Several schools in Bryan County have a lot to cheer about after some received grants and both high schools improved their SAT scores, officials announced Thursday during a regular Bryan County Board of Education meeting.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Paul T. Brooksher lauded both Bryan County High and Richmond Hill High schools’ improvements on their 2012 SAT scores. Both high schools improved their scores from 2011.
“Just recently, the state released our SAT scores,” he told the board. “I wanted to highlight our two high schools. Richmond Hill High School went from a 2011 SAT score of 1,498 to a 2012 1,509. This is an 11 point increase and it is above the state average and above the national average.”
But the most improved SAT score for 2012, Brooksher said, goes to Bryan County High School.
“Bryan County High School — now listen to these numbers because this is not a typo — they had a 2011 SAT score of 1349 and a 2012 SAT score of 1458. They had a 109 point increase in one year — that’s an amazing feat,” Brooksher said. “It’s great way to celebrate the leadership, faculty and staff that went into achieving that significant increase.”
Bryan County High School principal Dr. Dawn Hadley said Tuesday she was pleased with the increase in scores.
“We’re obviously very, very proud of those scores, but we also realize there is still work that needs to be done,” Hadley said. “We don’t’ have any plans to get complacent.”
In other news, several South Bryan schools were also recognized during the meeting for recipients of Bright Ideas Grants from Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation for various educational resources and programs.
Of the 14 grants issued by the Midway-based Coastal Electric, four teachers in Bryan County schools received grants:
- Candace Denton, second-grade teacher at Richmond Hill Elementary, who received a $449.75 grant for the “I can Read from A to Z” program;
- Mary Jo Fina at Richmond Hill High School, who received a grant of $1,636.50 for “Turn the Beat Around” which will help students in Fina’s health care science class learn CPR and defibrillation skills.
- A grant for $671.95 was awarded to physical education teacher Christy Crowley at G.W. Carver Elementary School for the “PE + Math = Success” program, which will help incorporate math skills into physical education classes.
- School psychologist Jess Bosworth at Richmond Hill Pre-K Center received a $730 grant for the “Parenting the Love and Logic Way” training program designed to help parents shape their children’s behavior using respect and teaching personal responsibility.

Read more in the Oct. 3 edition of the News.