2019-2020

May 12, 2020

Perfect Attendance Pre-K - 12th grade

Hope Villegas - Evans High

From Evans High, Hope Villegas has attended school every day of the year from Pre-K through 12th grade!

That means Hope has attended over 2,000 school days.

As far as we are aware, Hope is the only Columbia County School District senior who can claim this honor!

Congratulations, Hope, for showing up every day and for going the extra mile! And congratulations to Hope’s parents, Marco and Sarah Villegas, thank you for helping her achieve this milestone.

Georgia Scholar

Nancy Kye - Evans High School

Exemplifying the State of Georgia’s mission of educating the whole child, the Georgia Department of Education established the Georgia Scholar Program.

Georgia Scholars are students who have carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school; performed excellently in all courses; Successfully participated in interscholastic events at their schools and in their communities; And have assumed active roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools.

Nancy Kye, from Evans High has earned this honor. Congratulations, Nancy!!

Governor's Honors Program

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program is a college summer residential program for gifted and talented rising juniors and seniors. Ordinarily, students would live on campus and attend classes in the mornings and afternoons in specific areas of study and participate in a wide variety of social and instructional opportunities every evening.

Unfortunately, the 2020 Georgia Governor's Honors Program is just one of many events that won't take place this year due to the coronavirus.

Scheduled for June 14 to July 11, this is the first time since its inception in 1964 that the program has been cancelled.

This year we have eight finalists and five alternates. Finalists and alternates are selected by way of a lengthy process which includes

School-level nominations,
District auditions and interviews, and
State auditions, interviews, and assessments.

· From Evans High, we have three finalists:

o Donald Bailie - Selected in the area of Engineering for Mechanical Design;

o Daniel Lee – Selected in the area of Music with a concentration in Percussion; and

o Joshua Samuel – Selected in the area of Science with a concentration in Chemistry.

April 28, 2020

Georgia High School Association Region 3-AAAAAA

Wrestling Tournament Champions

The Georgia High School Association State wrestling tournament was held in February, as well. We have three wrestlers from Evans High School who received a medal in their individual classifications. Their coaches are Mr. James Davis and Mr. Jeff Woodard.

Drew Eller

Evans High School

For the fourth time in as many years, Drew Eller is THE Class 6A State Champion, this year in the 145 pound weight class.

Drew’s record is 208-0 overall.

Jackson Eller

Evans High School

Jackson Eller is the state runner up in the 160 poound weight class.

Blake Brooks

Evans High School

Blake Brooks placed third in the 113 pound weight class

Georgia High School Association State Swim Meet Region 3-AAAAAA Winners

In the area of athletics, the 2020 GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championships were held in February. Top medalists from Lakeside High are coached by Ms. Kimberly Gilbert.

Placing Second in the 200 Team Medley were: Erin Day; Rachel Fulton; Leah Gibbons; and Audrey Munger.

In the Women’s 100 Free Style, congratulations to Audrey Munger who placed third!

And a double congratulations to Rachel Fulton who placed second in the Women’s 100 Back Stroke and First in the Women’s 50 Free Style.

Two students achieved a perfect score on the American College Test, better known as the ACT.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science, each scored on a scale of 1-36. The student's composite score is the average of the four test scores. Fewer than half of one percent of students who take the American College Test earn a top score.

Congratulations Kai and Sabrina!

Georgia Department of Education

Award of Excellence Winner

Sydney Jackson

Greenbrier High School

Nominated by Greenbrier High teacher Bonnie Ramos

Each year the Georgia Department of Education recognizes one outstanding senior from each of the Georgia Learning Resources Systems districts.

They seek to honor a senior who has outstanding academic, employment, and/or extracurricular accomplishments.

From Greenbrier High, teacher Bonnie Ramos nominated her student Sydney Jackson, and we are proud to share that Sydney was awarded the Georgia Department of Education Award of Excellence.

In her nomination form, Ms. Ramos wrote that Sydney is an amazing student!

She pushed herself to enroll in advanced classes, and she worked diligently to earn an SAT score that would earn her acceptance into the University of Alabama, where she plans to study Physical Therapy. Sydney is a bright light in a crowd.

Congratulations Sydney! Good luck with your studies at the University of Alabama.

And thank you, Ms. Ramos, for going the extra mile to have Sydney honored! Teachers like you and all of these mentioned today are just one of the many reasons our school district is one of the very best in the state!

Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA)

Cyber Education, Research and Training Symposium Champions!

AFCEA provides the ethical exchange of information between the military, government, industry, and academia in the fields of communications, electronics, computer sciences, global security, and intelligence.

One of the competitions the AFCEA holds is called Capture the Flag. This Jeopardy style competition is four hours long, and includes categories of Cryptography; Steganography; Physical Security; Reverse Engineering; Forensics; and Networking and Scanning.

Grovetown High School's Cyber Warriors team earned first place and Evans High School's Templars team came in second place!

Grovetown High School - 1st Place

The Cyber Warriors

Under the direction of Mr. George Dukes

Evan Kania, Kai NeSmith and Matthew Ward

Evans High School - 2nd Place

The Templars

Under the direction of Steven Hahn

Noah Clark, Caleb Emery, Ryan Gil and Eliana Lopez

Technology Student Association (TSA)

State Leadership Conference Winner

Cameron Rushton

Grovetown High School

1st Place Best in Show Dragster Design

Advisor: Deborah Davis

Like the HOSA conference, the Technology Student Association, or TSA, Leadership Conference was held in March, as well. The TSA conference is designed to give TSA advisors and students opportunities to display and enhance their leadership, communication, and team building skills.

The TSA advisor at Grovetown High is Ms. Deborah Davis, and her student Cameron Ruston designed a fully functional CO2 powered dragster.

For his weeks of work and detail designing and modeling a realistic car, Cameron won first place in Best in Show out of all the cars presented.

Congratulations to him and thank you, Ms. Davis, for providing him this opportunity.

Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)

State Leadership Conference Winners

We all know one of the most popular courses of study in our high schools is the Healthcare Science Technology Education Program.

We currently have eleven Healthcare Science teachers who serve as advisors for Health Occupations Students of America, better known as HOSA.

HOSA has approximately 15,604 members in the state of Georgia, and its State Leadership Conference was held in Atlanta in March.

At the conference they have competition that consists of a multiple choice test, and, for those who score well enough, a performance round where the competitors are judged on their use of critical thinking skills.

This year we had students from Evans and Lakeside high schools place.

Congratulations to these students who have now qualified to complete at the HOSA International Leadership Conference which was scheduled for June in Houston, Texas. Sadly, it is unknown if it will be canceled.

And thank you, advisors for all you do for your students.

Evans High School

Evans High HOSA Advisor - Leslie Vandenabeele

Evans student Kiley Brown placed second in Nurse Assisting and Alexis Davis placed first in Physical Therapy!

Congratulations, Kiley and Alexis!

Lakeside High

The Lakeside High HOSA advisors are Lisa Olson; Pamela Gosney; and Ruth Quiller.

1st Place - Public Service Announcement

Nika Shekastehband
Bijan Shekastehband
Aryan Gupta
Lucee Xiao

Winterfest National Competition Winners

The Boy Scouts of America Winterfest National Competition was held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee this past February. Below are our winners from Harlem High and Grovetown High.

Grovetown High School

Grovetown High School students under the direction of Ms. Susan Morris.

1st Place - Individual Tactical Fitness

Female Division

Grace Ene

For the second year in a row, Grace has earned first place in this competition. Competitors had to run a quarter of a mile carrying a 25 pound door ram, then run another three quarters of a mile.

Afterwards, they had to do 30 seconds of pushups, sit ups, and squats, and then finish the challenge by dragging a 165 pound dummy approximately 50 feet. Great job Grace!

1st Place - Forensic Fingerprinting

Grace Ene and Michael Lanham

These two had to interview a victim or witness; locate, lift, and classify a print; and identify 10 to 12 intricacies with a known print to confirm a match, all within a twenty minute period! Great job students!

