Grandmother Turns Tables, Uses Day to Show Appreciation

One determined and thankful grandmother has declared May 17 as Exceptional Children’s Teachers Day at Fayette Middle.

Life circumstances have left Rachel Pittman the responsibility of raising her grandson, Derek. Although Pittman’s situation is similar to that of many grandparents today, hers is a bit more complicated because Derek has a disability and requires special education.

“This is all new to me. I want to do my best for Derek, but I need guidance in meeting his needs,” she said.
Pittman sings the praises of the Exceptional Children’s staff at Fayette Middle who work with both her and Derek to ensure that he excels to the best of his ability. Now that she is rearing her grandson, Pittman is learning quickly how to help him both emotionally and intellectually. She credits the school’s teachers and paraprofessionals for advising her on procedures and activities she can do at home to help with his education and growth.

“Not only are they teaching him, they are teaching me. They have spent hours answering my questions, giving me advice and showing me exactly what I need to do to help him. I am so grateful,” she said.
Pittman wanted to show her appreciation to the staff for all that they have given her and Derek. She had hoped to find a special day dedicated to honoring Exceptional Children’s teachers, but finding none, she took it upon herself to create one.

On the very day the staff planned to host a Mothers and Grandmothers Appreciation Tea, Pittman decided she would turn the tables and declare it a day to honor the staff instead. In the middle of the staff serving finger foods and tea to mothers and students, Pittman made her presentation.

“You have helped me so much; I wanted to honor you today. Thank you for all of the help you have given me. Thank you for all that you do for these kids. You deserve a special day of thanks,” she told the staff.
Pittman, with Derek’s help, handed out gift boxes and appreciation certificates. She also baked and decorated a cake in their honor.

Derek was as excited about thanking his teachers as was his grandmother. It was a monumental week for him, he was one of the torch runners for the Georgia Summer Olympic games “Flame of Hope” torch relay that came through Fayetteville on May 18.

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Fayette Excels For Exceptional Children

The Fayette County School System strives to ensure that all students receive the best education possible while arming them with the skills they will need to succeed in today’s competitive environment.

For the eighth year in a row since the award’s inception, the school system’s Exceptional Children’s Program has been recognized for excellence in the education of students with disabilities by the Georgia Department of Education.

The Pacesetter Award, which was presented at the Georgia Council for Administrators of Special Education (GCASE), marks the school system as a leader in the state for outstanding efforts to improve the performance of students with disabilities. Fayette is the only school system in Georgia to have received the award eight consecutive years.

The award distinguishes excellence in six areas of achievement: decreasing the number of students who drop out, achieving a higher percentage of graduates with regular education diplomas, educating students in the least restrictive environment, transitioning students to their desired postsecondary outcomes, increasing the percentage of students who meet or exceed state achievement standards and reducing the gap in achievement between students with disabilities and their general education peers.

Director Chris Horton oversees Fayette’s Exceptional Children’s Program.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Fayette County Excels For Exceptional Children

The Fayette County School System strives to ensure that all students receive the best education possible while arming them with the skills they will need to succeed in today’s competitive environment.

For the eighth year in a row since the award’s inception, the school system’s Exceptional Children’s Program has been recognized for excellence in the education of students with disabilities by the Georgia Department of Education.

The Pacesetter Award, which was presented at the Georgia Council for Administrators of Special Education (GCASE), marks the school system as a leader in the state for outstanding efforts to improve the performance of students with disabilities. Fayette is the only school system in Georgia to have received the award eight consecutive years.

The award distinguishes excellence in six areas of achievement: decreasing the number of students who drop out, achieving a higher percentage of graduates with regular education diplomas, educating students in the least restrictive environment, transitioning students to their desired postsecondary outcomes, increasing the percentage of students who meet or exceed state achievement standards and reducing the gap in achievement between students with disabilities and their general education peers.

Director Chris Horton oversees Fayette’s Exceptional Children’s Program.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

School Angels Need Your Help

(Back Row) Fayette Holiday Helpers Sandy Hogan, Charlie Hogan and Ann Martin with (Front Row) Diann Ferrante and Karen Spangler, co-coordinators of the CARE Angel Tree Project.

