Newspaper Page Text
he ADVANCE, August 25, 2021/Page 10A
Stye Aiiuancg
Montgomery BOE Hires New
Special Education Director
Your
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please.
“If we get through
this debacle with Af
ghanistan, it is imper
ative to LIMIT THE
TERMS OF OFFICE of
our corruption ridden
Congress and Su
preme Court immedi
ately. Our govern
ment looks like it be
longs in a third world
country where all the
"leaders" become
billionaires while in of
fice and have sev
eral country estates
all over the country."
“If the covid vac
cine works, why are
those with the shots
afraid of those with
out? Why don't they
just let the non-vaxx-
ers die off? Then no
covid."
“We have a 3 part
government for a
reason - the Legisla
tive branch (Con
gress) to make the
laws, the Judicial
branch (Supreme
Court) to interpret
the laws, and the Ex
ecutive branch (Pres
ident) to enforce the
laws. Congress and
the Supreme Court
have the Constitu
tional right to take
away the keys from
the senile old grand
father who is driving
the car full of Ameri
cans over the cliff.
Right now Congress
and the Supreme
Court are just stand
ing around sucking
their thumbs. For
Shame!"
“Postpone 9/11
commemoration this
year?? Postpone
Halloween?? Post
pone Thanksgiving??
Postpone Christ
mas?? Postpone On-
By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
Gov. Brian Kemp is
sued an executive order
Thursday prohibiting lo
cal governments in Geor
gia from imposing mask
mandates to discourage
the spread of COVID-19.
The cities of Atlanta
and Savannah reinstated
mask mandates late last
month for public indoor
spaces, citing a rise in
cases of the virus driven
by the highly contagious
delta variant.
Some school districts
in Georgia also are requir
ing students and teach
ers to wear masks inside
school buildings.
While Kemp has sup
ported letting individual
school systems make
those decisions, he said
his executive order is
ion Festival?? Why
don't we just post
pone breathing?
Then we won't suck
in any of those
naughty covid germs
at all. That ought to
show it!"
“Well, Biden has
given the Taliban ter
rorists an entire coun
try from which to at
tack us and the rest
of the world. He is
leaving American cit
izens there and our
Afghan allies to have
their heads cut off
and the female chil
dren to be married
off to Taliban war
riors. And liberals are
still making excuses
for him."
“Media hosts are
now arguing about
which "vaccine"
company is the best,
like the best shoe
brands: " Don't take
the Johnson and
Johnson." "Mod-
erna is the one I like."
"No, you should take
the Pfizer." Choose
the one you like now
- looks like you will
soon be taking a
booster every
month."
“What is wrong
with Joe Biden and
the democrat party?
They want to give
money to everybody
that wants it except
the ones who need it
like disabled vets, se
nior citizens. He will
go down in history as
the sorriest president
we ever had."
“If it is true, it is a
bad tragedy that the
Vidalia City School
System will not allow
kids to wear a shirt
with the American
flag on it or an Amer
ican flag lapel pin.
That is such a bad
thing. That is a pure
tragedy and a
shame."
“The City of Vidalia
said we outgrew the
Ed Smith Complex so
we bought property
out on Ezra Taylor Rd„
built a complex out
there that nobody
uses. Now we've pur
chased the land that
the Captain's Corner
Restaurant was on so
we can expand the
Ed Smith Complex.
I'm confused. Did we
not make a good de
cision before or are
aimed at businesses.
“Small businesses
across our state should not
be punished by local gov
ernments,” he said. “Just
as our economy is starting
to return to normal, small
businesses cannot survive
another shutdown.”
Kemp said Thursday’s
order is in keeping with
his commitment through
out the course of the pan
demic to protect “both
lives and livelihoods.”
Thanks to that stand,
Georgia has been able to
reduce unemployment
and experience record job
growth while still priori
tizing seniors vulnerable
to coronavirus and seeing
to the needs of hospitals
and schools, he said.
“I trust hardworking
Georgians to know what’s
best for themselves, their
we making a good
decision now? Which
is it?"
“You go places
around, closed, no
help. If the govern
ment would stop giv
ing out unemploy
ment money, get
them a job because
there's plenty of jobs
out there, we
wouldn't have all
these problems. "
“About the dress
code thing at the Vi
dalia Schools, the
dress code should be
changed. Pretty ob
vious. This is the
United States of
America. We have
our flag and any per
son should be able to
display the flag on a
shirt. I understand
that there are peo
ple who object to it,
but there is a tasteful
way to do it. I think if
you can't wear the
flag in the schools,
you might as well
shut the schools."
