Families

Ga. Connections Academy holding more information sessions

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012, 7:40am

Ga. Connections Academy holding more information sessions

ATLANTA -- Georgia Connections Academy, the state's first public virtual charter school, has planned more information sessions across the state.

The tuition-free school, which recently earned accolades from the parents of current students, is expanding from K-8 to K-12 for the 2012-13 school year.

"Good things are happening in public education, and we're proud to be a leader in the future of great schooling in our state," GACA principal Heather Robinson said in a statement. "We look forward to welcoming more elementary, middle and now high schoolers next year."

Enroll your child in Georgia Connections Academy

Information sessions in metro Atlanta include:

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, June 11th, 2012, 1:55pm

Ga. Connections Academy gets high marks from parents

ATLANTA -- Georgia Connections Academy has made the grade.

The state's first free virtual charter school received very positive feedback from the parents of its students during the 2011-12 school year.

Almost 90 percent of the parents who responded to a survey gave the school a grade of either A or B, and 92 percent they would recommend GACA to other parents. Eighty-five percent of parents said they were more satisfied with GACA than with their children's previous schools.

About 52 percent of the school's 610 families responded to the survey, according to GACA officials.

"Our parent satisfaction survey really illustrates our commitment to accountability," principal Heather Robinson said in a statement. "We value this parent feedback and use it to help make our virtual school program better. I am very pleased with the results, in particular the positive feedback about our teachers and the curriculum."

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Friday, June 1st, 2012, 11:34am

Smart Lunch, Smart Kid distribution sites

ATLANTA -- Do you want to help Action Ministries' Smart Lunch, Smart Kid summertime lunch program?

The program is always in need of several items, including:

* Sandwich bread
* Individual bags of chips, pretzels, cracker, trail mix, etc.
* Individual fresh fruit or bags of fruit snacks
* Water bottles and juice boxes
* Sliced cheese, ham and bologna
* Ziploc sandwich bags
* Brown paper lunch bags

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10 Ways to Prepare for an Emergency

Submitted by traceychristensen on Thursday, May 31st, 7:50 am

The official start of the hurricane season is Friday. Whether it's severe weather, fire, a lengthy power outage, evacuation, would you know what to do in any type of emergency?

To stay safe in an emergency, it is crucial to have a solid communication plan in place for you and your family. Read more from HealthWatchMD, powered by Piedmont, for our top tips for communicating in an emergency.

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As Students End School Year, Boys & Girls Clubs Offers Way to Fight “Summer Brain Drain"

Submitted by msleff on Monday, May 28th, 5:47 am

ATLANTA -- This month, millions of kids begin their summer breaks, looking forward to vacations, pool time and carefree days. But studies and experience show a lack of mental stimulation causes them to unlearn much of what they were taught over the school year. Boys & Girls Clubs across the country offer young people a safe, exciting place to spend their summer months, with staff and resources to fight the effects of this “Summer Brain Drain.”

The reality for today’s kids is that many will find themselves with few structured activities, caregivers who are working all day, and too much unsupervised television, video game and computer time.

President Touts Concerns Over Summer Learning

Also known as “summer learning loss” or the “summer slide,” this issue is a growing problem for American children. In 2010, President Obama noted, “Students are losing a lot of what they learn during the school year during the summer.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of America fight Summer Brain Drain by providing kids with fun, engaging learning activities all summer long.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, May 14th, 2012, 1:00pm

ATHENS, Ga. -- The last day of school is right around the corner for Clarke County students.

Public schools will dismiss for the summer on Wednesday, May 16.

The last days of school in other metro Atlanta districts are staggered throughout the second half of May. They include:

Thursday, May 17
Hall County

Friday, May 18
Bartow County
Clayton County
Fulton County

Tuesday, May 22
Atlanta Public Schools
Barrow County

Wednesday, May 23
Carroll County
Gwinnett County
Newton County

Thursday, May 24
Cobb County
Decatur City Schools
DeKalb County
Rockdale County

Friday, May 25
Buford City Schools
Cherokee County
Coweta County
Douglas County
Fayette County
Floyd County
Forsyth County
Henry County
Marietta City Schools
Paulding County

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Sunday, April 15th, 2012, 11:47am

Chick-fil-A to host mother-son 'Date Knight'

ATLANTA -- All of the Chick-fil-A restaurants in metro Atlanta will host a special mother-son Date Knight on Saturday, Apr. 28.

The Date Knight format will be similar to that of the franchise's massively popular Daddy-Daughter Date Nights. It will give mothers and sons a special chance to enjoy some quality time together.

The event will have a medieval theme, hence the "Knight" part of its title.

"One of Chick-fil-A's goals is to promote community connections and enrich the lives of everyone we come in contact with," Robin Lomax, Chick-fil-A area marketing director, said in a statement. "We understand the importance of mother-son relationships and want to encourage local moms to come to Chick-fil-A, enjoy their sons' company over a meal and have fun."

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