GHP is a residential summer program for gifted and talented higThranslate school juniors and seniors. The 2022 program will mark the 59th summer of GHP, making it the longest continuous running Governor's School in the nation. In reviewing this year's list of selected students, Richard Parmer, Governor's Honors Program Manager stated, "We are proud to welcome the 2022 cohort of GHP students as they continue the rich, longstanding tradition of bringing Georgia's most gifted and talented students together for this outstanding experience. GHP congratulates all of Georgia's GHP finalists and alternates."
The 2022 summer program will include new courses in computer science and cybersecurity. Also new this summer, colleges and businesses will be invited to Berry Campus for the program's first college and career fair on Wednesday, July 6, 2:30-6:30 p.m. on Berry College campus. All public and independent colleges will be invited to attend. Businesses interested in participating are asked to consider a donation in any amount to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education, https://gfpe.org/donate (be sure to indicate your donation is for GHP) to augment GHP's computer science and cybersecurity programming. For additional information, contact Donovan Head, Donovan.Head@gosa.ga.gov.
GHP is currently seeking interested and qualified applicants for a select number of open faculty positions including Computer Technician, Dance, Engineering, Program Counselor and Science/Chemistry Instructor. You can find more information and position descriptions on the GHP Employment page.
DECAL/QCC Summer Camp Checklist The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is again collaborating with Quality Care for Children (QCC) on a multimedia education campaign to help parents across the state navigate the increasingly complex summer camp landscape to find safe, affordable, and engaging programs for
their children. Want to know more? Download the checklist here.
These resources DECAL and QCC have partnered to create will help families fully evaluate their options and make informed decisions about summer child care.
"Attending summer camp can be an important part of children's development by helping them learn how to work with others, build meaningful relationships, accept guidance, express creativity, and become more independent and confident," says DECAL Commissioner Amy M.

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Georgia Education News from GOSA

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SubscJraibceobs. "ThPraosutghIstshuisescampaign, we want to help parents find a program that provides high Translate quality care, fits their budgets, and gives their children the best opportunity for a safe, fun and rewarding summer experience."
District Spotlight on Douglas County School System

The GSLA District Support and Sustainability Program offers an opportunity for school districts to build internal capacity and support long-term sustainability of leadership development across the state. During the 2020-2021 school year, Douglas County School System (DCSS), under the leadership of Superintendent Trent North, set out to clearly define leadership in their district. Strong leadership is an essential component of DCSS's overall school and school system effectiveness. Based on the overall readiness and understanding of their need, GSLA invited DCSS to participate in the District Support and Sustainability Program.
This process began by assembling a diverse team of central office and school-based leaders to engage and commit to a yearlong iterative planning process that supported defining leadership and developing an aspiring principal program to implement within the following year. The District Action Team met monthly to examine, and work through their district needs as well as the components of an effective leadership development program. Each session involved exposure to tools and protocols that challenged and promoted thinking based on research as well as district context. The team was encouraged to gather feedback from stakeholders within their district.
Fast forward to July 2021, Douglas County School District was poised and ready to implement a yearlong newly developed Aspiring Principal Leadership Program with 13 Assistant Principals in the district. During the year, the participants engaged with Gallop Clifton Strengths and learned to leverage those strengths as a leader.

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Georgia Education News from GOSA

https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=65d6bca47e15cc713b725b7dc&i...

Subsc"rAibyeear in pPaartsnteIrssshuipeswith GSLA offers a unique opportunity for school districts by providing tThreanslate time and space to think about leadership development through a magnifying glass and make
intentional decisions based on that exploration that will impact their future leaders." Kimberly
Turner, GSLA Senior Program Manager, District Support and Sustainability.

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