Synopsis of October School Council Meeting

**This is an unofficial account of the School Council meeting from Tuesday, October 1st.  The official minutes will not be approved until the November meeting. **

The meeting was called to order at 5:03pm. 

Minutes from the September meeting were unanimously approved (they are posted in the "Approved Meeting Minutes" tab above). 

REPORTS
PTA: Lucy Foley provided the PTA President's report. Fundraising activities are going well. Eagle Trek is scheduled for Thursday, October 3rd. A teacher's helper board has been put up in the teachers' lounge. 

FOUNDATION: Angie Claussen provided the Evansdale Education Foundation report. The Board approved budget items related to supporting teacher training in STEM, Daily 5, and gifted certification. 

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS: Dr. McGuire reported that enrollment is 593, up compared to last month. The FTE count was due to the county today. A few classes are still under-enrolled. School council will review the data on enrollment this year compared to last year at the November meeting. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Dual immersion program: observations are being conducted in the immersion classes.

STEM: the STEM committee is now focusing on the Professional Learning component of STEM certification. The school has a 3-year plan for working towards STEM certification.

NEW BUSINESS
DCSD School Council training and requirements: the Chair of School Council will review district requirements for training and recruitment and be responsible for ensuring that the council is in compliance.

Security procedures: a discussion about the security procedures was held. Information from email feedback was reviewed, and teacher representatives in the school council provided information about the teachers' perspective. Dr. McGuire, Ms. McCloud, and Ms. Roth shared information about the security procedures. The School Council voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations discussed at the meeting. More details will be provided in forthcoming posts.

Sibling preference for non-resident families: a preliminary discussion was held regarding the possibility of developing a proposal to allow siblings of non-resident families preference for non-resident spots. The school council voted unanimously to establish a sub-committee to develop a draft proposal for review and comment by the council. 

DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30pm. The next meeting is scheduled for November 5th, 2013.

Agenda for October 2013 School Council meeting

AGENDA FOR SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. INSPIRATION– Joli Mauldin

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – David McGrail

4. REPORTS

a. PTA President – Stacey Helenbrook/Lucy Foley

b. Evansdale Foundation – Angie Claussen

c. Administrative Reports – Dan McGuire

i. Staffing and Allotments

ii. Enrollment

iii. School Data

5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a. Dual immersion program update

b. STEM update

6. NEW BUSINESS

a. DeKalb County Council training and yearly requirements

b. Security procedures

c. Sibling preference for non-resident families

7. DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, November 5^th, 2013

a. Inspiration

b. Unfinished business

c. New business

8. ADJOURNMENT

Soliciting feedback about safety protocols

The Evansdale School Council is soliciting feedback from the Evansdale school community about the implementation of security procedures. The letter below was sent to families in August and provides information about the security procedures. School council will be developing a plan to clarify aspects of the security procedures and address questions and confusion parents might have. If you are interested in providing feedback, please send an email to a school council member or to the school council email address at edaleschoolcouncil@gmail.com.

 

All messages received by Friday, September 27 will be reviewed by school council members and discussed at the meeting on October 1.

 

 

SYNOPSIS OF SEPTEMBER SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING

 

**This is an unofficial account of the School Council meeting from Tuesday, September 3rd.  The official minutes will not be approved until October meeting. **

The meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m.

Minutes from the August meeting were unanimously approved (available now under the 'approved meeting minutes' tab above).

REPORTS

PTA:
Lucy Foley provided the PTA President's report. 
1) There are lots of activities taking place in September, including curriculum nights, Grandparents’ Luncheon, Book Fair, PTA Family Fun night, and others.
2) Planning for the Eagle Trek kick-off is well under way in collaboration with the Foundation.
3) The first PTA meeting and curriculum night was held and went off well.

Evansdale Education Foundation:

Angie Claussen provided the Foundation report.

1) The Eagle Trek kick-off is on Thursday, September 5^th.
2) The Foundation Board approved a budget expense to support a wellness grant to Evansdale from the Georgia Department of Health.
3) Other budget items have been reviewed and planned for, including purchasing books and materials for the Orton Gillingham program and other grants.

