Georgia alert; a look at education's role today, 1978-1979

September- October 1978 Volume 11 Number 1

McDaniel Announces TOTY Contest

State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel, in announcing the 1979 Teacher of the Year Program , encourages every system in the state to participate in this year's selection process. The recipient of the title will be Georgia's entry in the National Teacher of the Year Program, which is sponsored by the Encyclopaedia Britannica Companies, the Ladies Home Journal Magazine and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The Geo aT

Program 1s spo

e

Georgia Department of Education

and Southern Educators Life Insur-

ance Company. Southern Educators

instituted a cash award last year for .

the Teacher of the Year and runner-

up. The state winner receives $750

and the rwnner-up $250 in addition

to many other prizes and honors.

Handicapped students at Fulton County's Parklane Elementary School are part of the regular classroom instru ctional program in reading.
Special Ed Services

Entry forms will be sent to each system superintendent who has responsibility for overseeing the selection of a local Teacher of the Year. How each system chooses its entry for the State Teacher of the Year program is determined at the local level. Entries must be received at the Georgia Department of Education by Oct. 1 to be considered for the state title.
Senate Axes Scope Of Tax Credits
The U. S. Senate turned down 56 to 41 -a House passed proposal for tax credits of up to $250 a year for tuition paid to private elementary and secondary schools.
The proposal was part of a bi II calling for tax credits for college tuition. A college tuition credit of up to $500 a year was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate.
State Department of Education officials had advocated the Senate's rejection of the elementary and secondary tax credit, saying that such a program would result in loss of support f or public schools.

To Reach Over 90%

Georgia will begin the 1978 school year with 530 new teachers for its handicapped student population of about 140,000, putting the state within reach of only 90 percent of its goal of serving all the handicapped.
The new federal law on education of the handicapped - 94-142 - is to take full effect this year, according to Allan Gurley, director of the Georgia Department of Education Division of Special Programs. Because of the 1968 state law requiring education of all handicapped children, Georgia is much closer to the goal of serving all the handicapped than most other state education systems.
Georgia provides all but $16 million of the approximately $110 million in state and federal funds to be spent this year in educating the handicapped, including vocational, state schools and regular students. Most of the state funds will be used to pay salaries of 5,792 special education teachers. The 633 teachers in the FY 1980 budget request of the State Board of Education will enable services to 100

percent of the children identified as having special needs.
The coming school year will see continued cooperation of the department of education and the Georgia Department of Human Resources in serving handicapped children, especially those in institutions and training centers. The first cooperative agreement between the two agencies was worked out last year.
"A key to successfully serving Georgia's handicapped children will be the continued development and use of the Individual Education Plan for each student," said Gurley. "Local school systems have written 140,000 of these, one for each child, and they will be followed closely to make sure that each child is receiving the needed services and that his/her parents and teachers are satisfied with the program."
The state special education staff will continue to provide technical assistance to the 24 Psychoeducational Centers operated by local boards of education. This year for the first time these centers will begin studying ways of serving 15-

and 16-year-old severely P.motionally disturbed students.
Another one-third of the state's school systems will be monitored during the year for their compliance with the new federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act. One-third of the systems were studied last year and found to be 80 percent in compliance with the law.
Some of the areas checked were whether each handicapped child had an Individual Education Plan (I EP), whether schools were providing the activities and sen/ices spelled out in the IEP, whether due process had been followed and whether there had been parental involvement in the development of the I EP .
All of the systems monitored last year were in compliance sufficiently to continue to receive federal funds for the handicapped," said Gurley. "Local school superintendents have filed letters with the department of education stating corrective measures for those items in substantial non-compliance or partial compi iance."

\

0
New fo urth district State Boa rd of Educat io n member from Deca tu r, Pat Kj o rlaug, and se ve nth dist rict representat ive J ames Sm ith of Carte rsvill e hea r a report of th e latest results of st atewid e testing.
State CRT Test Scores Continue Rise

Education Plan Clears Hurdle
The U.S. Senate Governmental Affai rs Commi ttee has voted unanimously to create a new cabinet-leve education depart ment with about 24,000 employees and an annual budget of $18 billion.
As approved by the committee, the new department will be made up of dozens of programs shifted from existing departm ents, mostly HEW.
Th e b il l now goes t o t he Senate floor w here agriculture int erests will try t o strip the new department of its control over $3 bill ion worth of school lu nch, breakfast and related ch ild nut rition programs presently und er the U.S. Department of Agricul t u re.
Georgia Department of Education officials have strongly supported creation of a U.S. Depart ment of Education.
Subcommittee hearings are underway in the House, but no action has been taken.

In the three years criterionreferenced tests (CRTs) have been given Georgia fourth and eighth graders as part of the Statewide Testing Program, the percentage of students achieving objectives has steadily increased.
The results from the statewide tests in reading and mathematics which were administered the spring of 1978 to fourth and eighth graders show that the percentage of stu dents who achieved objectives has increased over three percent in the fourth grade and by approximately two percent in the eighth grade.
The greatest favorable change has occurred in fourth grade math. Sixty-four percent of the students achieved 15 or more of the 20 objectives as compared to 58 percent in 1977 and 55 percent in 1976. Fourth grade reading also showed improvement.
Tenth grade students were also administered criterion-referenced tests. An assessment was made of their communications and mathematics skills for the first time in 1978. Results indicate that overall the students performed better in the communication skills areas than in mathematics. They performed particularly well on those portions of the test assessing basic skills in

reading and the mechanics of writing. The weakest area was geometry, where students performed poorly on items requiring conversions of units of measure. On the

graders showed the highest achievement in the skill areas of selfunderstanding and decision making. Eighth grade students showed the greatest achievement in the skill

NewVo-Tech
Complex Planned For BJC

other hand, they performed better than expected on items which

areas of education and decision making.

A $1 .7 million vocational -technical

measure more abstract problem-

building will be constructed on the

solving ability.

Bainbridge Junior College campus with work expected to begin this

According to Associate State

fall, according to Robert Coker,

School Superintendent Titus

SAMPLE TEST ITEMS

chairman of the college's vo-tech

Singletary, certain items on the

Tenth Grade Math

division.

tests may have contributed to the

weak scores. "The tests were ad-

The new two-unit compl ex w ill

ni~~~L-LL~Uil~~~~_n~Lrrlirr~----~llll~~~~QD~ft~r~w~UUinn~&caa~--.

ministered an he enth graa e leve

in order to allow time for the

square feet are there in 5 square pentry, elect rical maint enance,

yards?

accounting, data processing and

remediation of skill weakness,

secretarial science. It will also house

whether individual or group," he said . "Because many of the skills

2. If 1 centimetre= 10 millimetres, faculty offices and a reading labora

how mariy square millimetres

tory for the vo-tech division's 500

measured related to real life prob-

are there in 3 square centimetres? students when completed in about

lems to which students may not

16 months.

have been exposed- such as filling out income tax forms - or to certain technology which is newly emerging, it was anticipated that the tests would reveal some areas of weakness."
Career development tests given fourth and eighth grade students were scored by objective this year for the first time. Tests results indicate that the overall achievement for grade four in career development is 66.1 percent and 68.8 percent for grade eight. Fourth

3. A die has sides numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. It is rolled. What is the probabi Iity that the side landing up shows a number greater than 4?
4. In 25 tosses of a fair coin, heads turned up 23 times and tails turned up two times. What is the probability that heads will turn up on the next toss?
Answers
1. 45 2. 300 3. 1/3 4. 1/2

Two Systems Pilot Shorter Days
Elementary students in Cobb and Clarke County systems will be getting out of schoo l early on certain days in order for teachers to conduct parent-teacher conferences. The two systems have been requested to make thorough evaluations of the effect iveness of the

conferen ces and present resu lts of

their evaluation to the state board

next June .

September-October 1978

Volume 11 Number 1

EDPRESS

Published five times a year by Public Information and Publications Services, Office of Administrative Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Editorial Board Managing Editor Nancy Hall Shelton News Editor Steve Harvey State Editor Eleanor Gilmer Feature Editor Steve Edge Photo Editor Glenn Oliver Graphics Elaine Pierce Typesetting Linda Burton

No further requests for shortened days, however, will be considered by the state board "until such time as these two proposals ca n be adequately evaluated and a determination made as to whether such requests for shortened school days are of sufficient va lue to warrant the deve lopment of board po licies enabling other school systems to make such requests. "

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.
Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the Georgia Department of Education may be addressed to Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent, Office of State Schools and Special Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta 30334, or to the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC 20201.

In Cobb County al l elementary students will be dismissed two hours early for one week each quarter. The parent-teacher conferences wi II be used as a part of the evaluation and reporting process. Clarke County 's plan calls for the release of all eleme ntary stude nts at 1 p .m. two days in November and two days in March for parent confere nces.

2 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978

DISCIPLINE: What Can Schools Do?

by Melanie Rawls

Discipline. The word once invoked visions of sharp-eyed school masters and schoolmarms, book in one hand and rod in the other, quick to rain down punishment on the head of the unruly student. Today, just as classrooms, curriculums, teachers and students are changing so are the methods of maintaining discipline.
According to the latest Gallup .survey of parents and educators,

The Houston County school system employs the alternate school program. Hubert Hutcherson, the county's assistant superintendent for instruction, says the program has provided a successful disciplinary alternative for Houston school staffs.
The students receive individual attention and counseling from a staff of two teachers, two para-

manifestation of a student's psycho! ogical pain."
As an example, Brummett cites the teacher who orders "Pay attention!" to a daydreaming student. The student is embarrassed and angry at being singled out and responds disrespectfully. The teacher feels that the student is defying authority and seeks to exert more authority. A major confrontation develops.

discipline is the number one problem in the nation's schools. "We

professionals and a full -time guidance counselor. Basic instruction in

Support Person

have gone through a period of per-

English, mathematics, science and Gwinnett County's Adolescent

missiveness," says State School

social studies helps to remedy

Alternative Program for middle and

Superintendent Charles McDaniel,

academic deficiencies which may

high school students employs

"and maybe we are reaping the

have contributed to discipline

behavior disorders consultants as

harvest of some of this."

problems. Individual counseling

counselors for difficult students.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld corporal punishment as a legal method of maintaining classroom order. But there is continued controversy over its effectiveness as well as claims that it damages the student physically and psycho-

about disruptive behavior by the guidance counselor attempts to help students understand their problems and seek more appropriate ways to express themselves, as well as modify their classroom behavior.

Mike Nelson, an itinerant counselor for several Gwinnett schools, sees his role as a support person for students in trouble.
"Often my students feel persecuted," he says. "Everybody tells them what to do and when to do

logically.

Hutcherson says Houston County

Suspension and expulsion remain

schools have experienced a decrease

options for teachers and adminis-

in disciplinary problems as a result

trato , b hese, o , cominn- - -,otLtre-program. o many st rrdents

under fire as ineffective methods of repeat the alternate school, and

controlling students. Indeed, sus-

some improvements in their adjust-

it. It helps them to know that there is someone who will Iisten to them and speak up for them. They need to feel that they have some say in what goes on in their school Iives."

pension and expulsion are said to

ment to the school environment

Nelson often uses the contract

compound the problem by remov-

have been noted by the students'

system to help students cope with

ing the students from adu It

regular teachers.

their problems. "We find out from

supervision - including that of working parents _ and resulting in loss of instructional time, failing grades and premature termination of schooling. Too often the expelled student goes on to be an unemployed drop-out or criminal.
So what is being done to maintain

The in-house suspension and alter-
nate school programs also include in-service training of administrators, teachers and para-professionals to help them better understand the problems of unruly students. The staff also learns ways of coping with troublemakers in a more posi-

the teacher just what behavior needs changing," he says, "then we negotiate a contract with the student, teachers, administrators and parents which says that the student will or will not do certain things. If the student lives up to the contract, he or she is rewarded."

order in Georgia schools?

tive manner. Staff development

Doing Something For Rather Than To

programs emphasize positive reinforcement, resolution of classroom

"The advantages of the contract system are that the student has

conflicts through mutual problem input into the conditions of the

Disciplinary programs being tried in solving and avoidance of commu-

contract and so feels responsible

Georgia schools reflect a basic

nications which anger or embarrass for his or her behavior," says

change in the goal of discipline.

students or damage their self-

Nelson. "Teachers are made more

The programs are designed to do

respect.

aware of the student's individual

something for problem students
rather than do something to them.

Workshop For Staff

needs and parents can be brought in not as a last resort but as active

Rather than chastise the student in

Trying another angle, the Hogans- participants in an effort to help

apunitive manner for disruptive

ville City school system has insti-

their child.

behavior the programs attempt to discover problems - academic, emotional or even medical - which may be the cause of the misbehavior. Students are then aided in coping with their problems and modifying their behavior.
In-house suspension and alternate schools are taking the place of

tuted transactional analysis work shops for its staff. The approach involves the analysis of interpersonal relationships. The purpose of the workshops is to help school sl:aff members learn to seek the roots of a student's problem rather than deal merely with the symptoms.

"I don't have any statistics on whether or not discipline problems have risen or declined in Gwinnett since this program was started," Nelson continues. "But I do know this. There is more awareness on everyone's part that the service is available. Teachers and administrators are going from 'This kid is

regular suspension and expulsion in

"A major problem in the schools," trouble- get rid of him!' to 'This

Georgia schools. Both consist of

says Louis E. Brummett, Hogans-

kid's having trouble- let's help

removing disr.uptive students from

ville school superintendent, "is that him.' And I have more students

the classroom, as in suspension and

relations between students and

coming to me saying, 'May I talk

expulsion, but maintaining class-

teachers are all too often super-

to you for a minute .. .' "

room work and adult supervision. In-house suspension assigns disrup-

ficial. They are based on an authoritative relationship of teacher over

Experience The Best Teacher

tive students to a separate class-

student rather than mutual trust

Douglas County's "peer tutoring"

room within the school. The alter-

and respect. Consequently, teachers program gives high school students

nate school system assigns them to

perceive student misbehavior as a

who have problems dealing with

acentral building.

defiance of authority rather than a authority a taste of what it's Iike to

be in authority. These students become elementary school assistants with responsibilities ranging from academic tutoring to conducting art and drama activities to counseling their elementary charges who are having behavioral problems, too.
"Many of these students have had trouble accepting authority and responsibility," says Trudy Seely, special education consultant for Douglas County. "In this program, they are forced to view authority from another angle, as they become somewhat of an authority figure themselves."
"It really boosts the students' selfesteem to be involved in something where they are so clearly helpful, so clearly wanted and so successful," says Seely. "Lack of self-esteem is a problem with many of these stu dents. They see themselves as failures and consequently behave like failures. This is their chance to succeed. They make the most of it."
Another facet of the program is a group counseling class called SelfDiscovery. The course deals with values clarification, interpersonal relationships, decision-making, coping skills and improving selfconcept. The class meets daily for one period and the students receive social studies credit.
School Discipline Reflects Home Discipline
Though the trend is away from punishing students and toward counseling students, firm discipline at an early stage of the problem is becoming more commonplace.
"It is time for school people to stand up and be counted as instructional leaders," the State Superintendent asserts. "They have the maturity and the experience and they must provide leadership for their students.''
McDaniel does not oppose corporal punishment but says it should be used with restraint and as a last resort. "The alternate schools and the in-school suspension programs have proven to be effective methods of maintaining order," says McDaniel. He also recommends keeping disruptive students after school or assigning them extra duties.
McDaniel believes that the solution to most discipline problems lies in better cooperation between school and home. "I believe that the discipline in our schools pretty nearly reflects the discipline in our homes," says McDaniel. "When parents assume authority at home, it will then be possible for teachers and school administrators to exert more authority at school.''

Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978 3

McDaniel Asks Focus On Five Key Areas

State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel has identified five key 'areas for attention during the first years of his four-year administration. (McDaniel was elected in the Aug. 8 primary with 76 percent of the vote. He has no Republican opposition in November.)
"Teamwork -the basics discipline - parental involvementaccountability for student progress -these are the areas in which I hope we can make the most progress," McDaniel said.
"I think we must all get on the same team if we are to accomplish anything, and that means at both the state and local levels. We all need to quit limiting our thinking
to ~ur own spheres of interest;
education for today must be broad in scope, versatile and dynamic, and its administrators and teachers must reflect those same qualities.
"Working together, our task will be to zero in on a precise definition of the literate person, to decide what is basic education and to teach those basics as effectively as possi ble to as many people as possible. I think we need to gear maximum resources and effort toward this goal," McDaniel said.
" Discipline is another area in which we must make progress. In fact, it probably would come first if I placed priority on any of these ideas. We cannot educate students until they are in school and behaving reasonably. Not only can we not educate the unruly or the drugaffected student, we cannot edu cate those who want to learn as long as the disruptive person is in the classroom. To solve this problem will take more teamwork between the home and school, parent and teacher and administrator. Each person must assume his or her responsibility in discipline matters if we are to re-establish the authority of adults in relation to young people."
"We need that kind of parental involvement in establishing and maintaining discipline, and another kind in conducting the ongoing school program. We need and want parents in schools, as volunteers, as visitors, at parent-teacher conferences, at PTAs, in the principal 's office when the need arises, on social occasions and in learning situations. I firmly believe that if we get parents and community members into schools, they will support schools."
"A fifth task for immediate attention is primarily the responsibility of schools and school officials at both the state and local levels. We must begin to be more accountable for student progress, both for what the schools are teaching and for what individual students are learning. We need to

EDITOR'S NOTE:
This special section of Georgia ALERT presents the Georgia Department of Education 's new organizat ional structure, from the sta t e super i ntendent through the program /uni t l evel. K ey manage ment f igures were inter vie wed for their opi nions about Georgia education's direc tion; each unit and di vision opera tion is descri bed brie fl y; and photos are included of new and newly prom oted depar t ment d i vision and unit heads.

Legal ass ista nt El don Bas ham, left, and State Sch ool Super intendent Ch arles McDaniel.

establish accountability points along the way for each student, and not wait until a person has reached the tenth or twelfth grade to find out he or she has not achieved basic skills.
"There are many other areas in which we need effort toward progress in Georgia public education," McDaniel said, "but these are so basic and critical as to be dominant over all the rest. If we can advance
on all these fronts during the 197879 school year, I will be pleased
and optimistic about our continued progress in the years ahead ."

Basham Works On Legal Matters
Mercer University graduate Eldon Basham is the Georgia Department of Education 's first legal assistant. Basham, who joined the department in June, supplies legal advice to the state school superintendent and department office heads on policies and handles appeals from local boards of education to the State Board of Education.
"Generally, I handle legal questions before they reach the litigation state, " says Basham. "I interpret the laws affecting the department's policies and programs and conduct legal research."
He also acts as a liaison between the department and the state attorney general's office.

Mi chae l Simpso n

those we have in the state schools,"

ana he said. "Hopefully these schools

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model programs. They could also become centers for training teachers for local systems."

Williams is also responsible for the Special Services Unit which provides technical assistance and information to local system personnel con cerning the myriad laws, regulations and compliance procedures which govern federally funded educational programs. Three sections comprise the unit.

A ssoci at e Superi n t endent f or St ate Schools and Sp ecial Services Pey t on Williams reviews pl ans with sta ff members Evelyn Rowe , left, coordinator of Ti t le I X activi t ies; and Loydia Webber, coordinator of Vocati o nal Eq uity act ivit ies.
State Schools Study Set

The Office of State Schools and Spec ial Services is headed by Associate State School Superintendent Peyton Williams, and a division and a special unit report to him.
The Division of State Schools directs the management and operation of the five state schools-North and South Georgia Tech , the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, the Cave Spring School for the Deaf and the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon.
The new organizational structure allows the Division of State Schools to report directly to a department office head for the first time. Williams stresses their importance saying that "over 90 percent of our time will be spent working with the state schools."

A study is planned for the fall to determine a five-year plan for the three schools for exceptional child-
ren, in view of P.L. 94-142, the
federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The law,
which has a September 1978 dead-
line for implementation, mandates that all handicapped children between the ages of 6 and 17 be educated in the "least restrictive environment" based on individual needs. A study of the two state vocational technical schools is also planned .
Williams sees a very definite future for the schools for exceptional
children even with P.L. 94-142.
"There will always be exceptional children who can function in a mainstreamed environment while others will require a setting like

The Title IV Section provides support to local systems in the preparation and implementation of desegregation plans, upon either the request of local school officials or by court order.
The Title IX Section assists local school systems in conducting selfevaluations and addressing issues involved in reducing and eliminating sex discrimination in educational programs. This assistance is provided through on -site visits to local systems upon request, dissemination of resource materials and workshops for school personnel.
The Vocational Equity Section assists local school systems in developing policies and guidelines related to implementing nondiscriminatory practices in vocational education programs.
"The Special Services Unit is not an enforcement agency," Williams said. "While we don't have any easy answers, we try to establish dialogue between the local systems and the various federal agencies, such as the U.S. Office of Civil Rights. We have been rather successful in this endeavor during the past year."

4 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1918

~
.2:

Office of Instructional Services

0

cc .!!! CJ

Leadership Teams Will

Help Systems Improve

Lucille Jorda n is the new Associ ate Superintendent for Instructional Services.

"The most important goal for the Office of Instructional Services is to help school systems provide the best instructional programs possible for Georgia students," said Associate State School Su peri ntendent Lucille Jordan_
She believes this can best be accomplished by the establishment of long-range and short-range goals by her staff, which includes those in three divisions of the department- the Curriculum Division, Special Programs Division and the Educational Media Division .
Jordan joined the Georgia Department of Education in July to head the Office of Instructional Services. She previously served as director of program development for Atlanta City Schools, where she was responsible for all curriculum development for preschool through the twelfth grade.
Since coming with the department of education she has been meeting with each of her staff members to receive their input on what they think the goals and objectives for instructional services should be.
"When we have established our goals and objectives I want to develop a leadership team for

instructional services," she said. "This team, to be composed of representatives from each qivision, will give me input on what's going on and will discuss ways for us to improve our services to local schools."
She thinks services can be improved by her staff sometimes working across division lines and, where appropriate, across office Iines (such as with the Office of Planning and Development and Office of Vocational Education) .
"For example, I can certainly see that our consultants for physical education, art and music could provide valuable input into programs for handicapped children, and our educational television people have many good ideas that could help in all instructional areas," she said .
Just as she plans to establish a leadership team for her own office, she thinks an instructional leadership team at each local school level would help improve instruction .
She sees this team at the elementary and middle school level composed of the principal and a teacher from each instructional level. At the secondary level the team would consist of the principal, a teacher

from each subject area and representatives from resource areas such as Title I and the school's media center.
"The teams would discuss instructional needs, share ideas, talk about problems and solutions and define staff development needs," she said . "Team members would receive and take back information to others in their instructional areas."
Jordan believes it is important for members of her own staff to also set personal growth objectives - to attend seminars and workshops, to read materials dealing with their interests and to share with each other.
"I think it is very important for us to keep up with new ideas, tech niques and information concerning our areas of responsibility," she said. "I think it is also important for us to frequently place ourselves in the posture of a learner and to enjoy the experience of exploring new areas of thought. We often forget what it feels like to be a learner- to experience the feeling of having to admit we don't know something and to be challenged to develop new skills."

hree Divisions Provide Instructional Services

The Title I Unit administers federal
funds granted Georgia to develop and operate compensatory education programs in basic skills and preschool for economically deprived children, including children of migratory workers. The unit also administers federal funds for bilingual education, available to Georgia primarily as
technical assistance. The Compensatory Education Unit administers
state funds for special assistance to educationally disadvantaged children in grades two through six.
The Educational Media Division is
headed by Richard Ottinger and
includes three units- Audio Visual, Technical and Consultative and Educational Television.
The overall missions of this division are (1) to operate an educational television network of eight stations; (2) to operate film Iibrary services and audio tape services; and (3) to provide leadership and consultative assistance to public schools in the area of instructional resources.
Division administration is also responsible for representing the State Board of Education, the Georgia Department of Education and the division with federal agencies such as the Federal Communi cations Commission, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Public Broadcasting Service, the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and other such agencies.

The Curriculum Services Division
includes units of Early Childhood Education (K -4), Middle Grades
Education (5-8), Secondary Education (9-12), and the Governor's Honors Program.
The early childhood, middle and secondary education units are staffed by specialists from at least 12 content areas who provide con sultative services to local schools, help prepare curriculum guides and assist with comprehensive surveys among other duties. The Governor's Honors Program is a summer program for gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors held each year at Wesleyan College in Macon and North Georgia College in Dahlonega. The program is staffed by a full -time director who works with local school systems in the selection of students for the program. Specialists in other units of curriculum services help with the program as they are needed.
Allan Gurley directs the Special Programs Division, which includes
special education, programs for the gifted, Title I administration, compensatory education, migrant and
bilingual education. The Program for Exceptional Children provides
consultative services to all local education agencies, state schools and institutions. Staff also provide technical assistance to local schools in the area of federal programs, particularl,y the implementation of P. L. 94-142, the Education of The Handicapped Act. Leadership,

coordination and administration of a program for gifted students are also provided by this unit. There
for fted students in

150 of the 187 school systems, and a total of 27,000 students are enrolled in these programs.

Jea n Fant, above, directs the Governor's Honors Progra m. Barbara Stevens, below, is director of Early Childhood Education.

Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978 5

Office of Planning and Development

~



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0

New Office Will Strive

To Develop Master Plan

Associate State School Superintendent H. Titus Singletary Jr. sees the major role of the Office of Planning and Development as identifying the most pressing issues which affect education - t o see if there are oetter solutions for solving problems, to test new ideas, develop strategies and implement new approaches.
The Office of Planning and Development is new in the Georgia Department of Education's organization. Until July Singletary headed up instructional services fo r the department.
Included in the new planning and development section are four divisions - the Planning and Evaluation Division, the Staff Development Division, the Standards and Assessment Division and the Educational Development Division.
"One of our first goals in the Office of Planning and Development is to develop a master plan for education and to define appropriate roles for

the State Board of Education, the Georgia Department of Education and local school systems," said Singletary .
A major t hrust of his office will also be the development of a plan of education accountability which will cover all areas of education students, teachers, administration, curriculum, etc.
For example, student assessment will be carefully studied and this program refined and evaluated to see if the goals defined by the State Board of Education are being considered . Competency based education wi II be a critical focus in this area, he says.
Teacher accountability will be another area .looked at. The Performance Based Certification Program will be in effect and will be under continuous evaluation by Singletary's staff.
"We will also take a close look at the whole curriculum process," he

said . "We'll try to determine if there are curriculum areas we should include but are not_presently including. On the other hand , there may be things we now include in the curriculum that are not meeting our objectives."
He said his staff will look into the ways instructional resources are being used .
"We are textbook oriented , but we all probably agree that people sometimes learn better outside the school setting," he said.
Education management and comprehensive planning will be othe r target areas for the Planning and Development staff to focus on .
"I see the Office of Planning and Development as the cutting edge arm of the Department of Education. We will work closely with all department staff in many areas, " he said .

