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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016
School
Commerce schools plan public
forum on 'balanced scorecard'
The Commerce City
School System will hold a
forum at 6 p.m. on Thursday,
July 28, in the Commerce
High School Auditorium
where attendees can see
and question the results
of the system’s “Balanced
Scorecard” and its strategic
plan.
The Commerce Board of
Education got a quick look
at both at its July 11 meet
ing and the Balanced Score-
card — essentially an annual
report — contained charts
and graphs tracking system
results dating as far back as
the 2009-10 school year in
areas ranging from enroll
ment to end-of-course test
results, and data on the CHS
Class of 2016 from graduation
rates to students’ plans after
graduation.
Data Highlights
•Enrollment for the past
year hit 1,555, compared to
1,442 in 2009-10. Average
daily attendance has stayed
at 95-96 percent each year.
•The ethnic breakdown
2015-16 showed 72 percent
white, 13 percent black, 11
percent Hispanic, five per
cent two or more races and
.09 percent Asian. In 2011-12,
the breakdown was 72 per
cent white, 12 percent black,
10 percent Hispanic, four
percent two or more races,
and one percent Asian.
•The most recent survey
of graduate outcomes was
from 2014 when 25 percent
of students were working (not
enrolled in school), 20 percent
were unknown, 34 percent
were enrolled in a Georgia
public college, 10 percent were
in a technical college, eight
percent were in Georgia pri
vate colleges and two percent
went to college out of state.
• In 2014, CHS 7.7 percent
of CHS graduates attending
Georgia colleges required
remediation in English and
25.6 percent in math. That
compared to 6.3 percent
needing help in English in
2009 and 37.5 percent need
ing help that year in math.
•54.8 percent of 2016
CHS graduates said they
planned to attend four-year
colleges, 20.43 percent two-
year colleges and 21.51 per
cent would attend vocational
technical schools. In addi
tion, 19.35 percent said they
would work full-time, 17.2 per
cent would work part-time,
5.38 percent planned to join
the military and 4.3 percent
chose “other.” Those per
centages total more than 100
because many students who
continued their educations
did so while working full-time
or part-time.
• The CHS graduation rate
exceeded that of Georgia in
the three most recent years
covered by the Governor’s
Office of Student Achieve
ment, which rated Com
merce at 94.3 percent.
Student Exit Survey
The report also includes
findings from the 2016 CHS
Exit Survey as follows:
•75.12 percent answered
“yes” when asked if school
made learning exciting and
encouraged them to contin
ue their education; 25.8 said
no, the rest did not respond.
•82.8 percent answered
yes when questioned whether
they had access to adequate
information and guidance
about post-secondary choic
es and plans; 16.13% said no,
the rest did not respond.
•When asked if teachers
had high expectations for
the quality of work, 92.47
answered in the affirmative,
6.45 percent said no and 1.06
percent did not respond.
•Asked if they felt staff
cared about them, 90.32 per
cent of CHS grads said yes,
and 8.68 percent said no.
The report also compares
results of the Georgia Mile
stones tests for the past two
school years in grades 3-8 as
well as a 5.5-year (results of
the second semester of 2015-
6 were not included) of CHS
end-of-course tests.
ACT & SAT Results
The report contains a
three-year comparison of
CHS scores on the ACT and
SAT exams:
•The percentage of ACT
scores at 22 or more out of
36 points was 24 percent in
2016, 25 percent in 2015 and
17 percent in 2014.
•The percentage of SAT
scores reaching or exceed
ing 1,550 (out of 2,400 possi
ble points) fell to 17 percent
in 2016, down from 36 per
cent in 2015 and 30 percent
in 2014.
Budget Info
Data from the Georgia
Department of Education
indicates that per-student
spending has fallen every
year since 2011-12, when it
was $8,691 per student. In
the 2015-16 school year, the
cost was $8,033 per student.
Meanwhile, the five-year
budget history shows that
the Commerce City School
System spent $12.9 million in
the 2008-09 school year, after
which spending declined
for four years due to state
budget cuts caused by the
Great Recession. The low
point was an $11.0 million
budget in 2012-13. The 2015-
16 budget rebounded to $11.9
million, and the budget the
school board passed a week
ago is $13.8 million.
