Page 1
Georgia Career Academies Project
Athens Community Career Academy
Quarterly Report
April – June 2012
Mission and Goals
The mission of the Athens Community Career academy is to provide expansive opportunities for students to achieve
educational and career goals while meeting local and regional workforce needs.
Partnerships
We continue to partner with Athens Technical College and the University of Georgia. Together with Athens Technical
College, we have produced a wonderful curriculum for the Tools for College Success class. This class is taught at the
Career Academy as well at both high schools.
In continuing our partnership with the University of Georgia, we have provided Dr. Paul DeLargy office space at the
Career Academy. He works with the Georgia Real Enterprises promoting entrepreneurship across Georgia. Dr.
DeLargy has arranged with every dean but one of UGA’s colleges for coordinators who will be working with our
students through UGA interns to implement our student-run businesses, a coffee shop and a gift shop. Each business
will be involved in international trading, the local economy, and the school community.
We have been working all quarter on producing the schedule of college classes for the upcoming 2012-2013 school
year. Athens Technical College will be offering the following core college classes at the Career Academy: HIST 2111, US
History I; HIST 2112, US History II; ENG 1101, Composition & Rhetoric; ENG 1102, Literature & Composition; PSYC
1101, Intro to Psychology; MATH 1111, College Algebra; and CHEM 1151 & 1151 Lab. Athens Technical College also
will be offering COMP 1000, Intro to Computers, a college level class that fits into many of the pathways. In addition,
Athens Technical College will be offering the following college classes that lead to a certificate or diploma: ALHS 1040,
Intro to Health Lab; ALHS 1090, Medical Term/Allied Health; ECCE 1101, Intro to Early Childhood Care & Ed.; ECCE
1103, Child Growth & Development; ECCE 1105, Health, Safety, & Nutrition; HRTM 1100, Intro Hotel, Rest., & Tourism;
HRTM 1130, Bus. Et. & Comm.; MKTG 1100, Principles of Marketing; CRJU 1010, Intro to Criminal Justice; CRJU 1030,
Corrections; and BUSN 1100, Intro to Keyboarding. We have completed the curriculum for our high school articulation
agreements.
Budget
The school system received a $5,000 planning grant from the Georgia Department of Education. From the Technical
College System of Georgia, Athens Technical College received $2.9 million for construction of a building to house the
Athens Community Career Academy on school district property. Of the $2.9 million, $150,000 has been set aside for
operating expenses for the first year. Those startup funds have been utilized to pay for publication materials, hire
staff, cover start-up costs of supplies, and purchase equipment for each of the pathways to include Law and Justice,
Drafting, and a Media Center. We have been awarded $225,000 in vocational capital improvement bond funds from
the Georgia Department of Education for curricular equipment in our broadcast video/music lab, information
technology lab, business lab, and health occupations lab. Additional Perkins and local CTAE funding in the amount of
at least $50,000.00 will be used for additional curricular equipment, materials, software, and supplies for the first year
of operation, with additional funds to be allocated in subsequent years.
Page 2
Governance & Leadership
Following is a list of members of the governance board.
Governance Board: Members
Dexter Fisher
Chuck Jones,
Carol Rayburn-Cofer
Kevin Thigpen,
Deborah Bambo Lonon
David Matheny
Tom Gausvik
Dr. Phil Lanoue
Dr. Flora Tydings
Dr. Lynn Johns
Katy O’Neal Arrowood
UGA Physical Plant, Service Dept. Director
Athens Convention & Business Bureau, Director
NE GA Regional Commission, Director
ARMC, VP Human Resources
Clarke Central H.S .Parent
Armentrout, Matheny, Thurmond, PC (Architect)
UGA Human Resources
Superintendent, CCSD
President Athens Tech
CTAE Director, CCSD Ex-officio- voting
CEO
During the April meeting of the Governance Board, Katy O’Neal Arrowood resigned her position from the board due to
being named the new CEO of the Career Academy. This position was changed in the by-laws and now falls under
Athens Technical College instead of the Clarke County School District. Dr. Lynn Johns remains at the Career Academy
as the Director of CTAE for the CCSD as well as Director of the high school side of the Career Academy. Katy and Lynn
spent much time together during this quarter planning for the new school year and building a strong team.
The Governance Board did not meet during the summer months; next meeting is set for 8/28/2012.