1st Place - Unknown Trouble

Taylor Middleton, Razeile Rodriguez, Arikah Smith, JaMillie Vasser-Dollison

This competition tests problem-solving skills, communication skills, teamwork, and office safety. Great job students!

2nd Place - MOOT Court

Kaylee Graven, Christianna Gutierrez, Leah Shelt and Tameia Verdree

In the Moot Court competition, teams argue a case before a panel of judges as if they were arguing before the Supreme Court.

3rd Place - Volleyball

Kaylee Graven, Christianna Gutierrez, Taylor Middleton, Autumn Richards, Leah Shelt and JaMillie Vasser-Dollison

Harlem High School

2nd Place - Crime Scene Investigation

Jocelynn Boarassa, Michael Duran, Alex Helpingstine, Brianna Lee, Camrin Lee and Gabe Moore.

These students placed second in Crime Scene Investigation, a competition that gives teams 30 minutes to process a crime scene based on a given scenario. Great job students!

Harlem High School students under the direction of Mr. Matthew Murrell.

National Science Bowl State Champions -2020

Stallings Island Middle School

The National Science Bowl State Competition was held earlier this year in Savannah, Georgia.

Stallings Island Middle School students participated in this buzzer-based academic quiz competition for individual students in the 8^th grade or below.

The Stallings Island team is directed by Ms. Deborah Hundt, and the team members are: Jerry Fan; Rhys Jenkins; Jerry Lu, who was a member of last year’s National Science Bowl Regional Championship team last year; Iziq Thomas; and George Zhou.

These students are the National Science Bowl 2020 State Champions.

As State Champions, normally the coach and team members would win an all-expense paid trip to the US Department of Energy National Science Bowl Competition in Washington, DC. But, given the circumstances, the national competition will be a “virtual” event, with players competing from their own homes. Best wishes to the Stallings Island team as they compete in May!

February 25, 2020

Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Chorus

Columbia County schools have superior fine arts programs, with a large number of students who are selected to the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) All-State Chorus—one of the highest musical honors a choral student can receive in school.

To qualify, students must successfully complete two auditions. In the first audition, they have to perform a solo from a required list, sight-sing three examples of four measures each, two in a major key and one in a minor key; and sing 3 different scales.

Those who are chosen from the first audition must learn the music they will perform on all-state weekend.

At the second audition they sing 12 – 16 measures of each of those selections, but they do not know which measures they will be tested on until they walk into the audition room.

Across the state, approximately 1200 singers out of about 7000 are selected to sing in three different choirs.

A total of 14 students, representing four of our middle schools, and 9 students representing two of our high schools, for a total of 23 All State Chorus Members represented Columbia County Schools.

Greenbrier Middle

Under the direction of Ms. Karen Boyd

Ryley Brooks, Thomas Frey, Kennedy Martin, Sandhya Pyram, Abby Reader, Allie Rose Sansing, Nolan Toney and Brian Tyndall.

Lakeside Middle

Under the direction of Ms. Denise Pike, Ms. Alia Nelson was selected as an All-Stat Participant.

Stallings Island Middle

Under the direction of Ms. Rebekkah Nordan

Jerry Fan, Sahej Mander, Anshika Saxena, and Kylie York

Evans High

Under the direction of Ms. Rebecca Brune

Erin Davis and Jonathan Tanksley

Greenbrier High

Under the direction of Ms. Lori Van Lenten

Skye Boutall, Audrey Cowen, Russell McKinney, Delia Phillips, Jonathan Stonehocker, Simon Toney, and Joshua Wickell.

CSRA Elementary Honor Choir

VOCE, The Young Voices of Greater Augusta is a non-profit organization that provides high quality vocal and music education for students in grades first through twelfth grade from all over the CSRA.

VOCE believes strongly that young people can do AMAZING things if we show them they can and offer them the opportunity. In keeping with that belief, VOCE started an Elementary School Honor Choir for fourth and fifth grade singers, and this is its fourth year. This choir offers young singers the opportunity to participate in a high level performance group AND gives them a chance to serve as leaders.

Each year chorus teachers audition their students and are able to send no more than 22 per school. These students then audition a second time with the hope of becoming a member of the Honor Choir. There are approximately 200 singers who were chosen this year. Once selected, the students receive a packet of music and rehearsal recordings much like they would in middle and high school for All-State Chorus. And, because you know our teachers always go above and beyond, they schedule extra rehearsals before and after school to make sure their singers are prepared.

Honor Choir culminates with a concert, and this year the concert raised just over $2,500.00 for the benefit of Safe Homes of Augusta.

Sadly, we don’t have space for all of the honor choir members to be recognized before the Board of Education but, each participating school has identified two students to be recognized and perform for board members.

VOCE – Founder and Director – Ms. Lori Van Lenten who you know is the Chorus Director at Greenbrier High had two Greenbrier High students assist with this event. They are Mason Ethridge who is the President of Greenbrier High Music Honor Society Tri-M, and Isabella Chaney the Vice-President.

Emilio Colado pictured with his Chorus Director Ms. Angel Cleary

Georgia Music Educators Association Composers Composition Winner

In addition to All-State Band and Chorus, the GMEA holds an annual composition competition for the purpose of encouraging students who have an aptitude for writing original music.

This year, Emilio Colado from Grovetown High was one of just twelve student composers selected to perform his original song, Polaroids, at the GMEA conference.

Over a period of about two months Emilio wrote and recorded musical lines for bass, percussion, and other harmonic elements using the lab equipment at the school. He even created and applied his own plug-ins for the instruments.

Winning a GMEA level competition and presenting at GMEA Conference is a high honor. For being a presenter, Emilio received a one year subscription to the online editing software SoundTrap and a five year subscription to the online notation software Noteflight.

Polaroids.mp3

February 11, 2020

Georgia Music Educators Association

All-State Band and All-State Orchestra

The Georgia Music Educators Association is the fifth largest state music education association in the United States. This association has more than 3,200 members who are teachers in public and private schools, colleges and universities, and private studios. Maybe the most important activities of the association are the annual All-State Band and Orchestra membership selections and the band and orchestra performances. Each year, about 20,000 talent-worthy students in grades 6 – 12 are judged at the school district level, as they play: Selected scales; Part of a prepared piece; and a sight-reading exercise.

Students who meet the cut score for their instrument are then invited to participate in the final auditions. At the final auditions, approximately 3000 students perform the entire audition piece and two sight-reading exercises before judges who are behind a screen. The highest scoring students at the final auditions are selected for membership in the All-State bands and orchestras, which will perform in Athens, later this spring.

Evans High School

Under the direction of Mr. Zack Bradley and Assistant Band Director Mr. Anthony Alberti

Tenth Grader Daniel Lee – percussion

And for the fifth year, twelfth grader Jasmine Lee – Clarinet

Greenbrier High School

Under the direction of Mr. Brian Toney

For the sixth year in a row, twelfth grader Ryan Baggott – Tuba

Twelfth grader Mason Etheridge – Oboe

For the third year, Ninth grader Luke Frain – French Horn (two years in middle school and one in high school)

Twelfth grader Kenneth Jobes – Trumpet

Ninth grader Benjamin “Ben” Rezendes – Trombone

For the second year, ninth grader Simon Toney – Trumpet. Simon also qualified as one of only three trumpet players for All-State Orchestra.

Lakeside High School

Under the direction of Mr. Jim Tau and Mr. Jared Best

For the third year in a row, Eleventh grader Tan Charintranont – Clarinet 1^st Chair

Ninth grader Ryan Hanling – Clarinet

For the fourth year, Tenth Grader, Wills Kane – Trombone

For the second year in a row, Ninth grader Jeffery Li – Clarinet

Tenth grader Shoroqu Othman – Baritone (Alternate)

For the second year in a row, Tenth grader Roderic Parson – Baritone

Eleventh grader Michelle Pi – Flute

For the third year, Ninth grader Clark Walker – Bassoon 1^st Chair

Middle School All-State Band

Greenbrier Middle under the direction of Mr. Kevin Baggott

Eighth grader Brandon Newell – Tuba

Grovetown Middle under the direction of Ms. Aja Alberti

Eighth grader Emma Clement– French Horn 1^st Chair

Stallings Island Middle under the direction of Ms. Tayler Norwood

Eighth Grader Dawson Pope – Tenor Saxophone
Eighth Grader Sh-new Sue - Flute

Lakeside High - All-State Orchestra

Lakeside High also had two All-State Orchestra members for violin.

