The Board Brief newsletter is a summary of the information presented and actions taken at Bibb County Board of Education meetings for Bibb County School District in Macon, Ga. Review meeting agendas, district policies, Board member contact information and more on Simbli at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Index.aspx?S=4013.

Superintendent's Contract Renewed

Board members voted to approve a three-year contract renewal for Superintendent Dr. Dan A. Sims. Dr. Sims was appointed Superintendent of the Bibb County School District on May 10, 2022, and sworn into office in June 2022. He is a proud native of Georgia with a lifelong commitment to public education. Dr. Sims has contributed almost 30 years of faithful experience to the success of students and has demonstrated passion for community service throughout his professional career. During his time in Bibb County, he has already shown a deep commitment to student and community engagement, all signaling that he is #Built4Bibb. To read more about Dr. Sims, click here. To read the Board Brief from May 10, 2022, click here.

"We are excited to recognize Dr. Sims and his accomplishments with the Bibb County School District so far," said President James Freeman. "We look forward to continuing the vision embodied in our Strategic Plan, focused on student achievement. This three-year contract extension guarantees that Dr. Sims will remain with us through the five-year Strategic Plan."

Administrators Appointed; Personnel Actions Approved

On Thursday, November 21, Board members approved an administrative appointment, as well as various personnel items. For more information, click here. Appointments are listed below.

• Desia Selby, GEAR UP Coordinator

Board Approves Legislative Priorities for 2025

Board members approved a comprehensive set of legislative priorities for the 2025 legislative session. These priorities are designed to address critical needs across several areas, including safety, workforce development, recruitment and retention of educators, and financial sustainability, with the overarching goal of creating an equitable and effective educational environment. The priorities outlined are aimed at securing consistent state support in these areas to benefit our students, educators, and the overall community. Board of Education approval is sought to advance these legislative priorities in alignment with the District's strategic commitment to student achievement, staff effectiveness and stakeholder engagement. Approval empowers District leadership to advocate for these priorities effectively and enhance strategic collaboration with state and local policymakers. For more information, click here.

Innovation and Technology Academy to Serve as Hub for Innovative CTAE Pathways

Board members approved changing the former Butler Collision Center building name to the Innovation and Technology Academy. As part of continued development for cutting edge Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) pathways and programs, to include opportunities for public/private partnerships and workforce development, the Bibb County School District entered into a lease agreement with Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority for the former Butler Collision Center at 2122 Eisenhower Parkway. Phase 1 of the renovation of the facility has been completed, transforming a vacant building into an education space supporting career readiness and workforce development through innovative CTAE pathways to be offered at the newly adapted facility. For more information, click here.

BCSD will partner with Macon-Bibb County and Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority to host a ribbon cutting for the Innovation and Technology Academy on Thursday, December 5, at 9:30 a.m.

Refresh Support Approved for Interactive Flat Panels

Board members approved a purchase order with Dell to better support classroom interactive panels. In 2016, the District approved purchasing Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) for all classrooms. While there are plans to refresh all IFPs in the coming years, it is essential to replace the computers attached to these IFPs at this time to avoid predictable challenges when Windows updates are no longer supported on the current computers for these IFPs. The Dell microcomputers will work with the District's current IFPs and have the capacity to be transitioned to the new IFPs, once purchased. For more information, click here.

Elevate K-12 to Assist with Teacher Vacancies

Board members approved a contract with Elevate K-12 to aid with filling existing teacher vacancies within the District. Elevate K-12 has worked with more than 600 districts as a trusted partner for their students. The teachers will provide live Tier I teaching to ensure that students receive instruction from virtual teachers using the District’s curriculum materials. All teachers sourced through Elevate K-12 will be certified in the assigned content area. For more information, click here.

Mental Health Services Grant Awarded to BCSD

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools has awarded the School Based Mental Health Services Grant to the Bibb County School District for the next five years (1/1/2025 – 12/31/2029). This competitive grant will provide a total of $12,848,370 in funding to address student mental health needs through the recruitment, training, and retention of a skilled workforce of mental health service providers and support staff. For more information, click here.

