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The Upson Beacon
Thursday,
March 18, 2021
Page 7 A
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Murphy Addresses Local Board of Education
BOE Celebrates Georgia School Board Appreciation Week, Hears from Concerned Parent
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By Luke Haney
Lifestyle Editor
The Board of Educa
tion for the Thomaston-
Upson School System met
March 9 for a regularly
scheduled meeting and
was honored for Georgia
School Board Appreciation
Week. During public par
ticipation, representatives
heard from Upson County
resident Marty Murphy,
who expressed apprecia
tion for the board and ex
pressed concerns in the
school system.
In celebration of Geor
gia School Board Appreci
ation Week, board
members were given
cards, made by local stu
dents, thanking the board
for their contributions,
along with a variety of
candy.
“[The week of March 15
represents a] week-long
observance honoring the
contribution of local
boards of education. We
are extremely fortunate in
our community to have
board members who em
brace and embody our vi
sion for the future for the
TU Schools,” commented
T-U Superintendent Dr.
Larry Derico. “I want to
thank you all of you for the
many hours you have
served our schools, stu
dents, and community in
efforts to ensure that we
always provide ‘Excellence
in Education... every Indi
vidual, every day’.”
Derico also recognized
recent accomplishments in
the system, including
those announced as
teacher of the year for var
ious schools, high school
academic achievements,
and the advancements of
the girls’ varsity basketball
team. Recognitions were
echoed by the board.
Derico thanked the
staff at Upson Regional
Medical Center. URMC re
cently partnered with the
system and dedicated
Monday, March 8, to pro
vide COVID-19 vaccina
tions to local educators,
who will receive their sec
ond doses March 29.
“It was absolutely
amazing,” commented De
rico, who expressed grat
itude for the “wonderful
partnership” the system
has with URMC.
During the public par
ticipation portion of the
meeting, resident Murphy
addressed the board, shar
ing concerns of inconsis
tency in COVID-19
policies, student opportu
nities, and offered his sup
port.
Murphy, who has at
tended multiple recent
board meetings, expressed
that he lacks understand
ing about COVID-19 pol
icies and attendance
capacity limitations, spe
cifically referencing the
differences with sporting
events and the recent stu
dent-athlete signing day.
“I don’t see the reality
of the difference between a
basketball game and any
other activities held within
our school gymnasium,”
commented Murphy. “I
just need understanding as
to why my daughter was
limited to 20 people in
that same gymnasium
where we were spaced out,
but we can have a basket
ball game at night. It’s vol
untary that those people
come to that recognition.
It’s voluntary they came
for that basketball game,
volleyball game, or wres
tling match held in that
gymnasium... I feel that
it’s not fair towards every
one.”
Murphy also noted that
he does not understand
why students attending
prom must quarantine for
12 days afterward, even
though prom attendance is
also voluntary.
Murphy continued, ex
pressing his wishes for
outdoor activities to be
held for athletic and aca
demic student recognition.
He also said that he sees
less opportunities for fe
male athletes than those
given to the male sports
teams, referencing a lack
of adequate facilities at the
softball complex and ten
nis courts. He thanked
board members for work
ing to allow students to
participate in sports this
year. According to Mur
phy, softball players must
change clothes in the con
cession area of the softball
complex and the bathroom
facilities are not well main
tained.
“Again, I am apprecia
tive and would like to offer
[to do] anything I can do
to support this system. A
lot of your coaches and ad
ministration will tell you,
any time someone asks me
to participate or donate for
something, I gladly do that
because I love my com
munity and I want my
community to be better.
That’s why I’m here to
night: to make things
better. If I can be a re
source for that, please, I
would love to be of assis
tance.”
In other news, the
board held a second
reading of board policy
Section G revisions, which
were unanimously ap
proved. Section G was the
last section of policy revi
sions in the latest revision
period.
Upson Lee High’s NJROTC Cadets Launch Rockets
The Upson-Lee NJROTC program recently conducted a STEM course in model
rocketry. Cadets learned about rocket history and the aerodynamic forces on a rocket
in flight, including factors affecting stability.
Above and Below, students are seen constructing rockets in class.
STEM Challenge, Continued from 5A
Georgia Foundation for
Agriculture on its first
statewide STEM Chal
lenge,” said GACD Ex
ecutive Director Katie
Sponberger. “This chal
lenge, which focuses on
soil and water conserva
tion, will help students un
derstand and appreciate
Georgia’s vibrant and di
verse natural resources
and learn how to conserve
those resources for future
generations.”
Each participating
class is being asked to an
swer the question, “How
can we improve soil bio
diversity and overall soil
health?”
The challenge asks par
ticipating classes to: 1) De
velop an initial report that
examines a plot of land
where they will study the
soil and perform a series of
tests on the soil to deter
mine the land’s current
soil health status. 2) Reach
out to their local Farm Bu
reau office, Natural Re
sources Conservation
Service office and/or UGA
Extension office for assis
tance or speakers to dis
cuss soil health with their
class. 3) Create a presenta
tion on how to improve
their soil and understand
the real-world impact for
their plot of land.
Class presentations
must be uploaded to the
challenge portal for judg
ing before May 14.
“We developed the
STEM challenge as a way
to connect elementary stu
dents to Georgia agricul
ture. Every year students
will have a new opportu
nity to solve a real-world
ag problem with a differ
ent community partner”
said GFA Executive Direc
tor Lily Baucom.
The Georgia Ag Experi
ence/Georgia Foundation
for Agriculture STEM
Challenge is designed to be
a bi-annual competition
with a spring and fall
contest. GACD is the 2021
challenge sponsor.
The purpose of the
challenge is to encourage
elementary teachers and
students in grades 3-5 to
explore aspects of Georgia
agriculture by applying
their STEM skills to solve
real-world problems that
farmers face in producing
our food and fiber.
Each cadet was given a kit to build his or her own rocket and then launched from
the practice football field at UL High. Most rockets flew successfully, however there
were a few launches that provided additional learning opportunities.
_ , , , . , Photos Submitted
Students are seen launching a rocket.
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JOB FAIR
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HOW DO I ATTEND VIRTUALLY?
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