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NEWSPAPER
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WE STAND
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Be the Change, Lead the Change
Issue 30 Thursday, July 23, 2020
Road race
cancelled
With so many events being cancelled
it should come as no surprise that the
2020 Papa’s Peach Classic has been
cancelled. Though coordinators held off
as long as possible before cancelling.
Larry Carpenter, race coordinator for
the Roberta Crawford County Chamber
of Commerce, shared on social media
with much regret and sadness, he must
announce the race has been cancelled
for 2020. It was a decision by the
Chamber board.
Executive Director Patti Temple said
the vote was unanimous and the exten
sion by Governor Kemp to adhere to
the 50 people at events.
Carpenter stated, “We will look to
2021 to have the next Papa’s Peach
Classic to be held at Dickey Farms.”
Temple said the chamber is saddened
to have to cancel but felt it best for the
good of all.
Scholarship
provides
education
Patti Temple, Chamber director, was
a recipient of a scholarship offering
effects and possible solutions for busi
ness during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scholarship has provide by Pur
chasing Alliance Insurance offering
many programs and policies to busi
nesses including our Crawford County
commerce. Held at Jekyll Island, Geor
gia Association of Chamber of Com
merce Executives (GACCE) provided
many classes regarding solutions for
situations or implement programs ben
efiting chambers during a time when a
stable economy is in question.
As the first day commenced on July
7th, it was check in time and orienta
tion for all first time attendees. The
time was spent briefing newly hired
Executives, introducing all to GACCE
and the value of the resource to be a
member. Newly hired executives are
also given ample time to acquire extra
answers to the many questions con
cerning the new career choice as exec
utive directors. The Welcome Dinner is
time to see some you have not seen and
visit with those you have been involved
with during the year or years. Followed
by the Hospitality Suite social.
Wednesday, right to work, with Cham
ber Executives Panel Discussion. Four
seasoned executives shared informa
tion they had used in the stormy years
as executives. Ideas presented would
and could work in the aftermath of this
pandemic and as we go through the
process to a better business. That af
ternoon provided video messages from
U.S. Senator Perdue and U.S. Senator
Kelly Loeffler. Both were encouraging
business and supported the chamber
of commerce as an entity able to work
with and comfort business.
The next day began with Managing
after Covid-19 sighting stress of going
from healthy economic outlook. Glenn
Shepard, spoke frankly to the execu
tives in attendance, the pandemic is
bad but with ingenuity and positive
attitude, a chamber can assist in the
revitalization of the area. This was cov
ered further through-out the day into
the late afternoon.
April Bragg, executive director of War
ner Robins, showed a new program she
had begun to use which will work now
or after the pandemic. Digitally she was
able to have ribbon cuttings and events
with a program. . Bragg provided infor
mation to develop the digital event for
all chamber’s use. She offered tools and
maps and emailed the information to
use in their chambers.
The last day was important as Cham
bers can become heroes in helping
See EDUCATION, page 5
The Voice of Crawford County Since 1921
also serving Byron and Peach County
Green way Farms is business of quarter
g row
Roberta Crawford County Chamber of Commerce
Business of the Quarter for the second quarter is
Greenway Farms of Georgia. Located at 6744 US
Highway 80 West, and recognized for adapting the
Farm Market operation during this time of pan
demic stress. They noted one time, it was hard to
see tears in a customers eyes when they received
the meat choice after being unable to find meat
anywhere else. Owners, Kerry Dunaway, Joy and
Troy Hunt, have hired one employee, Marlyne
Kilchriss. Marilyn makes the jellies and pickles.
The farm offers options of meat choices, Chicken,
Beef and Pork. All animals are raised on the farm
and they offer eggs from free range chickens.
Board member Stephanie Floyd is pictured with
the group, presenting the Business of the Quarter
plaque. They are open on Saturday from 10 a.m. -
2 p.m.
Questions answered for back to school
Crawford County School Dis
trict ‘s plan to restart school for
the 2020-2021 school year as
of July 16, 2020 is listed below.
Please read the entire memo
because questions you have may
be answered throughout the
document. As the system con
tinues to be updated by federal
and state officials, please know
that guidance is changing so this
plan has to remain fluid.
There are two options:
• Face to Face (F2F) - Students
will return to school on August
4th to F2F instruction. Students
and Staff will have their tem
peratures checked as they enter
the building. There will be hand
sanitizers and soap available
and every effort will be made to
maintain social distancing. Stu
dents are asked to bring bottles
of water because water fountain
use will be limited. Meals will
be served grab and go and will
be eaten in the classrooms or
outside with the student’s class.
Masks will be allowed but will
not be mandated. For our bus
riders - we will sanitize our
buses after every route using a
combination of foggers and wipe
downs. We are strongly asking
bus riders to wear a mask while
on the bus.
• Virtual - If parents choose
this option, they will sign a
contract that guarantees the
student will be in virtual classes
for an entire grading period (Ei
ther nine weeks or a Semester
depending on the school). This
option will begin August 17th.