Board Reviews Policies

Board members reviewed various policies for first or second reading. Policies must be read twice before they may be voted on for final action. To review the policies, click here.

• Policy GCN, Classified Personnel Separation (ACTION - Second Reading)
• Policy IBB, Charter Schools (ACTION - Second Reading)
• Policy IED, Scheduling for Instruction (ACTION - Second Reading)
• Policy BH, Board Code of Ethics (INFORMATION - First Reading)
• Policy EE, Food Services Management (INFORMATION - First Reading)
• Policy EEA, Free and Reduced Nutrition Programs (INFORMATION - First Reading)

Stakeholders are encouraged to review policies posted after first reading and make public comment via Simbli before the proposed policies are brought back before the Board for action the following month. Simbli may be accessed through the District’s website, www.bcsdk12.net, under “About Us” and “Simbli.” On Simbli, “Pending Policies” will appear on the right side of the screen.

Superintendent Presents Critical Information on House Bill 581

Superintendent Dr. Dan A. Sims presented an update for Board members with information on House Bill (HB) 581 and the impact on the Bibb County School District. The Board must vote to opt in or opt out of HB 581. The decision to opt in or opt out of HB 581 will remain in place for the next 50 years. It is critical to understand the local impact of this bill as the Board considers what is best for the present and future of the District. This is a one-time local decision that could have a lasting impact on the District. To view the presentation, click here.

Maximizing FTE Funding for School Improvement

Dr. Ethel Lett, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, presented how maximizing FTE, or Full-Time Enrollment, funding for schools has shown improvements. To view the presentation, click here.

Board Receives Update on Clean School Bus Program Grant for Buses

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Bibb County was selected to receive $6,275,000 through EPA’s Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). The District’s application, submitted on August 21, 2023, was selected for funding in January 2024, with final notification received on August 20, 2024. This funding aims to improve air quality for students, staff, and families, while also replacing older, non-air-conditioned buses.

The CSBP award consists of replacing 25 existing diesel buses with a combination of 10 propane buses and 15 electric buses. The purchase price for these buses is $7,360,925. Additionally, the Bibb County School District will install 15 DC fast charging stations to support the EV bus fleet. Funding sources include the CSBP, Georgia Department of Education's alternative fuel incentive funding, and the 2021 Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST), a one percent sales tax approved by voters.

Collaborating with Georgia Power, the District will develop the necessary charging infrastructure, with Georgia Power handling design, construction, and maintenance. The District is currently assessing electrification infrastructure providers to assist with the project.

For more information, click here.

Martin-Whitley Educational Complex Sign Update

Board members received an update on signage at the Martin-Whitley Educational Complex. This complex currently houses the Professional Learning Center (PLC), SOAR Academy, VIP Academy, School Nutrition Central Kitchen, Technology Data Center, Teacher Retirement Services, Audiology Services, and Communities in Schools of Central Georgia. For more information, click here.

Class of 2025 Graduation Dates Announced

The Bibb County School District will conduct spring graduation ceremonies May 21-23, 2025. The last school day for the 2024-2025 academic school year is Friday, May 23, 2025. The graduation times are as follows:

• Northeast High School: Wednesday, May 21, at 4 p.m.
• Central High School: Wednesday, May 21, at 7 p.m.
• VIP Academy: Thursday, May 22, at 10 a.m.
• Rutland High School: Thursday, May 22, at 1 p.m.
• Westside High School: Thursday, May 22, at 4 p.m.
• Howard High School: Friday, May 23, at 1 p.m.
• Southwest High School: Friday, May 23, at 4 p.m.

For more information, click here.

2026 Budget Process and Budget Calendar Reviewed

Eric Bush, Chief Financial Officer, provided Board members with a preview of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget Process and Setting of Budget Calendar. Board Policy DCCA directs administration annually to provide a budget calendar for the ensuing fiscal year. This calendar must provide target dates for meetings such as budget work sessions, public hearings, and committee and board meetings for tentative and final adoption of the budget. This item will be presented as an action item at the December meeting. For more information, click here.

