Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
The Braselton News
Page 3A
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State
WJES’s Westhafer among Gov. Kemp’s appointments
West Jackson Elementary School teacher Stephanie Westhafer is pictured
with Govenrnor Brian Kemp. Westhafer was recently appointed to serve on
the newly-formed Georgia Council on Literacy.
West Jackson Elementa
ry School teacher Stepha
nie Westhafer was recent
ly appointed by Governor
Brian Kemp to serve on
the newly-formed Geor
gia Council on Literacy.
Westhafer will join a group
of 30 appointees who will
conduct comprehensive
reviews of birth to postsec
ondary literary programs
and ensure the state is sup
porting the improvement
of literacy outcomes for
Georgia students.
“We are thrilled that Dr.
Westhafer will be able to
highlight the important
role that science learning
can play in improving lit
eracy,” Georgia Science
Teachers Association Ex
ecutive Director Dr. Nicole
Page said. “Her appoint
ment speaks to her experi
ence and credentials as an
outstanding educator and
to the efforts of GSTA’s ad
vocacy team.”
Westhafer is a first-grade
teacher at WJES. She was
recognized as the Geor
gia Pre-K Teacher of the
Year 2018-19, earned the
Georgia Youth Science and
Technology Centers STEM
Scholar Award in 2022,
and is currently serving as
the Georgia Science Teach
ers Association Elementary
Teacher of the Year.
Westhafer has worked
with the Georgia Depart
ment of Education as a les
son plan developer and as
a presenter for the Science
in Action Video Series. She
currently also serves as the
K-2 Science Specialist and
is an avid researcher and
advocate for literacy and
science.
Westhafer earned a bach
elor of science degree in
early childhood education,
a master’s in elementary
education, and an educa
tional specialist degree and
doctorate in curriculum
and instruction from Liber
ty University. She and her
husband, Michael, have
three children and reside in
Jackson County.
“Literacy, as the stron
gest predictor of academic
success, is the gateway to
educational advancement,”
Westhafer said. “By serv
ing on the Georgia Council
for Literacy, I look forward
to researching, developing,
and implementing pro
grams that promote liter
acy at all levels of educa
tion. As an early childhood
educator who is passionate
about literacy and science
integration, I am excited
about the possibilities this
council presents and be
lieve that it can make a sig
nificant impact on increas
ing literacy rates through
innovative research-based
initiatives.”
The Georgia Council on
Literacy was established
by the passage of SB 211
during the 2023 legislative
session and subsequent sig
nature by Governor Kemp.
Hoschton
Hoschton Downtown Development Authority still considering Oak St park plans
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton downtown
leaders are still considering
plans to transform a three-
acre parcel on Oak St. into
a city park.
The property is located on
a block between New St.,
Oak St., East Broad St. and
Hwy. 332.
The Hoschton Downtown
Development Authority
(DDA) last week heard pro
posals from three landscape
businesses who sought the
work, but the board opted
to table its decision to pro
vide a clearer vision of the
project.
Lyn Rooks of FemGul-
ly Landscapes proposed a
plan to include landscap
ing, trees, flowers, shrubs,
sculptures, art, stonework,
pathways, benches, swings,
fencing, golf cart parking
and at least one pavilion.
Rooks also mentioned po
tential sponsorship of bricks
and the benches.
Eric Norton of Paramount
Landscape Group suggest
ed removing Oak St. as
a road to create a pocket
park with no vehicle traf
fic. His plan includes an
ornamental fence along the
road frontage of the prop
erty. He suggested using
Oak St. as a foundation for
placing 12’ x 16’ pavilions.
His plans include planting
hypoallergenic plants to fit
the city’s “It’s Happening
Hoschton” color scheme
with navy blue hydrangeas
and white gardenias. Nor
ton also wants to implement
brick pavers, which resi
dents can sponsor for $100
a brick, helping the DDA
fund the project’s cost. The
brick pavers would be used
to construct a walking path.
His plan includes covered
areas for events like farm
ers markets. Norton said
the project would cost “sub
stantially” under $250,000
and finish within 90 days.
He proposes to use Jackson
County inmates to keep la
bor costs down.
Aubry Drum from Miran
da Landscape and Supply
proposed a park with one
pavilion, brick pathways,
a flower garden, a small
playground with mulch
chips, a mural space, ham
mock spaces, buffer trees
and a wrought-iron fence
surrounding the area. She
estimated a budget under
$100,000 and a timeline “of
a few months.”
All three said their plans
could be built out in multi
ple phases.
The DDA plans to seek
grant funding for the project
after a bid is awarded and
plans are secured.
Braselton
Main Street
Braselton earns
ninth year
reaccreditation
For the ninth straight
year, Main Street Bra
selton has earned reac
creditation from the Main
Street America program.
“The reaccreditation
standards are rigorous in
that national reviewers
scour our annual work
plan and accomplish
ments,” said Amy Pinnell,
Braselton’s Community
Development Director.
The review cited Bra
selton’s ongoing support
for downtown businesses,
its placemaking campaign
and service to the com
munity.
“We are very proud to
acknowledge this year’s
862 Accredited Main
Street America programs
and their steadfast ded
ication to nurture eco
nomically and cultur
ally vibrant downtown
districts,” said Hannah
White, CEO of Main
Street America.
Town of Braselton staff members Amy Pinnell (left) and Jessica Payne hold up Braselton’s certificate of accred
itation for the Main Street America program. This is the ninth-straight year the town has earned accreditation.
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