Newspaper Page Text
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WEDNESDAY, October 9, 2002
PC schools care about
One of the characteristics of
Peach County Schools is the
concern for the safety and secu
rity of our children. This is evi
denced by frequent drills to
practice emergency procedures,
; full-time School Resource Offi
: cers and regular safety meet
ings with all emergency man
agement personnel. We
practice these procedures for
one reason to keep our children
safe.
Exercises are carried out at
• each school to test faculty, staff,
and student preparedness in
dealing with an emergency sit
uation. Principals are not noti
fied prior to a drill. Mr. Mathis,
Facilities and Safety Director,
will arrive at a school and
announce a drill scenario (for
example “Code Blue”). He then,
along with other emergency
personnel, will participate and
monitor all aspects of the drill
process including teacher,
administrator and student per
formance. Once the drill is com
plete a de-briefing is held
involving all agencies to discuss
the strengths and weakness of
procedures and performance.
This particular protocol has
been very - helpful in training
our school community about
the importance of readiness in
the event of an emergency.
Toll-free number now
active at Byron post office
Need a ZIP Code? Are you
moving and need a change of
address card? Leaving for
vacation and want to place a
hold-mail request? The
Postal Service is making it
easier for its customers to get
information and even resolve
service issues by telephone.
Customers calling the Byron
Post Office will get a record
ed message instructing them
to call a toll-free number
instead of their local post
office. Customers will get a
quick response to their postal
questions or service issues by
calling toll free 1-800-ASK
USPS (1-800-275-8777).
This number connects
them to the Postal Services
National Service Center in
Denver or Kansas City,
where specially trained
agents provide customers
with answers to the general
questions that make up 80
percent of the phone calls
received by post offices.
"Research indicated that
many customers get a busy
signal or their calls do not go
through when calling a local
post office, because of the vol
ume of calls received," said
Laura Jones, Postmaster of
the Byron Post Office, "Since
80 percent of all calls to a
local post office are seeking
information on such topics as
ZIP Codes, post office hours
and locations and mailing
rates, these calls can more
efficiently be handled by a
Call Center agent. Those
calls requiring local assis
tance will handled by our
post office."
To enhance customer ser
vice, the 1-800-ASK-USPS
call center network, has spe
cially trained agents to pro
vide information about:
PUT YOUR PET IN THE
newspaper. Call
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Community
( mi FROM THE
SUPERINTENDENT’S DESK
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Derrel VJryan
» Peach County Supt. of Schools
The recent knifing incident
at Peach County High presents
a different scenario involving
student safety. It proved that
even in communities that take
student safety very seriously,
random acts of violence can
occur. It also illustrates the fact
that no community is immune
from this kind of threat. As we
study this case and try to
understand why it happened
we are forced to ask hard,
tough question about proce
dures and student behavior.
Did we miss some warning
signs that could have predicted
this outburst? The attacker
that committed this act is fac
ing three felony charges, cur
rently incarcerated and may
never attend public school
again. The victim knows all too
well the possibilities that could
have been the fateful morning.
The lives of both are forever
changed, and not for the better.
As administrators, teachers
and counselors ask question
and ponder this senseless act,
• ZIP Codes and Address
Information • Mailing Rates
and Requirements • Hours of
Operation • Product and
Service Information
• Change of Address Infor
mation • Redelivery and
Hold Mail Requests
In addition, call center
agents can assist customers
with service issues. If an
agent cannot resolve a ser
vice issue, the local phone
number will he provided to
the customer. If the local post
office is closed, agents send
the customer request or ser
vice issue electronically to
the local office for action the
next business day.
"Establishing a telephone
call center makes it easier
for our customers to get
prompt, accurate information
about the postal service and
gives us more time to resolve
local service-related issues."
says Jones.
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we cannot help but do some
“second-guessing”. It is our
nature as educators, when
dealing with children to ask
more of ourselves than we do of
others. In the aftermath we will
review again everything we do
in terms of identifying troubled
students If we missed some
thing we want to learn from it
and make sure it doesn't hap
pen again. After all, these are
our children, all of them. We
don't want to lose a single one.