Nearly 400 students need your help so they can have a brighter holiday season.

The Fayette County Public School System’s annual CARE (Children at Risk in Education) Angel Tree project is underway and the needs of students are reflective of the current economic situation in Fayette, the state and nation. The number of students needing help is up by 100 from last year.

The CARE Angel Tree is different from most holiday donation projects in that gift requests are for non-traditional items. Needs this year include children’s clothing, shoes, toiletries, and personal hygiene products. There is also a need for gift cards from grocery and discount stores for the purchase of food, gas and other basic necessities.

“We have a number of high school students who are working to help support their families due to their parents losing their jobs or having to take a lower paying job,” says CARE Coordinator Karen Spangler. “These students are from families of the working poor, many are experiencing this way of life for the first time.”

Angel requests span across all grade levels and areas of the county. In order for a student to make a gift request, at least one of the parents must be working or legitimately trying to find work. Counselors at each school identify those who are in need and make recommendations for placement in the angel project if the students and their families meet the required guidelines.

Besides basic needs, counselors have also identified some additional “wish-list” items for their angels. Over 100 requests have been received for bicycles, both male and female, for all ages. Toys, board games, puzzles and books have also been requested.

The community can select an angel off the Angel Tree board in Building “B” of the LaFayette Educational Center, located behind Arby’s on Georgia Highway 85 in Fayetteville. All angel donations must be turned in to the LaFayette Educational Center by December 13 in order for them to be distributed to the students before they break for the semester.

Persons who would rather make a donation instead of sponsoring a particular child can do so by dropping off basic need items, non-perishable foods or gift cards at the front desk of Building “B” of the LaFayette Educational Center. These donations will help stock the holiday shopping center the last week before the semester break, giving school counselors an opportunity to shop for last minute needs for families who have just moved into the area or lost a job, got evicted, etc.

“This has been a huge success the past three years. We always have students who suddenly find themselves in need just before the holidays. Donations to the holiday shopping center are greatly appreciated so that we can help our students have a brighter holiday season,” says Spangler.

For questions about the CARE Angel Tree Project or directions to the LaFayette Educational Center, please contact Karen Spangler, 770-460-3990.

Fayette Holiday Helpers assist in fulfilling angel requests each year. Donations for the CARE Angel Tree Project can also be done through Fayette Holiday Helpers. Call 678-817-0004 or 770-487-9715 to make a donation.

------
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP

Fayette Schools and United Way Help Set a New World Record

A total of 3,000 Fayette students in grades kindergarten through fourth joined other students around the world on October 7 to read Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day.” By doing so, they were among the more than two million children who helped break a world record of the most people reading the same book.

Spearheaded by the United Way and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, the reading initiative brings together children and adults to read the same book, on the same day to emphasize the power of reading. Research shows that children who learn to read well at an early age will read more independently, achieve more in math, social studies and science; and are more likely to graduate from high school and pursue higher education.

The United Way of Fayette and Coweta Counties presented the school system with a certificate of recognition for students’ participation in the worldwide event.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP

Volunteers Needed at Gracie's Closet

Gracie’s Closet, the clothing and supply resource center of Fayette Youth Protection Homes, Inc. (FYPH), needs volunteers to organize and distribute clothing and other items to children living in foster homes on the south side of metro Atlanta. Volunteer duties include sorting clothing donations and assisting foster children when they “shop” for items in the store. If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a child and can commit to volunteering on a weekly or monthly basis, please contact Becky Davenport at 770-461-7020. Gracie’s Closet is located at 101 Devant St, Suite 502, Fayetteville, Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Additional information about Gracie’s closet is available at the organization’s website at www.fyph.org or by visiting Fayette Youth Protection Homes on Facebook.

PTC First Presbyterian VBS Registration Ends June 13

The First Presbyterian Church of Peachtree City invites all gradeschool children to an exciting week of discovery at the SonQuest Rainforest Vacation Bible School June 21-25.  Be sure to register by June 13 for this delightful experience the children will love.

