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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30,2018 | $1.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Educators react to changing index
BY JOSHUA SILAVENT
jsilavent@gainesvilletimes.com
Schools were graded on how
much progress they’re making
with specific groups of students in
the latest scores released Monday,
Oct. 29, by the state Department of
Education.
The College and Career Ready
I Inside
College and Career Ready
Performance Index scores 6A
Performance Index is
Georgia’s annual tool for
measuring how schools are
doing to prepare students
for the next educational
level, and officials say it’s
always changing, making it
somewhat difficult to com
pare year over year.
With input from the
public and a committee of
educators, changes were made to
expand the scoring to include more
measures beyond standardized
testing.
Scores this year were
calculated with a new
“Closing Gaps” compo
nent that rewards schools
for making progress with
specific student subgroups
such as English learners,
the economically disad
vantaged and students with
disabilities.
About 54 percent of
the 29,000 students in Hall schools
are considered economically dis
advantaged, which means they
may receive free or reduced-price
school meals, for example;
the number of English-lan
guage learners accounts
for 27.5 percent of stu
dents; and 13.6 percent of
students have disabilities.
This indicator places
more emphasis on
improvement than overall
performance, said Kevin
Bales, assistant superinten
dent of teaching and learning for
Hall County Schools, which means
one school might be doing better
overall with these subgroups but
scored lower than another
school that is performing
worse overall but made
greater improvements in
testing.
“I’m not sure we’ve got it
exactly the way it needs to
be with regard to that one
indicator,” Bales added.
Gainesville City Schools
Superintendent Jeremy
Williams said that “excluding the
addition of Closing the Gap, we
■ Please see INDEX, 6A
Bales
Williams
Helping students get to work
Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Sean Hopkins, a student at Lanier College & Career Academy, welds Thursday, Oct. 18, during a welding class.
New program preparing young adults for careers in local industries
Planners to
vote on S. Hall
developments
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
The Hall County Planning Commission will vote Monday
on two South Hall subdivisions, a Gainesville agritourism
venue and a truck terminal at a
business in Clermont.
A 519-acre industrial develop
ment in North Hall off Ga. 365
had originally been scheduled
for a vote on Monday, but the
applicant has requested to table
the proposal.
279-lot subdivision
in Flowery Branch
A 279-home neighborhood may be coming to Ponderosa
Farm Road at the intersection with LJ Martin Drive.
The 121-acre property would be rezoned from agricultural
residential to planned residential development.
According to the application with the county, the subdi
vision could be either age-restricted or traditional family
homes. Completion is expected by 2023.
Planning staff is recommending approval. The planning
commission’s recommendation will go to the Hall County
Board of Commissioners for a final vote on Dec. 13.
Hall County
Planning
Commission
When: 5:15 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 5
Where: Hall County
Government Center,
2875 Browns Bridge
Road, Gainesville
BY JOSHUA SILAVENT
jsilavent@gainesvilletimes.com
Joel Grace has moved around
some in the last few years, from Ala
bama to West Hall High School in
Oakwood, and now finds himself at
the Lanier College & Career Acad
emy with a clear goal in mind.
“ I don’t want to be struggling to get
through,” said Grace, 17, adding that
he grew up in poverty.
He also carries an attitude that
ought to serve him well as an adult.
“I love work, too,” Grace said.
“Work don’t bother me.”
Grace is one of about 60 stu
dents enrolled in a new agriculture
mechanics program at the acad
emy, studying topics like welding,
electrical wiring and engine repair
— anything that will make him the
tradesman he wants to be.
Students in the program that
launched this fall benefit from
the unique partnerships with local
businesses.
“Our vision is to help our students
■ Please see READY, 6A
Mike Quisenberry, owner of Lanier Carts & Outdoor, speaks with Lanier
College & Career Academy Prinicpal David Moody on Thursday, Oct. 18, at
the school. A new agricultural mechanics program at the Hall County school
has started with a business partnership with Lanier Carts & Outdoor to build
custom E-Z-Go golf carts for the community and Hall County Schools.
