SCSC Newsletter
January 2022
Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative to Receive $4.1 Million from GEER II Fund
Happy New Year from the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC)! The SCSC is excited to announce that the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative was awarded a $4.1M grant from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II). Led by the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia (SCSF), the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative is a partnership between the SCSF, SCSC and Georgia Charter Schools Association to promote the replication, expansion and creation of high-quality charter schools in underserved communities. The grant will support the SCSC vision of innovative and superior charter schools advancing education in every community. More information will be available soon.


SCSC Welcomes Spring 2022 Interns

In addition, the SCSC welcomes a new cohort of interns for this Spring. Jacari Gill, a senior at Georgia Highlands College, is expected to receive his Associates of Arts this spring. He sees education as a crucial element to society’s well-being and values the innovative and instrumental role the SCSC performs within the state of Georgia. Daniel Glenn is a first-year master’s student of Public Policy at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. As a former classroom teacher, he is interested in learning about education from the unique perspective that the SCSC provides. Noah Hawkins is a fourth-year Political Science student at the University of Georgia and is expected to graduate this spring. He is interested in the unique strengths of the charter school movement and hopes to learn more about the evaluative and administrative duties of the SCSC.
SCSC Early Feedback Program

Applications for SCSC Early Feedback Program are now open. The SCSC Early Feedback Program provides an opportunity for start-up charter school petitioners to obtain clarification on SCSC’s expectations in order to make meaningful changes to their petitions prior to the April 15, 2022 submission deadline.

For additional details regarding the program, please refer to the Early Feedback Program Guide linked below. Applicants may request participation in the SCSC Early Feedback Program by submitting the enrollment form linked below by email to Kristen.Easterbrook@scsc.georgia.gov. The deadline for submitting an enrollment form is February 11, 2022, at 5:00 pm ET.

SCSC Meetings

The SCSC held its January board meeting on January 26, 2022. At the meeting, Executive Director Lauren Holcomb announced upcoming commissioner school visits for this Spring and shared the Governor's budget recommendations for the FY23 and amended FY 22 budgets. The Director of Research and Evaluation Katie Manthey presented the GaDOE achievement results for the 2020-2021 school year and reported on the adoption of the Principles and Standards for High-Quality Charter School Authorizers by the State Board of Education during their December 2021 meeting, as well as the partnership between the SCSC and the Georgia Department of Education to construct the plan for evaluating authorizers on these standards. Finally, Manthey was joined by Dr. Peter Bluestone and Nick Warner from the Center for State and Local Finance at Georgia State University to present the findings from the Economic Impact Study of Start-up Charter Schools. The link to the full report will be published on the SCSC website when available.

Additional updates were provided by Chief Operations Officer Morgan Felts, who shared the status of school audit submissions and announced the upcoming start to the SCSC's annual Request for Proposals for the FY22 Approved Auditor Program. Lastly, the SCSC Board approved the staff recommendation to amend D.E.L.T.A STEAM Academy’s attendance zone, as requested by the school.

The next SCSC monthly board meeting is scheduled for February 23, 2022, at 10 AM. A list of upcoming meetings for 2022 can be found on the meetings page of the SCSC website.

SCSC Trainings
Upcoming Trainings
Governance Training In-Person Session (Opportunity 2 of 3)

This year, the SCSC will be offering Governance Training opportunities in two parts. The first will be through a live, in-person session and the second will be a live session held virtually. The second in-person session will be held on February 9, 2022. In order to fully participate in SCSC training, board members should plan to attend one of the in-person session dates as well as one of the live virtual sessions.

Please visit the trainings page on the SCSC’s website for more details.
New School Orientation: Legal and Operational Requirements

The SCSC will host an in-person, half-day training to help new schools understand their legal and operational requirements. The training will be held on March 9, 2022.

Please visit the trainings page on the SCSC’s website for more details.

Past Trainings
The SCSC held its New School Orientation: Staffing and Recruitment Practices and the second virtual governance training of FY22. Please visit the Previous Training Presentations and Materials page to review the materials presented.
COVID-19 Isolation & Quarantine Guidance Updates

On December 30, 2021, the Department of Public Health issued a new Administrative Order for Public Health Control Measures. This updated Administrative Order contains new isolation and quarantine protocols that align with the CDC guidance issued December 27, 2021.