Administrator Reports:

Pamela McCloud provided the reports.
Enrollment is up overall since the start of the school year. Some of the grades (Kindergarten and 3^rd in particular) are still low based on the staffing and allotments. Enrollment is currently 580 students. The school administration is working with the DCSD Magnet Office to reach out to families whose children have been selected from the waiting list to finalize enrollment for open slots for non-resident families.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

No agenda items to discuss.

NEW BUSINESS

Ms. McCloud provided an overview of some current safety procedures. Some procedures are new, but most have been in place at Evansdale in the past. Current efforts are emphasizing enforcement of the procedures. A letter was sent home to all families in recent couriers.

DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING

ADJOURN - meeting adjournedat 5:35. 

The next meeting is scheduled for October 1^st, 2013.

 

Agenda for September 2013 School Council meeting

Evansdale Elementary

AGENDA FOR SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING

 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

1.    CALL TO ORDER

2.    INSPIRATION –

3.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Joli Mauldin

4.    REPORTS
a. PTA President – Stacy Helenbrook/Lucy Foley
b. Evansdale Foundation– TBA
c. Administrative Reports –Pamela McCloud
i. Staffing and Allotments
ii. Enrollment/School Data

5.    UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a.     

6.    NEW BUSINESS
a.    Updated safety procedures – Pamela McCloud

7.    DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, October 1^st, 2013
a.    Inspiration
b.    Unfinished business
c.    New business

8.    ADJOURNMENT

 

First School Council Meeting of 2013-2014 School Year

School Council will be back in session in line with the start of the 2013-2014 school year. Meetings occur on Tuesday at 5 PM in the Evansdale Media Center.  Most meetings occur on the first Tuesday of the month; August differs because school is not yet in session on the first Tuesday.  All Evansdale community members are welcome to attend the meeting; however, the meetings are not open for public comment.  You can contact your School Council representatives at edaleschoolcouncil@gmail.com at least one week prior to a meeting if you would like to present information at a meeting.  

TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

1.     CALL TO ORDER

2.     INSPIRATION – TBA

3.     APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Joli Mauldin

4.     REPORTS

     a. PTA President – Stacy Helenbrook/Lucy Foley

     b. Evansdale Foundation– TBA

     c. Administrative Reports – Dan McGuire/Pamela McCloud

          i. Staffing and Allotments

          ii. Enrollment/School Data

                   

5.     UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a.     STEM update – Dan McGuire/Gretchen Neigh

b.     ELL Adult Programs Update (MALDEF) – Dan McGuire

c.     Dual Immersion Program Update – Dan McGuire

         

6.     NEW BUSINESS

a.     Welcome of new School Council members – Dan McGuire

b.     Election of officers – Dan McGuire

         

7.     DEVELOP AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, September 10, 2013

8.     ADJOURNMENT

ADA Updates Coming to Evansdale this Fall

Evansdale will have ADA upgrades starting in the fall to all campus facilities and play areas (c-15). The information is detailed in the following DCSD publication.  

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/splost-iv/monthly-status-report/april-(2013).pdf

Evansdale is Hiring

It may be summer, but Evansdale administration is working hard preparing for the 2013-2014 school year.

Four positions are currently being filled at Evansdale:

French Immersion Kindergarten Teacher

School Councilor

School Secretary

5th Grade Teacher

Check here often for update about Evansdale this summer!

Enjoy your vacation!

Announcing the New Parent Representatives for School Council

The 2013-2014 Evansdale School Council Members (**new)

Principal:  Dan McGuire

Parent Representatives:

Veronica Barnes

Joli Mauldin

Greta Massetti

Sylvia Flower**

Denise Miller-Tso**

David McGrail**

Teacher Representatives:

Kristi Cross

Anika Harris**

Business/Community Representatives:

Angela Dunbar

Lynn Kerr

Biographies of Newly Elected Representatives

Sylvia Flower
Sylvia Flower, an Atlanta native, went to Lakeside High School and then attended Emory University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Medical Science from Emory School of Medicine to become a Physician Assistant.   Sylvia currently practices in a small but very busy family medicine group in Lilburn, providing care for a wide spectrum of patients.  Her professional passion is disease prevention, particularly diabetes and heart disease.  2012-2013 is the Flower Family’s second year at Evansdale.  Drew (currently a 1^st grader with Ms. Mitchell) and Lindsey (now a kindergartner with Ms. Patrick) currently attend Evansdale and Connor is a future Evansdale Eagle.  This year Sylvia Co-Chaired Eagle Trek in the fall, an event that raised over $75K for the PTA and Evansdale Education Foundation.  She also volunteered as a Kilometer kids sponsor and facilitated Junior Achievement in her daughter’s kindergarten class.  Last year Sylvia helped to Co-Chair TV free week.  Sylvia is extremely excited about the upcoming changes to Evansdale, particularly the STEM program and language immersion!

