[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6496651,"mediaKeyId","5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed","parentId",5590356,"title","Pickens County completes high school remodel; district highlights safety exercises, CNA pathway and improvements to transportation and nutrition","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1714000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed&start=1714&end=1714","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed/thumbnail_1714000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6496651/Georgia/Pickens-County-completes-high-school-remodel-district-highlights-safety-exercises-CNA-pathway-and-improvements-to-transportation-and-nutrition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496651-7f27715fb52b5a6aaeb32f99f9abd1a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646619&Signature=N9VnewM7H~LwYZcvo7rwmeXYk4vhLr~zfRgettb2C4UijEeZCQSh4vNrwJYPHVYS1RbiPFbEj1zXMZDsvGjtNl~XN5SUsSl4ukvUFFfLVOvL~QkSrU6HRu9glBYSsbRB4oqNv0ya6QGxMWr7eWLblPIfN5TqAc-NdjkGxqTBC3n1dvPfH8I~R6kgYBYQJkRBFhGc5sQzJeB~BI-2vKtUyMbyxOUHUCz-BNzf~cKZgJtDidaAFkcyTPaik9dB2Xz6U~~1DWiL9yhNwKX~a5Un5A8wCjRS3T3J70nBLMyVVscjFW-hgSKf5q-vKGLcEaxCmCrIqRJka~OeXktFnjswhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School Board of Georgia ","date","2025-08-15T17:51:36Z","article","District operations and facilities leaders reported several completed summer projects, safety preparations and new instructional pathways at the Pickens County School Board meeting.

Assistant Superintendent Chris Parker and operations staff presented photos of the high school remodel, noting new LED lighting, updated flooring and an upgraded HVAC cooling tower replaced after roughly 27–28 years of service. Parker said interior improvements included lab space for a newly added CNA (certified nursing assistant) pathway; the district said local hospital partners will hire some students and may support further training.

Parker reported the district conducted a full safety exercise with the sheriff's office and local emergency agencies, covering fire, EMS and law-enforcement responses; staff and teachers participated and the district described the exercise as improving preparedness. Transportation staff have resumed bus-safety training and are managing approximately 2,000 student daily bus routes across about 60 buses, Parker said, and officials described a largely smooth start to the year while acknowledging a small number of continuing routing issues.

The board publicly recognized Deputy Blake McClure (campus law enforcement) after an Aug. 5 incident in which he observed an unauthorized adult near Pickens Junior High during dismissal, pursued and detained the person after a short foot chase; the district said the person was not armed. The board also recognized Jennifer Alford for her work reorganizing the district warehouse surplus program and several facilities staff members — Stacy Williams, Jacob Poole and Chris Williams — for extensive summer maintenance and rapid turnaround on projects including parking-lot repair and playground work.

Direct quotes in the meeting record: Deputy McClure was praised in the recognition remarks for “quickly identifying and addressing threats, to keep our schools safe.” Student recognition included a presentation by Ava Harrison, a Pickens High School junior who attended the Governor’s Honors Program and described the theater program experience. Staff presenters emphasized that many of the summer projects supported instructional priorities and improved safety and maintenance of district facilities.

District leaders said the summer work was extensive and credited custodial, operations and transportation staff for the rapid pace and coordination with school principals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pickens County Board of Education | August 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District leaders showcased a completed high school remodel, a new CNA classroom and safety exercises with sheriff's office partners; they also recognized campus law enforcement and staff for summer work.","taxTitle","Pickens County, School Districts, Georgia","taxId",59451,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6496655,"Pickens County reports gains on spring tests; fourth-grade math ranks top among North Georgia peers",1183,1038000,2221000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed&start=1038&end=2221","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed/thumbnail_1038000.jpg","/articles/6496655/Georgia/Pickens-County-reports-gains-on-spring-tests-fourth-grade-math-ranks-top-among-North-Georgia-peers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496655-44b00bee8985758c0bd2967796971019/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646619&Signature=a5U5nD0nI6j~9Xi429Va~OK-qjHampqxVCX8GNQY77K3wnymwEzjNtMSvFWcAzF3SQTsDVa30Ycrbey78-cfxpLgkeyDCPk6qYYF3qpdwzaZKQlD-AsXvAsKHHejCvMNACfD0DomM0ppKWaZw-VrvaWfiZYF57cfAAQUQmrMyQGb1IL9ov6W6Xwmd6hwOp-7uc~hWBzp72yfmuaxIS6rxxA3yZaZLDCojMb9xM1fpJdDQQJQn5WJBzmRdNkWu4KYlyPUqS6AwM6~vJnTojuQVw~BaCH-ZenxHSwuOK1gsAOWxYqbFQlUVTFHoGWRWqqNYH32Wd5b~Byjj1afUW9GiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Pickens County Schools reported gains on several spring state test measures and highlighted a district ranking in fourth-grade math during its regular board meeting.

Chief Academic Officer Abby May told the board the district saw score increases in multiple tested areas: four of seven English/language arts measures, five of eight math measures and two of four science measures improved compared with the previous reporting period. May said specific schools outperformed the state average in multiple grades, and that ‘‘our fourth-grade math students ranked number one against our 10 North Georgia districts,’’ a comparison May said the district uses as a benchmark.

