Communication key as Peach schools transition to charter system

FORT VALLEY -- As the Peach County school system continues its transition to a charter system model, communication will be key, school board members said Tuesday.

The board discussed the timeline for the transition at its monthly study session, and Superintendent Daryl Fineran said there was still a lot of work to be done with a lot of people involved.

"We've got a lot of stakeholders, a lot of people who have to help out," he said.

Fineran will be discussing the change with faculty and staff over the next couple weeks. After that, the board will hold community forums to make sure parents and other interested parties are up to speed with the new governance plan.

"I think we need to do that fairly quick, as well," board Chairman Ben McDaniel said.

Fineran also said that all the relevant information regarding the transition was available on the system's website, www.peachschools.org, but stakeholders often weren't aware of such documents or otherwise didn't read them. Board members wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the charter transition process and even suggested a call-out to parents directing them to the information online, partially because community members will be needed on each school's governance team.

The forums will be key to that, particularly if they're well-attended, board member Ben Hoots said.

"We're going to have to have it to drum up some interest for volunteers," he said.

In the meantime, Fineran will be working with board members and staff to complete a lengthy charter system application, which needs to be turned in to state officials by summer 2016.

"I've got to stay focused and work on this," Fineran said.

The board also discussed the status of its search for an architect for the new Peach County High School. The "vertical" portions of the construction can't begin until 2018 because of state funding, board member B.J. Walker said, but he and other board members said it was time to make a decision.

"I think we've vetted this as well as we can do it," he said.

Board members heard proposals from six architects in July and have narrowed their choices to Perkins+Will of Atlanta and James W. Buckley & Associates Inc. of Savannah. Fineran said such an important decision should depend heavily on an applicant's "book of business" and that having an architect involved could help with other aspects of the project.

"As we're finalizing purchasing property, I think it would be beneficial in all that," he said.

The board will officially select an architect with a vote at its regular monthly meeting next Tuesday.

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter@MTJTimm.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 10:30 PM with the headline "Communication key as Peach schools transition to charter system ."