Board of Education

Key elected as chair of BoE

Veteran Fayette County Board of Education member Marion Key, newly elected as board chair. File photo.

Fayette County Board of Education member Marion Key received a unanimous vote Monday night to serve as school board chairman during 2013 while board member Bob Todd, also on a unanimous vote, will serve as vice-chairman.

The election of the chair and vice-chair came with essentially no discussion. New board member Mary Kay Bacallao made a motion that Key serve as chair. The motion passed by unanimous vote. Read More»

Decision time arrives for Fayette BoE cost-cutting

When it comes to academics the Fayette County School System is in fine shape. But in terms of finances, 2012 was the year that saw a majority vote by the Fayette County Board of Education to kick the fiscal can down the road for the last time. And 2013 will be the year the new school board will have to pick up the pieces and make historic cuts that will take effect July 1. Read More»

2 incoming BoE members pray for Newtown victims

New Fayette County Board of Education members Mary Kay Bacallao and Barry Marchman were joined by nearly a dozen elected officials, community members and Fellowship of Christian Athletes representatives Dec. 21 for a prayer service outside the school system’s central office building. The prayer service was held to remember the victims in the Connecticut shooting and for the local school system and school board. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Cold winds Friday afternoon did not stop two new members of the Fayette County Board and Education and nearly a dozen community members from conducting a prayer service in the parking lot of the school system’s central office building in downtown Fayetteville.

The group formed a prayer circle as they prayed for the families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings and for the Fayette County School System. Read More»

Forecast for Fayette schools: $15 million more in cuts

One of the dozens of schoolbuses operated by the Fayette County School System. Photo/Maggie Zerkus.

The Fayette County School System has been saving money by not filling some vacated positions and watching expenses since the school year began in August. But, as expected, the final report from the cost-cutting committee at the Monday night meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education showed the need in the coming months to plan for approximately $15 million in cuts so the school board in June can adopt a balanced budget for the 2013-2014 school year. Read More»

Proposed school cuts to be aired Dec. 17

A Dec. 17 presentation before the Fayette County Board of Education on the findings of the school system’s cost-cutting committee is likely to contain unsettling news for many system employees and parents.

Cuts faced by the school board in coming months represent what are arguably the largest single-year cuts in the history of the school system. Read More»

Fayette BoE picks interim superintendent

New interim Fayette County School Superintendent Dan Colwell. Photo/Special.

Longtime Fayette County resident and former Clayton County School Superintendent Dan Colwell was appointed Monday night as interim superintendent with the Fayette County School System. Read More»

Bearden gets top job with Rome City Schools

The second time around for Fayette County School Superintendent Jeff Bearden was a charm. Bearden has been hired to be the new superintendent at Rome City Schools in Floyd County.

The Rome City Schools Board of Education on Wednesday named Bearden to the school system’s top job, according to the Rome News-Tribune. The school board vote was unanimous. Read More»

Schools apply for $4.25 million in fix-ups

The Fayette County School System is submitting an application to request state funds that will help with a number of capital projects next year that will bring roofing or heating-air conditioning work to four schools. The state funds requested total $4.25 million.

State funding through the FY 2014 Capital Outlay Program is being requested for projects at McIntosh High School, North Fayette Elementary School, Flat Rock Middle School and Burch Elementary School.

The school system also has funds being collected through the current E-SPLOST that are designated for facilities improvements. Read More»

Top level changes ahead for school system’s central office

There are several organizational and administrative changes coming to the Fayette County School System. Approved by the Fayette County Board of Education Monday night and topping the list is the appointment of assistant superintendent Sam Sweat as the new deputy superintendent, former audits supervisor Tom Gray to assistant superintendent of business and personnel management and education director Tracie Fleming as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Read More»

BoE puts out-of-county students idea on hold

Qualified out-of-county students paying tuition to attend Fayette County schools? That policy was put on hold by a unanimous vote of the Fayette County Board of Education at the Nov. 12 meeting.

The idea of accepting out-of-county students in Fayette County schools as a way of increasing needed revenues, Read More»