Jackson County Board of Education
Decision could come this week on
future of Benton Elementary School
A decision on whether to
move forward with dissolving
Benton Elementary School
will likely be made this week.
The Jackson County Board of
Education discussed the pos
sible recommendation during
its July 18 meeting.
The district will start work
ing on its state capital outlay
plan on Friday. Superintendent
April Howard said she needs
to know Thursday which
schools will be on that list.
Benton is currently on the
list of schools that need ren
ovations, but the BOE has
had previous discussions on
whether to absorb the school
and comprehensively rezone.
Howard said a definitive deci
sion needs to be made.
She offered two approach
es to moving forward.
The first involves prioritizing
the construction of a new West
Jackson high school; compre
hensive rezoning; absorption
of a small school; selling of
unused property; and modest
renovations on other schools.
The second includes prior
itizing existing needed reno
vations at the schools; getting
trailers or adding onto West
Jackson Middle School and
Jackson County Comprehen
sive High School; and paying
off some bond debt before
proceeding with a new high
school in West Jackson. That
would likely push construction
on the new high school out
10 years.
“That’s probably not very
reasonable for the growth
that’s coming,” said Howard.
Howard said she’d like to
make a recommendation to
the BOE at its Thursday meet
ing.
The district is dealing with a
shortage of classroom space
on the west side of the county.
Chairman Michael Cronic said
that as West Jackson contin
ues to grow, the need for more
classrooms will continue to
increase.
But the district is limited in
its funding. The Jackson Coun
ty School System expects to
receive $27 million in the 2017-
2022 Education Local Option
Sales Tax. Half of that money
will be used to pay off existing
bond debt.
The BOE has previously
discussed moving forward
with constructing a new high
school in West Jackson, and
delay converting West Jackson
Primary School into a middle
school. Constructing a new
high school will cost $25 mil
lion for the first phase.
The district will likely need
to use some of its General
Fund for that construction.
Howard noted some “internal
sacrifices” would need to be
made.
The district would likely
save over $500,000 a year in
operational costs by absorb
ing Benton. The move may
also help get the district’s other
schools to base size, making
it eligible for additional state
funding.
BOE member Lynn
Wheeler was vocal in her
opposition of absorbing Ben
ton. She questioned wheth
er the district would save
as much money with the
move as expected. She also
warned of closing an east
side school, when East Jack-
son would likely see future
growth.
“It will eventually come over
to us,” said Wheeler.
But BOE member Celin-
da Wilson said the east side
has room to grow. She said
consolidating and rezoning
would allow the district to get
its schools to mid-size.
“If we don’t bite the bullet
and do something now, it’s
just going to be another cycle
five years from now,” said
Wilson.
BOE member Steve Bryant
recommended repurposing
Benton (and possibly West
Jackson Primary School) as
a science or language arts lab.
The site could also be used as
an alternative school during
the day and used by Foothills
Charter High School in the
evenings.
New principals
take over at two
Commerce schools
Commerce Elementary School and Commerce Middle
School will have new principals when school begins Friday,
Aug. 5.
Cara Lindsey will be CES principal, replacing David Cash,
who retired.
Lindsey has both elementary and middle school teaching
experience. At C.B. Greer Elementary School in Brunswick,
she was the instructional coach and the international bacca
laureate (IB) coordinator. Since 2012, Lindsey served as the
assistant principal at C.B. Greer Elementary School. She has
completed her courses for the doctoral program at Valdosta
State University in curriculum and instruction and is in the
process of completing her dissertation.
She is currently at work at CES preparing for the arrival of
students, faculty and staff.
Derrick Maxwell will be principal at Commerce Middle
School.
Maxwell has middle school teaching experience from
Burney-Harris Lyons Middle School in Clarke County. He
has also served as the after-school program specialist in
Clarke County
In 2008, Maxwell became the assistant principal at Bur-
ney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. In 2012, he was named
principal of Whit Davis Elementary School in Clarke County
and in February of 2016, began serving as interim principal
of Cedar Shoals High School.
