Dublin city school leaders took steps toward becoming even greener when they broke ground on a solar energy project projected to save the system millions of dollars over the next quarter century.

Solar panels will be installed on the roof and on the grounds of Dublin High School, and they are expected to be up and running by June, Dublin Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter said. Those panels will generate more than one megawatt of solar energy.

Dublin High School will operate on power produced by the solar panels, cutting down on the district’s energy costs. Ledbetter said energy savings will help the district eliminate furlough days and help the district’s students.

“It helps our bottom line -- that’s where it begins,” Ledbetter said. “We’re trying to do all we can to have resources in the classroom.”

MAGE Solar, a German company with offices in Dublin, will provide the solar equipment. The school system will lease it from Greenavations, a Macon-based alternative energy company. The district is projected to save $3.5 million over the lease’s 25-year term, Ledbetter said.

The lease will be paid with bonds the school district obtained through an intergovernmental agreement with the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority, the Dublin superintendent said.

Last week’s groundbreaking ceremony drew school officials, representatives from Greenavations and MAGE Solar, members of the Georgia Public Service Commission and others.

Wesleyan names VP for institutional development

Douglas B. MacMillan Jr. has been named vice president for institutional development at Wesleyan College in Macon.

MacMillan, who began his career as a pastor and new church developer for the Presbyterian Church, most recently was associate vice president at Union Presbyterian Seminary, which has campuses in Virginia and North Carolina. MacMillan previously was director of development at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur.

MacMillan will focus on Wesleyan’s development needs and fundraising goals. He brings 15 years of fundraising experience to the position, according to a news release.

Shedd to speak at MGSC lecture series

The University of Georgia’s Peter J. Shedd, a scholar in the legal and regulatory environment of business and business law, will discuss “Negotiate or Lead: What to Do and When?” as part of Middle Georgia State College’s Executive Lecture Series, according to a news release.

The lecture will be 5:30 p.m. April 3 in the banquet hall of the Professional Sciences and Conference Center on the Macon Campus. Shedd’s talk is free and open to the public. For more information, call 471-2724 or e-mail vanessa.svensson@maconstate.edu.

Eagle Springs wins dance award

The Eagle Springs Elementary School Dancing Eagles recently won first place in the second annual Byron Elementary School dance competition. The team competed against six other local elementary schools, according to a news release.

The members of the Dancing Eagles are Salma Shannon, Chanelle Washington, Zoe Hancock, Gianna Sapio, Taylor Carr, Heavenly Simmons, Sydney Dawsey, Emily Smith, Macie Wade, Lupe Benavides, Venetia Paster, Brianna Foust, Camille Jackson, Ansley Lawhorn, Alicia Trevino, Lexi Hawke, Miranda Arnold, La’Quawn Robinson and Alexia Steeh.

The coaches are Amy Myers, Beth Jones, Kelly Jaudon, Stephanie King and Mary Beth Fletcher.

Peach County High Schoolband gets top marks

The Peach County High School symphonic band recently earned its sixth consecutive highest state rating of “superior” at the 2013 District XI Georgia Music Educators Association State High School Band Evaluation.

Colleges use the rating for recruitment purposes, and the rating must be submitted when bands apply to perform at prestigious events. Additionally, the rating is used to evaluate teacher effectiveness, according to a news release.

Shirley Hills Elementary wins poster contest

Shirley Hills Elementary School recently won first place in the poster presenter competition at the 24th National Youth-At-Risk Conference.

More than 53 presenters from across the nation competed for the award, according to a news release.

Five Bibb schools rewarded for academic performance

Alexander II Magnet School is receiving $10,000 from the Georgia Department of Education in honor of the academic performance of its students.

Under the accountability measure the state introduced last year, Alex II is one of Georgia’s Reward schools and one of five in Bibb County. Schools can receive the distinction in one of two categories.

Representatives from Alex II were recognized at a Thursday school board meeting for its achievement as a “highest-performing school,” which means its students as a whole are among the highest-achieving 5 percent in the state, based on three years of state test scores. The $10,000 must be used for instruction, according to the school district.

Bernd Elementary, Ballard-Hudson and Bloomfield middle schools and Howard High are considered Reward Schools in the “high-progress school” category, meaning they are among the top 10 percent of Title I schools making gains on state tests over three years.

Those four schools will receive $3,000 each, which also must be used for instruction.

Schools cannot receive the Reward school designation in either category if there are major achievement gaps among subgroups of students.

Hutchings Career Center hosting open house Thursday

Bibb County students interested in attending Hutchings Career Center for the upcoming school year will be able to take a tour of the school 5-7 p.m. Thursday.

Students will be able to tour classrooms and labs for its culinary arts, hospitality and tourism marketing, health care science, flight operations, automotive mechanics and small business development programs, according to a news release.

Hutchings offers transportation for its students as a countywide magnet school.

To apply, download an application at www.bibb.k12.ga.us/Domain/1729 or pick up one at the school.

For more information, call Hutchings at (478) 779-2550.

Compiled by Telegraph staff Jenna Mink and Andrea Castillo.