"...When I think of equity and access to a supportive learning environment that meets the needs of the whole child, I think of the student service centers created by Centergy. Centergy is proof that community partners, stakeholder participation, families and educators can work together to provide comprehensive interrelated layers of support needed for students to have success regardless of circumstances. This support addresses the needs of the “Whole Child” and makes success an option for every student. What an innovative idea to provide in every learning community!..."

“You can be assured that I will recommend you to anyone that is interested in addressing the impact of poverty on their school system. The work that you have done is monumental! The presentation that you gave to the joint House and Senate Education Committees changed more attitudes than all that many of us have said and done for years. You most certainly have made a significant impact on education in Georgia.”

“From the beginning, we have appreciated the fact that GMSSC is led by the student voice and listens to them about what gets in the way of academic achievement and graduation. These honest conversations with students take courage and compassion on the part of GMSSC administration and the students.”

“GMSSC is a blessing to our school and community. As a retired math teacher, I am in awe at the opportunities that the center affords our students. Students that serve part of their suspension or ones that come for tutoring express a true appreciation of the one-on-one help to get caught up. This program also offers counseling services whether it is for abuse or anger issues, mentoring programs, food and clothing pantries, and other help. It is the best program that I have seen in my 31-year tenure as an educator and is my most rewarding teaching experience as well.”

“I don’t know what kids at our school did before the center, but I know we need it to help our students succeed. The center helps our students with personal problems and also if you have a problem and you need to go find a quiet place to collect yourself, you can always go there. Everyone is so nice. The center helps students cope with and overcome our problems. I really believe this is an effective program and other schools ought to have something like this.”

At this point, I can’t imagine Marietta without it. It provides everything that you will ever need in High School, plus more. Everyone is so caring and dedicated to truly helping you and it’s a place that you can actually put your hope into. The Student Success Center can truly change your life and I’m proof of that. It is a trustworthy support system and I believe with all of me that every school needs one.

“I am the parent of a 9th grader and we are new to Georgia. It has been lonely and scary starting over. I’ve been struggling with obtaining work and my daughter is still getting adjusted to our life changes, a new school environment, and new friends. She started seeing a therapist at the center who has given her support and helped her motivation to do good in her classes. The therapist also contacted me and offered her assistance after learning more about what we are going through. She suggested I come to the center to seek some help. Since then I have felt so welcomed. We have been able to get food, help with some of our bills, and they are trying to help me find a job. Everyone I’ve come across has been friendly, compassionate, and caring. I am still in financial crisis, but I am not facing my problems alone. Knowing that my daughter’s school has resources to help us fight our way through all of this means the WORLD to me. If other schools had programs like this, it would help student success rates tremendously.”

“Before the GMSSC, discipline was handled mainly with in-school suspensions and out-of-school suspensions. Both of these consequences failed to address the actual behaviors or put any strategies in place to keep the behaviors from happening again. The GMSSC has allowed the administrative team at Marietta High School the ability to truly impact students’ lives by giving us the resources to: determine the root-cause for behavioral issues and provided supports to address these root-causes; provide direct academic support to students during a time that would have separated the student from school; and provide the students with opportunities to receive social/emotional counseling during the day. By strategically using the GMSSC, we are able to reduce, or off-set, our total days of suspension while helping the students address many of the barriers that lead to the negative behaviors. Directly addressing these barriers also works to lower the rate of repeat offenders.”