Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Money from the sale of surplus items will help fund the work, which is expected to be completed this summer.
Oconee County Schools will use money from the sale of surplus items to standardize the front, inside entrances of the elementary and primary schools. The plan, according to Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Students Services Mark Channell, is to upgrade the entrances of High Shoals Elementary, Malcom Bridge Elementary, Rocky Branch Elementary and Oconee County Primary schools to match the safety features of the renovated entrances at Colham Ferry Elementary and Oconee County Elementary. At HSES, MBES and RBES, new security doors with buzzers will be added to the entrances' brick hallways, and a window in each of the front offices will be replaced with a sliding window where visitors can check in and check out. "Oconee Primary's …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
"Now is not the time, in my opinion, to bury heads in the sand and think [a tragedy] cannot happen here," Emily Givens told the Board of Education Monday.
"Prior to the terrible school shooting in Newtown the most important thing in my mind was helping to start a garden at Colham Ferry. That has taken a backseat to what I feel is a security concern." Those were Emily Givens' opening statements to the Oconee County Board of Education Monday. "Like every parent in the nation, our hearts are heavy," she said. "We all mourn the senseless loss of precious lives. And though the better part of our souls tells us they are resting in glory, our minds keep re-reminding us that as a nation we can do better, we can be more prepared, and we have to be." Givens, who has two daughters in elementary school, requested the Board "enact measures aimed at decisively deterring a similar unspeakable tragedy," …
Monday, January 14, 2013
The item is listed on this evening's agenda under Public Communication.
- SCHOOLS
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Monday, January 14
An Oconee County parent plans to address the Board of Education this evening about the issue of school safety. According to the agenda for the 5 p.m. meeting, posted on the Board's website, Emily Givens has requested to speak about armed guards at the schools. It will happen during the time allotted for "Public Communication." Also at that time, Stacey Casuccio plans to address the Board regarding the American High School Honors Performance Series. Here's a summary of the Board's policy, as it appears on its website, regarding public communication during meetings: The Board allows five minutes for comment from citizens who have been placed on the meeting agenda. Three minutes are allowed for those who sign-up at the meeting. Please state …
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
"We're always looking for ways to make our schools as safe as possible," says Mark Channell, assistant superintendent for student services.
School officials and law enforcement in Oconee County are taking steps to ease community concerns brought about by Friday's tragic elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. The public school system and Sheriff's Office Monday released statements to assure parents they are working together to increase officer visibility in and around schools this week and review security measures. Mark Channell, assistant superintendent for student services, described the partnership with the Sheriff's Office as "strong." Though there are no full-time school resource officers, deputies regularly visit schools during the day and check facilities at night, he said. They work with school officials whenever a need arises, and periodically conduct drills, …
Monday, December 17, 2012
Counselors are being made available to students and the Sheriff's Office is increasing visibility this week in Oconee County, Ga. in the wake of Friday's school shooting in Newtown, Conn.
- SCHOOLS
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Monday, December 17, 2012
Oconee County Schools released the following statement Monday regarding school safety and parent resource: Parents, The terrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, serves as a reminder to our entire community about the importance of school safety. Emergency response plans, which are reviewed annually by GEMA/Homeland Security, are in place at each of our Oconee County schools. Each school regularly practices emergency response drills, and we continually evaluate our safety and security procedures. Our school counselors and other administrators will be available for students throughout the week if they have questions. The Oconee County Sheriff's Department will also have an increased visibility during morning arrival over the next few …
Nancy DeRemo
9:57 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
No. One thing that the news did not pick up on about the shooting that the student was special needs child and most likely got bullied bad at school. My own son in fourth grade was held under table and the boy told him he was going to kill him. Mark Channel told me it was my sons fault. VP at the school told me it was because their where best friend but their did not play together. In fifth grade… more ›