For the third year, twelfth grader Sabrina Loo and
Eleventh grader Michelle Pi.

Georgia Power Donates $60,000 to Columbia County Schools!

Over the past few years, our schools have been working diligently to incorporate the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) model into daily instruction.

In this endeavor, this year Baker Place Elementary created a student-led, student-centered project involving circuits and electricity that culminated with a Christmas lights program this past December. Using the engineering design process, students designed a holiday light show, synchronizing eleven Christmas songs to blinking lights, creating a patterned light sequence and rhythms.

This was a project that required a high level of expertise. So Assistant Superintendent Michele Sherman reached out to Mr. Bridges and the Georgia Power Foundation for their help, and the Foundation responded to help make the students’ design concept a reality, with their expertise and with a $6,000 donation! The community enjoyed the holiday light show, and our students learned a lot!

That was not the end of Georgia Power’s generosity.

The Foundation also gave $4,000 for the purchase of our District’s first mobile Virtual Reality Lab. Thanks to Georgia Power, our students can now take virtual trips inside plant stems, the human body, and inside intricate machines using Google Expeditions. And this lab will be available to all of our schools.

Lastly, Mr. Bridges and his team have provided for us a $50,000 gift to fund equipment, software, and curriculum associated with the cyber pathway that will be offered in our new high school campus.

Thank you, Georgia Power, for generously supporting our teachers’ efforts and for helping us provide our students with an outstanding education!

January 28, 2020

Georgia Science Teachers Association 2020 Grant Award Winner

Crystal McDowell Greenbrier High

With over two thousand members, the Georgia Science Teachers Association serves to connect, inform, and provide resources to support excellent science education for all Georgia students.

Those resources include mini-grants which are designed to fund creative class projects.

Teachers are encouraged to apply for a mini-grant which can be as much as $750.

Greenbrier High School Life Science Teacher Ms. Crystal McDowell was named a 2020 mini-grant winner. She received a grant of $750 to support her project named Visualizing Science by Developing and Using Models.

The funds will be used to purchase modeling kits that will help biology and environmental science students create scientific models to better understand science concepts and processes.

Armed Forces Communications Association

STEM Teaching Tool Grant Winners

The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), provides the ethical exchange of information between the military, government, industry, and academia in the fields of communications, electronics, computer sciences, global security, and intelligence. The Augusta-Fort Gordon chapter of AFCEA promotes innovative teaching by awarding STEM Teaching Tool grants.

The Columbia County School District is proud to announce that four teachers received these AFCEA mini-grants.

Ms. Crsytal McDowell, a Greenbrier High Life Science Teacher, applied for and received a $750 grant to be used to purchase equipment for real-time data collection. This technology allows students to integrate science, technology, and math during lab investigations and engineering challenges.

Ms. Deborah Rogers from Euchee Creek Elementary School, received a grant of $748.16 to further Euchee Creek’s STEAM initiatives. With the grant money, Ms. Rogers will fund three STEAM Teams: Learning through Design; Coding Crusaders; and Girls who Code.

Ms. Kristin Messer from Greenbrier Elementary, received a grant of $735 to purchase four Dash Wonder Robots for the Horizons program at Greenbrier. These little robots allow students to see their virtual coding turn into tangible learning experiences in real time and have fun, too.

Ms. Jennifer Douglass from Martinez Elementary received a $742.37 grant to purchase fifteen sets of reusable Snap Circuit kits. With these kits, students will learn about different types of circuitry and how wires, power sources, conductors, and resistors help engineers harness and control electricity to make things like lights, fans, radios, and batteries work.

Congratulations, Ms. McDowell, Ms. Messer, Ms. Douglass, and Ms. Rogers, and thank you for all you do for students and for seeking additional funds to support your efforts!

Pictured from left: Crystal McDowell, Debbie Rogers, Kristin Messer, and Jennifer Douglass. Congratulations teachers!

Columbia County School District Spelling Bee Winner 2019-2020

The county-wide spelling bee took place January 14, 2020 at Riverside Middle School, where twenty-seven students from grades four through eight competed for the district spelling bee championship.

After twelve rounds of competition, Blue Ridge Elementary fifth grader, Dominic Farr, was declared the winner by correctly spelling “epistolary.

The runner-up was Carson Hoskins a fifth grader from Martinez Elementary.

Both Dominic and Carson will represent our district at the Regional Spelling Bee Saturday, February 22, at Putnam County Middle School in Eatonton, GA, where they will compete against more than thirty-five students from various counties in Georgia.

Dominic Farr - 5th Grade Blue Ridge Elementary

Blue Ridge Elementary School fifth grader Dominic Farr is pictured here with his English, Language Arts Teacher Erica Cox, and the school's Spelling Bee Coordinator Shannon Mann.

Runner Up - Carson Hoskins, Martinez Elementary

January 14, 2020

Georgia Music Educators Association Exemplary Performance Award

Five members of the Lakeside High School band performed before the Board of Education while their bandmates looked on over a livestream broadcast of the special recognition.

IMG_5276.MOV

Lakeside High School

Each year the Georgia Music Educators Association awards the Exemplary Performance Award to one band in the state of Georgia, culminating a band’s involvement and success in ALL GMEA sponsored events for that year.

It is coveted and sought after by all aspiring bands across the state.

During the Lakeside High School Christmas Concert, GMEA’s Vice-President All-State Mr. Alan Fowler presented this prestigious award to the Lakeside High band.

IMG_0714 1.MOV

Governor's Office of Student Achievement

Greatest Gains and Highest Performing Award Winners 2019

Recently the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement announced the schools that earned the Greatest Gains and Highest Performing school awards for 2019.

The Greatest Gains honor is bestowed upon schools that exhibit high growth in student achievement in their CCRPI Single Score range and have earned a three-year average CCRPI Progress Score in at least the 93^rd percentile. These schools must also remain in the same CCRPI Single Score range.

Out of about 2200 schools across the state, 130 schools in 55 districts earned the Greatest Gains award. That’s only about 6% of the schools.

In the Highest Performing category, schools must exhibit high academic performance by earning a three-year average CCRPI Content Mastery Score in at least the 93^rd percentile. And their three-year average CCRPI Closing Gaps Score must be at or above the 75^th percentile in the state. Schools earning platinum and gold awards in the Highest Performing category must earn a CCRPI Single Score of 90.0 or above all three years.

Across the state, only 105 schools across 19 districts earned the Highest Performing award. That’s just under 5% of all schools.

We are so proud to state that two of our schools earned honors in both of these categories. And it should be noted, there were only 46 schools in 14 districts that were award winners in both categories. That places these two schools in the top 2%! These awards are among the highest honors a school's students and staff can earn! Congratulations!

RIver Ridge Elementary School staff and Principal Revelle Cox, (holding certificate).

River Ridge Elementary earned the Silver Greatest Gains Award and for at least the third year in a row, they also won the Gold Highest Performing Award!

Stevens Creek Elementary earned the Bronze Greatest Gains Award, and for the third year in a row, they earned a highest performing award. And this year, they earned the bronze highest performing award!

Stevens Creek Elementary School staff with Principal Grace Meyer (center).

December 10, 2019

Eagle Scout RECIPIENT

Ethan Crossan

Congratulations Ethan for obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout and for all of your successes.

Ethan started his scouting career when he was in the second grade in Panama City Beach, Florida.

In 2015, he became a member of Troop 615 chartered through Wesley United Methodist Church.

For his Eagle project, Ethan chose to work with Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church to cleanup and restore the cemetery located across the street from his subdivision.

Working with church leadership, Ethan led a team of youth and adults who cut back overgrowth; placed mulch and pine straw around the grave sites; cleaned up trash: and built a fence at the entrance. In total, the team contributed approximately 140 hours of service.

