Charter System: What is this and why now?

Over the next several months,  you will be hearing us talk about becoming a charter school system.  I am sure many of you are wondering what we are talking about and more importantly, why. 

As part of legislation introduced in 2010, the state has given school systems until  June 30^th, 2015 to make a decision about how they choose to operate their school system. 

The state has given schools systems several options  and the system that seems to  be the best fit for us in Stephens County is a charter system.  Since we fought a hard battle in November to defeat the charter amendment legislation, which passed, I am sure many people are confused as to why we are now moving toward becoming a charter system.   

In this case, the word charter means contract. Our school system will have a contract between our local board of education and the state board of education. In the contract we will spell out which Georgia Department of Education rules we will waive or flex so that we can meet the specific needs of our students and community. Even with this flexibility, we will still be a public school system, and will continue to maintain compliance with all federal laws and requirements. As a condition of being granted flexibility from state rules, however, we must ensure the state department of education that the academic performance of our students will meet or exceed state averages--something our school system has been and will continue to do. The terms of our contract will spell out how we intend to do this. Part of being a charter system will be an emphasis on school-based leadership and decision-making.

Students need to be successful as they leave school so that they can be independent, productive contributing citizens and that is our motivation for applying to be a charter system.  The flexibility afforded through charter system status will allow us to serve our students in new ways and better meet their needs.

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing winter break and that you are ready to tackle the second half of the school year.  I am sure 2013 will bring many new opportunities  as well as a few challenges.  The second half of the school year is always filled with a flurry of activities and events leading up to the end of the year.  We had a very strong first semester and are pressing forward into the second half of the school year with renewed enthusiasm and a strong focus on teaching and learning. 

Our teachers have worked hard to implement the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards.     CCGPS define the knowledge and skills students should master during their K-12 education so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs.  These standards are aligned with college and work expectations, are clear and consistent, and are much more rigorous.  The standards focus on teaching fewer things, in greater depth, and have been adopted by 46 states, the U.S.  Department of Defense’s education programs and three U.S. territories.  Georgia formally adopted the standards in July 2010, and the state’s educators have been training in them since March 2011. 

As we move into winter weather, I also want to encourage you to make sure your contact information is up to date.  Should inclement weather occur, our parent notification system will be used to notify parents of changes in school schedules and operations.

January also brings 2 new Board members to the Stephens County Board of Education.  Tony Crunkleton and Jim Ledford will join  Jerry Steele, Dr. Elizabeth Pinkerton, Sandra Childs, David Fricks, and Jeff Webb.  These Board members play a vital role in the education of our children and are to be commended for their dedication and hard work. 

In Stephens County, we are blessed with outstanding students, engaged parents and a supportive community.  Thank you for your support from all of us. 

Thanksgiving

It is that time of year when we pause to give thanks for all that we have, and as the superintendent, I have so many things in my life that I am grateful for and thankful for.

Each day I am in awe of the sense of community, the giving spirit,  the focus on learning, and the caring heart that is evident in our school system.  I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to some very important people in our school community.

 I am grateful for our teachers and support staff for their dedication to make Stephens County School System the best it can be.  We are privileged to have a group of people who share a commitment to providing the best learning experience and education for every student in our school system.  The skills and talents of our staff are given freely in order to meet the individual needs of students and parents, as well as each other.

I want to say thank you to our parents who contribute so much to the success of our schools and school system.  I am thankful for their continued support in creating an outstanding partnership for our students.

I am also grateful for living in this community, one that values and supports our school system and the work that we do to educate our students.  I am also thankful for the many  volunteers and mentors who  contribute their time and talents, enriching our schools.

To the very best students in the world, I am so very thankful to each and every one of you. You are respectful, responsible and eager to learn. You come to school each and every day ready to learn—and you give us all a daily reminder of what is important and why we are here.

 

On behalf of the Stephens County School System, I want to wish you all a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.

 

 

List of Reward Schools Released by GADOE

Recently the Georgia Department of Education released the list of Reward schools, those schools that are the top performing schools in the state, especially when accounting for significant numbers of low income students.      As part of Georgia’s accountability waiver to the US Department of Education, Georgia must identify Reward, Priority, Focus, and Alert schools.  There are 2 categories of Reward schools: Rewards schools highest performing and Reward schools high progress.  And I am proud to say that all 6 schools in our school system made the Reward schools list. 

Big A Elementary, Eastanollee Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Toccoa Elementary and SCMS were named reward schools highest performing.  These 5 schools were among 79 listed as the state’s highest performing schools with a high population of low income students.  To be classified as “highest-performing,” a school’s test scores must fall in the top five percent among Title I schools for three consecutive years.

