Superintendent Josh Ingle announced Dade County’s Teacher of the Year during the October Board of Education meeting on Monday night.
Four candidates for the award were announced representing each school within the system. Teacher of the Year for Davis Elementary is 5th grade teacher Katie Brown, Dade Elementary is 5th grade teacher Jennifer Wood, for Dade Middle School Special Education Teacher Natalie Birchett, and Teacher of the Year at Dade County High School is Construction Trades teacher David Howard.
“All four are outstanding educators.” Ingle said. “All four represent our schools well.”
Only one teacher from the school system can be submitted to the state for Georgia Teacher of the year and this year Natalie Birchett was chosen as Dade County Teacher of the Year.
Dade Elementary Counselor Tinena Bice gave a presentation on what is being done in Dade County Schools to address social emotional learning with reports from principals and Director of Special Programs Susan Reyes. Bice said there are multiple programs being utilized by the school system including PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support), GNETS (Georgia Network for Education and Therapeutic Support), Mindset Training, Character Development and Social Emotional Learning, Dade County Character Education, Navigate 360, Social Workers, Counselors, and working with the local Mental Health Program.
PBIS is an evidence-based, three-tiered framework for supporting students behavioral, academic, social emotional, and mental health. GNETS is a self-contained class where students can earn their way into general education classes and has exit criteria that can be met to move out of the program based on behavioral goals. Mindset Training and Safety Management is training for teachers in order to help students in crisis and prevent students from reaching a crisis point. The Dade County Character Education presents a character word each month and students are chosen for how they reflect that word and recognized at the schools and at the monthly board meetings. Navigate 360 is an online character development program for social and emotional wellness that the school system began using in August of 2023 and over 2,000 lessons have been assigned through the program since then. The school system has social workers and school counselors who work to meet students’ needs and offer group and individual sessions. Dade County Schools have also partnered with Bridge Health who can come into the school system and work with students regarding mental health concerns.
A representative with Teleflex talked to board members about their partnership with Dade County schools. Teleflex, which manufactures medical wire, had spools that needed to be washed to be reused. They tried a couple of different things, but then ended up partnering with Dade County schools through a join project. Students with disabilities now have a work order and process that they follow to was and prepare the spools for use. The teacher receives $0.50 per spool washed which goes back to the students in various ways. The program helps prepare students for the workforce with real life experience, saves money for the company which would have to pay $2.25 per new spool, and promotes sustainability.
Ingle recognized Citizen’s Bank and Trust for their monetary donation to the DCHS Construction class and the donation and support from Trenton Pressing with Dade County’s Mechatronics class. Ingles reported the DMS and DCHS mechatronics race teams both placed 3rd in a recent race and the Lady Wolverines Softball team had made it to the Elite 8 in Columbus, Georgia. Ingles reminded everyone that the DES and Davis Fall Festivals were upcoming with both being held on Saturday, November 4. Davis will start at noon and end at 3 p.m. with Dade Elementary’s starting at 2 p.m.
Facilities Updates include the completion of the installation of rubber flooring around the upper level of the gym and the installation of turf in the old weightroom area. A recent inspection of the bleachers resulted in a recommendation for ADA reasons of handrails at DCHS.
Board members approved the monthly financial reports and three rounds of CARES Act funds have now been dispersed to the school system. The breakdown of how those funds have been used can be seen on the school district’s website at the following link: https://www.dadecountyschools.org/cms/lib/GA50000081/Centricity/Domain/1036/SPLOST%20V%20Breakdown%20By%20Location.pdf
Board members approved the 2024 Board Meeting Schedule, the purchase and installation of handrails at DCHS for a cost of $36,738 from Faciliserve, the purchase of a new oven to replace a broken oven at DES, and a fuel bid from Jat Oil at 3.5564 per gallon.
The resignations of Jimmy Gallman and Syd Morrison were approved. The hiring of Kayla Drew, Courtney Hudson, Lesley Vaughn, Lydia Lingerfelt, Ronnie Cartwright, Amy Cardinale, Tammy Crane, Carla Kesler, Charlotte Cuticchia, Kara Steele, Hannah Richmond, Kali Helton, Lisa Eash, Brianna West, and Jaiden Gibson as Substitute Teachers and Christy Whitaker as SNP worker were approved as well.