Schools

Chiefs complete season sweep of Starr’s Mill

McIntosh and Starr’s Mill battled in the second game of their season series affectionately called “Battle of the Bubble.” Both the McIntosh boys and girls teams won, completing the season sweep. All of the McIntosh and Starr’s Mill teams will have a bye entering this week’s region tournament. Photo/Michael Boylan.

The sequel to the Battle of the Bubble (the annual meetings of the boys and girls basketball teams of Starr’s Mill) wasn’t as intense as the first installment. McIntosh’s Lady Chiefs cruised to a 46-27 win over Starr’s Mill and the McIntosh boys defeated Starr’s Mill 58-46, one of the first match-ups between these two schools in recent memory that did not come down to a buzzer beater. Read More»

Battle for the Bubble Part II

Battle for the Bubble Part II

The Super Bowl will be long over but residents of Fayette County looking for a big game won’t have to go far or wait too long for another excellent match-up. Starr’s Mill’s boys and girls basketball teams take the short trip to McIntosh on Tuesday night for the final games of the regular season. McIntosh’s boys and girls are on top of the sub-region and are ranked but their matches against their rivals went down to the wire early in January. Expect some great competition and school spirit at McIntosh on Tuesday night. The girls game begins at 6 p.m. Read More»

CEC students to appear in video with Lt. Gov. Cagle

Four students from the Central Educational Center in Newnan recently participated in a video shoot with Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle at the Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Atlanta studios to highlight Georgia’s College and Career Academies. From left in front of the video green screen are Brittany Clifton, Josh Bruce, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Amber Rogers and Leah Gailliot. Photo/Special.

Four Coweta County high school students attending the Central Educational Center recently traveled to Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Atlanta studios to participate in a video shoot with Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. The short video will be used state-wide by the Lt. Governor’s office and others to encourage and promote college and career academies in Georgia. Read More»

Starr’s Mill’s Wind Ensemble plays UGA

Starr’s Mill’s Wind Ensemble plays UGA

On Jan. 17, the Starr’s Mill Wind Ensemble performed at the University of Georgia’s JanFest Musical Festival for music students and their directors from three states. The group played four difficult musical selections, each earning a standing ovation. The 41-member group is a true wind ensemble with only one student per part, requiring extreme personal responsibility and ability to insure that each instrumental part is covered. This effectively makes each musician a soloist. Read More»

Curriculum debate heats up as locals decry intent

A new set of standards in math and English language arts is being implemented in Georgia’s public schools. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was adopted by the Georgia State Board of Education in 2010, with classroom implementation occurring during the current school year. Read More»

The school lines are drawn

The preliminary map of proposed attendance zones for Fayette County elementary schools. Source/Fayette BoE website.

Preliminary redistricting map proposes closing 4 schools, moves a minimum of 1,536 students

It was arguably the largest attendance seen in recent memory at a meeting of the Fayette County Board of Education. An estimated 900 people attended the Jan. 28 meeting at Sams Auditorium to voice their opinions on the potential closure of three elementary schools and one middle school beginning in August. Read More»

Huddleston students make some puppets

Huddleston students make some puppets

First grade enrichment students from Huddleston Elementary recently visited The Center of Puppetry Arts in Atlanta as the culminating activity of their Fairy Tale unit. They attended a “Sleeping Beauty” play and participated in a “Make it, take it” session. Ryan Bodmer creates an owl puppet during the “Make it, take it” portion. Photo/Special.

Braves ace pitches against texting and driving

Braves ace pitches against texting and driving

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson appeared at East Coweta High School recently, warning students against texting and driving as a part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign. Hudson’s appearance was thanks to ECHS student Adriana Williams, who signed up for AT&T’s no texting and driving pledge at a recent Braves’ game and won the visit. Photo/Special.

Senoia school gets charter extension

It was an announcement that parents of school children at the Coweta Charter Academy (CCA) at Senoia have been waiting for. The school last week received a five-year renewal of its charter and is expected to soon begin construction work that will expand the school on Ga. Highway 16 on Senoia’s west side.

Ga. Charter Educational Foundation (GCEF) board member Lyn Michaels-Carden said the CCA received a five-year charter renewal last week from the Ga. State Board of Education. The renewal is effective beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, Michaels-Carden said. Read More»

Fayette schools prep for hazards of all varieties

Georgia Emergency Management Agency School Safety Coordinator Anna Lumpkin, standing, speaks with Fayette County School System administrators and local public safety personnel Jan. 11 on a number of the variables related to an update of the school system’s emergency crisis plan. Photo/Ben Nelms.

Changes made to current emergency response plans; exercises scheduled

Principals and administrators from across the Fayette County School System were joined by law enforcement and emergency management officials from around Fayette County on Jan. 11 to discuss the school system’s emergency crisis plan with representatives from the Ga. Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). The heavily attended meeting resulted in several updates and additions to the school system’s longstanding emergency plan. Read More»