Board meeting spotlights student programs, newcomer supports and a proposed downtown‑adjacent park

Members of the Barrow County School System and students used the Jan. 9 called meeting to showcase district programs and community partnerships that support students from pre‑K through transition to employment. Presentations described a community backpack drive, mentorship efforts, the YES senior transition program, Project Search internships for students with disabilities, the Newcomer Academy for newly arrived students, Sims Academy career pathways and ArtsNow arts‑integration activities. The meeting also included a public presentation about plans to convert the historic Russell Middle School/CFIT site into a community park with a stated cost of $4,000,000 over five years.

Ellen Petrie, the district’s school and community relations specialist, described a recent backpack drive coordinated with 31 churches, four civic clubs and about a dozen businesses,…