The Columbia County Board of Education met Tuesday evening, appointing a new assistant principal, recognizing a top-performing elementary school, and reporting strong districtwide academic results before hearing from parents on disability inclusion, book reviews, and bullying prevention.
Greenbrier assistant principal appointed
The board unanimously approved Dr. Alexandra Beldin as assistant principal at Greenbrier High School.
Beldin holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Augusta University.
She began her teaching career at Hephzibah Middle School, later teaching at Stallings Island Middle, and currently at Lakeside High, where she currently serves as the teaching as a profession instructor.
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Blue Ridge Elementary earns state recognition
Blue Ridge Elementary School was named a Title I Distinguished School by the Georgia Department of Education, placing it among the top 5% of high-performing Title I schools statewide.
Principal Bridgette Cliatt accepted the honor with staff members and guests as the board commended the school for its continued academic excellence.
South Columbia facility officially closed
The board approved a resolution to close out the South Columbia Elementary School facility, completing state-required documentation for the long-retired building.
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District reports higher SAT scores
Superintendent Dr. Steven Flynt announced districtwide SAT scores for the year of 2025.
The average SAT score rose to 1088, a six-point increase from last year, ranking Columbia County fourth in Georgia among districts with 1,000 or more test takers.
Columbia County sudents scored 59 points higher than the state average and 92 above the national average.
Board earns exemplary status
Flynt announced that the Columbia County Board of Education received Exemplary Board status from the Georgia School Boards Association, the organization’s highest distinction.
The recognition highlights the board’s focus on effective governance, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Board members credited Flynt and his leadership team for the honor.
“There is no exemplary work without the superintendent and staff who make it possible,” Chairman David Dekle said.
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District-wide recognitions
Flynt recognized several initiatives across the district:
National Custodial Appreciation Day (Oct. 2): Custodial teams were thanked for supporting the successful opening of North Columbia Elementary School.
Instructional Coaches Appreciation Day: Coaches were recognized for mentoring teachers and improving classroom instruction.
Georgia Pre-K Week: Schools hosted guest readers and celebrated early learning.
National School Principal Appreciation Month: Principals were applauded for their leadership.
National School Lunch Week: Nutrition teams featured global menus such as Santa Fe quesadillas and mandarin orange chicken. Riverside Middle School earned the Georgia DOE “Tray of the Week” award.
America’s Safe Schools Week (Oct. 19–25): Flynt thanked school resource officers and local law enforcement for their daily safety efforts.
Public participation
Karin Parham spoke during public participation to express concerns about how book challenges were handled in May and the district’s updated media review procedure, known as IFOP-9.
She criticized the committee for reviewing short excerpts instead of full books and noted that “Committee membership is redacted, and meetings are closed to the public except for the challenger.”
Parham urged the board to increase transparency by publishing all book challenges and committee memberships, allowing multiple viewpoints to be heard, and keeping books on shelves during reviews.
“This isn’t just about books,” she said. “It’s about trust, transparency, and intellectual freedom. Please stand up for our media specialists and for our students’ right to read.”
Next, a Harlem resident and parent of a Harlem Middle School student, spoke about bullying prevention and school safety.
“Schools should be a place that builds confidence and connection, not fear,” the parent said.
She encouraged the district to create consistent, districtwide anti-bullying activities and add a student reporting icon to school computers for discreet communication with counselors.
“Every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and heard,” the parent added.
The board thanked speakers for their input and emphasized its continued commitment to student safety, inclusion, and academic excellence.
