Like so many of you, “back to school week” is one of reflection for me. As a former teacher and principal, back to school week has been a time to hold a mirror to myself to applaud past successes while also acknowledging failure and contemplating growth opportunities and future action. As I reflect upon Atlanta Public Schools (APS), the district has much to celebrate and be proud of this past year. The recently released 2019 Georgia Milestones scores indicate that APS has achieved their highest rates of proficiency since the state first implemented the test in 2015.