Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, April 6,2022
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Dawson County superintendent talks school growth
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
When it comes to talk
of population growth in
Dawson County, many
parents have mentioned
public school enrollment
and expansion as key
concerns.
Dawson County
Schools Superintendent
Damon Gibbs responded
to DCN’s questions to
shed more light on where
the school system is now
and where it is going.
Gibbs will soon retire,
and current Deputy
Superintendent Nicole
Lecave will take his
place.
Over the past decade,
the public schools have
grown by a cumulative
600 students, Gibbs said.
In response, the school
system has realigned
grades 6-12 to better
serve students. Other
additions include per
forming arts and JROTC
facilities, a college and
career academy, more
technology infrastructure
and devices and various
other district projects.
“We have worked to
expand opportunities both
academic and extracurric
ular for both our most
fragile and our most
capable students,” Gibbs
said. “We have also
moved from a 84% grad
uation rate to a five year
average 96% rate, which
is in the top 10 in
Georgia. “
Currently, Dawson
County Schools has 3,839
students spread across
seven schools, and the
district’s capacity is
6,100.
“No other district in
Georgia has the capacity
that we have in Dawson
County,” he added. “We
can grow almost 1,000 in
grades K-5; 325 in grades
6-7; 150 in grades 8-9;
and 800 in 10-12.”
Likewise, while the dis
trict has a number of
classrooms at or near
capacity, many other
spaces are not close to
full. Gibbs called that a
phenomenon common in
schools across Georgia.
Earlier this year, the dis
trict added some addition
al staff where needed.
“There are certainly
growing pains but noth
ing our dedicated teachers
and support staff can't
handle,” Gibbs added.
The superintendent
shared that the school dis
trict “is in a good posi
tion” to handle growth
and can adjust as neces
sary. He said his team’s
focus remains primarily
on serving students with
in the scope of the school
system.
Gibbs added that he
understands concerns
about the growth in
Dawson County.
“We have been very
careful to ensure that the
work we have done in the
past several years is scal
able so that our level of
service, even as we grow,
will be consistent for
years to come,” he said.
“We are positioned well
for the coming growth
and will work hard to
continue to meet the edu
cational needs of all cur
rent and future children in
Dawson County.”
FROM 1A
Best
ceremony this week,"
Jones said. "Thank you
to all of our sponsors
and vendors, all the win
ners who came out to the
event and every commu
nity member who voted
for their favorite nomi
nee in the contest.”
Shawn Boyd with
John Megel Chevrolet,
the event’s presenting
sponsor, called it a
“great privilege” to be
able to sponsor the gala
again this year, partici
pate in and win the
“Best New and Used
Vehicle Dealership” cat
egories.
“It's a true attribute to
what we’re doing in the
community for our cus
tomers and employees,”
Boyd said.
Given the tight-knit
local sentiments, it’s no
surprise that some of the
night’s hallmark awards
recognized those that
have made consistent
efforts to give back to
the community.
DCN presented the
inaugural Servant
Leadership Award to the
late Roger Slaton’s fam
ily in his honor. In
future years, the award
will be known as the
“Roger Slaton Servant
Leadership” award, and
it will be given to a local
person who reflects
Slaton’s selflessness and
love for the community.
One of Slaton’s chil
dren, daughter Julie
Stanfield, gave thanks
for the meaningful rec
ognition and added that
her father’s generous
spirit showed that service
is not just surface-level
acts but about what one
does to contribute at a
deeper level.
“Carry that on and
teach your kids that,” she
told the gala’s business
and community leaders.
The second annual
“Gordon Pirkle Heart of
Dawson Award” was
given to someone near
and dear to him,
K.A.R.E. for Kids
President Rhonda Evans.
She’s worked tirelessly
to boost the reach of the
nonprofit, which cares
Photos by Jeremy Coleman Dawson County News
DCN hosted the "Best of Dawson" 2022 awards gala.
for county children by
giving them clothing and
other necessities.
Dawsonville restaurant
Ruby’s Recipes, who
have also helped with
multiple community fun
draising efforts since
their inception, won
“Best Italian Restaurant”
and “Best Takeout.”
“I think Dawsonville is
the best community in
this whole southeastern
United States,” said
Ruby’s owner and chef
Allen Cerinetti. “It’s a
group of people that care
about business, about
people. They care about
God, and they’re not
afraid to say it. I
wouldn’t be anywhere
else in the world right
now.”
Will Anglin, who won
“Best Teacher” and
whose church, the Soul
Filling Station, won
“Best Church,” called the
community and its peo
ple “fantastic.”
“I grew up in it
(Dawson County), so it
played a huge role in my
life. Being able to give
back to the community,
both in the school and in
the church, is huge,” he
said.
Soul Filling Station
pastor Jesse Chism loved
being a part of Tuesday’s
event and called the
assembly “the heart of
the community.”
“As someone said
about the new Slaton
award,” he said, “don’t
just be in your communi
ty but serve your com
munity, too. I love that.”
Erica Jones and Rio White
contributed reporting for
this article.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Dawson County Board of
Elections and Registration is
scheduled to begin the Logic
& Accuracy testing process
on, ICP & ICC tabulators,
ICX-BMD, Poll Pads & other
necessary voting equipment
for use in the May 24, 2022
General Primary Election on
Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 96
Academy Avenue. Testing
will continue from 9 am to 4
pm daily until completion and
is open to the public.
Any questions can be directed to
gferguson@dawsoncounty.org
Glenda Ferguson
Election Supervisor
K.A.R.E. For Kids President Rhonda Evans received the "Gordon Pirkle Heart
of Dawson" Award.