“All the chaos that
Biden has brought
upon this country in
the 6 months he's
been in office is not
just stupidity. A lot of
it is deliberate de
struction on this na
tion. He's taking his
orders from China.
Notice how quick
Chinese moved in to
Kabul after the Tali
ban took over? We
need to impeach this
president and Ka-
mala as soon as pos
sible while we still
have a country."
“Since Vidalia City
Schools have gone
all woke and every
thing, when will they
start teaching critical
race Theory and
white privilege? Ask
ing for a friend."
“Joe Biden has
now completed one
of his campaign
promises. He has
united this country in
a way I never thought
it would be. Demo
crats, republicans,
socialists, commu
nists, liberals, conser
vatives, doesn't mat
ter what you call
yourself. Everybody
knows something's
got to be done about
Joe, but everybody's
scared of what the
effects are going to
be. Joe's got to go."
families and their employ
ees,” he said.
With cases of CO-
VID-19 rising in Georgia
to the point of strain
ing hospital emergency
rooms and ICUs, Kemp
has taken heat in recent
weeks from critics calling
on the governor to take
a more forceful stand on
mask wearing.
Georgia passed the
1 million mark in con
firmed cases of the virus
this week. As of Thursday
afternoon, 69,797 Geor
gians had been hospital
ized with COVID-19 and
the virus was responsible
for 22,151 confirmed or
probable deaths.
Georgia and other
Southern states also con
tinued to lag behind the
nation in COVID-19 vac
cination rates.
By Makaylee Randolph
Contributing Writer
The Montgomery
County Board of Education
in its monthly meeting Au
gust 16, approved the hir
ing of Alicia Hartley as the
School System’s new Special
Education director, replac
ing Audrey Walters who re
tired for health reasons.
Hartley worked at
Wheeler County Elemen
tary School since 1995. She
studied speech-language
pathology at Valdosta State
University, and received a
specialist degree from Geor
gia College and State Uni
versity in 2017.
Pre-Literacy
Coordinator
The system is also ac
cepting applications for a
Pre-Literacy Coordinator.
This newly-created posi
tion will not only provide
an employee to work within
the school but also within
the community through day
cares, HeadStart, churches,
and in other ways. The co
ordinator will help children
acquire early literacy skills
and provide assistance to
parents to better prepare
their children for school.
Interim Superintendent
Mark Davidson said of the
new position, “We are work
ing to do everything we can
to give our kids the best
opportunity to read by 3rd
grade,” he explained.
The school already of
fers community literacy
outreach through the Eagle
TCHS
continued from page 1A
explained.
He stressed the need
for these kinds of skilled
laborers in local industries.
“Both Chicken of the Sea
and McLendon Enterprises
have repeatedly shared that
they need equipment op
erators.”
This program is also
an innovative option for
students disinterested in
pursuing college. Toombs
County CTAE Director
Carmen Roberts noted,
“Most pathways are geared
toward students going to
college, which can be frus
trating for individuals who
do not wish to follow that
plan. Having this pathway
gives more choice in stu
dents’ educations to pre
pare them for the future;
it is a very necessary addi
tion.”
The pathway will not
only equip students to op
erate heavy equipment but
will also give them the op
portunity to secure neces
sary employment certifica
tions, such as OSELA 10.
Students will learn safety
skills as well as how to op
erate heavy equipment such
as forklifts, dump trucks
and excavators.
McLendon Enterprises
CEO Benny McLendon
explained the versatility of
learning the controls to any
heavy machinery: “Most
equipment has the same
controls; these students can
take this operation knowl
edge and work on numer
ous pieces of equipment
throughout farming, con
struction, factory work, and
logging—all of which are
common industries in this
area.”
The course will be
taught by Coach Tom
Brodnax, who praised the
community’s support. “I
have spoken with Sean
Scott, who works with the
Georgia Highway Contrac-
Express program, a mobile
project that assists children
with homework and tutor
ing.
School Millage Rate
The Board tentatively
approved the setting of the
millage rate for school taxes
to remain at 15 mills. The
state has suggested the pos
sibility of lowering the mill-
age rate because of the rise
in property values; however,
“dropping the millage rate
below 15 would cause the
school to lose equalization
and other funding,” David
son said.
