Candidates Asked to Keep Political Signs Off School Properties

March 3, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

All political candidates are asked not to place their campaign signs on any school property in DeKalb County.

Why?

Because the Board of Education has an active policy prohibiting it.

Policy #1.806 “Advertising and Distribution of Materials in Schools” states that “No part of the school system, including the facilities, the name, the staff, and the students, shall be used for advertising or promoting the interests of any commercial, political, or other non-school agency or organization. There are exceptions but those apply mainly to non-profit or governmental agencies that promote education or are pertinent to students’ interest and not for political purposes.

The policy goes on to state that “political literature shall not be distributed through the school to students, nor sent home to parents, nor placed in teachers’ mail boxes, lounges, or on school premises.”

“Political signs for people who are running for public office shall not be allowed on school property”.

Any political signs placed on school properties are to be removed.

March 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County High School has released the names of 47 Top Rank students in the Class of 2018 including the Valedictorian Allison Maynard and the Salutatorian Marshal Evins.

To be considered for top Rank, students must take at least 10 honors, dual enrollment, and AP courses and students must have a 21 or higher ACT composite score.

The following students have met requirements to be considered for Top Rank:

1. Allison Maynard
2. Marshal Evins
3. Breanna Gibson
4. Kelsie Merriman
5. Abby Evans
6. Logan Painter
7. Kyle Justice
8. Austin Johnson
9. Maggie Robinson
10. Kaitlyn Cantrell
11. Hannah Evans
12. Michael Miller
13. Tyree Cripps
14. Willow Godowns
15. Hannah Brown
16. Olivia Fuson
17. Taylor Reeder
18. Eleonore Atnip
19. Makayla Cornett-Bain
20. Jaimie Alexander
21. David Pack
22. Ana Amaya
23. Jacob Frazier
24. Ethan Jennings
25. Santanna Ferrell
26. Trey Jones
27. Olivia Winter
28. Griffen Goldstein
29. Ami Patel
30. Savannah Belcher
31. Laiza Martinez
32. Madison Cripps
33. Ethan Cantrell
34. Ethan Martin
35. Thomas Driver
36. Kaylee Whitefield
37. Jasmine Parker
38. Emily Burklow
39. Kayla Belk
40. Hunter Speaks
41. Jaynee Angaran
42. Gage Delape
43. Hunter Jennings
44. Makenzie Partridge
45. Lee Randolph
46. Savannah West
47. Hailey Redmon

March 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A first grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School was named “DeKalb County Teacher of the Year” and received the “John Isabell Memorial Award” Thursday night during the eleventh annual Teacher of the Year banquet at the Smithville First Baptist Church Life Enrichment Center.

The award and a check for $150 was presented to Heather Shehane by Roy Nelson Pugh of Liberty State Bank, a sponsor of the banquet, along with Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and Lori Isabell, whose husband John for whom the award is named, passed away in 2014. John Isabell was a long time educator and former President of the DeKalb County Education Association

Shehane, who is in her sixth year as a teacher, was among five local educators who were recognized during the banquet for being chosen by peers as “Teacher of the Year” at their schools. The others were Shelly Jennings at Northside Elementary School; Cynthia Wilson at DeKalb West School; Suzette Barnes at DeKalb Middle School; and Sara Halliburton at DeKalb County High School. Wilson and her Principal Sabrina Farler were unable to attend due to their commitment to participate in the annual Family Literacy Night at DeKalb West School which was also held Thursday night.

Jennings teaches fourth grade English Language Arts and social studies. She is in her 12th year. Wilson is in her 28th year. She teaches English Language Arts and social studies for the eighth grade. Barnes is in her 9th year of teaching seventh grade Reading/Language Arts and science. Halliburton teaches biology for ninth through twelfth grades. This is her 6th year in the classroom.

Administrators introduced the Teachers of the Year at their schools, remarked on how they deserved the honor, and presented them with a school bell award.

“It is my great honor and privilege to talk about Mrs. Heather Shehane. When you walk into her classroom it is calm. She has high expectations but she gets to know her students right off the bat really quickly. She is moving those students whether they are struggling or really high achievers and meeting their needs. She does an amazing job at Smithville Elementary School. I can say that when her students leave at the end of the school year to go to second grade they are more than ready,” said Julie Vincent, Principal at Smithville Elementary School.

Karen Knowles, Principal at Northside Elementary spoke of Shelly Jennings. “When I first came to Northside we were trying to decide how we were going to partner subjects up. She looked at me and said tell me what you need me to do? What do you need me to teach? She is a huge team player and she has great expectations of her students.”

“The DCHS Teacher of the Year, Sara Halliburton is in her sixth year of teaching and has been a level 5 teacher for the past three years. Her students always have excellent test scores. In 2014 she created the Climate Crew, an organization at the high school to try and better the school in a lot of different ways. They do a lot of things for the teachers and students and the school in general. She serves as a freshman class sponsor, is an instructional team leader, and a graduation coordinator. She makes a difference in the lives of her students,” said DCHS Principal Randy Jennings.

“Some of Mrs. Suzette Barnes’ accomplishments are that she was the 2013 DeKalb Middle School Teacher of the Year, 2014 Best of the Best Teacher, 2015 National Association of Science teacher. She helped build the DMS softball field and outdoor classroom, and started a clothes market for students, leads the local education celebration at school, a student council sponsor and Jr Beta Club fundraiser, and she is over the STEM program and oversees the 21st Century After School Program,” said Amanda Dakas, DeKalb Middle School Principal.

School board members attending were W.J. (Dub) Evins, III, Danny Parkerson, and Jerry Wayne Johnson.

“Our district’s Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in DeKalb County. We applaud teachers who care about our children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of DeKalb students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement. We are not just exceptionally proud of our Teachers of the Year, but we are also grateful for all of our educators in DeKalb County,” said Director Patrick Cripps.

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