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THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 19. 2015 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 9A
Monthly, school board meeting
Pickens students, schools recognized for outstanding work
By Eileen Steinhauer
Progress contributor
PHS Football Awards: Front Row (from left to right): Shannon Brooks, Kalyn Brooks, Zach Herman, Coach Chris Parker, Dillon Gasaway, John Holbert, Zach Betts,
Ty Chastain, Caleb Brooks. Back Row (from left to right): Alex Pittman, Marcus Byrd, Walker Lawrence, Kyle West, Andrew Ortiz, Ryan Evans, Bradley Ragano.
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Student and school success
was the primary focus of last
week’s board of education meet
ing but the meeting ended with a
caution from Chairman Mike
Cowart regarding newly pro
posed state legislation.
“Pickens County residents
need to be aware of what is hap
pening in Atlanta,” said Cowart.
“Legislation that is currently
being suggested will have a last
ing impact here and in the rest of
Georgia.”
One of the most talked about
proposals by Governor Nathan
Deal is cutting state funded
health insurance benefits for non-
certified school employees who
work less than 30 horns a week,
such as bus drivers and cafeteria
workers. Deal has said that the
cuts are the more fair system be
cause currently other state em
ployees who work less than 30
hours a week are not eligible for
health insurance.
The other proposal by Deal is
for the state to take over control
of failing schools. Currently,
local districts are responsible for
revitalizing schools that are not
achieving. Deal’s plan would
allow schools who have been on
the failing list for three years to
be taken over by a state-run
school district.
Both issues will likely be dis
cussed in detail in the coming
months.
“Both of these proposals are a
reminder that we need to be
aware of what the state is propos
ing,” said Cowart. “Whatever
your opinion is, let your repre
sentatives know.”
Georgia Milestones
One state decision that may
impact Pickens County immedi
ately is the adoption of the Geor
gia Milestones test.
This is the first year the Geor
gia Milestones test will be ad
ministered.
According to Dr. Sandy
Greene, Director of Teaching and
Learning, the state has waived
the use of state-adopted assess
ments in promotion and/or reten
tion of students for this year.
In other words, for the 2014-
2015 school year, the Georgia
Milestones test does not need to
be used as a factor in determin
ing whether or not a student
moves on to the next grade or is
kept in the same grade.
In order to adopt this state
suggested policy for this year, the
Pickens County Promotion and
Retention Policy (IHE) is cur
rently up for a 30 day review and
will be voted on at the March
BOE meeting. Any feedback
should be directed to the Pickens
County Central Office.
Student Recognition
Four middle students were
recognized for earning All Dis
trict Band honors. Joely Sim
mons, an eighth grader from
PCMS on the oboe, Lauren
Pitkins, a seventh grader from
PCMS on percussion, Dale
Smith, an eighth grader from
PCMS on percussion, and Brit
tany Carver, an eighth grader
from JMS on percussion.
Dale Smith was also recog
nized for earning an All State
Band honor. Dale was named
one of the top four in the state in
percussion.
“We are so proud of all of
these students,” said PCMS
Band Director Kevin Boyle. “In
order to earn these recognitions,
the students must be very dedi
cated to their music.”
Fourteen PHS Football play
All District and State Band Awards: From left to right PCMS Band Director Kevin Boyle,
Joely Simmons, Dale Smith, JMS Band Director Steven Watson (absent Lauren Pitkins and
Brittany Carver)
ers were also recognized for
earning All-Region honors. Kyle
West, Zach Herman, Marcus
Byrd, and Zach Betts were se
lected as All-Region First Team.
Andrew Ortiz, John Holbert, and
Ty Chastain were selected as All-
Region Second Team. Kalyn
Brooks, Ryan Evans, Caleb
Brooks, Dillon Gasaway, Alex
Pittman, Bradley Ragano and
Walker Lawrence were selected
as All-Region Honorable Men
tion.
In addition, PHS Senior Shan
non Brooks was recognized for
earning the Region 7AAAA
Player of the Year, the AJC
AAAA State Offensive Player of
the Year, and the AP and AJC
AAAA All-State Team.
The PHS Football team earned a
spot in the state playoffs this
year. The last time PHS went to
the state playoffs was 10 years
ago.
School Recognition
Although the state’s average
CCRPI score decreased this year,
Harmony Elementary was recog
nized for increasing the school’s
College and Career Ready Per
formance Index (CCRPI) score
by over 10 points.
The CCRPI is an index to
help measure a school’s im
provement, accountability, and
communication.
Harmony’s score last year
was 67.7. This year’s score was
78.2. Harmony and Hill City
both achieved a 78.2 this year
and had the highest scores in the
county.
At a celebration held prior to
the holiday break, Harmony
Principal Lynda Wallace praised
her staff, “Things like this don’t
happen without dedication and
hard work. You have all earned
this.”
Pickens County Middle
School was also recognized for
being re-designated a Georgia
Lighthouse School to Watch for
2015-2018 school years. PCMS
had also received this honor in
2009 and 2012.
The School to Watch program
recognizes schools who are aca
demically excellent; develop-
mentally responsive, which
Harmony Elementary staff being recognized for an increased CCRPI score.
means they are especially in tune
with the challenges that face ado
lescents; and socially equitable,
which means they are fair in pro
viding all students with high-
quality teachers, resources, and
support.
Schools to Watch is a middle-
grades program. There are cur
rently 20 schools to watch in
Georgia.
PCMS will be recognized at
the Georgia Middle School Asso
ciation annual conference this
month and at the National Forum
Schools to Watch conference in
Washington, D.C. in June.
Football player receive re
wards
Shannon Brooks:
AJC AAAA State Offensive
Player of the Year
AP & AJC AAAA All-State
Team
Region 7AAAA Player of the
Year
All-Region Players:
Kyle West - 1st Team Line
backer
Zack Herman - 1 st Team Ath
lete
Marcus Byrd - 1st Team Punter
& Honorable Mention QB
Zach Betts - 1st Team Off.
Line
PCMS staff being recognized for being named a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch.
Andrew Ortiz - 2nd Team Def.
Line
John Holbert - 2nd Team Off.
Line
Ty Chastain - 2nd Team Kicker
Kalyn Brooks - Honorable
Mention Def. Line
Ryan Evans - Honorable Men
tion Off. Line
Caleb Brooks - Honorable
Mention Def. Back
Dillon Gasaway - Honorable
Mention Def. Back
Alex Pittman - Honorable
Mention Def. Line
Bradley Ragano - Honorable
Mention Tight End
Walker Lawrence - Honorable
Mention Tight End
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