David McGrail
David and Maryann McGrail have lived in the Evansdale neighborhood for over 15 years.  They have a 3^rd grade daughter at Evansdale and 6^th grade daughter at Henderson Middle (who attended Evansdale Pre-K – 5^th and was in the Magnet program). David has a BBA in Real Estate from Georgia State University and is a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors. He has been active in both Residential and Commercial Real Estate for nearly 20 years.   His knowledge of the local real estate market and issues that affect it and Evansdale bring resources to the table that will benefit all Evansdale area students, teachers and parents.  He currently co-chairs the Evansdale Grounds Committee with Scott Foerst and Jerry Appleman and has served as a room parent at Evansdale and Board Member of the North Umberland Swim Club.  David enjoys coaching soccer and volunteering in various capacities at both Evansdale and Tucker First United Methodist Church.  David enjoys spending time with his family, staying fit via CrossFit and playing golf.

Denise Miller-Tso

Denise Miller-Tso has lived in the Evansdale community for 13 years.  She received her Master's in Nursing at Emory University, and is currently working part-time as a nurse practitioner.  She has served as room parent, Spiritwear Co-Chair, and Co-VP of Programs for the PTA.  She was also a founding member of the Evansdale Education Foundation. Denise has been instrumental in previous Fantastic Friday events, Kilometer Kids, and the PTA Nominations Committee. She is currently the Book Fair Co-Chair.  Denise is married, with 2 current Evansdale Eagles.  When she is not busy with work or helping out at Evansdale, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Marla Watt - Teacher Representative

Marla began a 2nd career in education in 2010 after relocating to Atlanta from New Orleans where she worked as counselor.  She completed a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Emory University which included a semester of student teaching at Evansdale.  When a 5th grade teaching position opened up at Evansdale, she was excited to seek a permanent position there.  Marla has enjoyed working at Evansdale, getting to know the families and being part of the community.  

Fabulous Voter Response!

School Council elections closed last night at 7 PM.

We had 8 excellent candidates nominated.

Preliminary counts indicate that we received over 300 votes!  That is a great turnout compared to past elections.

The votes will be independently tallied by three individuals.

The new School Council members will be announced on Sunday in the PTA e-blast and here.

Thank you to all that participated - as candidates and as voters!!

French Immersion Program – Question and Answers

Q: What does immersion mean and how is it different from regular French instruction?

A: Immersion means that children receive more than just French lessons. The new French immersion program will be a 50/50 immersion:  Half the time, children will receive instruction in French, the other half they will receive instruction in English. They will learn French, but they will also learn other subjects while using French (example: doing math in French). Any subject other than English Language Arts can be taught while using French.
 

Q: How many children will be selected for the French immersion program?

A: Because this is a pilot program, two Kindergarten classes will receive the program, with 22 students each.
 

Q: What will the school day look like for children in the French Immersion program?

A: We will use a team teaching approach: one French speaking and one English speaking teachers will take turns teaching each class. For example, Class A will have the French teacher in the morning, then Class B will have the French teacher in the afternoon, switching with the English teacher.
 

Q: Will my child learn less of the core material because of the French?

A: Children will receive the same basic curriculum as other children in Kindergarten. They will learn all the same concepts.


Q: How will children be selected for the French Immersion program?

A: Classes are formed using a lottery system. Parents must apply for the lottery. Applications are due May 13-June 3, 2013.
 

Q: How do I apply?

A: You can apply at Evansdale. A paper application will be available starting Monday May 13^th at the school. You can also get the paper application at http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/about/schoolchoiceYou can also apply at the Dekalb Central Office on May 15 and May 21 9-12am and 1-2pm at 1701 Mountain Industrial Complex, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Lab 102
You can also apply online via http://eportal.dekalb.k12.ga.us. Please note that the online system is not easy to navigate. If you apply online, you need to take your documentation to the school or to the central office.

