Employees honored for many years of service

Fourteen employees were honored for their dedicated service to local students at Tuesday afternoon’s Houston County Board of Education meeting.

Carl Wright of the maintenance department has devoted 40 years of service. Calvin Taylor of Quail Run Elementary School and Carolyn Chamlee and Mary Gentry of Perry High School have devoted 35 years of service.

Janette Dogan and Karen McDonald of Perry High School, Gary Howard of Houston County High School, Joanne Kile of Parkwood Elementary School, Martha King and Carita Walker of Northside High School, Donnie Nicholson of Centerville Elementary School, Elizabeth Turner of Warner Robins High School, Ronnie Walker of the Houston County Crossroads Center and Ann Williams-Brown of the central office have devoted 30 years of service.

Prior to the meeting, a reception was held at the central office in Perry. During the meeting, each employee was presented with a framed certificate, years of service pin, board of education lapel pin and a board of education coin by Superintendent Dr. Mark Scott and board members. HEA Federal Credit Union also presented the honorees with a gift. Some employees were unable to attend.

Scott and the board members thanked the employees for their continued service and dedication to the Houston County School System.

“You have served my children and now you’re serving my grandchildren,” said Chairman Fred Wilson.

Also recognized were Teachers of the Year Coach Richard Jordan of Centerville Elementary School, Beth Bembry of Tucker Elementary School, Laurie Coggins of Huntington Middle School and Dr. Dave Gibbs of Veterans High School. Students recognized were Alex Mask and Ta’skylah Brown of Centerville Elementary School, Adam Sean McCarey and Taylor Collins of Tucker Elementary School, Miranda Seuell and Andrew McGee of Huntington Middle School and Jaylen Lowder and Anna Claire Brown of Veterans High School. The board commended the teachers and students on their hard work.

Furthermore, board members nominated school supporters Dr. and Mrs. Shaw for the GSBA Partnership Commendation, and they asked those in the audience to consider Amendment 1, Opportunity School District, which will be on the ballot this November. They unanimously approved a resolution opposing the amendment.

The resolution states: “The Houston County Board of Education supports local control as granted by existing constitutional authority vesting exclusive control over public schools to local boards of education as the level of government closest and most responsive to the taxpayers and parents of the children being educated. The Houston County Board of Education opposes any legislative measures infringing on that authority and cannot support the amendment of our state constitution to create a state-directed Opportunity School District (OSD) as proposed by Senate Resolution 287 to place a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot.”

The resolution also states that unless defeated, the proposed constitutional amendment would allow the state to take over local schools under conditions determined by the General Assembly with the OSD led by a superintendent answering directly to the governor and having the authority to control even the physical facilities paid for by local taxpayer dollars.

The board encourages citizens to educate themselves more about the amendment before voting, because “an OSD is a redundant and excessive state-directed push for reform, even though there are laws and procedures already in place that can achieve the same results without creating additional layers of government at great expense and with unknown levels of power.”

HHJ News