Schools

Formula: Graduation rate soars among Georgia high school students

Submitted by Holly Pennebaker, Community Web Producer

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013, 8:20pm

Formula: Graduation rate soars among Georgia high school students

(WXIA) -- The number of students receiving diplomas is on a steady rise, as it jumped for a second time using a new formula.

For 2013, Matt Cardoza of the Georgia Department of Education reported, the graduation rate marked 67.4 percent in 2011, followed by 69.7 percent in 2012. The new way to figure the graduation rate is based on the adjusted cohort rate, which is required by the U.S. Department of Education.

The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student becomes a freshman, Cardoza said. The calculation takes the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for student transfers.

"I am very pleased that our graduation rate continues to increase, no matter how it is calculated," State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge said. "While our graduation rate is still far too low and we have much progress to be made, we are moving in the right direction."

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School is (almost!) out in DeKalb County

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, May 13th, 2013, 10:03am

School is (almost!) out in DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- The last day of school is fast approaching in metro Atlanta, with some districts dismissing as early as this week.

For DeKalb County Schools, the last day is Thursday, May 23.

Other last days of school in the Atlanta area include:

Thursday, May 16
Barrow County

Friday, May 17
Clarke County

Wednesday, May 22
Atlanta Public Schools (traditional)
Cherokee County
Gwinnett County

Thursday, May 23
Clayton County
Cobb County
Decatur City
Fulton County
Rockdale County

Friday, May 24
Bartow County
Buford City
Carroll County
Coweta County
Fayette County
Floyd County
Forsyth County
Griffin-Spalding County
Marietta City
Newton County
Paulding County

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GRAMMY-nominated engineer tours Emory

Submitted by Jen Farris, Culture Writer and Producer

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 7:56am

ATLANTA -- Three-time GRAMMY-nominated and longtime engineer/producer Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton believes that engineering a record for a musician is no different than servicing a client in any occupation. It’s all about listening to your audience. It’s all about delivering a quality product.

Young Guru at the GRAMMY U "Era of the Engineer" tour at Emory University (photo by Ben Rose)

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Poet Laureate named to honor society

Submitted by Associated Press

Monday, April 29th, 2013, 6:39am

ATLANTA -- U.S. Poet Laureate and Emory University faculty member Natasha Trethewey has been named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Emory announced the appointment this week. The 2013 class is set to be inducted at a ceremony on Oct. 12 at the Academy's headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.

Emory Provost Claire Sterk calls Trethewey a dedicated and gifted teacher.

Trethewey is the director of the university's creative writing program. She is also serving as the 19th Poet Laureate and is in residence through May 2013 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Trethewey is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection "Native Guard," which was published in 2006, as well as several other poetry collections and a book of creative nonfiction.

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Dalai Lama coming to Emory, Gwinnett

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013, 10:57am

ATLANTA -- His Holiness the Dalai Lama will return to metro Atlanta this fall for a series of events.

The Dalai Lama is a Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University and will be on campus Oct. 8-10.

He will also give a public talk at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Tuesday, Oct. 8, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The event will feature two lectures -- "The Pillars of Responsible Citizenship in the 21st Century Global Village," and a panel discussion called "Secular Ethics and Education."

Tickets go on sale this week and include admission to both talks. They can be purchased beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, Apr. 26.

To buy tickets, called the Arena at Gwinnett Center box office at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX or visit gwinnettcenter.com.

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Emory to hold Boston Marathon vigil

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013, 10:02am

ATLANTA -- The Emory University community will hold a vigil Wednesday for those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing.

The vigil will begin at 11 a.m. in Asbury Circle on campus.

Emory students will offer prayers from various religions beginning at noon.

University spokeswoman Beverly Cox Clark said no one from the Emory community has a connection to the victims of the explosions.

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DeKalb music official in running to lead FAMU marching band

Submitted by Associated Press

Monday, April 8th, 2013, 7:47am

DeKalb music official in running to lead FAMU marching band

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A DeKalb County Schools official is in the running to lead the famed marching band at Florida A&M University.

University officials say the search committee will meet Monday with two candidates for director of the Marching 100.

The two candidates are former Ohio University music professor Sylvester Young and Don Roberts, who is the instrumental music coordinator for DeKalb Schools.

In January, FAMU officials said they were starting over in their search for a new band director. They had planned to appoint Jorim Reid of North Carolina Central University, but they said Reid and the university disagreed over the duties of the band director.

The university changed the job following the hazing-related death of drum major Robert Champion.

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