Newspaper Page Text
December 23, 2024, The Islander, Page 9
Man of the Year,
Man of the Ages
BOE continues to upgrade safety
at all Glynn county schools
By Pamela Permar-Shierling
Donald
Trump was
just named the
person of the
year by Time
magazine. We
have all watched as he has overcome
challenges from many different direc
tions. President elect Trump has the
qualities of a born leader. He is confi
dent and bold. He sets goals and gets
things done. He surrounds himself
with talent and he portrays strength.
He arrives on the stage with much
fanfare, and he is greeted with hopeful
cheers of excited people. Yet, like all of
us, he will come, and he will go. Four
years from now, we will have a clearer
understanding of his true impact on
the United States of America and the
world stage.
As I was considering the man of the
year, the thought came: what about
the man of all ages? His birth serves
as the defining boundary of time. His
arrival was proclaimed by the plan
ets and the stars. He fulfilled all the
predictions of the prophets. Even the
heavenly host testified to his heritage
and purpose.
Wisemen, from the foreign land of
Parthia, well versed in astronomy,
understood that a very important per
son had arrived on Earth. They came
prepared to pay homage and brought
gifts. His birth was announced to the
highest leader of his country and his
birthplace and position confirmed by
valued historic documents.
He was the first target of cancel cul
ture. Those in power literally tried to
cancel him by demanding the infanti
cide of all baby boys in his birthplace.
He was born in a manger and his par
ents were humble, yet obedient, and
as predicted they were of the noble
kingly line of David. He was the Seed
promised to Abraham, the one who
was called to be the Messiah and the
Savior of the world. This man of the
ages is none other than the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Some of his followers wanted him to
be a leader of a different kind. A lead
er of just their country. They wanted
him to return Israel to a position of
prominence and honor. They wanted
Jerusalem to again become the cen
ter of the world and the epicenter of
power. They wanted him to make Is
rael great again. His arrest and illegal
By Dr. Diane Bowen
prosecution and ultimately crucifixion
put an end to those hopes. Those in
power liked the status quo. The lead
ers felt justified, they felt they had
won. Their positions were secured.
However, his purpose was not
done, and his death was not the end.
His purpose was to become the sover
eign ruler of the entire world, and his
people were to include all those who
call upon the name of Christ as their
Lord and Savior regardless of national
origin, ethnos or sex. He accomplished
his purpose by being obedient, even to
death upon the detested cross. This
was a thing so shameful that in those
times, no one could hardly bear to say
the word.
He proved his Lordship and Sover
eignty by rising from the dead at three
days. Death could not hold him. Even
as you read this, he is seated at the
right hand of God, the Father, the Cre
ator of the universe, the Creator of you
and I and is declared the ruler overall.
So, in this season of remembering
his birth, certainly also let’s remember
his sacrifice, his horrifically gruesome
death. Let’s find joy and hope in his
resurrection, and the fact that today
He reigns as Sovereign.
Regardless of who’s named the per
son of the year, Christ remains the
man of all ages, the creator of all hu
man beings and the Savior to those
who acknowledge him as the son of
God and risen from the dead. While
he came as a precious little baby, born
in a humble manger, he lives today as
our risen Savior triumphant on high,
ruler for eternity.
If you know Him as the Risen Sav
ior then today in this season, let’s give
thanks for His arrival. Live your life
reflecting his goodness and grace!
If you don’t know Him, then please
start the most rewarding journey of
your life. Learn about the real his
torical Christ and what he has truly
accomplished. You will find the most
glorious gift of His love and He will
give you rest from your burdens and
abundant joy in your life here and into
eternity.
May the Christ of Christmas shine
His light upon you and yours! I close
in thanks to the Lord for my family,
friends, coworkers and for all of you
who have trusted me with your care!
Joyous Christmas and may our New
Year be blessed!
During their final meeting of 2024
(Dec. 17) the Glynn County Board of
Education (BOE) approved two pur
chases that will enhance the safety at
Glynn County’s schools.
The board approved spending
$555,358 for 30 body cameras for all
school system SROs (School Resource
Officers). Funding is from ESPLOST
4.
The board also approved spend
ing $638,624 for classroom cameras
for all four middle schools. Camer
as have been installed in all class
rooms in Brunswick High and Glynn
Academy.
Mike Blackerby, Asst. Superinten
dent of Operations said they would
begin installing the cameras in early
January (2025) and would begin with
Risley Middle School. Funding is
from ESPLOST 3.
In other business:
• the BOE approved spending
$1,692,500 to purchase 10 school bus
es. The buses are propane powered
and pricing includes a $130,000 alter
native fuel rebate. Part of the fund
ing, $440,550, will be reimbursed by
the Georgia Dept, of Education FY22
School Bus funds after they are pur
chased. The school system’s total cost
after the rebate and state reimburse
ment is $1,131,950.
