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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 10. 2009 — PAGE 3A Schools MCHS students offered incentives for AYP results By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com New Madison County High School principal Chad Stone wants to reward students who help the school meet its AYP goals. Juniors passing all four graduation tests and scor ing a 516 on the math portion — the minimum score allowed to meet AYP — will receive a reduction in some student costs and other rewards. “I'm really a believer in positive rein forcement,” Stone told the board of edu cation Tuesday night. “If our kids do what they’re supposed to do, we reward them.” Stone calls this incentive program “the platinum card.” Those holding the plati num card gain free access to all MCHS athletic events, free student parking and discounted senior annuals. STONE Other spoils are an off-campus lunch day once a month (students are basically granted leave to go eat), exemption from summer reading and being first in line for lunch as seniors. Stone takes over at a school that missed AYP last year in three areas on the initial report, and he spoke in detail at Tuesday night’s school board meeting regarding plans to better MCHS's graduation test scores and graduation rate. Stone said the school has adopted the motto, “whatever it takes.” But Stone also believes intertwin ing reward programs will help MCHS meet those coveted federal improvement marks. For instance, the Raider Club, another incentive-based program, rewards stu dents who pass all classes during each grading period and demonstrate good behavior and attendance. Those students meeting those criteria are eligible for prize drawings, which include a flat-screen television. “They're trying to win the TV, but they’re doing the things they're supposed to in class, which is going to help us on our tests and graduation rate,” Stone said. GRADUATION RATE COULD BE HISTORICAL School officials believe Madison County High School’s graduation rate from the past year will end up being the school’s best ever. Unofficial reports have MCHS’s rate just above 70 percent due to a push from summer graduates and summer re-tests. “It definitely looks like Madison County High School is going to have the highest graduation rate in the history of the school this time around,” Madison County Schools Superintendent Mitch McGhee said. CLASS OVERFLOW AT THREE SCHOOLS The Madison County School System is requesting classroom size waivers at three different schools due to slight overflows. The state limits the number of stu dents per class, but does grant some exceptions. So school leaders are ask ing for waivers for a second grade classroom at Hull-Sanford Elementary, a sixth grade gifted classroom at the middle school and gifted classes at the high school. Without a classroom waiver, the school system would have to hire additional teachers at those grade lev els. SPLOST REBOUNDS After a few months of slumping SPLOST, the Madison County school system's SPLOST receipts were about $22,000 higher this month compared to last and $17,000 more than this time last year. "I hope we have a few more months of upswing to take care of the last two or three months of down swing,” assis tant superintendent Bonnie Knight said. Broad River Commissioners deny Broad River concession stand By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com Madison County commis sioners voted 5-0 to deny a businessman’s request to place a portable concession stand on Roy Woods Road adjacent to the Broad River for canoers, kayakers and other visitors to the river. Michael Moody requested a conditional use permit for a recreational use on a 5-acre tract that is zoned A-2 (agri cultural). The planning and zoning commission voted 4-1 to rec ommend approval of Moody’s request following its public hearing last month. A number of neighbor ing landowners showed up Tuesday night up to protest Moody's request, saying that there are enough problems along the river now without adding another element that would attract more people. Moody said the facility would serve hot dogs and other food items, including soft drinks. No alcohol would be served, he said. He explained that the concession would operate only during the day and that there would also be port-a-potties on site. Moody, owner of the Broad River Outpost, said he has oper ated his business for 25 years. He acknowledged that there are problems with trespassing, drinking, nudity, littering and other unsavory activities by those using the river for rec reation, but said this business, designed to sell concessions to kayakers and canoers who leave the river for a ride back to the Outpost, would not add to those problems. But neighboring property owners disagreed, coming one after the other to the podium to express their frustrations with the ongoing problems and with the proposed concession stand. Dan Dewald laid a two- inch stack of documents on the commission table, saying the stack represented the inci dent reports and Department of Natural Resource violations that had been logged along Roy Woods Road and the Broad River since 2006. Luke Ferguson noted that a heavy concession stand com ing in and out of the dirt road would further damage the road. He said he and other neighbors collect more than 100 bags of garbage along the river and roadside each season. “I know (Moody) is not responsible for all the trouble, but (the concession stand) can in no way help a bad situation from getting worse,” Ferguson said. Property owner Dennis Wester reiterated many of Ferguson’s points, adding that the neighbors are “all united against this.” “You live in Oglethorpe County, it doesn’t affect you in any way,” commissioner John Pethel told Moody. ”... The more you put there (on the river) the more these people have to put up with.” “We have a problem there that needs to be taken care of before we go possibly adding to it,” commissioner Stanley