Back To School 2010

Back to School

Sunday, August 1, 2010 — 1D

Teachers, school board ready for ‘fresh start’

By JEFF BISHOP jbishop@newnan.com School doesn’t begin until Monday, Aug. 9, but teachers can already be seen in their classrooms, readying them for the new year.

“It’s exciting to look forward to a new school year. It’s a fresh start,” said Becky Bush, who teaches physical education to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at Lee Middle School.

Bush has already visited her school to fix up her office and begin writing new lesson plans to meet the new, recently adopted curriculum standards.

After that, she went over to help her friend, fellow teacher Joanna Spatero, at White Oak Elementary School.

“We’re constructing new shelves, just getting things organized,” said Spatero, who teaches first grade.

“I like to move things around — mix it up,” she said.

Creating a new setting for the new school year helps her to get inspired, she said.

“You try new things, thinking about what you’d like to improve on,” she said. “What worked last year? What didn’t work? You have to think about these things so you can be even more effective. There are always new ways of doing things that might be worth a try.”

Organization is a big part of being ready for Day One, she said.

“Being organized helps me keep track of things so that I’ll be ready to teach these kids,” said Spatero With sales tax revenues at their lowest ebb since 2006, it’s perhaps good to know that student population growth has slowed down in lockstep with the economic downturn, said Coweta County School System Superintendent Blake Bass.

“Student population growth hasn’t been an issue — it hasn’t been here because of the recession,” Bass said. “So we haven’t had a building need in the last year or so.”

The newest school is Brooks Elementary, which opened in the fall of 2008 in north Coweta. The school system doesn’t see any more new schools on the horizon, at least in the foreseeable future.

That doesn’t mean the school system won’t have other needs — especially as the state cuts further into local school system budgets.

“We’re in a little better shape than most counties at this time,” said Winston Dowdell, Coweta County Board of Education member and former administrator.

Sales tax revenues are “not good,” said school system finance officer Keith Chapman. That’s the same tune school systems are singing all

over the state of Georgia.

Right now the school system is bringing in about $1.5 million per month — or $19.1 million between March 2009 and Feb. 2010, compared to nearly $21 million during the same period for the two previous years.

“But even with the reduced collections we should have enough money in the bank to repay our bonds with the sales tax,” said Chapman.

School board member Harry Mullins said that the school system has been a good steward of taxpayer dollars and as a result “we’ll have no more debt soon.”

When the bonds are paid off, the school system will be in a “pay as you go” situation with the incoming sales tax revenue, Bass pointed out.

“Hopefully when we get to the point of ‘pay as we go,’ we’ll have more coming in than $1.5 million per month,” Bass said. “We do have some transportation needs and some other needs.”

The school system is in good shape when it comes to meeting the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation: all 27 county schools and the school system as a whole met AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) last year.

“That was exceptional,” said Bass. “All of our schools, and our school system as a whole, exceeded every standard set out by No Child Left Behind.”

Currently there are no Coweta schools on the No Child Left Behind “Needs Improvement” list for the first time in many years, Bass pointed out — although two schools (Evans Middle and Newnan High) did not make AYP. “This has been a goal of ours for several years,” said Superintendent of Schools Blake Bass. “With 31 schools and rising achievement requirements, not having a school on Needs Improvement is a significant accomplishment.”

The 2010-11 school year will begin Monday, Aug. 9 and end on Friday, May 27.

All schools will hold a visitation/orientation day before school begins on Friday, Aug. 6.

Orientation Times on Friday, August 6 are: • Middle Schools: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (all middle schools) • Elementary Schools: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (all elementary schools).

• High Schools: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (all high schools) The school calendar for 2010-2011 is similar to the previous calendars used by the Coweta County School System, and includes a full-week Thanksgiving Break, a two-week Christmas and New Year’s break, a full-week break in late February and a full week of spring break. The calendars allow for 180 days of student instruction, and completion of the first semester before the Christmas break.

I like to move things around mix it up, said Joanna Spatero, first grade teacher at White Oak Elementary School. Creating a new setting for the new school year helps her to get inspired, she said. You try new things, thinking about what you d like to improve on, she said.

The Ellis Arnall Middle School still needs letters for its sign out front, but otherwise school officials are prepared for an exciting new year.

The East Coweta Marching Indians have been practicing all summer to get ready for the new marching season. Band camp was held at the school during the last week of July, from 8 in the morning until 10 p.m. each night.

An empty cafeteria may seem a little eerie, but it s all part of getting the school ready for a new year. This is the cafeteria at White Oak Elementary.

Students at East Coweta High School are already on campus as activities such as band begin to gear up. The energy level is high as students prepare for the beginning of a new school year.

2D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, August 1, 2010

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Back-to-school shopping season looking bleak Consumer confidence dropped for the second straight month in July, prompting a bleak outlook for the back-to-school shopping season The Conference Board said Tuesday. “Concerns about business conditions and the labor market are casting a dark cloud over consumers that is not likely to lift until the job market improves,� Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said in a release. “Given consumers’ heightened level of anxiety, along with their pessimistic income outlook and lackluster job growth, retailers are very likely to face a challenging backto-school season.�

Associated Press reports that the Consumer Confidence Index reached 50.4 in July, a decrease from 54.3 in June and a sharp decline from the 62.7 reached in May. The base year, 1985, is equal

to 100 in the index.

One component of the index, which measures how shoppers feel now about the economy, declined to 26.1, from 26.8. The other barometer, which measures shoppers' outlook over the next six months, declined to 66.6, from 72.7.

