Students fare well in testing

Emily Peterson

For the Bryan County News

Updated: Jul 14, 2007, 9:02 AM

Published: Jun 29, 2007, 10:58 PM

School officials said Bryan County students excelled on the CRCT, Georgia High School Graduation Test and the Georgia End-Of-Course-Tests.

Assistant Superintendent John Oliver reported on the test scores at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting and said he was very pleased with the results.

"Compared to students throughout the state, our students do very well. Overall, we’re very pleased," he said.

The CRCT is given each spring to students in the first through eighth grades. The test is given in the content areas of reading, English/language arts, and math. Students in third through eighth grades are also tested in the content areas of social studies and science.

While the individual schools do not have their data back yet, Oliver said the BoE is very interested in the data that is available.

Students in Bryan County had scores on the CRCT that exceeded the state standards, according to information presented by Oliver. Bryan County also consistently scored higher on most portions of the test in the varying grade levels than the surrounding counties.

Oliver said he attributes a great deal of the success of students in Bryan County to their parents.

"We always appreciate our parents who prepare their children to take this test," he said.

The Georgia High School Graduation Test, administered in the spring to those students in the 11th grade, is another source of pride for the BoE.

For those students who pass the test the first time it is taken, Bryan County’s numbers compare very favorably to the state’s, said Oliver.

The test covers English/language arts, math, social studies, science, and writing, and is the determining factor on whether or not children will receive their high school diploma. Students have a total of five opportunities to pass each portion of the test.

Both Richmond Hill High School and Bryan County High School had scores exceeding 500, the minimum score in order to be considered passing, for each portion of the test. The highest scores for both schools were in English/language arts and math.

Oliver also discussed the Georgia End-Of-Course-Tests, administered to those in the ninth through 12th grades after the completion of courses such as geometry, biology and American Literature and Composition to name a few. The tests make sure that students have learned the material that was presented in each course.

"Our students do very well when you compare them to the state," said Oliver.

Bryan County students exceeded the state’s average score on seven out of eight content areas. Eighty five percent of students passed the Algebra I portion, a subject that is often difficult for some.

"I’m very proud of the test scores and I believe that we will continue to do our best," said Vice Chairman Frances Meeks.

BoE approves $50 million budget

Ross Blair

Bryan County News

Updated: Jul 14, 2007, 9:02 AM

Published: Jun 29, 2007, 10:56 PM

Thursday’s meeting of the Bryan County Board of Education was highlighted by a review of recent test scores by Associate Superintendent John Oliver, board members approving the budget for fiscal year 2007 and the announcement of several new classes that will become available to students for the next school year.

The BoE has held many called meetings the past few months focusing on the budget, which is more than $50 million. The board members and school superintendent Dr. Sallie Brewer each personally thanked BoE Finance Director Melanie James for her tedious work throughout this huge project and all seemed pleased with the final product, which was unanimously approved without debate.

Unlike municipal and county budgets, which start in January, the BoE budget takes effect in July. Brewer indicated that 85 percent of the BoE budget can be attributed to salaries and benefits for 854 employees in the Bryan County school system.

In some of her budget reports, James broke down the expenditures into three categories: projects completed, projects under contract and projects in the planning stages. The funds for these projects are financed via SPLOST II and local capital reserve. These projects, totaling more than $50.6 million, are not strictly financially tied to the 2008 fiscal year, but are all the projects currently on the table for the system.

Among the projects completed are a new parking lot and canopy for Lanier Primary, wing renovations for Richmond Hill and Bryan County Elementary Schools, classroom additions for both middle schools, track, tennis, baseball and parking lot projects for Bryan County High School, football, track, tennis and classroom addition projects for Richmond Hill High School, plus a variety of general equipment purchases for the system.

Among the projects currently under contract are the $14 million Richmond Hill Elementary School project, renovation of the Black Creek facility for administrative purposes, air conditioners in both high school gymnasiums, and $4.4 million in bond payments.

Among the projects in the planning stages are $5 million for a replacement middle school, $1.5 million classroom additions for both Richmond Hill Primary and Carver Elementary, land acquisition and preparation, enhancement of the Richmond Hill Middle athletic field and the BCHS greenhouse project.

In other business, the board unanimously approved the addition of ten new classes for high school students. Brewer noted that although some of the classes will be activated at just one end of the county or the other, the way is paved for the other end to begin the same courses when and if they find the need.

Among the new classes are German I and II, which will be introduced to RHHS starting in August. Oliver mentioned that many children from Bryan County reside at one point in their life in Germany due to having military parents who become stationed there. He also said the system is excited about now being able to help students who wish to learn a third language, as only Spanish and French have been previously available.

Bryan County High School will have a new course entitled "Career Connections" which Oliver said is a class for ninth graders which exposes them to all of the technical fields. The other new classes are: Oral/Written Communication, AP English Language, Athletic Training, Introductory Lifetime Sports, Intermediate Recreational Games, Physical Conditioning and Advanced Physical Conditioning.

In other business:

• A $10,000 donation from Atlantic Underground Utilities was accepted in order to erect a sponsorship sign near the BCHS football field.

• Many personnel changes were approved including the promotion of Richmond Hill Primary’s Teacher of the Year and RHHS softball coach Allen Cox to assistant director of administrative services.

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