A brief summary of the new protocols follows below:

Isolation: Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, everyone (regardless of vaccination status) must:
  • Isolate at home for 5 days from the date symptoms first appeared or, if asymptomatic, the date of the positive test. Stay away from others in the household as much as possible during isolation.
  • After 5 days, if you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving and you have not had a fever for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may end isolation. If symptoms are not improving or fever has not resolved, you should continue isolating until these criteria are met. 
  • After ending isolation, you should continue to wear a mask around others for 5 days. 
Quarantine: If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you are
  • Boosted, or have become fully vaccinated within the last 6 months (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or within the last 2 months (J&J vaccine):
  • You do not need to quarantine at home. 
  • You should wear a mask around others for 10 days.
  • If possible, get tested on day 5.
  • If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results. 
  • Unvaccinated, or became fully vaccinated more than 6 months ago (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or more than 2 months ago (J&J vaccine) and have not received a booster:
  • You must quarantine at home for 5 days. After that, continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. 
  • If possible, get tested on day 5. 
  • If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
January 23 - 29, 2022
The week of January 23rd marked the eleventh annual celebration of National School Choice Week, where Americans across the country celebrate the successes of school choice and advocate for effective, high-quality K–12 education options in their communities. This year, Georgia state charter schools observed National School Choice Week by sharing the importance of school choice in K-12 education and the positive impact it has on their students and communities at large. Through activities, outreach and partnerships, state charters raised awareness of the diverse learning environments available to students and the empowerment of allowing families to choose the school that best fits their children's needs.
Amana West Atlanta Atlanta Groundbreaking
Executive Directors Ehab Jaleel and Amy Dosik hosted the groundbreaking for Amana Academy West Atlanta (Amana West) with the CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta in Mableton at the Girl Scouts’ Camp Timber Ridge, where the school will be located.

Jaleel and Dosik discussed Amana West's opening and the plans for the school to collaborate with the community and other schools in the area to promote equity and ensure that all students thrive.

Amana West is a replication of Amana Academy, located in North Fulton. The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta serve as the school’s landlord and as a partner for program creation and community engagement. Amana West is a K-8 STEM school currently enrolling grades K-3 for the 2022-2023 school year with plans to add a new grade each year.
Congratulations ACE GEMA
All-State Orchestra Participants
Academy for Classical Educations students Samantha Lee and Austin Carter have been selected to participate in the 2022 Georgia Music Educators Association's (GMEA) All-State Orchestra. Austin and Samantha are the only two students from the middle Georgia area to be selected for this event.

GMEA is one of fifty-one state affiliates of the National Association for Music Education, and the third-largest in the country. They promote the advancement of music education in Georgia through advocacy for additional provisions and funding of music programs in Georgia’s public and private schools as well as providing continuing education and professional growth opportunities for music teachers.

The GMEA All-State Orchestra will be held on March 3-5, 2022, at The Classic Center in Athens. Visit the GMEA site for more information.
100th Day of School Celebrations
Through the latter half of January, state charter schools celebrated the hundredth day of school in some fun and creative ways! Students and teachers celebrated being 100 days smarter by dressing up as older versions of themselves and showing off their new knowledge.
Grant Awarded to Establish the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative

Governor Kemp awarded $4.1 million from the GEER II fund to the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia and its partners, the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia and the Georgia Charter Schools Association. The funds will be used to establish the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative, which will support the launch of new, replicating, and expanding high-quality charter schools in underserved communities in Georgia. The initiative will focus on communities outside of Atlanta, providing technical assistance and grants to selected schools. More details on the Charter Growth Initiative will be available soon.

SCSF Team Experiences Educator
Support Program at Resurgence Hall
One of the SCSF's priorities for this year is to promote wellness at state charter schools in Georgia. Last week, members of the SCSF team visited Resurgence Hall in East Point to learn about their innovative Phoenix 360 Wellness program to provide support for their teachers and staff. The visit included a trip to the Wellness Spot, a woman-owned, Black-owned therapeutic spa that has been providing fitness, nutrition counseling, guided meditation, and spa services as a part of Phoenix 360. The visit was capped with a session on wellness and balance presented by Dr. RJ Verwayne, who has provided small group counseling and resilience training for the Resurgence Hall team. Phoenix 360 Wellness was made possible in part by a grant from the Charter School Growth Fund. Educators across the U.S. have indicated that stress is the main reason for leaving the profession, and the last three school years have presented overwhelming conditions for school teachers and staff. The SCSF is looking for investors to replicate and expand this initiative to other state charter schools. Please email mneely@scsfga.org for more information.
Important Scoliosis Screening Information

At this time, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) does not expect there to be a waiver for scoliosis screening for the 2021-2022 school year. This means scoliosis screening should proceed as it has in past years. Please continue to encourage families to utilize the new Form 4400 and decrease the need for mass screening in schools. Parents and caregivers can use Form 4400 to have their student screened or use it to opt-out of in-school screening.

