Education
- Created on 01 January 2013
Researchers Find Link Between Childhood Physical Abuse and Asthma in African Americans
Researchers have made a connection between childhood abuse suffered by African-American women and asthma which develops later in their lives.
As part of the Black Women's Health Study at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, conducted from 1995 to 2011, a total of 28,456 women gave information on physical and sexual abuse suffered before age 11, as well as between the ages of 12 and 18.
The study found that an African-American woman who suffered abuse as a child saw her chances of developing asthma later in life increase 20 percent.
The link between physical abuse and asthma was stronger than that seen between sexual abuse and asthma, researchers said. Physical abuse includes actions intended to injure a child, while sexual abuse includes actions intended for the gratification of the abuser.
- Created on 31 December 2012
Atlanta Heights Charter School Wins Eagle Award
Atlanta Heights Charter School was presented with an Eagle Award from National Heritage Academies (NHA), a national charter school management company. Eagle Awards are designed to recognize high performing schools in a number of categories. This is the 12th year NHA honored its top performing schools with Eagle Awards.
NHA evaluates schools for an Eagle Award through eight categories, they include: Employee Engagement, Parent Satisfaction, Enrollment and Attrition, State Accountability, Academic Growth, Taking Flight, Soaring to New Heights, and School of the Year.
Atlanta Heights earned an Eagle Award for Employee Engagement. National Heritage Academies Schools that receive an Eagle Award in Employee Engagement demonstrate that at least 75 percent of employees are engaged, based on specific measures. Engaged employees exert extra time and effort toward the betterment of our students and, in turn, feel appreciated for their efforts.
"The Employee Engagement Eagle Award means that our faculty is vetted and committed to working together to create a positive workplace where teaching and learning is the focus of our community, " said Melissa Jones Clarke, principal Atlanta Heights Charter School. "For our staff, teaching and working with the students to help them learn and grow isn't just a job, it is their passion, and I am proud of each of them.
"Our parents and students take pride in securing a seat at Atlanta Heights, and now they are able to add another badge of
honor when they speak of the great things occurring at Atlanta Heights Charter School."
NHA's system of schools is designed to eliminate achievement gaps and provide school choice to families, with the clear objective of preparing children for success in high school, college and beyond. For the 2012-2013 school year, NHA is serving nearly 48,000 students in 74 schools in nine states.
- Created on 19 December 2012
The Next Einstein is Black
Amidst a sea of smiles and tears, Southern University-Baton Rouge graduated more than 500 new alumni on Friday, sending them off into hopeful futures as professionals and soon-to-be graduate students.
Among them: Polite Stewart, a cum laude graduate out of the university's Department of Physics, who would love nothing more than to have most people regard him for who he is — a rising star in the physics research field.
- Created on 31 December 2012
Artist, Civil Rights Activist's Papers at Woodruff Library
The family papers of artist and civil rights activist Edwin Harleston are fully processed and open to researchers and the public at Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL), located in the Robert W. Woodruff Library.
The Harleston papers join the rapidly expanding collections at MARBL from artists, art historians and art collectors such as Amalia Amaki, Benny Andrews, John Biggers, Camille Billops, Cedric Dover, Paul Jones, Samella Lewis and James A. Porter.
The Harleston collection consists of the papers of Edwin (1882-1931), an African-American portrait painter and sketch artist, and his wife, Elise (1891-1970), one of the first female African-American photographers. Among the correspondence are letters between Edwin and
W.E.B. Du Bois, his mentor and professor during his time at Atlanta University, and personal letters between Edwin and Elise.
- Created on 18 December 2012
DeKalb County School District Put on Probation
An accreditation agency has placed the DeKalb County School District on probation, citing long-term leadership issues after a six month investigation.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools found evidence of nepotism, fiscal mismanagement and school board members influencing which schools athletes chose to attend.
In a scathing 20 page report, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accuses DeKalb officials of engaging in bickering while letting district finances wither. Mark Elgart, president and chief executive officer of SACS parent company AdvancED, also said the district had allowed academic achievement to slip. The district will lose accreditation if it fails to address the concerns in the report by December 31, 2013, Elgart said.
DeKalb school board Chairman Eugene Walker said at news conference this week that he hadn't had time to "digest" the SACS report, but he promised school officials would work together to regain full accreditation. "We've not lost our accreditation, and we're not planning on losing our accreditation," Walker said.
DeKalb was already accredited "on advisement," having been dropped a notch from full accreditation by a prior SACS visit.
Although being reprimanded by SACS means the district will keep its accreditation, a new state law gives Gov. Nathan Deal the authority to replace the school board of districts that are placed on probation.
The Georgia Board of Education will also discuss the findings within 30 days, and will meet with DeKalb district officials before forwarding a recommendation to Gov. Deal for a final decision.
With over 98,000 students enrolled, the DeKalb County School District is the third largest in Georgia.
