In a 4-1 vote, the Jackson County Board of Education agreed Monday night to proceed with a restructuring plan designed to cut $6-$7 million from system expenses. Included in the plan, which will take effect in the upcoming FY2013-2014 budget, will be the consolidation of some schools, including the move of South Jackson Elementary School into the current Kings Bridge Middle School facility. The Gordon Street Center will also be shuttered in the restructuring.
The vote culminates weeks of discussions by system officials about how to deal with a major financial crisis. The board learned in February that its projections of revenue for the current year would fall short by $3 million and that expenses next year are projected to go up by $4 million. In the weeks since, system officials have floated a variety of ideas looking for a way to keep the system from having a financial collapse as it did in 2010.
For the full story, see the April 17 issue of The Commerce News.
Entries by Mike Buffington
Jackson BOE hearing on consolidation is Thursday
The Jackson County Board of Education will hold the first of two public hearings Thursday night on plans to relocate South Jackson Elementary School and to mothball the current facility.
The hearings are set for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and again next week on Monday, March 11 in the gymnasium at Jackson County Comprehensive High School.
The public is invited to the hearings and to comment on the plan. A sign-in sheet will be available at the meetings, or one can sign up in advance by emailing the school at communityreply@jackson.k12.ga.us and specifying which date they would like to speak at.
The hearings are required under state law to close a school facility. Superintendent John Green said system leaders will discuss the closing of the SJES with regard to costs, placement of staff and students and other issues directly related to that move.
The SJES change is just one part of a larger plan to consolidate some school facilities in the county to cut costs. Green said that the hearings, however, are not designed to discuss other aspects of the county’s plans and no comments will be taken about items not within the purpose of the hearing on SJES proposed closure.
The BOE is expected to make a final decision in April on the proposed closing and other plans.
For the full story, see the March 6 edition of The Commerce News.
The hearings are set for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and again next week on Monday, March 11 in the gymnasium at Jackson County Comprehensive High School.
The public is invited to the hearings and to comment on the plan. A sign-in sheet will be available at the meetings, or one can sign up in advance by emailing the school at communityreply@jackson.k12.ga.us and specifying which date they would like to speak at.
The hearings are required under state law to close a school facility. Superintendent John Green said system leaders will discuss the closing of the SJES with regard to costs, placement of staff and students and other issues directly related to that move.
The SJES change is just one part of a larger plan to consolidate some school facilities in the county to cut costs. Green said that the hearings, however, are not designed to discuss other aspects of the county’s plans and no comments will be taken about items not within the purpose of the hearing on SJES proposed closure.
The BOE is expected to make a final decision in April on the proposed closing and other plans.
For the full story, see the March 6 edition of The Commerce News.
Jackson BOE sets hearings on school consolidation
Two public hearings are planned by the Jackson County Board of Education on plans to relocate South Jackson Elementary School next year into the current Kings Bridge Middle School facility. The hearings are set for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, and Monday, March 11, in the gymnasium at Jackson County Comprehensive High School.
The public is invited to the hearings and to comment on the plan. A sign-in sheet will be available at the meetings, or one can sign up in advance by emailing the school at communityreply@jackson.k12.ga.us and specifying which date they would like to speak at.
Written comments can also be submitted to the same email address.
For the full story, see the Feb. 27 edition of The Commerce News.
The public is invited to the hearings and to comment on the plan. A sign-in sheet will be available at the meetings, or one can sign up in advance by emailing the school at communityreply@jackson.k12.ga.us and specifying which date they would like to speak at.
Written comments can also be submitted to the same email address.
For the full story, see the Feb. 27 edition of The Commerce News.
County schools proceeding toward facilities consolidation
The Jackson County School System is moving forward with plans to consolidate some school facilities next year in a bid to save money and make better use of school buildings.
In an announcement posted to the system Web site Tuesday, superintendent John Green said the system will proceed with several steps, including:
[Full Story »]
In an announcement posted to the system Web site Tuesday, superintendent John Green said the system will proceed with several steps, including:
[Full Story »]
Jakson BOE proposes consolidating schools
A decision is expected in the coming weeks from the Jackson County Board of Education about an administrative proposal to consolidate some school facilities for next year.
The board saw a proposal Monday night that would close the current South Jackson Elementary School and move it into the Kings Bridge Middle School facility. KBMS sixth and seventh graders would be relocated to East Jackson Middle School while eighth graders from both KBMS and EJMS would be relocated to East Jackson Comprehensive High School. In addition, a new wing would be added onto West Jackson Intermediate School to help relieve overcrowding on the West side of the county.
[Full Story »]
The board saw a proposal Monday night that would close the current South Jackson Elementary School and move it into the Kings Bridge Middle School facility. KBMS sixth and seventh graders would be relocated to East Jackson Middle School while eighth graders from both KBMS and EJMS would be relocated to East Jackson Comprehensive High School. In addition, a new wing would be added onto West Jackson Intermediate School to help relieve overcrowding on the West side of the county.
[Full Story »]
Jackson BOE to discuss new school
The Jackson County Board of Education will hold two special community meetings in the coming week to discuss with the public possible plans to create a new sixth grade school.
The board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Kings Bridge Middle School followed by the community meeting at 7 p.m. KBMS has been discussed as the possible site for a sixth grade school.
The board will also meet at 6 p.m. Monday at East Jackson Comprehensive High School followed by another community meeting at 7 p.m.
Both community meetings will begin with a presentation about the school issue followed by Q&A from the audience, said superintendent John Green.
