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Early teacher evaluations questioned
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ATLANTA — Ratings of about 5,800 Georgia teachers were skewed, with less than one percent of teachers classified as ineffective and one in five getting the top rating of exemplary, according to a study conducted by state education officials.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (http://bit.ly/VFzsm6) reported results of the pilot study of the new ratings system, which is designed to measure the performance of Georgia teachers. The report by the state Department of Education found that early results were "skewed to the positive."

State officials say they expect different outcomes as teachers and principals are better trained and have more time to adapt to the new evaluation system, which is to roll out statewide in the 2014-2015 school year.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Fran Millar, a Dunwoody Republican, said the preliminary results raise serious questions about the evaluation system.

"Statistically, this flies in the face of our academic achievement levels. These numbers just don't jibe with reality," Millar said. "If the Georgia evaluation system is going to be based on these type of statistics, I wouldn't see us going forward with it because, just statistically, it can't be valid."

Teachers in 26 districts participated in the pilot program, which was conducted from January to May of 2012. The newspaper reports .032 percent of teachers were classified as ineffective, 5.95 percent as developing or needing improvement, 74.4 percent as proficient and 19.3 percent as exemplary.

Mary Ann Todd, associate state superintendent for teacher and leader effectiveness and Avis King, the state's deputy school superintendent for school improvement, say 10 percent of teachers being classified as ineffective in the study would be more realistic.

"I think it's going to be a culture shift until we get a true measure," Todd said.

An evaluation of student progress was left out of the report. State officials said that component is still being analyzed, and will be reported later.

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Groups hand out scholarships
RH theater scholarship
Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer shows her Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. With her are Tom Harris, Ashlee Farris, Brett Berry and Kim Diebold. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016. - photo by Photo provided.

Three reports recently presented scholarships

Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer received the Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016.

Garden Club

The Richmond Hill Garden Club recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Katherine Wood and a $500 scholarship to Carly Vargas, both seniors graduating from Richmond Hill High School.

The awards were presented May 8 during Honors Night at RHHS.

Wood plans to attend Green Mountain College in Vermont and major in environmental studies.

Vargas plans to attend Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, to pursue a degree in either environmental studies or biology.

The garden club awards a $1,000 scholarship annually to a local high school senior who plans to major in a field related to environmental concerns, plants and/or gardening.

This year, due to having two exceptional candidates, the garden club awarded an additional $500 scholarship.

Exchange Club

The Exchange Club of Richmond Hill recently named Caroline Odom as its student of the year.

The club each month during the school year names a student of the month, and the student of the year is chosen from among those winners.

Awards are based on academic performance, community involvement and leadership.

Monthly winners receive $100, with the annual winner getting a $1,000 scholarship.

The Exchange Club has been recognizing students for more than 30 years.

Odom will go on to compete in the Georgia District Exchange Club against students from across the state.

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