Ethan has been successful in school, as well. Currently he is a member of the BETA club and he has been on the A/B Honor Roll since his freshman year.

Ethan has a love for music. He has played the alto saxophone since the sixth grade. He is a member of the Lakeside Wind Symphony; and he has been a member of the Lakeside High marching band for the past two years.

He is a member of Warren Baptist Church where he plays in the orchestra; helps run the sound board; and is an active participant in local mission projects with his youth group.

Ethan has an interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement or criminal justice and he is currently enrolled in the law and safety pathway at Lakeside and is involved in the Columbia County Sherriff’s Explorer Program.

East Georgia workforce development alliance skills challenge

On November 14^th the Associated General Contractors of Georgia held the East Georgia Workforce Development Alliance Skills Challenge at the Augusta Fairgrounds. This is a regional competition in the areas of carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, and welding for high schools located in eleven different counties in the eastern portion of the state.

The purpose of the event is to :

- - Excite students about the skilled trade industry
  - Connect them with local businesses
  - Help them find employment opportunities.

The event builds and reinforces self-confidence, positive attitudes, and communication skills. Several medalists won at the competition from Grovetown High School and Evans High Schools.

Grovetown had two students place in the welding competition. In this category, competitors receive drawings with welding procedure specifications. Then they are tested on various aspects of welding.

These aspects include skills such as:

- - Measuring weld replicas
  - Laying out plates and using equipment to cut holes that are checked for accuracy and quality
  - Making welds in various positions
  - Using a variety of welding machines

Congratulations to Phillip Jean-Paul, who placed second in Welding (Beginner). And congratulations to Caleb Stubblefield who placed third in Welding (Advanced).

Also, congratulations, Mr. Moore, for helping them achieve these skills.

For the third time in the past four years, Evans High placed first in the overall competition and won the Construction Cup again this year. The members of the Evans High Construction Cup Team are:

- - Courtney Powell – (Carpentry)
  - Bryson Tucker – (Carpentry)
  - Bryan Mendez – (Electrical)
  - JT Williams – (Electrical)
  - Ryan Carson – (Masonry)
  - Reid Soper – (Masonry)
  - Nathan Rawlings – (Plumbing)
  - Cooper Serigney – (Plumbing)

Evans High also had two students, Bryan Mendez and JT Williams, place in the Electrical competition. For this, contestants were required to complete a written test, and show proficiency in a practical conduit bending exercise and hands-on installation of a conduit system, cabling system, and wiring devices.

Working from drawings and specification sheets, students had to install an electrical system common in most residential and light commercial projects.

Alexis Birmingham (Middle) placed third in Welding (beginner). Corbin Schoenbeck, Hunter Graham, and Andrew Renner (right) earned second place in Welding Fabrication.

In the area of Carpentry, the Evans High instructor is Mr. Robert McCullough (left).

In the carpentry competition, contestants:

Frame walls using wood and/or steel studs
Cut and install rafters, gable and overhangs, fascia board and soffits
Install sheathing and/or exterior siding and trim
And demonstrate knowledge of stair construction.

Contestants were judged on accuracy, ability to read and interpret blueprints, workmanship, safety, and the proper use of tools, equipment, and materials.

Courtney Powell earned third place in carpentry.

Georgia Department of Education Title I Distinguished School 2019-2020

Westmont Elementary

Title I schools are schools that have more than 40% of their students receiving free or reduced-price meals.

Because the effects of poverty have a negative impact on student achievement, Title I school faculty and staff should be recognized and honored for their dedication to helping some of the neediest of our children excel, particularly those who find great success.

Every year the Georgia Department of Education recognizes the highest-performing Title I schools in the state.

These schools are among the top 5% of all Title I schools, the are ranked according to their most recent College and Career Readiness Performance Index score.

We are proud to recognize Westmont Elementary staff and students who have achieved this honor.

November 12, 2019

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT of Education STEM ADVOCATE of the year

Recently, the fourth grade students at Martinez Elementary nominated Rick Whitfield for the Georgia Department of Education Advocate of the Year and he received the award October 22 at the Georgia STEM Forum in Athens.

Mr. Whitfield was instrumental in helping design the Fourth Grade STEM program at the school. At the start of the year, he and his team of Club Car Custom Solutions representatives presented to the fourth grade students three challenges that Custom Solutions is currently working to resolve.

In addition to working with the students on finding solutions for the three challenges, Mr. Whitfield has:

Made it possible for teachers and students to tour the factory and learn more about the engineering design process at Club Car
Provided input and extensive feedback to teachers to help guide current lesson planning

Congratulations, Mr. Whitfield! Thank you and Club Car for all you do for our students!

Rick Whitfield is the manager and engineer of Custom Solutions at Club Car.

Augusta University STEAMIFY Winners 2019

For the second year in a row, Augusta University has sponsored a design-based problem solving competition that gives students in grades four through eight the opportunity to apply classroom content in the context of either engineering or art.

The competition helps students gain a deeper understanding of how what they learn can be used outside of school, and it supports teachers as they are thinking about ways to change the way they teach.

The competition consists of two parts: a long problem and a spontaneous problem.

All competitors solve the long problem, using a different challenge such as art, engineering, rocketry, dance, etc.

This year the long question was . . . How can we strengthen our community by making responsible choices regarding technological advancements?

The day of the competition, each team works out a spontaneous problem through the different challenges on the spot.

Our students competed against approximately 1,000 students from 145 schools from across Georgia and South Carolina.

River Ridge Elementary Theater Winners named Overall Grand Champion for the STEAMIFY event 2019!

River Ridge 3 - Coach, Dawn Jeffers and Grand Champion team members are:

Adetutu Adeyemi, Brayden Edleman, Eli Li, Caroline Peyton, Ella Grace Taylor, Connor Trammell, and Aaron Vinal.

4^th and 5^th Grade Dance Challenge

Baker Place Elementary - 2nd Place!

Coaches are: Marie Blindauer and Jeanne Keeler

Team members include: Daveon Billingsley, Sydney Bizzell, Haley Green, Kamila Tirado, Kelsey Tirado, Yabriel Torres, and Jamiyah White.

The challenge was to identify a specific technological advancement that has changed a local ecosystem dynamic taking the perspective of animals and/or plants. The team designed their costumes and all stage designs, created an original music score, and performed a dance piece they created.

4^th and 5^th Grade THEATER Challenge

In this challenge teams had to design, direct, and present an original puppet show performance to raise awareness of a current technological issue and how it is impacting our community.

The Columbia County School District swept the entire Teater competition with teams placing first, second and third, out of 14 teams!

River Ridge Elementary

River Ridge 3 - 1st Place!

Team members are: Adetutu Adeyemi, Brayden Edleman, Eli Li, Caroline Peyton, Ella Grace Taylor, Connor Trammell and Aaron Vyhnal.

These students were also named Overall Grand Champions!

Lewiston Elementary

Shooting Stars - 2nd Place!

Coach: Ingrid Boone

Team members include: Steva Garrity, Yasmeen Khatib, Michael Martin, Bradley Meyer, Bailee Pease, and Casen Summers.

Martinez Elementary

The Eagles 4 - 3rd Place

Martinez Elementary

Coaches are: Jennifer Douglass and Madeline Sellars.

Team members of the Eagles 4 include: Aubrey Ayres, Kary Connor, Moriah Gaskin, and Keira Parrish.

4^th and 5^THVISUAL ARTS Challenge

In this challenge, teams had to identify one aspect of technology that is impacting society and illustrate the positive and negative impacts of this technology by creating a visual model of something.

NCE Full STEAM Ahead won second place in this category!

North Columbia Elementary

NCE Full STEAM Ahead - 2nd Place!

Coached by Amy Williamson.

Team members include: Sara Jane Bloodworth, Leah Bolyard, Henslee Chalker, McKenna Custer, Jaxon Hinton, Olivia Langley, and Rebekkah Watson.