Q: Are the application materials also in Spanish?

A: The paper forms are available in Spanish. Evansdale will hold a special application day on May 16 for parents who prefer to speak Spanish. We will have Spanish speaking staff available to assist you on that day from 8 until 11am.
 

Q: What are the days and times I can apply if I do it at Evansdale?

A: Between May 13 and May 24, the office will be staffed from 7am until 3:00. Please be patient particularly around 7:45am during the morning arrival, and after 2pm when children are being dismissed. Office staff may not have time to answer your questions. The school will not be open on Memorial Day, Monday 27^th. The summer schedule for the office has not been finalized. Please check this webpage again soon for updates.

 Q: Should I apply as early as possible?

A: It does not matter whether you apply early or later in the application period between May 13 and June 3. However, it is always best not to wait until the last minute to make sure you have time to complete everything.  You must return the paper application and supporting documentation to Evansdale by June 3. You can also take your application and documentation to the Dekalb Central Office Administrative and Instructional Complex by June 3.
 

Q: What supporting documentation do I need?

A: You will need to show proof of your child’s age (birth certificate) and proof of residence (utility bill, mortgage, lease, or affidavit – note that a phone bill is not sufficient). If your child is currently attending PreK at Evansdale, you need to bring only a proof of residence.
 

Q: I am in the process of buying a home and do not have a proof of residence yet. How do I prove eligibility?

A: Contact Ms. Wells at rhona_l_wells@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us if you have concerns.


Q: When will the lottery be held?

A: The lottery date is set for June 12, 9am, at the Dekalb Central Office. Parents may watch the drawing if they like.


Q: When will I find out who the teachers are?

A: The English teacher will be selected from existing teaching staff, the French teacher will be hired. Teachers and class assignment will be announced at Open House, not before.


Q: Why is this program being started – what are the benefits?

A: Research evidence shows that children who study a foreign language early:
•        Train their brain for learning
•        Do better on standardized tests
•        Understand their own language better
•        Do better in some skills that aren’t specific to language, like math and reasoning
•        Develop flexible thinking
•        Learn to listen and speak the sounds of other languages
•        Are ready to learn more languages
•        Have better job opportunities

 Q: Why French and not another language?

A: Evansdale was chosen in part because of the tradition of teaching French. But it is also a valuable language to learn. It is a world language, spoken in many countries around the world. Learning to listen and speak the sounds of French is great training for learning other languages, particularly since the sounds and speech pattern of French are very different from English, and it is particularly good for children to learn these sounds early on. As a language based in Latin, it teaches many grammar rules that help understand languages in general. French helps build vocabulary skills (many challenging words in English have a French origin).
 

Q: Is it right for my child?

A: Immersion programs work for children from many different backgrounds. Children with learning disabilities can also learn a different language, particularly if the disability is mild. But it depends on the child – some learning disabilities might make it difficult for a child to learn their first language, and adding a second may be difficult, but it depends on the child. If you have concerns, and think your child needs special education, talk to the counselor.
 

Q: Is it right for children who are still learning English?

A: Yes! English language learners can learn a third language as well. They may have an advantage over children who know only English, because they already know how to think about language. Children with limited English skills also will be on equal footing as their English speaking classmates for half the day when they are working on learning French. This will give English language learners more chances to feel successful than in an English-only classroom.
 

Q: What about next year? Will I need to enter the lottery again?

A: Once selected, children stay in the program as long as they attend Evansdale. So the following year, we will have two kindergarten and two first grade classes learning French.
 

Q: What about the regular French program? What about the magnet program?

A: Evansdale no longer has magnet classes that receive more intensive language instructions. French will still be offered for other, higher grades, two times a week for 30 minutes, which is more than the previous French exposure for the non-magnet classes. Right now it is not possible to say which grades will receive French, since we won’t know the number of classes and the school’s exact budget for a while. Stay tuned!
 

