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BCS News & Notes
A newsletter for parents, students, staff and community |
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P.O. Box 10007
Birmingham, Alabama 35202
(205) 231-4610
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Academies give new direction
Think back to your days in high school and you probably remember having a different group of classmates in each class, teachers who worked independently from each other and, perhaps, having no clear idea of what career you wanted to pursue after graduation.
Things have changed dramatically for some students in six of our high schools. Students who are enrolled in career academies are experiencing a new version of high school. Because career academies are a form of small learning communities - which improve the experience and outcome for students - they are taking most of their classes together, including core academic subjects. Their teachers are working together, and they are exploring a career area that interests them.
More than 250 students are enrolled in the academies this first year. The Academy of Engineering at Carver High School has freshmen, while the others - health professions at Carver and Jackson-Olin, urban educators at Parker, hospitality and tourism at Wenonah, business and finance at Woodlawn and architecture and construction at Huffman - began with sophomores in August.
The academies are off to a good start, and we envision having hundreds more students enrolled in coming years. We are studying the possibility of adding additional academies at each of the schools once the first ones are well established, which will increase options for our students.
Many in the community, however, know little about the academies or even the concept of combining the two traditional strands of career-tech and college preparation into a format that will make students both college and career ready when they graduate. That is why we are planning a formal induction program for the academies in early to mid-November.
The program will include a pinning ceremony for the students, making it clear that they are involved in a program that is beyond high school as usual. We want to foster an atmosphere of community for the students.
Watch for more information if you are interesting in learning more about this new direction for our high schools.
Sincerely,
Craig Witherspoon Superintendent
Birmingham City Schools |
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Board of Education seeks candidates for District 4 seat
Deadline for submitted letter and resume is Oct. 31
The Birmingham Board of Education is seeking candidates who are interested in serving the remaining term for District 4 of the board. The seat was left vacant this week with the resignation of former board member Edward Maddox.
Those who are interested must submit a letter and resume to Afrika Parchman, the general counsel for the Birmingham City Schools, by Oct. 31. Click here to read more. |
Enrollment decline is much smaller
District loses fewer students in 2012 than in past years
After experiencing a loss of 800 to 1,000 or more students every year for more than a decade, the Birmingham City School System has seen stabilization of its enrollment this year.
The district's official average daily membership, or ADM, is 24,877 this school year, a loss of 116 students. The state of Alabama uses ADM to determine funding for the following school year.
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| Councill teacher wins national honor
Andrea Whitfield to get Mary McLeod Bethune Outstanding Teacher Award.
 | | Andrea Whitfield |
Andrea Billingsley Whitfield has been named winner of the 2012 Mary McLeod Bethune Outstanding Teacher Award.
Each yea,r the National Alliance of Black School Educators recognizes distinguished individuals that have made national and international contributions to the education of African American educators and learners.
Ms. Whitfield will receive her award at the 40th annual NABSE conference in Nashville in November.
This award is presented to a well-deserving teacher whose teaching techniques have led to an increase in student achievement, through demonstrating unparalleled commitment and innovation toward enhancing the quality of instruction in the classroom.
Ms. Whitfield is a third grade teacher at Councill Elementary School. She also is the author of several books: "Restoring Respectable Classroom Behavior," "Felicia Fights Fat with Phone Fitness" and "What's The Black Alphabet?"
She also is a professional development presenter in several areas, including classroom management and health fitness techniques.
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Aspiring Principals Program class selected
Assistant principals, teachers begin sessions
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Members of the 2012-2013 Aspiring Principals Program |
Twenty-seven assistant principals, teachers and other personnel who would like to be principals are members of the 2012-2013 class for the Aspiring Principals Program. The program provides members with sessions designed to prepare them for being principals.