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DepartmentS New Office of Planning, ~

Pau l V ail , left, d irector of t he new Division of Office of Pl anning and Developm en t .



Development Has

The Division of Staff Development, directed by J. William Leach since his promotion to that position several months ago, will have three major efforts during the 1978-79 school year. " The developmental work is done on performance-based certification," said Leach, "and this will be the first year of implementation."
Beginning this year, all candidates for Georgia teaching certificates will be required to pass criterionreferenced tests in their teaching fields before they can start teaching. The state has developed 15 teaching field tests covering 92 percent of the possible areas of certification. Tests will be administered for the first time Nov. 18, 1978, at four locations around the state, and each quarter afterwards.
People who pass the test and also have graduated from colleges with approved programs will receive three-year, non-renewable teaching certificates. During their first three years of teaching they will be assessed on the job against 20 competencies (teaching skills/qualities) ; they will receive supportive supervision and staff development - all aimed at qualifying them for a renewable certificate.
"The purpose of this whole effort," said Leach, "is not merely to eliminate poor teachers, but to give people support as they develop. In the past, too many people have dropped out of teaching because they did not receive enough support."

Another goal for the division will be improved service in certification. "We are trying for a two-week turnaround on certification applications," Leach said. "We expect to have almost 75,000 certification transactions this year, if the rate of increase continues as it has for the past three years." In 1974 the certification office handled 35,000 transactions.
Newly appointed Mary Mitchell, who heads the Teacher Education and Staff Development Unit of this division, will be guiding school systems in meeting the educational and staff development needs of Georgia's professional teachers already on the job. The state has $900,000 for this purpose this year - an increase of $410,000 over last year- which is allotted to systems on the basis of earned certified personnel. Systems plan their own uses for the money, providing credit or non-credit courses for local teachers in the areas they determine they need. Mitchell was at Georgia College at Milledgeville and at Wesleyan before joining the department.
The Georgia Research and Utilization Project is also administered in this division. This project, in cooperation with three CESAs and the University of Georgia, is developing techniques and resources to help local school systems more effectively select and implement educational improvement programs. The project is being conducted

with 40 school systems in north and east Georgia.
Evelyn Turner joined the staff of the Georgia Department of Education in September as director of the newly formed Educational Development Division. The activities of four units- Pupil Personnel Services, Program Development, Competency-Based Education and Adult and Continuing Education are directed by Turner.
The Competency-Based Education Unit is responsible for research, development and field -testing of secondary school improvement areas. One section deals with new high school graduation requirements and another with high school program and pupil services improvements. The Pupil Personnel Services Unit is responsible for guidance and counseling programs, visiting teacher/school social work services and career education. Working in tandem with staff development staff, the Program Development Unit staff has the responsibility for monitoring Title IV-C federal funds. These funds are used to validate innovative approaches to educational problems, for teachers to train other system personnel to duplicate these approaches and for systems to install successful projects developed elsewhere.
The Adult and Continuing Education Unit is the umbrella under which adult basic education (ABE) and adult secondary education

Mary Mi tchell , w ho head s the Teacher Educatia di rect or of the Divisi on of Staff D e vel opm e ~.

(ASE) operate. ABE serves adults

16 years of age and older who are

functioning below the eighth grade

level, and ASE serves those adults

functioning from grade eight to 12.

The General Education Develop-

ment Testing service is also

operated through this unit.

~
Paul Vail, who previously worked

in Pupil Personnel Services, is the

head of the department's new Divi-

sion of Standards and Student

Assessment. Units assigned to that

division are Public School

Standards, Proprietary School



Standards, Standards for Private

Colleges and Universities, Student

Assessment and Psychological

Services.

6 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978



1dards and Assessment, talks with Associate Super intendent H . Ti t us Singletary Jr., head of the new


Evelyn Turner is director of the newly -formed Educational Development Division. She joined the department staff in September.

Barbara Mathis, above, is the new director of the Competency-Based Education Unit in the Educational Developm ent Division. Jerry Roseberry, below, will be working with Standards for Private Colleges and Universities, a new area of responsibility for the department of education.

~d Staff Development Unit, will be working with J. William Leach, right, promoted earlier this year to

According to Vail, the new division will concentrate on revising and
field testing new standards for public schools and drawing up
standards for colleges and universities to be presented to the State Board of Education . A comprehensive student assessment plan and a readiness test for kindergarten
are being developed for presentation to the board for approval :1 and the fourth and eighth grade criterion-referenced reading and mathematics tests are being revised.

The Planning and Evaluation Division is directed by Ronald Luckie. Some of the major activities of the Planning Unit include assistance


in developing goals, objectives and basic planning strategies of the Georgia Department of Education; assistance to local systems in com prehensive planning; planning and implementation of management programs for local system staff and assistance in the development of State Board of Education policies.
Staff of the Evaluation Unit conducts federal requirements for evaluating Title I, ESEA; designs and conducts evaluation studies of the Georgia Department of Education; administers the Georgia School Finance Study and provides information to local systems, CESAs and department staff on research in education in the nation.

Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978 7

Office of Vocational Educational

FY80 Budget



Request



Seeks



Expansion Funds


..

Joseph Freund, Associate Superintenden t for V ocat ional Education, thinks the expansion



budget requested for vocational education in 1980 holds much promise.

Associate Superintendent for Voca- presently used for vocational per-

other words, I don't think we need concept in skills training. There are

tional Education Joseph Freund

sonnel. We've got to do more for

anyone else studying vocational

some additional differences, of

was interviewed during late August on a range of topics relating to vocational education. Questions and answers from the interview are printed here.
Q. The State Department of Education budget that goes to the legislature early next year is the first one you have had any major input in since joining the department in February. What does the request from the vocational office look like?
A. It looks good. Vocational education is asking for its first real expansion budget in years. The state board tentatively approved

the state's h_andicapped and disadvantaged and we've got to be more responsive to needs and changing roles women are assuming in vocational education. And small high schools in the rural areas of the state with student enrollments of around 200 or less have unique vocational problems which have never been fully addressed.
a. Gov. Busbee recently appointed
former Senator David Gambrell to a task force to study post secondary education in Georgia. What impact do you think the committee's findings will have on vocational education?

education until the present studies are completed.
a. Have you noticed any
differences between vocational education in Georgia and in West Virginia?
A. Yes. For one thing Georgia has a more comprehensive and extensive system of post secondary vo tech schools. Another difference is that West Virginia secondary schools utilize the single skill instructional concept much like that used in Georgia's post secondary schools. Georgia's secondary schools, however, utilize a cluster

course, but those are two of them.
a. The organizational structure of

.

the Office of Vocational Education

has been in a state of constant flux

for the past two years. Do you



foresee any more changes?

A. I think that most of the major

organizational and personnel



changes within the office are over

and we are now entering a period of

adjustment. Some changes and

realignment, of course, will always

be necessary to meet changing needs

and priorities. Gradual change we will have but the major overhaul of



the office is hopefully behind us.

the budget request in August. But since the budget is still subject to amendment by the board in September, I don't want to get too specific right now in terms of dollar amounts. Basically, we're

i Four Vocational Divisions

ct>

"
i

Follow

Function

Lines

_...

asking for significant capital outlay funds for new secondary and post secondary school construction; expansion of the PECE, high school comprehensive guidance and votech student personnel specialist programs; expansion for vo-tech short term classes; substantial new equipment monies for the high school program; more instructors for the vo-tech and junior college program; and expansion of Quick Start. We've also asked for funds to upgrade the benefits of some vocational personnel. Then, of course, there are funds for an across-the-board 10 percent salary increase all teachers would receive.
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A. The Governor's Committee on Post Secondary Education chaired by Gambrell is just one of a number of groups and organizations presently studying vocational education, and I don't think it would be beneficial to discuss one without mentioning the others. In addition to the Gambrell task force which is studying all post secondary education, not just vocational, the Professional Standards Commission is also studying vocational education, the Georgia Education Improvement Council is studying the governance of vocational educa-

Joseph G. Freund, formerly director of program services for the West Virginia Department of Education Bureau of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, has been Associate Superintendent for Vocational Education since Feb. 1.
The Office of Vocational Education (OVE) is composed of four major divisions and two unitsCETA and Quick Start - that report directly to Freund.
Divisions have been reorganized according to function rather than by levels of education or program. All four division directors were appointed effective July 1 to head divisions they were already serving as acting directors. CETA and Quick Start coordinators also remr.ined unchanged.
Ed Word, director of Vocational Instruction, is responsible for providing consultative technical

John Lloyd, director of Program



Development, is responsible for

program improvement and supportive services consisting of



research, personnel development,

exemplary and innovative programs, curriculum development

,.

and vocational guidance and

counseling. This division also has

responsibility for on-site team



evaluations of all vocational pro-

grams, services and activities in

the state.



Wiley Simpson, director of Planning

and Operations, has responsibility

for the development and mainten-



ance of the Five Year Plan for

Vocational Education and for the

department's annual vocational

.

budget requests. The division is

also responsible for coordinating

the Management Information System (MIS) for collecting voca-



tional data and for preparing all

federal and state reports relating

to vocational education.

tion institutions, another study is

assistance with respect to secondary Troy Elder, coordinator of the

due out later this month on the

and post secondary instructional

physical expansion needs of our vo- programs. Included under this

Comprehensive Employmen t Training Act (CETA) Unit,



tech schools and, of course, the

division is the regular monitoring

works with the Georgia Depart-

a. What do you see as the three

Georgia Advisory Council on Vocational Education is continually

of school programs designed to maintain and improve the quality

ment of Labor and local units of government in implementing



monitoring all aspects of voca-

of instruction.

basic vocational training programs

or four biggest problems facing vocational education in the state today?
A. Well, first of all, there are more than just three or four problem

tional education in the state.
I think some good information is bound to result from these studies. But I really think we have about

Bob Lynn, director of Vocational Program Management, is responsi ble for the management of local vocational programs including program planning and budgeting.

and supportive services to CETA referrals and other participants through special grants and Title I funds.
J. D. Fowler, state industrial coordi -

areas. But if I have to limit my

reached the saturation point in

Emphasis is on working with

nator, supervises the department's

response to just a few areas, I would terms of the benefits that could

systems in developing and imple-

Quick Start program for training

say we've got to overhaul the com- accrue from additional groups

menting short- and long-range

employees for new and expanding

plicated salary schedule structure

studying vocational education. In

plans.

industries in the state.

8 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978

Office of Administrative Services
Dollars, Building Data Take Priority For 1978-79

~sso c iate Super intendent Cal A da mso n of t h e Off ice of Administrative Services exp ec ts f manc mg of ed ucat io n to b e a number o ne topi c d uri ng 1978-79.

Four Divisions in OAS

The Office of Administrative Services comprises four divisionsFiscal, Regional Education Services, Local System Support and Facilities and Transportation plus Publications and Information Services and Public Library Services.
The Fiscal Services Division, headed by Bert Adams, is responsible through Accounting Services f or the receipt, disbu rsement, accoun ting and reporting of all department fu nds from all sources. The Financial Review Section works with local systems to improve their budgeting and financial operations and to maintain a uniform reporting system through which systems submit budgets to the State Board of Education for approval and annually report expenditures.
The division also supervises Grants Management, which includes data processing, records management and the management of all grants received by the department of education. Through General Services the division coordinates department purchasing, inventory, warehousing, central supply, transportation and mail distribution .

The Facilities and Transportation Divison of this office, directed by C. T. Battle, is responsible for matters related to the planning, plan approval and operation of schools' physical facilities. Its staff works very closely with systems in determining facility needs, developing construction plans and cost estimates, reviewing architects' plans for adherence to codes, laws and state board pol icy, promoting energy conservation and ma intenance and custodial inspections and staff training. The transportation staff works with systems in bus routing, driver training and maintenance and sound practices in bidding and purchasing of buses, equipment, tools and supplies.
The Publications and Information Section of this office is responsible for planning and conducting a comprehensive program of communications for the department of education, including information for the general public, for special groups such as the news media, and for the education profession at the state and local levels. All media are used -print, electronic, graphics, audiovisual and person -to-person.

David L ari scy , new D irector of Grants Managemen t .

Continued on page 10.

"What is to be the structure of education financing in Georgia?" That's a major question to be settled during the coming months, according to Associate School Superintendent for Administrative Services Cal Adamson.

"Will we continue as in the past? Or should we revise educational financing somehow? Is property tax relief a major goal? If so, how do we finance it and still provide an adequate program for education in Georgia?" Adamson thinks these are inevitable questions for the Georgia legislature this coming session or next. The newly-activated Tax Reform Study Commission will tackle the matters first, studying every possible alternative and making recommendations to the full legislature.

State School Superintendent

Charles McDaniel is on the reform

commission, as are three other

educators, Horace Tate of the

Georgia George

Association O'Kelley of

of the

EUdniuvceartsoirts~

oi Georgia and William Breeding,

a Greene County school system

administrator.

Part of the department of education's role in the financing study will be supplying information and answering questions for the legislators and commission.

"But we will also be looking at the alternatives and considering them from our standpoint of responsi bility for a quality education program," Adamson said.

"For example, we would not like to see state assumption of Required Local Effort ( RLE) as the only effort to remedy the property tax overburden. The wealthier systems in the state would receive most of the $78.5 million benefit from this action, and educational support would be even more unequal than it is now_But we could support state assumption of RLE in combination with an equalization funding plan such as District Power Equalizing (OPE), authorized in APEG (Adequate Program for Education in Georgia).

Adamson noted that the State Board of Education is not seeking funds for OPE in the FY 80 budget request "because we have not yet decided that is the best way to go." A request for equalizati on funds would not come until after the legislature has acted on tax reform, FY 81 at the earliest_
Another major effort for the Office of Administrative Services under Adamson's direction will be the implementation of the massive House Bill 905 dealing with school facilities.

During this first year the Facilities and Transportation Division, directed by C. T. Battle, will be working to meet the initial requirements of the new law. Battle and his staff and the department's regional service directors will be inventorying every parcel of land, building, instructional space and item of equipment in the state an estimated total of 17 million computer entries. The computerized inventory should be complete by July 1, 1980, if the department's request for a year's extension of the deadline is granted. (The state's Department of Administrative Services, which must computerize the information, cannot meet the law's present July 1979 deadline _)
Adamson hopes the tremendous effort will lead to increased funding for school facilities in the state by
1981.
He also expects changes in the way school construction is funded as a result of the new law, which provides for the State Board of Education to determine by its policy how local system contribu tions to building funds may be made. Currently local contribu tions come primarily from bond issues, but Adamson thinks this requirement could be eased "because some systems just cannot pass a bond issue."
In other areas of responsibility, Adamson says the Office of Admin istrative Services will continue to work on refining and perfecting the new Grants Management System in the department of education. " Our aim is to provide systems and the department the best possible means of managing funds, giving systems the information they need and keeping a handle on programs and where they are going," he said. The office will also be involved in meeting federal audit requirements of school lunch, Title I and vocational programs at the system level.
The department's effort in the school transportation program will be to survey and pinpoint the needs for special education tr'ansportation as a basis for requesting funds. "We are going to have to meet the requirements of the new federal law - 94-142 - in the matter of transportation, but we really can't do that until we determine how many buses we need. Finally, we will be working to make our transportation program more efficient and effective by consolidating funds for kindergarten into the regular transportation program, probably in FY 1980 when kindergarten is funded at the 75 percent level.

Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978 9

CJ)

u<n

Administrative Services Continued from page 9.

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Josephine Martin, former administrator of the school food and nutrition section, was appointed director of Local Systems Support Division July 1. Her duties include overseeing the department's textbooks, statistics and school food and nutrition programs.
"I hope to assist the administrators of these three sections in providing maximum support for local systems in the operation of school programs," said Martin.
Martin said attention in the school food and nutrition programs will be focused on the breakfast program, because all of Georgia's public schools already participate in the lunch program which serves an average of 833,000 per day.
"Local administrators are going to be encouraged to consider the need for starting breakfast programs, since we have had very positive feedback from school administrators on the educational benefits derived from these programs.
"Emphasis in the statistics unit will be on completing the final phase of the Statistical Information System (SIS), a fully computerized system for compiling local attendance, school plant, pupil transportation and budget and finance statistics presently compiled manually," said Martin.

The Textbooks Unit, which
includes Title IV, operates on a calendar year and will complete their work this fall with the Textbook Advisory Committee in evaluating some 500 titles in the areas of foreign language, science, health, physical education and recreation and driver safety education. In January the evaluation process will begin again when the advisory committee considers titles in the humanities, English and literature to recommend for State Board of Education adoption.
The ESEA Title IV Unit administers
funds under Part C of this federal act, which are to be used for strengthening state departments of education. The unit also works with the state Title IV advisory council and prepares the annual state plan of operation for HEW. The unit administers ESEA Part B funds, (used by local school systems), and federal monies for systems with high concentrations of children from federally employed families.
Through the Public Library Services
program of this office, assistance is provided to 47 county and regional library systems which serve citizens in Georgia's 159 counties. Program units are Readers Services, Library Services for Children and Youth, Public Library Development, Library Construction and Film

Gene Aiken has been promoted to Director of the Division of Regional Education Services, and Josephine Martin is new Director of the Division of Local Systems Support, both in the Office of Administrative Services.

Services and Library Services to the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Through the Georgia and Southeastern Library Information Networks, citizens have access to the holdings of all major libraries in the U.S.
Gene Aiken, promoted to director of the new Regional Education Services Division, says his staff will continue their number one function of liaison and services to local systems. Specifically, the regional directors will be administering legal and State Board pol icy standards, with special attention to the board's new policy on the early dismissal of

students. This is the final year of the current standards; next year the state will be using performancebased standards. The regional directors will also be helping with the facilities inventory required by H.B. 905 and reviewing system applications for $10 million in state funds for renovation of local school facilities. Also on the calendar are 20 to 30 comprehensive studies of school systems seeking construction funds and a "promising" year of work with Cooperative Education Service Agencies (CESAs), through the CESA directors' organization headed by Jack Holcomb of North Georgia CESA.

Effective July 1
Georgia Depar men of Eauca 1on,

Offices, Divisions, Units, Personnel

OFFICE OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Charles McDaniel, Superintendent
William Gambill, Administrative Assistant Eldon Basham , Legal Assistant Corban Sanders, Personnel Ellis Bateman, Budget and Federal Liaison
There are five offices under the office of the S ta te Superintendent of Schools
Office of Instructional Services Office of Planning and Development Office of Administrative Services Office of State Schools and Special Services Office of Vocational Education
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Titus Singletary, Associate Superintendent
Jim Linehan , Professional Standards Commission
Division of Planning and Evaluation Ron Luckie, Director
Sid Neville, Planning Jess Elliott, Evaluation
Division of Standards and Assessment Paul Vail, Director Clyde Pearce, Elementary and Secondary Standards ( vacant ), Proprietary Schools Standards Jerry Roseberry, Colleges and Universities Standards Richard Kicklighter, Student Assessment and Psychological Services Division of Educational Development Evelyn Turner, Director
Barbara Mathis, Competency Based Education Neil Gunter, Pupil Personnel Services Will Atwood, Developmental Programs Margaret Walker, Adult and Continuing Education
Division of Staff Development William Leach, Director
( vacant ), Teacher Certification Mary Mitchell , Teacher Education and Staff Development Bill Trussell , Leadership Development
10 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978

OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Joe Freund, Associate Superintendent
Harley Davidson, State Advisory Council for Vocational Education
Troy Elder, CETA J. D. Fowler, Quick Start
Division of State Planning and Operations Wiley Simpson, Director
Division of Vocational Program Management Bob Lynn, Director
Division of Vocational Instruction Ed Word, Director
Division of Program Development John Lloyd, Director
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Cal Adamson, Associate Superintendent
Division of Fiscal Services Bert Adams, Director
Arvil Ensley, Accounting Warren Post, Financial Review David Lariscy, Grants Management Dallas Williams, General Services Division of Regional Education Services Gene Aiken, Director
Division of Local System Support Josephine Martin, Director
( vacant ), School Food Service Paul Goethe, Textbooks and Title IV Gene Wallace, Statistics
Division of Facilities and Transportation C. T . Battle, Director
T. G. Scott Jr., Facilities AI King, Transportation Publications and Information Anne Raymond, Director Public Library Services Carlton Thaxton, Director

OFFICE OF INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES Lucille Jordan, Associate Superintendent
Division of Curriculum Services ( vacant ), Director Barbara Stevens, Early Childhood Education Claude Ivie, Middle Grades Education H. V. Bullock, Secondary Education Jean Fant, Governor's Honors Program Division of Special Programs Allan Gurley, Director Herbert Nash, Program for Exceptional Children ( vacant ), Compensatory Education Billy Tidwell, Title I, ESEA; Migrant and Bilingual Division of Educational Media Richard Ottinger, Director Max Wilson, Instructional Resources Ted Rothwell , Film Libraries Chester Haldeman, Engineering John Haney, Public Television
OFFICE OF STATE SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL SERVICES Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent
Special Services Unit Evelyn Rowe, Title IX Coordinator Loydia Webber, Vocational Equity Coordinator
Division of State Schools Don Hogan, Administrator
Georgia Academy for the Blind Richard Hyer, Superintendent
Georgia School for the Deaf Jim Whitworth, Superintendent
Atlanta Area School for the Deaf Richard Dirst, Superintendent
North Georgia Technical and Vocational School Jim Marlowe, Director
South Georgia Technical and Vocational School Dea Pounders, Director

WVAN Pilot Project
New Approach
To lTV: It Works!

by Steve Harvey
When Jamie Denty was first asked by Wayne County school superintendent Glenn Keebler to serve as a community representative three years ago on a pilot regional instructional television (I TV) project, she was understandably hesitant. Another committee? More busy work?
Attending the first organizational meeting didn't exactly ease those fears. "After I attended the first lengthy, two-day session - made even longer by much talk, much jargon and little noticeable actionI was even more dubious," said Denty.
But time - and success - have made a convert out of Denty. "Involving local people in decision making may be slow but it works. It really works!" said Denty. "For the first time teachers really have a choice in using good television programs to enhance regular classroom teaching. And, as important as the material itself is the fact that local classroom teachers actually chose the films."
Denty's enthusiasm has since been echoed by a host of local school superintendents, curriculum directo rs, media specialists, teachers and students.
First developed in the mid-1950's, the $11 million Georgia Educational Television (GETV) network has been a target of criticism by State Board of Education members critical of the return received on their investment. In early 1975, the board contracted for $50,000 with a consulting firm for a study of the network. The results substantiated their criticisms. The study showed that many of the state's school children never get to watch instructional television, primarily because teachers are unable to schedule classes to coincide with the programs they needed.
The pilot instructional television (lTV) project began at television transmitter WVAN-TV, Channel 9, in Pembroke in the fall of 1975 in the hope that more educators would use ETV and that more students would watch it. According to 0. Max Wilson, ETV's director of instructional resources for the Georgia Department of Education and coordinator of the regional lTV project, "the project is based on the belief that classroom teachers and lay citizens should have a major role in making decisions about the selection and scheduling of lTV programs to be used in their schools." To accomplish this, WVAN was programmed separately from the state's central ETV network and allowed to air programs selected and scheduled by southeast Georgia educators and parents.
"Pinpointing the problems of program selection and scheduling was

relatively simple," said Wilson. "The study indicated a need for more teacher involvement and . more flexibility in scheduling, but finding solutions for those problems was more complicated."

"WVAN-TV was selected to pilot the programming following a survey which showed that school superintendents in southeast Georgia were the most responsive about participating in such a program," said Mrs. Joey Baughman, ETV's coordinator for special projects.

