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PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JANUARY 14. 2016
Keith Petty talks change in the community, education
Keith Petty is a native of
Pickens County and has been
employed with the Pickens
County Board of Education for
21 years. He has been system
Teacher of the Year, a STAR
Teacher finalist twice, and STAR
Teacher once. He enjoys writing
and has written for several pub
lications including the Pickens
County Progress and Georgia
Backroads magazine. He bal
ances his professional life with
simplicity, a few close relation
ships, and good books.
Had you always planned to be
come a teacher?
I actually took some time
after high school and wound up
continuing to work at the Jasper
Dairy Queen, the same job I had
in high school; but I needed
some time to realize what I
wanted to do. I think it is good
for young people to work these
types of entry-level jobs so that
they can see what they are like,
and that may encourage them to
do something that requires some
post-secondary education.
I entered Kennesaw State
University as a Business Com
munications major. After a few
classes I realized I was not cut
out for the corporate world.
Once you settled on teaching,
did you plan of coming back to
your native county?
I, at first, thought of going to
Alaska to teach. I thought I
would like to live there, but that
was thinking about me. In those
days, I just wanted to escape
from Pickens County. I then re
alized how much I could do to
influence the young people in my
community where I had grown
up. How much I would care
about the students didn't really
sink in until I was in a classroom.
There is a lot of talk about how
frustrating teaching can be
with all the testing and require
ments imposed by the state.
What comes down from the
state can be frustrating, but, as a
career, I can only think of a cou
ple of things I would rather do
than teach. When I'm in my
classroom, engaged with my stu
dents, all the frustration of state
mandates goes away.
I think in Pickens County our
school board and superintendent
make the state requirements as
easy and palatable as possible.
What are some of your other
interests?
I like to write, but I don’t
have the time to devote to it. I
would like to finish a novel-
length manuscript, but by the
time I get home from work, I just
want to chill. I used to really like
Stephen King and wanted to
write stories similar to what he
does, but I realized I was horrible
at his genre. I need to draw from
my personal experiences in order
to produce writing that is of any
quality.
Do you think a book is still in
your future?
Maybe. Being a well-known
author would be my ultimate ca
reer dream.
You also sing and act?
I have been in two Christmas
productions and had a small part
in Hello, Dolly! (through the
high school drama department).
Since my early 20s I have sung
at church, weddings, and funer
als. I have never taken vocal les
sons. I did take piano for a little
while but can’t read music in
stantaneously. Being on stage is
a new experience, but I love it,
especially since I get to work
with some of my former students
and see them in an entirely dif
ferent light than in the academic
classroom.
You used to travel and take bi
cycle trips [that he would write
about for the Progress]?
I purchased a house in 2013
and that keeps me close. It is tak
ing precedent over everything
else, and, quite frankly, I enjoy
being at home.
People may think this is
strange, but yard work is my
therapy.
As a longtime native, what
is the biggest change you have
seen in this county?
Diversity of the population
and I am glad to see it. I know
from when I did travel, and the
biking and going away to col
lege, that there is so much more
out there. It’s not bad but it was
all that I knew when we I was
growing up.
Politically you are in a minor
ity here?
I am a Democrat, who is on
the liberal side. I am not nearly
as outspoken as I once was, and
I’m not too far out there. I tone
down my responses most of the
time, given the conservative po
litical nature of our community.
I don’t want to get a club in the
back of the head.
I may be viewed as a bleed
ing-heart liberal, but I don’t want
the free enterprise system to go
away. It just gets me that in such
a wealthy country, so many peo
ple lack the basics while wealth
is concentrated in the hands of a
few. All people need to do what
they can to help others, but I
alone can only do so much. I
work a regular job like the ma
jority of Americans, and my dol
lars only go so far. I don’t like
human suffering in any form, and
if I were a rich man, I would de
vote much of my time and re
sources to philanthropic
endeavors.
What is something you have
watched or read recently that
you enjoyed?
90 Minutes in Heaven, the
movie.
Is the movie different than the
book?
Yes, the movie is inspirational
in that we all make a difference
in the lives of others. We are here
to serve and love one another. It
also says a lot of about family
and friends and sticking with
them.
Any unusual hobbies?
I have a collection of shaving
mugs. I still use the old-fash
ioned brush and shaving soap. I
have about 30 shaving mugs.
Do you have any funny stories
from your 21 years in the class
room?
I have some, but most you
couldn’t print. In my classroom
there are high expectations, but
there is also a lot of laughter. A
teacher doesn't have to be a
tyrant to educate young people.
It’s about building relationships.
One thing about education that
has changed is we spend so much
time on academics that there is
not time to nurture relationships.
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I if,
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given of a hearing to be held on the 8th day of
February, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. at tne Pickens County Commis
sioner's Meeting Room before the Planning Commission of Pick
ens County, Georgia. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss a
request by Robert E. L. Eubanks, to have parcel 008-046 of .09
acres rezoned from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential (RR)
to combine this noncomforming lot with an adjacent lot already
zoned rural residential to allowfor residential use. The property
is located at Grandview Road, Jasper, Georgia. The recommen
dation of the Planning Commission will be Drought before the
Board of Commissioners on February 18,2016 at 530 p.m.
Pickens County School Board Meeting
AGENDA
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016
6:30 P.M. - Board Conference Center
91 D.B. Carroll Street • Jasper, GA 30143
I. Call to order
II. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Selection of School Board Chair for 2016 (L. Perry)
V. Selection of School Board Vice Chair for 2016
(Board Chairperson)
VI. Student Recognition
A. Emma Long-State Champion in Lamb Showmanship
B. Jasper Elementary School-Student Recognition
VII. Recognition of Title I Reward Schools (S. Greene)
VIII. Superintendent Reports
A. Financial Update (A. Smith)
B. Attendance Update (S. Cantrell)
C. Operations & Construction (S. Gilleland))
D. Pickens County Schools Athletic Department Update
(C. Parker)
IX. Action Items
A. Approval of Resolution Declaring Results of Election
(P. Landrum)
B. Approval of Pickens County Board of Education
Meeting Schedule for 2016
C. Approval of RESOLUTION of Completion for Tate
Elementary Cafeteria Project Project# 15-712-001
(S. Gilleland)
D. PHS Track Team Out-of State Field Trip (C. Parker)
E. Approval of Minutes
F. Surplus Materials
X. Executive Session
XI. Approval of Executive Session Minutes
XII. Approval of Personnel
XIII. Board Comments
XIV. Adjourn
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7
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Asst. Vice President
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