SCHS was named a reward school for high progress, one of 156 that have made the biggest academic strides with a high population of low income students.  To be classified as “High-Progress”, a school’s academic gains must fall in the top ten percent of Title 1 schools for three consecutive years.

This achievement can be contributed to one thing—hard work.  Throughout the last three years, our teachers have worked diligently to identify students needing additional help and to provide them with the interventions needed to help them catch up and stay on track for graduation.   School schedules and classroom schedules have been adjusted to allow time for teachers to works with groups of students who have common needs such as remediation or enrichment.  And, administrators, school improvement teams and teacher teams have analyzed test scores and assessment results to make informed decisions that positively affect student outcomes. This focused approach to teaching and learning is paying off. 

Our students are making positive and steady gains in state assessment scores, AP scores, school and system strategic goals, our local milestones, and the graduation rate.  An outstanding education is the greatest gift we can give to the students in Stephens County.

New SCHS Set to Open

The research is conclusive:  school facilities have a measurable impact on the achievement of our children.  From Kindergarten through high school, the environment in which our students learn affects their performance and, ultimately their future. While factors such as teachers and parental involvement have an indisputable impact on student achievement,  well-designed school facilities-places where children spend the majority of their waking hours- can significantly bolster whatever human inputs our students receive.  On the other hand, poorly-designed or maintained buildings threaten to undermine every other effort we may put into our educational system.

When a community invests in its school faciltiies it is the same as investing in our students. 

After 2 years of construction, the new SCHS will be opening for classes on March 5.  SCHS has been given a green report card any parent or community member would be proud of.  This school has eco-friendly features and has the ability to teach students about sustainability because part of the LEED certification process includes using the facility as a teaching tool for the schools students.  This certification from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program,  will demonstrate SCSS’s commitment to preserve, conserve, and sustain our resources for future generations.  

This new facility replaces the oldest least efficient building in the district with one that has the most modern state of the art equipment and technology.  We are very excited about the opening and believe we have one of the finest schools in the area.  This school will provide a well-lit, healthy, comfortable environment conducive to learning and student achievement while saving money, energy and reousrces.   In addition, The Currahee Arena and the Tugaloo Center for the Performing Arts are second to none.  

The future is bright for our 4200 students in Stephens County.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is that time of year when we pause to give thanks for all that we have, and as the superintendent, I have so many things in my life that I am grateful for and thankful for. Each day I am in awe of the sense of community, the giving spirit,  the focus on learning, and the caring heart that is evident in our school system.  I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to some very important people in our school community.

 I am grateful for our teachers and support staff for their dedication to make Stephens County School System the best it can be.  We are privileged to have a group of people who share a commitment to providing the best learning experience and education for every student in our school system.  The skills and talents of our staff are given freely in order to meet the individual needs of students and parents, as well as each other.

I want to say thank you to our parents who contribute so much to the success of our schools and school system.  I am thankful for their continued support in creating an outstanding partnership for our students.

I am also grateful for living in this community, one that values and supports our school system and the work that we do to educate our students.  I am also thankful for the many  volunteers and mentors who  contribute their time and talents, enriching our schools.

To the very best students in the world, I am so very thankful to each and every one of you. You are respectful, responsible and eager to learn. You come to school each and every day ready to learn—and you give us all a daily reminder of what is important and why we are here.

On behalf of the Stephens County School System, I want to wish you all a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday.

Thank You!

Congratulations to the students, parents, teachers, staff, and community on an overwhelming ESPLOST victory last Tuesday.  ESPLOST passed with a resounding 71% percent YES vote for our students and our schools.

I appreciate everyone getting the word out regarding this referendum.  This vote shows that the people in Stephens County have confidence and faith in public education and our local schools.

I want to extend special appreciation and thank yous to all school personnel for their support of ESPLOST, for asking questions and informing themselves and the community concerning ESPLOST, to  civic groups and organizations for inviting us to share the facts and open communication regarding ESPLOST, and to Clay Fisher and Mack Poss for heading up the renewal effort. 

With this result, the 1-cent ESPLOST will  continue in January 2013 after it runs out on Dec. 31, 2012. It is not a new tax, but simply an extension of the tax as it stands right now.

Since 1998, voters have overwhelmingly supported education special purpose local option sales tax referendums for new facilities, facility improvements, transportation, and technology.  ESPLOST I provided much needed additions to all four elementary schools. The biggest project for ESPLOST II was the construction of SCMS and the renovation and construction of athletic facilities and vocational improvements.  The new 2 story SCMS facility replaced a building originally built in 1958, and The new SCHS, the marquee project for ESPLOST III is in the final stages of completion.  This 4^th ESPLOST will be used to pay off the remaining bond debt that funded construction of the new high school

Again, thanks to every Stephens County citizen who voted YES for our schools and our children.  They are worth every penney.