Seventeen school systems originally agreed to participate in the pilot project. These include Appling, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Jenkins, Laurens, Long, Mcintosh, Tattnall, Treutlen, and Wayne counties and Vidalia City. Laurens County schools, which normally receive programming from WDCO-TV, Channel 15, in Cochran, installed special antennas in order to receive the broadcasts. In all, 155 schools are participating.
An advisory committee composed of two professional representatives appointed by the system superinteodent and one representative appointed by the local board from each community was next appointed. The advisory committee, representing the participating school systems, attended the numerous planning sessions.
As the project developed, classroom teachers, after identifying their instructional needs and making scheduling recommendations, spent three days previewing materials submitted by video distributors. "In all, 3,000 teachers responded to our survey and over 300 of the video tapes requested were eventually previewed by the teachers themselves," said Wilson.
The previewing session was especially important according to Wilson. "Many new programs have been developed over the last few years. Teachers not accustomed to using ETV in the classroom were simply unaware, in many instances, of the really fine instructional programs now available to them," said Wilson.
The teachers' preview choices were tallied, and programs were scheduled, with "top priority" programs getting the "prime time" spots.
Changes in attitude were evident as administrators, teachers and community leaders worked side-by-side to iron out the details of the new broadcast system. But there were physical changes as well at WVAN.
The facilities at WVAN were remodeled and $40,000 in special programming equipment was installed. In addition, $80,000 went to purchase and lease program tapes, since 80 percent of the new WVAN programming would be different

Operati ng the controls and monitoring the special lTV programming is a daily routine for Fra nk Darsey, chief engineer at WVAN -TV, Pembroke .

from that seen over the rest of the state.
The 155 schools and 17 school systems were classified into three distinct models - A, B or C according to their capabilities. All participating schools are designated as Model A, giving them the option of providing input regarding needs, programs and schedules for the station. In addition, those with sufficient video recording equipment to record programs off the air for later local replay are designated Model B. Model C schools may tape the broadcast schedule for delayed use and also request videotaped materials from regional, state and national Iibraries.
Student participation has been another key element in the success of the lTV project. Students in one high school assisted in the dubbing operation and in maintaining the highly technical equipment for which they have received partial course credit. In another school, children sold candles donated by a motel chain in order to raise funds to buy television monitors for the school. Classes in several schools have voluntarily given up part of their lunch period to view programs which conflicted with their mealtime break. An evaluation survey found that instructional TV usage by elementary teachers had increased by 35 percent and high school teachers' participation had increased by 125 percent.
In the 1978 school year the systems participating in the project did a needs assessment of 4,000 teachers, and then 1,000 teachers previewed 800 programs designed to meet these needs.
Frank Darsey, chief engineer at WVAN -TV, has been instrumental in coordinating the day-to-day operation of WV AN of the regional lTV project. Although a committed proponent of the project, he is quick to acknowledge some of its soft spots.
"Video recording equipment is expensive," notes Darsey, "and few schools have money in their budgets for it. Since most existing equipment in the schools was already

receiving maximum usage prior to the lTV project, increased use of lTV may prove dependent on the availability of additional local equipment."
Some schools, too, have a difficult time keeping equipment repaired. "It's costly," says Darsey, "and, in the cases of the more sophisticated equipment, it's time-consuming just to locate someone qualified to work on it."
Darsey hopes these stumbling blocks, however, may quickly fade, due to recent action by the Georgia General Assembly. According to Richard Ottinger, ETV director, the legislature approved increased funding for the regional lTV project for FY 79. And while the increased appropriation won't be large enough to allow expansion of the project into other areas of the state, the additional funding will provide for significant improvements as the regional lTV project enters its fourth year.
"The legislature appropriated funds to establish a regional duplication facility as well as funds for contracting services in the project area. Also passed was $100,000 in grant funds to be distributed by the State Board of Education to local systems for equipment and planning at a three state dollars to one matching local dollar ratio," said Ottinger. "The regional duplication facility to be located at the WVAN transmitter will allow for the duplication and distribution of videocassette tapes for use in schools to bring Model A and Model B schools up to Model C level participation. And the increased staffing win allow us to put a full -time engineer in the field to provide technical assistance to schools."
Regardless of what decisions are made for ETV in the future, school children throughout much of Georgia 's coastal empire will continue to receive revamped and revitalized lTV programming. And thanks to recent financial support from the General Assembly, the regional lTV project will enter its fourth year with funds to make significant improvements.

Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978 11

~ . .. If ~ -:

Alert Briefs

The 1978 Southeast Regional Conference of the Association for Childhood Education International will be held Oct. 5-7 in Biloxi, Miss. The conference theme, "Becoming a Responsible Me," will have speakers and small group sessions that emphasize the improved quality of life for children, developing socially acceptable behavior and valuing our heritage. For more information contact James S. Turner, Drawer ED, Mississippi
State, Miss. 39762.
The Insu ranee Information Institute has free educational aids available to assist secondary school instructors in preparing and presenting lessons about automobile, home and business insurance. For more information write the Insurance Information Institute, 3070 Presidential Drive, Suite 238,
Atlanta, Ga. 30340.
A "Workshop on Workshops," for educators and others who have never done workshops, as well as for those who have done workshops that didn't come off as planned, will be held Oct. 19-20 at the Atlanta Hilton. It will be conducted by Don Bagin, professor of communications at Glassboro State College in New Jersey. For more information write John J. Ekberg or Vickie Johnson, Capitol Publications, Inc., Seminar Division, 2430 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20037.

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The Lan1.er CouoD~OSC~f~l~~~IIJTSifSem
was designated Georg1a s 1rst demonstration school system at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The system will operate from a comprehensive plan based on the system's educational goals and objectives and includes a plan of action for meeting them.
An amendment to the Adequate Program for Education in Georgia Law (APEG) passed by the 1977 legislature paved the way for the designation of demonstration
systems in Georgia.
The Good Neighbor Day Foundation is sponsoring a national contest for schools participating in Good Neighbor Day which will be observed in Georgia and throughout the country on Sunday, Sept. 24. Although schools will not be in session that day, teachers and stu dents are being urged to plan classroom and community activities which give students an opportunity to evaluate their own relationship with their neighbors.
For additional information on Good Neighbor Day and the contest, write Richard C. Mattson, national coordinator, Good Neigh bor Day Foundation, Drawer R,
Lakeside, Mont. 59922..
Parents, who are not satisfied with the education their children are receiving but don't know what to do about it, now have help. The Association of American Publishers have produced th e Parents Guide to More Effective Schools in an effort to give parents information on what they can do to help their children's progress in school. The booklet features four areas in which parents can contribute to making education more productive and effective-in the home, on a visit to the school, working on a program with the school and as taxpayers. The guide is free from The Association of American Publishers, One Park Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.

in Education
The State Board of Education has two new members. Pat Kjorlaug of Decatur was appointed by Gov. George Busbee to represent the Fourth Congressional District, and Larry Foster Sr. of Jonesboro, was named to the Sixth Congressional District post. Carolyn Huseman of Athens was reappointed as the board's Tenth Congressional District member.
Jana Kreisberg and Clarissa Rice, counselors at SQellville Middle School, have been selected as Middle School Counselors of the Year by the American School Counselor Association. Adele Steele, counselor at Parkview High School, was named State Counselor of the Year by the Georgia School Counselor Association .
Dorothy Baylor, a home economics teacher at Gainesville High School, has been selected for the Georgia Teacher Hall of Fame. The Teacher Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Georgia Association of Educators and WSB television in Atlanta.
Three Georgia educators were honored this summer at the annual conference of the Georgia Association of Education Leaders. H. F. Johnson Jr., Appling County, was named Outstanding Superintendent of the Year; C. Frank Campbell, principal of Henderson High School in DeKalb County, was selected as Outstanding Principal of the Year; and Terrel M. Solana, Ware County, was chosen as Outstanding Curriculum Supervisor of the Year. Each received $1,000 and a plaque from the R. L. Bryan Company of Columbia, S.C.
Rose Hulsey, a medical laboratory assistant student at North Georgia Technical -Vocational School, is winner of the 1978 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership. Runners-up were Barbara Wojtkiewicz, Albany; Becky Flanagan, Athens; Rose Croft, Dalton and Douglas Sparks, Valdosta.
Twelve persons were recently selected by the Georgia Vocational Association as Educators of the Year. The teachers and the area they represent are Henry Lee Terhune, Ft. Valley , agriculture; Gus Minix Jr., Hinesville, bu si ness and office educati on ; Deborah Curlette, Lilburn , distributive education; Tom Barrentine, Mar iet ta, guidance; Helen Thompson, Atlant a, health occupations; Dona Hatfield, Brunswick, home economi cs; Thomas N. Pitchford, Valdosta, industrial arts; Rulon B. Johnson, College Park, local a m1n1strators; eat er Wa er, Macon, manpower training; Lee H. Swann Jr., Macon, related services; Marion W. Cornett Sr., Atlanta, technical; and Jack Newman, Athens, trade and industrial.
Frank Paul Young, director of research for the Georgia Educational Television Network, has been selected as one of five Outstanding Young Men of Atlanta by the Atlanta Jaycees.
Gov. George Busbee has appointed a 13-member task force to study post high school education issues and problems. Appointed to chair the Governor's Committee on Post Secondary Education is former U.S. Senator David Gambrell, presently an Atlanta attorney. David Morgan, a senior planner in the Office of Planning and Budget, is staff director of the new committee charged with conducting a one-year in-depth study of the problems facing .education beyond high school in Georgia.

Five Libraries Receive Construction Grants
Five pubIic Iibrary construct ion grants were approved by the State Boa rd of Education in August . A grant of $9 0,000 was approved for a new Ohoopee Regional Library buil di ng in Glennvill e. The Pine Mountain Regional Lib rary will receive $ 186,000 for a new libra ry in Th omaston.
A $ 11 2,220 grant will go to t he Fl int River Reg ional Library System for a new bui lding in Stockbridge. Th e $250,000 grant to the Statesboro Reg ional Library System will be used for a new headquarters buil ding in Statesboro. Th e Cobb County Publ ic Library System will use $175,000 to bu ild a new bui lding for the Merchants Walk Branch in Marietta.
12 Georgia ALERT, September-October 1978

Attorney General Gives Opinions

In response to questions as to who is covered under House Bill 553 which provides for the accumulation and transfer of sick and personal leave, the State Attorney General has ruled that
all teachers employed by local boards of education in APEG Sections 5 (special education), 7 (preschool), 10 (regular classroom), 11 (vocational) and 12 (instructional specialists) must be afforded the accumulation of sick and personal leave regardless of whether the teachers are state allotted or their compensation is provided from some non-state source;
no Section 20 (support personnel) or 21 (administrative and supervisory personnel) units are included in the legislation;

the State Board of Education wil make the determination as to thE responsibility for verification of sick and personal leave records.
Attorney General Arthur Bolton has ruled that children who are placed with foster parents are entitled to a free public education in the schools of the county or independent city system within which the foster parents reside, even though the children are in the legal custody of the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
The State Attorney General has ruled that since an expenditure of state or local funds would be involved, Georgia law would not permit the Georgia Department of Education to administer the federal nutritional education program in non-profit private schools.

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Kindergarten Report
The Differences
Are Dramatic !

by Eleanor Gilmer

Mary Evelyn Well s, teacher at Arnett Kinderga rt en in Screven Co unty , encourages her stud ents to master simple num ber match ga mes.

Education News In Brief

Gov. George Busbee has declared the months of September 1978 through June 1979 as "Stop 'N Read Months" in Georgia. As part of his proclamation, the governor urged all Georgians to spend at least 10 minutes each day of the school year reading to emphasize the importance of making reading
a part of daily activities.
The Georgia Department of Education's Quick-Start manpower training program was featured in two articles - "State Makes Foreign Firms the Offers They Can't Refuse" and "Job Training - A Powerful Incentive to Business"-
in the November issue of Nation's Business, Vol. 66, No. 11. Copies
of the magazine are available at $1.75 each. Orders should be sent
to Philip Sweeney, Nation's Business, 1615 H Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20062, phone
(202) 659-6028.
Ben Hill -Irwin Tech was praised during a recent meeting of the state's veterans service representatives. According to the Georgia

Department of Veterans Services, BH IT has the best administrative procedures for handling programs for the VA of any college or vo-
tech school in the state.
The Georgia Department of Education has been awarded a $6,000 grant from the U.S. Office of Education for an Arts Education Program. It was one of 79 grants totaling $750,000 made to 38 school districts and 41 state education agencies across the country for the arts. According to Ruth Gassett, Georgia Department of Education arts consultant, the funds will be used to continue the development of a comprehensive state 'plan for the arts as begun by the Georgia Alliance for the Arts. Three regional forums in arts education will be conducted during the fiscal year of the grant, and one or more staff development workshops will be sponsored by the Alliance for Arts Education. In addition, monies will be used to print and distribute a publication on the importance of arts education to the total curriculum.

A casual visitor to one of Georgia's public school kindergarten classes at first glance might see nothing but youngsters playing.
One group of children in the corner might be building a bridge out of blocks; another group, with the help of the teacher or aide, might be cooking; still another, playing house.
"These activities may be associated with play, but we believe play is children's work. This is the way they develop socially, mentally and physically," said Linda Pruitt, early childhood education consultant for the Georgia Department of Education .
"Actually, all of these experiences are helping the children learn to read," she continued. "They are developing language skills, learning to label things and to think for themselves."
There are over 50,000 children enrolled in public school kindergartens over the state, and about 38,000 of them are in programs funded by the state. Others are funded locally or with federal dollars such as Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ($7.7 million this year).
The 1978 Georgia Legislature appropriated enough money to fund state preschool programs at a 50 percent level for FY 79 . The Georgia Board of Education in its budget request to the Governor and legislature is asking for 100 percent funding for FY 80, instead of the 75 percent originally planned.
"Funding at a 75 percent level could put a lot of pressure on local boards of education, because they would have to identify the 25 percent who could not be served," said Scott Bradshaw, director of the Georgia Department of Education's Curriculum Division.
Even at the 50 percent level this year, some school administrators

said they had few children left to be served, and they had problems explaining to parents why their children were not eligible for kindergarten. Georgia law says children who are handicapped or have the greater developmental needs must have first chance at the program.
A few systems, like Carrollton City, are using local funds to supplement state funds and are providing kindergarten for all eligible fiveyear-aids in the system. Muscogee County and Atlanta City have had kindergarten for all preschool youngsters for many years.
" We operate our program on a three-fourths day basis," said Norma Fulbright, director of the kindergarten program in Carrollton. State programs are funded on a one-half day basis. Teacher allotment is based on a system's previous year's first grade enrollment, with every system getting at least one teacher unit. One teacher and one aide are allotted for every 40 children unless the children are handicapped, then the ratio is 1:24.
Because of the problem of transporting children in for only onehalf day, many rural school systems operate full -day kindergarten programs and pay for the extra time with local, federal or CETA funds.
Does kindergarten really make a difference?
"Absolutely," said Fulbright. "Our program has been in operation for about 10 years, and our first grade teachers say there is no comparison between the children who have attended kindergarten and those who haven't."
Linda Pruitt agrees. "Last year, 11 percent of Georgia children failed the first grade and had to be retained another year. At Georgia's average per pupil cost of over $1,000, this costs the taxpayers over $10 million for first grade retention alone. Research proves that children who have attended

continued on page 6

People
In Georgia Education

~ ()"
!. State Board
3
~ In Review

Clare Nesmith, state mathematics coordinator for the Georgia Department of Education, has received the Gladys M. Thomason Award for Distinguished Service in Mathematics Education. It was presented by the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics at their annual conferenc~ in November.

David L. Rogers, a teacher at Savannah High School, is one of only six U. S. teachers participating in a Soviet Teachers Exchange under the auspices of the American Friends Service International Scholarship program. He returns early this month from two months of teaching in Leningrad and Moscow.

Scott Bradshaw of DeKal b County has joined the Georgia Department of Education staff as director of the Division of Curriculum Services. Bradshaw, who previously served as instructional coordinator for DeKalb County Schools, will supervise subject area specialists in preschool through grade 12 and Governor's Honors Program staff. His division is in the department's Office of Instructional Services.

John Lounsbury, dean of the School of Education at Georgia College, has been honored by the National Middle School Association for his long time leadership in middle grades education . A John Lounsbury Award was established by the association to recognize a person annually for outstanding contributions to middle school education in the nation. Lounsbury's name was placed on the plaque as the first recipient of the award, according to Claude lvie of the Georgia Department of Education.
Bill Hammond, director of the Right to Read program for the department of education, has been named president-elect of the Georgia Education Research Association, an affiliate of the American Education Research Association. The Georgia group has about 100 members, mostly in colleges and universities.

A. Perry Gordy Jr. will retire in December as director of the Columbus Area Vocational -
Technical School, a position he has held since 1965. A native of Columbus, Gordy is a
former state senator. ~
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Sandra Barwick at the Academy for the Blind in Macon has been honored by the Bibb County Sheriff's Office for her work in publishing the sheriff's "Guidelines for Junior Deputies" in Braille. The Academy has 20 junior deputies in the program, for which Barwick is advisor. Academy Supt. Richard Hyer says the junior deputy program is especially effective in efforts to integrate visuallyimpaired youngsters into the community.

Sid Neville has been promoted to head the Teacher Certification Unit of the department of education . Formerly a consultant in planning for the department, Neville takes over during a critical time for teacher certification . In January, the office will be receiving the scores of 1,200 prospective teachers who took the first criterion-referenced tests in November and are applying for certification under the state's new Performance Based Ce rtification Program . Neville was educated at Mercer University and Georgia Southern, with graduate work at Yeshiva University, New York , and Florida State. Before joining the departm ent he was coordinator of federal programs and director of pupil personnel in Lowndes County Schools.

January 1979

Volume 11 Number 2

EDPRESS

Published five times a year by Public Information and Publications Services, Office of Administrative Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Editorial Board Managing Editor Nancy Hall Shelton News Editor Steve Harvey State Editor Eleanor Gilmer Feature Editor Steve Edge Photo Editor Glenn Oliver Graphics Elaine Pierce Typesetting Linda Burton

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) , in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.
Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the Georgia Department of Education may be addressed to Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent, Office of State Schools and Special Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta 30334, or to the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC 20201.

The Georgia Board of Education in December adopted a new policy changing requirements for high school graduation.
The new policy increases the number of Carnegie units required for graduation from 18 to 20. (Each Carnegie unit equals 150 clock hours, for a total of 3,000 clock hours required for graduation.) Ten of the required units will be specified, and 10 wi II be elective.
Required will be three units of English language arts, 2% units of mathematics (including one semester/quarter of personal finance), one unit of science, onehalf unit of health and safety, onehalf unit of physical education, one-half unit of career planning and two units of social studies (including one semester/quarter each of citizenship, U. S. history, economics/business/free enterprise) . This phase of the policy will apply for all students enrolling in the ninth grade beginning in the 1980-81 school year.
In an effort to identify what schools require and what community expectations are for graduating students, the State Board of Education defines as a major role of the public schools the responsibility to ready students for contemporary life roles as learners, individuals, citizens, consumers and producers. Students will be required to demonstrate performance in each of these c;rea.~..----~--
Requirements to be demonstrated by students for the adult life role of learner will be measured statewide by 10 competency performance standards and will apply to all students enrolling in the ninth grade beginning in the 1981 -82 school year.
Graduation requirements for the adult life roles of individuals, citizens, consumers and producers will be measured through 10 other performance standards by local boards of education and will apply for all students enrolling in the ninth grade beginning in the 1982-83 school year.

The Georgia Board of Education in November accepted the recommendation of its textbook advisory committee that 639 fine arts, science, foreign language, health and physical education, driver and safety education textbooks be placed on the state-approved textbook list.
The board voted not to adopt a policy dictating the content of biology and life science textbooks as they pertain to the teaching of creation and/or evolution, but agreed to leave the matter up to local boards of education.
Identified on a special list to be sent to local school systems, however, were the textbooks on the state-approved Iist that teach only the creation theory (12), those that teach only evolution (17), those that teach both theories (5) and those that teach no theory on the origin of man (3).

2 Georgia ALERT, January 1979



Teacher of theYear

He Teaches Life, Then Math


by Stephen Edge


Georgia's 1979 Teacher of the

Before beginning his subject

his success in the classroom is due

School to help make ends meet,



Year, Everett Coker of Cobb

County, believes that teaching

matter, Coker teaches his students how to take notes and arrange

not to teaching successfully the course content, but in convincing

and he taught gifted students for two summers. But he doesn't let

should be as much an exact

work and gives them a broad out-

his students that knowledge will

his high school students suffer. He



science as it can be made. A ninth and te_nth grade mathematics

teacher at F. T. Wills High School

in Smyrna, Coker feels that stu -

dents should be taught to learn

before being taught math.



'

line of what is expected in the course. Everything is expected, nothing is left to chance-students know when homework is due for the whole course and exactly when tests will be given. Coker feels that
0

make a difference in their lives.
"I view my role not as a presenter of facts and ideas and a prodder of knowledge," he says, "but as a preparer for the future. I cannot predict how many of my students will remember how to factor a trinomial or prove a geometry theorem, but I can guarantee that each one of them will eventually have to accept the responsibilities of a job and family."

has to spend long hours at night and on weekends writing lesson plans and completing paperwork in addition to being in demand as a presenter at teacher training sessions. Another seminar he presents is entitled "What Every Teacher Should Know, But Didn't Know Enough to Ask." He is also heavily involved in teacher organi zations, representing the school system at GAE meetings and serving on committees. He served as



Shares His Ideas

president of the Association of

Nor does he keep his highly orga-

Classroom Teachers for Cobb

nized style of teaching to himself;

County.



if he has to be out of class, a sub-

Coker will represent the teachers

stitute teacher can continue the

of Georgia in the National Teacher

sequential lessons by using Coker's of the Year program, the winner



prepared "emergency lesson plans." of which will be announced next

In addition he gives a seminar to

spring. For being Georgia's Teacher

other teachers every year on time-

of the Year, he received a $750

saving in the classroom, and the

check from Southern Educators

school system has published and

Life Insurance Company, the co-

distributed to teachers his booklet sponsor of the Georgia Teacher of

about classroom effectiveness, "If

the Year program with the depart-

I Don't Know What to Expect, How ment of education.

Can I Prepare for It?"

Power of a Teacher

The whole world may soon know

In his own words Coker feels that

of the Teacher of the Year's

the power of a teacher is like a two-



method of classroom effectiveness. With Wills' mathematics department head, Charlotte Rice, he has written a book entitled T.I.P.S., or Teaching Ideas Proven Successful. The book is currently under consideration for pubIication by California publishers, Fearon Pitman.

edged sword; it can be used for much good, but it can also do a lot of harm if misused . "If I speak to my students," he says, "of things about which I am ignorant or misinformed, my words have the same cloak of authority, and I could do much damage. A teacher's every act is magnified in the eyes of

Coker is an accomplished, successful children."

teacher, but he is not without a

Everett Coker, ninth and tenth grade mathematics teacher at Cobb County's Wills High School , is Georgia's 1979 Teacher of the Year.

sense of humor. A sign on his desk proclaims, "Teachers have a lot of class," and one of his presentations

Coker says he glories in the quick accomplishment and understanding of students, but he feels that "the

for beginning teachers is entitled, "Battlecry : If We Don't Win This

true test of a teacher is not how he deals with the best students, but



Battle, We May End Up Crying." But his is a humor tinged with purposefulness. He always wanted to become a teacher and had to work long and hard, even as a child, to

rather how he meets the needs of those who are not so quick to learn. ... I don't know if I'll ever have a budding Einstein in my class, but the possibility inclines me to respect the potential of every child

help support his family and win a scholarship to Mercer University.

who passes my way. I also know that so long as September heralds

He began teaching at Duluth High

the return of the children to school,

School and transferred to Cobb's

I shall never weep, like Alexander,

Wheeler High School a year later,

for lack of worlds to conquer."

where he taught for three years. He

has now taught for five years at

Wills High School.

Spends Time Helping Others

Coker is a dedicated teacher who

does not like to waste time (he



completed requirements for a master's degree in a year's time),

but will gladly spend hours of his

own time tutoring students who are

behind or who have difficulty with

math, whether they are his students

or not. At Wheeler High School as

sponsor of the Key Club, he began

a highly rated campaign - still

being carried on -of collecting

canned goods for distribution to

the needy during the holiday

Runner-up in the 1979 Teacher of t he Year program is Bolton Luncefo rd , an English and foreign languages teacher at Warren County High School. A nationally published poet, Lunceford states in her philosophy that "the students' main responsibility in school is to expand the frontiers of their minds and imaginations."

seasons. Coker teaches a business course in the evenings at CobbMarietta Vocational-Technical

Georgia ALERT, January 1979 3

Richard Bryson , one of the original vocational students involved in restoration, inspects a portion of origi nal plaster still intact.

Ora nge Hall , an antebellum mansion in the coastal town of St . Marys, undergoes restoration by vocational stud

Orange Hall Restoration Benefits (
by Steve Harvey

A unique approach to historic pre- by the city, local Chamber of

To the Rescue

The initial restoration focused on

servation in a small coastal town may provide a new means of getting sluggish restoration projects off the ground. And it could provide valuable work experience and unlimited jobs in the construction trades for vocational students.
The proposed fol,Jr-year project centers on Orange Hall, an imposing antebellum mansion on St. Marys' main street. Built in the 1820's in the Greek Revival style, its initial occupant, the Rev. Horace Pratt, held the unusual distinction of having a house that was larger than his church. Over the years the house has been a private home and a boys' academy and was once divided into apartments.

Commerce and Gilman Paper Co. restored about half the basement section for limited use. Restoration costs of the upper floors was estimated to be in the neighborhood of $250,000, so it was little wonder that the preservation effort at Orange Hall in the last few years has amounted to not much more than talk and some drawings.
An initial grant of $39,000 from the Coastal Plains Regional Commission in Charleston was finally obtained in 1975. But despite two, one-year extensions of the original grant, part of the Title X funds were about to expire because the city was unable to satisfy some requirements of the grant.

Mac Burdette, a planner involved with the restoration project, discovered that Carlos Jones, the vocational education teacher at CCHS, had previously done restoration work and that he had four students capable of doing such work under his supervision. With the enthusiastic support of principal Pete Baker and Soloman Sparks, the school's vocational supervisor, Jones en Iisted one of the school's counselors, Bob Hemminger, and work began.
The four students, all active members of the school's chapter of Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA), came to the job with impressive credentials. Clifford Hewitt was the Georgia state cham-

the back porch of Orange Hall, structurally the poorest section of the house. The crew refloored the two-story porch and replaced all of the woodwork, including intricate molding. Critical, too, was reconstruction of the rear steps. The original steps had rotted and been replaced some time ago with a twostory outside staircase that was historically inaccurate and added nothing aesthetically to the man sion. As in all areas they attempted to reconstruct as historically and architecturally accurately as possible. On finding that the original railing supports on the rear porch had actually pierced the floorboards, the restoration team laboriously copied the original method of construction.



But the waterfront town of St.

pion in cabinetmaking; Richard

Marys has long been aware of its historic heritage- it has 48 buildings deemed by federal officials to have architectual or historical significance -and restoration of Orange Hall has been a continuing concern .
In 1951 Orange Hall was purchased

The problem? The grant specified that unemployed labor be hired to do the restoration work. But countless attempts to round up a work force of unemployed laborers with the skills necessary to restore the intricate innards of Orange Hall proved futile.

Bryson held the district championship in plumbing; Robert Massey was the local electrical wiring champion; and Gary Hutchinson, in Carlos Jones' words, was "an outstanding three-year construction student."
Work began in June, and since that

During lulls in the porch work, the students and their supervisors stripped damaged plaster that could not be saved from the inside walls of Orange Hall. In all an estimated 18 tons of plaster and other debris were removed from the project site. They discovered that the mansion



by St. Marys Kraft Corp., which

date, approximately $30,000 has

had a unique lathing construction.



deeded the property to the city of

And that's when a vocational

been spent on labor and materials. Large planks had been nailed to the

St. Marys in 1960 for use as a civic teacher at Camden County High

"For that expenditure, we've gotten walls and ceilings and split with

center and public library. Several

School and four of his students got at least $50,000 worth of work,"

lath hatchets to form a base for

years ago initial preservation efforts involved.

