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Forsyth Count vNews J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 Vol. 95, No. 50 Departure of ‘Teacher of Year’ concerns parents By Nancy Smallwood Staff Writer Some Sharon Elementary parents are voic ing concerns about the pending departure from the school of its current Teacher of the Year as well as how the school administration is per forming. The group is raising questions about admin istrators limiting creativity and limiting the lev els of "excitement" in teaching. Earlier in the week, school officials con firmed that the contract of popular music teacher Miriam Reynolds' had not been renewed for next year. On Thursday, they said Reynolds had resigned effective at year's end. Reynolds was selected as the Teacher of the Year for Sharon Elementary this year. Aberdeen residents slow traffic Speeding a problem By Nicole Green Staff Writer Bumper-to-bumper cars on Westminster Lane, their drivers occasionally honking out of frustra tion, inched by sign-toting Aberdeen subdivision residents at the road’s four intersections on Wednesday morning. “State law 1 : stop for signs” or "Stop for the school bus,” the plac ards for Aberdeen's Spring Slow' Down read. About 30 residents armed with signs lined the intersec tions from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to demonstrate for the safety of their neighborhood. Their first demonstra tion was in September 2003. Westminster Lane, which turns into Laurel Springs Parkway west of Chattsworth Lane, is a cut-through for southbound drivers headed from Hwy. 20 to Peachtree Parkway —a major commuter road into Norcross and Atlanta. Tim Allen, assistant director of traffic engineering for the county, estimated that 9,200 cars travel the road daily. Traffic on Westminster led by Aberdeen "pace cars” backed up onto Old Atlanta Road Wednesday, causing abnormal congestion. Allen said the traffic typically flows well in that area. A two-lane road like Westminster can hold up to 19,000 cars per day, he said, though that capacity would not be desirable in a residential neighborhood. "We don’t want the cars to come Express bus park and ride lot negotiations with city continue By Todd Truelove Staff Writer Officials from the city of Cumming and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) said Wednesday details of an agree ment for an express bus park and ride lot off Castleberry Road are still being hammered out. "We're waiting to have a lease proposal sent to us by GRTA." said City Adminstrator Gerald Blackburn. “Once the city gets that, the mayor and council can act accordingly.” GRTA plans to begin operating an express bus system this summer in several metro Atlanta counties. They have scheduled buses to roll out of Cumming on July 6 at a site on Castleberry Road and an additional location somewhere in the vicinity of Ga. 400 and Hwy. 20 that has not been pinpointed, accord ing to William Mecke, GRTA communica tions manager. “We're working with the Chamber of Commerce to see what’s available,” Mecke 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 C 2004 Forsyth County N*wt l m 0400 Forsyth County School Public Information Specialist Jennifer Caracciolo said the school system has a policy of not commenting on per sonnel but were aware of some of the parents complaints concerning the school’s administra tion. “Miriam Reynolds’ resignation for the 2004- 2005 school year was approved by the board of education on Wednesday, March 24. She was employed with the school system for the 2002- 2(X)3 school year as a part-time music teacher at Settles Bridge Elementary. For the 2003-2004 school year, she was employed as a full-time music teacher at Sharon Elementary," said Caracciolo. Parents are voicing their complaints through letters and e-mail to administrators of the school system. Richard Pickering, a parent, said f I I iaJ v J ÜBm - w /JB liMMFI Bi tI EHJw L J I Photo/Audra Perry Residents Lance and Kate McKelleget were among the 30 volun teers who particpated in the Aberdeen Spring Slow Down on Wednesday morning. through our subdivision, ultimately,” Aberdeen resident Lynn Taylor said. Children playing near busy traf fic is the main concern of the neigh borhood’s 410 families. According to Pedestrian Educating Drivers on Safety Inc. (PEDS), the second said. “[The Ga. 4(X)/Hwy. 20 intersection] is a busy area. It’s just a matter of finding a spot that works for everybody.” "We are going to be running out of Castleberry across from the [Cumming] Fairground parking lot for sure," he said Though a