“We’ve been looking at different models, and this has proved to us that the support is there,” said Superintendent Bill McCown at the Sept. 13 regular board school meeting.
McCown told members of the board that the heavy interest lends strength to the application.
The application was sent off at the start of the week to the state board of education, which will review the Career Academy application for final approval.
A College and Career Academy will allow Gordon Schools officials the opportunity to expand its options through collaborations with local industry and technical colleges, a necessity for career academy consideration.
Students in career academies also are enrolled in technical college courses that allow them to graduate with a diploma and a work specialty certificate.
In other news, the members of the board approved a state class size waiver to increase the class size maximum for the school year.
The waiver request for the 2010-2011 school year for grades K-12 will cover this year’s increase by one to three students in each class.
On May 24, the state board of education passed a class size resolution to provide cash-strapped school districts flexibility amid the state’s financial crisis.
Also during the meeting:
Members of the board approved a spending resolution for November during their meeting.
This was the fourth time this year that the board approved this type of financial bridge. The first spending resolution for the current fiscal year was approved for the month of July.
The school system receives funds on a monthly basis; the spending resolution allows the system to receive its normal allotments before the 2010-2011 budget is finalized.
The amount of money set by the spending resolution cannot exceed one-twelfth (the equivalent of one month) of last year’s budget of $56,127,077, according to Finance Director Gail Farriba.
The board opted not to approve the 2010-2011 budget until final tax digest numbers are available from the county.
Board chair William Tyner asked Farriba how many more times would board members will have to approve a spending resolution before putting the new budget in place. Farriba responded by saying she didn’t know, but she has received preliminary digest numbers and is waiting for final numbers.
Also during the meeting, the board discussed: a tobacco policy, which is set to be revised for employees and students at the next meeting.
McCown told board members that the revision of the student policy would be more flexible to students who are caught smoking or with tobacco products at school and less flexible with adults.
“Instead of being suspended they’ll be able to use the hospital’s cessation class and complete their school work,” McCown said.
Board members heard a number of reports from Superintendent Bill McCown and others about a variety of topics, including AYP, math improvements and an update on Sonoraville Elementary’s construction of wing B.
The next board meeting is Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Gordon County Board of Education office.
I usually ask myself, and from your response should have here. I simply thought the paper MIGHT have more details. As to who is better, city vs. county, does it really matter. Can we not all be proud of our systems? We can ALL be winners if we choose!