Atlanta Public Schools Surprises 2016-2017 Honorees

From Atlanta Public Schools:

Dr. Cedrick Gilbert has been teaching for 19 years in the metro Atlanta area. Beginning his career in education as an elementary school teacher at Alonzo F. Herndon Elementary School. Gilbert is currently the assistant principal at West End Academy, where he is responsible for restorative practices, social and emotional learning, and the school’s “No Place For Hate” campaign. Gilbert is passionate about positively impacting the lives of children, believing that “A finisher isn’t afraid to fail; however, a failure is reluctant to finish.”

Dr. Sheryl Neely is an experienced educator that has mostly served as a teacher and counselor within APS. Not only has Neely been named as the 2015-2016 National Counselor of the Year by the Association for Career and technical Education (ACTE), but she has helped secure over $15 million in scholarships. Neely continues to cultivate numerous Career and Technical Education programs and award opportunities for her students as the president-elect of ACTE’s Guidance and Counseling division.

APS Students First Award – Kori Sanchez Smith

Kori Sanchez Smith began her career at a small Title I school in California. As the district’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) coordinator, Smith is responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring APS’ focus on whole child education. Before becoming the SEL Coordinator, Smith was an assistant principal at Morris Brandon Elementary, where she developed an in-depth knowledge of community building, shared decision making, program implementation and teacher development and evaluation.

The honorees will be recognized during the APyeS! Awards ceremony at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016 at Rich Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, located at 1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309.

About Atlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 50,000 students across 98 learning sites. The district is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 87 schools, 17 charter schools and two citywide single-gender academies, where students are offered rigorous instructional programs that foster success in school and life. For more information, visit the Atlanta Public Schools website.

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