The Long County Board of Education met in regular session Monday, September 9. Vice Chairperson Dennis DeLoach presided over the meeting. Board members Florence Baggs, Linda DeLoach, and Julie Dawson and Superintendent David Edwards were present.
After reading the Long County Board of Education mission statement that “all students would be college and/or career ready,” the board approved to adopt the agenda.
The board recognized two retirees – English Language Arts teacher, Lora Gay and bus driver, Michael McClelland. Though McClelland was unable to attend the meeting, the board prepared certificates for both retirees. Gay received her certificate with applause and kind words from a fellow educator.
“Lora has a heart for the kids,” Assistant Superintendent Lisa McCallister said. “You come up to the school on a weekend, a holiday, during a hurricane and she’s here. She’s the one to go to if you want to know how to teach English Language Arts and she will be greatly missed.”
The board approved the 2019 Tax Digest. Edwards told the board that though the digest may appear to have a 2.3 percent increase, that number is not correct. The Coastal Courier reached out to Long County Board of Education for the complete digest but was not provided that information prior to Tuesday’s print deadline.
A new disciplinary program was presented to the board on Monday. Where there was once the STAR (Student Transition and Recovery) Program, Long County Schools has taken a different approach by implementing their own program called SAILS.
Maj. Marnita Johnson, who has been the STAR Program director, will continue to work in the SAILS Program with emphasis on encouragement, discipline and academics.
The STAR Program was an alternative to suspension, expulsion and detention that utilized the structure of military style drill and exercise program to instill self-discipline and improve academic performance.
Students in the program took normal classes but spent the morning and afternoon participating in exercise, counseling, tutoring and drills, according to the STAR Program website at starprograms.com.