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Jan 23 1/21/03 4:10 PM Page 3
AY
PAGE 10A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JANUARY 23. 2003
Marshall’s office formed to assist
Environmental Compliance Enforcement
Pickens County will start its first
county marshall’s office to better
aid enforcement of environmental
ordinances against illegal dumping.
The new marshall’s office will
enable Chris Romine, the newly
hired environmental compliance
officer, to have arrest powers, make
traffic stops and prosecute cases in
superior and magistrate courts.
Pickens County Commissioner Bill
Newton feels that the marshall’s
office is a positive addition that will
make enforcement more productive.
As earlier reported in the
Continued from page 1A
Block scheduling, school starting date
Stanley Goss of the church
organization accused the board of
intolerance if it votes for a calendar
that would start school before
August 25th.
“You are infringing on our right
to worship if you start school before
revival is over,” he told the board.
“We as saved people better speak up
and take back our rights. Your deci
sion could make a difference
between a child making it and not
making it.”
But other citizens spoke against
such accusations, citing the Consti
tution and the separation of church
and state. One said board meetings
are “not an arena of God.”
The Rev. Herb Flanders said,
“I’m bothered that we would insinu
ate that the board’s decision will
make them a good Christian or a
bad Christian, or for God or against
God.”
After the public participation was
complete, the board discussed possi
ble ways to accommodate the
churches and make sure the kids
pass the tests.
Easterwood told the crowd,
“We’ll chisel every day out of the
schedule we can to help ya’ll. But
we have to consider what’s best for
your children’s academics.”
Board member Shirley Whitaker
proposed a third option for the cal
endar which would start school on
the 25th. Board member Mark Mit-
ton said his major concern was to
end the first semester before the
Christmas break so students would
n’t have to come back from vacation
and immediately take finals.
Superintendent Lee Shiver said
with the new federal No Child Left
Behind Act, grades and test scores
will be tied to funding. If the school
system does not perform well in
these areas it could lose state and
federal funding.
The board voted to table a deci
sion until its next regular meeting on
Lebruary 6.
Both sides of block
scheduling presented
to board
At the block scheduling work
shop, numerous prepared presenta
tions and off the cuff speeches were
given by emotional parents and
determined faculty. Arguments were
heard both for and against the
scheduling method started at Pick
ens High School in 2000-2001.
When proposed then, the issue
brought forth a lot of discussion as
well.
The workshop was scheduled at
the board’s last meeting when a citi
zen presented arguments against
block scheduling.
Chairman Tony Young said Mon
day the purpose of the meeting was
to “make sure [block scheduling] is
achieving what we need to achieve.
This is a fact finding mission.”
Under the current system, known
as the “4 by 4 block,” Pickens High
School students take four semester-
length classes of 90 minutes each
per semester. Under the “traditional”
style, students took six year-long
classes of 55 minutes each.
Most of the nineteen people who
spoke were in favor of the 4 by 4
block. These included teachers,
administrators, and parents. One stu
dent, two teachers, and a handful of
parents spoke against the block.
Teachers supporting the 4 by 4
block gave multiple reasons. One
claimed it allows more options for
both the teachers and the students.
Others cited the declining dropout
rate and the fact that kids may retake
a course if they fail.
Parents particularly were con
cerned that if the board makes
another scheduling change the tran
sition would make it difficult for
juniors to acquire all the classes they
need to graduate.
Principal Lloyd Shaddix said
more electives have been added to
the curriculum since the block start
ed.
Most of the end of course test
scores have gone up over the last
five years, regardless of what kind
of scheduling there is, he said. The
only exception is the writing test.
He also said overall attendance
and enrollment have gone up, and
the school system is saving money
in costs for supplies and mainte
nance. And curriculum director
Susan Reeves said students now
take 32 classes over four years, as
opposed to the traditional 24.
Shaddix took a survey on block
scheduling last week among teach
ers, administrators and counselors at
the high school. The final tally was
62 in favor and 8 against.
The major complaint against the
block, even from several teachers
who generally favor it, is that some
classes should be a full year rather
than just a semester. High school
teacher Rosie Wigington said all AP
classes should be a year long.
Marcia Jasperse presented data
that AP test scores in Pickens have
gone down since the 4 by 4 block
started. She said with traditional
schedules, students “will be better
prepared for college, technical
school, and jobs.”
Some English teachers are both
ered that students are taking English
classes only half the time they are in
school. Student Josh Whitaker said
the time between courses such as
Algebra I and Algebra II can get too
long — up to seven months count
ing the summer — for many stu
dents to remember the material.
History teacher Roger Bennett
said that since there is less class
time under the 4 by 4 block, he is
only able to teach what is in the end
of course testing booklet.
Generally both sides pointed out
that some students achieve better
under the block and some do not.
Mitton said, “We want to make
sure we’re doing what’s right for all
our students.”
Young said the board may con
sider putting together a committee
of parents and citizens to research
the 4 by 4 block further.