Four buses are lift buses and 6 are
regular 72 passenger buses.
While the propane buses cost more
than diesel, the fuel rebate brought
the cost down to the same price as a
diesel bus. Plus, Blackerby said, fuel
costs for the propane buses are about
25% less than diesel buses.
One propane bus was purchased
last year and it has worked flawless
ly, Blackerby said.
• the board heard CCRPI (Col
lege and Career Ready Performance
Index) 2024 scores. Scores were com
pared to 2019 since that is the year
before Covid as well as to 2023.
Six elementary schools met or
exceeded their overall 2019 CCRPI
score: Altama, Golden Isles, Good
year, Greer, Oglethorpe Point and
Sterling.
All 10 elementary schools saw pos
itive growth in ELA/ Reading scores.
Golden Isles, Goodyear and Sterling
saw a 10 point gain.
Seven schools gained in math.
Goodyear increased 10 points.
Six schools saw gains in science.
Greer earned a 20 point gain in 5th
grade science and Goodyear saw a 10
point gain in 5th grade Science.
Oglethorpe Point scored a perfect
score of 100 and 100+ in all academic
areas.
The Closing Gaps area saw Glynn
elementary schools slightly under the
100 point state average at 97.1.
Six schools scored 90 or above;
Golden Isles and Sterling earned per
fect scores of 100; Altama, Greer, and
Oglethorpe saw 20 point gains.
In Progress Glynn schools scored
97.3 which is above the state average
of 86.2.
All elementary schools scored 84
points or higher in the Progress area.
Schools scoring 90 points or higher
include Altama, Burroughs-Molette,
Glyndale, Golden Isles, Greer, Satilla
Marsh, Oglethorpe and Sterling.
ELA progress scores increased 8.98
points. Math increased 7.99 points.
In Elementary readiness the dis
trict average was 85.2 compared to
the state average of 83.2.
71.22% of Glynn’s third, fourth,
and fifth graders are reading on
grade level as compared to 57.2% in
2019.
The overall 2024 score for Glynn’s
elementary schools was 86.8 com
pared to 83.9 in 2023 and 85.7 in
2019.
Glynn’s Middle Schools’ over all
CCRPI score for 2024 was 73.9 which
is down from 2023’s 75.1 and 2019’s
77.3.
The middle schools were way down
in 2024 in the Closing Gaps area at
46. This compares to 68.1 in 2023 and
63.9 in 2019. Eric Benson, Assist. Su
perintendent 6-12 said, “We focused
on reading / ELA last year.”
However Risley Middle saw a 41.1
gain in Closing Gaps over 2019 and a
67.9 gain over 2023.
Benson said that teachers at Ris
ley intentionally gave additional sup
port to subgroups (socioeconomic,
learning disabilities, language abili
ties) in the form of an extra 45 min
utes every day.
All middle schools scored 82 points
or higher in the Progress area when
compared to 2019, and three of the
four schools increased their overall
score from 2023.
The district average for middle
school Progress was 84.2 compared to
the state average of 82.3.
Brunswick High School and Glynn
Academy 2024 scores increased from
2019 in all areas: content mastery,
closing gaps, progress, readiness and
graduation rate.
In the First District RESA (17
school systems) Glynn’s high schools
scored number one in closing gaps
and graduation rate, two in content
mastery and readiness, and number
three in progress.
The high schools were pretty far
above the state average on content
mastery at 97.5 compared to the state
average of 68.1.
Glynn’s graduation rate is 12.4
points higher than the state average.
BHS - 98.1 in 2024; GA 98% in
2024.
The school system’s overall score
places Glynn County schools third in
the district. The overall district 2024
score of 85.2 (state score is 78.7) is
the highest it has ever been.
• Board Policy JG(1) Video Sur
veillance has been updated to include
the SRO’s body camera footage. This
footage is not subject to open re
cords request and can only be viewed
through a court subpoena or for a dis
ciplinary due process hearing.
This policy will be voted on at the
next BOE meeting.
Volunteers needed for New Year's Day
Beach Sweep
Join in Keep Golden Isles Beautiful’s eighth annual New Year’s Day beach
sweep sponsored and hosted by Jenseye Photography. Volunteers meet at the
St. Simons Island Old Coast Guard Station beach crossover at 8:30 A.M. on
Wednesday, January 1 to sign in and receive supplies and direction.
Volunteers will concentrate on possible litter left over from New Year’s Eve
merry-making, extending efforts into beach parking lots and as many of the 41
public access points as volunteer turnout will allow.
All cleanup supplies will be provided and all ages and abilities are welcome
to participate.
Contact Keep Golden Isles Beautiful for more information: KGIB.ORG or
info.kbgib@gmail.com or 912-279-1490
The New Year’s Day cleanup is the brainchild of KGIB volunteers Jenn and
Mike Hatcher of Jenseye Photography who will again be leading the cleanup.