The index — which measures how shoppers feel about business conditions, the job market and the next six months — had been recovering fitfully since hitting an alltime low of 25.3 in February 2009.

Other economic measurements by The Conference Board also declined in July.

The Present Situation Index, which measures current economic concerns, dropped from 26.8 in June to 26.1 in July. The Expectations Index, which indicates future concerns, stood at 66.6 in July, a decrease from the 72.7 recorded in June.

The Conference Board, a

New York City-based nonprofit, bases its survey on a sample of 5,000 U.S. households. July’s numbers were gathered before July 21.

A separate survey suggests that the back-to-school shopping season might not be so bad.

According to a retail outlook survey conducted by Deloitte LLP and Deloitte Services LP, nearly 28 percent of consumers say they plan to spend more on back-to-school shopping this year. Seventeen percent of consumers said they plan to spend less money.

The decline in consumer confidence follows last month's nearly 10-point drop, from 62.7 in May, which marked the biggest since February, when the measure also fell 10 points.

"Consumers have a much different view of the economy than the stock market does, and their views matter more to the economy," said Mark Vitner, an economist at Wells

Fargo. The reading, he says, "tells me that the economy is heading for slower growth in the second half."

The index typically falls before the economy slows down, and on the way out of a recession, the expectations component, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the reading, rises sharply, Franco said.

Economists say the expectations component correlates more closely with the stock market movements, but Vitner noted that the big plunge in May has made such an imprint on consumers that the recent rebound hasn't registered. On the other hand, confidence usually rises before an improvement in the gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic activity, Vitner said.

Economists watch the number closely because consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity and is critical to a

No ‘tax free weekend’ for shoppers this year Many parents still haven’t received the word that Georgia’s state legislators opted not to renew the traditional “tax free weekend� for back-to-school shoppers this year due to a $2 billion budget deficit.

Ouch. “WHAT!?!� said Kimberly Purgason Elrod of Newnan. “I usually wait to shop for school supplies and clothes,� until the tax-free weekend kicked in. But that won’t be an option for her this year. “I’ll go ahead and hit the sales now,� she said. “Guess I’ll be raiding closets and friends’ closets, too! And mending last year’s book bags!�

The tax-free holiday had been in place since 2002, helping parents save on clothes, school supplies, book bags, computers, and other “back to school� items.

Some stores added traction to the event by holding special sales on their own for items that did not qualify for the exemption, saving parents even more money.

But the recession has hit hard, and state officials said the money just wasn’t there this year. The holiday was costing the state about $12 million in revenue. “What I hear Georgians say is they’d rather have their classroom teachers in the classroom teaching than have that sales tax holiday,� said House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) during March budget negotiations.

But the decision not to fund the tax holiday couldn’t have hit cash-strapped — and sometimes unemployed — parents at a worse time. Unemployment in Coweta is still unusually high, at 9.7 percent, although not as high as it was last winter.

Retail outlets say they expect shoppers to show up, anyway — tax break or no tax break. And some local parents say they are trying to look on the bright side. “In a way, it’s a relief, because I will not feel pressured to buy all the school supplies like I used to on tax-free day,� said Jennifer Starr of Turin. “It was almost not worth fighting through the crowds of people.�

Daniel Brock, who grew up in Turin and graduated from East Coweta High School but now lives near Cleveland, Tenn., said things could be worse. “At least you have the luxury of living in Georgia and not paying the Tennessee sales tax rate we have up here,� said Brock. “Depending on the city, it ranges from 9.5 percent to 10.75 percent. You gotta love that lack of income tax we have here.�

Teach children healthy foods are fun

By ERIN BLACK eblack@newnan.com As children head back to school on August 9, parents are confronted with new concerns on how to encourage their kids to forego unhealthy snacks at school lunches and reach for more nutritious foods.

According to author Tatiana Vidal, this transformation from the sugary, deep-fried confections which naturally attract children to healthier options takes place in the home. “I learned early that healthy eating habits begin at home,� Vidal said. “The time I spent in my grandmother’s kitchen are some of the happiest memories of my childhood.�

Vidal says the trick for getting children to eat healthier is in teaching them healthy foods are also fun. “For many parents, getting their children to eat healthy foods is a constant struggle.

They will often give up and feed them whatever they want just so they’ll eat something, anything� said Vidal.

Vidal claims that to illustrate to those picky eaters that eating healthy and cooking healthy is fun by implementing simple math with measurements, learning about the food pyramid and

where food comes from, they begin to enjoy their food instead of eating mindlessly. “In this environment, their creativity is unleashed,� she said.

Mazel.�

Vidal said of her book: “‘My House Chef’ is meant to educate, inspire creativity, and persuade children to make good food choices.�

employers eliminated 85,000 jobs in July, following a loss of 125,000 in June. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters on average expect the jobless rate to rise to 9.6 percent, from 9.5 percent.

Retailers had a surprisingly solid start to the year, but business has been slowing since April. Stores have had to deepen their discounts on summer clothing more than planned to make room for back-to-school merchandise.

That raises concern about whether stores will have to mark down fall goods earlier than expected to get shoppers to buy.

The Conference Board survey, based on a random survey mailed to 5,000 households, showed that consumers' assessment of the job market was more negative than the month before. Those claiming that jobs are "hard to get" increased to 45.8 from 43.5 percent, while those saying jobs are "plentiful" remained unchanged at 4.3 percent.

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After-School Pre-Registration held Aug. 5 and 6 Representatives of Coweta County Schools After-School Program will be at county elementary schools on August 5 and 6 to help parents pre-register their child for on-site afterschool care.