For 6-t2th grade this will be a
true virtual experience where
the software (Edgenuity or GA
Virtual) is the instructor and the
school will provide a certified
teacher facilitator to assist with
logistics.
The GA Virtual option is very
limited in number; however, we
can provide any student 6-12 the
Edgenuity Option. We are still
working on our plan for K-5, but
it will be a majority of online
work in the I-Ready platform for
Math and Reading and Edu
cation Galaxy for Science and
Social studies. There will be an
assigned virtual teacher who
will do lessons and work with
your student through Zoom,
Google Meets, and Teacher
Webpage. We may have up to 2
teachers per grade span who will
be assigned to a “class.” There
will be times daily that your
student will be required to log
on in some capacity. The teacher
will have a daily schedule with
whole group time, as well as
individual assigned work that
will be expected to be completed
without direct instruction. The
student’s work will be graded
and attendance will be taken. It
will be the responsibility of the
parent to make sure the student
has access to the internet and
devices. We will have mobile
hotspots throughout the county,
as well as a very limited amount
of chromebooks available to
check out. A lack of internet ac
cess and/or device will not be an
excused reason for not getting
work done in the virtual option.
It was previously stated that the
virtual option would prevent
you from participating in extra
curricular activities; however,
we are removing this from our
plan. The Virtual option will not
prevent you from participating
in extracurricular activities, but
the activity MAY require your
presence on campus.
In the event that we are
required to shut the school
down to F2F instruction, our
Virtual Learners will continue
with their instruction. Nothing
will change for them. Our F2F
Learners will then revert to our
Distance Learning Plan as out
lined below:
Distance Learning Plan-Teach
ers will connect with their stu
dents two to three times a week
and will have a set schedule as
to when each teacher will be
live (This schedule will be made
available at the time of shut
down). Teachers will use several
means of communication to
reach students and they will be
able to post assignments and
lessons on their Edlio Webpage
(This can be reached from the
district web page). There will be
an opportunity for students to
checkout chromebooks and all
7th-nth graders will have Fire
tablets that can be used during
this time. There will be paper
packets available. Grades will
be taken during this time and
instruction will continue. If we
find ourselves in a Distance
Learning situation, then partic
ipation at home will be manda
tory and lack of participation
will be reflected in the student’s
grades. This instruction will
look different according to your
student’s grade level. Each
teacher will share resources that
will assist your child in under
standing the standards that are
being taught. If we reach a point
where we know school will be
closed for at least a grading pe
riod, we will have some discus
sions about how to migrate our
Virtual Plan into our Distance
Learning Plan to ensure our
students are getting all that they
need.
It is the belief of Crawford
County Schools that nothing is
a substitute for a good teacher;
therefore, we will do everything
in our power to get back to a
normal in-person day of instruc
tion. These are unprecedented
times and we want to keep our
students and staff safe while
reopening and moving forward.
These plans are still not com
pletely finalized and our staff
is working diligently to provide
every student with a meaningful
learning experience.
Thanks for your patience and
understanding.
Brent Lowe
Superintendent
Crawford County Schools
1 Section 8 Pages One Dollar
Roberta
approves
T-SPLOST for
Nov. ballot
BY KRISTI WATKINS
The Georgia Post
The Roberta City Council is teaming
up with Crawford County Commis
sioners to help improve the roads in
Crawford County.
The city and county governments
will be looking into a TSPLOST for
voters to help improve many roads
across the county.
The city will be looking at improving
several roads in the city. First would
be milling and paving E. Agency
Street. East Agency would begin near
the completion of the new middle/
high school. Other roads include two
dirt roads, Tanner Lane and Wright
Street behind Dollar General off Hwy.
80 around to Hwy. 341. Also resurfac
ing Industrial Park and Hicks Road
are on their list. These are the main
roads the TSPLOST would be used to
improve.
After negotiations between the
city and county manager, the city
approved 20% of the TSPLOST to
cover the costs of improving those
roads. The city had received a copy of
the email to the commissioners from
county manager, Fabian Hollis, stating
he recommended the 20% since the
city had not received any SPLOST
funds for the last six years since the
former administration did not put
roads on the ballot; therefore, their
streets and roads have been neglected.
The city currently receives only 14%
from the county on the SPLOST that
has been going to public safety and
the water department with most of the
funds received going toward the police
department for new equipment and
vehicles.
Hollis also added in his email many
county residents utilize city roads for
various reasons and this would send a
strong message of unity and our will
ingness to help the city.
The county commissioners would
vote on Tuesday, July 21st whether to
approve the split with the city. This
is after our presstime. The TSPLOST
would be for all city and county voters
to approve at the polls.
In appreciation
Staff members of the Georgia Post
and others in the community were
treated to lunch Wednesday by Macon
Regional Crimestoppers, delivered by
Cpi. Greg Thomas, executive director.
Thomas says this was in appreciation
of all that the newspaper and others in
the community do to support them.