Categories: News

School board approves non-resident students on split vote

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A divided Dawson County School Board approved a policy Monday that allows non-resident students from grades kindergarten through fifth grade to attend Dawson County Schools if they pay $1,200 tuition.

School Board members Elaine Wilson and Roger Slaton voted against the policy. Will Wade and Doris Cook voted in favor of it. Chairwoman Karen Armstrong cast the deciding “yes” vote.

In opposing the policy, Wilson said, “l have heard some concern from the community about this because we did bring it up once before and did not pass it. Now we’re bringing it up again. In my heart of hearts, I don’t feel right voting for it. I was elected to serve the people of Dawson County not some other counties. The money we generate in Dawson County should go to Dawson County students.”

The board unanimously approved:

· An addendum to the Apple master lease for Phase III of the 1:1 rollout for grades 10 through 12 to be signed by Superintendent Dr. Damon Gibbs;

· A contract for construction management services with Carroll Daniel Construction for the construction of the Dawson County High School (DCHS) College and Career Academy, DCHS interior renovations, and the completion of the unfinished classrooms at DCMS; and

· Per Diem in the amount of $200 for Elaine Wilson to attend the Georgia School Board Association Director Meeting March 9 and 10 in Lawrenceville.

Much of Monday’s meeting was dedicated to recognizing outstanding academic and athletic achievements of students and staff.

Among those honored were:

· All-state chorus members Maggie Wright and Jonathan Matthews;

· 2018 Star Student Marley Hamby and Star Teacher Laura Hendrix;

· The Dawson County Junior High School (DCJHS) boys basketball team that finished 10-2 overall and 8-0 in the Mountain League and won the North Georgia League Championship;

· The DCHS girls basketball team that qualified for the state tournament for an unprecedented sixth straight season;

· The DCHS boys basketball team that finished fourth in Region 7AAA;

· Members of the DCHS wrestling team who qualified for the state tournament, including Wyatt Smith, Levi Baggett, Jake Williams, Nate Umberger, Kelton LeBaron and Brandon Jones; and

· The Robinson Elementary School Perennial Math Team where the fourth and fifth grade teams won their division and third graders finished third.

The board also recognized the contributions of the school system’s maintenance and custodial staff before going into executive session.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

Robinson Elementary School Perennial Math Team

Star Student Marley Hamby, center, and Star Teacher Laura Hendrix, right.

All-State Chorus members Jonathan Matthews and Maggie Wright.