All registrations will be conducted by an ASP Site Coordinator in each school’s cafeteria. To enroll, parents must pay a $20 non-refundable registration fee for each child.

The Coweta County After School Program is a self-supported, non-educational, daycare program held at all Coweta County elementary schools. The hours of operation are 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on each day schools are in session.

Tuition will remain the same for the 2010-11 school year at $12 per day, or $9 per day reserved when pre-paid by Friday on the week before.

Spaces are limited, and parents are urged to pre-enroll students to ensure placement.

Vidal provides more information on making healthy eating fun along with simple, kidfriendly and nutritious recipes in her cookbook “My House Chef: Cooking with Lory and

strong recovery. A reading above 90 indicates the economy is on solid footing.

With unemployment stuck near 10 percent, Americans are skittish about spending. A continuing stream of sobering economic data — from disappointing job figures in May and June to weak housing numbers — is increasing worries that the economic recovery is stalling just as government stimulus programs are disappearing.

In particular, concerns are rising about the housing market. While the S&P/CaseShiller 20-city home price index released Tuesday showed a 1.3 percent rise in May from April, the home buyer's tax credit, which expired April 30, had an impact on the reading. In fact, the report warned that the recent gains in home prices are not likely to last.

Economists will monitor Friday's first reading on second-quarter GDP. Only modest growth is expected. And on Aug. 6 the government is expected to report that

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4D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, August 1, 2010

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Coweta County Schools’ 2010-2011 Dress Code Guidelines Each Coweta County school is responsible for setting and enforcing a dress code for students. The school’s principal or other duly authorized school official shall determine if a student’s attire or grooming meets reasonable and appropriate guidelines.

Parents and students should consult their school’s guide or call the principal for information regarding specific dress code requirements in their school. However, the following standards are generally common to each school: Book Bags: Coweta County Schools no longer require clear or mesh book bags.

Coweta County Schools generally discourage or prohibit rolling book bags. Please check with your school before purchasing a book bag if you have a question about what is allowable.

Elementary School Dress Standards Students should wear clothing that is clean and suitable for school activities, keeping in mind weather conditions and good taste. Shoes must be worn at all times. Pants are to be worn at the waist and fastened securely. The following are not to be worn at school: halter-tops, tank tops, fishnet tops and midriff blouses; excessively large or baggy clothing; tops and dresses with spaghetti straps; muscle shirts; shirts that advertise alcohol, tobacco, or drugs; short shorts and skirts (Your index finger should touch the hem of the shorts); shorts covered by a fulllength shirt; bicycle pants or shorts; clothing with open holes above the

knee; clothing that is suggestive, advocates disobedience to society or causes a possible disruption to the school; clothing or attire with statements or symbols which might be deemed offensive to others, violent or of a threatening nature; shoes with cleats and/or wheels (heelys); hardware chains; caps, hats, visors, any other headgear, and sunglasses.

Middle School Dress Standards In the interest of having a safe, orderly school, which minimizes distractions and maximizes the learning environment, a dress code has been established for all middle school students in the Coweta County School System.

Every middle school student is expected to dress and be groomed in accordance with acceptable standards of cleanliness and modesty. Students may wear dresses, blouses, shirts, or any other types of clothing appropriate to the sex of the individual that does not violate the intent of the dress code.

The dress standard is as follows: If a student chooses to wear shorts or a skirt, the shorts or skirt must be of appropriate length. The appropriate measurement will be determined when the student is standing erect, hands by his/her side, fingertips not extending below the hem of the clothing, maintaining modesty at all times. Biker shorts, spandex apparel, excessively form fitting shirts, shorts, pants, or skirts are not allowed.

All shirts, blouses, and dresses must have sleeves. Shirts and blouses must not be excessively long and should not be a safety concern or a disruption. If a

shirt is too long, it must be tucked.

Clothing should not expose areas of stomach, side, or back. Oversized clothing is not allowed.

Pants must be appropriately sized for width and hemmed to a safe length.

Underwear should not be visible. Pant size should not hinder ability to move about easily and safely. Pants must be fastened securely at the waist. Pants may not have holes or the appearance of holes above the knees. Overalls or coveralls must be worn properly.

No items of clothing are allowed that may be affiliated with gang activity, as defined by administration and law enforcement.

No “hardware chains” may be worn as belts, wallet chains, or jewelry. No chains of this type are allowed on school campus or at any school function. No hats, bandannas, or headbands may be worn or displayed during the instructional day.

No items may be worn with inappropriate pictures, symbols, or lettering.

This includes but is not limited to depictions of alcohol, drugs, or weapons. Statements that might be deemed offensive to others are prohibited. No writing is allowed on the seat of pants or skirts.

Pajamas and/or house shoes or slippers may not be worn to school.

Shoes with wheels may not be worn to school. Other shoes that may present a safety hazard should not be worn.

In an effort to address concerns for student safety and welfare, to create a learning environment with minimal distractions, and to reinforce the values of modesty and civility, the administration will be responsible for enforcing

this dress code fairly and reasonably.

Violations are determined at the discretion of the administration. If students are in violation of the dress code, they will be given the opportunity to correct the violation. If they fail to correct the violation, they may be asked to call home for appropriate clothing and/or may receive disciplinary consequences as determined by the administrative staff.