Burdette estimates.

the four-inch thick plaster.

4 Georgia ALERT, January 1979



photos by Stephen Edge

Stripping 18 tons of plaster from the walls revealed la rge pl anks nailed to the walls and ceilings and split with lath hatchets to form a base for four-inch thick plaster. Left to right are Camden County Hi gh School counselor Bob Hemminger; Carlos Jones, vocational teacher ; Richard Bryson, vocational student.

; at Camden County High School.
:ity and Students


Students Get Kudos
Jones has nothing but praise for the students as hard workers. Their day begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. with a half-hour off for lunch, a schedule of their own choosing. ''There were no hard words and no arguments," marvels Jones. "These
boys were all leaders."
Jones points proudly to the active involvement of all four boys in VICA. Bryson, the only junior involved in the project, is a senior this year and serves as local chapter president and was a national VICA delegate. The other three are
.. receiving further training this year : Hewitt at North Georgia Tech, Clarkesville; Massey at South Georgia Tech, Americus; and j Hutchinson in Florida Junior
College's architecture program.
Praise extends no less to the job done by Jones and Hemminger. Both have worked well together, providing an inexhaustible supply of enthusiasm for the project. They not only supervised their crew, but did plenty of the work themselves.
In addition, Hemminger kept the many detailed records required by the grant conditions. Burdette emphasizes that the grant funds would not have been salvaged with-

out the interest and efforts of both men.
Obviously the house needs much more extensive restoration, and further commitments of time and money will be required. The next work increment should focus on the electrical, plumbing and air conditioning duct work .
An additional two-year $15,000 grant, matched by local funds, has been approved by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' historic perservation office for this summer's continuing restoration effort. That grant will be matched by $15,000 in in-kind contribu tions from St. Marys, including additional materials and paint from the Gilman Paper Co. And Jones and Hemminger have already started to train a similar work crew to tackle the second phase of restoring Orange Hall.
Project Could Spread
Will the Orange Hall restoration by high school students spark other similar restoration efforts by vocational students in other parts of the state and country? Probably.
If young people are not trained in preservation crafts, Jones points out, who will possess these skills in

Instructor Carlos Jones shows off chunk of origi nal plaster crown m o lding. Windows behind Jones have unique inside shutters that fold back into walls .

50 years? There is another plus, too, in increasing the sentiment of community ownership by involving young people directly with symbols of their heritage.
Historic preservation officials, always interested in innovative approaches to preservation, have

understandably been attracted to the active way in which the vocational students' talents have been utilized in this project. And as the only such project anywhere in the Southeast, Jones and his students are getting used to increasing publicity.



Georgia ALERT, January 1979 5

photos by Glenn Oliver
t


'

-----



At Arnett Kindergarten in Screven County, matching the correct number of toy cars w ith numbers printed on cardboard sheets is the k ind of "play" that lays a foundation for learning more difficult math concepts.

A few toy boats and some water can be great fun and , teachers at Arnett Kindergarten believe, a good learning experience .

Kindergarteners Learn Basics Through Play continued from page 1

kindergarten have a far greater chance of passing first grade than those who haven't," she said.
According to child development researchers, kindergartens provide essential educational experiences during the child's crucial period of development," said Pruitt. "Twothirds of a person's learning capacity is formed between the ages of four and six."
She says these researchers also say that developmental lags or potential learning problems must be detected at an early age in order to maximize future achievement, and that skills which are not developed during this critical period are sometimes never fully attained.
Just exactly what do five-year-olds learn in a kindergarten class?
Norma Fulbright says the approximately 250 children enrolled in the Carrollton program are taught on an individual basis, and each child moves just as far as he or' she is capable of moving.
"Everything we teach leads up to reading, mathematics and other basic skills the child will need in first grade," she said. "For example, the children learn to match items that are numbered or lettered, and they never quite realize they are learning numbers and the alphabet."
"Our program stresses that all our five-year-olds have a happy learning

experience and leave our program feeling good about themselves and about school," she continued.
Another factor that can mean success or failure in any school program is the attitude of the teachers, parents and general public.
"The good attitude of everybody connected with our program is a big plus for us," Fulbright said. "Our parents are involved in all areas of our program -they serve as volunteers in the classroom, help prepare teaching materials and help in any other way we ask them to."
For example, one of the units taught in the Carrollton program is nutrition. Periodically, a family style meal is prepared and served in the classroom. Linen table cloths, china dishes and silverware are used rather than paper products. The children are taught all about good nutrition, good table manners and how to carry on conversation . Parents volunteer to eat with the children and help with the project.
Parents, teachers and other com munity volunteers have also helped to make the k indergarten building a bright, cheerful place for the children to attend classes.
Another example of a successful kindergarten program is the Arnett Kindergarten Center in Screven County, directed by Pat Bazemore.

The system has had a kindergarten program for seven years, but the Arnett Center is only four years old. When it opened, units from each school were combined. The program serves 137 students, about 60-70 percent of the eligible fiveyear-aids.
"Even though we have to bus our students to the center, we feel the advantages of having our entire program under one roof far exceed the disadvantages," said Bazemore. She says the teachers are able to share ideas and materials, and everything in the center is geared toward kindergarten.
Like Carrollton, the Arnett program uses an individual approach to teaching. There is approximately one adult for every nine children . This includes teachers and teacher aides.
"In our program we strive for a balance between socialization skills and academic skills," said Bazemore. "We stress learning through play, place emphasis on language development and reading readiness and try through an atmosphere that promotes success, to help our students develop a sense of personal worth."
She says Arnett teachers work closely with the system's first grade teachers to ensure continuity in program content.

It is important that kindergarten not take the place of first grade, but that it prepare the child for the first grade experience, all the persons interviewed agreed.
Besides 100 percent funding, how can Georgia's program be improved?

"I think it could be greatly improved by going to a full -day program," said Scott Bradshaw. "Bussing children in for one-half day programs has been a problem for systems."

It's important that classrooms not be overcrowded and that a contin uous curriculum be used to bridge the gap between kindergarten, first, second and third grades, others said.

Even though Georgia's kin.dergarten

program is still in the developmental stages, most people agree



it's on the right track and long

needed in the state. A lot of people
are committed to making it one of

the best kindergarten programs in

the nation . It has been one of Gov.

George Busbee's pet projects since

he became governor, and he has

indicated he will support 100 per-

cent funding for next year. If the

-~

legislature approves the funds it will

cost for another 50 percent, the

overall kindergarten program will

cost just under $50 million a year.

6 Georgia ALERT, January 1979

Georgia Names Hearing Officers For Handicapped

Building a tall tower with a friend is an excellent way to have fun at Screven County's Arnett Kindergarten. These youngsters seem to have mastered the art of getting along with their peers.
Arnett Kindergarten teacher Nancy Brannen gathers her youngsters around her each morning for a variety of group activities.

The new federal law on education of the handicapped requires that all children who need special education services must be provided for. Another provision -that parents are to be involved in planning educational programs for their handicapped child -has avoided some of the problems that could occur in planning for and placing these children. Still, parents could be dissatisfied with their child's treatment, and the law provides for that possibility, too.
Georgia's Annual Program Plan under the new federal law for education of the handicapped spells out specific procedures for appealing decisions, according to Allan Gurley, director of the Georgia Department of Education's Division of Special Programs.
"First, the school system must try to resolve the conflict through mediation," says Gurley. "Then, if either party is still dissatisfied, a written request for a state hearing should be initiated through the office of the local superintendent of schools."
Upon receipt of the request for a state hearing, the Georgia Department of Education's legal assistant, Eldon Basham, selects and contacts one of the State Board of Education's approved hearing officers. The hearing officer then notifies the concerned parties of the time, date and location of the hearing.
"Since Oct. 1, we have had 14 requests for hearings," said Basham . "Five of these were settled through

mediation, two have been heard and the others are pending."
Basham says most of the cases con cern the parents' dissatisfaction with the school system's placement of the child, but others have dealt with bussing, requests for related services and what the parents feel is an "appropriate" education for their child.
Gurley says that after a request is made to the local superintendent's office, the hearing must be held within 20 school days.
The use of regional hearing officers by the State Board of Education is a change from last year, when the board's own hearing officer heard all the cases.
So far, the board has approved 22 persons to serve throughout the state as hearing officers. Others will be appointed as they are trained. Training is provided by the department of education and a consultant firm, and sessions are held throughout the year in various parts of the state.
"The primary eligibility of persons interested in being hearing officers is that they be willing to become knowledgeable of the education process spelled out in Public Law 94-142, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act," said Gurley. "These persons cannot, however, be employed by a public agency involved in education of the child or have a professional or persona I interest that wi II keep them from being objective."

Listening to a good story is one highlight of the day in Georgia kindergarten programs. Arnett Kindergarten teacher Ruth Brown reads stories to her youngsters daily.
Georgia ALERT, January 1979 7

Dougherty Wins Sex Discrimination Suit

WINSLOW HOMER (1836-1910, A Sunflower for Teacher, 1875, watercolor on paper, ?x 15%, lent by The University of Georgia, Georg1a Museum of Art, Eva Underhill Ho lbro ok Memonal Collectio n of American A rt, gift of Alf red H . Holbrook .
Museum Holds Exhibit
The "Children in America" exhibition at Atlanta 's High Museum of Art is the focus of the museum's program for school children during the current school year. The exhibit uses a variety of paintings, watercolors and photographs in an imaginative setting to explore what it was like to be a child in colonial times, Civil War days, in the early 1900's and today . Other features of the exhibition include a tunnel slide, jungle gym, distorting amusement park mirrors, period costumes, old toys and a closed circuit video system. The exhibition will remain on view through May 27. Additional information may be obtained from the museum's education office, High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta 30309 (404) 892-3600, ext. 228.

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A federal court judge has ruled in favor of Dougherty County Schools in a sex discrimination suit filed against HEW that has attracted national attention.

U. S. District Judge Wilbur D. Owens Jr. permanently enjoined HEW from withholding approximately $2 million in federal funds from the Dougherty County School System because of alleged noncompliance with Title IX regulations. Owens ruled that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 did not cover employment practices of recipients of federal financial assistance.

The original complaint filed by two Dougherty home economics teachers in December 1974 alleged sex discrimination under Section 901 of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

In substance, the complaint charged the Dougherty system paid a 12 percent salary supplement to industrial arts teachers but not to home economics instructors.

Howard Knopf (right) is director of the At lanta Area Center for T eachers. Th ~re are three cen ters i n the Atl anta area where teachers can make their own games and learnmg m atenals for classroom use . Les Stanford (standing) is the coord inator of t he center located o n the Mercer Un1vers 1ty campus.

The school system contended that home economics and industrial arts "involve two distinctly separate job descriptions." Dougherty County school superintendent Paul Robertson further contended that industrial arts teachers get the pay

Teachers Turn Castoffs Into Learning Materials

supplement because "it's required

The room is a potpourri of home-

they maintain their equipment and made teaching materials. Brightly

put in extra time after school beyond that required of, say,~

colored games are posted on the walls and ceiling. More games,

home economics or mathem.atlcs

mobiles and activities hang from

teacher." Heber-tseFrals~ pomt~d --the ceiling b y strings. A parachute

out that the one female mdustnal

is suspended across one end of the

arts teacher employed by the

room. Painted concrete blocks

system did receive the supplement. support books on shelves.

teacher in participating systems, and to other teachers for a five dollar annual fee.

HEW threatened to cut off approx imately $2 million in federal funds last spring when negotiations broke down between the Dougherty school system and the HEW office in Atlanta. Dougherty school officials went to court to block the funds cut off.
Another federal court suit by a Dougherty high school counselor against the Dougherty schools alleging sex discrimination is still pending.

This is the Atlanta Area Center for Teachers (AACT) - a place where teachers can construct games and activities, get free craft materials, share teaching ideas and participate in weekly workshops. Located on the campus of Mercer University in Atlanta, the center was opened in early 1976 by the Atlanta Area Teacher Education Service (AATES), and is operated by and for teachers in 13 cooperating Atlanta-area school systems and eight colleges and universities.

Weekly Reader SO Years Old
The "Weekly Reader," which put the news of the world into a youngster's vocabulary and once reached 15 million school children each week, begins its 51st year this winter.
No w, half a century old, it is changing with the times.
It still thrives on the basics - news stories and maps - but where a child of 1928 could have read a poem about the benefits of cod liver oil, today's reader is told about illicit drug usage.
The Xero x Corporation bought the newspaper in 1965, and it now is published by Xero x Education Publications with publishing and distributing facilities in Columbus, Ohio, and editorial offices in Middleton, Conn. Circulation is about 8 million this year.

"We have activities for all curricu lum areas," says Howard Knopf, director of the center. "All it takes is one visit for teachers to realize how helpful the center can be. They can make their own games and learning materials for classroom use, use the book binding and laminating machines, check out material from our resource Iibrary of books and magazines on teachermade games or look for new ideas in our resource bank of teacherdonated ideas."
Teachers can also rummage through the boxes of free materials donated by area businesses. These include such useful items as foam rubber, puzzles, maps, billboards, metric materials, magazines, mat board, tag board, egg cartons, film cans, plastic containers, envelopes, junk jewelry, book jackets and computer cards.
All these services are available without charge (laminating does cost 10 cents per foot) to any

Center staff members Marty Nolte and Marlene Lindeman hel p a teacher o perate the lami nating m a c h i n e.
The center's operations are coordinated by the AACT board of directors, which is composed of two teachers from each of the participating systems and three representatives from AAT ES. Financing for the center, originally from AATES funds, now comes from a USOE grant. Only 37 states have similar teacher centers.
Successful? Knopf believes the center has filled a void. "Before we opened, teachers had to scrounge for ideas and materials on their own and then warehouse them in their homes." The facts and figures spell success also. Since its opening, the center has had 12,000 visits by teachers. And now there are two additional centers, opened at the end of 1978 - one at Metro CESA in Atlanta and another at Huie Elementary School in Clayton County.

8 Georgia ALERT, January 1979

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April1979 Volume 11 Number 3

Budget Funds Smaller Classes In Early Grades

by Eleanor Gilmer
One of the most significant items included in the FY 80 budget allotment to public education is the $18.4 million to be used to reduce the teacher-student ratio from 1:25 to 1:20 in grades one and two.
Educators say many factors determine whether or not a child learns. One of these is the individual attention t he child receives from the classroom teacher.
"It makes...sense that individual attention can best be given if teachers have fewer students to work with," said State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel.
"We know that early childhood is the most critical period in human growth and development , and that education dollars spent in early childhood education yield probably the greatest return of any dollars we can invest, " he said.
Major findings of recent research done by Gene V. Glass, of the University of Colorado Laboratory of Education Research, indicate that as class size decreases, student achievement climbs. The Glass study is the first by a nationally recognized researcher t o make unequivocal statements about the effects of class size on pup il achievement. Earlier research, however, has concluded that certain students those in the lower grades, disadvantaged children and those with lower academic abilities- benefi t from small classes.
Under current provisions of the Adequate Program for Education in Georgia law (APEG), teachers are allotted to school systems based on students' average daily attendance (ADA).
"This means that for a class to have an average daily attendance of 25, there would have to be about 28 students enrolled; ' explained Associate State School Superintendent Cal Adamson . "When parents and others read that the teacher-student ratio is 1:25, they don't understand why many classes have more than 25 students in them."

Adamson explained further that only whole teaching units are allotted. For example under the new ratio of 1:20, if a system has 100 first graders, then it will be allotted five teachers. If it has 112 first graders, it will still receive five teachers, and the additional 12 students would have to be divided among the five classes.
The $ 18.4 million allotted by the legislature provides f or 1,589 t each ing units to reduce the student-teacher ratio in the first two grades. The school systems will have the option of using their share of the funds to hire either new
continued on page 2

The addition of audiological equipment at Georgia School for the Deaf has improved the quality of instruction given deaf students. See story and photographs on page 3.

Education Gets Major Funds Increases

The $2.7 billion state budget finally agreed on by the Georgia General Assembly March 27 included several major increases for public education . Full funding of a statewide kindergarten and programs for handicapped and gifted students, reduction in the teacher-student ratio from 1:25 to 1:20 in grades one and two and a 9.5 percent salary increase for Georgia te~chers were some of the significant items included in the nearly $1 billion allotted to public education.
"I very much appreciate the funds the General Assembly has allotted to education for 1980 and the support of the Governor and the legislators for education programs during the session," said State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel. "Funds to fully implement our statewide kindergarten program and to reduce the teacherstudent ratio in the first two grades will allow us to place the emphasis on the early grades that we feel is so important. I also feel that the full' funding of our programs for exceptional children and the 9.5 percent salary increase for teachers are real steps forward for Georgia. The State Board of Education and I had originally asked the legislature for a 10 percent raise for teachers."
The additional $24.4 million allotted for kindergarten will fund half-day

sessions for all eligible five-year-olds in the state - the estimated target population is 72,000 youngsters. The program is presently funded at the 50 percent level. To be eligible for public kindergarten, a child must be five years old by Sept. 1.
The $6 million increase in funds for programs for handicapped and gifted students will provide for 635 additional teachers for a teacher-student ratio of 22 : 1.
The $18.4 million allotted to reduce the teacher-student ratio in the first two grades may be used by school systems to hire either additional teachers or licensed aides for these grades.
The largest chunk of the new funds for education will go for the 9.5 percent salary increase for teachers and other instructional and support personnel. The salary increase will be funded in two steps. A 6.5 percent increase will become effective on Sept. 1, 1979, and an additional three percent on Dec. 1, 1979. Also included is a stipulation that beginning teachers receive the same salary as teachers with one year's experience.
School bus drivers will get a 12 percent increase in salary effective July 1, 1979, and there will be a seven percent increase in supple-

ments for extended day/ year vocational education teachers, effective Sept. 1, 1979.
The FY 80 budget includes $886.8 million for continuation of programs. Ot her major increases include
$2.4 million to eliminate "required local effort" in the Teachers' Hea Ith Insu ranee Program.
$1.7 million to upgrade equipment in comprehensive high schools.
$1.8 million to provide services in a high school setting to 15and 16-year-old severely emotionally disturbed students.
$1.5 million to add 16 new centers and staff to implement the Performance Based Certification Program.
$1.5 million to provide a one cent increase per lunch in the school lunch program, making the total state support 91!2 cents per lunch.
$1.3 million for public library construction.
The General Assembly also allocated $75 million to fund House Bill 95, which will provide grants to local school systems for property tax relief.

Hall County, Waycross Citizens

Lil<e Their Schools

by Anne Raymond

Two Georgia school systems- Hall County and Waycross City - are hundreds of miles apart, but they are on target together as far as their school programs go. The two systems, according to recently com pleted, intfependently conducted public opinion polls, are bucking the national trend of declining confidence in public schools.
Using part of their Comprehensive Planning Grants from the Georgia Department of Education, Hall and Waycross have conducted public opinion polls to assess their constituents' ratings of the systems. They both announced the surprising and pleasing results in January. Hall County used R. L. Associates of Princeton, N.J.; Waycross worked with Teacher Education Projects of Florida State University.
Almost three-fourths of Hall County's citizens think their public

school system is doing a better than average job of educating the county's students. The Hall poll shows that 25 percent of the county's adults give the school
system an "A" rating, 46 percent
give it a "B" rating, and 23 percent give it a "C" rating. Only six percent rated the schools "D" or "F."
"We are very pleased with the results of this poll," said Hall County School Supt. C. W. Davis. He noted that the results are much better than those of national opinion surveys of public schools throughout the U. S. The 1978 Gallup poll indicates that nationally, 36 percent of parents give public schools an "A" or "B" rating; 19 percent give them a "D" or "F" rating.
Citizens of Waycross think their public school system does a good job of preparing pupils both to live

Class Size (continued from page 1}

teachers or licensed aides for these grades. Also, many local school systems employ additional teachers for grades one and two and pay them from local funds. Systems will now be able to use the new funds to pay for those additional teachers, and thus reduce costs to the local system.
LaGrange Superintendent J. W. McAllister is pleased with the decision by the legislature to reduce class size in the first two grades. "We have found in education that you can't build from the top, but must start at the base," said McAllister, who is also president of the Georgia Association of School Superintendents. "I think reducing the teacher-student ratio is a good start.
"We educators have gotten into the habit of thinking that teaching can be done only in a self-contained classroom. There are many innovative ways a system can use additional teachers. Two teachers could be assigned to one classroom, for example, and while one teacher works with a group in front of the class, the other teacher could have a group in the back."

McAllister says the LaGrange system,
which has about 5,000 students, has
already lowered its teacher-student ratio to one teacher for every 22 students.
Decatur City Superintendent Vee Simmons says her system too has already lowered its teacher-student ratio below the 1:25 now allotted by the state.
"I think small classes are very important, especially now that we are beginning to mainstream many handicapped children into theregular classrooms. I just believe we can meet the individual needs of students best in smaller classes," she said.
"The reduction in the studentteacher ratio in the first two grades will give us the opportunity to make some real differences in our early childhood education effort in Georgia and, with that foundation laid, to move ahead significantly in many other areas," said McDaniel.
Gov. George Busbee and McDaniel had origionally asked the legislature to set aside $28.1 million to reduce the teacher-student ratio in grades one through three.

in today's world and to adapt and plan for the world of the future.
The poll also found that 61 percent of citizens felt students and parents are provided the right balance of opportunity to make personal choices regarding their education.
Waycross Supt. Mike M. Jones says the results will be used to make changes and bring improvements in the school system that are wanted by the citizens.
"We conducted the survey because we want to know where our problem areas are," says Jones. "We are interested in how we can do a better job. We also want to be able to meet the future educational needs of our citizens."
Other findings of the survey show the Waycross Schools -
provide the right amount of variety of programs and courses

to meet the educational needs of pupils
provide the opportunity for students to participate in personal development activities but leave the responsibility to participate to the individual student
The Hall County survey found not only that system schools were highly rated by the citizens, but also that people think the schools have improved in the past five years. The ratio of responses which said the schools have improved compared to those who said they have declined .l was better than five to one. In addition, the good feelings about Hall County schools could be translated into support for a bond issue. Strong support was indicated for a bond issue that would pay for more classrooms, vocational education and junior high schools, with decreasing amounts of support for art and music or athletic facilities.

People
in Education
W. G. Hartline has been appointed director at Columbus Area VocationalTechnical School to succeed A. Perry Gordy, who retired in December. Hartline was formerly a distributive education coordinator and assistant director at the school.
John B. Lawhorn, coordinator of elementary music education for Newton County Schools, is one of six recipients of the annual Governor's Awards in the Arts. Lawhorn, cited for his innovative music programs, was one of five individuals and one arts organization in the state to be presented an award by Gov. George Busbee.
Lanier County School Supt. Richard Young has been appointed Ware County superintendent to replace Charles Green. Young is a former teacher and coach in the Waycross school system and has served as superintendent of Lanier County schools for the past seven years.
Charles H. Green, former Ware County school superintendent, has been named Griffin-Spalding County Superintendent of Schools. He will begin his new duties in April.
Ralph Bennett Jr. has been named Superintendent of Schools by the Gordon County Board of Education. He succeeds Ernest Burch who resigned in January.

April 1979

Volume 11 Number 3

:S:Dl?R:S:SS

Published five times a year by Public Information and Publications Services, Office of Administrative Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta,
GA 30334.

Editorial Board Managing Editor Nancy Hall Shelton News Editor Steve Harvey State Editor Eleanor Gilmer Feature Editor Steve Edge Photo Editor Glenn Oliver Graphics Elaine Pierce Typesetting Linda Burton

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.
Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the Georgia Department of Education may be addressed to Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent, Office of State Schools and Special Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta 30334, or to the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC 20201.

Student Voter Registration Set
May is being proclaimed by Gov . George Busbee as Voter Registration Month for 18-yearolds. All eligible high school students who have not registered to vote will be urged to do so during that month . The special month is being sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Bicentennial Commission.
State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel is asking high school principals, teachers and students to help promote Voter Registration Month. Since each high school principal is a registrar, the students and others may register to vote at the school.

2 Georgia ALERT, April 1979

I -


photos by Stephen Edge



Students at GSD combine sign language and hearing aids to communicate and learn .

The Georgia School for the Deaf, begun in 1846, has a rich history. Fannin Hall, in the background, was used as a hospital during the War Between the States.

Close Up: Georgia School for the Deaf

by Julia Martin

At one table, students are talking about last night's basketball game. Several seniors are discussing the political situation in Iran. A group of boys standing in line are talking
with a group of girls in front of
them.
Seems like typical lunchroom conversation among high school students, and it is - with one exception. The conversations are being carried on in sign language. The students are deaf.
The Georgia School for the Deaf (GSD), established in 1846 at Cave Spring, provides a typical high school, middle school , primary and preschool environmen-t for 500 deaf students. They have basketball and track teams which, more years than not, compete in the state tournaments. There are midget, junior varsity and varsity football teams, field and track events, a drama club, a yearbook staff and many other extracurricular activities to complement the academic program.
GSD's academic program centers around the teaching of "total communication." In the past, only speech and Iip reading were taught to deaf students. Today, however, that is combined with finger spelling and sign language to form a total system of communication.

improvements have helped, too. Whitworth said, "The addition of hearing aids in the classroom, the addition of a full -time speech teacher, the addition of an audiologist- all these have improved the quality of instruction we give these children, thus raising their level of educational achievement.
"Very significant progress," Whitworth called it. And right he is. For now, many students at GSD can be taught in seven months what used to take five years to accomplish.
The residential school in Cave Spring is one of three educational alternatives available to Georgia's hearing impaired youngsters. The other two are mainstreaming in a regular classroom setting and day classes at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, also operated by the State Board of Education.
The choice of educational settings for a hearing impaired child is made by the child's parents, local education officials and hearing education specialists. In accordance with the new federal law on education of the handicapped

(94-142), an Individual Education Plan (IE P) is developed and the hearing impaired child is placed in whatever educational setting is most appropriate for the individual.
For the students who attend GSD, the decision has been made that a residential school setting would be the most appropriate. Some hearing impaired students are educated at GSD because they live in an isolated, rural area and the local school system cannot afford to provide the special equipment and a teacher for just one student. Since GSD is a state supported school, it receives around $4 million in state funds and approximately $250,000 in federal funds to meet the special educational needs of deaf children.
"A substantial percentage of deaf children need an environment such as the one offered here," Whitworth said. "They are more at ease with friends who are also deaf. They can communicate with each other, understand each other. For the students who need the residential setting, we have excellent facilities and teachers to give them the special attention and training they

need and deserve."
Academic Success
GSD's academic program is successful. Not only do the students painstakingly learn to communicate in a talking and hearing world, they learn other subjects just as any elementary or secondary school student would do. Approximately one-fourth of each graduating class goes on to Gallaudet College in Washington, D. C. Many become teachers of the deaf, perhaps to say "thanks" for the many hours a teacher spent giving individual instruction to them.
But a teaching position at GSD is hard to come by. With a staff of 85, usually the only vacancies are left by retirement or death. Nancy Barker, high school counselor, summing up the teachers' feeling, said, "GSD is where I feel most needed, where I receive my greatest sense of accomplishment and where I am going to stay."
Vo-Tech Training Offered
In addition to academics, the high school offers a very successful vocational training program. A new

continued on page 7
A pre-school student at GSD happily spells his name . His use of the heari ng aid in the classroom gives him a headstart in learning.

