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The ADVANCE, December 8, 2021/Page 11A
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
GOING THE EXTRA MILE — Lyons Primary School Teacher Rhonda Gerrits received the
November "Extra Mile Award" for Toombs County Schools for her work to ensure stu
dent success. Here, she receives the award from Superintendent Barry Waller, left, as
Lyons Primary School Principal Chris Bell looks on,
Toombs BOE Recognizes
System Excellence
Photo by Makaylee Randolph
"WOW AWARD" — Mike Smith, right, of the Toombs
County School System Transportation Department re
ceived the November "WOW Award" for his dedica
tion to the school system. Above, Superintendent Barry
Waller presents the award.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
The Toombs County
Board of Education had nu
merous awards and achieve
ments to share at its regular
session on November 11,
as board members praised
school administration, staff,
and students for the excel
lence that they have shown
in the system.
Two Toombs County
School System staff mem
bers were honored for their
dedication to the schools.
“The Extra Mile” award for
certified employees was
given to Rhonda Gerrits, a
teacher at Lyons Primary
School.
Superintendent Barry
Waller praised Gerrits for
her work in the classroom.
“Mrs. Gerrits is a great ex
ample of what a team player
should be,” he said. “She
is always willing to step in
when needed and never
hesitates to go the extra
mile for her students. She
takes a personal interest in
each of their successes and
provides whatever is need
ed for them to achieve this
success.”
“The WOW Award”
was presented to Toombs
County School System
Transportation Depart
ment’s Mike Smith. Waller
commented on the excel
lence of Smith’s work. “He
is always willing to help and
work toward a solution for
any transportation problem
or request,” Waller noted.
“He supports his drivers
and monitors, and often
drives routes when the de
partment is short handed.
He is an all-around great
guy-”
Toombs Central El
ementary School Principal
Destiny Levant highlighted
student achievement and
success at her school dur
ing the meeting. Levant
shared that attendance had
been one of the greatest
improvements which the
school had achieved after
the COVID pandemic, as
97.78% of students attend
school daily and 23% of
students had not missed
a day of school yet in the
2021-2022 school year.
Levant explained how
financial supplements, such
as the L4GA Grant and
CARES funding, had been
used to create literacy labs
and stations to help stu
dents in their reading skills.
Levant argued that these
labs have been pivotal in
the academic development
of students.
She also shared that
the school had formed
a Kindness Club, which
is led by Counselor Mi
chelle Rhodes. This club
promotes encouragement
and kind words among
students and helps create
a more positive school at
mosphere. Levant said this
club has been effective in
improving attendance of
students because to attend
Kindness Club meetings,
students must be at school
early.
In concluding her pre
sentation, Levant remarked
that the sole goal for
Toombs Central Elementa
ry School is to provide the
best possible atmosphere
and resources for student
achievement. “We plant the
seeds that create an envi
ronment
where Toombs Central
Elementary School stu
dents are able to bloom,”
she commented. “We do
this through hands-on
learning, small group in
struction, positive school
atmosphere, and commu
nity support.”
Waller continued the
discussion of importance of
positive school atmosphere
and climate as he explained
the Board’s current study
of Social Emotional Learn
ing. Currently, Board mem
bers are learning about the
seven mindsets that may
be used to help develop the
“whole child.” The Board
hopes to implement this fo
cus throughout the various
schools.
Other Business
The old Toombs
County Board of Education
building is for sale through
The Temples Company.
The old bus shop is be
ing transferred to the City
of Lyons through a one-
year lease.
The Teacher of the
Year will be recognized at
the upcoming meeting on
December 9.
CAMPAIGN CREW — Karmin Johnson was enthusiastically supported by her campaigr
crew, who won a first place prize for fheir campaign skit. Here, the campaign crew
poses with Karmin. Front row, L to R, Tatum Williams, Karmin Johnson, Isabella Huber
Back Row, L to R, Italy Thornton, Kaydence Beecher, Kinley Barber.
Montgomery 5th Grader Named
State Elementary Beta President
MADAME PRESIDENT — Montgomery County 5th grader
Karmin Johnson was installed as the Georgia Elementary
Beta President on December 1 at the Georgia Elemen
tary Beta Convention in Savannah, Here, Karmin stands
with a state Beta sponsor during her installation.
