New sex-ed course, 3-D printers in classes among changes coming to midstate school systems

The first day of school is right around the corner, and outfits and backpacks won’t be the only new things inside classrooms.

Districts across Middle Georgia have new programs, technology, curricula and construction projects lined up for 2017-18.

Here are a few of the changes happening in area school systems this year.

Bibb County

Cameras will be installed near the stop arms on all 200 Bibb County school buses this year. The devices will be put on 50 to 60 buses with routes in high-incident areas before school starts, and the remaining buses will be outfitted by the end of the year, said Anthony Jones, the district’s transportation director. Violators caught illegally passing buses will be cited and face $300 fines.

Some of Bibb County’s high schools will participate in a pilot study of the FLASH sex education curriculum this year, said Floyd Jolley, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning. The district’s current curriculum goes back to the early 1990s and is due for an update, Superintendent Curtis Jones has said.

The county has implemented a new teacher orientation model called Get Better Faster, which aims to keep educators in the classroom through weekly support, observation, coaching and feedback. Around 300 new teachers participated in three days of training at Howard High School recently, said Bertha Caldwell, Bibb’s director of professional learning.

They were coached on best practices, routines and effective instruction methods, and then they were able to practice what they’d observed, said Melanique Floyd, a human resources specialist. New teachers will be paired with mentors who will guide them during their first two years.

Bleckley County

Bleckley County High School is working with Georgia Military College to offer Move on When Ready dual-enrollment courses for the first time, Superintendent Steve Smith said. Students will be able to earn nine college credit hours and fulfill three high school course requirements during one year.

Through an international grant, two teachers received 3-D printers to use in their classrooms. In addition, plans are in the works to teach coding to the district’s elementary students in the second semester.

Houston County

Houston County has adopted new approaches to student intervention and instruction. The district already uses the Response to Intervention system, and five schools will try out the Multi-Tiered System of Supports this year before it’s implemented across the district. This program looks at the academic, behavior and social-emotional needs of all types of students, according to Superintendent Mark Scott.

The county is also incorporating the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports system, with plans to put it in 10 schools each year until its districtwide in 2020.

As for technology, interactive flat panels will be installed in all school media centers, and Stephens Elementary will get a panel in every classroom as a pilot for the district.

“Today’s students are digital natives who learn best by what they can experience through touch, complemented by what they see and hear,” Hickman said.

Last year, six schools tested out the Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measures of Academic Progress, a computer assessment that provides insight into student skills and projections for the Georgia Milestones test. This year, all of the district’s second-, fourth- and sixth-graders will take the online evaluations.

Jones County

In time for the new school year, Gray Station and Clifton Ridge middle schools will have enlarged band and choral rooms and extra practice and equipment rooms, said Superintendent Charles Gibson. The Jones district also has installed new radios on its school buses to improve communication.

Construction on Jones County High School will start sometime in 2018 and finish by fall 2019. Ninth-graders, who take classes in a separate facility now, will be moved to the same campus as the upperclassmen.

The expansion plans call for new band, choral and weight rooms and a college and career academy addition. The school’s current career pathways — which include agriculture, construction, business management, education and health science — will be enhanced, and others will be added.

Monroe County

The Monroe County school district has teamed up with the city and county for a new Boys and Girls Club location, Superintendent Mike Hickman said. By Labor Day, an after-school program will be offered at the Hubbard Campus of Monroe County Middle School. It will serve up to 125 students ages 6 to 17.

The district’s Achievement Center, an alternative learning environment, is moving from the Board of Education building to the Monroe County Education Center. The special needs department will move back to the BOE offices.

New science and social studies standards are being implemented in all grades. They call for more hands-on and STEM learning and open-ended activities.

Peach County

This will be Peach County’s first year as a charter school system. The district’s six schools and their local governance teams will adjust operations to fit the needs of their students and community, Superintendent Daryl Fineran said. That could mean changes to curriculum, class offerings, professional development and more.

“One size does not always fit every school in a county or a school system, and this allows for programs to customize for student achievement and enrichment,” Fineran said.

This story was originally published July 21, 2017 at 5:10 PM with the headline "New sex-ed course, 3-D printers in classes among changes coming to midstate school systems."