Patch Pic of the Day

Christmas Comes Early to Coan Middle School

Teachers honored with gifts taken from their wish lists.

Teachers at Coan Middle School got a nice little surprise Tuesday. After school was over for the day, they gathered for a holiday party in the school's media center for cake and and soft drinks. Scores of wrapped presents were placed under a decorated Christmas tree. What they didn't know was the presents were real and for them. Coan principal Betsy Bockman got them supplies and items each said they needed for their classrooms. She fulfilled the wish list by reaching out to parents and local business community as well as teachers and schools from other parts of Atlanta. She said the greater community was more than willing to help. "It really took on a life of its own," Bockman told the teachers, explaining she wanted them to know that she …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Videos (1)

At Coan Middle School: An Education in Personal Responsibility

Getting children to take ownership in their own academic success.

Scores of parents funneled through the doors of Coan Middle School last week to meet with teachers and get an update on their children’s' academic progress. But the twist on these familiar, mid-semester parent-teacher conferences was that at Coan, the students were included in those meetings. In fact, the multiday conferences held last week for each of Coan's 325 kids were really centered on the students themselves instead of the parents. The 20-minute meetings were designed to help each student gauge his or her progress, establish goals for academic achievement and develop a blueprint on how to meet them. Moms and dads were there to listen in and offer their input. "It went well," Latwain Butler, who attended the one-on-one meeting …

•  2 Comments
• Videos (1)