Hundreds of school leaders, teachers, board members and charter school advocates took part in the 2017 Georgia Charter Schools Conference at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in Cobb County on March 14-15.
Highlights included a special performance by Westside Atlanta Charter School’s choir (pictured at the left) during the opening General Session, informative breakout sessions designed to boost professional development and Keynote Speaker Gerard Robinson (pictured bottom left).
Those attending the conference also heard about the current state of charter schools in Georgia and why there is a need for state lawmakers to approve more equitable funding from an expert 
panel (Pictured on the right – L to R:Erin Hames, President of ReformEd, attorney and former classroom teacher; Dr. Bonnie Holiday, Executive Director of the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia; Dr. Ben Scafidi, Professor of Economics and Director of the Education Economics Center at Kennesaw State University; Gerard Robinson, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Fellow and Lou Erste, Associate Superintendent for Policy, Charter Schools, District Flexibility, and Government Affairs at the Georgia Department of Education, served on the expert panel. Georgia Charter Schools Association President and CEO Dr. Tony Roberts moderated the discussion.
Another highlight were several line dances led by Statesboro Steam Academy at the After Dark Party and during the General Session on day two of the conference (pictured on the left).
The Awards Luncheon was held on the final day. KIPP WAYS Academy won the Charter School of the Year Award. Baconton Community Charter School Leader Lynn Pinson was named Charter Leader of the Year and Centennial Academy 4th Grade teacher Keith Jackson won Charter School Teacher of the Year.
