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The ADVANCE, Morch 17, 2021/Page 14A
Vidalia School Board Honored
By Rebekah Arnold
Contributing Writer
The Vidalia City
Schools Board of Educa
tion is one of only four or
five Boards in the State
whose members do not
receive compensation for
their services to school
children and their families.
“I think that lends itself
to having people who have
good intentions to serve.
Superintendent Dr. Garrett
Wilcox said in presenting a
Governor’s proclamation
to the Board members at
the March meeting. “A lot
of times it's about being
supportive and providing
resources, more so than de
cisions, that impact these
kids for a long time. Thank
you for what you do.”
Governor Brian Kemp
did proclaim that “the
men and women serving
on school boards in com
munities across Georgia
have demonstrated a strong
commitment to quality and
public education by secur
ing adequate resources,
promoting academic stan
dards and fostering part
nerships within the com
munity.” For this reason,
he declared the week of
March 15 -21, 2021, as
School Board Appreciation
Week, and Dr. Wilcox was
sure to acknowledge it for
his Board members.
In other business, the
Board approved expendi
tures for three requests.
The baseball and softball
field scoreboards, in use
since about 2003, will be
replaced for $32,440. Fifty
desktop computers for
teachers at J.R. Trippe will
be purchased for $26,750.
Both of these will use
SPLOST funds.
The third request ap
proved will be for bigger
items and instruments for
the band programs in fifth
grade through high school.
In organizing and evaluat
ing band equipment when
first arriving to instruct at
Vidalia City Schools, band
directors Dr. Beth Taylor
and Steven Arnold found
much need for replace
ments of instruments that
had been overused for
many years.
Interest in band has
been generated in younger
students; for the first time,
there are band classes in
5th grade and there are 50
students in these classes.
Taylor works with various
instrument groups at S.D.
Meadows four days a week,
and the whole group on
Fridays. Arnold has a sixth-
grade beginner class of 30,
seventh has 18, and there
are 23 in eighth grade. The
directors are excited about
building upon these num
bers of young musicians.
Dr. Taylor said, “I’ve
always said if the roots are
rotten, the flowers won’t
bloom on the top. With a
strong background the stu
dents are getting at the mid
dle school and the support
with Mr. Stephens (SDM)
and Dr. Reid (JRT), we feel
really good that the equip
ment we are asking for is
going to take us into the
future.”
Wilcox recommended
to the Board that the policy
for supplemental pay for
coaches and staff who are
certified to drive buses,
and who are filling in as bus
drivers because of a short
age, be upgraded from $25
per route to $35. Also, all
bus drivers who are now
driving for the after-school
program will also receive
this increase in pay after
completing their normal
route at the $25 rate. There
is a need for more bus driv
ers since some current driv
ers are retiring. The Board
approved the supplemen
tal pay update to the board
policies.
Assistant Superinten
dent Ginger Morris shared
her excitement about the
start of the after-school pro
gram, although she prefers
to rename it due to its com
prehensive approach. The
program will offer face-to-
face, direct and sequenced
instruction for an hour,
along with snack time and
other after school care ele
ments. There will be small
group instruction with a
literacy focus, involving a
teacher and a paraprofes-
sional in each classroom.
The goal of this pro
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Tffl'RPFM
NUDOZf
STUDENT OF THE M01
#TCMSProud
STUDENT UF the MONTI
#TCMSProud
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH — Toombs County Middle School has announced February
Students of the Month. These students are being recognized for having good grades,
good attendance and exemplifying good citizenship, (Lto R): Front row: Janee John
son, Manuel Garcia, Second row: Leslie Yanez, LeShunn McArthur, MaHailia Hutcheson,
Jordyn McNear, Back row: Lilly Bellew, Juan Alvarado, Viviana Rodriguez, Jamal Gillis,
Arriana Kinchen, and Jose Osorio.
This event is free and open to all kids ages 0-12.
During this event each child will be entered in a
drawing to win a free Easter Basket.
We will have-3'age divisions
(0-3.4-8,9-12)
l each age division will
have a cash prize egg.
Sponsored By:
oTime conTeaerate Rose Chapter, 1
Photo by Rebekah Arnold
COMMITTED TO QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION - Vidalia City Schools Board of Education
members were celebrated during the March 9 board meeting for their combined 49
years of service to students and their families, Shown, from left to right, are: Hal Chesser,
14 years; Bruce Asberry, 17 years, 8 months; Tim Truxel, 11 years, 5 months; Andy Blount,
6 months; and Julee Torrence, 5 years, 2 months.
gram will be to close the
gap in literacy skills caused
by lost classroom time
during school closings last
spring. At J.D. Dickerson,
teacher recommendations
will be used to determine
the 50 students who will
benefit from the program.
At S.D. Meadows, in grades
2 through 5, reading inven
tories and benchmarks will
be used to determine which
students can benefit from
the extra instruction. There
will be 80 students in this
program at Meadows.
Morris is grateful for
the bus drivers who are
available to transport the
students to this after school
program. Students who are
car riders are eligible to at
tend, also.
These students who
benefit from the current
after school program are
also eligible for the sum
mer instructional session,
as needed. Morris reported
that this session will prob
ably be held in the morn
ing, with Nutrition Direc
tor Denise Parson and her
staff prepared to provide
breakfast, snacks and a to-
go lunch for the summer
students. Morris explained
that if parents have ques
tions or concerns about
how the after school in
structional program is op
erating, including teacher-
student ratio, instruction or
safety, they can observe the
program in order to make
decisions for enrolling their
students in the summer.
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* **
<■» *■
SPIRIT CHEER
UDW
♦ %
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' REGISTER
HERE
Ready, Set, GLOW!
BREWTON-PARKER COLLEGE
Check-In begins @ 6:30 PM Race begins @ 7:15 PM
* ♦.
Early Registration: Feb 1st-Feb 28th
Children/Students: $15
Adults: $25
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Registration fee increases $5 after March 1st.
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^arly registration includes T-shirt & Glow Swag*
All participants will receive a medal.