Jim Whitworth, superintendent of GSD, explained the challenge of teaching a deaf student to communicate. 'The child's first learning step is to develop an awareness of the link between the spoken word, hand signs, written words and their tangible objects. Once this clicks in the child's mind, the learning process accelerates greatly.

"Many young children come to the school with no knowledge of how to communicate, because their parents did not know how to deal with their child's handicap. It used to take five years of classroom instruction for a deaf child to make the connection between speech and its meaning and to reach a first grade level of education," Whitworth said.

Total Communication Concept
But GSD has made great strides with its teaching of the total communication concept. Technological

Georgia ALERT, April 1979 3

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Painter puts finishing touches on new windows at Hoboken Elementary School. Awnings were added to cut down on glare and heat, saving both air-conditioning energy and student's eyesight. Original room transoms, woodwork and ceiling height were preserved .

Hoboken Elementary's windows before renovation began .

Old Schools. New Lool<

Hoboken Elementary ' s side entrance shows only slight modification with replacement of sidewalk cover and easier entrance for wheelchairs, but is far more attractive and safer than old entrance above .

Many Georgia schools are getting badly needed face lifts this year.
Using $10 million dollars appropriated by the General Assembly for renovations, 44 systems are enhancing the learning environments of their students. The cash grants, awarded by the Georgia Board of Education at its meeting last April, were the first ever to be made available for renovation of existing school buildings. In the past, money was available to schools only in the event of increased pupil attendance or for the consolidation of schools.
The schools have used the money to improve classroom lighting, refinish hallways, modernize restroom facilities and make other needed general repairs. In addition, the grants emphasized making the buildings more energy efficient and more accessible for handicapped students.
The General Assembly has approved 53 additional renovation grants in its FY 79 supplemental budget.
Nashville Elementary principal Peggy Kent shows off new paneling in hallways as contrasted with the old interior to the right. Nashville Elementary is completely carpeted and air conditioned, has lowered ceilings and indirect lighting in many rooms.


Nashv with f su rrou

Hallwa

4 Georgia ALERT, April 1979

photos by Stephen Edge

.

_ -- _.,...,_ .

Be Better Than You Are

A theme that should become familiar to hundreds of thousands of Georgians during the next few months is Be Better Than You Are- through vocational -technical education. The appeal is being made through a multi-media promotion to prospective students of the state's post secondary vocational technical schools.
Since job market projections for the 1980s show the majority of new job openings to be in serviceoriented professions requiring skill training rather than four-year study, it is felt that the vo-tech schools have a responsibility to provide adequately trained personnel to meet labor market demands.
Georgia's vo-tech schools continue to fight an image as trade schools for society's second-class citizens. The campaign's upbeat format attempts to counteract this image by depicting some of the personal and financial rewards of technical training. Success stories of several graduates illustrate vo-tech training as a first career choice and form the nucleus for a speakers' bureau to provide programs for civic and high school groups.
Launched during mid-February when the entire nation was observ-

ing Vocational Education Month, the campaign responds to the request of the American Vocational Association for more publicity on vo-tech's accomplishments. AVA believes these are needed if vocational education is to continue to enjoy federal funding. An eight-page newspaper supplement, distributed during Vo-Ed Week through selected daily and weekly papers across the state, featured five vo-tech graduates and offered program and enrollmP.nt information for all 29 vo-tech schools.
In addition to the supplement, the promotion includes a brochure, TV and radio public service announcements, bumper stickers, lapel buttons, posters, slide show and mall and fair exhibit. All components were developed by the Georgia Department of Education's "Publications and Information staff.
The campaign comes at a time when an independent study concluded the state needs to spend $175 million for vo-tech construction over the next 11 years to meet projected labor demands and anticipated growth needs. A master plan for vo-tech construction is now under consideration by the State Board of Education.

Disaster Plan Works In the Nick of Time
A recommendation made by a team from the Georgia Department of Education during an onsite evaluation of a school may have saved the lives of many children .
The team, including department of education staff members Virginia Nixon and Clarence Huff, recently evaluated the Houston Speech School in Warner Robins as required by P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Ch ildren Act. One of the team's recommendations was that the school needed to develop a d isaster plan in case of fire or other emergencies requiring immediate evacuation of the building. Shortly after the plan was developed, it was put to good use, according to the school's administrator, Carlieze W. Spencer.
" On Nov. 3, our Academy Building exploded and burned. All of our children got out safely and were unharmed . Even the newspaper called it a miracle," said Spencer. "We had prepared our written school disaster plan for the evaluation team and routinely had our fire drills. We know for sure our fire plan worked at least on one occasion. We don't recommend this method of testing plans, however."

Education Nevvs In Brief

; bathrooms (below) are a fartry fromlhe- old ("above).
ties for the handicapped as well as bright , attractive 1gs for everyone.
Nashville Elementary before renovation began.

A special meeting for parents will be sponsored by the Intemational Reading Association (IRA) on Monday, April 23 from 7:30 to 9:30p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Atlanta Hilton Hotel. This meeting is just one of the activities highlighting the IRA's 1979 annual convention in Atlanta. Approximately 15,000 delegates from throughout the world are expected to attend. IRA is a nonprofit educational organization devoted to the improvement of reading instruction. To find out about how a parent can contribute to the reading ability of a child, attend the special meeting for parents. Admission is free. For more information contact Bill Hammond, Georgia Department of Education, (404) 656-2584.

Three Georgia school systems were winners in this year's National School Public Relations Association Annual School and College Publications Contest. Clarke County's District Activity Calendar 1977-78 won second place in the Calendar Division; Joe Taylor is responsible for its publication. Dalton City's K.I.D.S. won second place in the Community Newsletter Divison; Jean Lowrey is director of publications. Dalton's Chalk Talk also won third place in the Internal Publications Division. Hall County's Pass the Readiness, Please! won first place in the Special Topic Division . Gwendolyn B. Mundy is responsible for its publication.

The Yale University Summer Language Institute will take place from June 18 to August 10, 1979.

The Institute offers intensive

courses at beginning, intermediate

and advanced levels in the con-

temporary languages of Europe;

Greek (classical and modern) and

Hebrew; elementary and interme-

diate Latin; modern standard and

spoken Arabic; elementary Persian;

Chinese at elementary and inter-

mediate levels and reading courses

in French, German, Russian and

Spanish for graduate students pre-

paring for language examinations.

Contact Charles A. Porter, director,

Yale Summer Language Institute,

305 Crown St., New Haven, Conn.

06520.



Business Education Films, the

largest rental source of films and

filmstrips for business education, is

offering its 1979 catalog of over

400 titles. Subjects include business

machines, consumer education,

industrial management, insurance

and retailing. Free copies of the

catalog can be obtained by writing

to Business Education Films, 7820

20th Ave. , Brooklyn, N.Y. 11213.


South Georgia Tech students under

the direction of Colenton Rucker,

masonry instructor, prepared the

concrete base for an historical

marker commemorating Charles A.

Lindbergh's purchase of his first

plane - a World War I Jenny -at

Souther Field in 1923. U. S.

Attorney General Griffin Bell dedi-

cated the marker at Souther Field

which is adjacent to the SGT

campus. In attendance were Dea

Pounders, SGT director, and Glenn

E. Messer, 83, of Birmingham, Ala.,

who gave the young Lindbergh

instructions in flying the Jenny at

the field.

The Carter administration has imroduced legislation before Congress to establish a separate cabinetlevel U. S. Department of Education. But the proposal is less ambitious than a similar proposal introduced last year in the 95th Congress. That bill passed the Senate but was never taken up by the House.
The proposed department would have a budget of $13 .5 billion and with 16,000 employees would exceed the size of five existing departments. Most of HEW's education functions would be combined with some additional education programs from the departments of Defense, Justice, HUD, Agriculture and a few independent entities. A major concession in this year's proposal is that the school lunch programs would remain in the U. S. Department of Agriculture and not be transferred to the new department.

The Robert A. Taft Institute of Government has announced the location of its 1979 Taft Seminars for Teachers. The seminar in Georgia will be held July 22August 3 at the University of Georgia. During the seminar, school teachers, librarians and administrators will meet with political scientists and practical politicians Republican and Democrat party leaders, elected officials, campaign managers, lobbyists, journalists and others. In face-to-face sessions, they will vigorously explore all the facets of the political process. For more information concerning the seminar in Georgia and other locations, contact the Robert A. Taft Institute of Government, 420 Lexington Ave., New York, N.Y. 10011.

Georgia ALERT, April 1979 5

II it's not a question of how much money you have but what kind of money you have. ,,

photos by Stephen Edge


Georgian Finds



Russian Schools




Limited, Spartan



by Steve Harvey



David L. Rogers, a Savannah High

use team teaching methods. In

School geography teacher, was

language class, the stress is on

interviewed by ALERT following a nine-week teaching assignment in

literature and fine arts. There is a lot of emphasis on rote



the Soviet Union. He was one of

memory, oftentimes two or

only five teachers selected nationwide to participate in the teacher

three pages worth. As I said, there are a lot of differences but



exchange program co-sponsored by

few similarities.

the American Field Service and the

Soviet Ministry of Education.

a. Did you find time for social and

a. What are the differences and

cultural activities?

similarities between the Russian

A. Some. There was not a lot of



and U.S. education systems?

socializing, although Soviet stu-

A. I found a lot of differences but very few similarities. Soviet students don't start their education until they are seven. The tenth grade is the last year of school for those students who don't go on to universities or vocational-technical schools.

dents and teachers were friendly.

Soviet Ministry of Education



officials warned teachers not to socialize with us after class. We

Savannah teacher David Rogers found many differences in the Russian educational system during a recent teaching assignment in the Soviet Union.

were exposed to an array of



cu ltu ra I activities, however. I believe that within one seven-

a. What is the cost-of-living like in a. What did you miss most while in

day period I attended five ballets

the Soviet Union?

- the Soviet Union?

alone. And there were always

excursions to places associated

A. Soviet teachers are paid about

A. Coca Cola.

with the Revolution, palaces, museums, etc.

200 rubles- $300 - a month. Although wages are low, so are the prices of necessities. Apart-

a. Other than Cokes?



a. What kinds of questions were
you asked?
A. The kids were tremendously interested in the United States, especially in American rock groups, jeans and other consu mer goods. Also Disneyland. Almost everywhere I went, they always wanted to know if I had a car. It was usually the first question I was asked. I didn't have the heart to tell them I had

ments rent for 12 rubles a month and bread costs about 14 cents a loaf.
But "luxuries" are expensive. A candy bar, for example, costs $1 .50. And a pair of American made jeans can run anywhere from 100 to 200 rubles. Actually, I found a pack of cigarettes functions as an alternative currency . You can buy anything with cigarettes.

A. Well, I missed my family, of course. And I missed Savannah's



weather. The weather was diffi-

cult for me to get used to. It was

about 19 degrees below zero the

day I returned. The food was

not of good quality, and I missed

the variety of food we have in

this country.

a. Would you like to go back to



Russia and teach again?

two. They wouldn't be able to comprehend that.

a. What is a ruble worth?

A . Yes, maybe for a year or so. I



a. What were facilities like?

a. What about the teachers?

A. The normal ruble is worth approximately $1.55 officially,

don't know if I could take it for much longer. The food was

A. School facilities, equipment and

but can be gotten for as little as

awful and I had a monumental

materials at Soviet schools are

A. For the most part they just

30 cents. Actually there are

amount of work to do. Soviet

generally poor. The school I

wanted to talk. They were most

four different types of ruble

students attend school six days

taught at in Moscow appeared

interested in American slang.

currencies in the USSR and it's

a week and are required to do an

to be much older than Savannah

Some of them even had long

not a question of how much

a monstrous amount of home-

High School (built in 1936)

lists of words they wanted me to

money you have as what kind

work. Teachers spend four hours

though it was built during the

go over to explain their current

of money you have.

a night just on lesson plans for



1960s.

usage.

the next day. Sometimes these

Teaching materials are very

"Kremlin coupons" are issued to top-level government offi-

are 10 pages long.

limited, too. Copy machines are rare and the ones that exist are kept locked up. Their audiovisual equipment is really out-

cials and can be used to purchase hard-to-find goods at exclusive stores that don't accept common rubles.

a. Don't the teachers and students

object to so much class prepa-

ration?





dated. One projector I used

weighed about 150 pounds and

Lower grade government offi-

A. Not really. They have little else

ate up the films I borrowed from the U.S. Embassy.

cials, party members and foreign diplomats are paid in two types

to do. Television programming is horrible and more culturally



Books are made of poor quality paper. And students write with old -fashioned fountain pens and use ink wells.

of ruble currency called a 'D series' ruble coupon . These can also be used at places common rubles can't be spent.

oriented. Tickets to the ballet,

opera and ordinary theatres are

difficu It, sometimes impossible



for the average Russian to get.

a. What other differences did you

The common ruble is what most

Russians receive although a

a. So you're not ready to go back

notice?

factory worker will sometimes

to Russia just yet?

be paid partially in one type of

A. Oh, there are so many it's hard to explain. The Soviets don't

ruble currency and partially in another. It's confusing.

A. No, I think I'll stay in Savannah for a while.

6 Georgia ALERT, April 1979

McDaniel Seeks Lovver School Povver Rate

The Georgia Public Service Commission's (PSC) unprecedented denial of an entire Georgia Power Company rate request for the first time in the PSC's 100-year history means most Georgia schools won't be faced with a rate increase for utilities- at least not for a while.
But denial of the rate increase means also that an answer for State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel's request for some form of permanent rate relief for Georgia's schools will have to wait.
According to state school officials, Georgia's schools could still be faced with a utilities rate increase if the Fulton County Superior Court presently hearing an appeal from the Georgia Power Company decides to grant all or part of the rate increase or sends the rate case back to the PSC.
McDaniel had asked the PSC to defer any rate increases for Georgia's public elementary and secondary schools. McDaniel made his request in testimony before the PSC, which was holding hearings in Atlanta on a proposed Georgia Power Company rate increase of approximately $230 million.
While the Georgia Power Company request for the first time included a rate classification for public schools separate from other users, McDaniel maintained that was not enough.
"The concept of a different rate for schools as proposed by Georgia Power Company classification SCH -1 is laudable," said McDaniel. "Unfortunately, though, this new proposed classification neither recognizes the inequities in the current rates nor considers any of the findings of the study authorized by the commission last year and now under way."
The study, conducted by Southern Engineering Company of Georgia, is analyzing the collective coincidence of power demand by some

200 schools on the Georgia Power Company network. The study was requested by McDaniel and authorized by the PSC last year when McDaniel's original request for a separate rate structure for public schools was turned down.
"My staff and the State Energy Office have worked with local school officials to develop energy conservation practices," McDaniel assured the commission. "Schools .. . have made an effort to conserve energy ... to lessen the load on the Georgia Power system and reduce the utility costs of local taxpayers."
But even with reduced electrical consumption, school electricity costs have escalated. McDaniel told the commission that one large metropolitan school system managed to reduce its electrical consumption by 5.6 percent while at the same time opening several new facilities. But the last rate increase approved by the PSC in September 1977 caused a 13.1 percent increase in the cost of electricity for the system during the same period of time as its consumption was decreasing.
"Any rate increase approved by the Public Service Commission that impacts the public schools will be borne- by the property axpayers of this state," McDaniel warned. "And the current property tax burden on homeowners, the poor of the state and those retired on fixed incomes is substantial."
Utility costs for many of Georgia's schools are now a major budgetary item. Utility costs which made up less than one percent of a system's budget just a few years ago have risen and now account for almost five percent of the cost of operating schools.
McDaniel's continuing request for special, noncommercial rates for schools has attracted national attention and may prompt similar efforts in other states if successful.

Academy Theatre's Artists-In-Schools Company is touring two new productions for elementary and high school students.
"Families" will be given in high schools through May 12. For elementary school children, Artists-In-Schools is continuing to tour "The Flexible Firemen" (pictured above at Central Eastside Elementary School in Douglas). For both plays, Artists-In-Schools conducts full and half-day visits. These visits include performances plus workshops for students and teachers.
The Atlanta-based company has been offering plays for 15 years to help students explore their interests and understand their concerns. The program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Georgia Council for the Arts and Humanities.

DOE, NBC Promote Parent Involvement

An NBC-TV program, "Reading, Writing and Reefer"- to be aired April 17 from 4 to 5 p.m . - will be the second in Georgia to be used as a part of a parent participation workshop program sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education in cooperation with NBC. The first was "Sooner or ater" shown March 25.
According to Associate State School Superintendent Lucille Jordan, who serves on the steering committee for NBC in the parent participation workshops, the purpose of the workshops is to encourage parents to use television as a means to better communicate with their children.
"These are not workshops where parents and children actually go to a specified place to view the program," said Jordan. "Rather, parents and children are encouraged to watch the program together, discuss it and then give us feedback through a questionnaire we provide."

"Reading, Writing and Reefer" brings into clear focus the increasing problem of marijuana smoking among the nation's youth. It stresses the physical effects marijuana smoking has on chronic users.
Jordan says the Georgia Department of Education staff is working through middle and high school counselors and health teachers, Georgia Congress of Parents and Teachers, the Governor's Special Council on Family Planning and the Georgia Department of Human Resources to promote the workshops.
Following the "Reading, Writing and Reefer" program, anyone with questions about drug abuse may call a toll free number, 1-800282-4900, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and they will be referred to persons who can answer their questions. Persons in the metro-Atlanta area should call 656-7000.

CIose Up: (continued from page 3)

vocational building houses 13 areas of instruction including electrical wiring, commercial sewing, graphic arts, body and fender repair, typing and health care occupations.
"The objective of the Career Education Program," said James Perry, vocational supervisor, "is to offer trade courses and supportive programs to help students become aware of themselves as future workers. Students learn about their interests and aptitudes by being scheduled into several different vocational areas for exploration of trades. Once they make a choice, they can learn the trade and qualify for entry level employment." These students do go on to jobs after graduation and become successful working members of their communities.

Being a residential school, GSD continues its educational process into the home life area. Houseparents provide round-the-clock supervision for students. Ten child care instructional aides help continue the communication training done in the classroom and emphasize development in personal hygiene, self-care and daily living. Study periods are part of each student's nighttime activities. Regularly scheduled recreational activities such as club meetings, Boy and Girl Scout meetings and athletic team practices are part of the program. Some juniors and seniors live in honor dorms, allowed to come and go on a freer basis than the regular dorms.
The school's homegoing program allows about 45 percent of the

students to see their families each weekend. Buses travel to certain places throughout Georgia to be met by the children's parents.
"The parents are thrilled to be able to have their child home every weekend," said Dennis Doughty, director of home life. "And it is a wonderful sight on Friday to see the smiles on these kids' faces because they are able to spend the weekends with their families."
Master Plan
A master plan for GSD, developed by the State Board in 1972, continues to provide direction for new building construction. "We are eagerly working toward the goals set forth in the master plan," Whitworth said.

Currently, GSD is located on two campuses. The high school facilities are on the older site, Fannin Campus. The primary and middle schools and their dormitories are on Gordon Campus, where the entire school will eventually consolidate. A dining room and anothe'r dormitory/clinic are now under construction.
GSD's residential program is receiving continued strong support from the Office of State Schools in the Georgia Department of Education. Many Georgia educators feel that GSD will continue to be needed to provide a successful living and learning environment for many of Georgia's deaf children.

Georgia ALERT, April 1979 7

GOAL Under Way

Georgia's post secondary vocationaltechnical schools are now conducting the eighth annual GOAL (Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership) program . Sponsored at the state level by the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, GOAL is the only program of its kind in the nation to recognize excellence among vocationaltechnical" students at the post secondary level.
All full-time post secondary students with two quarters of grades to report are eligible to participate in GOAL, but they must be nominated by their instructors to be considered. The 29 vo-tech schools participating in the 1979 program were accepting nominations from instructors until April 2.
Once all nominations are in, the school and the local GOAL sponsor will select the school winner through screening and selection processes established by the department of education and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Each school will announce its winner at a recognition event around the middle of April.
The 29 school winners will go to Atlanta during May 30-31 for two days of state judging and awards activities. One student will be selected from among the 29 as state GOAL winner and will be awarded a new car by the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association. The nominating instructor will receive a $250 check.
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Arthur Bilyeu has joined the staff of the Georgia Department of Education as director of the Program for Exceptional Children. Bilyeu previously served as director of the North Metro Children's Center, a center for seriously emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered children. In the department of education he will supervise programs for handicapped and gifted students.

Annette Bomar is the Georgia Department of Education's new administrator of the School Food and Nutrition Section. She previously served as assistant administrator.

Teacher of Year Slated for Spring

As a result of a survey conducted by the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Teacher of the Year (TOTY) Program will begin in the spring this year with local system selection .
The survey was taken in FebruaryMarch to give system superintendents more input into program scheduling and planning. Ninetyfive systems responded to the survey; more than three-fourths favored continuation of the program but preferred changing the local selection from the fall to spring.
A few systems reported they do not participate because they think teachers should not compete in such a "contest." State education officials point out, however, that the Teacher of the Year Program has tried through the years to eliminate all traces of competitiveness and simply to choose one of Georgia's finest teachers to represent the teachers of the state.

Another frequent comment of those surveyed was that systems would like to know more about how the four finalists and the TOTY and TOTY runner-up are chosen and what criteria are used in the selection. Program planners said these comments will be taken into consideration when plans are made this spring for operation of the program. Promotional materials and entry forms will be sent to systems in April this year for use at the local system level, although the state portion will continue to take place in the fall. Southern Educators Life Insurance Company will again sponsor the program and award the TOTY and runner-up $750 and $250, respectively.
The survey showed some systems seem to be confusing the state department TOTY program with the Georgia Teacher Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by the Georgia Association of Educators and WSB television station in Atlanta. The

Georgia Teacher of the Year Program is not connected with the Teacher Hall of Fame Program, which honors teachers based primarily on their years of service. The Georgia Teacher of the Year is nominated for the title of National Teacher of the Year, and that program is sponsored by Ladies Home Journal Magazine, the Encyclopaedia Britannica Companies and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The State Superintendent of Schools, Charles McDaniel, conducts the program through the department of education Public Information and Publications Unit.
All pubIic school classroom teachers in Georgia have the opportunity to become the state's Teacher of the Year for 1980 and represent the teachers of Georgia. The major change in this year's program will be that promotional materials and entry forms will arrive in the spring, allowing systems more time to select a local entry.

Systems Must File Plans To Correct Deficiencies

The Georgia Board of Education is asking school systems which have had nonstandard schools for three or more years to develop a plan of action for correcting the deficiencies in those schools. The board learned in March that there are 50 schools in 33 systems which have been nonstandard for three or more years.
State Board Chairman Roy Hendricks and State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel, in a joint letter, notified each of the 33 system superintendents and local board chairmen of the number of nonstandard schools in the system and the number of years each has been nonstandard. The local superintendent and board chairman were asked to notify McDaniel in writing by April 2, 1979, of the system's plan of action for correcting deficiencies in the nonstandard schools.
If a system fails either to respond or to give an adequate response by the deadline, McDaniel will appoint an investigative team from the Georgia Department of Education to visit the system and work with the superintendent and board on a plan of action for correcting deficiencies in each of the nonstandard schools. The investigative team will prepare a written report to McDaniel proposing a plan to address local problems and a plan for enforcement.
In addition to the list of schools which have been nonstandard for three or more years, the board received another list of schools receiving a nonstandard rating for one or two years. There are 47 on that list.
Standards are applied annually to every school and system in the state to help :determine needed improvements in programs, personnel and facilities.

School Days Today
The bicentennial train which traveled through Georgia with exhibits of Georgia history is now stationed permanently at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. Part of the train is devoted to exhibits by state agencies. Featured in the Georgia Department of Education exhibit are pictures of innovative educational programs over the state and various art objects made by students at Valdosta High School. Admission to the train is free to Georgia students.

8 Georgia ALERT, April 1979

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JUN 18 1979
DoCUMENTS
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June1979 Volume 11 Number 4
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School's Out!

It's summer vacation time for most Georgia students! These students at Newton County Comprehensive High School show their eagerness to be free of school for awhile.

