The Putnam County Board of Education held its monthly work session on Feb. 6, to discuss updates to the county’s new elementary school and strategic plan.
Assistant Superintendent Derick Austin presented to the board a slideshow from Breaux & Associates Architects offering ideas about potential designs based on collected feedback. The presentation highlighted the use of flexible furniture, community hubs, outdoor gardens and potential schematic plans that could meet the wants expressed during previous BOE feedback sessions.
Following the presentation, board Chairman Dr. Steve Weiner expressed a desire to see more schematic designs that were not as rectangular and to have an estimate on what flexible furniture, as shown in the examples, may cost. His primary concern centered on safety costs for protecting the perimeter of a purely rectangular building and the cost of furniture which “make the space” of a community hub. Austin said he would take these requests back to the architects and should have a revised update in March.
After Austin left the podium, the assistant principals of each Putnam County school presented proposals for the new strategic plan. Presently, the plan remains in its forming phase, so these presentations were intended primarily to receive feedback from the board.
Highlights of the board’s desires for the plan included: assistance with mental/emotional help, less reliance on tests, keeping engagement and motivation up within students, focusing on preparedness, and creating a smooth transition between schools, among other suggestions.
The strategic plan proposed was based on five primary pillars: student achievement and readiness, effective staff and student engagement, operations and support systems, culture, communication and community, and safety and wellbeing.
Under each of these pillars, the assistant principals highlighted three keywords as examples of what would be worked on. For example, targeted learning came under effective staff and student engagement.
Weiner expressed concern about focusing on the transition between schools and preparing students for both rural and urban settings not being featured under the current pillars. In addition, board member Eugene Smith suggested offering more opportunities to engage student interests under the pillar of effective staff and student engagement.
The assistant principals noted their feedback and will return in March or April with more updates to the strategic plan.
The next public Putnam County Board of Education meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 13, at 158 Old Glenwood Springs Rd. in Eatonton.