The College of Family and Consumer Sciences has been active in K-12 education in Georgia for generations and continues to contribute significantly at multiple levels.
Most recently, FACS faculty have worked closely with state board of education staff in revising the high school “career pathways” curriculum in the areas of interior design and nutrition and food science.
Patricia Hunt-Hurst (Department Head, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) and Ruthann Swanson (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition) have each met with teams of teachers and administrators to discuss the elements that should be included in these areas. In the foods and nutrition area, two courses have been approved to meet one of the four science requirements for high school graduation. Swanson has also provided full-day workshops for teachers to provide subject matter background.
Another new program for educators that has been initiated in FACS and the College of Education is the Birth-through-5 Teacher Preparation emphasis. This emphasis, which began a year ago, certifies graduates to teach children with and without disabilities from birth through age 5. The program is offered jointly by the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education in the College of Education and the Department of Child and Family Development in FACS. This program is coordinated in FACS by Mariana Souto-Manning (Assistant Professor, Child and Family Development).
The Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 2 program has been offered as a joint program between CFD and the College of Education since 1994. Students who choose to study in FACS take courses in child development in addition to education courses. Although students who graduate in this major are qualified to teach pre-kindergarten through grade 5, the focus of their coursework is on teaching younger children. This program is coordinated in FACS by Julia Reguero de Atiles (Senior Academic Professional, Child and Family Development).