High School Dress Standards Everyone in Coweta County high schools is expected to dress and be groomed in accordance with acceptable standards of cleanliness, good taste, and appropriateness. The established standard has been set to discourage clothing that may be a distraction to the learning environment and possible safety of students. It is not our intent to thwart self-expression or exercise unreasonable control over students; however, current trends seem to favor certain modes of dress which are inappropriate for school, causing distractions to the learning environment, and sometimes putting the students in situations not best for them. The dress standard is as follows: All shirts and dresses must have sleeves. Tank tops, tube tops, and shirts without sleeves are not acceptable.

Students will be permitted to wear shorts, dresses, and skirts, provided they reach the end of the fingertips or longer. (Splits in skirts/dresses/shorts must be below the fingertips.) Miniskirts, mini-dresses, and short shorts are not permitted.

Overalls may be worn with both

straps fastened and on the shoulders. A shirt must be worn under overalls.

Pants must be worn properly at the hips.

Chains or sharp objects are not permitted.

Low cut, see through, strapless, or backless dresses/shirts may not be worn.

No student should dress in such a way that his/her underwear is partially or totally exposed. The waist and top portions of boxer shorts and briefs, bra straps and bra sides should not show.

No student may wear any jewelry, clothing, or carry backpacks which display or suggest alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weaponry, profanity, vulgarity, sexual innuendo, or scatological humor.

No student may wear any jewelry, clothing, or carry backpacks which display or suggest anything inflammatory or degrading to a particular race, creed, or culture.

No student will wear camouflage outfits.

No student will wear trench coats.

No student may wear clothes with holes above the knees, in the crotch, or under the buttocks.

Hats, headbands, bandannas, sunglasses, stocking caps, hoods, picks/combs, and other headgear are not permitted.

Blouses, dresses, or skirts which expose the areas of the stomach, side, or back are not permitted.

Excessively form-fitting or loose-fitting clothing is not permitted.

Any clothing/jewelry or improperly worn clothing deemed gang related by the administration will not be permitted.

Parents can use credit cards to pay school lunch charges Parents will be able to use their credit cards and debit cards to pay for lunch charges when school ramps back up in August.

The Coweta County Board of Education approved the new plan after receiving a number of parent requests.

“Parents have asked whether

they could start paying for their student lunches with their credit cards online,” Superintendent Blake Bass said at a recent Coweta County Board of Education meeting.

Cathe Nixon of the school food service department explained the “MealpayPlus”

children at various schools can be accommodated.

“You can make payment by phone or over the Internet, with checking or savings accounts through an e-check, or by using debit or credit cards,” she said.

There is a 4.75 percent transaction fee for the service,

system to the board. “This is a pre-payment system,” she said. “Parents make deposits via the Web.” The payment service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.

“There will be a one-time, free registration for each parent,” said Nixon, and multiple

Think about vaccinations before school starts the mumps vaccine also is required.

Those who enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade before July 2007 must meet the requirements before entering sixth grade.

The second varicella dose requirement was added because officials began to notice that immunities were waning.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend a second dose of mumps vaccine in part because of a large outbreak in the Midwest in 2006, even among those who had been immunized.

Schools have been posting notices in

the entrances of the buildings to get the word out to parents and students, and phone calls have also been made.

Students can get their vaccinations at their doctor’s office, a health clinic, or at the Coweta County Health Department, located on Jackson Street, just north of downtown Newnan.

The health department's regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They can be reached by phone, 770254-7400.

they’ll have the payment posted before your child ever gets in line.”

Parents can sign up for email notifications whenever the balance in their child’s account gets low, she said.

The purchase history also helps parents monitor the food choices their children are making.

Children will be identified using the same student identification number that’s currently employed by the school system, she said.

“It’s the same number they use to check out books from the library,” she said.

“We look forward to starting this at the beginning of the school year,” said Bass.

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School and health department officials are hoping parents and students think about vaccinations in addition to vacations this summer.

Coweta County school officials have been notifying parents to make sure children have the proper immunizations before school starts.

There have been a couple of changes in Georgia requirements in the past few years. Rising sixth-graders, those entering kindergarten or new students in any grade must have had a second dose of varicella — the chicken pox vaccine — before starting school. A second dose of

but she noted that parents can still pay for lunch the oldfashioned way, by bringing a check or cash directly to the school.

“There is a fee, but only if you choose to pay it,” she said.

“We will still gladly take your checks or cash at the school,” for which there is no fee.

The online system does have some benefits, however.

It will allow parents to see exactly how much money is left in a child’s lunch account.

When money is added, the payment is posted immediately.

“It is instant, so if your son or daughter calls you and they don’t have lunch money for the day, you just make a phone call or go online and

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Sunday, August 1, 2010 — The Times-Herald — 5D

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2010-2011 School Calendar for Coweta Schools The 2010-11 school year will begin Monday, August 9 and end on Friday, May 27.

All schools will hold a visitation/orientation day before school begins on Friday, August 6.

Orientation Times on Friday, August 6 are: • Middle Schools: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (all middle schools) • Elementary Schools: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (all elementary schools).

• High Schools: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (all high schools) The school calendar for 2008-09 is similar to the previous calendars used by the Coweta County School System, and includes a full-week Thanksgiving Break, a two-week Christmas and New Year’s break, a full-week break in late February and a full week of spring break. The calendars allow for 180 days of student instruction, and completion of the first semester before the Christmas break.