Letter from Evansdale Principal Regarding CCRPI

** An official copy of this letter will go home by courier next week**

May 2013

Parents:

The Georgia Department of Education has released the 2011-2012 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores for the DeKalb County School District and its schools.  These overall scores are comprised of multiple measurements and evaluation methods, and this new accountability system replaces No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) requirement for schools to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  Each school is provided a numerical score from 1-100.  The overall CCRPI Score for Evansdale is 87.6.

Each school's CCRPI Score is comprised of data that comes from one of three categories: the Achievement Score, the Progress Score, and the Achievement Gap Score.  Additionally, schools may obtain up to ten “bonus points” from data associated with the Challenge Points Score.

Achievement Score (70%)	Progress Score (15%)	Achievement Gap Score (15%)	Challenge Points Score	CCRPI Score
62.7	9.5	12	3.4	87.6

The Achievement Score carries 70% of the weight of the overall CCRPI Score.  It is comprised of fourteen indicators for elementary and middle schools and nineteen indicators for high schools.  These indicators are basic proficiency calculations with the number of students identified as "proficient" as a numerator and the total number of students participating in the indicator as a denominator. 

The Progress Score is 15% of the overall CCRPI Score and compares student growth.  This score uses the Student Growth Percentile (SGP) to compare student growth on state assessments against other similar students.

The Achievement Gap Score is also 15% of the overall CCRPI Score.  The state awards points based upon the highest value of two measurements.  The first measures the gap between the school's lowest quartile of performance on standardized tests against a state mean.  The smaller the gap, the greater number of points awarded to the school.  The state also measures the change in performance gaps from year to year to determine if the gap size mentioned above decreases from the previous year to the current measured year. 

The Challenge Points are "bonus points" that schools can earn through two measurements.  The first measurement is a review of how well the school's Economically Disadvantaged (ED), English Learners (EL), and Students With Disabilities (SWD) subgroups are doing at meeting state performance targets on standardized tests.  The second measurement is a review of additional proficiency indicators that look at how well the school is preparing the student for college and career readiness. 

The CCRPI is a much different calculation than the one associated with AYP.  Multiple indicators and data are utilized to develop a well-rounded measurement of a school's performance.  Please visit the Georgia Department of Education’s website at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/Pages/Home.aspx  for greater detail on each of the scores above, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  Evansdale looks forward to using this data to improve student achievement and overall school success!

Respectfully,

Dan McGuire, Principal

School Council Nominees - Election Week of May 13th

The School Council nomination period closes today.  Below are the nominees as of 2:45 PM.  The nomination period closes at 5 PM today, May 9th.  

Voting will occur from Monday, May 13 to Thursday May 16.  A table will be available with ballots before school Monday-Thursday next week.  Voting may also be done in the School Office.  A table will be set up for easy voting on Thursday evening before, during, and after the PTA meeting and talent show.

Each parent/guardian of a CURRENT Evansdale student can vote in the election.  Three new representatives will be elected and you may vote for three people.

We are unable to offer electronic/on-line voting due to inability to verify parent/guardian status through an online mechanism.  

Here are the nominees:

Biographies of School Council Nominees for 2013-2014 Election

Casey Barton Behravesh

Casey Barton Behravesh has two daughters, a 1^st grader and a future Evansdale Eagle. Casey is a veterinarian and works as a disease detective at the CDC where she investigates outbreaks caused by contaminated food or diseases spread between animals and people. Casey regularly volunteers at Evansdale including as room parent, various PTA and foundation activities, and for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.  Casey strongly believes in the benefits of a public school education and wants to help Evansdale continue to be an excellent elementary school! She has a great background to support the advancement of STEM in our school.

Becky Bitsko

Becky Bitsko has enjoyed joining the Evansdale community during her son’s first year in pre-K. Becky has a PhD in Neuroscience from Emory University, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in child development. She also recently completed training through the Georgia Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopment and related Disabilities (GaLEND). Becky is currently a health scientist at CDC working on children’s mental health where she leads research and outreach activities on Tourette Syndrome. Becky has enjoyed volunteering as a room parent in pre-K, and at many events throughout the year and is interested in getting more involved.

