Superintendent Dwayne Cooley told the Columbia County School Board that construction at the East Side school is advancing and described the site as “impressive.”

“The steel is going in, so if you haven't been by there, it's impressive to see all the work going on at that big facility,” Cooley said, adding that the district’s schools “look beautiful.”

Cooley also thanked school principals and administrators for maintaining facilities and acknowledged recent bargaining work. He credited “Dr. Lane and her team” and later referenced “Dr. Delaney” in relation to reaching agreement that raised the beginning salary for teachers; the transcript did not provide additional details about the negotiated terms.

Board members praised community support and the half-cent sales tax as factors enabling recent district accomplishments. Columbia County School Board member Patricia Giddens said the half-cent tax has produced notable results over the past year and thanked the community for supporting district improvements. Board members Hudson and Pughart echoed appreciation for community partners and the quicker bargaining process compared with the prior year.

The remarks were given as informational updates; the board did not take formal action on the construction project, tax policy, or bargaining outcomes during this meeting.