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| TEAM ADVANCES TO STATE COMPETITION
Congratulations to the WHS Science Club! The team took 2nd Place at the Science Olympiad Regional Competition and will advance to the State Competition held at Emory University in April. Coached by WHS teachers, Mr. Douglas Wolfe and Mr. Wesley Taylor, the Science Club competes in both the Science Olympiad and Science Bowl. For the past 32 years, Science Olympiad has led a revolution in science education. What began as a grassroots assembly of science teachers is now one of the premier science competitions in the nation, providing rigorous, standards-based challenges to 7,400 teams in 50 states. Science Olympiad's ever-changing line-up of events in all STEM disciplines exposes students to practicing scientists and career choices, and energizes classroom teachers with a dynamic content experience. State winners will go on to the National Competition in May at the University of Wisconsin. Good luck, Walton!
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 PTSA SPONSORS SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES AT WHS
Stephen Spivey is on a mission! He wants to give the WHS Community the skills and confidence to take control of their own personal safety. For 13 years, Mr. Spivey of Max Defense has empowered WHS students by teaching the nation's leading personal safety and awareness clinic on our campus during each semester! Three years ago, the PTSA began sponsoring this course as part of the WHS Health curriculum to insure that each WHS student learns these lifesaving skills before graduation. In just a few hours, anyone can learn to use the "great equalizers, adrenaline and fear," to successfully defend themselves against a stronger opponent. Proactively taking control of one's own personal security also contributes to physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Mr. Spivey's goal is to provide the education and practical skills so that his students will never become victims. He will be teaching WHS Health students during the week of March 14th.
Statistics show that 1 in 4 girls will be attacked in their lifetime. The chance of becoming a victim increases to 1 in 3 while a girl is in college. According to Stephen, "A young lady entering her first year of college is in the RED ZONE during the time between September and the Holiday break for sexual assault." In response, the PTSA has sponsored a free course for the past six years for our Senior girls, specifically designed to cover college safety issues. Mr. Spivey will be teaching this FREE SENIOR GIRLS ONLY Self-Defense class during WEB on Wed. March 16th in Walton's Auxiliary Gym from 1-3 pm. Additionally, Stephen will teach a Walton Community Clinic for PARENTS AND Kids (age 14+) on Tues., March 15th in Walton's Auxiliary Gym from 7-9pm for $39, a significant discount off standard pricing. Click here to REGISTER.
We are thankful to Mr. Spivey for bringing his course of strength and empowerment to Walton and to our community. Last year, a former WHS student attending college in Alabama called a PTSA Board member to say, "Thank You". She had been physically attacked while walking alone on campus and had utilized the skills she learned in the Senior Girls Max Defense Clinic to escape her attacker. "If I had not taken that class, I would not have known what to do. And, it terrifies me to think what could have happen." WHS PTSA encourages you to come and be a part of something that is life-changing and life-saving. Mr. Spivey's motto resonates: "Expect the very best in life but be prepared for the unexpected!"
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Education Advocacy
With the 2016 legislative session well underway, there is much to watch on the education front. The fiscal year 2017 budget provides $8.92 billion to Georgia's 180 school districts which represents an increase of $415 million over the current year. Several bills under consideration will impact education specifically regarding standardized testing and teacher evaluations. Georgia PTA's yearly "Day at the Capitol" is Tuesday and is a great way to learn more about the legislative process, especially regarding education. Information on how to register is listed below.
Although the funding increase is good news, the reality is that education is still greatly underfunded in our state. The additional funds will go in two directions. First, about $300 million will go towards austerity cuts and, thus, reduce the amount QBE is underfunded. For 2017, austerity cuts remain high at $166 million statewide. The second path the dollars take is to fund enrollment growth and standard teacher salary increases for experience and training. Basically, the $124 million left over allows schools to continue to do what they are already doing rather than actually increasing funding for programs or salaries.
Aside from the budget, the Walton community should pay close attention to SB 355 and SB 364 currently in committee. They both address the teacher evaluation system with respect to what weight student achievement carries. In addition, each bill recognizes that schools should not count standardized test scores from students with a high absentee rate as these students may not have studied all of the material. SB 355 also adds protections to students if they choose to opt out of certain tests and requires parental consent of students with disabilities before schools can administer a mandated test.
