Liberty County’s gifted students will be served in their home schools — eventually — under a plan approved by the school board Tuesday.
Now, middle school gifted students attend classes at Snelson-Golden and elementary gifted students attend their home schools until fifth grade when they go to Joseph Martin. The board’s action should put gifted programs in all middle schools by school year 2009-10.
Lewis Frazier Middle School Principal Tom Alexander praised the action as “making that first step in moving the students back to their home schools.”
Alexander is a member of a committee of administrators who reported to the board on plans for rising fifth and sixth graders who are gifted.
One concern aired Tuesday was the amount of time students spend being driven to and from Snelson Golden where gifted classes are held.
Dr. Cheryl Conley, assistant superintendent, said students should not be losing minutes of instructional time in transit — “we’re not in compliance if that’s happening.”
Board member Carol Guyett said, “That’s what happens. I see it every day. I watch the buses.”
Conley replied, “We will have to fix that.”
The gifted program has been the subject of occasional controversy, especially since 2001 when the board, in a split vote, moved the middle school gifted program from Lewis Frazier to Snelson-Golden.
In other business, the board:
• heard from Superintendent Dr. Steve Wilmoth that up to $68,000 would need to be spent because unexpectedly soft dirt had been found where the driveway to the Liberty County High School Stadium is being constructed.
The board included more than $200,000 in a contingency fund for the project, so the extra cost will not exceed the budgeted amount.
• named LaFayne May to the Liberty County Library Board. May is a former chairwoman of the board who had rotated off because of state-mandated term limits.
• executed the routine annual contract with West Rehab Services for sports medicine services.
• made agreements for required services such as music, physical, occupational therapy.
• noted upcoming meetings:
April 18 with the grand jury,
April 19 with library board chair woman Joan Hollingsworth and visiting Snelson-Golden Middle School,
April 23, goal-setting retreat at Heritage Bank,
April 24, work session at board office.
Now, middle school gifted students attend classes at Snelson-Golden and elementary gifted students attend their home schools until fifth grade when they go to Joseph Martin. The board’s action should put gifted programs in all middle schools by school year 2009-10.
Lewis Frazier Middle School Principal Tom Alexander praised the action as “making that first step in moving the students back to their home schools.”
Alexander is a member of a committee of administrators who reported to the board on plans for rising fifth and sixth graders who are gifted.
One concern aired Tuesday was the amount of time students spend being driven to and from Snelson Golden where gifted classes are held.
Dr. Cheryl Conley, assistant superintendent, said students should not be losing minutes of instructional time in transit — “we’re not in compliance if that’s happening.”
Board member Carol Guyett said, “That’s what happens. I see it every day. I watch the buses.”
Conley replied, “We will have to fix that.”
The gifted program has been the subject of occasional controversy, especially since 2001 when the board, in a split vote, moved the middle school gifted program from Lewis Frazier to Snelson-Golden.
In other business, the board:
• heard from Superintendent Dr. Steve Wilmoth that up to $68,000 would need to be spent because unexpectedly soft dirt had been found where the driveway to the Liberty County High School Stadium is being constructed.
The board included more than $200,000 in a contingency fund for the project, so the extra cost will not exceed the budgeted amount.
• named LaFayne May to the Liberty County Library Board. May is a former chairwoman of the board who had rotated off because of state-mandated term limits.
• executed the routine annual contract with West Rehab Services for sports medicine services.
• made agreements for required services such as music, physical, occupational therapy.
• noted upcoming meetings:
April 18 with the grand jury,
April 19 with library board chair woman Joan Hollingsworth and visiting Snelson-Golden Middle School,
April 23, goal-setting retreat at Heritage Bank,
April 24, work session at board office.