The major dates during the upcoming school year are:

2010-2011 School Year Thursday, Aug. 5: Teachers Return Friday, Aug. 6: Visitation/Orientation Day Monday, Aug. 9: First Day of School Monday, Sept. 6: Labor Day (holiday) Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 11, 12 Fall Holidays

Tuesday, Nov. 2: Election Day (holiday) Monday, Nov. 22-26: Thanksgiving Holidays Tuesday, Dec. 21: End of the First Semester Wednesday, Dec. 22- Jan. 3: Christmas and New Year’s Break Monday Jan. 4: Teacher Work Day (student holiday) Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011: First Day of New Semester Monday, Jan. 17: MLK, Jr. Birthday Monday, Feb. 21-25: Mid-Winter Break Monday, April 4-8: Spring Break Friday, May 27: Last Day of School Tuesday-Friday, May 31-Jun. 3: Teacher Workdays

A letter to the community of Newnan and surrounding areas from the local KFC General Managers.

T

he past two years have been really hard on all of us. Unemployment is high and nowadays it seems that most people

have less money to spend. We are all hoping for a better future and we are sure, in time, our economy will turn back around. We will see better days. Over a year ago we decided to find ways to lower our prices to help our customers save some of their hard earned money.

At the same time we worked on making sure our staff worked hard to earn your business by keeping a clean and friendly atmosphere

Contact: Dean Jackson Office of Public Information Phone: 770-254-2736; Fax: 770-2542757 Dean.Jackson@cowetaschools.org

at our locations. We are proud of their response.

2010-11 Coweta County Schools Attendance Calendar ATTENDANCE PERIODS 1st Attendance Period Ends Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 2nd Attendance Period Ends Monday, Oct.4, 2010 3rd Attendance Period Ends Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010 4th Attendance Period Ends Thursday, Dec.9, 2010 5th Attendance Period Ends Friday, Jan. 21, 2011 6th Attendance Period Ends Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 7th Attendance Period Ends Friday, March 25, 2011 8th Attendance Period Ends Friday, April 29, 2011 9th Attendance Period Ends Friday, May 27, 2011

NINE WEEKS / MID-TERM PERIODS 1st Nine Weeks — Friday, Oct.

8, 2010 2nd Nine Weeks — Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010 3rd Nine Weeks — Thursday, March 17, 2011 4th Nine Weeks — Friday, May 27, 2011 1st Mid-Term — Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010 2nd Mid-Term — Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 3rd Mid-Term — Monday, Feb. 7, 2011 4th Mid-Term — Tuesday, April 26, 2011

REPORT CARDS ISSUED ELEMENTARY 1st Nine Weeks —Tuesday, October 19, 2010 2nd Nine Weeks —Thursday, January 13, 2011 3rd Nine Weeks —Thursday, March 24, 2011

4th Nine Weeks — Friday, May 27, 2011

MIDDLE AND HIGH 1st Nine Weeks —Tuesday, October 19, 2010 2nd Nine Weeks —Thursday, January 13, 2011 3rd Nine Weeks —Thursday, March 24, 2011 4th Nine Weeks — Friday, June 3, 2011

PROGRESS REPORTS ISSUED 1st Mid-Term — Tuesday, September 14, 2010 2nd Mid-Term — Friday, November 19, 2010 3rd Mid-Term — Monday, February 14, 2011 4th Mid-Term — Tuesday, May 3, 2011 100th Day of School — Friday, January 21, 2011

SUMMER SU UM MM C CLEARANCE! A ANC

Just in time for BACK TO SCHOOL!

70

% OFF Red Tags Only

We thank our customers who have been supporting us over the past two years. We extend a sincere invitation to those who have not been to our restaurant in a while or those who have never visited. We promise we will work hard to give you a great dining experience. Did you know that we have an all you can eat buffet that features the Colonel’s signature Original Recipe Chicken? Our Buffet price is $6.99 and that includes a drink. Seniors 60 and above can dine for $5.99 including drink, and on Tuesdays seniors can dine for $4.99 including drink. We also feature a 2 piece leg and thigh meal for $3.99. You can compare with others but we believe you will not find the value we offer anywhere else. We have just rolled out two new sandwiches (Doublicious Sandwich and our Double Down Sandwich) that are hands down better than the competition. We have attached a coupon for you to use so that you may try one of these sandwiches. We at KFC are your neighbor and friend. We will continue to be active in your community and hope you will come by and visit us. Whether dining with us or picking up a bucket of chicken to bring home to the family, we will be here to serve you. Come see us!

Sincerely, Dale Lockhart and Walter Thurmond Newnan, RGM

2

$ 00 OFF

Entire Stock Of Athletics

BUY 1 - GET 1 1⁄2 OFF!

Any Doublicious or Double Down Combo Not valid with any other coupon or offer.

Only at KFC Newnan & Sharpsburg.

With $50 Purchase Expires 8/8/10.

Excludes Red Tag Sale items.

770-251-7300 1485 Hwy. 34 East • Newnan, GA

Of Newnan

Sharpsburg, RGM

Monday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Sunday: 1:00-5:00

Expires 8/31/10

398 Bullsboro Dr. Newnan 770-253-8216

3430 Hwy. 34 Sharpsburg 678-423-7559

6D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, August 1, 2010

Coweta County School System 2010-2011 Directory Coweta County Board of Education Steve Bedrosian (1st District), Board Chairman steve.bedrosian@cowetaschoo ls.org Sue L. Brown (2nd District), Board Vice-Chair sue.brown@cowetaschools.org Winston Dowdell (5th District), Board Secretary winston.dowdell@charter.net Graylin Ward (4th District), Board Treasurer graylin.ward@cowetaschools.o rg Harry Mullins (3rd District) hmullins@numail.org Frank Farmer (At-Large) frank.farmer@cowetaschools.o rg Michael Sumner (At-Large) mike.sumner@cowetaschools. org Coweta County School System P.O. Box 280 Newnan, GA 30264 Main Directory: 770-254-2800 www.cowetaschools.org School System Administration Board of Education Office 237 Jackson Street, Newnan Superintendent Blake Bass 770254-2801 Assistant Superintendent (Finance) Keith Chapman 770-254-2817 Administrative Services Director Steve Barker 770-254-2802 Public Information Officer Dean Jackson 770-254-2736 School System Head Nurse Sally Millians 770-254-2799 After-School Program Director Alan Wood 770-252-3016