By Makaylee Randolph
Staff Writer
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Montgomery County
Elementary School repre
sentatives brought home a
first place award and a ce
lebrity when they returned
from the Georgia Elemen
tary Beta Convention on
December 1. Fifth-grade
student Karmin Johnson
was installed as State El
ementary Beta President at
the second session of the
convention after having
completed her campaign
rally the previous night.
Karmin is the 11 year-
old daughter of Terra Foun
tain and Josh Brinson. She
has attended Montgomery
County Schools for two
years, spending one year at
Montgomery County Ele
mentary School and study
ing this year at Montgom
ery County Eagle Academy.
She was inducted into the
Montgomery County El
ementary Beta Club this
year, an achievement she
has worked for since trans
ferring into the Montgom
ery County School System
last year for the purpose of
joining Beta activities which
are not offered at the el
ementary level in other area
schools.
“Honestly, being presi
dent feels really exciting and
a little challenging in some
ways,” Karmin commented.
“I wanted to run for the
position to prove that even
though you may live in a
small town and be young,
you can do anything.”
She explained that it
was a lot of work to prepare
for the convention. A cam
paign group was recruited,
posters were made, and a
campaign skit was crafted
to share with the entire state
elementary Beta commu-
Bomb
continued from page 1A
Sheriff’s Office, which is in
charge of courthouse secu
rity, responded to evacuate
all staff and citizens to a
safe location. After secur
ing the courthouse, depu
ties conducted a search but
did not discover a bomb.
An all-clear was issued and
the courthouse was re
opened to employees and
the public at 1 p.m.
As part of the investi
gation, officers utilized the
assistance and resources
of the Middle Judicial Cir
cuit District Attorney’s Of
fice in helping to identify
nity why Johnson deserved
to be president.
“It took a lot of time
to really be ready for the
convention,” Karmin said.
“I don’t think I could have
done it without my friends
and family supporting me.
Every time I got nervous, I
would remind myself that
I could do it, but it was my
friends and family that re
ally made me believe in my
self.”
Karmin didn’t expect
that she would be running
for the state elementary Beta
president. She admitted that
she had always been timid
and shy as a student, so run
ning for this position was
out of her comfort zone. “I
hope that when other peo
ple look at me and see what
I have accomplished, they
are reminded that anything
is possible,” she added. “I
hope they see how shy I was
and how much I have grown
and know that they can do
a suspect in the incidents.
As the case progressed,
the Sheriff’s Office learned
that the Lyons Police De
partment was probing a
bomb threat called into a
local convenience store in
Lyons on November 24.
Eventually, enough
evidence was obtained to
implicate a suspect and
Toombs County authori
ties obtained a warrant to
arrest Weeks for Terroristic
Threats and Acts.
The case is still active
and the Toombs County
Sheriff’s Office asks that
anyone with information
contact law enforcement at
912-526-6778. Callers may
remain anonymous.
that, too.”
Karmin has high hopes
for her presidency in the
organization. “I want to do
what I can to help Beta Club
continue to be as awesome
as it is and maybe even bet
ter,” she remarked. “I am
excited to see what all this
opportunity has to offer,
and I am grateful for all who
helped me get here.”
When asked if she had
any advice for any students
who thought about running
for a state Beta Club office,
Karmin had a simple mes
sage. “Go for it. If you put
your mind to it, you can
achieve anything.”
Not only has the Mont
gomery County community
supported Karmin through
their display of signs on
businesses and messages
of encouragement, but her
campaign team of five fel
low Montgomery County
Elementary School Beta
Club members have stood
by Johnson throughout
the process, and even won
themselves the first place
prize for their campaign
skit. Participants in this
event included Kinley Bar
ber, Kaydence Beecher, Isa
bella Huber, Italy Thornton,
and Tatum Williams.
Montgomery County
Assistant Superintendent
and Eagle Academy Admin
istrator Beverly Faircloth
commented on Karmin’s
achievement. “We are so
incredibly proud of Karmin
and her initiative. She is not
someone who seeks the
spotlight and definitely had
to step out of her comfort
zone to meet this challenge,
which makes us even more
proud.”