The Atlanta Board of Education's Superintendent Search Committee scheduled four community input sessions with two remaining on May 20th (West) and May 21st (East).  The sessions are designed to give citizens the opportunity to provide feedback on the characteristics they believe are critical in the next Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent.

The Superintendent Search Committee has committed to gathering input from all key stakeholders such as parents, teacher and students. "All members of the search committee affirm the importance of gathering extensive community input in this search," said committee chair Ann Cramer, who is a retired IBM executive and mother of former APS students. "We hope everyone interested will take advantage of this opportunity, and we pledge to provide full transparency during the process."

The search committee has also created an online survey to gather input from community members, using it as well as the input from the community sessions to develop a profile for the next Atlanta Public Schools superintendent. The committee will then submit the profile to the Atlanta Board of Education for review and approval. After approval by the Board of Education, the search committee will use the profile to attract and recruit potential candidates. Ultimately the committee will recommend three to five candidates for the Board's consideration.

For more information please visit the APS website.

Please take a moment to give your input using the SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH SURVEY.  All community members are encouraged to respond.

The Put Up Your Dukes Foundation has partnered with the City of Atlanta, AARP, the American Heart Association, and State and Federal agencies to unveil a dynamic movement called "The 50+ New You."  You are invited to join a special event, the 50+ New You Empowerment Conference, on May 21st, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, at the Georgia World Congress Center.

The event will include vendors and exhibits, information on healthcare services, technology training, and a fitness concert led by line dance icon Cupid.  For more information, contact info@puydf.org or call 770.981.9897.

From June 3rd to July 19th, East Atlanta Kids Club will once again offer a 6-week summer camp that will engage kids in science and technology activities, sports, gardening and healthy eating classes, exciting field trips and other fun. Highlights of the scitech curriculum include robotics, rocketry and digital storytelling, using ALICE, a visually-oriented computer program. Sports will include tennis, basketball, cycling and swimming.

The summer camp will be held at Brownwood Recreation Center in East Atlanta Monday-Thursday, 9 AM to 4 PM, and Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM. Camp fees are $150 a week and include breakfast, lunch and snacks provided by the Center of Quality Care for Children. Extra fees will apply for a trip to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and a few other field trips. A limited number of income-based scholarships are available; please contact Program Director Adeena Howard at ahoward@eastatlantakids.org or call 404-627-8050 for more information. 

There's still time to register your kids for this fun, active and educational summer camp experience! Register now at http://bit.ly/scitechfuncamp or stop by the Brownwood Recreation Center (602 Brownwood Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316) for a registration form.

Student Letter Art exhibit now on display at the EAL 

Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School middle school students have been discovering their abilities in the visual arts with letter art. After learning some basic techniques to give a visual presence to letters, the students used the techniques to express quotes they found profound or powerful. FEAL is delighted to have some of their results on display on the gallery wall in the EAL Meeting Room through the end of May. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these works goes to fund programming and materials at the East Atlanta Library. To view the students letter art display, please ask at the circulation desk and the staff will be happy to let you in.

Special FEAL membership offer through June 

The East Atlanta Library is offering fine forgiveness for overdue books to all FEAL members through the month of June. So if you haven't yet joined for 2013, now is the perfect time to do so.  FEAL members also receive free books at its book sales and free or reduced registration at many of it's activities. Click here to join.

Volunteers needed to assist library staff

The East Atlanta Library branch has the second highest circulation in the AFPLS and branch manager Shannon Duffy is looking for a few volunteers to help the staff, especially with reshelving. If you have an hour or more to spare during your week and would like to give some much needed and appreciated help, please contact Shannon at 404-730-5438. Every volunteer must fill out an AFPLS volunteer application form which can be downloaded here.

Sessions will be offered from 8 AM to 1 PM on the following weeks:

June 10th - 14th, June 17th - 21st, July 8th - 12th, July 15th - 19th

Additional weeks and private farm camps may be scheduled. 

Each weekly session costs $200/child. We also have extended afternoon care available from 1-4 PM for an additional $75/week (per child). Scholarships are available.

Please email peaceandcarrotscamp@gmail.com or call 404-244-0289 for more information, to apply, or to provide a donation to support scholarships. 

Spring is here and it's a great time to deliver a meal to our local firefighters!  Providing a meal means having a cooked meal to hand over to the firefighters at Station 13 on Friday evening. The Firefighters request food without pork.  A full kitchen is available to them at the Fire Station and they can heat something as needed.  Meals should be delivered between 5 - 5:30 PM.

Sign up here (password is "friday") to see what dates are available for meals.  You might think about sharing different parts of a meal with friends. For example:  One or two people might provide the main meal, another could provide bread or a side dish or dessert.

Please call Beth-Ann Buitekant (404-455-8746) for information or with questions.