To register, click on www.firstpresptc.com and go to the Events tab.  For more information, please call the church office at 770-487-7757.

The VBS discovery takes place:
June 21-25
9 am - 12 pm
First Presbyterian Church
206 Willow Bend Rd
Peachtree City

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Special Valentine Baskets Bring Hope and Love

Barbara Anderson from the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church takes the Valentine basket list from Karen Spangler, CARE coordinator for the school system.

Thanks to the generosity of the Fayette community, many students and their families in need were able to have a happier holiday season through donations made to the Fayette County Public School System’s CARE (Children at Risk in Education) program.

Although the holidays are over, the needs of students and their families continue. CARE works all year to help students and their families that are struggling financially by providing assistance with after school care, tutoring, eyeglasses, extra curricular activity fees, clothing and other items and services needed to help children succeed in school.

CARE relies on donations and assistance from the community to help meet the needs of students and their families. For last several years, the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church has provided Valentine Baskets for needy school families.

“We know that everyone hops on board for Thanksgiving and Christmas to help those in need, but what about the rest of the year? Students and their families are in need after the holidays too so we chose Valentine’s Day to keep the assistance going,” says Barbara Anderson who heads up the basket activity at the church.

The baskets include perishable and nonperishable food items as well as small gifts like socks, underwear, toys and books. This year the church is supplying baskets for 30 families.

“We are just so grateful to all of the churches and organizations that want to partner with CARE to help our students throughout the year. We don’t want our families to feel that they have been forgotten now that the holidays are over. We know their struggles continue, and with the help of organizations like the Prince of Peace Lutheran Churh, we will continue to provide assistance where we can,” says Karen Spangler, CARE coordinator for the school system.

Churches, organizations and individuals are invited to work with CARE throughout the year to help the school system’s needy students and families. For more information about CARE or how to get involved, contact Spangler at 770-460-3535, ext. 120.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage

Fayette County School System and Fayette Holiday Helpers Thank Community for Generosity

CARE coordinator Karen Spangler (far left) and her assistant Diann Ferrante (far right) thank Fayette Holiday Helpers members Helen Rickman, Sandy Hogan, Dale Bettis and Janet Prescott for their assistance with the 2009 Angel Tree project.

Thanks to the generosity of the Fayette County community, assistance from Fayette Holiday Helpers and employees of the Fayette County Public School System, all angels on the CARE (Children at Risk in Education) Angel Tree will have their wishes granted and then some.

Hundreds of angels, representing students and their families who are in need, were part of this year’s Angel Tree project. Counselors at each school identified students who met the special requirements mandatory for inclusion: all adults in the household must be working or legitimately trying to find work, and the family’s combined income is not sufficient to make ends meet.

Angel requests are non-traditional and include basic need items such as clothing, blankets, space heaters, toiletries, and laundry detergent. While priority is given to meeting the basic need requests, donors do not stop there. Generally, they make sure that angels are also given some non-requested, fun items such as toys, bicycles and games.

“We couldn’t do this each year without the generosity of our community and organizations like Fayette Holiday Helpers. Thanks to all of the donations from churches, businesses, civic organizations and individuals, many children and their families will have a merrier holiday season. I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for making these angel wishes come true,” says Karen Spangler, the school system’s CARE coordinator.

Although the Angel Tree project is seasonal, the needs for students and their families are not. The CARE program assists those in need all year long by helping with After School Program tuition scholarships, extra curricular program fees, and various activity dues so that all students can feel a sense of inclusion and take full advantage of their school experiences. To make a donation, contact Spangler at spangler.karen@fcboe.org or call 770-460-3990.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Transition Fair for Fayette and Coweta County Students with Disabilities January 13

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a time of anticipation, excitement, confusion and anxiety for students of all backgrounds and abilities. These emotions are often amplified for families of students with disabilities.

