by WHITLEY CLIFTON
The Emanuel County Board of Education held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 10, in the cafeteria of Swainsboro Primary School. Chairman Mason Henry called the night’s session to order and welcomed all prior to delivering the invocation. The pledge of allegiance then followed and was led by Vice-Chairman Johnny Parker. Board members then reviewed an amended agenda for the night’s session and approved it as presented. With all board members present, the following action and/or discussion took place:
Superintendent Comments - Awards and Achievement Recognitions
Dr. Denise Warnock, assistant superintendent, recognized the following Swainsboro High School students that recently competed at the State Beta Convention this year. These students were sponsored by SHS Teacher Cindy Riner and their achievements are as follows:
•Nathan Henry, Manuel Fernandez, Anna Donaldson, Chasity Adams, Jayla Williams and Landon Gay – Second place, character performance.
•Victoria McRee, Claire English, Nauseen Hall, Evan Rogers and Daniella Delgado – Fourth place, living literature.
•Madison Peebles, Anna Donaldson, Tisey Powell and Megan Peebles – Second place, portfolio.
•Lindsey Dalton – Third place, marketing and communications.
•Eleighana Warren and Victoria McRee – Fourth place, apparel design.
•Sammy Turner, Bryson Tarver, D’Andre Smith and Akira Marion – Fifth place, freshman problem solving.
•Zoe Carter – Third place, division one drawing; and Fifth place, onsite drawing.
•Jose Hernandez – First place, division II recyclable art; Fifth place, division II sculpture; and Fifth place, 11th grade Spanish.
•Megan Peebles – Third place, division II jewelry
•TyKerria Phillips – Fifth place, division I language arts.
•Tisey Powell – First place, division I jewelry.
•FaithAnn Rogers – Third place, division I digital art.
CTAE student awards were then presented by Stefanie Mason as follows:
Emanuel County Institute – FFA State Convention Awards; Sponsor: Tori Pellerin
•Shanna Wilkerson – FFA State Degree; and First Place, FFA Agriscience Fair Award in Plant Science.
•Amelia Meadows – State FFA creed, Ranked top 12 in the state.
SHS – Georgia FFA State Degree; Sponsors: Faith Patrick and Ashley Henry
•Alayna Stapleton and Justin Drake – Georgia FFA State Degree.
ECI – Technology Student Association State Conference and Competition; Sponsor: Kendall Hadden
•Will Sasser – First place, on-demand video.
•Will Taylor – Twelfth place, CAD-Engineering.
•MacKenzie Davis – Top 20 CAD-Architecture.
ECI - FBLA State Leadership Conference (Middle School and High School); Sponsor: Jessica Smith
•Lawson Frye – First place, Elevator Speech. (Qualified for Nationals in Chicago).
•Amelia Meadows and Lawson Frye – Fifth place, business ethics (team event).
•Wallee Kersey, Smith Willoughby and Will Sasser – Business Achievement Awards – Capstone.
•Lily Kate Robertson – Fourth place, local chapter annual business report (team event; qualified for Nationals in Chicago).
ECI – FCCLA State STAR Event Winners; Sponsor: Anna Johnson
•Janna Scott - Chapter Service Project Portfolio Level 2 SILVER
Lizzie Millsaps and Marti Woodward - National Program in Action Level 3 Bronze
•Dhahami Salgado and Alaina Conley - National Program in Action Level 2 Bronze
Tammy Gray then recognized F.A.M.I.L.Y., P.A.U.S.E. and S.A.S. award recipients for the month of May as follows:
•F.A.M.I.L.Y. - Chandra Hooks, executive director of school nutrition.
•P.A.U.S.E. - Lawson Mercer, ECI Senior.
•S.A.S. - Annie “Lynn” Henry, SES School Secretary.
Additional recognitions that took place during Wednesday night’s meeting included:
•Swainsboro Elementary School Principal Valorie Watkins presented the 2022 Teacher Hero award to Barbara Poole, fifth grade teacher; the Robins Federal Credit Union Grant to Courtney Sikes, third grade teacher; and the Crider’s Poultry Grant to Debra Austin, fourth grade teacher.
•Twin City Elementary School Principal Robbie Warnock presented the Be Part of the Music Honoree award to Adam Akridge, music teacher.
Superintendent Comments – Other Presentations
•Stacey Barber presented an attendance zone map to the board.
•Mollie Smith presented the FY23 Property Tax Digest and Five-year History report to board members.
•SPS Principal Ron Hirst presented an FY23 SPS Share-out plan with the board.
Consent Agenda
•Minutes of the July 19, 2022 Regular Board Meeting and July 29, 2022 Called Board Meeting.
•Financial Reports
•Fundraisers
•FY23 CTAE Budget and Programs
•Approval of Policy IEDA and new Policy IKBB and new Regulation JRB-R(1)
•SPS Book Disposal
•SRO Compensation
All items listed for discussion on the night’s consent agenda was unanimously approved by board members.
Executive Session
The board then entered executive session. Upon re-entering normal session, the following action took place:
•Board members approved the certified employment of Anita Cerpovicz, SHS Teacher; Andrea Davis and Tracey McReed Lee, SMS Teacher; Jan Durden, SHS Teacher (49%); Alison Jones, SMS School Nurse; Gray Mendieta, SHS Assistant Principal (50%).
•Classified employments approved by the board included Precious Butler, Julie Rodas and Rebecca Coleman, SFS – SES; Visa Douglas, SFS – SMS; Laura Hinson, SFS - SPS; Angela Jarrell, SFS – TCE; Shirley Rucker, SFS – ECI; Anthony Snyder, SHS Custodian; Jennifer Harrison, Bus Driver; Cherry Hill, Driver/Trainer (49%); and Christian Ellington, ECI Paraprofessional.
•Board members approved certified employee resignations Miya Boston, SMS Teacher.
•Classified employee resignation approved by the board included Marcia Arrington and Brittany Hill, Pre-K Paraprofessionals; Ashley Landon, ECI Paraprofessional; and Shateria Jenkins, Bus Driver.
•The board approved a certified employee transfer request for Whitney Calhoun from Pre-K to SMS FACS Teacher.
•Board members approved the retirement of classified employee George Brown, ECI Custodian.
