The Jones County Board of Education celebrated the beginning of a new school year at its August board meeting.
Chairman Ginger Bailey called the Aug. 13 meeting to order, and she began her chairman’s report by talking about open houses. Bailey said she made it to all open houses but pre-K, and she visited it the first day of school.
The chairman said she was thrilled with the number of people who came out, especially to the middle schools and high school.
“Education starts with the parents and how important it is to them,” she said.
Bailey said she appreciates all the hard work of the principals and faculty members at each of the schools.
Board member Dr. Nancy Nash said she would like to compliment Shelley Edwards and Shelby Henderson for their work with the Jones County Schools Family and Community Engagement newsletter.
“It’s a wealth of resources for families and teachers. I want to thank them for the job they do,” she said.
In his report, School Superintendent Charles Lundy talked about events leading up to the opening of school beginning with the July 22 Jones County Technical Conference. He said six educators led the session that was attended by 150 Jones County teachers.
Lundy said new teacher orientation was July 23 with over 60 new employees welcomed. July 24 was the first day of preplanning with the annual convocation.
He thanked Gray Station Middle School Principal Leigh Ann Knowles and her staff for hosting this year’s event.
The superintendent talked about the good crowds at open house events and thanked the Jones County Sheriff’s Office and Gray Police Department for their help with traffic, especially on the first day of school.
“Captains Kenny Allen and Travis Douglas were very instrumental in helping with traffic,” he added.
Lundy said reporting by the numbers, School Transportation Director Gregory Lofton shared that 50 buses ran approximately 150 bus routes to transport 2,600 students. He said School Nutrition Director Matoshia Grant said during the first two days of school more than 12,000 meals were served for breakfast and lunch.
The superintendent said Adam Barnett and the technology department supported more than 12,000 devices, including Windows, Chromebooks, wireless access points, network switches, printers and interactive panels.
He said 5,001 students were enrolled in Jones County Schools as of Aug. 8.
Lundy said the millage rate had been advertised in the newspaper last week, and the new rate would be voted on in a called meeting Aug. 15. He said the Board of Education had ticked back the tax rate the past two years with a significant rollback anticipated this year.
Finance report
JCSS CFO Tonya Merritt presented the finance report as of July 31, which marked 8.33 precent of the school year.
Total revenues were $4,262,310 and total expenditures $4,826,760. The ending cash balance was $23,498,454.
Collections for the Education Local Option Sales Tax reported as of June 30 was $345,066.
Action items
Lundy recommended approval of the following items, and all were unanimously approved by board members:
• ContractwithJones&Bartlett Learning LLC and Follett to purchase CTAE textbooks for the Jones County High School CTAE Mental Health Profession and Welding programs for the estimated amount of $5,477 utilizing funds from ESPLOST 2019
• ContractwithPublicSurplus LLC to purchase two 2012 IC Special Needs School Buses with wheelchair lifts for the Jones County School System for an estimated cost of $22,100 utilizing funds from the transportation budget
• ContractwithDreamStates Construction Inc to build a pole barn for the JCHS Cross Country Team for an estimated cost of $19,300 utilizing funds from the Maintenance and Operations budget
• ContractwithGeorgiaSpecialty Equipment to purchase classroom furniture for Dames Ferry Elementary School for an estimated cost of $153,087 utilizing funds from ESSER III
• ContractwithHeatTransfer Systems of Georgia LLC to purchase a plate heat exchanger for Gray Station Middle School for the estimated cost of $20,165 utilizing funds form the Maintenance and Operations budget
• ContractwithHeatTransfer Systems of Georgia LLC to purchase a plate heat exchanger for Clifton Ridge Middle School for an estimated cost of $22,598 utilizing funds from the Maintenance and Operations budget The meeting was adjourned to enter closed session. The next meeting of the board of education is a work session scheduled at 5 p.m. Sept. 5. The next regular board meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. Sept. 10.