4^th and 5^thGrade SPOKEN WORD Challenge

For this challenge, teams had to design, create, and perform a spoken-word piece that identifies a way that people are prevented from living their best life and how technology can be used to resolve the issue.

Stevens Creek Elementary

STCE Horizons Spoken Word 3 - 3rd Place

Stevens Creek Elementary

Coach, Tara Farr, and team members are: Eva Chu, Yash Fullzele, Nethra Shenoy, and Jessica Zow.

River Ridge Elementary

River Ridge 2 - 1st Place!

Coaches: Amber Dhandapani, Emily Harrison and Dawn Jeffers.

Team members are: Kashvi Boga, Katelyn Dietert, Tomris Qaradagli, and, Mayson Smith.

4^th and 5^th Grade ENGINEERING Challenge

In this challenge, teams had to design a shoe that is comfortable, fashionable, resilient, eco-friendly, and affordable.

Stevens Creek Elementary

Team B - 1st PLACE!

Team members include: Isabella Cardona-Mendez, Aysia Hawkins, Olivia McGinity, and Karina Zucco.

Stevens Creek Elementary

Engineering Team B - 3rd Place!

Team members include: Adrian Casas, Marcus Leby-Abreu, Aarav Patel, Krish Patel, Olm Patel, Dev Shetty, and Jay Shetty.

6^th through 8^th grade DANCE challenge

Evans Middle

Dancing Knight Stars - 2nd Place!

Coach Teresa Belchyk and members of the Dancing Knight Stars: Dominic Lavergne, and Jade Vandiver.

These two students competed in the 6^th through 8^th grade DANCE challenge, where they had to create a dance that chronicles the evolution of robots and proposes how robots will be used in the future.

6^ththrough 8^th Grade VISUAL ARTS Challenge

In the 6^ththrough 8^th Grade VISUAL ARTS Challenge, this team designed and created a series of four works of art using at least three different media to depict technology’s impact on a 12-year old in the years 1819, 1919, 2019, and 2119.

Evans Middle

The Masters - 2nd Place!

The Masters team was coached by Ms. Coral Vedder and team members include Cecily Burke, Kylie Peterson, and Kira McQuaig.

6^ththrough 8^thGrade AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING Challenge

This challenge required teams to design and build a flying machine. The machines could launch in any way except by using fire and they had to use mechanical power sources like rubber bands. The device had to be able to support itself using lift and the winning machines were those that stayed in flight the longest.

Greenbrier Middle

Greenbrier 1 Team - 1st Place!

Coached by Paige Dobbs and Donna Tracy.

Team members included Jordan Epstein, Kendall Schneller, Allison Sidley, and Sam Winestein.

Greenbrier Middle

Greenbrier Aeronauts - 2nd Place!

Coached by: Chrissy Hattaway, David Phillips; and Dr. Kim Vaughn.

Team members are Mia Edlemon, Naomi Hernandez, Kenzie Horton, Angela Ramiscal, and Daniella Richards.

6^th through 8^th Rocketry Grade Challenge

For this challenge, teams designed, built, and launched a compressed air rocket made from a plastic 2-liter soda bottle, that when launched most closely hit the center of a target with the largest amount of payload.

Greenbrier Middle School swept the competition earning first, second and third place in the competition! Congratulations Greenbrier Middle!

Greenbrier 3

1st PLACE!

Coached by Paige Dobbs and Donna Tracy

Team Members are Nola Bene Bene, Emily Forshee, Leland Green, Carissa Veriato

Greenbrier Rocketeers

2nd PLACE!

Coached by Ms. Hattaway, Mr. Phillips, and Dr. Vaughn.

Team members are: Noah Brown, Damien Bush, Luke Dowdy; and Brighton Hall.

Greenbrier Rocket Boys

3rd Place

Coached by Chrissy Hattaway, David Phillips, and Dr. Kim Vaughn.

Team Members include: Jackson Musto, Bennie Phillips, Gabriel Punke-Bendt, Andres Rueter, Nolan Toney.

Google certified Trainers

To be a trainer, individuals must first pass the Google Level 1 & 2 Certification Exams and the Google Trainer Skills Assessment, and document experience training others on Google applications.

The application process includes submitting responses to questions and a three-minute video explaining why the person should be a Trainer and providing a tutorial on a Google application. We are proud to announce our most recent educators who have earned the Google Trainer status. Congratulations teachers!

Ms. Erica Cox

Ms. Cox is a teacher at Blue Ridge Elementary. She has assisted with district trainings to help teachers master Google Classroom and she was recently featured on Channel 12 for being a Google Trainer for the district.

Ms. Melissa Friedman

Ms. Friedman is a Media Specialist at Westmont Elementary. Ms. Friedman has assisted with district trainings to help teachers become Google Level 2 certified. And this past summer Ms. Friedman did a presentation on robotics and coding at our Peach State Conference. Lastly,

Ms. Kelly Tam

Ms. Tam is a teacher at Cedar Ridge Elementary. Ms. Tam led Google Classroom trainings this summer at the Peach State Summit and on the professional learning day October 15^th. Every Tuesday afternoon at CRE she works with teachers who are seeking Google Level 1 Certified.

Karyn Warren

Ms. Warren is a teacher at the Columbia County Alternative School. Ms. Warren has helped with district trainings to assist other teachers in mastering Google Classroom. She also helps to train teachers at the Alternative School on Google applications for education.

Congratulations, to each of you for being the best you can be and for going above and beyond to help other teachers, as well!

October 22, 2019

Elementary and Middle School Parent Teacher Organization Presidents

An integral part of the success of the schools within the Columbia County School District are the parents, especially school PTO leaders. These parents give countless hours of their time, working in our classrooms, the media center, the front office; Raising money to give students and staff, items like playgrounds and computers; and helping with events such as book fairs, fun runs, and carnivals. Without these dedicated people, students would miss out on so much and teachers would carry greater loads.

Elementary Schools

Baker Place Elementary - Kelli Wirtz

Blue Ridge Elementary - Jennifer Nichols

Brookwood Elementary - Jenny Newton

Cedar Ridge Elementary- Katina Horne

Euchee Creek Elementary - David Adams

Evans Elementary - Brittany Kruppa

Greenbrier Elementary - Carson McLaughlin

Grovetown Elementary - Cynthia Bradford

Lewiston Elementary - Kim Combs

Martinez Elementary - Tina Weathers

North Columbia Elementary - Nicole Montes

North Harlem Elementary - Fancy Peterson

Parkway Elementary - Amber Shehorn

River Ridge Elementary - Rachel Stewart

Riverside Elementary - Shannon Farlow

South Columbia Elementary - Allison Adams

Stevens Creek Elementary - Jill Morris

Westmont Elementary - Kristy Clayburn

Middle Schools

Columbia Middle - Ebony Ganaway

Evans Middle - Opal Collins and Jess Evans

Greenbrier Middle - Amber Shehorn

Grovetown Middle - Deena Youngblood

Harlem Middle - Jennifer Bernstein and Emmett Perdue

Riverside Middle - Gretchen Daly and Pat Murray

Stallings Island Middle - Brittany Norton & Liz Putnam

Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship

Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) is a mentor ship and scholarship program created by Governor Nathan Deal to encourage students to persist in their educational pursuits.

Today, REACH serves nearly 1,800 scholars in 154 school districts across Georgia.

Scholars who complete the program receive $2,500 per year for up to four years, to be used toward educational costs at any University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, or eligible private post-secondary institution.

The program is funded in part by the Georgia REACH program and in part by local contributions.

For each scholarship awarded, a $5,000 donation had to be obtained.

Three local donors made these scholarships possible for our students this year.

Making a donation of $5,000, the Columbia County Foundation for Children.

Making a donation of $10,000 is ACHS Insurance

Making a donation of $10,000 is Mr. Travis Gamble.

Thank you so very much for your generosity which made these scholarships possible.

Scholars follow a rigorous educational path and sign a contract agreeing to maintain good grades; Uphold good behavior and attendance; Meet with their assigned mentor at least twice a month and their academic coach once a month; and Attend REACH activities throughout each school year until their completion of high school.