Natalie R. Culpepper

My husband and I have lived in the Evansdale area for ten years and as an advocate for education, I come from a long line of educators.  Part of my influence came from my own parents who served as advocates of education as PTA presidents and my mother has taught elementary school for almost 40 years.   As a mother to an emerging 2^nd grader, I see my role as not only to support to my child, but also to be a partner to his teachers and all staff at Evansdale who have made it their life’s mission to educate and positively influence the students.  My desire to join the Evansdale School Council is to continue the positive legacy and to serve as a source of decision support for you and your administration as we all work together to help all students at Evansdale soar.

Sylvia Flower
Sylvia Flower, an Atlanta native, went to Lakeside High School and then attended Emory University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Medical Science from Emory School of Medicine to become a Physician Assistant.   Sylvia currently practices in a small but very busy family medicine group in Lilburn, providing care for a wide spectrum of patients.  Her professional passion is disease prevention, particularly diabetes and heart disease.  2012-2013 is the Flower Family’s second year at Evansdale.  Drew (currently a 1^st grader with Ms. Mitchell) and Lindsey (now a kindergartner with Ms. Patrick) currently attend Evansdale and Connor is a future Evansdale Eagle.  This year Sylvia Co-Chaired Eagle Trek in the fall, an event that raised over $70K for the PTA and Evansdale Education Foundation.  She also volunteered as a Kilometer kids sponsor and facilitated Junior Achievement in her daughter’s kindergarten class.  Last year Sylvia helped to Co-Chair TV free week.  Sylvia is extremely excited about the upcoming changes to Evansdale, particularly the STEM program and language immersion!

Rodney Jones

I have an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University and have worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Disaster Assistance for the past 19 years – assisting homeowners and businesses recover from crippling disasters.  I grew up in the area (attended Sagamore Hills and Lakeside) and have one child – an upcoming first grader – in Evansdale and am really interested in making sure he and his classmates have the best possible opportunities for success.  I am a detail-oriented person who will make sure to hold people accountable when the best interests of Evansdale are on the line.

David McGrail
David and Maryann McGrail have lived in the Evansdale neighborhood for over 15 years.  They have a 3^rd grade daughter at Evansdale and 6^th grade daughter at Henderson Middle (who attended Evansdale Pre-K – 5^th and was in the Magnet program).  David has a BBA in Real Estate from Georgia State University and is a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.  He has been active in both Residential and Commercial Real Estate for nearly 20 years.   His knowledge of the local real estate market and issues that affect it and Evansdale bring resources to the table that will benefit all Evansdale area students, teachers and parents.  He currently co-chairs the Evansdale Grounds Committee with Scott Foerst and Jerry Appleman and has served as a room parent at Evansdale and Board Member of the North Umberland Swim Club.  David enjoys coaching soccer and volunteering in various capacities at both Evansdale and Tucker First United Methodist Church.  David enjoys spending time with his family, staying fit via CrossFit and playing golf.

Denise Miller-Tso

Denise Miller-Tso has lived in the Evansdale community for 13 years.  She received her Master's in Nursing at Emory University, and is currently working part-time as a nurse practitioner.  She has served as room parent, Spiritwear Co-Chair, and Co-VP of Programs for the PTA.  She was also a founding member of the Evansdale Education Foundation. Denise has been instrumental in previous Fantastic Friday events, Kilometer Kids, and the PTA Nominations Committee. She is currently the Book Fair Co-Chair.  Denise is married, with 2 current Evansdale Eagles.  When she is not busy with work or helping out at Evansdale, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Patryce L. Yeiser
My name is Patryce Yeiser. Prior to moving to Evansdale we had four children at Livsey, now attending Henderson Middle. Our younger three children are new to Evansdale this year. We have really enjoyed Evansdale and are quite pleased with its strong family involvement, its small intimate setting where parents and teachers can effectively communicate and work together to maximize every student’s learning. In addition to being the mother of 7 children, I have worked as a scientist in Pediatric Infectious Disease at Emory for 16 years and have participated in many high school outreach programs encouraging youth to pursue a career in the sciences.  I believe my experience would be helpful in an advisory function to the administration at Evansdale.  I believe that a common-sense inquisitive approach to teaching the sciences will engage children and make them more in touch. Once a child feels lost in class it is easy for them to become disheartened and lose interest.  I believe that every child starts out with an intrinsic curiosity we can nurture into a love of science and math.