Thomas said. “I’m not sure this (condi tional use permit) would ben efit the citizens of Madison County,” commissioner Bruce Scogin said. “These property owners have real concerns and real issues and I believe in my heart that if allowed, this would exacerbate these problems.” OTHER BUSINESS In other business, the com missioners agreed to accept a contract with Southern Software, Inc. for the installa tion of E-911’s new computer aided dispatch system at a cost of $125,135. The dispatch system will be paid through SPLOST funds. The board also agreed to amend the 2009 budget to add $42,384 to the county’s contin gency fund. The BOC amended the cur few for amplified music in the Madison County Memorial Park in Danielsville to no later than 8 p.m. each evening. In a related matter, the BOC asked county attorney Mike Pruett to develop an amendment to the county noise ordinance to allow exemptions for events such as agricultural activities, recreational department activi ties, school ball games and other events. Pruett will also look into placing daytime lim its on amplified music. Municipal elections ... continued from Page 1A the Hull's mayoral posi tion. Council incumbent Paul Cook, who was appointed to his seat in 2007, will face newcomer Paige Phillips. Each of these seats are four-year terms. Comer District 1 incumbent Melissa Yarbrough did not qualify for her seat, however Jimmy Yarbrough did qual ify for this seat. District 2 incumbent Laquita Bridges was the only qualifiers for her position. The mayoral election will be held Nov. 3 at Comer City Hall. Carlton There will be no election in Carlton this year. Incumbents Mayor Rufus Kidd and council mem bers David Seawright and Claudia Thornton were the only ones to qualify for their seats. Newcomers Mike Jones, Terry Kidd and Joey Cash were lone qualifiers for the remaining seats at the council table. Incumbents Myron Hedgelon, Robert Tucker and Marty Tucker did not qualify for re-elec tion. These are two-year terms that begin Jan. 1, 2010. Danielsville Newcomers Ron Faust qualified for Croya’s Seat 1 position at the council table and Jamie Spurlin qualified for Seat 2, currently held by Barbara Dove, who did not qualify. Absences • • • continued from page 1A sick, McGhee said. He added that systems around Madison County are also starting to show higher absentee rates, too. “It’s making its rounds,” McGhee said. All these recent absences will hurt these schools’ attendance rates, and McGhee noted that cer tain average daily attendance rates are required at the elementary and middle schools under Adequate Yearly Progress guidelines. Since the state is no longer requiring doctor's notes to excuse absences — doctor’s offices were getting inundated with requests due to all the illness — the absen tee rate has skyrocketed. “It could very much cause us not to meet AYP because of that,” McGhee said. But the state department is apparendy willing to grant schools relief in this case, given the cir cumstances. “The state department has said it’s going to formulate new guide lines and work with schools,” McGhee said. Because, if the state for some reason doesn’t revise its policy, many elementary and middle schools through out the state will not meet AYP marks,” McGhee said. “It’s going to be a problem state-wide,” he said. "It won’t just be us. No elementary school or middle school in the state may make AYP unless something is done about it.” CALL AND COMPARE PER GRAM 706-369-0000 GREG REEVES Fine Jewelry 613 Hawthorne Ave. • Athens SuperSummer Carhartt Hard at work since 1889.” 20% /o OFF Carhartt Summer Items 'Excludes pants & accessories. Madison County Hardware & Building Supplies, Inc 535 General Daniel Ave., North Danielsville, GA 30633 706-795-2260 SECTION AM City of lla INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be received by CITY OF ILA, GA for the construction of 2009 WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS WATER MAINS. Submit bid to 5211 Danielsville Street, lla, GA 30647 until 6 PM local time, on October 13, 2009 and then at said time and place publicly opened and read aloud. The work will consist of installing approximately 9,000 LF of 6-inch water main and all related appurtenances. Payment for the work will be made periodically on the basis of Contractor’s Applications for Payment processed by the Engineer. The CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be examined at the following locations: City of lla, GA, 5211 Danielsville Street, lla, GA 30647 (Owner) Peoples & Quigley, Inc., 6059 Boylston Drive, NE Sandy Springs, GA 30328 (Engineer) Copies of the Contract Documents may be obtained at the office of Peoples & Quigley, Inc., 6059 Boylston Drive, NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328, (404) 255- 2650, until 48 hours before the bid opening for $125 per set, which is nonrefundable. Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in an amount of not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount bid. All bonds must be countersigned by a Georgia Resident Agent. A Performance Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the bid and a Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the bid must be furnished by the successful bidder. Bidders must comply with Executive Order No. 11246 as amended, entitled “Equal Employment Opportunity” and with the Copeland Anti-Kickback Act (18 U.S.C. 874) as supplemented in Department of Labor Regulations (29 CFR, Part 3). Bidders must comply with all provisions of the “Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act” of 2007. The right is reserved by the Owner to delay the award of the Contract for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from the date of opening of the bids, during which time bids shall remain open and not subject to withdrawal. The right is also reserved to reject any and all bids and to waive any and all technicalities or informalities. CITY OF ILA, GA Michael Coile, Mayor September 11,2009