Five students, together with their parents or guardians, signed their REACH commitment contract on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 during a special signing ceremony

From Greenbrier Middle School, Maryon Parker, the child of Markell and Pashion Wyatt.

From Grovetown Middle School, Patrick Liggins, the son of Pricilla Liggins.

From Harlem Middle School, Mitchell Moon, the son of Mitchell and Jessica Moon.

From Lakeside Middle School, Alacia Johnson, daughter of Stacey Beasley.

From Stallings Island Middle, Alexys Human, granddaughter of Kelly Human.

Congratulations, students and parents, and we look forward to having you back here in four years to receive your first $2,500 award.

October 8, 2019

Great Escape Law Enforcement Competition Winners

The Grovetown High School Law and Justice program has been very successful, under the leadership of Mr. Tim Perry, who is now an assistant principal and our work-based learning coordinator and current teacher Ms. Susan Morris.

At the end of July, students in this program took part in the Great Escape Law Enforcement Competition.

This is a regional competition that includes teams from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Grovetown High was the only high school explorer post present; as the other teams were associated with law enforcement agencies.

Domestic Violence Competition

Autumn Kent; and brothers Matthew Lanham; and Michael Lanham placed first in the Domestic Violence Competition.

This competition involves a simulated domestic violence incident in which the Explorers have to separate, mediate and interview all parties involved.

They have to maintain officer safety throughout the scenario, determine if an arrest should be made, and what the appropriate criminal charge, if any, would be. They are also graded on proper handcuffing techniques and collection of any evidence.

Officer Down competition

Autumn Kent; and brothers Matthew Lanham; and Michael Lanham also placed first in this competition.

In this competition, an officer responds to a domestic disturbance in progress, communication is lost with the responding officer after his arrival on scene, and Explorers are dispatched to the scene for backup.

The teams are graded on officer safety, scene management, verbal commands, contact and control with suspect(s), assisting the downed officer, and communication with the dispatch center.

Physical Fitness Challenge

Grace placed first in the Physical Fitness Challenge, which requires competitors to run a quarter of a mile carrying a 25 pound door ram, then they continue running another three quarters of a mile. Afterwards, they have to do 30 seconds of pushups, sit ups, and squats, and then they finish the challenge by dragging a dummy that weighs 165 pounds approximately 50 feet.

Congratulations Grace for winning first place!

Unknown Trouble Competition

Grace Ene and Leah Shelt participated in the Unknown Trouble competition, which involved teams responding to a situation in which two male subjects have rented a house together. One subject has a restraining order against the other, and both parties are present. The explorers had to decide whether to make an arrest, who would be arrested, and what the charges would be.

Congratulations to these Third place winners!

Felony Traffic Stop Competition

Alysha Morales, Jamille Vasser, Leah Shelt, and Grace Ene placed first in the Felony Traffic Stop competition, which involves being dispatched to a possible robbery where two suspects stole fled the scene in a vehicle. Explorers are graded on how safely they remove the occupants of the vehicle utilizing proper cover. In addition, they are graded on proper person and vehicle search techniques.

Congratulations to these first place winners!

Drug ID competition

Alysha Morales and Jamille Vasser also earned first in this category.

This is a fifteen minute timed event in which the team sits at a table with a photo album, a drug identification bible, and an answer sheet and work together to identify photos of pharmaceutical and narcotic drugs that are numbered in the photo book.

Congradulations to these first place winners!

Girl Scout Gold Awards

In 1980, the Gold Award was created to recognize their good works and their outstanding leadership qualities. Once achieved, the Gold Award shows colleges, employers, and the community that the Girl Scout is working to change the world locally, nationally, or globally.

This award is earned by fewer than 6% of Girl Scouts annually and scouts spend one to two years working on their projects.

From Greenbrier High, Senior Alison Presby.

Alison’s mentor, Ms. Sandy Helling, is the Fund Development Specialist for Girl Scouts of Augusta.

Alison’s Gold Award project was “Children Healing through Literature.”

She collected books, toys, games, cosmetics, movies and furniture from neighbors in her area and donated them to the Joseph M. Stills Burn Center Children’s area and the neighboring Chavis House. She also led her classmates in a video campaign to record video copies of twenty children’s books.

Our second Gold Award recipient is Grovetown High Senior Allison Lewis.

Allison’s mentor is Ms. Angela Bratton.

Allison’s Gold Award project was “Introducing Girls to Computer Science at a Young Age.”

While taking computer science classes, Allison noticed that females were the minority.

She researched this and found that according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 18% of computer science majors are women. She also learned that 56% of all AP test-takers are female, 46% of AP Calculus test-takers are female, but only 19% of AP Computer Science test-takers are female.

So Allison created a computer science curriculum aimed toward middle school girls, and with the assistance of her computer science classmates, she hosted a coding workshop.

National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI)

Teacher of the Month

This organization honors teachers who excel in the field.

We are very happy and proud to share that Greenbrier High School AP Environmental Science Teacher Ms. Lesley Yarnell has been selected as the NMSI September Teacher of the Month.

NMSI Program Manager Roneshia Williams nominated Ms. Yarnell because she teaches with great passion, she shares her extraordinary love of science with her students, and she spends many hours after school preparing students for the Science Bowl and taking students to competitions.

Congratulations Ms. Yarnell for being named the NMSI September Teacher of the Month and thank you for all you do for your students!

Museum of Aviation Foundation National Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy 2019 Georgia STEM Teachers of the Year

This year at the Georgia NASA STEM Conference in Warner Robins, Georgia, we had a team of six Martinez Elementary teachers receive the STEM Teachers of the Year award for their exemplary and creative ways of instilling in their students the importance of STEM education.

Ms. Valery Dinkins, a Teacher of the Year Top Five finalist this year, Heather Graves; Debra Hunter-Green; Charmane Joiner; Elizabeth Lee; and Susan Thigpen.

Working with their students, these teachers built garden boxes outside the school to grow healthy farm-to-table food.

This project and the efforts of these teachers also helped Martinez become the first STEM certified elementary school in our district.

For being named STEM Teachers of the Year, each of these teachers was awarded a plaque and Martinez Elementary received a $1,000.00 grant to use toward the school’s STEM program.

Congratulations to these teachers, and thank you for all you do for students!

September 24, 2019

Superintendent's Student Advisory COUNCIL

These students are the presidents of their class, and they meet after school with Superintendent Dr. Sandra Carraway, Associate Superintendent Dr. Jeff Carney, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Deborah Williams, Associate Superintendent Ms. Penny Jackson and Assistant Superintendent Ms. Michele Sherman four times a year to discuss all things related to their educational experience.

At these meetings, district staff share school district news, initiatives, and achievements, and provide feedback from these school leaders who have been elected by their peers. Using their feedback, we make changes to our schools that help improve them.

Thank you, students, for your service!

Grovetown High Student Council

Brianna Ladiero - Executive Committee Chair

Jaci Woodard - Senior Class President

Jayla Jones - Junior Class President

Linda Daniels - Sophomore Class President

Ella Combs - Freshman Class President

Harlem High Student Council

Anna Burnett - Senior Class President

Ciera Baker - Junior Class President

Morgan Dansby - Sophomore Class President

Reagan Quattlebaum - Freshman Class President

Evans High Student Council

Jacie Lane - Executive Committee Chair

Laura Gordon - Senior Class President

Gina Loo - Junior Class President

Kate Yeargain - Sophomore Class President

Ruby McCook - Freshman Class President

Greenbrier high Student Council

Ryen Minton - Senior Class President

Ryann Kramer - Junior Class President

Carson Meddings - Sophomore Class President

Trinity Barrow - Freshman Class President

Lakeside High Student Council

Olivia Strickland - Student Body President

Kyler Worthington - Senior Class President

Morgan Johnson - Junior Class Co-President

Safi Ullah - Junior Class Co-President

Sahim Kashif - Sophomore Class President

Amber Avery - Freshman Class President

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce

Youth Leadership Program

In selecting members of the class, the Committee looks for individuals with demonstrated leadership qualities who have a sincere interest to serve their community; Are interested in seeking public office or in serving on boards or in key volunteer leadership roles; Seek opportunities for top leadership positions in their schools; and Represent all segments of the community and want to remain in Columbia County.

