Georgia: Schools drop one mandatory foreign language course

[Harold Schiffman]

Schools drop one mandatory foreign language course
Published 2/14/08 in The Times-Herald

BY MEGAN ALMON
megan at newnan.com



High school students will no longer be required to take three
semesters of foreign language, thanks to a unanimous vote from the
Coweta County Board of Education to rescind part of a policy on
graduation requirements at its Tuesday meeting. The policy tweak was
recommended by the board's curriculum committee, which has been
revisiting graduation policies on the heels of the state's recent
adoption of new graduation requirements. Starting next year, rising
freshmen will be working toward a single diploma — no longer choosing
between the "tech prep" or "college prep" options of the past. By
dropping one mandatory semester of foreign language, formerly required
of college prep students, all students will have the option to choose
between more elective courses. The amended policy will allow students
who are working toward a technical career to focus on courses better
suited to their goals, such as many of the courses offered at Coweta's
Central Educational Center.

In other business, the school board:

* Approved a paving contract with the Department of Transportation to
pave the parking lot adjacent to the tennis courts at Northgate High
School. Because of the escalating costs of petroleum-based materials,
such as those used for paving, the estimated cost of the job is
$94,000. The DOT will pay $30,886, leaving $64,000 to be paid by the
Coweta County School System.

* Approved the use of SPLOST II funds for technological improvements
throughout the school system, especially the upgrade of computers and
teacher work stations dating back nearly a decade. Director of Student
Information/Technology David Thibadeau said nearly every school will
be touched by the upgrades, especially Arnco-Sargent Elementary and
Smokey Road Middle School.

* Adopted a resolution to support House Resolution (HR) 648 — the
reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The Coweta County
School System will join school systems across the nation in supporting
changes to NCLB to provide more realistic goals. One suggested change
is the switch from using standardized testing as a measuring stick to
looking at individual student achievement over time.

* Adopted a supplemental retirement plan for classified school system
employees. The school system has chosen five vendors to provide
supplemental retirement options on a volunteer basis for bus drivers,
food service employees, maintenance and custodial employees and other
classified positions. Interested employees will have the opportunity
to attend informational sessions during working hours to find out more
about the programs. Comptroller Mike Jones said the school system
plans to match 50 percent of each employee's investment up to 3
percent of their pay.

* Approved a bid for plumbing work in the East Coweta Middle School
gymnasium, currently under renovation. The former gym will be divided
into a new band room, chorus room and additional three classrooms for
the school. The bid, with Polk County Public Service Company, was for
$96,778. If all goes as planned, the renovations should be complete by
the end of the current school year, said Associate Superintendent
Jerry Davis.
http://content.times-herald.com/297532848844132.bsp


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