About Fayette County news. (Fayetteville, GA) 2009-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 2025)
October 8, 2025 Page B2 Submitted BEGIN * 2 69. t- Area Student Achievement Local students continue to achieve ex cellence while continuing their education: Courtney Trowers of Fayetteville re cently graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and dance. She was one of more than 1,600 students who graduated along side conclusion of the summer semester. Naomi Dunning of Fayetteville was named to Georgia Southwestern State University’s summer 2025 Dean’s List, which requires a minimum 3.5 grade point average while enrolled in a minimum 12 se mester credit hours. Multiple area students were named to GSSU’s summer 2025 Academic Achieve ment List, which requires a minimum 3.5 GPA while enrolled in three to 11 semester hours of credit, including Fayetteville’s Leah Ross and Matthew Darby, Senoia’s Shirley Heal Rodriguez, and Fairburn’s Dylan Ross and Thermond Billingslea. GSSU recently celebrated more than 520 incoming freshmen beginning classes on Aug. 13, including Fayetteville’s Ali Sher iff, Sanaya Smith, and Dylan Swinney; Peachtree City’s Amelia Angier and Ella Strickland; Fairburn’s Joseph Goree, Mala chi Jackson, and lyanna Varner; and Se noia’s Riley Pearson. Local students named to University of Maryland Global Campus’s summer 2025 Dean’s List include Fayetteville’s Christina Vanhorn, Peachtree City’s Yusef Kleman, Senoia’s David Byrne, and Fair burn’s Derrick Doose, Andre Kirby, and Ian Shedd. Brooke Depoi of Peachtree City was named to Palmer College of Chiroprac tic’s spring trimester Dean’s List. Brooks Opens New Access Road for Liberty Tech Charter School Dylan Shoemaker Reporter dshoemaker@fayette-news.net On Sept. 29, Town of Brooks opened a new access road to Liberty Tech Charter School to address com munity concerns regarding traffic during school opera tion hours. “We are happy to say that the traffic on Highway 85 Connector and Price Road is so much better. There was no back up of traffic, and every ¬ thing went smoothly,” said town officials regarding opening day. Brooks self-funded a one- way access “cut-through” road from Highway 85 Con nector to Price Road by lay ing an estimated 940 feet of gravel in Brooks Football and Cheerleading Park. Total ex penses of $39,732.93 came from the town’s general fund. Town officials shared ap preciation for finding a solu tion and all collaborative efforts between Fayette County Board of Commis sioners, Fayette County Road Department, Fayette County Board of Education, and Lib erty Tech Charter School. Prior to construction, cit izens requested improve ments to address congestion and accessibility issues af fecting properties and Fay ette County Fire Station 6. Some residents previously expressed concerns about gravel, suggesting it should be paved. Courtesy of Fayette County Schools % Braelinn CoUects Food Flat Rock Named Title I Distinguished School for Furry Friends Flat Rock Middle has been named a 2025 Georgia Tide I Distinguished School. The honor places Flat Rock among the top five percent of Georgia’s Tide I schools for over all performance, based on combined English/language arts and math scores from the 2024 fiscal school year. As a result of the achievement, Flat Rock is eligible to apply for the prestigious 2025 Na tional ESEA Distinguished School Award. Each year, only two schools per state are se lected for the national honor by National Asso ciation of ESEA State Program Administrators — making this a “truly significant recognition of outstanding academic achievement,” accord ing to Fayette County Public Schools officials. Fayette Schools Increase Outstanding Graduation Rates Georgia’s statewide gradu ation rate continues to rise, and Fayette County Public Schools again improved on its scores. Fayette County posted a graduation rate of 95.3 percent, increasing 0.83 percentage points from 94.47 percent one year ago. Statewide, the graduation rate climbed to 87.2 percent, an all-time high since the state began using the adjusted co hort calculation first required in 2011 by federal law. All five county schools out paced the state’s rate. Starr’s Mill led at 98.5 percent, fol lowed by McIntosh at 98.2 per cent, Whitewater at 95.9 percent, Sandy Creek at 93.4 percent, and Fayette