This year a total of 30 students were accepted from a very large number of applicants, with 27 being from Columbia County high schools.

One from Evans, one from Grovetown, three from Harlem, three from Lakeside, and nineteen from Greenbrier!

The following individuals received special recognition for their demonstrated leadership and interest in their community. Aaron Quashie, Madison Brueilly, Peter Christine, Thomas Dowling, Kyla Gray, Emorie Holland, James Ivey, Mackenzie Klecha, Christine Lee, Riley Macisak Medina McCowin, Hartley McKinzie, Alexandria Meyers, Olivia Neely, Caroline Nowatkowski, Julia Osborn, Maryanna Rippy, Kendall Swafford, Etta Thomas, Addison Wilson, Breonda Turner, Emma Page, Joseph Judson, Morgan Symonds, Marisa Gallo, Shivum Lal, and Jackson Matthews.

Jefferson Electric Cooperative

OutReach for Education Donations

We are pleased to share with you generous donations from Jefferson Energy Cooperative Outreach for Education Program, CORE for short, represented by Vice-President of Energy Service Mr. William Irwin and Director of Public Relations Mr. Steve Chalker.

For the second year in a row, CORE donations will be in the amount of $8,000 for Harlem Middle and $8,000 for Harlem High School!

Harlem Middle plans to use the Jefferson Energy Grant to provide a Chromebook for each grade level content teacher and SPED teacher at the school.

These thirty-nine Chromebooks will greatly impact teaching and learning.

Harlem High plans to use the $8000 to purchase a mobile laptop lab for their Science Department.

Thank you, Jefferson Energy, for providing dependable power to our Harlem schools and for these funds to support education!

August 27, 2019

Outstanding first year teacher Award

Tabitha Osborne

Euchee Creek Elementary

This past year, we created this award to be given to the most successful teacher completing his or her first full year of teaching. We had seventy-five teachers eligible to compete for the award, and principals were asked to consider how each of their first year teachers exhibited the qualities set forth in our direction statement, and, if they were outstanding, to nominate them.

Ten teachers were nominated. Then district leaders read the ten nomination forms and selected the top three candidates who would submit answers to three questions and then be observed.

The three questions were:

Why did you become a teacher?
What is the greatest challenge?
What is your greatest accomplishment?

Based on their responses and classroom observations, the team chose the outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year. At the end of year celebration for teachers who successfully completed their first full year of teaching, we announced Ms. Tabitha Osborne, Euchee Creek Elementary kindergarten teacher, as our first ever Outstanding First Year Teacher.

Euchee Creek Principal, Ms. Yeargain, says that Ms. Osborne has very high expectations of all her students and teaches with such skill that veteran teachers often observe her teaching to get new and fresh ideas. She also says Ms. Osborne is a team player who is dedicated to her students and her school, and she has a passion for teaching children that is unparalleled.

Congratulations, Ms. Osborne! You are joining the ranks of some amazing teachers, many who are here today.

American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese

Teacher of the Year

Christy Presgrove

This past March we recognized Greenbrier High School’s Christy Presgrove for being selected as the K-12 Teacher of the Year for the Georgia Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Well, this year at the 101st Annual Conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Ms. Presgrove was named the AATSP Teacher of the Year Secondary Level.

Ms. Presgrove has taught Spanish for twenty years and still has a passion for students and foreign language. Her colleagues agree that she is as “well-versed in travel, language, and culture” as she is “gifted in teaching skills.”

Congratulations, Ms. Presgrove! What an honor!

2019-2020 teachers of the year

Elementary School Teachers of the Year

Baker Place - Jennifer Butterfield
Blue Ridge - Charis Resto
Brookwood - Lisa Tyler
Cedar Ridge - Amy Sasser
Euchee Creek - Julie Busby
Evans - Caitlin McFadden

Greenbrier - Patricia Thomas
Grovetown - Chasity Foster
Lewistion - Ashlei Perkins
Martinez - Valery Dinkins
North Columbia - Tiffany Eargle
North Harlem - Andrea Eremus

Parkway - Liza Bragg
River Ridge - Dawn Jeffers
Riverside - Wendy Cutchins
South Columbia - Melanine Ansley
Stevens Creek - Melissa Watson
Westmont - Olga Biancheri

Middle School Teachers of the Year

Columbia - Robert Ferguson
Evans - Tracie White
Greenbrier - David Phillips
Grovetown - Erin Kwon
Harlem - Melinda Palmer
Lakeside - Samaritan Bess Simmons
Riverside - Brynn Beavers
Stallings Island - Tommy Kirk

High School Teachers of the Year

Evans - Thomas Holtzner
Greenbrier - Cathy Gray
Grovetown - Brett Carter
Harlem - Cynthia Wheeless
Lakeside - Cynthia Evans-Blair

Congratulation to all the Teachers of the Year!

Columbia County Teacher of the Year Finalists

After being named as their school's Teacher of the Year, each candidate had to complete a lengthy application that the district judges scored independently using state Teacher of the Year criteria.

From their scoring, the judges identified the top five finalists who we will list to you now in no particular order:

Samaritan Bess Simmons
Thomas Holtzner
Erin Kwon
Valery Dinkins
David Phillips

In September, these five teachers will be observed and interviewed by the same team of judges who scored the applications. From those visits, the team will help us identify the 2019-2020 Columbia County Teacher of the Year, who will go on to represent Columbia County at the state level.

We look forward to honoring all of these outstanding educators again, at the Teacher of the Year banquet October 3, and at that time, we will announce the Columbia County School District 2020 Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to our five Teacher of the Year finalists!

August 13, 2019

United Way of the CSRA

Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive 2019

We recognized the United Way of the CSRA for two of their initiatives that directly affect our students.

For several years now, United Way has held the Stuff the Bus campaign and gathered school supplies for students in Columbia and Richmond Counties. Citizens, companies, and organizations come together to make this campaign a success.

This year, there were several corporations that “blew this out of the water” for United Way” and we want to recognize them. ADP stuffed two buses with nearly 25,000 items just themselves. How awesome is that!!

Other businesses who went the extra mile are include Target, Textron and WJBF.

Representatives pictured above include United Way of the CSRA President and CEO Ms. Brittany Burnett and Jennifer Prouty, Marketing & Digital Initiatives Manager.

From ADP, Ms. Cheryl Mulvehill, Vice-President of Service National Accounts and local United Way Chapter board member.

Target Executive Team Leader of Human Resources Ms. Erica Priester and Store Director Ms. Kalyn Brannon;

Textron Director of Communications Mr. Brandon Haddock and Communications Associate Ms. Kelsey Walker

WJBF, Director of Digital Journalism Scott Elledge.

In addition three student volunteers and members of the Lakeside High School National Honor Society assisted in loading and unloading the school supplies. These students are: Phoebe Bagby, Kylie Pruett and Jackson Matthews.

District employees helped with this event as well, including school Bus drivers, Ms. Deborah Cross and Vivian Sargent-Davis, and staff from the Columbia County Alternative School, Ms. Mallie Baker and Ms. Steve Aaronson.

Big thanks to our School Social Workers who help divvy up these donated school supplies to our students and families in need!

Brian Adams, Twana Bruce, Mohra Hill-Smith, Demetria Johnson, Belinda Lee-Scott, Janice Scarbary and Catherine Corey.

Thank you to all of these people who helped make this year’s Stuff the Bus campaign possibly the biggest yet!

In addition to much needed school supplies, the United Way of the CSRA has helped us this year with the addition of five VISTA volunteers.

VISTA, or Volunteers in Service to America, is a national service program designed to help alleviate poverty. These five individuals will help coordinate services and resources for our wrap-around services.

Thank you, United Way, for all you do for families in our area!

Target employees!

Columbia County volunteers pause for a little fun during the supply drive!

A quick trip to ADP with their army of volunteers resulted in more than 25,000 school supply items for the United Way of the CSRA Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive, benefitting Richmond, Columbia and McDuffie counties! Thank you ADP!

