Education Edition - 1736 Magazine, Fall 2019

More documents

Info

Richmond County School Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw points to new schools such as Belair K-8, shown here, as the “future” of schools in the district. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] The Reaching Potential Through Manufacturing, or RPM, partnership campus at Textron Specialized Vehicles was one of several initiatives created by Richmond County School Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw during his previous years with the school system. [FILE/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] those services, whether they’re counseling services, mental heath services or just food.” Bradshaw believes the system can take some of the “best practices” at high-performing schools and incorporate them at schools that are lagging, including those in low-income neighborhoods where poverty, weak parental involvement and crime can disrupt academic achievement. “We educate the child. The expectations don’t change regardless of the location,” Bradshaw said. “The key is having those high expectations.” Augusta’s urban core is increasingly becoming a hotbed for tech-related jobs, with the Georgia Cyber Center serving as a melting pot for cybersecurity companies, educators, entrepreneurs and government agencies. Global tech-service provider Unisys has planted a flag in downtown as well as software-development companies such as TaxSlayer and RSI. Opportunities abound, Bradshaw said, for Richmond County students taking classes in specialized programs such as its Cyber Academy of Excellence, which enables students to be dual-enrolled in Augusta Technical College’s cybersecurity institute, a certified National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. Sixteen Richmond County students are going through Augusta Tech’s program while completing their high school diplomas. “We are looking at continuing our dual enrollment, so we are strengthening that partnership,” he said. “The numbers are pretty good, but our goal is to grow.” Another one of Bradshaw’s goals is to change the perception of Richmond County’s school system. The decades-long disparity between the county’s highand low-performing schools has overshadowed many of the changes the district has implemented to offer specialized curriculum that enables students to get a jump start on college or obtain high-wage employment upon graduation. Many residents and newcomers also are unaware the district implemented a “school choice” program in 2016 that enables parents to send children to any school in the county where seats are available. The district’s communications director, Kaden Jacobs, said school choice brochures are mailed to every parent as well as distributed to businesses and community organizations county-wide. School officials also have met with groups such as the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors to get the word out to future Richmond County residents, particularly those interested in living in the urban core. “You can have the young family that wants to live in a loft downtown,” said Jacobs, who himself is a parent residing in the urban core. “If their kid is interested in some of those programs, they can go anywhere in the district. It doesn’t preclude them. They don’t have to live in a certain place. They can be part of the revitalization of downtown.” Bradshaw said the expansion of community partnerships with business and industry will continue to play a major role in bolstering its career-specific workreadiness programs at the Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School and the new Marion E. Barnes Career Center at T.W. Josey High School as well as traditional neighborhood schools. That goes for inner-city schools as well. The district is forecasting additional growth based on existing birth rates and an influx of young professionals moving into inner-city neighborhoods undergoing revitalization. “I know just by working with the mayor and the economic development (officials) that there is an expectation for a lot of movement in the downtown area,” Bradshaw said. 42 | 1736magazine.com 1117_T_40_AM____.indd 42 10/25/2019 12:12:08 PM
1117_T_43_AM____.indd 43 10/25/2019 1:03:21 PM
Page 1 and 2: FALL 2019 EDUCATION EDITION THE REV
Page 4 and 5: MAGAZINE PARTNERS 1117_T_02_AM____.
Page 6 and 7: PICTURE THIS 4 | 1736magazine.com 1
Page 8 and 9: OUR VIEW RAISE W.S. Hornsby Element
Page 10 and 11: 1117_T_08_AM____.indd 8 10/25/2019
Page 12 and 13: OTHER VOICES Jimmy Atkins, chairman
Page 14 and 15: 1117_T_12_AM____.indd 12 10/25/2019
Page 16 and 17: 14 | 1736magazine.com 1117_T_13_AM_
Page 18 and 19: Volunteer Kory Futreal helps studen
Page 20 and 21: ABOVE: Tiny bok choy plants begin t
Page 22 and 23: 1117_T_20_AM____.indd 20 10/25/2019
Page 24 and 25: COVER STORY continued from 18 “We
Page 26 and 27: COVER STORY continued from 22 year
Page 28 and 29: 1117_T_26_AM____.indd 26 10/30/2019
Page 30 and 31: COVER STORY continued from 24 An ex
Page 32 and 33: 18 1. Monte Sano Elementary School
Page 34 and 35: 1117_T_32_AM____.indd 32 10/25/2019
Page 36 and 37: Building for the Future SALES TAX F
Page 38 and 39: Just east of ARC, at the former Tub
Page 40 and 41: “It was a very depressed, declini
Page 42 and 43: UP CLOSE READY FOR SCHOOL Bradshaw
Page 46 and 47: Different by CHOICE FAITH-BASED, IN
Page 48 and 49: Grandparents mingle with students d
Page 50 and 51: COLUMBIA COUNTY Downtown in the SUB
Page 52 and 53: Fortunately, the county was able to
Page 54 and 55: An artist rendering depicts a fully
Page 56 and 57: COLUMBIA COUNTY Hot in Harlem City
Page 58 and 59: Harlem City Manager C. Brett Cook s
Page 60 and 61: A mural paying homage to the comedi
Page 62 and 63: You throw 50,000 people around Harl
Page 64 and 65: An artist rendering depicting a wes
Page 66 and 67: The historic train depot at 6th and
Page 68 and 69: MACK continued from 21 Mack had res
Page 70 and 71: OTHER VOICES WORK STUDY Business, e
Page 72 and 73: Over the past few years, the Distri
Page 74 and 75: DOWNTOWN PARKING ‘SMART’ PARKIN
Page 76 and 77: SALES TAX-FUNDED STREET PROJECTS PR
Page 78 and 79: BURNS continued from 19 “This sch
Page 80 and 81: SPIVEY continued from 23 Although S
Page 82 and 83: BRIEFINGBy DAMON CLINE HITS & MISSE
Page 84 and 85: GRADING DOWNTOWN 6.5 5.5 6.5 2.0 By
Page 86: 1117_T_84_AM____.indd 84 10/25/2019

Education Edition - 1736 Magazine, Fall 2019

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?