Please feel free to reach out to Elin Brumbaugh RN, BSN, DPH Deputy Chief Nurse – School Health Elin.Brumbaugh@dph.ga.govif you have any questions or concerns regarding scoliosis screening for this school year.
Georgia Learns Professional Learning Platform

GaDOE's new statewide professional learning platform, Georgia Learns, is currently migrating courses from the current in-house Professional Learning (PL) application with complete migration planned for January 2022. Georgia Learns provides quality professional learning courses for LEA staff. Staff may access Professional Learning through the PL tab/file within SLDS. Read the instructions on how to access the PL courses
GaDOE Office of Whole Child Support Updates

SAVE THE DATE: 2022 Georgia School Safety & Homeland Security Conference
Make plans to join the Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency and the Georgia Department of Education Office of Whole Child Supports on June 21-23, 2022 for the 2022 Georgia School Safety & Homeland Security Conference. The conference will be held at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center and will feature sessions on a wide range of topics including cyber security and HB 156 Reporting, threat assessment training, social media threats and updates to the school safety plan template. Visit www.GASchoolSafety.com for registration and special hotel rates. Please contact Christopher Allen at Christopher.allen@gema.ga.gov if you have any questions.
Data Collections Update
FY22 Reporting Calendar & Upcoming
The State Charter Schools Commission’s (SCSC) FY22 Reporting Deadlines calendar is available on the SCSC website here. Please note that most deadlines are established by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and are subject to change. The SCSC makes every attempt to ensure that it maintains all dates as accurately as possible. However, all schools are encouraged to stay up to date on any changes to the timeline made by GaDOE. Any failure by a state charter school to meet deadlines established and enforced by the SCSC and GaDOE will be reflected in the school’s assessment through the SCSC Comprehensive Performance Framework. Please see below for important data collections cycles coming up.

Thursday, March 3, 2022 - Thursday, March 10, 2022
  • CPI Collections, Cycle 2
  • FTE Collections, Cycle 3
  • Student Class Collections, Cycle March
Funding & Professional Development Opportunities
GCSA Financial Management Certification Program 
 
Registration is now open for GCSA’s Financial Management Certification Program. Their spring cohort kicks off on Monday, February 28. This year’s program is offered virtually, and each course is split into two, four-hour sessions in the same week. GCSA will offer any courses that were missed during the fall 2021 semester.
 
GCSA's training is designed to build the expertise and knowledge of charter school leaders and board members who oversee school financial operations. However, registration is open to all interested charter school employees. GCSA’s rigorous program is tailored to address the unique financial issues facing charter schools. 
 
**Scholarships are available for state charter school participants.**
Free Yearlong Science of Reading Course on the Cox Campus

COX Campus has launched their latest free course in their K-3 Science of Reading series! This is part one of their K-3 Yearlong Learning Journey, a series focused on the practical application of the Science of Reading. A great resource and training course for educators and parents!
Federal Programs Update
FY23 Consolidated LEA Improvement Plan (CLIP) Webinar Series

The Georgia Department of Education is required to collect and approve plans that define how LEAs will support their students when accepting federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. The Consolidated LEA Improvement Plan (CLIP) is the annual plan that outlines how LEAs will coordinate these and other supplemental federal fund sources to meet identified student needs in the district.
 
The Office of Federal Programs will provide the four webinars to support the development of the FY23 CLIP. All LEAs should attend the overview webinar on February 3, 2022. LEAs should then attend sessions 2, 3, and/or 4 as applicable. See below for session info and registration details.

  • FY23 CLIP General Overview - Feb, 3,2022; 10:00 AM
  • FY23 SLDS Streamlined CLIP Application Walkthrough - Feb, 3,2022; 11:30 AM Registration Link
  • FY23 SLDS CLIP Online Application Walkthrough - Feb, 3,2022; 1:30 PM
  • Q&A for LEAs Consolidating Funds in Schoolwide Programs - Feb 11,2022; 1:00 PM

The FY23 CLIP application in the SLDS will open on March 1, 2022, and will be due on June 30, 2022.

Future event information and access can be found on the Year-at-a-Glance calendar.
Job Opportunities
State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia
The SCSC is seeking candidates for a Charter Development Program Coordinator and Administrative Assistant to join our team.
State Charter Schools Commission | scsc.georgia.gov
For real-time updates and announcements:
The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is a state-level, independent charter school authorizing entity. The SCSC has the power to approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, nonrenew, or terminate state charter school contracts in accordance with Georgia law.
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