Maxwell was scheduled to begin his duties at CMS today
(Wednesday).
“In our profession, each school year provides an oppor
tunity for a fresh start,” noted superintendent of schools Joy
Tolbert in an email to staff. “I am very excited about Mrs.
Lindsey and Mr. Maxwell being a part of our fresh start for
the 2016-2017 school year. I hope each of you will enjoy the
last two weeks of summer, and I look forward to seeing
everyone return on Monday, August 1.”
Tigers on the Town pep
rally set for Aug. 25
The Commerce Downtown Development Authority/
Main Street program will hold its annual Tigers on
the Town Pep Rally on Thursday Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. in
Spencer Park.
The event kicks off the 2016-17 high school athletic
season and will take place the day before the Com
merce Tigers open their 2016 football season against
Banks County.
“We’re meeting this week to finalize it,” said Natalie
Thomas, executive director of the DDA and Main Street
manager. “The Booster Club met and came up with
some ideas, and they’re going to present them to me.”
BCHS Class of 75 sets reunion
The Banks County High School Class of 1975 will hold a
class reunion on Saturday, Aug. 13, beginning at 6 p.m. at
Ryan’s Steakhouse on Steven B. Tanger Boulevard at Banks
Crossing.
All members from the Class of 1975 and any staff mem
bers who served during that time are encouraged to attend.
For more information, please contact Judy Duncan
McNelley at 706-673-3094.
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•The Jackson Herald
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•The Madison County Journal
|§|. JEFFERSON 310
'U*AMERICAN LEGION
Post 56 • Each 3rd Tues., 6:30 p.m.
Gene Bennett, Commander
Phone (706) 757-2288
www.albertgordonpost56.org
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. *(727) 488-4100
Joseph Morgan, President
Pilot Club of Jefferson
Meets 3rd Tuesday of
each month, 6:30pm
Jefferson City Clubhouse
706-367-9313 or
706-693-4715 76 4
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historical
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pa. 8
UNITY LODGE
F&A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1 st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Tom Hays • 678-316-7492
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
Tri-County
Shrine Club
3 ,d Thurs. of each month • 7 p.m.
Rockwell Lodge 191
For more info contact
Lonnie 770-503-5949 pa, 121
19562 JEFFERSON AREA
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
www.jaba-ga.org
Meets 3rd Thurs. • 11:45 a.m.
Jefferson City Clubhouse
302 Longview Drive
JACKSON COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Meetings at 6:30 p.m.
^August 18 & October 20
Jefferson City
Clubhouse
I Meeting is open to all who wish to attend. I
706-367-4361 Pd 12
ATHENS AMERICAN"
• LEGION
Post 20
Meets each 4th Tues., 6:30 p.m.
Harry Evans, Post Commander
Phone (706) 362-0259 •
Post Phone (706) 296-0979 pd. 12
THE MADISON COUNTY RETIRED |
EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
meets September - June on the second Tuesday
of the month at 11 a.m. at the Ila Restaurant in
Ila. There is no local meeting in July and August.
President: Karol Scarborough
678-617-4101 pa. 7
f . fa. i/i /
Madison County
Democratic Party
Conolus Scott Jr. ~ Committee Chairman
706-789-3336
Meeting fourth Sat. of each month.
I Madison Co. Govt. Complex Office Meeting Room
www.madisoncountygademocrats.org
ROCKWELL M 517 1
LODGE F&A.M.
No. 191, Hoschton, GA
2nd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. • Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
www.rockwelllodgel 91 .com
Two blocks behind Larry’s Garage
West Broad at Hall Street
* BANKS COUNTY
m AMERICAN LEGION |
• Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 u a
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. *(706) 693-7087
Ronnie Moore, President
St. Catherine Laboure
Catholic Mission
Mass Schedule: Fri. 9 a.m., Sat. 4:00 p.m.,
Sun. 11:00 a.m., Thurs. 12:10 p.m.
First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org
706-367-7220 „„ „
A BANKS COUNTY
IH AMERICAN LEGION
“ AUXILIARY-Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In the American Legion Building
at 1350 Historic Homer Hwy.,
Homer, GA Pd. 5/17
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