The members and their current locations are:
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Chandra Blackmon |
West End Academy | |
Terry Bush |
Jones Valley | |
Coaky Cook |
Robinson | |
Angela Day |
Smith | |
Chari Dickson-Green |
Carver | |
LaKesha Douglas |
Barrett | |
Kimberly Evans Lowe |
Wenonah | |
Tanzania Goldsmith |
Jackson Olin | |
Christine Hall |
Wenonah | |
Antoine Head |
Avondale | |
Davida Hill Johnson |
OW Mitchell | |
Melvin Love |
Jones Valley | |
Jennifer Love Lott |
Parker | |
Toyal McLain |
Martha Gaskins | |
Trarsha Maddox |
Wilkerson | |
Delisa Moore |
Inglenook | |
Genita Nolen |
Wenonah | |
John Plump |
Woodlawn | |
Rex Richards |
Parker | |
Ashley Samuels |
Hill | |
Monique Smith |
Hill | |
Kimberly Stewart |
Norwood | |
Joyce Tyus |
Bush Middle | |
Alicia Washington |
Martha Gaskins | |
Brittani Wilder |
Wilkerson | |
Raquel Williams |
Parker | |
Kristie Williams |
Smith |
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Volunteers to transform front of Putnam
Project set for Oct. 23
Volunteers are needed to help teams of corporate volunteers transform the front of the Putnam Middle School campus into an outdoor classroom, garden and nature area. The work is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23. The volunteers include Team Depot from the Crestwood Home Depot, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, the Eastwood branch of Wells Fargo, St. Martin's in the Pines, the Roebuck Kangaroo Mart and the PLANT PROJECT Program. For the past four years, the PLANT PROJECT Program has been providing its one-of-a-kind, internationally recognized programming at Putnam, in partnership with the assisted living facility of St Martin's in the Pines and its activities director, Claudia Reach. Senior citizens work with disabled students at the school to grown plants in raised beds on the campus. |
Mark your calendar for marching band festival
Event is set Nov. 4 Marching band fans, mark your calendars for 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4. That's when the Birmingham City Schools All City Marching Band Festival will begin at the Carver High School stadium. Bands and auxiliary units from each of the district's seven high schools will perform in the event. The bands, percussion sections, dance line, color guard units and majorettes all will be receive ratings of superior, excellent or fair. Each unit that earns a superior rating will receive a trophy. The band that earns the highest score will be awarded the Frank Adams Trophy. The event is open to the public, Tickets, which are $5, will be sold at high schools before the event and at the gate.
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Several BCS robotics teams win awards at BEST event
Woodlawn, Wenonah, Carver recognized
Three Birmingham City School System high schools won awards at the recent BEST robotics competition at Bartow Arena.
Woodlawn High School won best T-shirt design.
Wenonah High School got the award for best pep band.
Carver High School won the Blood, Sweat and Duct Tape Award.
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Huffman Chamber Choir busy singing
Group performs for United Way, will be in UAB concert It's no secret that Huffman High School has an outstanding choral music program, and the word is getting out to the community. The Huffman Chamber Choir recently performed at an event for United Way donors. Now the group has been invited to perform in the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Christmas choral concert as well. The Huffman choir will perform three pieces alone and join the UAB group on two other pieces. Plus, the Huffman Christmas concert is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 11. |
Open mic night begins Oct. 20
Teens can express their feelings through words The first free open mic night for teenagers is set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20,, at the YMCA Youth Center, 2400 Seventh Ave. North.
Known as Flow Tactics, the program will be offered every third Saturday. The goal is to provide a place for teenagers to express their feelings through words.
Sponsors include The Real Life Poets, the Mayor's Office Division of Youth Services, YMCA Youth Center, the WORD UP! Student Poetry Slam Committee of the Jefferson County Library Cooperative and the Birmingham Public Library. WORD UP! is an annual poetry slam for high school students that is held at the Birmingham Public Library.
For more information, contact johnpaul@reallifeports.org.
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Coming events
The Birmingham Board of Education will have a special called meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the auditorium of the Administration Building, 2015 Park Place. A work session will follow at 5:45 p.m.
The Birmingham Board of Education Ad Hoc Committee on Extracurricular Activities will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in the auditorium of the Administration Building, 2015 Park Place. |
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