Board Adopts and Expands Learning Resources for K-5
Board of Education, Tiger's Corner July 20, 2022
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- The Dawson County Board of Education voted to adopt and expand the learning resources being used in Kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms for all the elementary schools.
The board also approved the ESPLOST request for the month of July. Superintendent Nicole LeCave also presented the board with a new policy that needs to sit on the table for 30 days before being formally approved.
Director of Elementary Schools, Mrs. Page Arnette formed a committee made up of the Executive Director of Instruction and Student Support Services, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, K-5 Principals, and K-5 Assistant Principals to evaluate the learning resources currently in use by the schools. The committee recommended the expansion of the Fountas and Pinnel resources.
Director of Elementary Schools, Mrs. Page Arnette while presenting the learning resource expansion to the board.
The expansion includes benchmark kits, guided reading resources, shared reading resources, independent reading resources, and interactive read-aloud materials. The schools currently have outdated and well-used materials for these, the expansion is just to update the materials.
There will not be a big yearly cost for these since they are actual books and will last a while. They are being purchased with ESPLOST funds and will be here in time for the start of school on Aug. 5.
Heard above is Chairperson Doris Cook giving kudos to the staff on their work with the materials. To review the criteria the committee used to determine the resources visit https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=4051&AID=1414612&MID=101107.
The July ESPLOST request is for $1,033,000.00. The request is for upgrades and emergency maintenance that pop up during the school year. This means if emergency maintenance is needed then as long as the repairs are under $100,000 then maintenance can fix the issue without convening a board meeting to get the funds.
There is also money being disrupted to upgrade playground equipment and band equipment. There will also be updates to the baseball and softball fields with the money.
LeCave presented the board with the new policy IKBB Divisive Concepts Complaint Resolution Process. This policy is in response to House Bill 1084 which was passed this year.
All Georgia school boards are having to make a policy regarding the divisive concepts complaint resolution process. Lumpkin county just put their policy on the table for 30 days as well, to review that visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2022/07/19/policy-updates-sitting-for-the-next-30-days/.
The policy has to sit for 30 days before it can be approved by the board. This is to give the board and community time to review the policy and ask any questions that may come up about the policy.
Governor Kemp’s shelter in place order halts vote on county emergency order
News April 4, 2020
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. – Moments before the Board of Commissioners was set to adopt a county emergency order related to the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp issued his shelter in place order making any vote unnecessary.
Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond had just completed the reading of the county’s proposed emergency order when County Attorney Jeff Strickland informed the Board he had just received a copy of the governor’s order which states, “No county or city shall adopt any similar ordinance while this order is in effect.”
Billy Thurmond
Surprised by that development, Thurmond said, “Then it is my interpretation that no further action is needed by this Board.” Commissioners unanimously agreed and no vote was taken.
Cities and counties all across the state have already passed local emergency ordinances in response to COVID-19 pandemic and some local officials have complained the governor’s executive order actually lessens the restrictions they adopted.
In November 2019, Dawson County voters approved an education special purpose local option sales tax (ESPLOST) referendum that authorizes the issuance of $10 million in Series 2020 general obligation bonds. School Board members approved a resolution to levy a millage rate sufficient to repay the principal and interest. County government is required pass a resolution to to include the school millage rate in the total tax millage rate. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
In other votes, the commissioners voted 4-0 to approve a mutual aid agreement with the United States Army Garrison, Fort Benning that allows a systematic approach to expedite local and regional mutual aid assistance, information sharing and emergency aid. The agreement allows mutual aid capabilities to be deployed without approval from Army headquarters, when a request from civil authorities for assistance with imminently serious conditions.
Commissioners also approved a request to write off a bad debt owed to the county Transfer Station by Rakestraw Sanitation in the amount of $9,898.76. After several attempts to collect the debt, staff decided it is in the best interest of the county to write off this bad debt due to high cost of pursuit of legal action.
The Board also approved the appointment of Jennifer Wright to replace Edwin Looper on the Department of Family and Children Services Board.
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