“In my experiences in
other school systems, it is
harder to raise the millage
rate after dropping below
15; thus, for the sake of the
future and current funding,
I think it is necessary to leave
the rate where it is,” David
son said. “It is what is best
for the kids in our school
system to retain funding.”
The final decision re
garding the millage rate will
be made in September. The
BOE will host three public
hearings to address public
concerns about this action.
Hearing dates will be an
nounced later.
New Staff
Other personnel also
added to the Montgomery
County Schools staff include
Yolanda Robinson, BOE
secretary; Nikki McDaniel,
prekindergarten parapro-
fessional; Bernice Stanley,
afternoon bus monitor; and
tors Association, and he as
sured me of his assistance
with whatever is necessary,”
Brodnax explained. “Also,
Brent Holcomb, who works
in the Safety Department
at McLendon Enterprises,
volunteered his services to
actually come in and teach a
class on safety”
This community sup
port has expanded from
mere individual commit
ments to the supply of
equipment and dirt for stu
dent practice sessions. Also,
Southeastern Early College
and Career Academy (SEC-
CA) has united with TCHS
to give students from other
area high schools the op
portunity to fill vacant seats
in the class on a first-come,
first-served basis. “This will
truly be a program that is
great for the community
not only because it will pro
vide a workforce, but also
because it gives so many lo
cal youths the opportunity,”
TCHS Principal Marissa
Morris said.
SECCA CEO Shelly
Smith added her thoughts
on the creation of the pro
gram and the impact it has
on surrounding counties.
"SECCA is unique in that
students may take classes
at our campus, but they
also may take classes on
one another’s campuses,”
she explained. "Now that
Toombs County is adding
the heavy equipment path
way, students from Vidalia
High, Treutlen High, and
Montgomery County High
can enroll in these courses,
as well. SECCA is the um
brella for sharing and maxi
mizing all the resources in
all four school districts, and
we are so excited to be a part
of the new program.”
The pathway began in
August as 31 students en
tered the program through
enrollment in the Founda
tions of Industry class. The
total program will last three
semesters with three differ
ent classes and is available
to any interested students.
Michael Berkins, Rita Curl,
and Karen Nobles, substi
tute roster; Shane Taylor
and Buck Brazell, long-term
substitute bus drivers, and
Melissa Fernandez, Early In
tervention Program teacher
for students struggling aca
demically.
Equipment
The replacement of a
broken air conditioning unit
at the elementary school
was approved unanimously
by the board at a cost of
$10,240 using SPLOST
funds.
The BOE also dis
cussed the possibility of us
ing CARES 3 funding for
the purchase of a new bus
to replace the special educa
tion department bus, which
is becoming unreliable be
cause of age and mileage.
The possibility of a new
maintenance truck to re
place a wrecked vehicle was
also considered.
The purchase of the
GHSA-mandated lightning
detector for the sports com
plex was approved at a cost
of $21,450.
Athletics Volunteers
The athletics depart
ment of the school an
nounced the need for volun
teers to work the concession
stand and/or cook for the
concession stand during
home football games. Any
interested party can reach
out to Davidson for further
guidance.
By the end of the path
way, students will receive
a certificate of completion
of pathway, OSHA safety
certification, and licensure
to enter the workforce as li
censed operators.
Funding for the course
is derived from both invest
ments and donations from
local industries, as well as
funding received from the
state for courses and stu
dents. “The funding from
the state is determined by
the number of students in
each class and may vary year
to year,” Roberts explained.
The pilot program is
approved as a locally-de
veloped pathway through
the Georgia Department
of Transportation. Superin
tendent Waller explained,
“There are only two other
states, Kentucky and Ohio,
that even offer the program
to students. Since it’s the
first program of its kind in
Georgia, several schools
in the state have reached
out to let us know they are
watching our experience for
possible implementation in
their own systems.”
McLendon also shared
his excitement for the pro
gram. “This program truly
fits the community. With
the large number of indus
tries that require this work,
combined with the current
supply and demand situa
tion for the workforce, this
program puts interested
students in the best possible
position to not only provide
for themselves and have a
career upon leaving high
school, but to excel in this
provision and career.”
Brodnax will maintain
records that will measure
the results of the program
on the individual students
and the program’s impact on
the area workforce. Brod
nax plans to help students
make connections with area
industries like McLendon
Enterprises and Chicken of
The Sea, to help give them
a jumpstart on their careers.
Kemp to local governments:
No mask mandates