The Dade County Board approved the minutes from the previous meeting and heard the superintendent’s report, which featured the recognition of DCHS senior Leonard Riby as the 2023 star student for Georgia’s highest achieving students on the S.A.T. and his star teacher, Miss Tonya Gatlin. Riby plans to attend Georgia Tech and study chemical engineering after graduating, and he chose Gatlin due to her constant support and problem-solving skills. The board presented both Riby and Gatlin with the Superintendent’s Pin of Excellence, and they also announced that Riby is the only male in the top 10 of the highest achieving students. A billboard recognizing his achievement will go up on May 1st.
Superintendent Ingle then discussed the success of the Alliance for Dade Career Fair, which saw over 35 businesses in attendance and allowed for their students to engage with different industries. In addition to this, Mr. Ingle reported that Dale Alexander came to give a speech to seniors about money management, encouraging students to invest 20% of their income and give 10% away. Finally, Mr. Ingle recognized students for their honest character, which is a key trait celebrated this month.
The board also received an update on the success of the Dade Games, a community event that saw a turnout of 42 students and featured parades, inflatables, and awards. Additionally, the school board discussed the Best Buddies Club, which aims to support special needs students at the high school. They then announced the participation of three students in a transition program called Project Search, where those students will gain job skills and experience at a local hospital.
A group of students led by Ms. Patrice Whitt were recognized for volunteering at the Celebration of Hope event at Dade County High School. The students, including Ivy Nahkley, Summer Holden, Katie Stone, Cameron Carter, and others, volunteered their time and provided service to assist with the event. The financial reports for the organization were also discussed, with revenue and expenditures being detailed for the fiscal year through March 31, 2023. The report showed that the organization had collected over $16 million in revenue and spent $14 million, with the majority going towards construction.
The Board then discussed the progress of three different projects: the Davis kitchen floor with integrated properties, the HVAC system for the Davis Elementary School, and the grants. The Davis kitchen project has two payments totaling $133,384.50 remaining balance of $26,620.50. The HVAC system has not yet started, and there have been no payments made. They have extended 54.7% of their grants for the year, leaving 45% remaining. The governor of Georgia appropriated $50,000 for each school for safety and security purchases, with eligibility starting in March 2023. The school board recommends using these funds to upgrade their Centegix safety software.
Below is the personnel report for the next school year.
Resignations
• Chris Chance
• Heather Chance
• Gavin Tierce
Hires
FY’24 Certified Staff
• Jonah Browder
• Katie Burrows
• Lisa Davidson
• Hannah Monday
• Shawn Peek
• Jessica Coates
• Emma Luke
• Kaelin Dupree
• Caitlyn Emmett
• Jenna Ridge
• Kalah Newsome
Substitute Teachers
• Courtney Case
Other:
• Jimmy Gallman – Transfer request to DES
Watch the full meeting here!
