Aiden Turner was in the audience wearing his COVID mask. Next to him were his parents, Willie Turner and Tequila Lewis, who were wearing all smiles.
It was the monthly meeting of the Greene County Board of Education on Thursday, May 19, and it was clear that behind his mask, Aiden was also beaming.
The Greene County High School rising senior was one of a small group of students selected from more than 3,200 applicants to be in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP).
He will attend Berry College this summer for the GHP Spanish Language program.
The GHP offers instruction significantly different from the typical high school classroom according to Tara Burdette, Competitions and Events Coordinator for Greene schools. It provides students with academic, cultural, and social experiences necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.
“After high school, Aiden plans to complete a degree in pre-med,” Burdette said, “go to medical school and become a board-certified dermatologist or major in political science and pre-law, complete law school as a top lawyer. I have no doubt that Aiden will accomplish whatever he sets his mind to.”
Birds and Bees
It was a night to recognize special skills in Greene County schools.
At Greene County Primary School, there is a group of 13 third grade students who formed a Pollinators Protectors club to enter the “Georgia Ag Experience’s Great Georgia Pollinator Protectors STEM Challenge.”
Each participating class had to do a project that answered the question “How can we improve and increase pollinator spaces across our landscapes in our communities?”
Birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators carry pollen from one flower or plant to another, causing them to reproduce. The United Nations says 35 percent of the world’s crop production depends on them. Without pollinators many of our favorite fruits and vegetables would never make it to our table, according to the University of Georgia.
The GCPS students created colorful pollinator gardens featuring brightly painted truck tires as planters. In the center of each tire, the kids planted a variety of flowers designed to attract. Local Master Gardeners, UGA and family and community members chipped in to help. They also produced a short video about it as part of their entry.
And they stung the competition.
The winners were announced earlier this month, and the GCPS Pollinator Protectors won the statewide contest for third grade.
Public Comment
Later in the meeting, Kristine Mapp, who retired from teaching in Greene County last December, expressed her concern about the dropout and graduation rate in the school district.
She said five years ago, only 53 percent of the seniors graduated, and last year it was 82 percent (the school district says 91 percent graduated last year). As dramatic as that improvement is, Mapp felt the numbers don’t reflect the true rate since there is an alternative school for low-scoring students and possible dropouts.
“I think it’s because we have the Foothills program,” she said. “A lot of students are transferred into the Foothills program so their grades are not added in with the Greene County graduation rate.”
Foothills is a fully accredited Georgia charter high school that offers evening courses in the Greene County High School building and other regional locations. Students who need to learn at a slower or faster pace or have personal conflicts during the daytime are facilitated by certified teachers. Foothills is free, independent and students can graduate with a high school diploma.
Mapp also urged the board to do more for students such as building a swimming pool, offering tennis or chess lessons and giving bonuses to encourage teachers.
“Then the literacy rate will be higher,” she said, “the graduation rate will be higher. Our students won’t be leaving to go to LOA. Our students won’t be leaving to go to Foothills. They will legitimately be on grade level.”
Parent, student feedback
Assistant Superintendent Rotonya Rhodes reported on the success of two groups designed to improve communication between parents, students and school staff.
The District Parent Advisory Committee is made up of three to five parents from each school who periodically meet with school personnel to discuss school issues. The DPAC has shared information this year at parent-student school meetings.
The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council is made up of two students from grades 5-12 who meet twice a year to give feedback to Rhodes and Superintendent Chris Houston. Comments ranging from school meals to student evaluations will be discussed with staff over the summer.
Also, at the May 19 Board of Education meeting:
The school board approved major repair work to the roof at Greene County Primary School. BOE Chairman Mike Lynch cited photos of pails and garbage cans catching leaking water as a reason to make the repairs which will cost about $550,000 to $600,000 according to Superintendent Chris Houston.
The board also declared six school buses as surplus. They range in age from 14 to 19 years old. In March, the board marked four more buses for surplus and purchased three new buses at $420,000.