Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine.
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Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Many families want to help make Atlanta a greener place. We know heat and light from the sun creates a free, environmentally-responsible form of energy. If you're thinking about installing solar panels at your home, here's what you need to know: How Solar Panels WorkThere is more than one way to capture and use solar energy, but residential homes can use solar panels. The sun shines on them, creating direct current electricity. This DC electricity feeds into a device that converts it in to AC (alternating current) electricity. This AC electricity can power appliances in the home, like air conditioners and lights. Your home would still connect to the traditional power grid to have electricity at night, but you would use far less than without solar energy. Home RequirementsIf you have a home with a roof and you get a significant amount of sun during the day, you can install solar panels. If you're not sure how much sun your house gets, and how many panels your house would need, check the Google Sunroof Project. Roof size isn't really an issue, because systems are so lightweight. CostBetween equipment and installation, most systems cost easily more than $10,000. But there are savings available. Michael Cichetti of Green Building Education Services (GBES) notes that city of Atlanta residents can take advantage of the Solarize Atlanta program, which is a community-based solar purchasing effort. It's crowdsourced clean energy, cutting costs to wholesale prices for a group of buyers. If you live elsewhere in metro Atlanta, other cities are slated for future Solarize programs, or you can start a petition for your town. The U.S. Department of Energy also has a pdf guide to financing systems that covers plenty of options. SavingsHomeowners can get a 30% federal tax credit to cut down the costs of solar. That's like a straight discount off the cost of a new installation. The program is set to run until 2021, but the rebate amount will be reduced starting in 2019. You may be eligible for other rebate programs in Georgia, and the DSIRE database is a good resource to check. ValueInstalling a solar system isn't cheap, but the savings on monthly utility bills show quickly. One Alpharetta mom said her family installed 21 panels on her home two years ago, and her family has seen a big difference in energy bills, particularly during summer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most home solar energy systems pay for themselves within 5 years. The higher your electric bills, the more solar energy will save you over time. Solar energy systems are also appealing to home buyers, raising the value on your house when it's time to sell by several thousand dollars, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBL) Neighborhood RulesSome homeowners associations restrict or don't allow solar panels. Be sure to check your neighborhood's rules to find out if you can install them. One Atlanta mom shared that it was against her association's rules, but she successfully lobbied to overturn the bylaw. Get Multiple EstimatesSeveral Atlanta-based and southeastern companies can complete residential installations of solar panel systems. All will provide free estimates that include the recommended size of system for your home, how much it will cost, and how it will impact your energy bills. The post Beginner's Guide to Solar Panels for Your Home appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. Emily SuberThird grade teacher, International Charter School of Atlanta Suber, who holds an undergraduate degree in English literature and a master's degree in early childhood education with emphasis on international studies, was teacher of the year at ICS last year. She did her student teaching abroad in Greece and loved experiencing another culture and teaching students English there, but that wasn't her first up-close exposure to kids from other countries. Suber was a volunteer for refugee families through Jubilee Partners and helped families with skills needed to adapt to life in the United States. She also worked at a health clinic for immigrant families in Clarkston. When ICS offered her a teaching position four years ago, she accepted immediately and remains enthusiastic about her career teaching kids who speak English as a second language or English speakers who want to learn a second language. “I love watching those light bulbs go off when my students really get something, when they connect ideas and reach educational milestones,” she says. Kids are learning about money, checkbooks, responsibility and accountability by earning “dollars” in her classroom when they complete school work or remember to get their parents to sign their homework; they lose “dollars” when they misbehave or forget to bring homework to class. They can use their bank accounts to write a check for a special privilege. Her classes also are working on curriculum units about problem solving (to foster critical thinking and independence) and integrity (to do the right thing when no one is looking) – both “skills they'll need when they are older.” A Typical Day6:45 a.m.: Arrives at school, after a commute from Duluth to Roswell. Larisa Pender-HealyHigh school biology teacher, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School Pender-Healy, who holds a bachelor of science in marine biology from the University of California Los Angeles and a master of science in biology from Georgia Tech, is in her third year of teaching at Mount Vernon. She lives on a farm in Serenbe with a furry family – two pigs, a chicken, three dogs and three cats. Until Pender-Healy was finishing up work at Georgia Tech, she'd planned to be a chemical ecologist or a college research professor. “I was working with an army of undergraduate students and discovered I liked working with students … and I thought I could make a bigger impact in high school than as a college research professor,” she says. Her Mount Vernon students are motivated learners, so her biggest challenge is “getting students to not focus on grades as the ultimate reward but to realize solving a problem is the biggest reward.” One problem her students have worked on is designing a biomedical tool to remove plaque from arteries without harming the arteries; they recently presented their ideas at the Georgia Tech Showcase for Bioengineering. Another class is tackling global warming solutions; another is studying DNA by solving a “murder case” at the school. “I aim for a majority of our time together that the students are driving the questions and doing science as much as possible to learn science,” she says. A Typical Day6:10 a.m.: Leaves for school. Roberto LlopartSixth grade English teacher and dean, The Walker School Llopart, who has a bachelor's degree in communication with additional teacher certification in language arts, is in his second career, the one he feels he was meant to have. He's worked as a production assistant at CNN and as an account manager for autotrader.com. The past 13 years, 12 years at The Walker School, he's been a teacher, and he coaches the middle school basketball and high school football cheerleading squads, the debate team and assists with the middle school girls' soccer team. He discovered his calling when he became a mentor for a DeKalb County high school student, though he'd suspected it when he volunteered at McKenna Farms Therapy Services with kids with special needs and as a mentor with Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services. “I am passionate about teaching,” he says. “We are shaping young lives. … Because of the structure of Walker, I see kids from about 3 years old to 18, and get to watch and guide and facilitate their growth. Having the opportunity to be in these kids' lives – that's awesome.” Middle school for many kids can be challenging. “It's not just academic content we're dealing with, but social and emotional development, all these changes,” he says. A Typical Day7:15 a.m.: Arrives at school after a 20-25 minute commute from Atlanta. Heather UptonKindergarten teacher, Saint Thomas More Catholic School Upton, who has an undergraduate degree in education and a master's degree in early language and literacy and is certified to teach special education, started work at Saint Thomas More as an assistant teacher when she was still an undergraduate. She joined the faculty in 2006 and taught second grade for 10 years, before switching to kindergarten three years ago. Upton lives in Tucker with her husband and goldendoodle Ginger, a therapy dog who is a “furlunteer” for Grady Health System's Dog Therapy Program and also visits with kids involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice. “Teaching kindergarten is one of the most challenging things I've ever done,” she says, “because everything is hands-on, all the time, nonstop. And you have 25 kids from all different backgrounds, some who've been to kindergarten and know their letters and numbers and some who've never left mom's living room. You have to balance the needs of all the kids.” No two days are alike, she says. Some start smoothly, and some begin with tears or a child with an upset stomach. Every day includes movement interspersed with learning – rhythmic clapping, dancing, games – because kids that young can't sit still for long periods of time. And every day has rewarding moments, especially in January. “They come back from Christmas break, and you can see the change,” Upton says. “The first half of the year, we're teaching them how to learn and by January you can see their joy as they really start to put it together.” A Typical Day7:15 a.m.: Arrives at school. The post A Day in the Life of an Atlanta Teacher appeared first on Atlanta Parent Magazine. |
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January 2019
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