High School Diploma Will Mean More In '80s

by Eleanor Gilmer
More than 60,000 students will graduate from Georgia public high schools this spring. They will each be handed a piece of paper that signifies ... what?
Many people - parents, employers, school administrators, legislators, students themselves - have been asking that question. Employers are finding that a high school diploma does not automatically mean a student has even the essential skills of reading, writing and computing. Nationally, some parents and students have sued school boards for failing to teach the basics, yet allowing a young person to leave high school with a diploma.
The Georgia Board of Education, like others nationwide, is aware of the questions being raised about the quality of the high school years. With a new policy that both increases course requirements and requires students to show they have the skills needed in com-

mon, everyday situations, the Georgia board has attempted to respond to the call for evidence that a high school diploma means something more than minimum attendance and course grades.
The board's new policy, adopted in December 1978 and scheduled to go into full effect with ninth graders entering school in 1982, specifies 20 competencies a person will need as an adult learner, individual, citizen, consumer and producer. Requiring demonstration of these competencies - such as reading, writing, analyzing, speaking and listening, or selecting and pursuing a career that reflects individual interests and abilities - is the board's attempt to add a new dimension to the public school program, according to Barbara Mathis, director of Competency Based Education for the Georgia Department of Education. "They are not intended to replace courses of study; instead, the competencies

will be required in addition to courses and clock hours of attendance."
"This new policy is different from the current one in several ways," said Associate State School Superintendent H. Titus Singletary Jr. "It gives local school systems a lot of flexibility in such things as scheduling, requiring additional credits and offering credit for planned, off-campus experiences, but it also holds them accountable for results.
"In the past, we have assumed that if students met all the course and attendance requirements for graduation, they could then transfer their knowledge to everyday situations," said Singletary . "But this has not always been the case. The new policy requires students to demonstrate what they have learned, and we are asking local systems to measure this performance."
continued on page 7

Special Month Pushes Voter Registration
May was 18-year-old Voter Registration Month in Georgia, and Newton County high school senior Curtis Lackey takes advantage of his right to vote by casting his ballot in a recent county bond issue. Many school systems in the state participated in the Voter Registration Month by sponsoring a Voter Registration Day so eligible students could register. Statewide, the special month was supported by many civic and professional groups and through newspaper articles, radio and television public service announcements and editorials on all the news media.

NEWS IN EDUCATION

The Georgia Department of Education's Governor's Honors Program is celebrating its sixteenth anniversary this summer as 600 Georgia high school juniors and seniors attend the six -week session on two college campuses.
North Georgia College in Dahlonega and Wesleyan College in Macon will host the gifted and talented students June 17 through July 27. The students attending were chosen from over 2,000 nominees from local school systems.

The Geqr.gia School Boards Asso-

general says, " ... it would be

ciation has a new home. It has

proper to use school funds to pay

moved from the Sheraton-Biltmore the coach's salary and to bear

to Suite 111, 3050 Presidential

expenses involved in the utilization

Drive, Atlanta, GA 30340.
Learning magazine has just com-

of school facilities (e.g. the school gymnasium), including the transportation of athletic teams on

Herman Swaim, director of maintenance at Dalton City Schools, uses a computerized energy m anagement program to control start-up and shut-down of equipment; monitor, and in some cases, control classroom temperatures; reduce demand rate, and monitor equipment failures in five of the system's

pleted a new resource book for elementary and junior high school

school buses. On the other hand, neither the constitutional provision

schools. Dalton installed the program a year ago and has realized savings of al most 90,000 kilowatt hours per month .

teachers. Mud Puddles, Rainbows

nor the statute so much as purport

& Asparagus Tips is a compilation of outstanding recent language arts ideas, activities and materials. The

to authorize the use of school funds to purchase football uniforms and equipment or indeed to do anything

School Energy Audits

book may be purchased for $9.95 by writing Mud Puddles, Rainbows

else other than those things expressly authorized by the con-

Begin This Summer

& Asparagus Tips, Department

stitution and statute."

6744, P. 0. Box 818, Maple Plains,

MN 55348.



The law schools and colleges of

education of Brigham Young Uni-

versity and the University of Utah

haveannouncedthatthesecond

annual National Conference on Law

and Education will be held June 20-

21 in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the

conference, state and local school board members, attorneys, superintendents, principals, teachers, university professors and other

public and private school administrators will discuss the directions

and challenges of education in the

1980s.



Georgia Survival, just published by

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, is one

of a series of books which answers

questions young people need to

know such as where to find a job,

how to establish credit and where

to register to vote. It is aimed at

students beginning their first year

after high school. For more infor-

mation write Peggy Ferrell,

Motivational Communications Inc.,

175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY

10010.



In an unofficial opinion about

whether or not school funds can be used to support extracurricular


"Ticket to Adventure" is the theme of the 1979 summer reading program sponsored by the Public Libraries Services unit of the Georgia Department of Education. Last year over 100,000 students registered for the reading program and 54,126 received certificates.

The Social Studies Club of Center Junior High School at Waycross presented an ounce of gold to the late Georgia Secretary of State Ben Fortson for use on the state capitol dome. The gold was purchased from a mine in Dahlonega for $280. Club members traveled to Jekyll Island to participate in the kick-off of "Make Georgia a Shining Example," the campaign to raise money to restore the gold on the capitol.

The first issue of WOMBAT: A Journal of Young People's Writing and Art will be published in September 1979. The journal, to be published four times a year, will include short stories, poetry, nonfiction articles and artwork of all kinds by young people ages six to 16. A subscription for one year is $4. For more information write

Georgia's local school systems plagued by rapidly rising fuel bills may eventually find some relief as a result of school energy audits scheduled for this summer.
According toT. G. Scott Jr., facilities administrator for the Georgia Department of Education, the audits will identify ways school buildings could be made more energy efficient. The audits will be conducted by the Governor's Office of Energy Resources (OER) in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Education.
"Up until now many of the more conspicuous energy conservation methods employed by the state's local systems have been experimental at best," said Scott. "Schools with fewer windows, an elementary school heated and cooled largely by solar energy and load-limiting and monitoring devices adopted by several North Georgia systems may eventually prove to be cost efficient in a given situation. But it is unlikely any one method could be utilized on a large-scale basis by all our systems."
The school audits are just the first phase of a three-phase program under the 1978 National Energy

lay funds will also be made avail able to eligible schools.
"The audits will consist of a oneday, walk-through energy study by an audit team," said Scott. "Such factors as building size, past fuel bills, heating and cooling systems and lighting levels will be evaluated and summarized. The report will also contain suggestions for decreasing energy consumption in each school studied.
"For the most part these suggestions will be in the form of low cost or no cost changes to present operating and maintenance procedures," he said. "And once the audits are complete, phase two will begin."
Under the second phase the OE R will provide 50 percent funding grants for detailed engineering and architectural studies of school buildings. Such an analysis is designed to project possible energy savings through structural or mechanical changes to school facilities. Phase three will provide approximately $6-9 million in matching capital outlay funds for installation of recommended energy measures in the technical assistance study.

athletic teams and interscholastic athletic contests, the state attorney

WOMBAT, 365 Ashton Dr., Athens, Act (NEA). Eventually, technical

GA 30606.

assistance studies and capital out-

In 1978 Georgia adopted a strict Energy Conservation Building

Standards Act to establish mini-

mum energy efficiency standards

in new and renovated public build-

ings. But the act came too late for

June 1979 Volume 11 Number 4

:S:DPR:S:SS

Published five times a year by Public Information and Publications Services, Office of Administrative Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Editorial Board Managing Editor Nancy Hall Shelton News Editor Steve Harvey State Editor Eleanor Gilmer Feature Editor Steve Edge Photo Editor Glenn Oliver Graphics Elaine Pierce Typesetting Linda Burton

Georgia's school buildings, most of which were built prior to 1978.
"Too often schools, like other public buildings, were built without regard to energy efficiency," said Mark Zwecker, director of OER. "School boards have traditionally had tight construction budgets. And, until the NEA, schools have

had little money available to make

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of

needed repairs and improvements or modify mistakes."

1973), in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students and the general

public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs

In addition to the school audits

or activities or in employment policies.

under NEA, the Georgia Depart-

Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the Georgia Department of Education may be addressed to Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent, Office of State Schools and Special Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta 30334, or to the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC 20201.

ment of Education has been monitoring the energy consumption patterns of selected school systems around the state. Results of this 16-month survey will be made

available later this year.

2 Georgia ALERT, June 1979

Career Guidance ...

Elementary Students Taught

Career Awareness In New Program

by Melanie Rawls
Career guidance and counseling
have long been a part of high school
programs in Georgia. Now, career guidance is being introduced into elementary schools as well.
Dyer Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, is one of several pilot schools for
Georgia's Elementary Career Guidance project begun in 1978. Through several schools and systems in the project, the Georgia
Department of Education is developing components of a statewide career guidance program for
elementary schools.
"We are doing more than just looking at careers," says Janice Phillips, Dyer's school counselor. "At the elementary age we are more concerned with increasing a student's sense of self-worth and ability. A person has to have this self-confidence before he or she can successfully pursue a career."
Frances Benson, a Dyer kindergarten teacher who conducts career
awareness in her classroom, agrees.
"It's good to get students at this age when there is plenty of time to cope with questions and problems," she says. "All too often you see adults who can't handle a career because they can't handle themselves."
Benson says that at the kindergarten level the children are aware that people grow up and that grown up people work. "We talk about what they want to do when they are grown, and I listen to them talk about their feelings and help them learn to work together cooperatively," says Benson. "We also discuss things that happen in the classroom and on the playground, and I allow them to make decisions about how the class will be conducted. This way they learn about the consequences of actions and how to make a decision something that will be important for them to know in the future. They also learn that work involves making many decisions and coping with the consequences of action," Benson explains.

for Dyer's career awareness program using this information."
These 10 goals are to have students recognize
that people do many different kinds of work
the value of a job well-done
that learning occurs in all types of situations
that a person may have many jobs and trades during a career
that planning leads to more effective job performance than does chance or trial and error
that attitudes and values affect decisions, actions and ways of living
that everyone deserves respect for doing a job well regardless of what kind of job is done
that what a person learns in school can be applied to what a person does during a career or during leisure time at home or in the community
that everyone has personal abilities and characteristics and that these may change from time to time
that people can exercise some control over themselves and their environment.
Dyer received a federal grant for the 1978-79 school year to fund staff development and purchase additional career awareness materials. The materials include

filmstrips, records, mimeograph stencils, student activity books and teacher guides. Multimedia kits developed by the makers of such highly respected educational television offerings as "Free to Be You and Me" and "The Big Blue Marble" have been ordered. The topics range from careers in construction and agribusiness to careers in business and the arts.
"Our teachers are quite enthusiastic about the kits, as are the children," says Phillips. "They participate eagerly in the activities and look forward to our 'Career Days' when we invite people to speak to our classes about their careers."
Staff development activities include training teachers how to incorporate career education in regular lessons, how to use the kits and even classroom management techniques.
Parents Are Involved
One facet of Dyer's career education program has been incorporated into the state's elementary career education program and adopted by other schools. From the beginning, Dyer involved parents in the career education of their elementary age children.
"It began with a parenting technique study group I started with Frances Benson," says Phillips. "We talked about how parents may improve their relationships with their children by encouragement rather than nagging, showing them respect, listening to them and recognizing the goals of misbehavior, such as

the need for attention. When we began our career education program we extended the discussion into how parents can support and supplement what we are trying to do in the class."
Phillips says the parents are very enthusiastic about the study group and the idea of career education for their young children. Parents volunteer as career-day speakers and visit classes where they describe their careers. Many bring samples of their work, such as the caterer who brought samples of her cakes or the owner of an ice cream franchise who brought ice cre~m samples. "Needless to say, these two careers interested the students greatly," says Phillips.
Dyer, of course, is not the only school introducing career guidance at the elementary level. FIat Shoals Elementary in Rockdale County, Oak Grove Elementary in Cherokee County, Altama and Burrough-Mallette Elementary in Glynn County and all the elementary schools in Telfair County have piloted guidance programs as well.
According to 0. C. Hill, elementary counseling consultant for DOE, recent evaluations of the programs were encouraging.
"In Cherokee County students in the program greatly improved their scores on the career development component of the criterion-referenced tests," says
continued on page 8

Frances Benson, kindergarten teacher at Gwinnett County 's Dyer Elementary, conducts career awareness in her classroom . "We talk about what th ey want to do when they are grown, and I listen to them talk about their feelings and help them learn to work together cooperatively."

Needs Assessed First
Dyer's career awareness project started with a needs assessment of students. Parents and teachers were also polled to determine what goals should be set for the program. Tests were developed to measure students' knowledge of the world of work. The career component of the statewide criterion-referenced test (CRT) was also administered to students, and a test measuring the degree of sex role stereotyping in careers familiar to students was given to second and fifth graders.
"We were amazed at the high correlation between children's weaknesses on the tests and their expressed interests and the goals set by teachers and parents," says Phillips. "We developed 10 goals

Georgia ALERT, June 1979 3

Everyone wanted to be a clown . And the first step, as this

painting booth .




It Was Ve1

Clowns, jugglers, balloons, music, arts and c.
of "A Very Special Arts Festival," held !VIa Atlanta. The event was one of four festivals 3,350 handicapped students.
The youngsters showed off their talents by
displaying their craft projects. These activirl teachers of the handicapped, who had atter4 learn methods for teaching art, music an'}} a were coordinated by Georgia Department c Learning Resource System, the state's in -sej
The festivals were funded by grants from tf
Handicapped.



Stopping to watch a juggling clown in action was one of 1

Virginia Hart, teacher of the multihandicapped at Park L

her students.



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Part of the fun of A Very Special Arts Festival was getting lots of balloons. This young girl (above) from Fulton County ' s Park Lane Elementary School col lected an armful. Laughing at the antics of a mime (below) was also part of the day's fun.
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4 Georgia ALERT, June 1979

Board Adds 9th, 10th Grades At Atlanta School For Deaf

student disco vered , was to put on a funny fac e at t he face


ry Special
rafts . . . this was the carnival atmosphere
t6 at the Georgia Retardation Center in
held around the state this spring for
Jerforming dance routines, singing and
es culminated a year's work by Georgia '"ied seven in -service workshops last fall to -a7na to the handicapped. The workshops c Education staff through the Georgia vice network.
~ National Committee, Arts for the

Not only will the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf keep its preschool, elementary and middle grades, but it will add the ninth and tenth grades over the next two years. Part of this plan, approved by the Georgia Board of Education at its May meeting, is contrary to a recommendation made in a special study of three schools for deaf and blind students operated by the board.
A recommendation to phase out the preschool, elementary and middle grades at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf and develop a high school program was only one of 41 proposals made in a study of the Atlanta area school, the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon and the State School for the Deaf in Cave Spring. The study was conducted under state board contract by a team of education specialists coordinated by Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn.
Findings and recommendations of the team related to coordination of programs and services by the Georgia Department of Education; program needs of the three schools including staffing, transportation, parent education, preschool services, curriculum development, admission and placement criteria, facility accessibility, accreditation and other areas. The study also reviewed and made recommendations as to specific programs and services each of the three schools should provide.
For the past four months the special education committee of the state board, headed by Tom Vann of Thomasville, has studied the

recommendations. During that time the committee has conducted a public hearing, heard from Georgia Department of Education staff and received many written comments on the study.
Most of the 41 recommendations made by the Peabody study team were accepted by the board - some with revisions.
The board accepted the recommendation that the state education agency should take whatever measure necessary to insure that all facilities serving the sensory handicapped child meet or exceed the requirements for accessibility.
The board rejected the recommendation that transportation be provided to transport residential students home for weekends.
The recommendation that the state education agency should enable each state school to develop an effective and comprehensive diagnostic, assessment, referral and placement assistance service was accepted with the revision that each school would develop those services for its own students.
The board accepted a recommendation concerning the Academy for the Blind that the present pupil population for the school be intensively reviewed to determine those children who can function effectively with appropriate support services in local school programs.

The board also agreed that the Shurling and Vineville campuses at the Academy for the Blind should be consolidated at the earliest possible time.
The recommendation that the Georgia Academy for the Blind should provide services to all deaf-blind children in the state was not accepted by the board.
The board also rejected the recommendation that the enrollment for the State School for the Deaf be limited to 250-300 pupils in the northern part of the state. The board felt that the enrollment of this school should be determined by need, and that the size and capacity should be determined after staff recommendations and studies on the delivery of services to other parts of the state are presented.
In authorizing the establishment of temporary ninth and tenth grades at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, the board stipulated that these grades be established at a cost not to exceed $200,000 during the next two years and that current facilities and those now under construction be used.
Several of the study team 's recommendations dealt with the need for services to sensory impaired students in the central and southern parts of the state. The board agreed that these services are needed and asked the Georgia Department of Education to present to the board plans describing the alternatives for these services.

e fun t h ings to do at A Very Speci al Arts Festival. ne El e me nta ry School, wa tch es the act io n with t wo o f

Study Urges Focus On Child

Findings of the U.S. Commission on the International Year of the Child indicate the great need to focus concern for the present condition and future well -being of the world's youngsters. The commission was appointed by President Carter in response to a United Nations declaration setting aside 1979 as the International Year of the Child to mark the twentieth anniversary of the U. N. Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
Excerpts of the commission's findings on U.S. children include
17.5 million children exist in dire poverty.
seven to 14 percent receive no regular medical care.
approximately 20 million under the age of 17 have never seen a dentist.
90 percent of all children who need mental health services do not have access to them.
20 million children are not fully protected against prevalent childhood diseases.
one million are the victims of child abuse and neglect.
almost eight million are handicapped - 1.2 million under the age of six.
sixty-two percent of handicapped children from birth to five years of age are not receiving services they need.
though 2.9 million are the children of working mothers, adequate day care facilities exist for only 1.25 million children.
In addition, the Commission found that among adolescents in the U.S.
one million teenagers run away from home each year.
more than 600,000 children are born each year to teenage mothers.
the teenage suicide rat e has tripled between 1950 and 1977.
13 percent of 17-year-olds in school today are functionally illiterate.
Jean Young of Atlanta, wife of U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, is chairman of the U.S. Commission.

Georgia To Host Skill Olympics
Atlanta will be the scene for the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America's (VICA) national conference and United States Skill Olympics July 23-27, 1979. The Georg ia Association of VICA will host the 8,000 participants who are expected to attend.
For the first time in its 15 year history, the national conference and the olympics will be held under one roof. The events are scheduled in the massive World Congress Center.
The skill olympics is a competition between students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations. These events are open to the public.
VICA has a national membership of more than a quarter of a million students. In Georgia there are 11 ,000 VI CA members in 175 clubs.

Georgia ALERT, June 1979 5

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Georgia

Academy

For the Blind

by Julia Martin

New Academy adm i nistrat ion bu ild ing was compl eted in 1974 obscuring t h e o ld V ineville Avenu e landmark wh ich wi ll event u ally be t orn down to m ake w ay for f u t u re expa nsio n .

A real success story in education of the visually impaired can be found right here in Georgia. The concept that handicapped children be given an education equal to that of nonhandicapped ch ildren is being dealt with quite successfully by one of Georgia's major role players in education for the visually impaired. The Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon provides comprehensive services for its students by combining the elements of residential schooling and mainstreaming.
Three significant steps being taken by the academy toward providing a comprehensive education for the visually impaired are (1) cooperation between the academy and Bibb County schools in mainstreaming academy students, (2) the academy's assistance in helping visually impaired students enroll in other local school systems and (3) the academy's own educational program.

The residential academy is successfully mainstreaming visually impaired students into the Bibb County schools. Richard Hyer, superint endent of the academy, said, "About 32 of our high school and elementary students attend local schools on a daily basis, taking from one to four courses. Our stu dents take classes such as art, advanced math, other college preparatory courses and some vocational courses. "
Hyer feels, however, that this mainstreaming has a more important

function than simply classwork. "Going to the local schools gives our students an opportunity to interact w ith sighted students, to learn to function in the real world, to find out what competition is all about. We also feel it is important to get the students off campus and into the community and to give the community a chance to interact with the academy."
Students at the academy have other chances to interact with sighted students through sports. The visually impaired students compete against sighted students in swimming, wrestling and track through the Georgia High School Athletic Association.
"Sixty percent of our students have some type of usable vision," Hyer said. "It may not be enough vision for them to be able to read, but enough, perhaps, to be able to move around independently."

Of the approximately 500 legally blind school -age children in Georgia, around 30 percent attend t he academy . Most are from school systems which do not provide a comprehensive educational program for visually impaired students.
To aid visually impaired students in school systems which do have support services, the academy offers psycho-educational evaluations; makes recommendations for the placement of the students; gives technical assistance to local systems,

and has statewide workshops for teachers of the visually impaired.
A recent study done for the Georgia Board of Education by Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., cites the academy's success in this area. "A full spectrum of services for children who are handicapped in Georg ia requires a strong program of diagnostic, assessment and referral, and the Georgia Academy has already developed programs, expertise, and resource capabilities in this area."

Another step toward providing a comprehensive education for Georgia 's visually impaired and multi-handicapped students is implemented on the two academy campuses.
Approximately 50 multihandicapped students- deaf/blind and mentally retarded/blind - are enrolled on the Shurling campus. The program goals for these students are the development of socialization, self-help and commun ication ski lls.
For the visually impaired st udents on the Vineville campus, t he curriculum consist s of academic courses, music, physical education and vocational courses. The vocational program includes classes in woodwork, horticulture, home economics and metal work. The academy serves students from the kindergarten level t hrough high school.

The Georgia Academy for the Blind offers many services for the state's visually impaired students whether they are in the residential placement or in a local school system . The academy has shown that all phases of education can work together to provide the comprehensive education handicapped children need and deserve.

In Mar ch, athletes from th e Georgia A cad emy f o r the B l ind captured gold and sil ver medals at the U.S. Olymp ics f or the Visually Impaired in Seattle, Wash ing to n.
L ead ing the w inning athletes was Susan Card of Macon w hose swim m i ng w on her three go ld medals and broke the stand ing t imes in all three even ts. She won th e 400-meter freesty le wit h a time o f 6 : 42. T, outdistancing the seco nd place win ner b y T: TT and th e th ird place w inner b y almo st three minutes.
Card 's time of T:27.48 in the TOO-me ter freestyle sha tter ed t he existing recor d of T: 36.7. H er th ird gold m edal was won in the TOO m eter b ackstro ke event w ith a clocking o f 1:35. 09.
Two gold medals were won in the track events by Jam es Bryant of Brunswick . He captured first place in the triple jump, setting a new record , and in the long j ump.
D ennis D aniel o f A t hens and Gay lon Tootle of Glennville, both form er students of the academy, won silver medals. Daniels placed second in wrestling and in the long jump . Tootle 's silver medal was also won in wrestling.
The olymp ics, i n i ts second year, was f ormed b y educa to rs, coaches and school officials across t he nation to give visually imp aired students the opportun ity t o comp ete against one another.



,..._.._.



Jay Cook of Gr iffi n play s t he p iano and sings w hi le teacher Rae l ng ley looks on . Jay p lays well desp ite never havi ng take n forma l lesso ns.
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vocat ional and avocational subjects.

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6 Georgia ALERT, June 1979

'
State Board Briefs State Board Briefs State Board Briefs

At its May meeting the state board authorized the Georgia Department of Education to join the Thinkabout, Essential Learning Skills Consortium. Thinkabout uses both video cassette and movies to demonstrate how students can be involved in using language arts, mathematics, study and thinking skills to solve problems and to apply basic skills in thei r daily lives. The programs are

aimed primarily at middle grade students.
With the full funding of public school kindergarten and programs for exceptional children by the Georgia Legislature, Georgia will need about 3,000 additional teachers next year above those needed to fill normal vacant positions. As a result of a projected teacher shortage, the state

board in April approved several temporary changes in its teacher certification program.
The first change will allow persons who qualify for an initial professional certificate a year to take and pass a test measuring their skills in the subject areas they teach. The second change extends the expiration date of provisional certificates from

August 31, 1979 to August 31, 1980. This will permit liberal arts graduates to begin teaching before completing all of the courses required for a professional teaching certificate. The last change was to reinstate the emergency provisional certificate, which will allow persons whose certificates have expired to teach for one year while they are meeting renewal requirements.

Graduation Requirementscontinued from page 1.

Of the 20 adult life role skills in which a student must demonstrate competency, 10 are in the area of the learner and will be measured by the department of education. Examples of the competencies to be measured are these.
The student reads and interprets communication on a functional level.
The student writes legible, appropriate personal and career communications on a functional level.
The student comprehends information received and applies that information in a variety of everyday situations.
The other 10 objectives to be met by students will be in the areas of ttie individual, citizen, consumer and producer, and these will be measured by the local school system. Some examples of these follow.
Individual - The student knows appropriate emergency responses to accidents and demonstrates preventive actions for health and safety hazards. The student recognizes and practices sound personal health habits necessary to maintain physical and mental well-being.
Citizen- The student knows the principles of sound personal financial planning and management. The student identifies the legal rights and responsibilities of the consumer in buying and selling goods and services.
Producer - The student analyzes personal career opportunities and choices in career planning and management. The student demonstrates the skills necessary to obtain employment.
The new policy increases from 18 to 20 the number of Carnegie units to be required for graduation, 10 specified and 10 elective. (Each Carnegie unit equals 150 clock hours of instruction; therefore, 3,000 clock hours will be required for graduation.)
According to Mathis, Georgia Department of Education staff are working on several methods to measure the 10 performance standards of the learner. The criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) now given all Georgia eighth grade students are being redesigned to reflect the 10 competencies re-

quired of the learner. In addition, a high school basic competencies test now being developed will be given to students in either the ninth or tenth grade. If a student does not do well on the test, he or she will take the test again the next year.
If a student does poorly on the CATs and the basic competencies test, he or she will be placed in a remedial program and an Individual Education Plan will be developed.
According to Singletary, some states require all students to pass an examination before they can graduate. But this will not be a requirement in Georgia.
"We feel it is more valuable to test students all along, rather than wait until the last year," he said. "The State Board of Education's assessment plan for all students includes periodic testing from kindergarten through twelfth grade."
Pilot Systems Developed Plan
Georgia's new competency based education plan has been under development for two years by 10 school systems, which have been testing the requirements and giving feedback to the state board and department of education. The Georgia legislature appropriated $250,000 for development of the plan.
The pilot systems- one from each congressional district - are Glynn, Thomas, Muscogee, Henry, Laurens, Gwinnett, Newton and Fulton counties and Dalton and Decatur cities.
Sherman Hall, director of the competency based education program for Thomas County, says his system will require 21 units for graduation.
"We have also identified 34 objectives in the life role areas that we want our graduates to master," he said.
As examples, Hall said a student will be required to show he or she can fill out government forms and a job application and can use the telephone and telephone directory. (These skills are performance measures for the state board's objectives for the learner that state: The student writes legible, appropriate personal and career communications on a functional level, or the student uses a variety of information resources to obtain assistance and information.)