School System Operations Office:170 Werz Industrial Drive, Newnan Associate Superintendent Jerry Davis 770-254-2750 (205) Facilities Director Ronnie Cheek 770-254-2750 (203) Facilities Coordinator Walter Drake 770-254-2750 (207) Construction Supervisor Buster James 770-254-2750 (206) Maintenance Supervisor Danny Brooks 770-254-2750 (217) School Nutrition Coordinator Cathe Nixon 770-254-2750 (214) Warehouse (Shipping and Receiving) 770-254-2750 (210) School System Central Office — 167 Werz Industrial Drive, Newnan

School System Main Directory 770-254-2800 Central Registration Center Registrar Donna Carter 770-2545551 Instruction and Curriculum 770254-2810 Curriculum Department and Elementary Curriculum Director Karen Barker 770-254-2810 Secondary Curriculum Director Barbara Louis 770-254-2810 Pre-K and Federal Programs Director David Gregory 770254-2810 Testing and School Improvement Coordinator Peggy Guebert 770-254-2810 Special Education Director Gina Murray 770-254-2810 Title I Coordinator Sherry Warren 770-254-2810 Title I Monitor Lisa Copeland 770254-2810 English Language Learners Director Rusty Knorr 770-2542810 Math Curriculum Specialist Lynn Skinner 770-254-2810 Science Curriculum Specialist Donald White 770-254-2810 Human Resources Director Marc Guy 770-254-2803 Human Resources Manager Susan Riggs 770-254-2803 Substitute Procurement Specialist Kelly Smith 770-254-5540 Information Technology Director Phil Kline 770-304-7950 Comptroller Mike Jones 770254-2732 Payroll Manager Glenda McDuffie 770-254-2805 Benefits/Workers Comp.

Specialist Vanessa Warner 770-254-2731 Records Retention Janet Tarleton 770-254-2800 Transportation 105 Cofield Drive, Newnan Transportation Manager Judy Gresham 770-254-2820 Transportation Assistant Manager Sandra Lewis 770-254-2820 Shop Foreman Keith McCullough 770-254-2820 Student Support Services 1 Dowdell Street, Newnan Directors John Boren and Eddie Lovett 770-254-2870

Coweta County Elementary Schools Arbor Springs Elementary — Patti Falk, principal; Latrina Gates, assistant principal; Alicia Ramsay, counselor.

770-463-5903. 4840 N.

Highway 29 Newnan 30265 Arnco-Sargent Elementary — Monica Hughes, principal, Debra Palmer, assistant principal; Priscilla Lee, counselor. 770-254-2830 2449 W. Highway 16 Newnan 30263 Atkinson Elementary — Melissa Wimbish, principal; Diane Bickerstaff, assistant principal; Jennifer Hendley, counselor.

770-254-2835. 14 Nimmons Street Newnan 30263 Brooks Elementary — Julie Raschen, principal; Amy Harrison, assistant principal; Penny Jones, counselor.

770-683-0013 35 Genesee Point Newnan, GA 30263 Canongate Elementary — Julie Lutz, principal; Betty Robinson, assistant principal; Marvene Goolsby, counselor.

770-463-8010 200 Petes Road Sharpsburg 30277 Eastside Elementary — Leigh Munson, principal; Jena Martin, assistant principal; Mary Provost, counselor. 770-5996621. 1225 Eastside School Road Senoia 30276 Elm Street Elementary — Christi Hildebrand, principal; Nina Wimbley, assistant principal; Carolyn Sears, counselor. 770254-2865. 46 Elm Street Newnan 30263 Glanton Elementary — Katie Garrett, principal; Lisa Skinner, assistant principal; Becki Kelly, counselor. 770-583-2873.

5725 Highway 29 Grantville 30220 Jefferson Parkway Elementary — Sean Dye, principal; Valerie Dean, assistant principal; Hollie Richardson, counselor. 770254-2771. 154 Farmer Industrial Blvd. Newnan 30263 Moreland Elementary — Beverly Yeager, principal; Bill Sanborn, assistant principal; Cindy Bowen, counselor. 770254-2875. 145 Railroad Street Moreland 30259 Newnan Crossing Elementary — Terri Lassetter, principal; Kimberly Parten; Gwendolyn Melson. 770-254-2872. 1267 Lower Fayetteville Road Newnan 30263

Northside Elementary — Dana Ballou, principal; Theodore Travis, assistant principal; Bonnie Fain, counselor. 770254-2890. 720 Country Club Road Newnan 30263 Poplar Road Elementary — Lesley Goodwin, principal; Catherine Waczkowski; Lutricia Jones; Bonita Flounnory. 770-2542740. 2925 Poplar Road Sharpsburg 30277 Ruth Hill Elementary — Valerie Mathura, principal; Maria Carlton, assistant principal; Lucia Woods, counselor. 770254-2895. Sunset Lane Newnan 30263 Thomas Crossroads Elementary — Fate Simmons, principal; Julie Durrance, assistant principal; Susan Schmitt, counselor. 770-254-2751. 3530 E. Highway 34 Sharpsburg 30277 Welch Elementary — Becky Darrah, principal; Vicki Vaughan; Toni Vinson; Naima Waddy; Lhoris Wilson. 770254-2597. 240 Mary Freeman Road Newnan, GA 30265 Western Elementary — Denise Pigatt, principal; Stan McMichael, assistant principal; Crysti Nix, counselor. 770-2542790. 1730 Welcome Road Newnan 30263 White Oak Elementary — Cheryl Sanborn, principal; Janet Wunner; Silverlene Johnson Kindle; Dillia Smith. 770-2542860. 770 Lora Smith Road Newnan 30265 Willis Road Elementary — Charles Smith, principal; Rebecca Harmon; Elisa Orr; Paula Baker.

