At the beginning of a work session on Wednesday night, Columbia County’s Board of Education named five teachers as finalists for the county Teacher of the Year.
Teachers named included Ameesha Butler from Westmont Elementary, Marisol Garcia-Mitchell from Greenbrier High, Nora Goolsby from Riverside Elementary, Laura Griffin from Harlem High and Desiree Hinton from Harlem Middle.
The winner of Teacher of the Year will be announced on Oct. 5 at the Teacher of the Year banquet which will be located at the White Oak Road Farm.
“Congratulations to y’all for not only being selected by your peers at your school level, but also by folks outside of our district that have seen your worth and see what a great job you do for our students every day. Thank you to your family members who support you and allow you to do that work, because I know a lot of that comes home with you as well,” said Vice Chairman of Columbia County’s Board of Education, Lee Ann Meyer.
After teachers were congratulated by Superintendent Steven Flynt, Flynt and Associate Superintendent Penny Jackson followed the meeting with an update on Columbia County’s 10-year building plan which seeks to make cosmetic changes along with classroom additions.
Due to student growth and overcrowding, many schools within the county are receiving new classrooms and upgraded equipment.
“[The plan] also includes Grovetown Middle School with an addition of 10 to 14 classrooms and Grovetown Elementary with an addition of 10 to 12 classrooms in that area which is continuing to grow,” said Jackson. “Greenbrier High School will have a 10 to 14 classroom addition, a new auxiliary gym with offices, space for a new CTAE addition, an expanded and renovated band room and a new chorus room. Site improvements will also be made.”
To gain public input and answer any questions regarding the county’s 10-year building program, five meetings will be hosted by various schools starting Aug. 29 at Evans High School Auditorium at 6 p.m.
“These are needs we’ve identified based on very similar school districts and what’s happening in current construction with school districts. This doesn’t take us over the top or doing something that is extravagant,” said Flynt. “This is providing quality and effective facilities that are very needed that will also help keep the community on the tax base as high as it is as well.”
Following the 10-year update, Jackson introduced the Director of Special Services Jennifer Zills to give an update on the county’s special programs.
“Special Services has had some growth. Our students that are eligible for the Autism category increased, from the 2021 school year, from 420 to 470 last 2022 school year,” said Zills. “That’s 50 that we gained just under Autism, that’s almost a quarter of new students. Since August of this year, we have had 129 out-of-state transfers and 118 in-state transfers for special education. Our special programs are 30 intellectually disabled program classes include 10 elementary classes, seven middle school classes, and 13 high school classes.”
Zills said those numbers do not include the 30 autism programs which provides two preschool, 16 elementary, five middle school and seven high school programs. Zills said she believes this increase in students is due families moving to Columbia County specifically for its great autism programs compared to surrounding areas.
Zills seeks to add more speech language pathologists to accommodate the growing number of students who require these special services.
After Zills’ presentation, Associate Superintendent Michele Sherman discussed Columbia County’s new Digital Learning Day program which seeks to develop children’s ability to learn on technology while at home.
The first Digital Learning Day is scheduled for Sept. 2, and students are being provided the option to check-out technology and WIFI hotspots for families who do not have sufficient electronic equipment at home.
“I don’t think anyone could disagree that the pandemic has changed our world, this is particularly true in our classrooms. Technology allowed us to stay connected and keep focused on learning during a time when in-person learning was most challenging,” said Sherman. “We need our children to know how to be intelligent users and well-informed digital citizens. Our own partners at Fort Gordon warned that this is a national importance.”
Sherman said colleges now require students to easily shift form in-person to online learning and to be familiar with various types of technology and “collaboration tools.” She believes the Digital Learning Day will help teach students how to become proficient online learners in case there is a future short-term need, such as inclement weather or COVID outbreaks.
Following the first Digital Learning Day, the county will convey surveys to gain parent feedback and learn how to improve students’ online learning experience before the second Digital Learning Day on March 10, 2023.
After relaying some further construction plans and approval for the county’s school calendar, the meeting was adjourned and is set to meet again for regular session on Sept. 13 at the Columbia County Board of Education Building in Evans.
For more information about the five finalists for Teacher of the Year visit: https://sites.google.com/ccboe.net/communication-connection/teachers-of-the-year/2022-2023
For more information about the upcoming 10-Year Building Plan meetings visit: https://www.ccboe.net/apps/news/article/1646793
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com)
