C. T. Walker Traditional Magnet School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Charles Thomas Walker Traditional Magnet School
type = Public Examination School
logo =Wildcat
motto = We can't hide our wildcat pride.
gender = coeducational
district = Richmond County School District
address = 1301 Wrightsboro Road
city = Augusta
state = Georgia
province =
country = United States
principal = Beverly Hite
vice_principal = Earl Kelton
grades = K-8
established = 1934 (as an elementary school)
1980 (as an exam school)
students = 727
colors = Burgundy and Gold colorbox|maroon colorbox|gold
nickname = Cat
mascot = Wildcat
campus = Urban
founder = Charles Thomas Walker
website = [http://walker.rcboe.org/home.aspx School Homepage]

Charles Thomas Walker Traditional Magnet School is a public examination school located in Downtown Augusta, Georgia that attracts students from grades kindergarten through eighth from all parts of the Richmond County Board of Education School district. The school is one of the 3 magnet schools in the Richmond County School District, the other 2 being A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High and John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School.

History

The school traces its roots back to 1934, where it housed grades one through seven to relieve overcrowding and population shifts for both black and white students in Richmond County. The building was constructed with federal assistance and opened with an enrollment of 1500, 500 more the building specifications. As the school of Richmond County were integrated in the 1970s, the enrollment of the school changed. It decreased to a little over 500 students. Court-ordered busing was instituted to ensure racial balances in student population and to remedy fluctuating enrollment patterns. In 1980, the C. T. Walker school became a magnet school and housed grades kindergarten through five. It attracted Black, White, Asian & Hispanic students from all parts of Richmond County and maintain a racial balance of 45%/45%/10%. The magnet school concept brought changes in structural organization, teaching strategies, philosophy of teaching and learning, and expectations in both academics and discipline. During the first year as a magnet school, C. T. Walker housed 400 students who were admitted to the basis of a lottery that was conducted by community leaders and school officials for kindergarten through five. [ [http://walker.rcboe.org/site_res_view_template.aspx?id=e8cac7e5-c626-423b-b895-62e190b7397f C.T. Walker Traditional Magnet ] ] Beginning with the 1981 school year, the sixth grade added to the school structure, followed by the seventh grade in 1982, and the eighth grade in 1983. In 1999, the C. T. Walker Magnet School celebrated its twentieth anniversary as a magnet school.

Awards and recognition

The school received a Blue Ribbon Award in 2003.CT Walker was a Georgia School of Excellence in 2003.

Principals

Ct Walker Traditional Magnet School's first Principal was the beloved Mr. Boozer. He served as principal from 1980-1999 before retiring. He developed Walker's initial no nonsense focus on rigorous academics and zero tolerance for misbehavior. Mr Boozer had the respect of the entire staff, students and parents. It was typical to find Mr. Boozer all over the school building, visiting classrooms, observing teaching styles, visiting with students and their families. Outsiders feared Walker. Students were required to maintain respectful silence in the hallways and travel in straight lines moving from place to place. Lunch was quiet. Children ate their meals and returned to learning. It was rumored to be outrageously strict. Insiders knew it was outrageously successful and parents "in the know" lined up to enroll their children. Frances was the next principal. She served two years maintaining Mr. Boozer's policies and retired in 2002. PK Baker was the third Principal from 2002-2005. She was sent with mission from Superintendent Larke to "lighten" the atmosphere at Walker. Allow the students talk during meals. Have some dances, find some ways to reward the students hard work . Mrs Baker was the first major CLASH to erupt at CTW. The excellent, tenured and entrenched educators at Walker had no desire to change their teaching styles. They believed the system in place was correct. A group of courageous teachers began to lobby against the new Principal at the board level. Mrs. Baker was doing her job, the students adored her sunny personality, and parents loved her open door policy. Pk had nothing to hide. She was proud of her school, the excellence of her staff and the behavior and test scores of her students. She was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Walker. Unfortunately the division between some educators and the administrator was vast and tension inside the building was palatable. Our wonderful Mrs Baker was reassigned to Garrett Elem.(Whose test scores have soared during her tenure) Three wonderful teachers (including our teacher of the year) were reassigned to other positions within the school system. It was a stressful time for our school, teachers and students. Beverly Hite is our current principal. She has been in charge of the school since 2005.

ms. beverly hite is the new principla......

References

chronicle.augusta.com/stories/122907/com_176795.shtml - 39k

External links

* [http://walker.rcboe.org/home.aspx School Website]
* http://chronicle.augusta.com/history/walker.html