lease agreement has not been reached for the space, Blackburn said he expects to receive a proposal in about a week. Details in the agreement include how costs will be divided for paving the area, providing lighting and constructing a waiting kiosk for passengers, Blackburn said. “They’H use it [the parking lot] during the daytime, and the city will be able to use it for their functions also," Blackburn said, adding he does not expect bus operations to interfere with events held in the area such as the city’s annual fall fair. Buses are scheduled to operate during rush hours on weekdays from 5:15 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. to 6:05 p.m., Mecke said. See BUS, Page 2A INDEX Abby •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9B Church events. 8A Classifieds 4B Deaths 2A Food 10A Horoscope 9B Opinion 11A Sports IB FRIDAY March 26, 2004 Sports Forsyth baseball teams prepare for next week’s regional opener. Page IB i he hopes to address the school board during a I public comment period a! the April 15 meeting. Pickering said a group of parents had > attempted to discuss problems at the school with its principal but had not yet been able to do so. Sharon Elementary opened this past October and is under the direction of principal Janet . Reid. Students from Big Creek, Daves Creek and Settles Bridge elementary schools were re l districted to the school. I Reynolds was chosen by her teacher peers, ■ parents and students to represent the school as 1 its Teacher of the Year in the district competi tion. i "This school is stifling the teachers and the ■ kids are going to be the ones to pay the price,” 1 said parent Angie Garmon Page. leading cause of death for children ages 5-9 is pedestrian injury. "There are so many times that we've gotten together at HOA (homeowners association) meetings See TRAFFIC, Page 2A WFW J x. Spring jaunt George Woods takes advantage of the spring weather Wednesday by riding his bike by City Hall in downtown Cumming. „ ’ ’ a Photo/David McGregor Court agrees to new House district map Lawmakers will remain unpaired By Harris Blackwood Community Editor A three-judge federal panel has agreed to make changes in two Forsyth County State House districts, eliminating the prospect that two incumbent Forsyth lawmakers would have to face off in the July primary'. Revised maps released by a spe cial master Wednesday place Rep. Tom Knox. (R-Cumming), in House District 38, while Rep. Jack Murphy. (R-Cumming). is now the incumbent in District 14A The first map released by the court had placed both Murphy and Knox in 14A. while District 38 was vacant. The shift resulted in a counter clockwise rotation of the two dis tricts with more territory west of the city of Cumming going into 14A. while the area on the city's east side will move into the 38th. "I'm pleased for the voters of Forsyth County." said Murphy. "This gives an opportunity to have some continuity of representation.” Murphy declined to announce his intention to run for the redrawn dis trict, saying that he would wait until the court declares the maps to be final. The freshman lawmaker was elected two years ago to a multi member district he shared with Local Schools may test market new milk vending machines. Page 3 A Page, a member of the school’s parent teacher association, said Reynolds is a very prominent member of the school’s staff. Reynolds is in charge of the school’s chorus, the Sharon Singers, that recently made a trip to the Georgia Capitol and sang for Gov. Sonny Perdue, according to Page. “She also was involved in the school’s talent show this year but did not want to be the main person in charge since her children were also involved in the show,” said Page. What parents and students most admire about Reynolds is her dedication and enthusi asm to her profession. Reynolds’ Web site quotes her philosophy See TEACHER, Page2A Partly Cloudy Ir / High in the low 70s. Low in the low 50s. Photographer odes with county deputy I Lumpkin \ > *"* —75a J ’ Muitohy 14A * Photo/submitted A judicial panel has agreed to move the lines of the new District 38 and District 14A after two Forsyth lawmakers were placed together in 14A on an original map. Knox. The present 14th district included much of Forsyth, a portion of Cherokee and a portion of Dawson County. The new 14A has a portion of Forsyth and a small portion of east ern Cherokee County. The 38th dis- See HOUSE, Page 2A LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level March 21 1069.90 ft March 22 1069.91 ft March 23 1069.91 ft March 24 1069.88 ft Full 1071.00 ft