Education
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Melissa Butler Named Superintendent of Oconee County Schools
The Oconee County Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint Melissa Butler as superintendent. The decision comes after an almost four-month search. “I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of Oconee County Schools,” Butler said in a press release. “Oconee County is a place…
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Elementary School Custodian Named Employee of Month
Sallie Smith, a custodian at Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary, arrived at work in the morning as usual when the Clarke County School District superintendent approached her. “I’m like, she must be here to talk to the kids. Then she called my name,” Smith said. And for good reason: Smith had…
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Teachers in Madison County Work to Keep Literacy Rates Up
Development of children’s literacy starts early — before children are even in the classroom. While literacy rates were up in Madison County last year, rates were still lower than in 2023. Local librarians and teachers said they are making efforts to keep scores consistent. “It has had its ebbs and…
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UGA Brings Together Strong Students from Across State — and Beyond
The University of Georgia welcomed its class of 2029 to campus on Wednesday as 6,200 first-year students descended upon Athens for the first week of classes. “We are excited to welcome the exceptional class of 2029 to the University of Georgia,” President Jere W. Morehead said in a UGA TODAY…
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For UGA’s Newest Pre-Meds, It’s Not Just About Academics — It’s About Belonging
It was a combination of a competitive academic environment and unifying community values that attracted the newest class of pre-medicine majors to the University of Georgia. Brody Hare, who had perfect attendance for 13 years, took 15 AP classes and finished ninth in his class at Coffee High School in…
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Some Older UGA Students Don’t Believe They’d be Admitted with Current Admission Pool
The University of Georgia class of 2029 exceeds the class of 2028 in every area. Test scores, GPAs and average AP course scores are the highest that the university has seen in recent years. Some students who have already completed one full year at the university said Thursday they do…
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Researchers Use Animal Models to Advance Neurodegenerative Knowledge
In the United States, there are 1 million people living with Parkinson’s and 7 million with Alzheimer’s. As the American population continues to age, the number of neurodegenerative disease cases is projected to increase with no current cures in the market. The Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research at the…
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Jackson County’s Answer To Growth? More Schools, Fast
Jackson County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. This rapid influx of people has created a large demand and simultaneous struggle for supplies to keep up. The demand is consistently rising for quality education. The county is working to meet this demand by constructing three new…
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‘This is Something We’re Going to Fight For’: Special Education Residency Program Pushes to Bolster Support
[Special education] is something we’re gonna stand up for… it’s not going anywhere,” said Patrick Bishop. Patrick Bishop has worked with children since the late 1990s, first in Los Angeles as a counselor for at-risk teens. From the early 2000s until now, he’s moved back and forth from California to…
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Schools, Mental Health Professionals Call For More Parent Involvement with Social Media
Clarke County School District staff and local mental health professionals called for increased parental involvement in student well-being at the Mental Health Town Hall Monday, referencing behavioral changes related to adolescent social media use. “All social media and the internet just kind of snowballed, and nobody was like, ‘Here, let…