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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
Sunday, October 23,2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM
FCS asks for input on emergency funds
File photo
Forsyth County Schools is seeking public input to
determine how to spend its leftover emergency
funds from the American Rescue Plan.
By Sabrina Kerns
skerns@forsythnews.com
Forsyth County residents
can now provide feedback
on how Forsyth County
Schools should spend the
remainder of its federal
emergency relief funding
following the COVID-19
pandemic.
At last month’s Board of
Education work session,
district leaders said they
received $13 million in fed
eral funding through the
American Rescue Plan dur
ing the pandemic, and the
system was required to use
20%, or $2.6 million, of that
funding to help address
learning loss.
They used that funding to
host a summer school in
June and July before the
start of the current school
year to help at-risk students
in all grade levels across the
district either make up lost
credits or go over current
and upcoming learning
standards.
The funding helped to
provide staff during that
period along with food and
snacks for students through
out the day and transporta
tion to and from the desig
nated schools.
And after the short pro
gram, school leaders agreed
it made a positive impact on
students and their learning.
“We’re really proud of the
results,” said Amy Bartlett,
Director of Elementary
Education.
Amy Chang, the district’s
Director of Federal
Programs, said the district
still has funding set aside to
help address further learn
ing loss for students, and
she noted district leaders
would like to continue with
the summer school program
next year.
Before continuing with
the program, however, dis
trict leaders plan to meet
with stakeholders this
month to get their feedback
on what the remaining fund
ing should go toward. The
district is also asking com
munity members to give
their feedback online
through the district’s web
site, www.forsyth.kl2.ga.us.
Those interested can open
the site, scroll down to
District News and click on
the box tided “ARP ESSER
HI District Plan and Budget
Input.” There, residents can
find a link to the presenta
tion from last month’s work
session with more informa
tion about the summer
school program.
There is also a link to a
form where residents can
provide their own feedback
on how the district should
use the funding. The form is
open now and will remain
open for public feedback
through Friday, Oct. 28.
A 'really special' milestone
Photos by Kelly Whitmire Forsyth County News
Beaver Toyota General Manager Patrick Abad receives a President's Award from Darryl Bowen, district
sales manager for Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC, during the business' five-year anniversary lun
cheon onTuesday, Oct. 18.
Beaver Toyota marks 5 years, 23.5K vehicles sold
During the luncheon, employees received individualized plaques
commemorating the anniversary that listed all employees who had
worked at the business over the last five years with a special message
from owners Mike and Linda Beaver.
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
After five years of hard work,
employees at Beaver Toyota of
Cumming recently took some time
to celebrate.
On Tuesday, Oct. 18, the dealer
ship held a luncheon to celebrate
the fifth anniversary of its opening
and its employees.
“What a lot of people don’t
understand is ... the five-year mark
is really special because the five-
year mark is really hard to get to,”
Beaver Toyota General Manager
Patrick Abad told employees. “The
first five years in any business is
hard, but it’s exceptionally hard in
an automotive dealership.”
During the luncheon, employees
also received individualized plaques
commemorating the anniversary that
listed all employees who had
worked at the business over the last
five years with a special message
from owners Mike and Linda
Beaver.
The ceremony was a chance to
celebrate 19 employees, whom
Abad called out one-by-one to
applause from the crowd, who had
been with Beaver since the opening.
“What happens is, and you guys
will attest to this, you work really,
really hard to prepare it,” Abad said.
See Beaver 12A
Group holding
hazardous waste
disposal event
From staff reports
Keep Forsyth County Beautiful will
hold the Household Hazardous Waste
Recycling and Disposal event from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, at
the Cumming Fairgrounds.
The event, held in partnership with
the Forsyth County Recycling and
Solid Waste Department and the City
of Cumming, will give residents the
opportunity to dispose of material safe
ly and responsibly.
Items that will be accepted include
corrosive, ignitable, toxic or reactive
household hazardous waste such as
paints, cleaners, oils, fuels, batteries,
fluorescent or HID light bulbs, herbi
cides, pesticides and more. Items that
will not be accepted include medical
waste, needles, ammunition, explo
sives, pharmaceuticals and non-hazard-
ous items.
A full list of accepted materials and
more details on the event can be found
on KFCB’s website, or residents can
find out more by emailing KFCB@for-
sythco.com or by calling (770) 205-
4573.
Online pre-registration is now open
and required for participation at www.
keepforsythcountybeautiful.org.
Availability is on a first-come, first-
served basis until the maximum
amount of materials or vehicles are reg
istered for participation.
“We know folks are always looking
for a way to get rid of their clutter in a
convenient way,” said Forsyth County
Environmental Program Manager
Tammy Wright. “Things that people
use every day, such as cleaning sup
plies and paint, can be hazardous not
only to people but the environment if
not disposed of properly.”
There is no charge for dropping off
household hazardous waste during the
event. A $5 donation is requested to
help support Keep Forsyth County
Beautiful, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi
zation.
The event will be held at the
Cumming Fairgrounds’ parking lot 3 at
235 Castleberry Road, located across
from the Fairgrounds at the Castleberry
Bridge.
Volunteers recognized for National Friends of Libraries week
From staff reports
Forsyth County Public
Library recognized the
FCPL Friends and
Advocates group of vol
unteers as part of the
17th annual National
Friends of Libraries
Week from Oct. 16-22.
Since the FCPL
Friends and Advocates
were established in 1995,
they have raised over
$500,000 through used
book sales, membership
fees and other donations
to fund special programs,
materials and resources
beyond the library’s reg
ular budget.
The Friends operate
used bookstores at three
of FCPL’s locations
seven days a week, with
volunteers numbering
more than 100. Friends
Bookstores are located
inside the Cumming
Library, the Sharon
Forks Library and the
Post Road Library.
There will also be a
Friends of the Library
Bookstore at the future
Denmark Library, which
is expected to open in
2024.
“Library staff are
grateful to have the
Friends and Advocates
as a partner,” Library
Director Anna Lyle said.
“Many people know that
the Friends group sup
ports library programs
and services through
funds raised from used
book sales. But library
staff also see the tremen
dous amount of organi
zation and physical work
See Libraries 12A
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Forsyth
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unteers as
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Friends of
Libraries
Week.
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