This Week at DSA, April 6, 2015

This week at DSA

April 6-10 ​DSA Offices closed due to Spring Break

​Rest, relax, have fun!

Upcoming

April 14 DSA School Council 4 pm

April 15 Posting Deadline for 13.5 Week Grades

April 17 13.5 Week progress reports go home

April 21-23 End of Grade Assessments – 8th Grade Georgia Milestones*

April 22 ​Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences 4-6 pm

April 28- 29 End of Grade Assessment – 8th Grade Georgia Milestones*

*Assessment participation of 100% is expected. Students must arrive on time, well fed, and rested!

Updates and Reminders

Each year, students in grade 8-11 undergo what we call at DSA “Arts Reviews.” Each student meets with the arts staff to review their progress at DSA. Grades, production credits, artistic development, and future goals are discussed. This is also an opportunity for students to express their artistic development wants and desires. Arts Reviews will happen over the course of 2 weeks ( April 13-April 24).

The final Parent/Teacher/Student conference night of the year is April 22. Sign-up for conferences will begin at 3:20 in the upper lobby. If you are not able to see a particular teacher or make it to DSA on this night, please feel free to schedule a phone or in-person conference with teacher(s) as needed.

The last six weeks of the school year are going to fly by! Students must work diligently to turn in all work on time, prepare in advance for tests (teacher and state assessments), and stay focused on their main job: being a student. Parents, please support your student in making sure they arrive at school on time, are picked up on times (by 4 pm for most students), and that you help them monitor their academic and artistic achievement through the parent portal and communications sent home.

Yearbook Forever

There’s a great new way to show our school spirit! On Walsworth Yearbook’s new site, you can buy this year’s yearbook. I showed my school spirit, and you should too. Just go to the website and have fun!
Read more…

PTSA update: Nominees for 2015-2016 PTSA Officers

President: Jennifer Boyanton

My name is Jennifer Boyanton. I would like to be the President of the PTSA for DeKalb School of the Arts for the 2015-2016 school year because I would like to give back to this wonderful establishment! My background is in visual arts, as well as education.

For several years I ran a successful small business making decorative glassware and my work was sold in AmericasMart. I also painted murals and furniture, which I still do on rare occasion. I taught preschool through 6th grade Art at St. Timothy School in Stone Mountain for 6 years. For three years I was in charge of the student art work for the Evansdale Education Foundation Auction. I was in charge of the Mandarin Kindergarten art projects for the GLOBE Academy auction last year, and this year I was in charge of the Mandarin First Grade art projects.

I am a stay at home mom. My husband, JC, and I have been married almost 19 years. Our son Jack has been at DSA since 8th grade, and he is a rising senior. Our daughter Eliza just received her acceptance letter for 8th grade at DSA for next year. Our son Truman is in first grade at GLOBE Academy.

Secretary: Alan Wilson

Born in Tucker, Ga. Graduate of Henderson High School Class of 1974.

Currently employed by Emtec Inc, Suwanee Ga as a Senior Systems Engineer working as an IT consultant for Gwinnett County Public School system for the last 17 years.Over 30 year career as IT professional with experience across multiple aspects of IT: project management, security, deployments, software testing, disaster recovery and network migrations in manufacturing, insurance, and education industry sectors. Proven leadership in technical projects with a focus on business goals, establishing strong customer relationships and producing successful, profitable results. Responsibilities include providing day-to-day vendor, team and customer direction, project planning and management, implementation, and end of project documentation. Effective management skills that optimize productivity and resources by identifying improvement opportunities and implementing successful corrective actions.

Served actively in various community group leadership positions with experience in procedures and policies.

Trustees Chairman/CEO for Kingswood United Methodist Church, Dunwoody Ga.

Boy Scouts of America: Former Charter Organizational Representative Troop 477 Dunwoody, Ga

Girl Scouts of America: Former Brownie Troop Camp Leader

Former President, Kingsley Racquet & Swim Club, Dunwoody, Ga.

Vice President: Phillip Polk

I have PTSA experience from three schools in DeKalb county ranging from elementary to high school. I have served in various capacities from committee appointments to officer posts. As a leader in a volunteer capacity, I believe that communication, delegation and adherence to process, structure and rules is key to working in a volunteer environment. I am a strong communicator and manager who believes in giving people the latitude to do their tasks while I, as a leader, provide support, remove obstacles, and set strategic direction.

Below you will find what I hope to be relevant background information highlighting some of my past community experience, most specifically, my experience in school related, volunteer positions of leadership. I understand that working with parents, teachers, school and DCSS administrators and our students can sometimes only be described as a “labor of love” but it is a noble and worthwhile labor.

Profile:

Parent of an 8th grader (Nile Polk); 1st year DSA parent

Executive Vice President/General Manager of PM3; an advertising agency headquartered in Atlanta

Married to Nora Polk; father of 2 sons (other son is a 12th grader at Southwest DeKalb High School)

Resident of DeKalb County for 16 years

Marketing professional for past 19 years with extensive background in general marketing, communications, media, advertising, other marketing related disciplines

Related Community/Volunteer Organizational Experience

Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers PTSA President 2011 – 2013

Chapel Hill Middle School (DeKalb County) PTSA VP 2010 – 2011

Southwest DeKalb High School (DeKalb County) PTSA VP 2013 – 2014

Kappa Alpha Psi (Decatur Alumnae Chapter) Member 2000 – 2015

Vice President: Courtney Sanders

My name is Courtney Sanders. I am running for PTSA Vice President for the 2015-16 school year and hope to be able to have a positive impact on the school community. I am the mother of four (25, 21 and 14 year old twins). One of my twin sons is a current 8th grade student here at DSA. I am a graduate of Emory University and am a corporate paralegal by profession. For the past 9 years I have held various volunteer roles on the youth basketball league at my church. This past season, I served as the assistant director and was responsible for community outreach, advertising and registration. I also volunteer at my other twin’s school and am currently completing the second year of a two-year stint on the school’s marketing committee. The marketing committee has been responsible for making the school visible in the community and revamping the marketing materials used to recruit new families. We developed a multi-year program to increase attrition, revamped the school’s website, attended community events, conducted open-house sessions and enhanced “shadow day” activities for potential students and their families. In years past I have also served on my homeowners

association’s board and volunteered in alumni functions at Emory. In this first year of our time at DSA, I have done volunteer hours as back stage security and concession stand attendant for several shows. While those positions are necessary and helpful to the school, I am interested in getting more involved in DSA from the inside. I believe that a fully functioning PTSA organization has a lot of insight into what makes a school run well, it helps keep the families informed, connected and committed, and can serve as a valuable resource for the teachers and administration.

Treasurer: Emily Ayers
Current Treasurer, continuing on for 2015-2016 school year.

Help Needed

DSA is in urgent need of donation(s) of 3 microwaves for student use in the cafeteria. 800-900 watt units work best to not overload electrical system. Please contact Mrs. McCauley if you can help us out with this.​