• ART FOR MONTH: Thank you to Sonny Carter Elementary School for the artwork at this month’s Board meeting! Art instructor Charlayne Lockett shared that Carter’s theme “Grateful and Thankful” goes beyond a turkey dinner at Thanksgiving with family and friends. Students’ artwork was inspired by Kehinde Wiley, an African-American artist best known for portraits featuring people of today in the traditional styles of classical paintings. “Grateful” and “Thankful” have similarities in meaning and both signify a feeling of appreciation. Students painted themselves as being thankful to be alive and others painted people showing gratitude for random acts of kindness. Their artwork speaks for itself! Whether grateful or thankful, every day is a day of Thanksgiving!

• SUPPORTING PUBLIC SAFETY: Macon-Bibb County Commissioners voted this week to allocate funds collected from the school zone speed enforcement cameras toward supporting school safety. The allocation includes about $300,000 to fund the District’s 35 crossing guards, about $500,000 for the purchase of flashing light systems to indicate reduced speed limit times in school speed zones; and funding for public safety equipment.
• NORTHWOODS STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT JAZZ: Recently, the JAMbassadors from the Jazz Association of Macon had an absolute blast sharing the art form of jazz with the amazing students and staff at Northwoods Academy! The group was able to share a little of the history of jazz and talk about the instruments the musicians were playing. They also shared the music of Vince Guaraldi, the jazz pianist and composer of the iconic music from Charlie Brown and Peanuts!
• FBI LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: Congratulations to Campus Police Deputy Chief Latricia Gittens on attending the FBI-LEEDA Executive Leadership Class! The mission of FBI-LEEDA Inc. is to advance the science and art of law enforcement leadership and promote the exchange of information to improve law enforcement management practices through training, education, and networking among police professionals across the country.
• GRANT TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools awarded Bibb County School District’s Project AWARE Program the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant for the next 5 years. ​This competitive grant will provide a total of $12,848,370 in funding to address student mental health needs through the recruitment, training, and retention of a skilled workforce of mental health service providers and support staff.
• SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED BY COGNIA: Congratulations to Central High School and Miller Magnet Middle School on achieving an incredible milestone by being accredited by Cognia for a remarkable 100 years! Both schools were honored during the 2024 Georgia Impact Conference earlier this month.
• STUDENT ARTISTS INSPIRED BY HAY HOUSE: At the beginning of this school year, students from Bibb’s high schools were invited to participate in an art project titled “Inspired Surroundings: A Student Art Exhibition Inspired by the Beauty of Hay House.” More than 100 students registered for this exhibition and toured the Hay House to create art inspired by the art and architecture of the National Historic Landmark. A local jury chose works from the submissions and winning artists were awarded cash prizes during a special reception.
• GRADUATION RATE CELEBRATION: The District is highlighting our amazing students with disabilities! The graduation rate for students with disabilities is the highest the District has seen at 78.76% for the Class of 2024. Congratulations to our graduates and their teachers!
• LITERACY AND MATH AWARDS: Shout out to Skyview Elementary on being named a Math & Literacy Leader school and to McKibben Lane Elementary School for being named a Math Leader school by the Georgia Department of Education! Math schools were recognized for achievement or growth in the percentage of students scoring at the Proficient Learner level or above in mathematics. Literacy schools were recognized for achievement or growth in the percentage of students reading at or above grade level.
• TRANSPORTATION EXCELLENCE AWARD: Bibb County School District was honored as a 2024 Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award winner at Tyler’s annual Connect user conference. The District was recognized as a winner because of how it demonstrated excellence in operational efficiency through deploying Tyler’s Student Transportation software and Tyler Drive tablets in innovative and impactful ways.
• COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AWARDS: Recently, the District's Communications Department was recognized with a total of 15 publications awards from the Georgia School Public Relations Association, including seven Gold Awards. The Bibb County Athletics newsletter, "Above the Bottom Line," was recognized with a "Best in Category" honor, reserved for the best school newsletter, newspaper or magazine in the state!
• JAPANESE STUDENTS VISIT SISTER CITY: Bibb County School District families and schools were honored to host 20 students and 4 chaperones from Macon’s sister city of Kurobe, Japan, this month. The students and chaperones visited historic Macon sites, attended school and toured YKK, before visiting a few landmarks in Atlanta. This annual cultural exchange program is an amazing opportunity for Bibb students to learn more about the world through firsthand experiences!
• CAMPUS POLICE BUILDS POSITIVE PRESENCE: Campus Police team members have been making a positive presence in our school community! Here are a few photos of the officers participating in Porter Elementary’s Red Ribbon Week with K9s Deva, Pluto, and Duno; facing off in a basketball game against students from Ballard-Hudson as part of the school's National Bullying Prevention Month pep rally; making friends at MLK’s Trunk or Treat; and reading to students throughout the district as part of Read for the Record. Thank you for serving as positive role models!
• CLEAN STREETS MATTER AWARDS: Earlier this month, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful recognized District students as county-wide winners for its "Why Clean Streets Matter" Art and Essay Contest. We are so proud of these talented individuals!
• CELEBRATIONS AND APPRECIATION: Please help us honor and celebrate each of these key teams in our schools and district! November is recognized as Georgia Retired Educators Month, Family Engagement Month, and Georgia Apply to College Month. Some of the special recognitions include Veterans Day, Crossing Guard Appreciation Week, National School Psychology Week, Family Engagement Professionals Day and National Parental Involvement Day. Thank you to everyone for helping our district honor and celebrate these individuals and occasions!
• CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING: Students have been learning about Thanksgiving traditions ahead of the holiday break. At Northwoods Academy, kindergarten classes read “Balloons Over Broadway” and learned how the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade was started by a puppeteer! They made their own balloons and hosted a parade around the school while other classes cheered them on! At Porter Elementary, the Kindergarten Art Student Action Team had fun doing their Turkey and Disguise project! We hope everyone has a great break next week!
• ON THE HORIZON: INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY: The Bibb County School District will partner with W.S. Hutchings College and Career Academy, Macon-Bibb County, Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority, and others to host a ribbon cutting for the new Innovation and Technology Academy at 2122 Eisenhower Parkway on Thursday, December 5, at 9:30 AM. All are welcome to join as the District celebrates this new facility that will expand career pathway opportunities for students!

