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Vol. 141, No. 6 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, March 31,2021 - $1.00
Superintendent explains low school
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Burke County schools
received some low scores
on the 2018-19 Georgia
Milestones Assessment
System.
According to the
Governor’s Office of Student
Achievement website,
the overall school system
received a below average
grade. A performance
snapshot indicates that Burke
County’s overall performance
is still higher than 24% of
Georgia school districts.
Blakeney Elementary and
Waynesboro Primary scored
failing grades. Burke County
Middle and Burke County
High School scored average.
S.G.A. Elementary School
received an above average
rating.
Superintendent Dr. Angela
Williams explained the state’s
grading system.
The scores were calculated
during the 2018-2019 school
year.
“There was no Georgia
Milestone Assessment for
last year,” Williams said
and pointed out that the
standardized testing did
not take place due to the
pandemic.
The state report card
includes an evaluation of
contact mastery which is
divided into math, science,
social studies and language
arts.
“Math and language arts
count twice as much as
science and social studies,”
Williams said. “There are
not tests given every year in
science and social studies.”
Students are scored based
on their ability ranging
from beginning level to
distinguished. The points
range from 0 to 1.5.
The results can look
confusing.
When a school scores a 61
in contact mastery, it does not
mean that 61 % of the students
passed the tests, Williams
said.
“It simply says that is the
percentage that you earned
out of 100,” she said. “It may
be more students than that, it
may be fewer, because it is
weighted.”
The schools are also
evaluated for progress, but
there is a catch.
“In order to get a progress
score, students have to have
at least one-year prior score,”
scores
Williams said.
Waynesboro Primary
received no score in the
progress category. There
are no previous test scores
since the Georgia Milestone
Assessments are not
administered to kindergarten
through second grades.
“They take the third-grade
scores from Blakeney because
that is the feeder
SEE
school and that is
what they use for SCORES,
contact mastery, 6
Two arrested in
Carswell murder
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Darius Savage
Two men have been arrested in
connection to the Jan. 6 murder of Brian
Carswell.
Darius Savage, 23, of Hephzibah
was booked on March 17, and Tommie
Tennyson, 19, of Augusta turned himself
in to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office
on March 24.
Both have been charged with
murder, armed robbery, kidnapping
and possession of a firearm during the
commission of a crime.
Investigators say both men were
compliant at the time of their arrests.
Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo
Williams expressed his appreciation
to the public for its assistance and
information leading to the arrest of the
two as well as to the sheriff’s office
team and other supporting agencies
who “worked tirelessly to bring closure
to this case.”
The 33-year-old victim, well-known
and liked throughout the community,
was discovered in the early morning hours of Jan. 6, after
deputies responded to Spread Oak Road near Hannah Lane
to a call that someone may have been run over. Upon arrival,
authorities found Carswell shot to death.
Tommie Tennyson
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DIANA ROYAL • jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Holy Week services are underway, and though the
delivery format is not in-person, local pastors stress the
importance of this week and the messages being shared.
“We were very saddened last year when we could not
meet during Holy Week,” said pastor A1 Wright of First
Baptist Church of Waynesboro. “But nobody thought last
year that we would still be dealing with the COVID-19
crisis approaching Holy Week in 2021. No pastor in town feels good about not gathering,
but we all are in agreement that it is the best way at least for now to remember the
supreme importance of this particular week while doing what is best for the people of
our community.”
This year, services are again being live-streamed. Pastors Elliott Bing of Phillips Grove
Baptist and Isaac Salgado of First United Methodist churches delivered
sermons on Monday and Tuesday. The schedule for the rest of the week
is as follows: Wednesday, March 31. Ashley Moore Jr. of The Rock HOLY WEEK,
Church; Thursday, April 1, Logan Almy of First Presbyterian Church; 8
Masters Night Out April 8
DIANA ROYAL • jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Downtown Waynesboro’s Masters Night Out is
looking to be a hole in one!
The event, scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Thursday, April
8 and sponsored by the Downtown Development
Authority, promises to celebrate the coveted golf
tournament with style, right down to a putting green
for visitors.
According to DDA Director Don Lively, the town is
shutting down Liberty Street for the big event which
doubles as a fundraiser for downtown businesses.
“Patrons can stop by our DDA table, where we’ll be selling special Tervis tumblers and
T-shirts made specifically for this event,” he said. “We’ll also have shrimp baskets and beer
available for purchase. All money raised will be put back into our downtown businesses.”
A big screen television will be set up and playing highlights from the Masters
tournament, and those who aren’t fans of shrimp are in luck as several food vendors will
be there as well.
Lively encourages golf fans to brush up on their skills and test out the putting green
or to bring a pop-up chair and sit back with a refreshing Arnold Palmer while relaxing
with friends.
“Make plans to join us on April 8,” Lively said. “We are really excited about this event.
Don’t forget to visit our downtown shops while you’re here.”
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