Mountain View Elementary burglary suspect being sought by Sheriff

News
Burglary

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Photos have been released of a suspect being sought by the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office in relation to a burglary that occurred on Saturday, January 8, 2022.

BurglaryOn school grounds at Mountain View Elementary School, an individual gained entry to the school building and took several objects including a pressure washer (green in color), a backpack sprayer, and miscellaneous tools/kit.

Taking place from 1:20 am until 5:00 am Saturday morning, the suspect was on campus for several hours. The individual was wearing a camouflage coat, blue jeans, boggan, and a face covering over the mouth. They appear, in the photos, to have have used a trash cart of some kind in hauling the items away from the school.

According to Assistant Superintendent Dana Berry of Gilmer Schools, the burglary is covered by insurance. So, the schools won’t need to replace the items out of funds. Additionally, Berry noted that there was no impact to the school itself as the area accessed was an outer storage closet.

While it is attached to the school itself, the closet has no access to the main facility or any areas where students or teachers have class. Additionally, having occurred on Saturday, most of the immediate investigation had no impact on classes on Monday either.

BurglaryAs it is a separate space, Berry noted that the closet is not alarmed like access points to the facility as a whole. He was unsure about the entry and giving details as the Sheriff’s Office investigation is still ongoing.

As a part of that investigation, the Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone with any information about this Burglary or the person in the photo to “please contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 706-635-4646 (M-F 9-5) or Gilmer Dispatch after hours at 706-635-8911 to speak with a Detective.”

Gilmer Schools dedicates lunchroom cafe after school grand opening

Bobcat's Corner, News
cafe

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – Almost one month into the school year, the Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley gathered with school faculty and representatives of the architectural and construction firms that have worked on Clear Creek Elementary School for the official grand opening along with dedicating the Little Cats Cafe.

Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley, left, and Principal Stephanie Burnette, right, hold the scissors to cut the ribbon on Clear Creek Elementary School’s official grand opening.

But more than just opening the school, there was also lunchroom staff and family and friends of Linda Waters, Gilmer’s previous nutrition director, to dedicate the school’s cafeteria to her.

Ridley offered thanks to board members and those representatives present for their parts in the project as well as former Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs, under whose leadership the project began.

Officially cutting the ribbon on the grand opening, the school’s principal, Stephanie Burnette, offered a few words saying, “Everyone who remembers his or her education remembers the teachers, not necessarily the technology or the methods that were used. The teachers at Clear Creek Elementary School are the heart and what makes everything happen with every child, every day. We have a wonderful staff at Clear Creek Elementary School and this school would not be what it is today without our staff.

Immediately after the ribbon cutting, the presentation moved to the cafeteria.

cafe

This special honorary plaque hangs in the Little Cats Cafe to honor the life, efforts, and achievements of Linda Waters as Gilmer Schools’ Nutrition Director.

Honoring her commitment to the children of the school system and their nutritional needs, Gilmer School named the facility the “Little Cats Cafe.”

Burnette told that the name came from an older school as Linda Waters had wanted the cafeteria to have a name. When put to a vote, the name “Little Cats Cafe” won and stuck. Now, moving from the older building to the new facility down Yukon Road, the name is following the school. Achieving one of Waters’ goals, according to Burnette, the new facility is a state of the art kitchen with more space and better equipment than the old school ever had.

Randy Waters also spoke recalling memories and Linda’s fondness for the both the kids and the staff she worked with. “She loved you all,” he said.

He continued on thanking everyone for attending and celebrating her work. Randy said, “Thank you so much for being so kind to her, so helpful to her.”

As part of the ceremony and dedication, the school revealed a plaque placed onto the wall of the cafeteria memorializing Linda Waters and her time and efforts with Gilmer County Schools.

 

cafe

Speed Cameras coming to local School Zones

News

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – “It is an enforcement issue,” said Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson as he spoke about school traffic zones and the reduced speed during school hours.

Sheriff Nicholson offered a report to the Gilmer Board of Education during their July meeting concerning a problem with speeding in school zones and what the office is preparing to implement in response to it.

shooter, speed

Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson

School zones require a reduction in speed from drivers twice a day to help with the beginning of the day when students are coming in to school and the end of day when school lets out. According to Nicholson, these roughly one hour windows in the morning and afternoon are the times that the speed limits drop and complaints begin. He noted that the office expects people to become informed about the cameras and for the issue to mostly resolve before they even implement the devices.

To help with enforcement, the Sheriff has contracted with a company to put up speed cameras to capture speeders in the zone and issue tickets electronically. Not a new concept, many cities utilize camera on traffic lights in a similar fashion to issue fines against those running red lights.

Nicholson said that while it doesn’t directly affect the school system’s operation, he wanted to take the time to inform them and also to spread the word about the coming change. Nicholson asserted several times that he wants to focus on informing the public and letting them know in advance about the cameras and not to blindside them or catch them off guard.

Nicholson said that he constantly receives complaints about speeds during the school year. There are three locations that will utilize the cameras including; Mountainview Elementary School on Highway 282, Clear Creek Middle School on Clear Creek Road, and Clear Creek Elementary School on Yukon Road.

Utilizing both traffic cameras and radar, the devices will operate more as a deterrent than a ticket device as Nicholson said his hopes were to aid in the enforcement issues.

The scenario will play out as someone speeds through the area, the captured infractions are sent to a local appointed officer, which Nicholson said will likely be a SRO (School Resource Officer). That officer reviews the infractions and makes sure there are no mistakes, then the company will send out tickets to those the officer approves.

One important note, Nicholson said that these are civil fines, not traffic tickets. One of the major differences Nicholson noted, is that not paying the civil fine will not automatically send a person to jail, but “it will go to court.”

The Sheriff’s Office does have more details to work out. As Nicholson said, he wants to give ample time to the public to find out and know about the radar cameras before implementation. That said, these devices could be seen in use as early as September or October in Gilmer County.

Secured to poles, these devices will be set inside the zones that the county has marked and signed as a reduction in speed.

Board Chairman Ronald Watkins mentioned adding other devices to the areas such as flashing lights as seen in some other counties where they have flashing yellow lights posted on school zone signs during the hours of reduced speed. Nicholson said that the County has the responsibility on changing signage and using that type of signage. However, Nicholson did say that he has looked into another suggestion from Watkins with the trailers with a strobe highlighting a driver’s current speed.

All of this comes in support of Nicholson’s push to, as he said, warn and inform Gilmer’s citizens over and over again about the devices before they even get implemented.

BOE tours CCES in final stages

News
CCES

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – With only a month left as representatives from Breaux & Associates Architects said the Clear Creek Elementary School (CCES) should complete near the end of June, school officials toured the interior of Clear Creek Elementary School with representatives from the architectural firm.

CCES

The entrance of CCES will be blocked by a glass wall as a security entrance, directing visitors to the office via a window access or door.

The Board of Education has told the public for months that the project would complete and be ready for teachers to move in before the start of next semester. This is coming to fruition as Board members requested to tour the facility and advertised a called meeting to do so. The entire board arrived on site at 6 p.m. on May 26, 2021, along with Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs, and both county and CCES administrators looking to explore the new facility. While some are being allowed into the facility, like the guide tour, general visitation and teachers are not yet allowed in during the final stages.

CCES

With angled access doors, four classrooms can be viewed from a single spot in the hallway as they are grouped together.

Teachers have mentioned in previous meetings that they are looking to move in to the new school as soon as possible so that they may have the time they need to move in their furniture and prepare the rooms for students. Everything from desks and supplies to decorations and alternative seating have been used in Gilmer’s elementary schools with teachers utilizing their classrooms to provide an environment for students. The BOE has seen these efforts as different schools present new efforts, programs, and other points of interest to the board during the monthly meetings.

Though bare now as no furniture or personalization has been brought in by teachers, yet. Classrooms are nearly completed and ready for the coming school year.

CCES

Food preparation is still awaiting larger appliances which Breaux said would be some of the final equipment brought into the new school.

Much of CCES mirrors itself on both sides as the facility hosts smalls “pods” as Douglas Breaux of Breaux & Associates called them. Four classrooms connect to each other in their corners, allowing someone standing in the hallway to view into all four rooms from a single spot. Eight classrooms are in each hallway with four halls of classes not including larger rooms like music, art, and gym.

Breaux said that the facility is in the final phase with virtually all of the major construction steps done. Now, they are finishing up the details of the facility, finishing floors, starting to bring in furniture, applying fixtures, and painting are a few of the remaining steps.

The Media Center, pictured, is near the front entrance of CCES with central access by the school’s inhabitants, but also designed by the architects to be a “show piece” as one of the first rooms visitors will see upon entering.

CCES

CCES’ cafeteria includes a stage which administrators already have plans for. It can be accessed by two hallways or by outer doors to the rear of the building.

Also mentioned during the tour, the complete facility has already prepared room to expand. According to Breaux, their is graded land already prepared should the board ever need to expand further, 16 extra classrooms could be added, eight on each side of the school with the halls expanding to include one more “pod” of four classes each.

This school is preparing for a full return of students in late 2021 as the new school year is planned to completely remove distance learning from the lower grades in Gilmer County, marking a return to pre-COVID proceedings.

CCES

With more room, administrators are already planning on how to best operate the back side of CCES, pictured, where students will go for daily drop-off and pick-up.

Daily pick-up and drop-off and bus traffic will all be directed through the rear of the facility and administrators have already begun planning on how to handle the daily operations now that they have seen the facility nearly completed.

While the larger rooms like the cafeteria, music room, art room, and media center do not yet have the major furniture in them, the general layouts can be seen. The media center is wired for a full technology area along one wall and has its main desk up. The cafeteria has its stage finished where administrators say they will utilize the area for presentations and awards when needed, but also have a daily uses planned like a special dining area at different style table where certain students with good behavior are allowed to sit, supporting PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) programming. The art room already has a space prepared with necessary ventilation for a kiln. Something the school received through a grant but has not yet been able to use in this school.

Ready to see furniture, teachers, and students, CCES is on track for the 2021-2022 school year as the Board of Education is ready to finally move from its old location at what was once Ellijay Primary School to its new location neighboring Clear Creek Middle. Leaving behind the old facility, this move marks one culmination of the system’s 2019 redistricting for its elementary schools to serve geographic portions of the county.

The plan, as stated in 2019, “will allow students to experience less transitions during critical early learning years and will improve efficiency of bus routes for community schools.” Downtown Ellijay may also see slightly less traffic in the area as it only serves one school now, not two.

 

State Superintendent Richard Woods visits Ellijay Elementary

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Group at Ellijay Elementary

ELLIJAY, Ga. – On a tour through several schools in North Georgia, the State Superintendent Richard Woods visited Ellijay Elementary School last week to tour the school and speak with administrators on the beginning of the new school term considering much of the changes and challenges this year.

State Superintendent Richard Woods speaks with administrators at Ellijay Elementary during a tour of schools as they return to class.

State Superintendent Richard Woods speaks with administrators at Ellijay Elementary during a tour of schools as they return to class.

Woods arrived at Ellijay Elementary late in the day to see how the school handles transportation, social distancing, and cleanliness and prevention practices during that process.

Met by school administrators and Gilmer Schools Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs, Woods toured part of the school and spoke about the challenges that schools are seeing as they return to class. Through the line-up, car window tags, and computer system for parents picking up students, Woods saw the stream-lined system the Ellijay Elementary uses to identify parents, call for the student, and allow students into cars one at a time with space between.

In addition to this, Woods viewed several classes lining up for buses. Through the redistricting that Gilmer did last year, less buses come through the elementary school and reach homes far faster. This means less time on the bus, and less time spent with students from other schools.

As a part of the loading process, school personnel and the bus drivers spray sanitizer on students hands before the enter the buses and use assigned seating for students on the bus. Administrators also told Woods that, when possible, family members are kept together on the bus as well.

Personnel and Bus Drivers spray hand sanitizer on students hands as they line up to get on buses at the end of the school day.

Personnel and Bus Drivers spray hand sanitizer on students hands as they line up to get on buses at the end of the school day.

Woods also asked about the sports program at stadiums with schools returning to football. Dr. Downs replied saying they would be requesting those displaying symptoms stay home, and would be encouraging social distancing with fans. Yet, they did not want to distribute limited tickets to families as they had dealt with similar issues in previous years at graduation.

Continuing along, Woods has been asking the schools he visits how he and the state could help.

Dr. Downs noted that teachers in the state are not considered essential employees by the governor. That moniker means something as teachers who may have a possible exposure through detailed contact tracing or similar means are being sent home to quarantine for 14 days. Gilmer has had issue here as people who aren’t sick are being forced to go home. Some flexibility in the area could mean a world of difference.

Dr. Downs said that someone who may have had a possible contact could come to work with an N95 mask and fall under daily monitoring and observation. This way, at the first sign of any issue, they could be sent home then, but many teachers have been identified as a possible contact and gone through quarantine without ever getting sick or showing any signs. Downs added that those who feel the need to quarantine could still follow that procedure.

Dr. Shanna Downs, Lauree Pierce, Richard Woods, and Melinda Fonteboa pose for a photo during Woods visit to Ellijay Elementary School.

Dr. Shanna Downs, Lauree Pierce, Richard Woods, and Melinda Fonteboa pose for a photo during Woods visit to Ellijay Elementary School.

Downs clarified that they don’t want to put sick people in school, but rather avoid stigma and over-reactions to extended contact tracing that is sending a large number of people home and putting a strain on the school system which is struggling to provide substitute teachers. This comes from a dwindling pool of substitutes as those “at-risk” have decided not to substitute for the schools this year.

As the visit neared its end, Woods said he understands that every county is adjusting to their own needs and a “one-size-fits-all approach” would never have worked. But he made the visits to see the schools and hear their needs.

Woods is set to return to the state department and share all that he saw and learned from his tour. He has said that he wants the state to continue supporting the counties in their individual responses.

Woods said, “Please let us know how we can help and things that we can do to support what you all are doing… Success happens her.”

“I Heart Ga Milk” day at EES

Bobcat's Corner
I Heart Ga Milk
Misty Friedman, Farm to School Nutrition Coordination for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, plays with Georgie's, Georgia Grown's mascot, ear at the I Heart Ga Milk Day at EES on February 14, 2020.

Misty Friedman, Farm to School Nutrition Coordination for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, plays with Georgie’s, Georgia Grown’s mascot, ear at the I Heart Ga Milk Day at EES on February 14, 2020.

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer Schools saw a special Friday as they celebrated the I Heart Ga Milk Day at Ellijay Elementary School with guests from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The event was hosted in Gilmer County as part of the state’s Georgia Grown “Feed My School” program from the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Gilmer Schools’ Nutrition Director Linda Waters helped make the program possible along with staff and faculty of Ellijay Elementary and also hosted Misty Friedman, Farm to School/Nutrition Coordination for the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Friedman commented on the event saying, “My job is to bring more Georgia foods to our Georgia students. And events like this just puts us on the front lines of all the great work that’s being done to support our Georgia Farmers and to really teach our kids where their food comes from.”

The celebration lasted through breakfast, serving hot chocolate milk with marshmallows early that morning and saw the staff wearing their I Heart Ga Milk t-shirts while Georgie the Georgia Grown mascot and the Chick-fil-A Cow mascot hung out with the kids. Staff handed out pencils and educational materials about “the benefits of milk.”

Friedman went on to say, “I love coming out and visiting with the schools and seeing the kids enjoy, literally, the fruits of the labor of our Georgia Farmers.”

 

 

See more photos at FYN’s Facebook Page.

I Heart Ga Milk I Heart Ga Milk

Gilmer approves GMP for Clear Creek Elementary

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GMP, Coronavirus

ELLIJAY, Ga. – In a special called meeting in March, the Gilmer Board of Education approved their Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for Clear Creek Elementary School with Charles Black Construction Company.

The GMP is set at $15,910,671. The project is set to begin this spring as reported from the BOE’s February Meeting. According to reports, that date could be as early as late March or early April.

During their meeting, the board confirmed a few extra details including the use of the luxury vinyl tiles similar to those used in the high school. Despite being more expensive to install, Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs said it is more durable and doesn’t require the same waxing a buffing over summers and holidays that the older style of tiles required.

Some parts of the project will require the school system to follow up with certain internal projects like furnishings, technology, and security which are not a part of the GMP. Downs said the GMP is strictly for the construction of the facility.

As construction begins in the next coming weeks to continue over the summer, the Board of Education has said they will be hosting their groundbreaking ceremony soon. Additionally, the project is still not confirmed on the scale or need for adjustments to nearby county roads for the increase in traffic. However, the Board of Commissioners have held preliminary discussions about possible needs for turning lanes and road widening among others.

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