Please continue to follow the latest education proposals in the Georgia General Assembly. There are several email newsletters and websites, listed below, that you can subscribe to or bookmark in order to learn more about these measures. Plan to attend any local forums to learn more about the issues. Stay in contact with your legislators to make sure they examine what it costs to educate your child. Together we can do more.
What can you do?
- Continue to educate yourself about the latest in education reform and spread the word among your friends and neighbors. All stakeholders are impacted and this is not just a Cobb County issue.
- Participate in community events related to education reform:
- PTA Day at the Capitol is Tues, March 1. Register here.
- Register for email newsletters or bookmark pages that provide up-to-date education reform news:
- Learn about the Georgia PTA Legislative Priorities, particularly as they look at the amount of testing required of our students.
- Look at the 2016 Legislative Priorities put out by the Cobb County School District Board of Education.
- Contact Governor Deal and your lawmakers (Representatives Matt Dollar & Sharon Cooper and Senator Judson Hill). Remind them of the importance of real education reform. Share your concerns about funding, testing, and teacher evaluations and compensation. Tell them how funding cuts and increased class sizes have impacted your child.
This publication is funded entirely by the WHS PTSA.
No public funds were used to convey this message.
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WaltonStrong
February is National Children's Dental Health Month. We hear a lot in the media today about unhealthy outcomes for children related to poor diets and lack of exercise that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, there is a lot of information regarding the health impacts on our teeth as a direct correlation to what we eat. Dr. Chris Lee of Waldron Dentistry has provided some very important information for all parents. According to the CDC, tooth decay is "one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood in the United States. Untreated tooth decay can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing and learning."
Cavities leading to pain and infection are also one of the leading causes of missed school. In order for the decay process to begin, a person must have three things: bacteria, sugar and a tooth. Without sugar, there would be no decay. Cutting down on the amounts and types of sugar you and your teens eat can go a long way in preventing cavities from beginning to form. While we know sweets like candy bars and desserts or drinks like soda are high in sugar and can cause cavities, there are many foods, including some that are good for you, that have high sugar contents. Some of those foods include sugar-sweetened coffee, tea or other drinks, sports drinks, and juices like orange and apple juice. Aside from brushing and flossing, be aware when something with a lot of sugar will be consumed. Be sure to brush or rinse immediately after consuming something with high sugar. Want more tips? See the full article in the upcoming Georgia PTA's Voice magazine this month.
JoAnne Hammermaster
WHS PTSA Health & Wellness Co-Chair
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LAST DAY To PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE WHS FOUNDATION DINNER & AUCTION
March 5, 2016, 7-11pm
Holy Family Parish Center
3401 Lower Roswell Road
Tickets are $45.00 per person which includes BBQ1 dinner &
drink tickets.
Fabulous food...
Awesome auction items...
Great fun with friends...
ALL benefiting a cause near and dear to our hearts:
THE QUALITY OF OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION!
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Mark your calendar for Spring Events at WHS!
Walton High School is a buzz of activity from early in the morning to late at night, seven days a week! Take advantage of the warming weather to come out and support our amazing students as they compete in sports, perform through the fine arts programs, and showcase their talents and interests through festivals, service projects and academic pursuits. All events are posted on the Walton calendar and are generally highlighted in the PTSA communications and the websites of the various organizations.
Competition is underway for the Men and Women's Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, and Golf teams. Spring is also the season for Track & Field, Baseball, Gymnastics and Air Rifle. For more information, go to the WHS Athletics webpage and click on the sport on the sidebar to link to each teams' website. The PTSA Facebook page also posts upcoming WHS team events and shares the results and local news coverage with the fans.
Chorus, Orchestra, and Band have Large Group Performance Evaluations next week and each group has several concerts planned for this semester. WHS Visual Arts students will participate in various community and state showcases and plan art shows at Walton as well. The Drama Club will present "9 to 5" on March 17, 18, & 19. For more information on the Fine Arts programs and performance dates, click here: WHS Fine Arts.
Festivals, service projects, and club events are all posted on the WHS Calendar. Check it out and plan to enjoy some Raider Spring Fever! You will be glad you did...our kids are amazing!
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The WHS Website, eBlast,
Connections and The Raider Review
are paid for by funding from your
Visit Our Website to Learn more about Walton's PTSA
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