2024-2026 State Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council

Each year, Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods selects a group of parents to serve on his Parent Advisory Council. This group, similar to its counterpart here in Bibb, provides parents with a line of communication directly to the Georgia Department of Education while allowing them to help shape future policy. Congratulations Phyllis Wallace from Rutland High School for being selected to represent parents from Bibb County!

AARP Foundation-President’s Volunteer Service Award for Read United

Part of the District’s partnership with United Way of Central Georgia includes a connection to the AARP Foundation Experience Corps for volunteers. These dedicated retirees with the AARP Foundation Experience Corps devote their time to our students and our schools to help improve literacy in the District through Read United. Recently, AARP Foundation Experience Corps recognized a select group of volunteers for President’s Volunteer Service Awards. In Bibb County, three individuals were recognized for logging almost 450 hours of volunteer hours at Hartley Elementary School. Thank you for your dedication to BCSD!

• Barbara Griggs, 146 hours
• Shirley Brox, 146 hours
• Shelia Merriweather, 154 hours

2024 Leader in Me Lighthouse Academic Honor Roll

The Leader in Me program has been a big part of our District’s success in recent years. As schools continue to implement its strategies, some of them have found new ways to stand out among their Leader in Me peers. The Leader in Me Lighthouse Academic Honor Roll recognizes schools that have not only maintained the necessary standards for Lighthouse status, but that have also met academic growth or proficiency standards. This year we had two District schools earn this distinction. Congratulations Sonny Carter Elementary School and Vineville Academy of the Arts.

Mr. James M. Freeman, District 6 - President

Dr. Sundra M. Woodford, District 5 - Vice President

Mr. Daryl J. Morton, At-Large, Post 7 - Treasurer

Mrs. Myrtice C. Johnson, District 1

Dr. Thelma D. Dillard, District 2

Mrs. Kristin C. Hanlon, District 3

Dr. Juawn A. Jackson, District 4

Dr. Lisa W. Garrett-Boyd, At-Large, Post 8