May and board presenters noted additional highlights: several high-school courses outperformed state averages in both winter and spring administrations; 63 AP students received scores of 3 or higher and earned college credit; and the district’s projected graduation rate for the class of 2025 is 95.4 percent (the presenter described that rate as unofficial pending official fall release).

The district will recognize last year’s fourth-grade teachers at the September board meeting, officials said, and continue to track those measures as part of its student-achievement goals.

Direct quotations in the meeting record include students on state summer programs and the academic officer’s summary of test-result improvements. The testing and AP outcomes were presented as district data; officials said some measures are preliminary and that some figures will be finalized when the state posts official results.","District officials reported increases in several state testing measures and said fourth-grade math results ranked No. 1 among comparable North Georgia districts; AP and projected graduation-rate highlights were also presented.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6496660,"Pickens County school board places five policy revisions for public review and approves budget amendment, personnel report and consent agenda",338,2278000,2616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed&start=2278&end=2616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590356-0929ac7cf5c69213a97aa7be597b98ed/thumbnail_2278000.jpg","/articles/6496660/Georgia/Pickens-County-school-board-places-five-policy-revisions-for-public-review-and-approves-budget-amendment-personnel-report-and-consent-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496660-48bace8bf327168d3276350bd1e3cb0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646619&Signature=G12HfPh6sOn9rLf0sexW54m0UhxbR5hgaLBiNhXTPpMU-v6n5673O0pnNIiD-~0ahzGmWZWnawLoJsckREssMr4FAB1AjQWB0mLbEC~tVwtHVNBelfgSmwTy9nsZmBcgQo-n1b6lKKidxYYGl6hVmuo6QlPnKZhvIQLCxletBjRW~jcYK2C7ZPu-fv1pWhltUjvbtDdklzBXo7bdqdjw5EVy8CmcjipQ5n06NCwHzoKry1g0OGBw62kWn76hcrDiTJFnnfJtjAPLmUo44mwGUZTWGSxMLuhezE6udho36PBd1qEMddVT2hmNkIQlHS8zHXojmGbC5KS2-R7nZ7SThw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pickens County School Board voted to place five revised board policies out for public review and approved a fiscal-year budget amendment, the personnel action report and the consent agenda during its regular meeting.

The board moved to post revisions to policies GAEB (harassment of employees), JCAC (harassment of students), GARH (employee leaves and absences), IFBG (Internet acceptable use) and JV (student attendance) for public comment through the board's next regular meeting on Sept. 11, 2025. The motions followed a work session where staff said the revisions reflect recent state law and U.S. Department of Education guidance; for example, GARH was updated to reflect a new state law allowing leave without loss of pay for organ and bone-marrow donation, and IFBG was revised to comply with Senate Bill 351 related to internet use requirements.

The board also approved a fiscal-year 2025 budget amendment described by CFO Abby Smith as primarily an internal reallocation of existing budget categories to align with state allotment requirements. \"This is not a change in the total budget amount; it's simply moving from one category to another to satisfy the state's allotments,\" Smith said. Smith reported general fund revenue collected through July was 6.68% and expenditures were 6.75% of the tentatively approved budget; she said capital project expenditures reflected summer construction at the high school.

Other routine actions approved on the consent agenda included financial reports, overnight out-of-state field trips, minutes from multiple July and August board meetings, and declared surplus from the district warehouse.

The board took the actions by motion and second; the motions were presented and called for the vote and recorded as approved during the meeting record.

Votes at a glance
- Personnel action report: motion moved and seconded; approved by the board as recorded in the meeting. (Mover/second: not specified)
- FY25 budget amendment: motion moved and seconded; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Policy GAEB (harassment of employees): motion to place out for public review through 09/11/2025; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Policy JCAC (harassment of students): motion to place out for public review through 09/11/2025; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Policy GARH (employee leaves and absences): motion to place out for public review through 09/11/2025; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Policy IFBG (Internet acceptable use): motion to place out for public review through 09/11/2025; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Policy JV (student attendance): motion to place out for public review through 09/11/2025; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)
- Consent agenda (financial reports, field trips, minutes, warehouse surplus): motion moved and seconded; approved. (Mover/second: not specified)

Board members who spoke during the item identified the process: proposed policies are posted for public review at one regular meeting and considered for adoption at the next regular meeting. The record shows motions were made and seconded and the chair called for the vote.

The board did not vote to adopt the policies at this meeting; they were placed on the agenda for public comment ahead of the Sept. 11, 2025 meeting.

The board's actions complete routine governance steps that will return to the board when the public-review period closes and the board considers final adoption.","At its regular meeting, the Pickens County School Board voted to place five revised policies out for public review, approved a fiscal year 2025 budget amendment reallocating existing funds, accepted the personnel action report and approved the consent agenda.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pickens County completes high school remodel; district highlights safety exercises, CNA pathway and improvements to transportation and nutrition

Pickens County reports gains on spring tests; fourth-grade math ranks top among North Georgia peers

Pickens County school board places five policy revisions for public review and approves budget amendment, personnel report and consent agenda