GAINESVILLE - One of only six public schools selected statewide, Centennial Arts Academy Wednesday welcomed some 70 visitors as part of the 17th Annual Bus Trip Across Georgia.
The yearly tour is coordinated by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Dr. Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership, said in a statement earlier this week that Centennial was selected from among dozens of applicants mainly because the school is instrumental in using arts across the curriculum.
"What they are doing is certainly getting results," commented Dolinger. "They have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for eight consecutive years and are exceeding state averages in every standardized test score category. This is a good news story."
Centennial students awaited the arrival of the visitors around noon today, waving the two busloads of passengers onto the campus. Once inside, visitors got a chance to spend time in the classrooms, visiting with students and teachers.
"The visitors are going to see the children actually learning through the arts," said Millie Corder, Centennial's Character Education Coordinator. "The teachers are going to show exactly how they use the arts to teach in the regular classroom, to teach the regular curriculum."
Corder also pointed out that Centennial Arts Academy was named a National School of Character in 2006, one of only 10 schools nationwide to achieve the honor.
The other five Georgia public schools on the 2009 bus tour are Unity Elementary School in LaGrange; W.L. Parks Middle School in Atlanta; Amana Academy in Alpharetta; Morgan County High School in Madison; and Georgia College Early College program at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville.
More than 230 schools have been showcased since the tour's inception in 1993. Visitors on the tour typically include leaders in education, business and government from across Georgia.
Tuesday
May 7th, 2024
7:53PM
