Muscogee County school recognized for its customer service

A Muscogee County school has been recognized for giving its families some of the best customer service in the state.

Fort Middle School is one of the six 2016 Georgia Family-Friendly Partnership Schools. The others are Buford Elementary School in Buford, Woodward Elementary School in DeKalb County and three elementary schools in Gwinnett County: Hopkins, Norton and Peachtree.

“Each winning school has created inviting, easily navigable environments where helpful, courteous staff members are eager to assist students and their families,” the Georgia Department of Education explained in its news release. “Through these efforts, the schools are building partnerships with families to improve student achievement. Each of the schools also provides unique, engaging and innovative parent engagement programs that are successfully reaching all families in the school.”

Sonja Coaxum, who has been Fort’s principal for nine years, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email, “Our teachers, students and parents work so hard and the administration is very proud that the Georgia Department of Education felt that our school was worthy of this prestigious honor. We are very fortunate to have great parental, district and community support.”

The award certainly is evidence that Fort is living up to the school’s focus as a Service Learning Academy.

To be considered for the award, schools must apply and describe their family engagement programs. Sixteen schools applied for this year’s award, GaDOE spokeswoman Meghan Frick told the L-E.

Only schools designated as Title I are eligible because the award is part of the GaDOE’s federally funded Parent Engagement Program, which ensures Title I parent involvement regulations are met, Frick said. Schools on the state’s Priority or Focus lists aren’t eligible for the award.

Title I schools receive extra federal funding if at least 40 percent of their students come from impoverished families. Priority Schools are among the state’s lowest 5 percent of Title I schools in academic achievement. Focus Schools are among the state’s lowest 10 percent of Title I schools in achievement gap, which is the gap between the school’s bottom quartile of students and the state average, as well as the degree to which that gap is closing.

The Family-Friendly Partnership Review Team comprises representatives from the GaDOE, the Georgia Association of Educators, Voices for Georgia’s Children and the Georgia School Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council. Review team members made surprise visits to the nine finalists. They posed as parents looking for information or assistance. They also toured the schools and interviewed staff, parents, students and other residents.

As many as 10 schools may receive the award each year. Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods plans to visit the winning schools in the fall to present a plaque and a welcome mat celebrating their award.

The Family-Friendly Partnership School initiative is organized by the GaDOE and sponsored by the Georgia Foundation for Public Education, the Georgia Association of Educators and three Ritz-Carlton hotels in Georgia: the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta (Downtown), the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead and the Ritz-Carlton Lodge on Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee.

Groups from the winning schools will learn more about providing welcoming environments during a seminar hosted by the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Coaxum listed the following initiatives and programs Fort has implemented to be considered family-friendly:

▪  Automated messages are sent via phone and email to parents every Sunday to keep them updated about the school.

▪  Teachers use School Notes.com to post weekly updates each Monday. This program informs parents about school and classroom activities and homework.

▪  The Parents of the Month award honors two parents each month for their support and assistance to the school. Any student, teacher, administrator or parent at Fort may nominate someone.

▪  The Parent Resource Room allows parents to use computers and receive assistance.

▪  Title I Parent Workshops are conducted throughout the school year.

▪  The annual Grandparents Day in October celebrates their role. Fort also conducts a workshop that shows how they can better assist their grandchildren’s education.

▪  The annual Dessert Night for parents with special-needs children includes a workshop that reviews the importance of their IEP (Individualized Education Plan) informs them about available resources to assist students and parents.

▪  Parents are invited to visit the school and observe their child in the classroom.

▪  The annual Legacy Day honors individuals who have made great contributions to the community.

“Parents are sending us and trusting us with their very best,” Coaxum said. “We must do our very best to provide them with an excellent education. We truly believe all children are indeed worthy of receiving an excellent education.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Muscogee County school recognized for its customer service."