News
Opinion 
Mitigating Negative Impacts of Systemic Racism – It’s Possible and It Starts Right Here
By Greg GiornelliPresident, Purpose Built Schools At the tragic cost of many lives, 2020 shined a harsh spotlight on how systemic racism permeates America. Our goal at Purpose Built Schools is to create life-changing opportunities for students and families. We do that by explicitly identifying and dismantling the systems of racism that are barriers to … Continue Reading →
In-person School Re-Opening Plan
Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases throughout Atlanta at this time, Purpose Built Schools has decided to postpone a return to in-person school until March 15, the beginning of the fourth quarter.
For Project-Based Learning Unit, Price Students Create New Handbooks for School
Price Middle School students created new student handbooks for their first project-based learning (PBL) unit of the year. By examining local politics, the pandemic and social justice, students worked together to develop a set of shared school principles, policies and processes to help create a positive school culture–in person and online.
Improving Food Security in South Atlanta
The south Atlanta community served by Purpose Built Schools has experienced food apartheid, or food insecurity, for decades. A household is food insecure when they are unsure about where their next meal is coming from due to a lack of resources—money, a place to buy food or transportation to get there.
Four PBSA Educators Named CREATE Equity Facilitation Fellows
Purpose Built Schools Atlanta is proud to announce that four educators have been named CREATE Equity Facilitation Fellows. Haniyyah Nu’Man, Tambra Harris and Keely Sutton of Price Middle School and Kimberly Edwards of Thomasville Heights Elementary School will participate in the 8-month leadership and facilitation program designed for educators interested in leading, designing, and facilitating equity-centered learning experiences in their school communities.
Atlanta Public Schools Will Delay Return to Face-to-Face Instruction
On Friday, October 16, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, Dr. Lisa Herring, announced that APS will delay its return to face-to-face instruction due to an unfavorable trend in COVID-19 cases in our community and in consultation with public health officials and healthcare experts. That means the District and all four Purpose Built Schools – Thomasville … Continue Reading →
Fighting for Equity for LGBTQ Students
By Jacques Etienne Carver STEAM Academy At age 22, I was handed my birth certificate, social security card and passport and told I had 10 days to leave my home. My nightmare was coming true. My Haitian parents had finally discovered my secret: I am gay. I was no longer welcome. I was being discarded. … Continue Reading →
Weekly Food Distribution — Effective Nov. 9, 2020
Review revised weekly food distribution schedule and bus routes.
Teachers at THES Loop Grades to Provide Consistency for Students
Purpose Built Schools Atlanta strives to create a positive climate and culture where students feel known, accepted and supported. Providing consistency is a big part of that. But when children come from generational poverty, they face barriers that prevent them from experiencing that consistency in education, which can impede their ability to be successful in school. To break this cycle, a group of teachers at Thomasville Heights Elementary School have stayed with the same cohort of students year after year.
Virtual Learning: What We’re Doing Differently This Fall
By Diona Williams PBL Coordinator at Purpose Built Schools Atlanta When COVID-19 arrived in Atlanta last spring, our buildings closed abruptly and virtual school was–unexpectedly and quickly–in session. We made the most of an unprecedented situation. We acted quickly to gather resources with little notice. Educators logged countless hours in front of a webcam to … Continue Reading →
