• Seventh-grade students on J.C. Booth Middle School's STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) cohort team landed in the champion's circle at their first SeaPerch Competition, at Georgia Tech last month. They competed against eight other middle schools in the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)-U.S. Navy STEM Summit and SeaPerch Competition. Competitors build an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from pre-cut kits that include PVC pipe, wire, small motors, film canisters, wax, switches, small propellers, and circuit board components. At the competition, robots had to complete a series of tasks followed by a race in the Georgia Tech pool. Teams also participated in a poster contest. The J.C. Booth Middle team won the overall competition, placed first in the poster contest, and third in the pool event. More than 140 students from six metro counties, including Cobb, Henry, Fayette, Gwinnett, Rockdale, and DeKalb, took part in the competition.
• Kennesaw State University has been recognized for excellence in faculty development by the Online Learning Consortium, a professional organization devoted to advancing quality online learning and founded in 1992 as the Sloan Consortium. Kennesaw State was honored with the "Excellence in Faculty Development" Award for the KSU Online Teaching Certification for its large-scale effectiveness, excellent use of quantitative data and its flexibility in offering faculty multiple ways to earn certification, according to the OLC. "Kennesaw State has created a culture of excellence in online teaching and learning, which is reflected in our faculty's high level of expertise, innovation, scholarship and continuous improvement and has positively impacted our students' learning in the online environment," said Elke Leeds, associate vice president of Technology Enhanced Learning at Kennesaw State. Nearly 450 faculty members teach Kennesaw State's 4,900 online courses for the fall semester. More than 15,000 students are taking online courses this semester. Kennesaw State's Distance Learning Center and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) collaborated to provide the universitywide faculty development training, which has been offered since 2007.
• Students at at Oak Grove Elementary in Fayette County recently put on their superhero capes to show their support for some fellow superheroes battling illnesses and diseases at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The hospital marked its 100th anniversary by encouraging everyone in metro -Atlanta to wear capes, then share photos of themselves at a special Twitter account, #CapeDayATL. School nurse Amber Causey received information about Cape Day from Children's Healthcare and planned and organized the event at Oak Grove. She says the entire school participated, and loved it. Amanda Wade, the hospital's public relations coordinator, said in an email to Causey, "What a truly humbling tribute to see kids supporting kids. We are big fans of Oak Grove."
• A special meeting is planned Oct. 26 at Riverwood International Charter School to give students, parents and Riverwood neighbors an opportunity to learn about the upcoming 26-classroom addition project. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the schoo, at 5900 Raider Drive in Sandy Springs. Representatives from Chapman Griffin Lanier Sussenbach Architects and Turner Construction will show the proposed design and discuss the construction timeline and how it will affect those who live nearby. The formal presentation will last approximately an hour but the project team will be available afterward to answer community questions. Demolition of the former Heards Ferry Elementary School, adjacent to Riverwood, is underway to allow for the school's expansion. Construction for the addition is expected to begin in December with its completion expected in summer 2017.
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