"The life role competencies are covered in more than one course area, some as many as three," Hall said. "For example, personal finance skills are taught in mathematics, home economics and business education, so a student has several opportunities to gain personal finance skills."
Before the Thomas County system began the pilot project, members of the staff received input from the community, students, faculty and board of education.
When the new plan is fully in place, the diploma will still be the official document certifying completion of required hours, performance and attendance. However, students in the future will receive certificates of performance which will indicate the actual competencies they have acquired. Students who drop out of school will also receive a certificate of performance.
Education officials see the certificate of performance as a way potential employers can know actual work skills mastered by a student.
Laurens County School Superintendent Billy Johnson says his school system has a reporting system developed by Westinghouse

which will let school officials know by course which competencies each student masters or fails to master.
"It's actually a report card on each course," said Johnson. "If a student does not meet certain objectives in a particular course, he or she could probably be scheduled for a different course to pick up the objectives missed. This would prevent the student from having to repeat a course."
An area still being explored by the pilot systems is how to measure performance standards outlined in the state board policy. Thomas County, Laurens County, Gwinnett County, Dalton City and Decatur City systems are pooling their efforts and have asked the American College Testing Company to develop a test instrument to measure the competencies specified in the policy.
Both Hall and Johnson agree that the tremendous amount of record keeping that will be required is a problem. Rewriting curriculum to assure that all 20 life role objectives are included is another tremendous task.
Both men agree, however, that the new policy is a good one and one that will benefit education in Georgia.

New Graduation Course Requirements

The 10 courses specified by the state board, the number of units and clock hours to be required are as follows.

Course

Unit

Clock Hours

English language arts Mathematics* Science * * Health and safety Physical education Career planning Social studies * **

3

450

2 1/3

350

1

150

1/3

50

1/3

50

1/3

50

2 2/3

400

*including one semester/quarter of personal finance **up to two semesters or three quarters of science may be substituted for
the same amount of mathematics ***including one semester/quarter each of citizenship, U.S. history,
economics/business/free enterprise

Timetable for 1\lew Graduation Plan
1980-81 -Ninth graders must finish high school with 20 Carnegie units and 3,000 clock hours.
1981-82- Ninth graders must demonstrate skills required of learner before graduating (to be measured statewide).
1982-83- Ninth graders will be measured by local systems on performance of 10 additional life role skills.

Georgia ALERT, June 1979 7

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~ In Education

Four Georgia Students Are Presidential Scholars

Four Georgians are among 121 high Selection of the 1979 Presidential

Andy Olsen, director, department of communications, DeKalb County School System, has been elected Southeast vice president of the National School Public Relations Association.

school seniors from across the nation selected as Presidential Scholars for 1979. The students, chosen from more than three million high school graduating seniors, will receive medallions from President Jimmy Carter in a

Scholars was based on the students' scores on the Standardized Achievement Test given high school seniors and evidence of additional qualities, capabilities and outstanding accomplishments that supplement scholarship.

I

Georgia has three new system superintendents - Carol Purvis, Thomas County; Travis Ouzts,

Pelham City and William D.

Gardner, Baldwin County.

Curtis Dixon has joined the Georgia Department of Education staff as director of Secondary Education in the Division of Curriculum Services. Dixon, who was born in Richlands,

ceremony at the White House.
The scholars from Georgia are Brooks R. Burdette, Hogansville, Hogansville High School; James H. Gilland, Atlanta, Lakeside High School (DeKalb County System);

The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of citizens appointed by the President, handles the selection of the scholars. Recently appointed to that commission was Cecile C. Waronker, a

Bill Hammond, director of the Right To Read Program for the

Virginia, previously served as superintendent of Isle of Wight County

Lloyd S. Hawk, Atlanta, Westwood High School (Fulton County

teacher in the Atlanta City School System.

Georgia Department of Education, Schools, Virginia, and as teacher,

System) , and Mary McCarthy,

has been elected to a three-year

counselor and principal in Atlanta

Decatur, Walnut Hill School (Natick,

term on the Board of Directors of

City Schools.

Mass. ).

the Concerned Educators of Black

Students, an affiliate of the

International Reading Association.

Allan Gurley, director of the

Guidelines Set For Student Capitol Visits

Georgia Department of Education's

Division of Special Programs, has

been asked by the Southeastern

Last December the Legislative

age/grade level of students visiting

lower-grade students w ill find a trip

Regional Resource Center to help

Services Committee adopted a reso- and crowded conditions within the to the capitol more rewarding if it

evaluate the special educat ion pro- lution regarding class field trips to

capitol building.

is scheduled when the legislature is

gram of the schools in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, June 5-7.
Jack Touchstone, student personnel services coordinator at Ben HillIrwin Tech, Fitzgerald, is the first judge of the recently established Irwin County Small Claims Court. Touchstone will also continue in

the Georgia Capitol during the legislative session.
The new resolution does not prohibit future field trips to the capitol, but does encourage school systems to schedule field trips for elementary grades (K-7) for when the legislature is not in session.

The legislative committee stresses that the policy established in the resolut ion is not a blanket mandate prohibiting visits by lower grades. It is suggested, however, that most

not in session. Not only is there less confusion, but students also have more freedom to get acquainted with the capitol, its grounds and the state museum.

his present capacity at BH IT.

For several years, members of the

Legislative Services Committee -

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made up of leaders of both houses have been concerned that field trips to the capitol have been less than a satisfactory experience for many students. Committee members say that some of the problems are due to the large numbers of students visiting, the wide differences in
Career Guidance continued from page 3.

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Hill. "We believe their scores indicate they have a much more realistic idea of what Iife is about."
Problems Can Be Avoided
Hill says that the establishment of guidance programs at the elementary level is an attempt to meet the developmental needs of children and prevent problems from occurring.
"If you'll notice, problems such as drug addiction, delinquency and the tendency to drop out are very difficult to change once they appear," Hill says. "We are trying to develop a program which will teach our students coping skills long before problems become unmanageable. We want the emphasis to be on preventive and developmental aspects of the program, not only solving a problem after it appears."
Another favorable effect the elementary guidance program has had, says Hill, is that it has increased team work within the schools. "Career guidance becomes the entire school's responsibility,

not just the counselor's job," says Hill. "In the best programs not only do the teaching and administrative staff become involved, but the entire community also becomes part of the team. Parents and local businesses share in the responsibility rather than depending on the schools."
Hill says that DOE can offer consultative services and materials to other elementary schools which are interested in starting elementary

guidance programs and that the University of Georgia has agreed to print the necessary materials at cost for local systems.
"This summer we plan to revise some of the program components and develop plans for including additional systems," says Hill. "Fourth graders were given the career component of the CRT's this spring as part of the statewide testing, and we will be evaluating those results also."

Sample worksheet for elementary guidance

I CAN DO THINGS ADULTS CAN DO

Children
I can make faces and jokes. I draw pictures. I play the piano. I sew doll clothes. I dance. I write stories. I take care of animals. I play baseball. I hammer nails.

Adults
Artist Zoo keeper Carpenter Author Tailor Dancer Musician Actor Baseball player

8 Georgia ALERT, June 1979

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~~;t}oolt:Uurm~Tieent Pel"'odicals

Received
JAN 41980
DOCUM ENTS UGA LIBRARIES
December 1979 Volume 11 Number 5

Georgia's 1980 Teacher Of The Year
Lowndes' Emma Stevens "Stands Tall" With Five-Year-Oids At Westside

by Julia Martin

" I didn't think a kindergarten teacher education students. For 11 years she and various college student s fro m Emma Stevens' worth and potentia l

had the sophist ication to be named made her kindergarten the best pos- Valdosta State help w ith small gro up has been recognized many t imes

teach er of the year. This means my sible to set high standards for kinder - activities. They are a lucky fe w throughout her life in education .

five -year-olds are recognized as gartens in the community.

among many who clamor t o be under Now, as Georgia's 1980 Teacher of

''

importanrpeoplewho can leam. This means that the kindergarten teacher isn't thought of as just a babysitter."

Stevens' work with the migrant program in Lowndes County was the beginning of special school programs

Stevens' cla ss roo m guidance.
An important part of Stevens' teach ing is that of self-importance t o her

the Year, she will be entered in th e National Teacher of the Year Program.

With these words Emma M . Stevens for migrant children in tha t part of the f ive-year-olds. Promptings such as Stevens says, " I have watched ed u-

opens up to us a fascinating life story state. Materials that were developed "If you didn 't bring anything to share cation change during my lifet im e, for

of 32 years of teaching, culminating for the program are now used state - with the group today, sha re your- my father was a school man from the

in her recent selection as Georgia's wide .

selves because you are important, time of my birth until he retired . It is

1980 Teacher of the Year. From teaching vocational home economics to teaching day care courses to teaching migrant children to teach ing kindergarten, Stevens knew that she had found her niche in teaching younger children - for she had two small boys at home. Concerned about the education they would receive in school convinced Stevens

" I realized that young migrant children could relate to very few bought materials and so all of my instructional aids would have to be devel oped," Stevens said. " I made math and readiness skills games using examples of things in the ir environment - frogs, butterflies and fish ."
Her help for migrant children did not

too" and "Stand tall , young man, and speak loudly" emphasize Stevens ' philosophy that every child has worth and potential.

in my blood . It is exciting . A nd it is so important."
We agree, Mrs . Steven s.

State School Superintendent Charles McDaniel was notified early in December that Emma Stevens is one of four finalists for the title of National Teacher of the Year. She and state teachers of the year from Colorado, Missouri and New York will be considered for the national title in the spring of 1980.

to strive for excellent standards for end when her teaching emphasis

early childhood education through moved to public kindergartens. She

her own teaching and her service on monitors a school fund which is used

many state committees and com - for medical needs, food and clothing

munity projects.

which the county migrant workers

Stevens' work for public school kin- heavily depend on.

dergartens and migrant programs is Stevens' one year of teaching day

known statewide. Her service on a care workers at Valdosta State

state advisory committee for the College led to her developing and

Georgia Department of Education teaching two courses in basic day

helped get kindergartens into care at Valdosta Vocational-

Georgia 's public schools.

Technical School intermittently for

"Since I have been a crusader for kin dergartens for all children," she says, "seeing kindergartens put into the state's schools is a dream come

seven years. Because of this work, she was asked to serve on a state advisory committee which set the standards for day care in Georgia .

true. Many people do not understand Stevens' teaching methods at West-

how important preschool education side Center in Lowndes County look

is. They don't realize that what child- like fun - all play and no work. She is

ren learn at the age of five sticks in an actress before her five -year-olds,

their heads. That is why so many of freely using puppets, a piano, a

us have been working so hard on pre- ukelele, stories and live animals to

school education. We know that bring to life the children's daily les-

what a child learns at age five means sons. But observers should not let

a lot. That knowledge sticks."

her drama fool them. Behind her

One of Stevens' earliest pushes for statewide kindergartens and their high standards began with her own

animation and play with the children, her educational and social goals for each child are strictly followed .

kindergarten in 1955. She estab- " My student teachers have to follow

lished the preschool program in her my objectives for each child, "

home after requests from Valdosta Stevens said, " but they are free to

State College personnel for a lab-like situation for their early childhood

gain these objectives through their own methods." Her student teachers

''Wh o wants t his loll ipop? You can have it if you can tell me wh at this letter is !" Emma Steve ns has no trou bl e capturing her kind erg arten students ' attention w ith her loll ipop alpha bet game.

(
-

Seventy-eight Systems

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HonorLoca/Teache~

Marie W . Allred, Haralson County High; Sandra Akins, Union County High; Mrs. Jessie 0 . Arrington, Waddell Elementary, Muscogee County; Linda R. Austin , South Gwinnett High , Gwinnett County; Glenda Bain, North Heights Elementary, Rome City; Sandra J. Barfield, Stockbridge Senior High, Henry County; Reese R. Barnard, Calhoun Junior High, Calhoun City; Richard R. Bell, Turner Middle High, Douglas County; Mrs. Lewis Brinson, Ben Hill County Elementary; Brenda J. Britton, Fairview Elementary, Walker County; Mona K. Brooks, Clarkesville Elementary, Habersham County; Emily S. Brown, Russell Elementary, Cobb County; Minnie Ruth Browning, Cook Middle, Cook County; Wanda Buice, Midway Elementary, Forsyth County; Ruby J . Byrd, Atkinson Elementary, Coweta County.
Susan Carlisle, Troup County Junior High; Evelyn H. Carmichael, Etowah High, Cherokee County; Fran E. Cawthon, Hicks Elementary, Rockdale County; Charlotte W . Cochran, Tolbert Elementary, Gordon County; James Coleman, Worth County High; Barbara J . Cornelius, Winder Elementary, Barrow County; Edna M . Crawford, Lamar County Comprehensive High; June W . Dixon , Jerger Elementary, Thomasville City; Penny H. Durham, Carver Elementary, Terrell County; Ellen M . Dye, Falling Creek Elementary, Elbert County; Juanita D. Floyd, Gaines Elementary, Clarke County; Juanita H. Folsom, Morven Primary, Brooks County; Dorothy A. Frasier, Cloverleaf Elementary, Bartow County.
Sherry Y. Garrison, North Hall High, Hall County; Jackie H. Gay, Statesboro High, Bulloch County; J . Norman Green, Valdosta High, Valdosta City; Harley C. Grove, Wayne County High; Nancy A. Guerrero, Heard -Mixon Elementary, Newton County; Brenda D. Hall, Morton Avenue Elementary, Waycross City; Alice T. Hamilton, Buford Middle, Buford City; Betty Hendricks, North Talbot Elementary, Talbot County; Elaine S. Hitson, Thurston Elementary, Upson County; Cassandra D. Howell. Stringfellow Elementary, Colquitt County; Mrs. Maxie A. Jones, Morgan County Primary; Janet G. Kinard, North Springs High, Fulton County; Jean Lambert, Shirley Hills Elementary, Houston County; Jane T. Lowe, Echols County High; Houston Lykes, Turner County Junior High, Turner County.
Ann A. Martin, Canon Elementary, Franklin County; Kathy McCay, Comer Elementary, Madison County; Ellis W . Mill Jr., Decatur High, Decatur City; Joan H. Moore, Martinez Elementary, Columbia County; June C. Mosely, Whigham, Grady County; Sylvia C. Mullis, Memorial Drive, Ware County; Edith D. Nash, Henderson High, DeKalb County; Myrtice C. Nichols, Pepperell Elementary, Floyd County; Sylvia Oates, Satilla Elementary, Coffee County; Eloise Penn, East Atlanta High, Atlanta City; JoAnn Perry, Woodbine Elementary, Camden County; Elizabeth Phillips, Enota Elementary, Gainesville City; Patrick C. Price, Marietta Junior High, Marietta City.

Georgia 's 1980TOTY runn!lr -up is Jean Lambert, a sixth grade teacher at Shirley Hills Elementary School in Houston County. In add ition to her degrees from Georgia Southern College, Mercer University and Georgia College, Lambert is certified in administration and supervision . She has taught in the Houston County system for 22 years.

TOTY finalist Richard R. Bell, a Douglas County earth science teacher at Turner Middle School in Lithia Springs, has been teaching for 15 years after retiring from the U. S. Army . He graduated from Wofford College and has a master's from George Washington University.

TOTY finalist Dr. Patrick C . Price teaches sixth through eighth grade gifted students at Marietta Junior High. A teacher for 10 years, Price graduated from Augusta College and holds a master 's and Ph . D. from Georgia State.

1

Jean W . Ralston, Pike County Mitldle; La rene Rowe, Maple Street Elementary, Carroll-- ton City; Steven D. Ruff, North Dade Elementary, Dade County; May D. Sampson,

eacher Salary Increase

f

Spalding Junior High, Griffin -Spalding County; Mary M. Sapp, Brookwood, Dalton City;

~ (

Kathy A. Sisk, Lumpkin County High; Lucille M. Smith, Nashville Elementary, Berrien County; May Ann Smith, Charles Ellis Elementary, Chatham County; Melissa W. Smith, Temple High, Carroll County; Florence Stepp, Fitzgerald Junior High, Fitzgerald

To $11,000 Sought In FY 81

s

City; Emma M . Stevens, Westside Center, Lowndes County; Bonnie H. Stevenson,

s

Northeast Complex-Smith Building, Bibb County; Barbara T. Stokes, Swainsboro High, Emanuel County; Jane R. Taylor, Lyons, Toombs County; JoAnne M . Thomas,

A $1 .3 billion education budget for to build an area vocational-technical

a

Intermediate, Oconee County; Eleanor B. Wade, J .S. Pate Elementary, Crisp County;

FY 81 was adopted by the Georgia school in Gwinnett County. A school

I f

Wendall W . Willis, Lee County Upper Elementary, and Richard Winstel. Riverdale Junior High, Clayton County.

Board of Education at its August in Gwinnett was recommended as a meeting. A large chunk of the new top priority in a study of construction

(

All were named local teachers of the year. The 16 semifinalists were Garrison, Hall

budget- nearly $100 million- was needs of area vo-tech schools

a
~ \i

County; Stokes, Emanuel County; Green, Valdosta City; Mosely, Grady County; Hamilton. Buford City; Gay, Bulloch County; Moore, Columbia County; Penn, Atlanta City; Cornelius, Barrow County; Jones, Morgan County; Mill. Decatur City; Brown, Cobb County; Bell, Douglas County; Lambert, Houston County; Price, Marietta City, and Stevens. Lowndes County.

designated for a salary increase for public school teachers. Beginning with the 1980-81 school year, the board proposes to bring the mini-

recently commissioned by the state
board.

After Jan. 1, 1980, a school system

Bell , Lambert, Price and Stevens were the four finalists. Lambert was selected runner-

mum salary for beginning teachers to must go through the competitive bid-

s

up and Stevens was selected Georgia 's 1980 Teacher of the Year.

$11 ,000 and to give a $1 ,594 across ding process to spend more than a

the board increase to all other systemwide total of $75,000 in state

Teachers who would like their entry forms returned should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Stephen Edge, Georgia Department of Education, 103 State Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334.

teachers . Another major item funds for school building construcincluded in the FY 81 budget is $123 tion during a fiscal year. A single con-

million for school building construc- struction project that exceeds

tion.


$25,000 must be awarded through open competitive bidding . This man-

The state board will ask the 1980 date, in a policy on competitive bid-

Georgia Legislature for $13 million ding, came from the Georgia Board of

Education at its July meeting .

December 1979 Volume 11 Number 5

:S::DPR:S::SS

Published five times a year by Public Information and Publications Services, Office of Administrative Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Editorial Board Managing Editor Nancy Hall Shelton News Editor Steve Harvey State Editor Eleanor Gilmer Feature Editor Steve Edge Photo Editor Glenn Oliver Graphics Elaine Pierce Typesetting Teresa Ross

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972); or handicap (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Employees, students and the general public are hereby notified that the Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.
Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI, Title IX or Section 504 to the policies and practices of the Georgia Department of Education may be addressed to Peyton Williams, Associate Superintendent, Office of State Schools and Special Services, Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta 30334, or to the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC 20201.


In November the board approved 300 English, literature and humanities textbooks to be part of the Iist of texts school systems may purchase with state funds. This list was recommended by the board's 23-member Textbook Advisory Committee.

NOTICE New Telephone Numbers For Teacher Certification Services
Area Code 404

A new telephone system with three lines began operating in Teacher Certificat ion Services on December 3, 1979. The new num bers and their assigned alphabetical sections are listed below.

656-7293 656-2407 656-2408

A Goode Goodf - N 0 -Z

All telephone inquiries about licensing of aides and paraprofessionals can be answered on 656 -7293 .

2 Georgia ALERT, December 1979

Improving Education Top Priority For Local Systems

by Anne Raymond

Most of Georgia's school system this area . One superintendent wrote :

superintendents seem determined to " Good discipline is necessary if

record progress during the current teaching is to take place . For 1979-

school year toward better student 80 our administration and local

achievement, improved student board will not tolerate behavior that

behavior, increased benefits for staff disrupts and interferes with the

and more parental involvement.

rights of other persons to have a good

System administrators were asked by State Superintendent of Schools Charles McDaniel earlier this year to submit plans to him detailing how they would improve their school systems' records in those four areas. The plans were due October 1 to McDaniel, who says he will be con-

school environment. Our system operates an in-school suspension program at the school level. Severe cases are referred to an off-campus alternative school. Individuals that cannot conform to rules for the alternative school are to be expelled from school."

ferring regularly with the superintendents on their problems and successes. As of November 7, only nine Georgia superintendents had not submitted plans.

A number of system plans indicate they will be relying on the alternative school as a method of discipl ine . Others have published behavior codes for the first time; some have

Most of the plans are quite specific involved students in developing stu -

and optimistic. ' 'I'm pleased with the dent behavior codes, and others are

response," McDaniel said. "Most emphasizing physical education,

local superintendents show good recreation and extracurricular activi -

planning, a strong determination to ties as positive ways to improve

accomplish something in these student behavior. At least one sys -

areas, and a willingness to devote tem has instituted a new drug policy,

the time and resources to the job. For including provisions for crisis inter-

the most part, our local administra- vention if it is indicated.

Jefferson City Schools Superintendent Leland Dis hman (left) discusses school policies with Jefferson High School Principal Robert Scott (middle) and Harold Hughes, Jefferson M iddle School

tors in Georgia are conscientious, professional and hardworking. They are quite willing to accept the responsibility that belongs to them at the system level."

While some school systems have few financial resources for improving staff benefits, most have indicated their intention to do something, even if it is only a little. Systems are paying

Pr i ncipal.

In the area of student achievement, teachers' shares of health insurance;

many plans stress setting local cri- some have added steps to the states

School Leaders Build Skills

teria for promotion and expectations at each level for what students are supposed to achieve. Many school

14-year salary scale, and others are passing along the full amount of the state-legislated pay raise for the cur -

In DOE-S~onsored Seminars systems have developed and are rent school year even though they using new curriculum guides that are not required to do so. At the very _ insure regular, sequential progress least school systems have appointed

through the system from kindergar- study committees to review local

Local school administrators have pose of our staff to design programs ten through the twelfth grade. Some salary schedules and make recom -

nothing but praise for the seminars that will make a real impact on edu- systems are building their plans for mendations for improvements.

sponsored each year by the Georgia Academy of School Executives.
"The purpose of the academy is to provide, through seminars, the opportunity for school administrators to improve o"r develop managerial skills necessary at the local level," said Bill Trussell, executive director

cation," said Trussell .
Seminars already scheduled for the 1979-80 school year include one held Oct. 1-2 in Macon for assistant principals, one for principals held Nov. 15-16 in Atlanta on "Evaluation of the Experienced Teacher" and one Dec. 3-4 in Atlanta for elementary

student achievement on compe tency-based education programs and criterion -referenced tests; many others are stepping up staff development for teachers in the belief that improved student achievement comes about through better instruction .

Plans for increased parental and community involvement include the establishment of volunteer pro grams, more performances of school concerts, plays and other events open to the community, the atten dance of senior citizens at these events as guests of the school , and

of the academy for the Georgia principals. Other seminars or work- A variety of approaches to improved the use of business and community

Department of Education.

shops have been planned by several student behavior have been sub- representatives in career education

" To reach our objective we must first determine the administrative needs of the school leaders, then through

congressional district committees and by the coordinator of the 17 teacher assessment centers.

mitted, all of them based on strong expressions of the need for the school to reestablish its authority in

continued on page 7

well-planned seminars look at these needs in a workshop-type atmosphere," he said. School leaders need

Academy Student Is Published Poet

to develop the same leadership skills

as managers in business and indus- Rickey Tucker, a 13-year-old student

try. These skills include the ability to at the Georgia Academy for the Blind

organize, delegate authority and to in Macon, has had one of his poems

motivate and evaluate personnel. "

published by two national maga-

The academy grew out of the Leader- zines.

ship Development Program organ - Ebony Jr. and Wee Wisdom accepted

ized two years ago through the "It Rained and Rained and Rained"

Georgia Department of Education. from Rickey 's English teacher,

The seminars are available to super- Sandra Barwick. She thought his

intendents, curriculum directors, poem, written as a class assignment,

principals and assistant principals. unusually good, so she submitted it.

Some of the topics covered include In addition to having his poem pub-

teacher evaluation, building teacher lished, Rickey received a braille cer-

morale, student motivation, team teaching, student discipline, school finance, due process, programs for gifted students, communications, curriculum development and many other topics on instruction .
According to Trussell, one of the main reasons the seminars have been so successful is the qualified consultants selected to lead discussion groups. Most of these consultants are local school administrators.
"National surveys continue to support the need to give assistance in leadership development to the

tificate for outstanding achievement from Wee Wisdom.
Rickey has received recognition for other poems he has written. His first poem won a school contest. In the fifth grade he won a citywide contest in Atlanta; his slogan, "Share, " was used on Red Cross posters throughout the city.
Although Rickey lost his reading vision almost four years ago because of cataracts, he still has traveling vision which enables him to move around on his own. Rickey is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Will Tucker of

It Rained and Rained and Rained The skies were black and cloudy as could be,
The air was rather cold, The wind was blowing heavily, And the thunder was very bold.
The rain would soon begin to pour, The hail not far behind,
Lightning flashing through my door, Brighter than ever it shined.
No longer did the thunder crash, But still the rain remained.
For my name is Noah, and as I recall, It rained and rained and rained.

school administrator. It is the pur- Atlanta . His poem follows.