Eagle scout recipients

Maxwell Harley, the son of Michael and Elizabeth Harley, is a member of Troop 615 chartered by Wesley United Methodist Church. Max earned thirty-two merit badges, making him an Eagle Scout with Gold and Silver Palms. The Eagle Palms are additional degrees of the Eagle Scout rank.

During Max's pinning ceremony, he was awarded his grandfather's Eagle pin from 1960, and his great-grandfather's Eagle pin from 1930. He presented mentor pins to Lakeside Assistant Principal, Mr. Tim Reeve, and Director of Bands, Mr. James Tau, because of the tremendous impact they had on him during his years at Lakeside High School.

Max's Eagle Scout project was a collaboration with Wesley United Methodist Church's ReStart Augusta, which provides beds and bedding to Augusta area residents who cannot afford these items. He collected and donated over 200 items.

He will be attending Georgia College and State University as a Trustee Scholar and plans to double major in Economics and History.

Max wanted to make sure we knew that he is extremely grateful to the faculty and staff at Lakeside High and the members of Troop 615 for all of their support over the years.

Congratulations, Max!

Christopher Johnson, the son of Theodore and Lynn Johnson, is also a member of Troop 615. Chris has earned thirty-six merit badges, making him and Eagle Scout with Gold and Silver Palms.

Chris' Eagle Scout project was to build a Gaga ball pit at Camp Tanglewood. Gaga Ball is an Israeli game that is enjoyed in many summer camps across the U.S. Chris built an octagon-shaped arena that is about twelve feet in diameter and three feet tall.

All of the supplies were donated by the Evans Home Depot. The prep work began in December and the project was completed January 27, 2018.

Congratulations, Chris!

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest Winner 2019

For the twenty-ninth year, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia have held a “Give Wildlife a Chance” poster contest for kindergarten through fifth-grade students in Georgia.

Each school may send one first place winner from each division to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to compete at the state-level.

This past school year, Brookwood Elementary Art Teacher Ms. Deborah Sailors had her art club members participate in the contest.

This year, the poster theme was “Pollinator Power.”

Ms. Sailors chose winners based on craftsmanship, the use of color and value, and the poster’s representation of the “Pollinator Power” theme.

Of those posters, Briana Baker’s artwork was chosen to represent Brookwood Elementary in the Third-Fourth Grades Division, and she won third place.

Congratulations, Brianna, and thank you, Ms. Sailors for giving your students this great opportunity!

Pictured are Columbia County Foundation for Children Board members Ms. Michele Young and CCSD School Social Worker Jan Scarbary.

Columbia County Foundation for Children Summer School Student Tuition Assistance Program

The Columbia County Foundation for Children was founded over 25 years ago to assist families with children. The guiding philosophy for the Foundation is to “help children to be the best that they can be.”

Representing the Foundation is Board Member and volunteer Ms. Michele Young, who retired from the Columbia County School District, after serving as a counselor and Social Worker and our very own Ms. Jan Scarbary, a Foundation Member and a School Social Worker with the Columbia County School District.

The Foundation has provided a little over $51,000 dollars in aid and assistance to Columbia County families during the 2018 – 2019 school year through several programs, such as:

- - - The Pantry Project
    - The Christmas Gift Program
    - College and Technical School Scholarships
    - Benevolence requests
    - Summer School tuition assistance

The Foundation paid $2,400.00 for seventeen students from our high schools to attend summer school. Thank you, Ms. Young, and all the members of your organization for making a difference in the lives of our students and their families!

U.S. Army eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition Winners

eCYBERMISSION is a web-based STEM competition for students in grades six through nine.

Teams identify problems in their community from defined categories, they explore the problem, and then they work toward a solution.

Three times throughout the year, STEM Professionals from across the country score the work based on:

- - - Application of Scientific Inquiry or the Engineering Design Process
    - Benefit to the Community
    - Team Collaboration

eCYBERMISSION has approximately 5,000 teams compete yearly in this national event.

We are proud to recognize two teams, Foodiez and Brain Saverz, from Greenbrier Middle, who worked under the direction of Teachers David Phillips and Martha Perry.

Foodiez

Emily Forshee, Leland Green, and Carissa Veriato

This team developed an app that scans food labels and identifies hidden or cleverly named allergens or restricted ingredients based on user input. For their work, they won second place in the state of Georgia!

Brain Saverz

Alyssa Bartlett, Maya Wetherell, and Olivia Maxwell (not pictured), who now lives in North Carolina.

Team Brain Saverz designed a headband that can monitor and record head impacts during a contact sport. For their work, they won first place in Georgia and Top 3 in the Southeast Division, which includes teams from Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Congratulations Brain Saverz and all of these students and their teachers!

International STEAM Maker Competition - Hong Kong

This past October Augusta University held the MindFrame competition.

Under the direction of Mr. David Phillips and Math Teacher Christan Hattaway, Greenbrier Middle School’s team won the overall grand prize for middle school engineering.This win opened the door for them to compete in the International Young STEAM Maker Competition at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

The Director of the STEAM Education and Research Centre at Lingnan University wanted American schools to compete in the competition and he was able to use university funding to pay 80% of the students’ travel expenses.

Greenbrier Middle was the only American team to participate in the competition and they competed against 111 teams! Those teams had projects that were larger and more elaborate than theirs, mostly because Greenbrier’s projects had to be taken on an overseas flight. Also, the Greenbrier teams had only about one month to get their projects ready for the competition, while most of the other teams spent three to five months working on theirs.

MagLev Makers

Emily Forshee, Leland Green, and Carissa Veriato

These students designed a new generation of urban transportation using a magnetically levitated smart car hoping to eventually completely eliminate the use of fossil fuel.

Their car could intelligently detect the weight of the passenger to determine power usage.

Congratulations, MagLev Makers!

While attending the STEAM Makers competition, all students were divided into random groups for an alternate competition. MagLev Makers team member Carissa Veriato’s random group received third place in the Best Collaborative Team category.

WES Tech

Jordan Epstein, Kendall Schneller, and Sam Weinstein

This team designed a self-sustainable house that is able to collect and filter usable drinking water, while at the same time generating electricity from the movement of water into the filter.

Wes Tech won:

- - - Third Place Most Creative Division
    - Second Place Best Performance Division
    - Second Place Problem Solver Division
    - Second Place Most Talented Division
    - Second Place Grand Prize overall STEAM maker Exhibition and Presentation

Congratulations, WES Tech!

Teachers from each of the 111 teams competed against each other. Mr. Phillips won second place in the Best STEAM teacher category. Way to go, Mr. Phillips!

Icing on the cake is that Senator Perdue honored these students and Mr. Phillips, making their accomplishment part of the United States Congressional Record.

Way to go, Greenbrier Middle!

Georgia Department of Education Georgia Parent Leadership Award Winner

The Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Parent Teacher Association created the Parent Leadership award to honor parents who give of their skills and talents to strengthen our schools and positively impact the lives of children.

This year, only six parents were selected from across the state to receive the Georgia Parent Leadership Award, and we are proud to share that Mr. Darren Scheyer, President from Riverside Elementary, was one of those six!

Mr. Wright nominated Mr. Scheyer, because he has spent countless hours on campus, used social media to effectively communicate with parents about the PTO, and fully supported the school’s efforts to inform parents about instructional matters and celebrate students’ successes.

He approaches his duties with a steadfast belief that parent-teacher organizations exist for the purpose of supporting teaching and learning.

We know Mr. Scheyer from our advisory council, and we couldn’t agree more!

Congratulations, Mr. Scheyer!

Outstanding Educator Award

Mr. Tony Wright, Chief of Human Resources Officer, was recently awarded the 2019 Outstanding Educator Award at the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders.

To be awarded the Outstanding Educator Award, the individual must possess a record of service that is considered exemplary and exhibit leadership characteristics that are considered a positive role model for others.

We all agree Mr. Wright is that kind of person and we are proud to have him on our team.

Congratulations, for a well-deserved recognition!

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