Special education students and their families sometimes face challenges in identifying resources in the community that can help them meet their needs and achieve their goals after graduation. That is why the Fayette County School System’s Exceptional Children’s Department and Exceptional Ops are hosting a Transition Fair called Building Alliances at McIntosh High on January 13 from 7-9 p.m.

Admission to the fair is free and open to students with disabilities and their families from both Coweta and Fayette counties.

The purpose of the fair is to provide information about services that are available in the community. Coweta and Fayette organizations that provide services for students with disabilities, whether they are still in school or transitioning out, will be on hand to discuss the assistance they offer and how they can help meet the various needs of disabled students and adults. Support and advocacy groups, employment preparation, vocational rehabilitation, supported living agencies, tutoring and recreation are a few examples of the services that will be exhibited.

All attendees will receive a booklet listing service providers in the area. For more information about the fair, contact the Fayette County School System’s Exceptional Children’s Department, 770-460-1309.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Fayette County Art Students Create Memories for Orphaned Children

Advanced high school art students and teachers from throughout the Fayette County School System are creating lifelong keepsakes for orphaned children in Ecuador.

A total of 35 students and teachers are participating in the Memory Project, a nationwide initiative in which advanced art students create original portraits for children living in orphanages around the world.

Given that children who have been abandoned, orphaned, abused or neglected usually have few personal keepsakes, the purpose of the portraits is to provide them with a special memory of their youth, to honor their heritage and identity and help them build a positive self-image. The project also provides an opportunity for the high school students to open their hearts to children who have endured many hardships and to promote the value of sharing kindness with others.

Here’s how the project works. Art students receive pictures of children who are waiting for portraits and then work in their art classes to create the portraits. Once finished, the Memory Project organization delivers the portraits to the children and then the children are invited to create drawings or write letters to send back to the art students.

Although the program is for advanced high school art students, the county’s art teachers decided to participate in an effort to put a spotlight on the school system’s visual arts program.

“One of our art teachers heard about the project and sent me the information. This seemed like the perfect venue to promote visual art in Fayette County while simultaneously doing something good for underprivileged children around the world,” says Melissa Raymer, Fayette County’s visual art contact.

The portraits created by the students and teachers will go to children in orphanages in the cities of Quito and Cuenca, Ecuador. Before the artwork is sent, the portraits will be galleried in the media center of Fayette County High for one week starting December 2.

Both students and teachers say that participating in the project has deepened their appreciation for the people they have in their lives and has taught them that the best gift they can give is of their time and talent.

“Fayette County High School students and I felt the project was a rewarding experience in that we gave a little part of ourselves through our individual creativity to someone who we hope will cherish it, almost like a long-distance hug,” says Pamela Woodworth-Watkins, visual arts teacher at Fayette County High.

The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. This is the fourth year of operation and already more than 10,000 portraits have been produced by high school students around the country.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

The Avenue Supports Fayette County School System’s CARE Program

(L-R) School social worker Michelle Martin and CARE Coordinator Karen Spangler thank The Avenue Marketing Manager Kim Tanalgo-Minshew and The Avenue Peachtree City Merchant Relations Coordinator Lisa Hernandez for the latest donation to CARE.

A partnership between the Fayette County School System’s CARE (Children at Risk in Education) program and The Avenue Peachtree City has helped enrich the lives of students and their families who are in need.

Over a year ago, the shopping center teamed up with the CARE program by making it the beneficiary of all charitable contributions collected through programs hosted at The Avenue including Camp Avenue, Movies in the Park and Holiday at The Avenue. Although the programs are complimentary, patrons are asked to make a voluntary donation. CARE Coordinator Karen Spangler estimates that last year alone the shopping center raised over $3,000 for the program.

“We are very grateful to The Avenue for all that they have done to help our students in need. This is a great partnership that has helped bring attention to the CARE program and the fact that there are students and families in our schools who need assistance. Their support has helped to make many lives much better,” Spangler says.

The Avenue recently gave the CARE program $565 that was raised through Movies in the Park and one Camp Avenue session, along with a box of donated school supplies. The monetary donation will be used to fund After School Program (ASP) scholarships for working families who cannot afford the tuition. The school supplies will be made available to students in need at various schools. Spangler estimates that the money raised will fund approximately three ASP scholarships.