County High at 89.5 percent. FCPS has the third-highest graduation rate among sys tems with at least 900 gradu ates. Fayette had 1,631 graduates in the Class of 2025. Four of the five schools also saw their rates increase from 2024. “I am so proud of Georgia’s class of 2025 and the teachers, staff, and families who sup ported them,” State School Su perintendent Richard Woods said. “Seeing this increase in a single year is a strong indicator of the work Georgia’s schools and districts are doing to keep students engaged in their edu cation and prepare them for successful lives after high school. While more work re mains to be done, more Geor gia students are graduating than ever before — and they're doing so prepared to pursue fu tures full of opportunity.” For August’s Na tional Dog Month, Brae linn Elementary students collected food and treats for theirfurry friends at Fayette County Animal Shelter. The Kindness Kids, a service-learning group at the school, is always looking for ways to help the animal shelter. Par ticipating students are too young to volunteer at the shelter, so their advisors pinpointed a food drive as an easy and effective way to help. As part of the drive, the Stars collected canned cat and dogfood, big bags of dry food, and plenty of treats. Students even got to meet Lady Diana - an adoptable dog from the shelter who accepted the donations - and plenty of pets. Courtesy of Fayette County Schools SCHOOL Counselor Heather Wible said she loves that children get to see how they are helping others. “They understand there are lots of dogs and cats that are living at the shelter without a family to love them. These hopeful pets need food, and hopefully to be adopted by a family.” Fayette Humane Spotlight Katie Purric Katie Purric is a very sweet four-month-old kitten. She was born with a deformed front paw, some times holding it up like a tiny T-rex when she walks, but she has been checked by a veterinarian and is per fectly healthy. Katie would be best matched with a calm, patient family and another kitty friend. If you are interested in Shelter Pet of the Week adopting Katie Purric, please complete a no-obligation pre-adoption form atfayettehumane.org. If you have any questions, email Fayette Humane Society at info@fayettehumane.org or call 770-487-1073. dayes C0e Fayette Outpaces State, Country on 2025 SAT Fayette County Public Schools remained one of Georgia’s top-performing districts on the 2025 SAT, according to results released by the College Board. FCPS posted a total mean score of 1,124, 95 points higher than the state average and 128 points higher than the national average, which ranks as sec ond best among districts with at least 600 test takers. Fayette had 1,067 test takers. FCPS Class of 2025 posted a mean score of 572 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing por tion of the assessment and a mean score of 552 on the math portion. The county’s total mean score, ERW, and math scores all increased over last year. Starr’s Mill posted the top mean score in the county at 1,175 (593 ERW, 582 math). McIntosh’s mean score was 1,171 (596 ERW, 575 math). Whitewater’s mean score was 1,125 (57° ERW, 554 math). Fayette County High’s mean score was 1,046 (536 ERW, 510 math). Sandy Creek’s mean score was 1,041 (536 ERW, 506 math). Three local schools ranked in the top 40 in the state: Starr’s Mill at 18; McIntosh at 19; and White- water at 40. Georgia’s total public school graduating class in 2025 recorded a mean score of 526 on the ERW portion of the assessment and a mean score of 502 on the math portion. That is com pared to averages of 508 and 488, respectively, for students in the nation’s public schools. “Even as participation increases, Georgia students continue to outperform their peers across the nation on the SAT - a testament to the hard work of Georgia’s students, teachers, leaders, and families, and the work we’ve done to invest in aca demic recovery and prepare all students for life,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “This reflects our Student Bill of Rights in action, ensuring every student in Georgia has the chance to succeed, no matter their path after grad uation.” FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS P.O. Box 96, Fayetteville, Ga. 30214 Phone: 770-461-6317 ■ www.fayette-news.net
