Ridgeview Charter Named Lighthouse School To Watch

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — A Sandy Springs middle school has been named a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch. This honor was bestowed upon Ridgeview Charter School by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

Ridgeview joins an elite group of 24 middle schools across the state being recognized as "exemplar middle schools for excellence," the Fulton County School System said.

The Forum is made up of educators, associations, researchers and members of professional organizations who promote healthy academic performance and development of middle school students. The Schools to Watch program was created in 1999, and identifies schools across the country that focus on improvement efforts characterized by a continuous trajectory toward success.

To be considered for this designation, schools must complete an application and undergo an evaluation process. Once a school meets the criteria, the evaluating committee visits the school for several days of observations and interviews with administration, teachers, parents and even business partners. The committee convenes to evaluate gathered materials from all parties as well as volumes of data and prepares reports and recommendations to the lead evaluator.

Ridgeview Principal Opie Blackwell in December made the special announcement of the distinction to his staff before students arrived for the day, complete with a student band percussionist drumroll and a free breakfast.

“This is one of the highest state honors a middle school can earn,” Principal Blackwell said.

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In the spring, Ridgeview leaders will travel to Washington D.C. where they will be presented with the new designation. They will also meet leaders from other Lighthouse schools to share their best practices.

"This STW designation is an important part of Ridgeview Charter Middle School's history - past, present, and future," Assistant Principal Dr. Kathleen McCaffrey said. "All previous and current teachers, administrators, staff, and community members have contributed to this achievement."

Last fall Ridgeview earned another impressive title of becoming an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Showcase school. This year-long program is a voluntary academic elective course that aims to close the achievement gap for students in the “academic middle.”

These are students earning mostly B and C grades who have the desire to go to college and who are often from under-resourced families and communities. Ridgeview AVID elective students are typically first-generation college students who learn study skills, goal setting, public speaking, time management, organization under supervision of the AVID Coordinator. The first AVID cohort are now in 11th grade at Riverwood International Charter School, the feeder high school.

Photo 1: Interim Superintendent Dr. Cindy Loe joins RCS Principal Opie Blackwell, Assistant Principal Kenneth Young, Assistant Principal Dr. Kathleen McCaffrey, Assistant Principal Vickie Bulluck and Board Vice President Julia Bernath at the Jan. 8 board meeting.

Photo 2: Ridgeview teachers and administrators celebrate the Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch announcement.

Photo 3: Ridgeview AVID students as well as faculty and administration panel participants gather to present the program in November 2018. First row: AVID students Josefina Hernandez and Tai Freeman. Second Row: AVID students Zori Tarrance, Ian Somoza, Landon Avila, Paulina Perez, Ashley Raymundo, Lindsay Trani, Joseph Jimenez and Omar Estrada. Third row: Ridgeview teachers Kaela Largent, Emily Toler, Jai Cruz, Kathryn Lewis, Adrian Harris, AVID Coordinator Caroline Boddiford and Principal Opie Blackwell.

Images via Fulton County School System