For the full story, read the Feb. 6 edition of The Commerce News
The board will hold its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Kings Bridge Middle School followed by the community meeting at 7 p.m. KBMS has been discussed as the possible site for a sixth grade school.
The board will also meet at 6 p.m. Monday at East Jackson Comprehensive High School followed by another community meeting at 7 p.m.
Both community meetings will begin with a presentation about the school issue followed by Q&A from the audience, said superintendent John Green.
For the full story, read the Feb. 6 edition of The Commerce News
Tim Stowers named principal at EJCHS
The Jackson County Board of Education made several district leadership moves during the past week, including naming a new principal for East Jackson Comprehensive High School.
Tim Stowers, the former head football coach at Georgia Southern University and University of Rhode Island, will take the EJCHS principal’s position starting Feb. 1 following action last Thursday. The BOE also named Todd Nickelsen as principal of South Jackson Elementary School starting July 1 and Bill Stewart for the new position of coordinator of safety, security and activities starting Feb. 1. [Full Story »]
Tim Stowers, the former head football coach at Georgia Southern University and University of Rhode Island, will take the EJCHS principal’s position starting Feb. 1 following action last Thursday. The BOE also named Todd Nickelsen as principal of South Jackson Elementary School starting July 1 and Bill Stewart for the new position of coordinator of safety, security and activities starting Feb. 1. [Full Story »]
Pat Stueck retires from EJCHS
East Jackson Comprehensive High School will get a new principal soon. Principal Pat Stueck retired this week and the Jackson County Board of Education approved the move Monday night. Hundreds of other public education employees in Georgia also retired this month to take of advantage of better state retirement benefits than will be available later.
Assistant superintendent Rise Hawley will take over at EJCHS as interim principal. The system plans to have a new principal formally named in time for the 2013-2014 school year.
Stueck was named principal at EJCHS in 2005, two years before the high school opened in 2007. She has been the only principal at the school. Before that, she was assistant principal at Jackson County Comprehensive High School for 10 years.
“The most rewarding experience of my professional career, which started in 1967, has been the opportunity to open East Jackson High School and work with an amazing group of students, teachers, and parents,” Stueck said. “I can’t imagine opening a school in a more supportive community.
“I’d like to thank Jackson County for allowing me to serve them and work with their children on a daily basis. My husband and I will continue to support the East Jackson High School community. We have established a fund for the purpose of supporting East Jackson students in their endeavors. The fund currently has $15,000.00 in it, and we will contribute to this fund annually throughout our retirement.”
Stueck’s long career in education began n New York and took her across the country to Florida, California, Indiana, Rhode Island and eventually to Georgia. She was also an instructor at UGA and worked at the Georgia Department of Education in Atlanta for eight years.
Assistant superintendent Rise Hawley will take over at EJCHS as interim principal. The system plans to have a new principal formally named in time for the 2013-2014 school year.
Stueck was named principal at EJCHS in 2005, two years before the high school opened in 2007. She has been the only principal at the school. Before that, she was assistant principal at Jackson County Comprehensive High School for 10 years.
“The most rewarding experience of my professional career, which started in 1967, has been the opportunity to open East Jackson High School and work with an amazing group of students, teachers, and parents,” Stueck said. “I can’t imagine opening a school in a more supportive community.
“I’d like to thank Jackson County for allowing me to serve them and work with their children on a daily basis. My husband and I will continue to support the East Jackson High School community. We have established a fund for the purpose of supporting East Jackson students in their endeavors. The fund currently has $15,000.00 in it, and we will contribute to this fund annually throughout our retirement.”
Stueck’s long career in education began n New York and took her across the country to Florida, California, Indiana, Rhode Island and eventually to Georgia. She was also an instructor at UGA and worked at the Georgia Department of Education in Atlanta for eight years.
Newspapers sue for superintendent finalists' names
Mainstreet Newspapers, Inc. filed suit Tuesday against the Jackson County Board of Education over the board’s refusal to release the names of its finalists for the superintendent’s position.
According to Georgia law, agencies are supposed to release the names of its top finalists for the position of an agency head. But BOE chairperson Lynn Wheeler refused to do that in two memos to Jackson Herald staff last week. [Full Story »]
According to Georgia law, agencies are supposed to release the names of its top finalists for the position of an agency head. But BOE chairperson Lynn Wheeler refused to do that in two memos to Jackson Herald staff last week. [Full Story »]
Commerce News office to relocate to Jefferson
The Commerce office of The Commerce News is closing and production will move to MainStreet Newspapers’ home office in Jefferson.
The News office will close in Commerce June 1. Over the next two weeks, the office will be open intermittently. A door slot will remain available for people to drop off items, said Mike Buffington, co-publisher of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
“The time has come when the overhead costs of maintaining two separate offices so close together no longer makes economic sense,” Buffington said. “In addition, most of our customer needs are now met through our online systems. Both subscriptions and classified ads are largely done online by most of our customers. Wedding, church and other community announcements are usually emailed to us now.” [Full Story »]
The News office will close in Commerce June 1. Over the next two weeks, the office will be open intermittently. A door slot will remain available for people to drop off items, said Mike Buffington, co-publisher of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
“The time has come when the overhead costs of maintaining two separate offices so close together no longer makes economic sense,” Buffington said. “In addition, most of our customer needs are now met through our online systems. Both subscriptions and classified ads are largely done online by most of our customers. Wedding, church and other community announcements are usually emailed to us now.” [Full Story »]
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