Cedartown schools have set the date and times for their Open House. All schools will have Open House on Thursday, September 2nd. Cherokee Elementary, Westside Elementary, Young’s Grove Elementary, and Cedartown High School will have Open House from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Northside Elementary and Cedartown Middle School will have Open House from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sixth grade orientation at Cedartown Middle School will be at 4:30 p.m. in the CMS cafeteria.
The Polk School District Board of Education voted on several important issues at their monthly meeting last night. The board first passed a policy that will eliminate the “D” from the grading scale. In the past a “D” has been from a 74 to a 70. Now that the “D” has been eliminated, a grade of “C” will be given for a 79 to a 70. The board also passed a policy that raised substitutes pay. This was recommended by Superintendent Williams due to the lengthening of the school day. The board narrowly approved the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. The board voted 5-4 to approve the budget with Jane Holbrooks, Tommy Sanders, Tara O’Neal, and Bettie Fay Lewis voting against approval. The student dress code also passed at last night’s meeting with a vote of 6-3. Those opposing the dress code were Chuck Thaxton, Grady McCrickard, and Tara O’Neal. According to Superintendent Williams, a copy of the approved dress code will be available later today. The board also approved a recommendation by Superintendent Williams to name Judy Alred as principal of Murphy Harpst Academy.
The Polk School District Non-Budgetary Committee met last night, August 2nd, to discuss the dress code for the 2010-2011 academic school year. Extensive debate continued from the previous meeting of the full Board of Education regarding the dress code for students. Most of the discussion was based around the issue of body piercings. Committee members are against allowing students to wear any visible piercings, with ears being the only exception. Some members wanted to also place limitations on how many ear piercings a child could have. The committee did not support the recommendation of Superintendent Marvin Williams to allow teachers and principals to decide what piercings were considered distracting. His recommendation came from a draft of the dress code that was presented to and discussed by the principals throughout the school district. Three principals attended last nights meeting to provide feedback to the committee members. Other issues discussed included hair colors and styles, holes in pants, and visible tattoos. The dress code will go before the full Board of Education at the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 10th. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the central office.
The Polk School District Board of Education has approved the hiring of Scott Hendrix to be the next head football coach and athletic director at Cedartown High School. Board members unanimously approved the appointment of Hendrix to the position. However, there was some issue with the compensation package. Several board members were uncomfortable with the package that was up for consideration. Board Chair Andy Fairel told those present that the contract for head coach will be 11 months with a full athletic director supplement and only half of the normal head coaching supplement. The vote on the matter was 4-3 with Grady McCrickard, Tommy Sanders, Andy Fairel, and Tara O’Neal voting in favor and Chuck Thaxton, Jane Holbrooks, and Betty Faye Lewis voting against. Dr. Harold Wingfield was not present for the vote and John Stone abstained from the vote. Superintendent Marvin Williams said that the issue might be revisited later. In other business, the board approved to have a furlough day on Friday, February 12, meaning that there will be no school on Friday. Also, the board tabled a motion to limit in-state travel to one delegate and one alternate and to totally eliminate out-of-state travel. That issue will be discussed at a later meeting. In addition, the board approved the new attendance zones for Cedartown’s elementary schools. Details of the new zoning can be found by visiting the district website at www.polk.k12.ga.us.
A budgetary committee of the Polk School District Board of Education met Monday night at Central Office with the daunting task of examining the FY10 budget and considering more possible cuts from the state. Committee members also took a look at what measures can be taken to save as much money as possible. No official action was taken at this committee meeting. A community input session of the Polk School District Board of Education will be tonight at 6:30 at Central Office on South College Street in Cedartown. The regular meeting of the school board will be next Tuesday, January 12 at 6:30 p.m.
The Georgia Appalachian Center for Higher Education awarded $5,500.00 to Cedartown High School at the 4th annual Check Presentation Program on Oct. 1 at the Civic Center in Gainesville, Georgia. Cedartown High was selected on the strength of the proposal submitted by the school to incorporate the GACHE Model Program strategies and a commitment to collect and report data on their graduation and postsecondary attendance rates.
The faculty and staff of Cedartown High School would like to invite everyone to participate in the CHS Homecoming events. A parade will be held on Friday, September 18th at 4:30 p.m. on Main Street. Community league football teams, cheerleaders, and other community entries are encouraged to participate. The homecoming football game will follow at Cedartown Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Halftime events will include the presentation of class representatives and the crowning of the homecoming queen. Anyone interested in entering a float or being in the 2009 Cedartown Homecoming parade needs to pick up an entry form from the main office at CHS. Entry forms need to be turned into the main office at CHS by September 15th, or you will not be eligible to be in the parade. Line up for the parade will begin at 4:00 p.m. To confirm your line-up position or for more details, please contact Laurie Brumby or Sara Underwood at 770-748-0490. As a reminder, no items can be thrown from your truck or float.
Buchanan Elementary is on a list of Georgia schools identified as ‘not making adequate yearly progress’ according to the Haralson County Board of Education. As a result of the academic status, parents and guardians are eligible to transfer their child or children to the other elementary school in the school system, according to BOE Representative Pepper Moon. Parents who wish to apply for a transfer may do so by calling 770-646-3882, Extension 244.
The Rome Board of Education unanimously voted to fire Rome High math teacher 27 year old James Rodney Lee on Thursday, three months after he was charged with sexually assaulting a student at the school. During an hour and a half session, Rome City Schools Superintendent Gayland Cooper recommended Lee be fired because the Floyd County Superior Court restricted Lee in April from having any contact with any present or former Rome High student, rendering him unable to perform the duties of his job. Lee was charged with sexual assault against a person in custody, cruelty to children and sexual battery and arrested in March. Police reported the male student involved was 16.
The Polk School District Board of Education Tuesday approved the sale of Euharlee School in Rockmart. The school will be sold to the International Missionary Society for $300,000. The school had at one time been sought by a non-profit organization, Mercy Housing, for a multi-family housing project. However, the organization decided not to peruse the purchase. The new buyers, the International Missionary Society, Seventh-day Adventist Church Reform Movement, plan to use the site for educational purposes. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board recognized 12 retiring teachers from the district. Among those receiving recognition included Charlene Cooke, Beverley McRae, Keith Cromer, Glenda Barton, Katrina Jenkins, Joy Johnson, Debra Kines, Helen Prater, Shirley Redding, Holly Robinson, Shirley Shiflett, Dianne Studdard and George Wheeler. The board also approved the construction of a wheelchair ramp at Cedartown High School, for a total project cost not to exceed $39,000. This will be a poured concrete ramp with a canopy providing protection in bad weather.