“This is very important in that it can mean the difference between a student being able to stay with his or her family or being placed in foster care,” Spangler says.

School social worker Michelle Martin knows first-hand the positive impact the CARE program has on students. That is why she answered a call from Spangler last month for volunteers to help with Movies in the Park.

“I popped popcorn and enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve had students who have been impacted by the CARE program and this was a way for me to give something back,” Martin says.

The CARE program is unique in that all proceeds go toward helping needy students. The program carefully screens students and their families who receive assistance; no money is ever given directly to parents or students. To qualify for assistance, all adults in the household must be employed but unable to meet the needs for which they are requesting assistance.

“I think this is what sets us apart from other programs. We don’t just hand money over. Families have to prove that they are trying but are unable to make ends meet. We constantly monitor those who receive assistance to see if their situation has changed,” Spangler explains.

The Avenue’s next program benefitting CARE will be Holiday at The Avenue every Sunday November 30-December 21 from 1-6 p.m.. There will be complimentary carriage rides and photos with Santa, and in exchange, participants will be asked to make a donation to CARE.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Five Easy Tips to Take Halloween Photos Worth Sharing

(ARA) – It’s the time of the year when costume party and trick-or-treating memories are made, but are you taking the best photos to share with friends and family? If you feel like an amateur behind the lens and your pictures stay trapped on your camera, these tips will help you take photos you’ll be proud to share with others.

Here are five cool tricks to make your photos a treat:

Tip 1: Use the flash indoors and out
For the best outcome, always use the flash when taking photos outdoors. The flash will lighten the shadows on the subject’s face caused by the sun. This applies to photos taken outside – no matter what the season.

Tip 2: Take plenty of candid shots to capture the real magic
Take a combination of posed and candid shots to capture the spirit of Halloween. Record meaningful moments such as your family trick-or-treating or children carving a jack-o’-lantern. Try following a child and capturing candid shots at their height-level. Don’t be shy in snapping the shutter; taking several photos will make sure you catch the magic of the evening.

Tip 3: Practice the rule of thirds
Add personality and balance to your photos by dividing the frame into three equal parts. Imagine two imaginary horizontal and two vertical lines in your viewfinder. Some cameras offer a setting to automatically place these lines to make it easier. Position the subject at one of the four points where the lines intersect. Composing your shot using this rule of thumb will create a nicely-balanced, eye-pleasing photo.

Tip 4: Make photo sharing effortless by adding wireless to the camera you already own
Imagine sharing photos of your favorite Halloween moment before you even hand out the last fistful of candy. By using Eye-Fi’s wireless SD memory card, you can turn the camera you already own into a wireless camera. Eye-Fi will automatically upload photos from your camera to your home computer and favorite online photo sharing site like Shutterfly or Kodak Gallery. Plus, storing photos online will keep them safe in case you lose your photo albums in a fire or if your computer is ever stolen or infected by a virus.

Tip 5: Organize your photos with “geotagging”
Geotagging, or adding a “tag” to your photo with the location of where it was taken, helps keep your images organized within your online photo sharing site. As photo memories accumulate within your gallery, you can organize them by location and provide context that will last for years to come. The Eye-Fi Explore wireless memory card automatically tags photos with location information, eliminating the time and hassle of manually doing it yourself. You can also use this information to help plot your photos on a map to record your Halloween travels.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
GeorgiaFrontPage

PTC First Presbyterian Kids Climb The Wall in Faith

The Peachtree City First Presbyterian Church held its Back 2 School Bash August 17th for all school age kids. Over 175 children turned out for rock climbing, waffles, and worship time. Joining in on the fun were the Clowns of New Hope and Waffle House, who donated a full waffle breakfast for the youth. Director of Discipleship Jake Dukes said, "We had a lot of fun this weekend celebrating our faith and praising the Lord." For more information on upcoming youth programs, visit www.firstpresptc.com



-----
Fayette Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone