School Board Praises Students
The Jasper County Board of Education recognized student achievements and approved financial items and a number of housekeeping items during their board meeting Monday.
To open the meeting the board recognized Tayshawn Reeves, the GHSA State Track winner 2024. Tayshawn was the 300M Hurdle state champion for the 2024 track season and featured here in The News previously.
The board also recognized two film and engineering students, Eli Nelson and Morgan Day. Each of these students entered the HOPE film challenge; a Georgia grown program. Eli was the top winner and won $2,000 with his 30 second film in that challenge. Morgan was also a semi-finalist in that program. Morgan was the runner-up in the Drive to Life TSA contest and won $500 for a 30 second PSA spot.
Track Coach Chris Pennamon read a memorandum from the Senator Rev. Raphel Warnock before the board and audience commending Mr. Reeves on his achievement and to encourage him to continue his journey in excellence. Mr. Reeves also received medals and placed in both the long jump and as a part of the 4×4 relay. He is a junior at Jasper County High School this year.
Much of the business of the board meeting included the approval of the FY24 finalized amended budget. Dr. Kenny Garland, Superintendent, informed the board of a fund balance of $10,500,000 to start last year with the anticipation of using $2.2 million to make the budget work the following year.
The proposed amended budget was approved with a note that $1 million will be moved to the FY25 budget for capital projects to cover upcoming capital expenditures for school additions to the Preschool, Washington Park, and the high school that will begin in January 2025. This will help offset the cost with the Pre-K addition. SPLOST money is not available for Pre-K improvements because Pre-K is a different entity.
Mr. Garland also discussed the July 2024 financial report with the board stating that the beginning of school year cash balance $10M when it was anticipated to be around $7.9M. Earnings and revenues received all came in over 100% of what was budgeted.
Expenditures were under budget, not by much, but were under. The ending cash balance was $9.5 million for the operational budget. Mr. Garland noted that an adequate fund balance would be 3-6 months of operating expenses and that the $9.5 million represents about 3.5 months of operation for the Jasper County Charter System.
The board also approved an updated Transportation Student Code of Conduct to be enforced beginning September 1, 2024. Mr. Garland said that the goal of the code was to make buses the safest that they can possibly be. He said that there is fairly good behavior on the buses and that is how it’s hoped to be kept.
There was discussion on being able to ride the bus being a privilege and not a right. The updated code of conduct is a progressive discipline plan with one to five progressions before a long-term suspension is given from the bus. It will include discipline for both major and minor offenses. It was said that the student code of conduct may supersede the bus code of conduct and that in the event of a suspension from school is one discipline and then the discipline from the bus would follow the school code of conduct.
The board approved three technology bids for a refresh. The approvals included a student Chromebook purchase for both Kindergarten and third grade. The winning bid was $149,600 and those devices have been delivered and were in the budget to get school started. There was also an approval for a desktop purchase to refresh a lab at JCHS.
These purchases rotate annually with this refresh totaling $25,175. The other purchase was for staff laptops to include laptops for additional staffing as well as refurbishing for outdated laptops. That approval amount was for $15,480.
The board also voted to approve and acknowledgement/accept the CTAE funds. These funds included the Perkins V Federal Grant: $37,104 and State Funds $72,461 (work based learning and supervision; supplements to salaries). Upon these acceptance of these funds the system must match the $37,104 plus $1. The board also agreed to fund CTAE at the $55,000 that it contributed last year and budgeted as the $37,104 will not cover all of the CTAE program expenditures and the board wants to invest in those programs.
The board also approved the consent agenda including several approvals of minutes; overnight trips, and fund raiser requests to encompass those for a majority of the year.
The board heard from Camilla Moss and Janice Clower on the CEP Designation for School Nutrition, a federally funded program by the USDA. This program qualification allows all students to be eligible for breakfast and lunch at no cost to the student. Mr. Garland stated that this is a revenue source that can go back into the program and with rising food cost it offsets what inflation has affected.
Ms. Clower introduced herself to the board noting that she has been in school nutrition for 26 years, with the majority of her tenure in Bibb County. She told the board that she has applied and facilitated the CEP Nutrition Program in her previous schools and the benefits are endless. She stated that the program eliminates paperwork for both parents and the nutrition department and that there are no charges on the books for nutrition, and no need to find funds to cover those at the conclusion of the year.
The program also expedites serving lines and eliminates the social stigma. Ms. Clowers said that the grant does not affect the food quality. Due to being reimbursed at a higher rate, there is more funding to purchase quality products. She also said that this does not affect any local or state taxes.
Mr. Garland told the board that the participation rate right now is 56% of students each day. That has increased each day since the start of school. Also, lunch participation is at 75% with the high school having a 40% increase in lunch participation which is also increasing each day.
Misty Garvin, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, presented an overview of the Instruction Vision for Student Success to the board. Ms. Garvin discussed the summary table and the goals and objectives to reach those goals that are the goals for the entire year.
She showed the board a Blueprint for Success, a plan for school improvement and the district improvement plan. Mr. Garland commended Ms. Garvin on the successful implementation of a new curriculum in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade. The blueprint is a directive that will drive student success.
Ms. Garvin also presented a Leader In Me program that the district will be implementing this year and in future years. She stated that, “our roles as leaders are leading, teaching or learning.” The Leader In Me program focuses on teaching leadership and how to be leaders. It focuses on improving culture and school culture.
Ms. Garvin applied and received a grant $316,000 for the Leader in Me program. Donors and the state of Georgia paid for this to be implemented over the next four years across all schools.
As of the August meeting all schools have been trained in the seven habits of the program. All schools have a lighthouse leadership team. Upcoming: design our leadership school. Evidence based Pre-K through 12 program that is approved by the state of GA. Leader in Me is a nationally approved program. This program is not required in the state of GA now – but it will be in the coming years, so Jasper is getting a headstart. Most districts are moving away from PBIS.
The board went into executive session to discuss personnel and upon their return approved the below new hires:
Harry Lowe, Technology Specialist; Mae Dickson, 49% Teacher, Jasper County Middle (JCMS); Jackie Jackson, Food Assistant, Washington Park Elementary School (WPES); Cain Bentley, Substitute Bus Driver; Laura Berry, Paraprofessional/Central Services Support; Candler Smith, PEC Paraprofessional, Jasper County Primary School (JCPS); Julie Steele, 49% District Instructional Coach; Jordan Williams, Mental Health Counselor; Brenda Tally, Bookkeeper (WPES); Maria Barajas, Front Desk/Translator; Jenny Oxford, Lead Nurse (JCMS); Christina Small, Teacher (JCMS) and Blaire Pruett, Speech Paraprofessional.
They also approved Paraprofessionals, Bekki Gauntt (WPES), Megan Abbott (Pre-K), Kayla Moses (JCPS), and Aubrey Wyatt (JCHS); and PEC Paraprofessionals, Hannah Tinney (WPES), Misty Cunard (JCMS), Hope Bril (WPES), and Paloma White (JCPS).
A number of substitute teachers were approved during the Monday meeting including, Audrey Stokes, Bobby Norris, Eloise Thomas, Reeves Brinkley, Celine Busbee, Pam Busbee, Amanda Farley, Mari Jablonski, Tracey Johnston, Sarah Wilson, Christine Long, Ashley Mitchell, Jessica Norman, Shante Norwood, Rhonda Reynolds, Chastity Sellers, Amy Stelzer, Malyle Thurman, and Rebecca Whitlock.
New hires for the transportation and nutrition departments included, Mitchell Andrews, Bus Monitor, and Christopher Carroll, Sub. Bus Driver. Substitute Food Assistants include, Kathy Mathis, Amanda King, Dennis Hall, Brittney Cook, and Quasheanna Banks.
The board approved resignations from Ciera Seasholtz, SLP; Tina Cox and Brandy Mason, Food Assistants; Bridget Powell and Ansley Hargrove, Paraprofessionals; and Railey Holloway Sheets, Lead Nurse.
Transfers approved included Regina Langston Bookkeeper from WPES to JCMS; Brandy Mason, Food Assistant from JCHS to WPES; and Jennifer Pledger, Food Assistant from WPES to JCHS. Kaden Miller, a Teacher at Jasper County High School was released from contract.
