We are most pleased to share absolutely outstanding news about two members of our Drew Family! Yesterday, at the 2019 Georgia Charter Schools Conference, Peter McKnight, our Senior Academy Principal, was named recipient of the Shoot for the Moon (Georgia Charter School Leader of the Year) Award, and Ms. Jasmine Dennard, second grade Elementary Academy teacher, was named recipient of the Reach for the Stars (Georgia Charter School Teacher of the Year) Award.
We are doubly exuberant that Mr. McKnight and Ms. Dennard were recognized for their exceptional excellence with the acclaimed distinction of world-class charter school leader and teacher of the year, respectively, by the Georgia Charter Schools Association. As award winners, both recipients were commended for continually going above and beyond the call of duty. We are energized to know that the phenomenal work of Drew leaders and teachers continues to be acknowledged and highlighted through the broader educational community.
Please join me in extending heartfelt congratulations to Mr. McKnight and Ms. Dennard on these most notable accomplishments!
To read more about these outstanding award recipients, click here.
Don Doran
Head of School
Drew Charter School
Drew Charter School is pleased to announce the official renaming of East Lake Boulevard to Eva Davis Way. Atlanta City Council recently approved this street name change in celebration of the legacy of Ms. Eva Davis, a staunch East Lake Community advocate and resident, whose tireless work forever changed the face of the East Lake Community. A street dedication ceremony honoring Ms. Eva Davis occurred earlier today at the Villages of East Lake.
We invite you to read more about Ms. Davis and her monumental impact on the East Lake Community by clicking here.
As a result of this street renaming, Drew Charter’s new address will be 301 Eva Davis Way and 300 Eva Davis Way, respectively, for the Elementary and Junior/Senior Academies.
We join the East Lake Community in celebrating the remarkable life of Ms. Davis!
September 24, 2018
Drew Charter School’s Board of Directors announced at today’s board meeting that Drew’s Head of School Mr. Don Doran will be retiring at the end of the 2018 – 2019 School Year. This comes after ten years of service to Drew Charter School and the East Lake Community and a long career in education with Atlanta Public Schools that spans 33 years, serving in several capacities including Teacher, Principal and Executive Director. Under his leadership at Drew Charter School, the school has expanded to two campuses, faculty and student enrollment has doubled and students have excelled, often outperforming their peers in Atlanta Public Schools and the State of Georgia. Drew’s successful innovative model of Project-Based Learning with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) focus has been replicated through Purpose Built Schools in Atlanta and in other communities across the country.
Drew Charter School’s Board worked closely with Mr. Doran over the last year in the development of a Succession Plan for leadership at Drew Charter School to ensure a smooth transition allowing for the continual building on the progress of the school.
The board will engage a search firm, which specializes in education and non-profit leadership, through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, to begin a national search for a new Head of School. Once finalists are identified, parents, teachers and partners will have the opportunity to formally engage with these candidates. Drew plans to announce the new Head of School by May 2019. The Head of School will begin in June 2019. To ensure continuity, Mr. Doran will counsel the new Head of School as he or she transitions into the new role and new school year.
The Drew Board accepts Mr. Doran’s retirement with mixed emotions. While we are sad that he is leaving and will miss his leadership and compassion for students and families, we support him in the next chapter of his life which will allow him to spend more time with his family and stay connected to Drew.
In his retirement, Mr. Doran plans to maintain an active role in the Drew Charter School community and East Lake neighborhood that he has called home for nine years.
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) is Drew Charter School’s map to a successful academic experience for its students. Learning is a STEAM environment, coupled with Project-Based Learning (PBL), sets the stage for students to solve real-world problems.
Students are taught with an interdisciplinary approach with an emphasis on the design thinking process and problem solving leading to application. This allows Drew students to develop skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity, all important abilities needed for success in the 21st century.
To learn more about STEAM at Drew, click Here.