Georgia ALERT, December 1979 3

Under a new structure at t he AASD high school, students will no longer be forced to change schools. AASD will add a h igh school grade each year , and students will attend the new section of the school now bei ng compl eted .
Atlanta Area School For The Deaf Students Look To Bright Futures

by Barbara Perkins
Students at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (AASD) have big plans for their futures . Goals range from attending vo-tech school to entering Gallaudet College upon graduation from high school, from beginning regular public school classes to being promoted to higher levels with AASD next school term.
AASD was created in 1972 as a day school for deaf and hearing impaired children who could not be served in their regular public school programs. It resulted as an outgrowth of groundwork laid earlier to ensure that these children receive a comprehensive public school education without sacrificing their home environments.
"The day school concept;" according to Superintendent Mona K . McCubbin, " allows students to live at home with their parents and siblings while receiving instruction.We make the school environment and curricu lum as much as possible like that of a regular public school and provide our students with the same basic school experiences that their hearing brothers and sisters receive. "
More than 200 students from 17 school systems in the metro-Atlanta area enrolled this year upon referral by their schools and in accordance w ith each student's Individual Educati on Plan . In addition, AASD professional staff test each student to determine that the child has suffered a sign ificant hearing loss that would prevent success in the regular school classroom .
The school, located on a 15-acre tract in Clarkston, carries out four ongoing programs of instruction. The first program, parent infant training, assists parents with children from birth to three years old in diagnosing and evaluating hearing loss and trains them to work with their children at home. This program enables children to begin their education as soon as the handicap is discovered and helps them enter regular school classes much earlier.
The second is the preschool program which serves approximately 50 multihandicapped children ages three through five. The nine _pre school classrooms boast a 6:1 pupilteacher ratio.

The third and fourth are the primary cipates in programs which include

and middle school programs. Stu- adults and students.

dents from six to 10 years of age enter the primary program, which is divided into four levels. Language arts, math and the development of basic written and oral communication skills are emphasized.

Extracurricular activities play an important ro le in the school's pro gram. The AASD 'Apaches enjoy intramural football , basketball and tennis. The yearbook club puts together a school annual to which

Students 11 to 16 years old are in the the photo club contr ibutes pictures .

middle school , which extends Middle school students participate in

through the- rrint h grade . Along w ith - the J uni or Nationa l- A ssociation for

the regular academic classes, middle the Deaf, an organization which

school students also participate in a develops responsibility and leader-

career awareness program of voca- ship skills for young deaf students.

tional exploration into three fields- Each year the drama club, in cooper-

business education, industrial arts ation with the Georgia Council for

and home economics. Advanced stu- the Arts, performs a play at several

dents are given the opportunity to elementary schools in the Atlanta

take part in the Program of Education area .

and Career Exploration (PECE). which provides them with actu.al hands-on experiences in major businesses.

Two auditory-oral classes - one in the preschool and one in the primary program - for potential mainstreamers are growing stronger. As a

A central services building, now result of these classes, 16 students

under construction and scheduled to entered regular school classrooms

open September 1980, will house last year.

eight classrooms for a temporary high school consisting of ninth grade classes already in progress and a tenth grade level recently authorized by the Georgia Board of Education .

"Two accomplishments of which we are particularly proud, " said McCubbin, "are the participation of our preschoolers with the DeKalb Head Start program and the Kellogg

Presently, after successfully com - Project." AASD is one of three

pleting their studies, students either schools in the nation chosen to parti-

enter vocational training programs, cipate in the Special School of the

return to their local systems in regu- Future project funded by the Kellogg

lar classes or in special programs- Foundation . The five -year project is

or complete their high school educa - geared toward developing and imple-

tion at the Georgia School for the menting programs related to the

Deaf at Cave Spring .

chang ing sphere of education for the

The total communication concept deaf and hearing impaired.

of speech , speechreading , sign According to Rachael M iller, project

language, auditory processing, read- coordinator, "One of the primary

ing and writing is the core compo - objectives is to help develop AASD

nent of teaching . Specialized staff- into a major Southeastern resource

including an audiologist, diagnostic center for educating the deaf. " Many

teacher, psychologist. nurse and schools from all over the country

speech therapist. in addition to regu - have already contacted us and some

lar classroom teachers and modern have visited us to observe our pro-

technological equipment - assist in grams. Educators from Tennessee,

implementing this innovative con- Mississippi and North Carolina

cept in hearing impaired education. Schools for the Deaf were among

Programmed learning systems, team those who visited us. Public school

teaching, open classrooms and up- systems throughout Georgia are

to-date media and materials speed using our program as a model for

the learning process.

developing or improving education

AASD has made many accomplish- for the deaf in their local schools."

ments in its nearly eight years of In meeting the needs of deaf and

operation . Parents are strongly hearing impaired children, AASD

involved in school activities. The recognizes that each is a unique indi-

parent-teacher group regularly parti- vidual with potential for tremendous

growth and development. The school is ded icated to providing the methods, personnel, services and equipment to make this important goal possible.
Small c.lasse_s a.nd a great dea l of individual attentio

4 Georgia ALERT, December 1979

People In Education

at AASD use both verbal and sig n language, and students in primary grades must use hearing until they reach a certain age. Students can be mainstreamed into regular commu nity schools if hearing improves enough.
hearing impaired students at AASD use the special teaching methods to overcome their handicaps.

There are several new local school superintendents . William D. Gardner is superintendent at Baldwin County; T. Murphy McManus at Bremen City; Buford C. Arnold, Cartersville City; Ralph Bennett Jr.. Gordon County; G. W. Pope Ill, Jenkins County; J. E. Singleton, Lamar County; Margaret Swindle, Lanier County; Travis Ouzts Jr., Pelham City; Louis Bonner, acting superintendent for Seminole County; Charles Green, Spalding County; Carol Purvis, Thomas County, and Richard Young, Ware County . Ken Smallwood will become superintendent of Calhoun City System Jan . 1, 1980.
Outstanding leadership awards, presented at the annual conference of the Georgia Association of Education Leaders, went to Leland Dishman, Rabun County, Outstanding Princi pal; Virginia Mickish, DeKalb County, Outstanding Instructional Supervisor, and Paul Robertson, Dougherty County, Outstanding Superintendent.
The Georgia Vocational Association recently named its vocational educators of the year. Included were R. E. Balkcom, Early County, agricultural education; Marilyn Butler, Lilburn, business and office education; Robbie Lynn Gooch, Commerce, distributive education; Jack Touchstone, Fitzgerald, guidance; Inez Edwards, Macon, health occupations; June Winn, Patterson, home economics; Berkley Ruiz, Winder, industrial arts; William E. Lambert, Perry, local administrators; Ed McLeskey, Atlanta, manpower development training ; Tracey Axelberd. Clarkston, related services; John W. Roberts Jr .. LaGrange, technical education; Linda Smith, Athens, trade and industrial education, and Linda Rice, Athens, trade and industrial education .

A local school board member, a high school administrator and a classroom teacher are among five members elected to the executive board of the Georgia Professional Stan dards Commission . Richard C. Owens has served as a member of the Irwin County Board of Education for 18 years; Gwendolyn Mundy is an elementary curriculum director for Hall County Schools and Margaret Thrasher is a teacher of the gifted for the Griffin-Spalding Schools.
Charles R. DeMott has been appointed director of Thomas Area Vocational -Technical School, Thomasville . He previously had been an instructional coordinator, assistant director and acting director at the school.
Associate State School Superinten dent Lucille Jordan has been named national president-elect of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She will take office at the national ASCD conference to be held in Atlanta March 29 April 2, 1980.
Bill Hammond, director of the Georgia Right to Read Program, has been named chairman of the Leukemia Readathon . The Reada thon, sponsored by the Georgia Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America , is to raise money to support the research programs sponsored by the society.
Stephanie Alisa Moss, a 12 -year old eighth grader from Macon, has been selected as one of 25 children to serve on the Children 's Advisory Panel for the U. S. National Commission on the International Year of the Child. The Children 's Advisory Panel was established to give young people an opportunity to share with the commission some of the concerns of children and youth across the nation.

Mona McCubbin was recently named superintendent of the Atlanta Area School for the Deafin Clarkston. She has been with the school since it opened in 1972 and served as elementary supervisor and principal of the school. McCubbin graduated from Western Kentucky and has a master's in deaf education from Oklahoma University at Oklahoma City. She recently completed work at Georgia State University for her administration and supervision certificate. Before coming to Georgia she taught in Iowa and at the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Conn.

Georgia ALERT. December 1979 5

Standards Revised, Strengthened; To Be Field-Tested In Spring 1980

by Eleanor Gilmer
It looked like a real court trial- there was a judge, 12 jurors, two attorneys, witn~sses, a clerk and a court reporter.
It sounded like a real trial- " Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I intend to prove today that research does not clearly show teacher behavior affects student outcome."
In fact, it was a real trial of sorts, even though the setting was an educational television studio and the "attorneys" were really educators. The judge was a real judge, and the 12 jurors could well have served on any real jury. The jury's verdict was just as binding as in a real trial. The difference was this trial was about education - educational research to be specific .
The unique courtroom type hearings were a part of the procedures being used in the redesign of standards for Georgia public schools.
Harriott King, Emory law professor, presided over one day's hearings.
Standards are applied each year to every school and school system in the state to determine needed improvements. The first set of stan dards, mandated in 1964 by the Minimum Foundation Program for Education Act and administered statewide three years later, fell into several categories - those required by law and State Board of Education policy and those determined to be essential or desirable. Mainly, they were status standards - they measured items that could be counted or observed. The one performance -based standard was Standard 23, which dealt with the measurement of student achievement based on test results.
"In 1974, the Adequate Program for Education in Georgia Act called not only for the continuation of status standards, but for the development of additional , performance -based standards, " said Associate State School Superintendent H. Titus Singletary Jr. "Because of this mandate, and because it had been more than 10 years since standards were first implemented, the State Board of Education decided to evaluate and redesign the entire standards program ."

The first draft of these standards was presented to the Georgia Department of Education staff in September and will soon be reviewed by local school superintendents. A final version will be presented to the state board in December for action early in 1980.
Research-based Standards
The real change in standards will be the addition of new, research-based standards - those with which the juries were concerned. Staff members responsible for their development relied extensively on research evidence for their study, judging each bit of research by the question, 'To what extent, if any, does a given practice, approach or provision, as substantiated by research in the field, affect students' performance in school or their self-concepts?"
The department of education staff specified 11 broad areas from which research-based standards will most likely come. A national expert in each of the 11 areas was asked to prepare a position paper on the research findings in his or her area and to highlight findings which had implications for standards. The 11 research areas were teaching personnel, administrative personnel, pupil personnel staff, extracurricular activities, school climate. facilities. instructional media, management strategies, community and family, instructional strategies and student expectations.
Another expert in each area was asked to critique the first researcher's paper and to identify areas of disagreement.
After the papers were written, critiqued and major findings summarized, the next step was to try the evidence in " court."

For the purpose of the hearings the 11 research areas were divided into four broader areas - staff, learning strategies, resources and school clientele. A jury was selected for each area . Each jury was composed of a State Board of Education member, a legislator, three representatives from local school districts, two parents, a student, two business persons, a representative from higher education and a Georgia Department of Education staff member.
The writers in the 11 areas presented their findings to a jury. In addition, those who prepared critiques presented opposing views or interpretations. It was the job of the " attorneys" to bring out the relevant evidence.
After hearing the evidence, the jury determined which findings should be used as the basis for the development of new standards.
For example, in the area of student expectations, the jury found insufficient evidence to support the conclusion that, "It is possible to alter performance levels by changing school staff expectations for their own as well as for their pupils' performance." In the area of school cli mate, the jury agreed that there was sufficient research evidence to substantiate that " classroom climate influences student learning and performance ."
" Only those findings which were accepted by a jury will be used in the development of research-based standards," said Singletary. "However, we are asking for input on the performance indicators to be used and the process for application of standards."
Based on the verdicts of the juries, a draft of the new research -based standards has been written. After the standards have been reviewed by

Standards writer Dr. Duane Alvin (above) and critic Luther B. Otto, Boys Town, Omaha , Neb.
local school districts and education department staff, a final draft will be completed by the middle of February. The method of application and enforcement procedures will be developed, and t he stan da rds will be field-tested in the spring of 1980. Recommendations will be presented to the State Board of Education in April. " We think one of the good things about the process for redesign of the standards is the input we are r.eceiving from many groups and individuals," said Singletary. "I believe the final result will be a set of standards that will make a real impact on education in Georgia."

Courtroom setting for four -day standards "trials" was built in a studio at Georgia ETV production center in Atlanta .

Status Standards
A special task force in the Georgia Department of Education has been looking at status standards and procedures for their application and enforcement. This task force was to make sure that status standards con tain only discrete, minimum and enforceable criteria that can be proved to make a positive difference in the education process.

6 Georgia ALERT. December 1979

Statewide Commission To Study Teacher Salaries, Report To State Board

State Board of Education Chairman Roy Hendricks has announced the appointment of 26 Georgians to study the state's teacher salary structure during the next six months.
The Salary Study Commission will hold its organizational meeting in Atlanta on Dec . 13 and is expected to report its recommendations to the State Board of Education next spring prior to the board's formulation of its 1982 budget request.
Members of the commission represent Georgia businesses and industry, education groups and individual members of the profession, colleges and universities, the state legislature and local government and the agricultural profession. The committee chairman will be William 0 . Riley of Atlanta, president of Atlantic Steel Company.
The commission will study the present state teacher salary schedule, on the basis of which all teachers in the state are paid. State-appropriated funds for teachers ' salaries are granted to school systems under provisions of the Adequate Program for Education in Georgia Law. Depending on teaching certificate and experience, teachers are paid the base state salary as a minimum. and most systems add supplements ranging from $100 to $1000. The current schedule contains an increment series which provides for annual raises through a teacher's fourteenth year of experience. The current beginning salary for a teacher with four years of college and no experience is $9.406; the top of the schedule provides for a teacher with a doctorate and 14 years of experi-

ence to earn $18,342 in state pay. Funds for teacher salaries and raises are appropriated annually by the legislature based on requests by the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Schools and recommendations of the Governor.
The study commission will look at the schedule, the plan for increments, experience factors as they affect the schedule and funding mechanisms.
The commission's work will be conducted under the direction of Chairman Riley. He has been with Atlantic Steel since 1940, serving as an officer since 1960. He was named president in November this year.
Riley is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, has completed the Advanced Management Program at Emory University and earned a law degree from Atlanta Law School. He is chairman of the board of trustees for the Georgia Fund for Education, vice president of Junior Achievement of Greater Atlanta, a Rotarian, Mason and Shriner. He belongs to the American Iron and Steel Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Georgia Busi ness and Industry Association and the Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce.
Members of the Salary Study Commission were appointed by the State Board of Education, with nominations from each board member and from the state superintendent, the legislature, the governor and various associations.
The members are as follows.
Everett Williams of Statesboro,

chairman of the board of Sea Island Bank; Langdon S. Flowers of Thomasville, a businessman; Clayborne Edwards of Ft. Valley, mortician and funeral director; John Weitnauer of Decatur, businessman; James Johnson of Atlanta, associate superintendent for staff personnel for Atlanta Public Schools; Ted Key of Forest Park, teacher; Sue Spivy of Summerville, member of the Chattooga County Board of Educa tion; Charles Harris of Ocilla, busi nessman; Mrs. Ernest Huey of Canton, former teacher; Robert Roper of Greensboro, probate judge and businessman; Charles Miller of Atlanta, vice president, C & S Bank; Sherman Day of Atlanta, dean, Georgia State University; Rep. Ben B. Ross of Lincolnton, representing the Legislative Services Committee; Raymond Head Jr. of Griffin, Georgia Municipal Association; Jewel John of Athens, Association of County Commissioners; Garland C. Fritts of Atlanta, Georgia Business and Industry Association; Fern B. Patterson of Gainesville, Georgia Association of Educators; Buford Arnold of Cartersville, Georgia Association of Educational Leaders; Susan Aft of Marietta, Georgia Federation of Teachers; Alice Washing ton of Atlanta , Georgia State PTA; Lyda Hannan of Columbus, Georgia Retired Teachers; Glenn Heck of Warner Robins, Georgia School Boards Association; Kathleen Hires of Jesup, Georgia Vocational Association; Don Thornhill of Grovetown, Professional Association of Georgia Educators; Charles Daniel of Nashville, Young Farmers Association.

Systems Work Hard To Improve Programs At Local Level
continued from page 3
classes and on advisory committees. At least one large school system is requiring every school to develop a plan for citizen involvement.
" The prospects for a good school year and for some very real progress in these areas is excellent," said Supt. McDaniel. "These ambitious plans are an indication that Georgia 's school systems can and will be better through individual effort and initiative ."
At the same time McDaniel asked the superintendents for their plans. he also invited them to submit suggestions of areas that need his attention at the state level. Some problems outlined by the local administrators include the need for a more generous allotment and additional flexibility in using administrative support personnel under APEG sections 20 and 21 (These are such system level people as principals, assistant principals. librarians, curriculum specialists, directors of curriculum and community education school coordinators.); the need for additional funds to pay for maintenance and operation of schools, including the payment of fuel costs; the increase in paperwork requirements for new programs without additional administrative staff or funds to pay for them; too many meetings to be attended by local school system personnel, and the need for increased salaries and benefits for teacher and noncertified personnel.
McDaniel pledged to the superintendents that he will work on the problems they cited and report back to them regularly.

Public Wants Quality Education .... More Communication

Quality education for their children and the communication of informa tion about schools are two major areas of public concern this year, according to results from the Eleventh Annual Survey of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools.
A joint project of the Gallup Poll and the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, the poll sampled 1,514 adults (parents with children attending public, private and parochial schools and parents with no children in school).
While the local newspaper is still considered the best single source of information about the schools, 98 percent of the parents with children in public schools named word of mouth and personal involvement as the best sources of information.
Better communications was cited as a vital element that would help parents, the community and the school to improve education . The poll revealed that 37 percent of the persons questioned regard newspapers as a better source of information than either television (16 percent) or radio (five percent). As sources of information, survey participants rated school personnel and school newsletters relatively low- 10 and seven percent respectively.
Samuel G. Sava, a Kettering Founda tion vice president and a career educator, says if the public does not have reliable information about its schools, then it cannot be expected to support those schools. Many school

officials feel they are already com municating with parents and the educational community, Sava said, but perhaps they should examine their methods of communications.
Other results of the poll showed that
only one person in eight claimed to know the cost per child, per school year, in the local public schools.
only one third of the participants professed to know the superintendent's name, while 58 percent claimed that they did not.
in general, those not directly affected by the schools appear to be less informed about them.
85 percent of those sampled feel teachers should be required to pass a state board examination to prove their knowledge in subjects they will teach .
85 percent also believed that administrators should be tested every few years to assure that they are keeping up to date with developments in their fields.
most parents with children enrolled in a public school seem to be satisfied with their schools.
adults would like public high schools to concentrate on basic courses .
mathematics and English top the list of essential subjects, but 60 percent of the respondents regarded foreign relations as an essential subject.

New Video Series Focuses On Basics

Beginning in January 1980, middle grade students (grades 5 -7) in 26 school systems in Georgia will be part of a pilot project designed to help them acquire and use basic skills they must have to become independent learners and problem-solvers.
"ThinkAbout" is a classroom video series which focuses on problems children face, in and out of school.
The systems to pilot "ThinkAbout" before it is implemented statewide in the fall of 1980 are Appling, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Cobb, Dougherty, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Floyd, Glynn , Jenkins, Laurens. Long, Mcintosh. Montgomery, Polk, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs. Treutlen and Wayne counties and Vidalia and Atlanta cities.
There are 60 15-minute programs in the "ThinkAbout" series. The programs are divided into 13 clusters. each centering on a basic reasoning skill. Individual programs focus on a thinking skill and review at least one other related language arts, mathematics or study skill. The topics are dealt with in dr;_ natizations of problems that young people face in the classroom, at home or in their social lives.
The 13 program clusters deal with finding alternatives, estimating and

approximating, giving and getting meaning, collecting information, classifying, finding patterns, generalizing, sequencing and scheduling, using criteria, reshaping information, judging information, communicating effectively and solving problems.
After viewing each program the students and teacher will plan activi ties of their own to stress the skills highlighted in the program. Program guides will be provided each teacher.
Pilot systems will present the programs by either video cassettes or film in the classroom project. WVAN television in Pembroke will broadcast the programs for the 20 school systems in its viewing area . ~tatewide broadcast over all instructional television stations and distribution of films and video cassettes are scheduled for November 1980.
The "ThinkAbout" series was funded and developed jointly by a consortium of 35 state and provincial edu cation agencies and managed by the Agency for Instructional Television . This year, the Georgia Department of Education joined the consortium and will use the "ThinkAbout" project as part of a plan to teach basic life process skills, according to Associate State School Superintendent Lucille Jordan.

Georgia ALERT, December 1979 7

Unique Display Of High SchOol Students'
Art In Athens Through January 13, 1980

Taco Trick Wins Kids' Favor ... And Trip
Miriam Dameron, food service manager at Rockbridge Elementary, Stone Mountain, won one of four prizes in last summer's nationwide contest for cafeteria recipes. The recipe for vegetable tacos earned her an all expense paid trip to the American School Food Service Association convention in San Francisco.
Dameron designed the taco to encourage children to eat raw vegetables. She hides diced cucumbers, tomatoes, spring onions, bell peppers and radishes between layers of spicy beef and grated cheddar cheese. "The kids eat the taco," she said, "before they know what's in it."

The first High School Art Symposium for Georgia students in grades 10-12 was held Dec. 14-15, 1979, at the University of Georgia, (UGA), Athens. According to Ruth Gassett, arts and humanities consultant for the Georgia Department of Education, the two-day sumposium was held in conjunction with a continuing exhibition of student art at the university's museum, Dec. 14- Jan . 13.
"The student exhibition at the Georgia Museum of Art is very exciting," said Gassett. "It is all but unprecedented for a museum of this stature to devote so much of its fallwinter exhibition schedule to a student art show. It certainly shows a great deal of interest- and commitment - on the part of the museum and the university for our state's school art programs."
In all, some 77 works selected by a state jury are displayed during this month-long show. The works were selected following competitive judging by 10 regional juries.
The two-day symposium on the university campus featured lectures, panel discussions and workshop sessions by many prominent state and regional leaders in the art field . Workshop sessions included painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, photography, fibers, graphic design, art history and appre-

c1at10n, jewelry/ metal work and interior design.
Following the symposium, the museum's Friends of the Museum auxiliary presented the Albert ChristJaner Memorial Scholarship to a high school senior.
The symposium was jointly sponsored by the Georgia Museum of Art,

the UGA Department of Art, the Georgia Council for the Arts and Humanities, the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and the Friends of the Museum in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia High School Association, Clarke County Schools and Cedar Shoals High School, Athens.

Carl Renfroe Middle School, Decatur City's largest middle school, was one of 27 schools in 17 school systems identified by the Georgia Department of Education as containing harmful asbestos insulating material. Workmen dressed in protective clothing are unloading a newer type flame retardant insulating material which will replace the asbestos stripped from the building . Personnel from the department's division of facilities and transportation are continuing to monitor the state's school facilities to insure that there are no school buildings left containing harmful asbestos material.

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A Western States Teacher Exchange Directory is being compiled for school year 1980-81 . The directory will list teachers from seven western states who are interested in exchanging positions with other teachers throughout the country for the school year 1980-81 . The seven states included in the directory are Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington . Teachers who are interested in the exchange program should contact Philip D. Evanstock, editor, Western States Teacher Exchange Directory, 7402 West Cataline Dr., Phoenix, Ariz. 85033.

State Attorney General Arthur K. Bolton has ruled that school systems may not operate kindergarten programs on a full-day basis for 90 days per year rather than a half-day basis for 180 days. "The Adequate Program for Education in Georgia Act provides, 'A state-supported kindergarten program which will be at least on a one half-day basis for a 180day school year shall be implemented.. .' It is my official opinion that a state-supported kindergarten program must be provided on at least a one-half day basis for a 180-day school year for each student," said Bolton.

Special materials to help increase public awareness of the 1980 census will be sent by the Bureau of the Census to all schools in the nation late this year. The materials consist of two curriculum packages - one each for elementary and secondary classes - suitable for instructional use in the weeks just prior to Census Day, April 1, 1980.
The heart of each package is a teacher's workbook and a set of special printing masters from which

student census lesson sheets can be reproduced. One lesson in each package consists of a "take-home" project which enables students to share with parents or guardians their knowledge of the census and its importance.

Georgia's current Annual Program Plan for Special Education has been approved by the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped. As a result the state will receive $20.4 million in federal funds for FY 80 under Public Law 94-142, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act. Another grant of $410,806 has been approved for programs for preschool age children .
"With the federal and state funds we will receive this year, we will be able to provide services to all handicapped children in Georgia," said Allan Gurley, director of the Division of Special Programs for the Georgia Department of Education . Gurley estimates that more than 95,000 individual handicapped children will be served in Georgia public schools this year. In addition, about 15,000 of these youngsters will receive more than one service.

The Department of Education of the High Museum of Art announces that "suitcase" exhibits, designed for students in grades five through eight, will be available to schools throughout Georgia from mid-January through mid-May. These exciting exhibits not only explore space in art and in the everyday world, but also space that is distorted, translated or imagined. lncluded are illusion cards, mirages, games, photographic reproductions, a specially created slide show and many other items. A teacher 's handbook, complete with instructions on how to use the exhi-

bit offers suggestions for further classroom exploration. "Spaces and Illusions" traveling exhibits are useful for all areas of the curriculum, from science and math, to art, literature and history. For more information contact Madeline Reamy, Department of Education of the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Memorial Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St., N.E., Atlanta 30309, (404) 8923600, ext. 228.

Scholastic Magazines, Inc., has introduced a new quarterly student magazine on driver education . WHEELS covers such topics as car care and maintenance, safe driving techniques and other subjects aimed toward new drivers. The cost of the magazine is $1 .95 per student per year. For more information contact Bette Doar, Scholastic Magazines, Inc., 2915 Providence Rd ., Charlotte, N.C. 28211 .

When Hurricane David hit the Georgia coast recently, high tides and winds forced many low-country residents to seek food and shelter in public schools. Chatham County schools, for instance, served 6,056 meals to 4,304 refugees during the three-day emergency. School food service managers reported to work on Labor Day expecting to supervise volunteers at seven designated shelters. Reinforcements were soon called up, however, and professional cooks and bakers prepared complete hot meals using ingredients on hand. Some workers were caught in the shelters for more than 24 hours. Many refugees remained for two nights. The Red Cross will reimburse Chatham for food and materials, according to Mazie Pelote, director of school food service for the county.

8 Georgia ALERT, December 1979