A 'night of honor' for Hall educators

GAINESVILLE - The Hall County School System celebrated its ‘Night of Honor’ Monday night at Chestatee High School with honors and recognition for 81 retired teachers and classified employees, 33 teachers of the year, and three National Board Certified Teachers.

Charity Wang teaches English at Johnson High School; she was one of three National Board Certified Teachers this year.

“It really makes you reflect upon your practice as a teacher and helps you improve upon your practice as a teacher in working with students and meeting students’ needs,” Wang said.
Lyn Tankersley and Virginia H. Van Gelderen, both of East Hall Middle School were the other two National Board Certified Teachers.
Dr. John Shane Rayburn of Lanier Elementary School was named System Teacher of the Year.

NEW LYMAN HALL PRINCIPAL

During the Board’s regular meeting held at Chestatee Superintendent Will Schofield named a new principal for Lyman Hall Elementary School.
Lois Myers, a former Troup County elementary school principal, begins her new job when the new school year begins in August.
Schofield added that Myers is a former University of Alabama varsity women’s basketball coach.

SCHOOL NURSES, RESOURCE OFFICERS

Schofield said school nurses and School Resource officers may remain funded in the 2010 budget, but there’s no money for six middle school graduation coaches.
“That is a $270,000 item and we’re finding it’s going to be difficult to keep that in the budget,” Schofield said.

Schofield said through cost efficiency he expects to expand the school nursing program and support the 12 high school and middle school SRO’s at less cost than last year.

STUDENTS APPEAL TO SAVE PROGRAM

Two Johnson High School students appeared before the Board and went to bat for a program they said helped keep students focused and in the class room.
Will Little said the Georgia Career Student Association had helped him to stay interested in school.

“It’s helped the students involved in the organization figure out what they want out of their lives,” Little said.

Both Little and fellow student Kayla Mabrey feared GCSA would be cut; Superintendent Schofield said he would look into it but knew of no such program cuts in the school system.