Recognizing the Achievements within the Peach County School System

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Peach County Board of Education met to recognize multiple Peach County School System students for their achievements. The Board of Education met on Tuesday, May 2, at 1 p.m. for their monthly board meeting.

Hunt Elementary School Principal Keysha King recognized two students, Cornell Resto, and Adrian French, for their overall growth in the school’s Booster Grading Campaign. The campaign tracks the growth of students in the Star Assessments and Beacon Assessments. Students who have achieved at least 50 points of growth on each assessment get to partake in celebrations. The last celebration had almost 300 students attending the growth party. Resto and French were the two students with the highest growth, Resto grew 146 points in the Star Early Literacy Assessment and French grew 208 points in the Star Reading Assessment.

Kay Road Elementary School Principal Dr. Brandon Hall recognized outstanding student Sophia Danforth. She is a member of the Inaugural Junior Beta Club and she participates in the community service portion of the program. She is one of the top 5 students with AR Report and is in the Inaugural Honor Course for Peach County School System.

Byron Middle School Principal Vosalowe Cammack recognized two of three students, Sophie Jones, Dallas Carol, and Caleb Grigg for participating in the Lions Clubs International Peace Poster Contest. The participants had to create something with the theme being ‘Lead with Compassion”. However, one of the stipulations was that the art could not have words on it. The first-place winner at Byron Middle was Sophie Jones. Jones was put in the regional competition against 56 other counties in the middle to the southwest parts of Georgia; she won third place. The second-place winner was Dallas Carol. The third-place winner was Caleb Grigg, who was unable to attend the meeting.

Fort Valley Middle School Principal Kizzie Johnson recognized students Heiress Harris, Lillian Thorton, and Payton Mathis who were the finalists of the Ms. Fort Valley Middle School competition. Mathis was the second runner-up. She sold the most tickets and won the People’s Choice Award. Thorton was the first runner-up. She won for formal wear and Miss Congeniality. Harris is Ms. Fort Valley Middle School. She had the best platform and won for casual wear.

Peach County High School Principal Dr. Jesse Davis introduced students Emma Dissac and Don Hudson, Jr. for being 98 Percenters. Dissac is a foreign exchange student, who is from France. Dissac is a friendly and approachable student and a track and field athlete. She has also been doing the morning announcements in French. PCHS conducted an interview with Dissac that can be found on their social media–the post was made on April 12, 2023, on the Peach County High School’s Facebook page. Dissac gave a small speech in French to the members of the board. Hudson is a student who brings positive peer pressure to other students. He is a valuable contributor in the classroom and on the athletic field. PCHS was also celebrating its partnership with Central Georgia Technical College with Kim Gunn, the Executive Director for High School Initiatives at CGTC. Gunn has helped support the CTA and technical certificate dual enrollment classes at PCHS. There are currently 160 students enrolled in dual enrollment courses and by the end of May 2023, it is estimated that there will be over 525 college credits earned by students.

Dr. Carmen Horton, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, recognized Kay Road Elementary School Physical Education Teacher Daniel Johnson for applying for and receiving the HPEG (Health and Physical Education) Grant for $3,000 for health and personal fitness. This grant will go towards purchasing equipment to better meet the needs of Kay Road Elementary School.

Kay Road Elementary School student Christian Holt was recognized for coming in third place, in the entire state of Georgia, in the transportation poster contest.

The Board went over two items. The first was the Peach County Schools Safety Proposal, the board approved the previously made edits and for Dr. Brown to execute the document. The Peach County School Board Meeting Norms and Operating Principles document was tabled for a later date.