Page 3
Timelines
The ACCA is preparing for our biggest fall semester yet! We currently have 125 students enrolled in high school classes,
many which will articulate into our Intro Classes for many of the certificate and diploma pathways. We currently have
120 students enrolled in college classes for the fall; giving us a total of almost 250 students. This number will change,
as we have begun to gain much interest in the community.
Career & College Focus
The main focus of the Career Academy is College & Career success. We have 120 students who have passed the
COMPASS exam and are enrolled in college courses. Some of these students are first seeking a certificate or diploma as
part of their path to success, and others are in core college classes. Each student enrolled at the Career Academy will
meet with an advisor and map out their college plan.
We are also in the beginning stages of locating a College & Career Success Center in the Career Academy. The Georgia
Department of Labor is providing career planning information, and most all of the colleges and universities in Georgia
have recruitment material that will be displayed. In addition, the Athens Rotary Club is donating a Success Library for
use in this center. Each Rotarian is bringing their favorite book on success; students will be encouraged to use the
library as well as the other information available within this success center.
Grade Levels
Students will be able to attend the Career Academy once they have turned 16 years old and taken the COMPASS exam.
Depending on their scores and their interest, the student then has the opportunity to enroll in classes at the Career
Academy. Most students will be juniors and seniors, though some older sophomores will be able to attend.
Enrollment & Student Focus
The recruitment plan has included many meetings within the high schools, as well as tours of the Career
Academy. This summer we will be touring all of the high school teachers in Clarke County, and we took the
CCSD teachers from the Career Academy on a tour of the new Life Sciences building at Athens Technical
College.
We will continue to offer opportunities to educate students, their families, and the high school staffs on the
benefits of the Career Academy. This school year we will host all freshman and sophomores on a tour and
explanation of the programs at the Career Academy, and then a few days later we will host an Open House
for the parents of these students.
Student Support
We will share counseling services with Classic City High School which is on the same campus. All students will
participate in the Teachers as Advisement Program either at their home school. Students with special needs will be
identified and monitored for success. The CTI Coordinator at Clarke Central High School is available to assist students
when needed.
Each student taking college classes at the Career Academy will be meeting with Mrs. Tracie McGhee our high school to
college advisor. Mrs. McGhee will make sure that each student has an individual plan and is on the pathway to
completion of that plan before graduation.
Standards & Curriculum
All standards for courses in the Career Academy are based on Georgia Performance Standards. As a district, our
instructional design system is built around a common framework for instruction. Both high school level and college
courses will meet all the standards set forth by the state of Georgia, accreditation bodies, as well as national
standards.
Page 4
Structure
With both Athens Technical College and the University of Georgia having office space, teaching classes, and providing
support/training as well as having space for community partners, we are planning to create a collegiate, professional
environment. Professional Dress or “Dress for Success” will be promoted daily, with a special emphasis on
Wednesdays. The entire campus has an expectation of collegiate success through hard work and mature, well thought
out planning. The Career Academy has embraced the history of the school in which the program is located. We even
took the old school mascot, Yellow Jackets, and incorporated it into our theme for the year: “There’s a new jacket in
town, and it’s called success!”
Faculty & Staff
Dr. Lynn Johns is the Director of the high school portion of the Career Academy and Katy O’Neal Arrowood is the
Director of the college portion of the Career Academy. They have spent countless hours together over this quarter
planning and preparing for the upcoming school year. They attended the GACTE conference together, and have
attended many Leadership Development trainings through the Clarke County School District.
The CCSD will be providing highly qualified, certified teachers for the high school classes, and ATC will be provided
experienced professors for the college classes.
Evaluation
The Career Academy is set to begin classes on August 8, 2012 with 120 students accepted into the college classes, and a
total student body of approximately 245 students. With a clear plan of continuing to educate the students, parents,
and high school faculty, staff, and administration about the benefits of the Career Academy, we are confident that the
enrollment will continue to grow each semester.
Need
It would be helpful to have a Career Academy CEO consortium.
Cycle of Improvement
The main area of improvement at this time is the communication and the education of the students, parents, and CCSD
faculty and staff. With improved communication and more knowledge about the Career Academy and its offerings, we
have already noticed the improved relationships and how this all works together to benefit the students.
Charter School Law
On March 31, 2009, we were granted charter status to operate a charter school for a five-year term beginning on July
1, 2010. The charter was renewed and extended until June 30, 2013.