195-lot subdivision in Braselton
Pulte Homes is applying to build a 195-lot “age-targeted”
subdivision on Union Church Road in Braselton.
The approximately 59-acre lot would be zoned from agri
cultural residential to planned residential development.
Ranch homes in the neighborhood would be at least 1,500
square feet and other homes would be at least 2,000 square
feet.
Adjacent properties include other subdivisions and agri
cultural uses. Planning staff is recommending approval.
The planning commission’s recommendation will go to the
Hall County Board of Commissioners for a final vote on Dec.
13.
Agri-entertainment venue on Smith Mill Road
Cool Springs Blueberry Farm on Smith Mill Road in
Gainesville wants to start hosting more events and has
applied to become an agri-entertainment venue.
For the past eight years, the farm has been open for a few
weeks each year for customers to pick their own berries.
For the rest of the year, the property has been closed to the
public.
If the 5-acre farm becomes an agri-entertainment venue,
activities could include fall and spring festivals, movie
nights, farmers markets, summer camps and weddings.
Maximum capacity for all events would be 80 to 120 peo
ple, according to the application with the county.
Jason Harper, the owner of the farm, said in a letter
■ Please see PLANNERS, 6A
Retired police chief remembered for advocating for officers
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
The first chief to get his officers
ballistic vests and ammo covered
by the city, retired Gainesville
Police Chief Jerry Forrester, died
Monday. He was 72.
A Marine serving 13 months
in Vietnam, Forrester returned
stateside and joined the city police
department in 1968. He became
police chief in 1985 and retired in
1991.
Retired Capt. Chad White said
Forrester was a humble, loyal and
dedicated man who “laid a good
foundation for others to follow.”
“He was one of the most honest
men I’ve ever known, and I know
he certainly left a great legacy of
integrity and respect for all offi
cers to come,” he said.
Overseeing a department of 65
sworn officers, Forrester worked
to get ballistic vests and ammo paid
for by the city as well as better pay.
He also reorganized the depart
ment into three divisions with sep
arate division commanders.
A May 1988 article in The Times
said it would cost roughly $900 to
outfit a Gainesville officer
with the necessary uni
form equipment.
White said Forrester
was responsible for bring
ing “the police depart
ment up to modern age
or modern policing at that
time.”
“Up to that point, offi
cers were furnishing their
own weapon and furnishing their
own ammo,” he said.
Retired Chief Frank Hooper
said Forrester was a leader he
tried to emulate — the head of a
department champion
ing better equipment and
training while still mak
ing time for the occasional
department softball game.
“He was chief of police,
but he also knew when
it was time, I guess, to be
kind of one of the guys,”
Hooper said.
Funeral services will
be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct.
31, in the Memorial Park Funeral
Home chapel.
Hooper, White and the Rev.
Jack Sanders will officiate. Inter-
I Inside
Police Chief Jerry Forrester
obituary, 7A
ment will follow in Memorial Park
Cemetery.
The family will receive friends
at the funeral home 2-4 p.m. and
6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30.
“Chief Forrester was a dis
tinguished leader, not only for
Gainesville but for our great
nation. He left a lasting legacy that
will never be forgotten,” Chief
Carol Martin said in a statement.
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WEATHER 2A
High Low
i 68 49
Lake Lanier level: 1,069.47 feet
Full pool 1,071. Down 0.01 feet in 24 hours
DEATHS 7A
Lydia Henderson Balls, 83
Cody Wayne Chambers, 54
David Michael Culley, 56
Jerry Harrison Forrester, 72
Kathryn Frix, 92
Anthony D. Logan, 57
Steven Brent Parker, 39
Peggy Robertson, 59
Angela Cavuoto Shallis, 62
Doris Ladd Simmons, 97
Chad Emory Taylor, 30
John Buford Ward, 94
Harold E. Williams, 90
Barbara Faye Worley, 81