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Forsyth County News J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J Vol. 95, No. 027 Proposed funding cuts would hit schools hard Budget considered by state could mean bigger classes, fewer teachers in certain areas By Nicole Green Staff Writer The state Legislature’s knife is poised to cut education funding and smaller class sizes, extra music teachers and other perks of Forsyth County Schools are on the chopping block. Forsyth County Schools will need between $5.6 million and sl3 million more in local funding for the 2005-2006 school year, finan cial director Dan Jones reported to the Board of Education on Thursday at a called meeting. The total amount needed depends upon what happens in the General Assembly in upcoming weeks. Under Gov. Sonny Perdue’s proposed budg et for 2004-05, the state will decrease Quality Nail-Biting Time WBr' hi r MB ibhbh&' 'w *' * ' If' \ '-W r IVi Wr b *WiP ' a A SKt H Jr ‘frjji t £ r Jr iMffy. tb Jt''' A jR ■• “•> ■-' ■ JkMl y« V / 3 W \ / ■ .a.’ißF. . .■.sSr&tfHfc- tl '.< <JT A.-Sa ■••■'-'Tk ’■ X / :A7 BB^^BHEBbE—— k— ■ -■ ---iTML bj. ' W _ Photo/David McGregor It's tournament time for local basketball teams, which means the tension is high on and off the court. Above, North Forsyth freshman guard Jill Driver watches during the final seconds of the Lady Raiders' 41-36 win over Dunwoody High School at the Marist School in Atlanta last week. That win guaranteed the Lady Raiders a state playoff berth. See how all the Forsyth teams play ing Friday night fared on page IC. North Forsyth High student arrested after knives, drugs found at school By Colby Jones Staff Writer A 17-year-old student at North Forsyth High School faces criminal charges for allegedly possessing prescription drugs and knives on campus. Benjamin James Frankland of Cumming was arrested by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday of last week and charged with violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act with the intent to distribute and possession of a weapon on school property. He was released from custody the same day on a $ 12,000 bond. Classmates of Frankland reported the pres ence of drugs to school officials, according to school system spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo. “We were informed by students of the pos sible distribution of the prescription drug,” she said. An investigation ensued and Frankland informed authorities of two hunting knives inside his truck that was parked in the school parking lot, she said. The specific type of prescription drug Missed paper policy: For a replacement paper, call 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. -1 p.m. on Sunday - (770) 887-3126. Copyright © 2003 Forsyth County News 0 90994 04000 Z Basic Education (QBE) funding by S3BO mil lion. As a part of QBE cuts, Forsyth would lose $5.4 million, which includes funding for teacher and administrator salaries. Though total state funding would be less, Perdue has proposed a 2 percent salary increase for teachers next year. Local school budgets will feel the effects of this state proposed salary increase. State fund ing supplies $29,259 of an entry level teacher’s salary. To compete with other school systems for better teachers, Forsyth County Schools adds at least $6,248 to each teacher’s base salary. The school system is locally responsible for increasing the starting teacher’s entire salary, $35,507, by 2 percent. Currently, one entry level teacher’s salary Frankland is suspected of planning to distrib ute at the school was not immediately known by the school system. Frankland is scheduled to appear in the new Forsyth County Drug Court on Feb. 23. The court allows non-violent offenders to enter drug rehabilitation programs instead of risking the possibility of spending more time in jail. , The school system praised the fact students reported the incident to teachers. “I think it’s student responsibility,” Caracciolo said. In addition to the criminal charges, Frankland will face a school disciplinary tri bunal to determine whether he will be able to return to school. The arrest marks the second time this school year a Forsyth County student has allegedly possessed a knife on campus. A knife was found in a student’s backpack at Otwell Middle School on Aug. 13. School officials said the student apparently used the backpack for summer excursions, then failed to remove it from his backpack when he resumed classes. The student never threatened anyone with the knife, according to officials. INDEX Abby 5C Births £B Classifieds 6C Deaths 2A Forsyth Life IB Horoscope 5C Opinion ■■•■■■•••■■••■••••■■••••••••a 10A Sports 1C SUNDAY February 15,2004 Inside Alleged nude dancing may cost bar its alcohol license. Page 3 A \ plus benefits costs the county $57,400. Teachers did not receive a raise this year from the state or Forsyth County unless they moved up on the pay scale for years of experi ence or advanced degrees. Veteran teachers at the top of the salary scale are at a dead end. Consequently, Perdue seeks to add an addition al step on the longevity pay scale in addition to the overall 2 percent salary increase. Forsyth County teachers as a group are rela tively young, so not many would fall into the new category. “We are as degreed as other systems. Over half of our people have advanced degrees after their bachelor’s. But we’re not as experienced,” said Candy Norton, executive director of human resources. Father and daughter face multiple charges of child molestation By Colby Jones Staff Writer A Forsyth County man and his adult daughter are being held without bond in connection with the alleged molestation of two young children. George McClure Higgins, 57, and his daughter, Rachel Jane Higgins, 26, are charged with two counts each of child molestation and aggravated sodomy, plus a single count each of first-degree child cruelty. The father and daughter were arrested on Feb. 10 and booked into the Forsyth County Jail, where they remained in custody on Friday afternoon. The charges filed against them mean sheriff's detectives suspect both the father and daughter molest ed the children. All of the charges are felonies under Georgia law. The most serious charge, aggravated sodomy, carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Detectives declined to release many details surrounding the case, citing an ongoing investigation and the sensitive nature of the charges. One of the children is nearing pre-school age and the other is slightly older, according to detec tives. Detectives declined to release the gender of the children or the dates when the alleged molestation occurred. They said the abuse took place over a period of time. ft Photo/David McGregor Seeing green County Commissioner Charles Laughinghouse discusses the county’s need to acquire and preserve undeveloped greenspace during an informational meeting Thursday. See story, page 2A. Sports SFHS athlete named to All-State football team. PagelC According to state law passed in April of last year, a teacher’s salary amount for the upcoming school year must be set on the con tract when it is presented to the employee on March 31. Last year the General Assembly did not pass the budget until April, after contracts had already been distributed. Uncertainty of state funding makes it difficult for school systems to put teacher salaries in writing so early, finance director Dan Jones said. If the General Assembly approves the 2 per cent increase and the longevity step, Forsyth is looking at a $13.3 million increase. This includes the 90 or more teachers that will be See FUNDS, Page 2A George McClure Rachel Jane Higgins Higgins The father and daughter lived together in the 6900 block of Hwy. 369 in northern Forsyth County. The Forsyth County Department of Family & Children Services placed the children of Rachel Jane Higgins into protective custody in late November 2003. Capt. Ron Freeman said detec tives have conducted numerous inter views and executed search warrants during the course of their three month investigation. He declined, however, to release the specific evi dence detectives have gathered. Prosecutors in the district attor ney’s office and DFCS assisted in the investigation, he added. It is the first time Freeman has encountered a case where a father and daughter are suspected of molesting the same children. “It is disturbing,” he said. Rain /W High in the mid-40s. Low in the high 20s. [t 306 3 r :,ib WIN LIBR LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level Feb. 10 1068.89 ft Feb. 11 1068.96 ft Feb. 12 1069.06 ft Feb. 13 1069.06 ft Full 1071.00 ft