770-304-7995. 430 Willis Road Sharpsburg 30277

Coweta County Middle Schools Arnall Middle School — Jan Franks, principal; Lawanda Greene; Sara Dupree; Andy Clarke; Dawn Jerrell. 770-2542765. 700 Lora Smith Road Newnan 30265

6291 E. Highway 16 Senoia 30276 Evans Middle School — Vince Bass, principal; Ben Tarleton; Zelda Hines; Vera Perry-Harris; Mattie Brady. 770-254-2780 Evans Drive Newnan 30263 Lee Middle — Bob Heaberlin, principal; Cindy Bennett; Karen Poore; Jake Golden; Christie Adams. 770-251-1547 370 Willis Road Sharpsburg 30277 Madras Middle School — Lorraine Johnson, principal; Kristin Skelly, Kim Pelletier; Herbert Betts; Kori Reid. 770-254-2744 240 Edgeworth Road Newnan 30263 Smokey Road Middle School — Laurie Barron, principal; Tammy McCall; Aaron Corley; Edna Bridges. 770-254-2840 965 Smokey Road Newnan 30263 Alternative Middle School — Derek Pitts, principal. 770304-5930 Maggie Brown School — 32 Clark Street, Newnan

Coweta County High Schools East Coweta High School — Rick Waggoner, principal; Schwanda Jackson; Melissa Brubaker; Patrick Sullivan (9th grade); Jenn Ryals (9th grade); Evan Horton; Allison Handley; Jose Casablanca; Wendy Williams; Denise Norred; Julianne Brandes, registrar. 770-2542850 400 SharpsburgMcCollum Road Sharpsburg

30277 Newnan High School — Doug Moore, principal; Rick Surrett (9thgrade); Will Noe (9th grade); Penny Johnson; Linda Fincher; Steve Allen; Shea Lasiter; Bennie Rhodes; Michael Barnes; Chase Puckett; Chrissy Johnson, registrar.

770-254-2880 90 LaGrange Street Newnan 30263 Northgate High School — Therese Reddekopp, principal; Bill Harrison (9th grade); Erin Bass (9th grade); Lynette Harper; Keafer Triplett; Eric Fiske; Michelle Hutcheson; Ron Gill; Dawn Revere; Nadene Smith; Beth DeLoach, registrar. 770463-5585 3220 Fisher Road Newnan 30265 Central Educational Center — Mark Whitlock, CEO; Mark Ballou, principal; Nora Ann Wood; Tonya Whitlock, director, West Georgia Technical College, Coweta Campus.

678-423-2000 160 Martin Luther King Drive Newnan 30263 Alternative High School — Vern Mamon, principal; Allen Rhinehart 770-254-2870 1 Dowdell Street Newnan 30263 Westside/Burwell — David Blevins, coordinator. 770-3045930 106 Westside School Road Newnan 30263

We Help to Get People Back into Action

East Coweta Middle School — Nancy Cook, principal; Yovandra Matthews; Tiffany Busby; Jeff Kelly; Mignon Carter. 770-599-6607

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5665 Milam Road office (770) 774-8001

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Today’s School For Tomorrow’s World

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770-251-6111 www.odysseycharterschool.net

14 St. John Circle, Newnan, GA 30265

Sunday, August 1, 2010 — The Times-Herald — 7D

BACK

TO

SCHOOL

Coweta CRCT scores exceeding state, previous year The latest CriterionReferenced Competency Test scores reveal that Coweta County students are not only exceeding state CRCT scores on every level, in nearly every category, but are also besting the scores they made the previous year, when every local school and the school system as a whole made AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress).

When compared with state CRCT scores, only eighth grade Social Studies came up short, with 69.5 percent meeting or exceeding the standard, compared to 70 percent statewide.

But at every other grade level, and in every other category, Coweta County students bested state scores — in many cases by significant amounts.

Coweta sixth-graders, for example, scored nearly a full 10 points higher than the state overall in the Social Studies category on the exam.

This is all the more impressive in a year when statewide CRCT scores improved in almost all categories.

In the Reading category, Coweta students exceeded both last year’s local scores and statewide scores at every single grade level.

In English/ Language Arts, Coweta students outscored the state across the board, and bested last year’s scores at every grade level, except for second and fifth grade.

In Math, local students again outscored state scores as a whole, at every grade level, when it comes to the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the standard.

They also outdid last year’s scores, except at grade levels 1 and 5, where last year’s scores were slightly better.

In the Science category, only the eighth grade scores were slightly better last year.

Nine tips for a successful school year As high school students get anxious for the up and coming projects, papers and tests that are going to be due, author of “The Seven Biggest Teen Problems and how to turn them into Strengths” and creator of so-called “Quantum Learning,” Bobbi DePorter, claims to have discovered nine ways to make a successful school year for teens.