Board of
Education
facilities
committee
meeting
A school board Lacility Commit
tee meeting has been scheduled for
Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. at
Jasper Elementary School Media
Center on D.B. Carroll St. in Jasper.
As always, the public is invited to
attend.
Progress, the main duties of the
environmental compliance officer
are to investigate incidents, educate
the public, issue citations and to
make sure tire retailers are dispos
ing of tires properly. According to
Romine, the powers of the mar
shall’s office will be directed
toward these issues.
Since the county’s program
began last October, several dump
sites have been cleaned up as well
as numerous ongoing investiga
tions.
To report environmental offens
es, call Romine’s office at 706-253-
8815.
Pickens County’s new Chief Marshall Chris Romine (center)
with Commissioner Bill Newton and Probate Judge Rodney Gib
son (left).
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Continued from page 1A
Senator Bill Stephens steps into
leadership role in state legislature
“I think we’re going to see a dif
ferent culture in state government
— more openness,” he said. “I’m
hopeful it will bring a new way of
looking at government.”
As administration floor leader
and a close advisor to the Governor,
Stephens will have a big hand in
shaping that new paradigm.
He worked on the governor’s
transition team following the elec
tion, acting as its spokesperson and
developing the legislative agenda.
He was also involved with hiring
personnel and working with con
stituent groups, and doing a lot of
“general trouble shooting,” he said.
The transition is over, but that
doesn’t free up any of Stephen’s
time. The administration floor
leader will continue to help the gov
ernor develop legislation and push
it through the Senate.
Stephens said, when he finished
listing his new duties, “And I have
to do all this while representing the
interests of my own constituents.”
And while sitting on multiple
committees.
These include the floor commit
tee; the banking and finance com
mittee, of which Stephens is vice
chairman; the insurance committee;
the economic development and
tourism committee; the rules com
mittee; and the reapportionment
committee.
One of the hottest topics under
the gold dome last week was the
governor’s proposed budget, which
was released last Monday. The new
budget, if passed, would raise cer
tain taxes and cut spending in
almost every area.
“I don’t think anyone is happy
with the budget, not even the gover
nor,” Stephens said. He added,
however, that the colossal shortfall
and lack of funds did not leave
many other options.
Stephens said the miserable state
of the budget is due to general eco
nomic suffering over the past two
years. Also, he said legislators need
to change the way they allocate
money and be more efficient with
spending.
He blamed Governor Barnes and
past members of the general assem
bly, which has been controlled by
Democrats for several years, for the
budget dilemma.
“We inherited a number of prob
lems from the previous administra
tion, who made some questionable
spending decisions,” Stephens said.
He said the claim that the gover
nor plans on raising property taxes
is overblown.
The proposed budget would
reduce tax breaks given to property
owners to eliminate part of the
budget shortfall, Stephens said.
He added that when the econo
my improves and the state has more
money, property owners will not be
forgotten.
“We just don’t have the money
to fund it now, but we’re hopeful
that it will be restored in the
future,” said the senator.
One thing that sets this adminis
tration apart from the last one, and
is an important part of the new gov
ernment culture, is they are open to
different ways to spend and collect
revenue.
Stephens said he, the governor,
and other party leaders plan to con
tinue studying the budget to find
other options. He said if anyone
comes up with better ideas, “we’re
more than willing to do it.”
Along with the economy, educa
tion and ethics reform are on
Stephen’s list of top priorities for
the year. And like the economy, he
said, both are in urgent need of
repair.
“We could spend a lifetime try
ing to fix education,” he said.
Georgia has always lagged
behind the rest of the country in the
quality of its public schools. Last
year, Georgia ranked 50th in SAT
scores.
While not a lot of extra money
will go to education this year,
Stephens said it will be one of the
few things the administration does
not plan to cut. He said he hopes to
give individual school districts
more flexibility in the way they use
the money they get from the state.
“The government should trust
the local parents, teachers, and
administrators more than we have
in the past,” he said.
The senator noted that redrawing
congressional districts will be a pri
ority.
Last year, the general assembly
redrew Georgia’s districts as
required every ten years by federal
law. Republicans since then have
spoken out loudly against the new
districts, saying the Democrats
drew them with their political inter
ests, and not the voters, in mind.
“We ought to draw districts that
favor the people who live in them if
we’re interested in restoring faith
and trust in government,” Stephens
said.
“Voters shouldn’t have to call
long distance to contact their legis
lators,” he said.
Stephens is a co-sponsor of a bill
to redraw the districts, and it will go
before the assembly sometime in
the near future.
When asked for his prediction of
what the major issues will look like
at the end of the year, Stephens
said:
“There will be a tougher,
stronger ethics package,” he said.
“There will be more flexibility in
funding in education. And we’ll
have a leaner, more efficient state
government. We expect to be suc
cessful in everything we do, but that
doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a
challenge.”
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