City BOE recognizes Literary Team state champs
It was a rapid-fire meeting Monday for the Calhoun City Schools Board of Education.
With plenty on the docket, the Board raced through recognitions, new business, superintendent’s reports, and more. After special guest Asher Swift, CPS second grader, led the invocation and pledge, the Literary Team was recognized for their state win.
Literary Team participants included:
Kathryn Brook — Argumentative Essay
Tiara Cousins — Dramatic Interpretation
Will Eickman — Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking Adrian Galyean — Quartet Catherine Govignon — Humorous Interpretation Porter Ledford — Quartet Anna Kathryn Hayes- Trio
Mayce Holland — Trio Addi Lester — Duo Interpretation
Brandon Webb — Quartet Caleb Riley — Quartet Pramit Patel -International Extemporaneous Speaking
Chloe McFarland — Duo Interpretation
Graycen Nudd — Trio The Literary Team coaches are India Galyean and Julie Leggett.
Upcoming fundraisers include t-shirt sales for Calhoun Early Learning Academy featuring the school logo and Discovery students selling t-shirts through May to raise funds for Odyssey of the Mind travel expenses.
The board voted on several out-of-state and overnight field trips. These included a trip to the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition in Iowa, May 25-30, with parents accompanying students, a 5th grade overnight lockin at the Complex May 6-7, Senior Grad Nite at Six Flags May 6-7, volleyball camp for the CHS FCA in Knoxville from July 11 through 14, and a senior leadership retreat in Asheville, North Carolina, for senior volleyball players and coaching staff June 27-30. Those field trips were approved.
Also up for a vote was tile replacement at the aquatics center, which is currently causing a hazard due to cracking. Commercial Floor Resources was recommended with a bid of $96,800. That was approved.
The board also voted on digital display replacement and upgrades at Calhoun Middle and High School. Up for replacement are two boards at each school. Installation cost brings that to a total of $58,900, which
was accepted by the board.
Digital displays at the Complex were also voted on. Calhoun Primary and Elementary both need one LED sign added, for a total of $56,900 including installation. That was approved.
Also up for a vote was monument installation at the
Complex. The monument signs are designed to hold digital signage and supply power. Momon Construction took the winning bid with a cost of $32,000, which was approved.
There was also a vote on
painting at the Complex. All entryways and main hallways, classroom wings and entrances, main entryways, media center, and the cafeteria and media lobby area will be painted. The superintendent recommended H/H Services, which guaranteed work to be completed during the summer months for $75,650. That was approved.
Campus door and security upgrades from Telenet Systems as well as system-wide fire and security upgrades from Langston Creative Systems were also up for a vote. Those bids were approved and will be using American Rescue Plan funds.
Some needed system-wide HVAC replacement and upgrades were considered. Mingledorff was recommended for the purchase of new equipment and materials to replace failing and old units district-wide. That passed, with Chairwoman Rhoda Washington abstaining due to a conflict of interest.
The board also looked at the purchase of a new Micro Bird Bus via a state contract. That was approved.
They also discussed virtual and augmented reality systems. The recommendation was to buy eight PreK-6 and eight 7 through 12th grade carts of VR goggles and the associated licenses and accessories through RobotLAB. That was approved.
The purchase of a new multi-person scissor lift from Yancy Bros. Rental was also considered and approved by the board.
Central office ceiling repairs, which were previously okayed at the last meeting, were also on the budget. Ra-Lin Construction’s bid to to repair ceilings on the first floor of the central office on Wall Street was okayed.
Finally, members voted to revise requirements for charter buses, and the list of ten approved vendors. That was passed.
All personnel members were approved, including a new baseball coach to replace former coach Beau Edwards. Matthew Montgomery will join CCS for the 2022-23 school year. Montgomery boasts three state championship wins, twice as a player in high school and once as an assistant baseball coach.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen as the next head baseball coach at Calhoun, “said Montgomery. “Growing up in the Northwest Georgia area and seeing how much baseball means to the Calhoun community is something I am extremely excited about joining. Coach Chip Henderson is a legend in Georgia, and I look forward to talking with him and continuing to build upon his legacy. My mission is to create a program that uses baseball as a way to teach life lessons in order to build Godly men of integrity, character, and class.”
The rest of the month will be jampacked for Calhoun City Schools. April 27 is Administrative Professionals Day, April 28 is the Complex Art Show, and April 30 through May 2 is the “Into the
Woods” musical at CHS.
Through May, there are yet more events. School Principals Day is May 1, Teacher Appreciation Day and a signing day for future educators, armed forces personnel, and skilled professionals are May 3, May 6 is School Lunch Hero Day, May 11 is PreK “Fun in the Sun” Day, May 14 is a surplus sale, May 21 is senior prom, and May 27 is both the last day of school and CHS graduation.
“I know you all know that date very well,” joked Chairwoman Washington.
The next regular board meeting is May 23 and will feature a retirement reception. That starts at 6:00 p.m., and will take place at Calhoun High School’s media center pending repairs at the main office.