1. S.L.A.N.T.: SIT in the front row or middle section of the classroom. LEAN slightly forward in the chair, as if hanging on the teacher's every word. ASK questions. NOD your head to show interest. TALK to the teacher after class to build rapport and establish a relationship.

2. Test-taking strategies: Students should allow enough time to get to class a few minutes early. Hurrying causes tension and mental crunches, and use the few extra minutes to review their notes one last time. Before and during the test, they should think positively: "I know this information and I'm going to get an A." If feeling tense, they should close their eyes, take a few deep breaths and imagine a relaxing scene. If they’re having trouble concentrating or are feeling overwhelmed, they should draw a mind map in the margin of their paper. It will help them remember what they studied.

3. Optimal study area: Design the optimum study area at home. It should include good lighting, a desk or table to work at, a comfortable chair, inspirational posters, and plants.

Play Baroque music softly in the background.

Study at the same time every day and take a short break every 30 minutes. Tackle the most difficult subjects first. When students get the hardest things out of the way, the rest will be easy.

4. Cultivate a winning attitude: Maintaining a positive attitude is the most important learning asset. Students need to mentally prepare before any learning experience. Henry Ford said, "If you think you can, you can. If you

think you can't, you can't. Either way, you are right."

5. Remember the "F" stands for feedback: From infancy through adulthood, people learn through their mistakes. Students should remember to learn from the feedback they get from others, whether it is a failed test or a poor relationship. In their path to become an excellent learner, feedback is simply the information they need to succeed.

6. Plan ahead: Use a calendar to mark days for tests or due dates of important papers.

Studying ahead reduces stress and increases the ability to remember at test time.

7. Discover the power of "this is it!": "This is it!" means making the most of every moment.

It also means doing whatever it takes to make a subject interesting. Some ideas include studying with a friend or relating the topic to something the students already know or like.

When they know something well, they almost always find it interesting.

8. Overcome the obstacle of a blank page with freewriting: When faced with writer's block, freewriting provides visible and immediate progress. Students should choose a subject and set the timer for a specified amount of time and write continuously until the time is up. Don't worry about structuring sentences, checking grammar, backtracking or crossing things out – just keep writing.

Freewriting clears the mind, focuses ideas and makes the invisible visible.

9. Take breaks: Every 30 minutes it helps to take a short five-minute break. Students need to take mini-breaks more often by standing up and stretching whenever they notice their mind wandering. Studies show that people remember best what they learned just before and just after a break – so the more breaks, the more they learn!

At every other grade level, this year’s numbers were better.

The accompanying table shows a breakdown of each category by grade level, with the first number at each grade level representing the percentage of this year’s local students meeting or exceeding the standard, and the second number representing the percentage meeting or exceeding the standard the previous school year, and finally the percentage of students statewide in Georgia this year who have met or exceeded the standard on the CRCT. Categories tested include reading, English/language arts, math, science and social studies. Scores are for grades one through eight.

On the flip side, Coweta County students under-performed across the board when compared to students in the adjoining Fayette County School System on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests.

Coweta students compare much more favorably to students in adjoining Fulton County, however.

When compared to the percentage of Fayette County students meeting or exceeding the standard on this year’s CRCT, fewer Coweta students met the standard at every grade level, and in every category. In some cases the gulf was by 10 or more percentage points.

Coweta students were much more in line with students from Fulton County, with similar numbers of students meeting or exceeding the standard.

A comparison of the results in the following table shows how Coweta scores stack up against other adjacent school systems in the area. Coweta’s percentages of those meeting or exceeding the standard are in the first column, followed

THE HERITAGE SCHOOL

by Fayette County in the second column, and Fulton County in the third column.

Coweta students appeared to score well in reading and English/language arts, but less well in some other areas.

Coweta eighth-graders scored particularly well in reading, with 95.8 percent of the students meeting or exceeding the standard.

In fact, all grade levels in Coweta did well in this category, with 90 percent or more of the students exceeding or meeting the standard.

English/language arts scores ranged from a low of 88.8 percent meeting or exceeding the standard in Coweta second grade classrooms to a high of 94.1 percent in seventh grade.

In math, the second-graders in Coweta came out on top, with 90.3 percent meeting or exceeding the standard. Sixth graders did the worst, with only 77 percent meeting or exceeding the standard.

The science category had a range from 71.3 percent (eighth grade) to 86.1 percent (seventh grade) meeting or exceeding the standard.

Like last year, social studies saw some of the worst scores in the school system — the lowest scores coming from the eighth grade, with only 69.5 percent meeting or exceeding the standard.

Third-graders scored highest, with 83.8 percent of the students meeting or exceeding the standard.

What will your child absorb today?

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Join Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s Wellness Center during the month of August, and initiation fees for new members will be waived. New members will receive a free fitness assessment.

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Call for a personal tour today.

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8D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, August 1, 2010

We provide the fuel that powers

West Georgia’s Economic Engine ... and we have a vision for Coweta ...

West Georgia

A new, state-of-the-art, full-service campus with adequate space for future growth Expanded facilities to provide high-tech, in-demand training for high-skill jobs

A workforce prepared to compete globally A platform for business and industry training

Contact Dawn Cook today to find out how you can help, 770.537.6010 or dawn.cook@westgatech.edu.

An expansion of CEC’s dual enrollment programs

New Coweta Campus Coming Soon

678.423.2000 www.westgatech.edu Carroll | Coweta | Douglas | LaGrange | Murphy West Georgia Technical College is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia