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Sams resigns as Newton principal

Sams resigns as Newton principal
Newton High School Principal Dr. Roderick Sams resigned Wednesday, saying the choice was, "due to a series of issues that are personal in nature." The popular principal had been at the school since 2008 and shared the news with the NHS faculty and staff in a meeting Wednesday afternoon. When reached by phone, he reiterated that his reasons for leaving the school were of a personal nature and declined to ...
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Loaded gun found at Challenge Charter Academy
Working on an anonymous tip, authorities located a loaded semi-automatic weapon at Challenge Charter Academy Monday afternoon.

Square Dance school supplies
Square Dance school supplies
Dancin’ donations: The Newton Hayriders Square Dance Club and members of Lads and Lassies Square Dance Club recently joined forces to donate school supplies to Cousins Middle School. The Newton Hayriders dance at Cousins Middle School the second and fourth Friday of each month. Shown above (but not in order) are Andy Autry, George Jefferson, Andy Grimes, Adam Jones, Amos Sutherland and Alton Cochran. Lads and Lassies pictured above are Ray and Marlene Brown. Also ...
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Newton County BOE supports opposition to Georgia Charter School Commission law
During a special called meeting on Tuesday, August 27, the Newton County Board of Education unanimously supported joining an "amicus brief" in support of the Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia School Superintendents Association’s court challenge to the Georgia’s Charter School Commission.

NCSS enters articulation agreement with DeKalb Tech.
NCSS enters articulation agreement with DeKalb Tech.
Newton County School System on Tuesday officially entered into an articulation agreement with DeKalb Technical College that affords students the opportunity to earn 12 college credits upon completion of the Small Business Development Pathway. The agreement with DeKalb Tech also includes students in four other local school districts — Decatur City, DeKalb, Morgan, and Rockdale County school systems.
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Georgia wins Race to the Top
Governor Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday that Georgia was selected as a winner by the U.S. Department of Education for the second round of "Race to the Top" grants. The state is projected to receive $400 million over four years to implement its plan.

Welcome to Oxford College
Welcome to Oxford College
A college collage: Freshmen started to arrive at Oxford College for the 2010-2011 school year on Wednesday. Their six-day orientation had the new scholars move in to their residence halls, participate in team-building and community building activities and to learn the lay of the land. Classes at Oxford College begin on Wednesday, Aug. 25.
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Supe’s Corner: Schools must build background knowledge
In my "Letter from the Superintendent" (CN, Aug. 15, 2010), I suggested that when all is said and done, instruction itself has the largest influence on achievement. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, instruction is not always as effective as it could be, but could improve swiftly and significantly through ordinary and accessible means.

A head start: Dual enrollment gives high schoolers a taste of college
A head start: Dual enrollment gives high schoolers a taste of college
More high school students in Newton County are learning the benefits of Dual Enrollment (DE) programs offered at Georgia Perimeter College. GPC’s DE numbers are up 76 percent from last year, with 116 students enrolled in the Newton campus, compared to 66 students from last year. There are a total of 813 students attending DE at GPC’s five campuses.
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NCSS sees slight decline in scores as more students take the ACT
More students in Newton County took the ACT college entrance exam in 2010; however, test scores have declined slightly from 2009.




NCSS revamps tribunal procedures
The Newton County Board of Education is revamping its tribunal procedures in order to allow administrators to spend less time in tribunals and more time in their schools.

Thanks, Pine Valley!
Thanks, Pine Valley!
Ready for school: Dustin Kendall, 14, Brianna Kendall, 13, Faith Kendall, 10, and Elisabeth, 5, are all smiles and ready for school. For the 21st year the Pine Valley Mission has furnished school supplies, book bags, shoes and clothing to children in the High Point/Heard-Mixon area. Two sets of new clothing were given along with other required school items. The items were distributed before the start of school. The mission furnishes these ...
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Piedmont Academy starts another new school year
Piedmont Academy starts another new school year
The 2010-2011 school year opened Thursday, Aug. 12, at Piedmont Academy with an enrollment of 314 students. There are 139 students in grades K4 through 5; 80 students in middle school; and 95 students in high school. Two-hundred-six families are represented at the school. This number includes 24 new families. 23 percent of this year’s student body has alumni parents or grandparents. Drawing from an eight-county area, Jasper County represents 50 percent ...
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summer dean's list
Newton student receives Piedmont academic honor Wendy R. Shivers of Covington was named to the Dean's List at Piedmont College after completing the recent summer semester with a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.99 out of 4.0.

Big Lots presents prizes
Big Lots presents prizes
Big winners: Alcovy High School and Rocky Plains Elementary School were both awarded their checks by Big Lots Friday. The two schools won $2,000 in the Lots2Give contest sponsored by Big Lots. More than 200,000 votes were cast. Rocky Plains won money to purchase more COWS (computers on wheels) and Alcovy won money for their arts program.
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BOE plans FY11 elementary rezoning
The Newton County Board of Education is already planning for rezoning next year; this time it’s the elementary schools that will be affected.

Ready to go back
Ready to go back
Back to school bonanza: Enterprise Lodge No. 551 held a Back To School give away on Aug. 7. There was free food and drinks and 100 back packs with schools supplies were given to the first 100 people to sign up at the event. There will be music, games and more. The Back to school give away was a joint effort between Enterprise Lodge No. 551 and Lemon Chapter No. 34 of Covington.
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New employees added to Piedmont Academy
New employees added to Piedmont Academy
Veteran educator and incoming Headmaster Tony Tanner kicked off the new school year this week with three new faculty members joining the ranks at Piedmont Academy. Tanner retired from 30 years from Jasper County Public Schools in June. Being a resident of Jasper County for 30 years and an administrator in education for three decades, he was able to fill the shoes as headmaster with ease and confidence.
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Cheerleaders organize community yard sale
In their continuing efforts to alleviate the costs of their cheerleading program, The Veterans Memorial Middle School Cheer Generals have been organizing various fundraisers since June. This Saturday they will be hosting a community yard sale held in middle school’s parking lot.




UGA Dean's List
Johnathan B. Wells of Covington has been named to the Dean's List for fall semester 2009 by the University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.




summer graduate
Amy Chambers of Covington received her Master of Education from Western Governors University. The online-non-profit university awarded over 200 graduate degrees at its semi-annual commencement ceremony held in Salt Lake City July 17.




HB 251 School Choice Seats Available
After reviewing guidelines provided by the Georgia Department of Education, the Newton County School System has identified three schools -South Salem Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary, and Clements Middle, as potentially eligible to receive students whose parents wish to transfer their child under the provisions of House Bill 251. The statute allows Georgia parents to request to transfer their students to other schools in the district under certain circumstances. Newton County Schools has determined ...

School on the Square
School on the Square
Students of Newton County schools celebrated the start of the upcoming school year at the annual Back 2 School Downtown Covington Block Party on Aug. 1. The block party featured an array of fun activities like face painting, an interactive science show, a free-throw competition hosted by Newton High School’s basketball team and even Lew-e the Clown made an appearance.
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ALANHS: Making and Studying History
ALANHS: Making and Studying History
For the Love of Art: Newton High School’s Academy of Liberal Arts made history on July 14, as students of the academy formed a cultural alliance with students of Carver Early College to embark upon a nine day study abroad trip to France and Spain to study art and history.
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BOE maintains cap on class sizes
The State Board of Education in Georgia has waived all class size rules for the upcoming school year, but the Newton County Board of Education has voted to keep class sizes as low as possible and has granted the superintendent the authorization to move staff around during the first month of school in order to place teachers where the students are.

CRCT Superstars
CRCT Superstars
Several rising fourth-graders at Fairview Theme School have a piece of advice for their fellow students: Work hard and pay attention and you might make Newton County history just like they did, when it was announced that their entire class not only passed the CRCTs, but had 100 percent meet or exceed standards in reading.Although preliminary results were released publicly at the beginning of the month, students and teachers were told their scores right before ...
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Governor orders more budget cuts to university system
Local K-12 schools may be safe for the time being, but Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has ordered another 4 percent spending cut to the state’s university system beginning in August.

Two schools win money from Big Lots video contest
Two schools win money from Big Lots video contest
Video submissions from two Newton County schools have won $2,000 from Big Lots and are now eligible for a $10,000 grand prize.
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BOE to apply for funds for NHS replacement
In a called meeting Tuesday morning, the Newton County Board of Education voted to apply for a Qualified School Construction Bond in order to receive $11 million toward the replacement of the Newton High School facility.

Thomas named principal of Livingston Elementary School
Thomas named principal of Livingston Elementary School
The Newton County Board of Education voted this morning to appoint Shari Thomas as principal of Livingston Elementary School. She will replace outgoing principal, Wendy Hughes, who recently resigned.             Thomas currently serves as an Assistant Principal at South Salem Elementary School. She taught fourth and fifth grade at Livingston from 1992-2007 before taking an assistant principal postion at Fairview Elementary. ...
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Spring 2010 Semester Honor Roll
Heard-Mixon Elementary School (published June 6) Heard-Mixon Elementary School announces its honor roll for spring semester. Grade 3, All A's. KENLEIGH BARNES, AMBER CLAYTON, JAYLA FINNISSEE, JARED GLOVER, CORLEY THACKER, GRACIE PIPER, MOBOLADE SALAWE, LILLI STEWART, AVA TEASLEY, JULIA TOWNS, KOEN ARDIS, BRETT OSBORN, CLAYTON CARTER, BRANDON SANDERS, ASHLEIGH SMITH, LEXI COSTLEY, MADISON TAYLOR, ELIZABETH JOHNSON, RILEY THOMPSON, AARON COX, COLTON DEVORE, MICAH WATTERSON. Grade 4. CAROLINE DUMDIE, TAYLOR BAZZELL, EMILY THOMPSON, JESSI EDMONDSON, ETHAN ...




Pierce Institute established initiative for ethics and servant leadership
The Pierce Institute for Leadership and Community Engagement at Oxford College has received a grant from Emory University’s Office of University Community Partnerships that will establish a new program called the Ethics and Servant Leadership (EASL) Forum. The three-year grant will expand Oxford’s already-wide array of opportunities for student leadership, community engagement, ethics and faculty development.   “EASL Forum ...




Letter from the Superintendent
As we begin this 2010-11 school year, over 2,600 employees and almost 20,000 students will come through the doors of one of our 24 schools in Newton County. When they do, most students:




Elementary School Supply List
Parent/Guardians: The following lists of materials are suggested items you may want to provide for your child during the coming school year. Your assistance in ensuring that your child has school supplies is greatly appreciated. At various times during the year, when a child’s supplies have been depleted, teachers may ask parents to replenish various items.




A breakdown of the AYP testing system
With recent reports showing the Newton County School System failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) this year and that Georgia as a whole did poorly, many are wondering just what AYP is and why we in Newton County care. AYP came about as part of the No Child Left Behind act, which was signed into law in January 2002 by then President George Bush, and took the place of the Elementary ...




Scholarship fund could assist with private schooling
Parents interested in sending their children to private schools but who cannot afford the cost may be able to quality for a student scholarship through the Apogee Georgia School Choice Scholarship Fund.




Eight schools, NCSS fail AYP
The Newton County School System failed to meet required standards for adequate yearly progress for the 2009-2010 school year according to preliminary results released Monday by the Georgia Department of Education. Eight individual schools in the system failed to make AYP, including Newton High School.




NCSS did not meet AYP
Newton County School System (NCSS) has received from the Georgia Department of Education thedistrict's report on Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the 2009-2010 school year. Administrators arecurrently reviewing that information. According to the report, fifteen of twenty-three schools included in the report made AYP in 2009-2010; the district did not meet AYP in 2009-2010.It is important to note that these are not the final 2009-2010 AYP results as students who did not pass the reading ...




Livingston Elementary principal announces resignation
Wendy Hughes, principal of Livingston Elementary School, has announced her resignation. On Thursday, July 15, Hughes submitted a letter of resignation to Newton County School Superintendent Dr. Gary Mathews. Mathews accepted the resignation, which becomes effective on July 31.

Back 2 School event in need of donations
Back 2 School event in need of donations
As education funding continues to be cut, Bea Jackson wants Newton County parents and children to know that their community is still firmly behind them. She hopes to send that message by hosting the fourth annual Back 2 School Block Party, Aug. 1, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the square.
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