Finally, incidents like this
FVSU to receive special land grant college funds
Fort Valley State University is among 11
1890s land grant institutions, colleges and
universities to receive special funds for
business development assistance from
USDA-Rural Development. Funds are to
develop new businesses and employment
opportunities in rural communities.
"The selected institutions exemplify
strength and dedication to excellence," said
Ann Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture.
Through these cooperative agreements we
will continue to build on this partnership
effort to bring new entrepreneurial and
employment opportunities to rural resi
dents in undeserved areas."
In September. President Bush declared
"National Historically Black Colleges and
University Week," In a his proclamation he
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Dr. Quintin Green, the faculty, and staff at Fort Valley
Middle School proudly announce the students of the
month that were outstanding in citizenship for the first
month of school: Elreka Robinson, Denzell Williams,
LaShanta Smith, Jonathan Tabor, Crystal Winters,
Aiesha Ballard, Patrick Tillman, Shemxl McKenzie, Tara
Layfield, Shequeshu Goss, Xaviera Thomas, Brittany
Brown, Angelica Smith, Clauteisha Robinson, Ricknoris
Harris, Sara Rincon, Natl/a Willis, Wykerria Ogbum, Ash
ton Baker, Keith Searcy, Javier Barttjas, Johnne 1 Dawson,
Darius Raines, Brandon Porter, Juan Rodriguez, Jessica
Ist-u is, Shanice Jortlan, Taylor Johnson, Sherika Wright,
Jasmine Girdner.
can become very emotional and
subject to rumor and specula
tion once word gets out in the
school and community. Miscom
munication creates many prob
lems and adds to unnecessary
confusion. For that reason, we
insist upon restricting access of
the press and other media to
our schools to make sure that
information relayed to the pub
lic is factual. The intent is not
to hide information. It is
designed this way so that only
clear, concise descriptions of
events can Ih> conveyed to the
public. The superintendent
and/or the principal of the
school are the only authorized
spokesperson(s) for the district.
This helps in managing infor
mation and letting you know
what is going on.
emphasized the Administration’s commit
ment to making the goal of higher educa
tion accessible to all citizens. Further, the
President stated that opening the doors to
new academic pursuits, at Black Colleges
and Universities encourages a-ad enables
generations of African Americans to reach
their full potential.
Fort Valley State University will receive
$150,000 to provide individuals or groups
with information, technical assistance and
financial support for business startup or
expansion, job creation, and program
development designed to retiin jobs. Coun
ties served include: Crisp, Dooly, Macon,
Peach, Crawford,, and Taylor.
"We are excited to lx* a part of this pro
gram," said F. Stone Workman, state direc-
of USDA-Rural
Development. "Fort,
Valley has a history of
excellence and is a
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Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11:00-9:00 pm
600 Vlnevllle St • Fort Valley. GA Fri& Sat 11:00- 10:00 pm
(478) 827-0250 Sunday 10:30 6:00 pm
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Celebrating 100, Dora Johnson a life-long resident of
Fort Valley was joined by her daughter Essie Mae Hi ley
and Granddaughter Wincie Draine. They listened to
well wishers as they sang Happy Birthday to her Mon
day (Oct. 7th). Johnson’s advice for a long Life is “Live
for the Lord, instead of this world”. Donna Robbins,
activities director, of CLC nursing home commented
“Dora is one of our most lively residents”.
tremendous resource for middle Georgia.
These funds should help spark small busi
ness initiatives mid stimulate economic
growth."
Other colleges to receive funds were
Tuskeegee University; University of Mary
land-Eastern Shore; Southern University
and A&M College, University of Arkansas
Fine Bluff, Delaware State University;
Prairie View A&M; Alcorn State; Langston
University; Tennessee State University;
and South Carolina State.
USDA Rural Development serves as the
lead federal entity for rural development
needs and administers program assistance
through three agencies: Rural Housing
Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Ser
vice and Rural Utilities Service. Further
information on USDA Rural Development
can be obtained by contacting any USDA
Service Center or by visiting USDA's web