Kathy Cox is 'very impressed' with students and teachers

Kathy Cox, state school superintendent, visited LCHS on Thursday, October 4, to tour the campus and talk with students, teachers, and administrators. Pictured are: (l-r) Jeff McKinney; Diane Dekreon; Dr. Becky Barden, LCHS principal; Jerri Sutton-Tutt; Cox; Gail Remsen, a member of the Lincoln County Board of Education; Mark Hill; Regina Reid, graduation coach; and Judy Kirkland, an assistant superintendent for the local school system.

Kathy Cox, state school superintendent, was "very impressed" with the students, faculty, and administration at LCHS during her visit Thursday, October 4.

While at LCHS, the superintendent observed teachers at work in the classroom; toured the campus; talked with teachers about the state's new graduation rule, along with other issues; and was the guest of honor at a reception hosted by the students in Louise Waters' Community-Based Instruction (CBI) class.

In her comments, Superintendent Cox said, "I was very impressed with the high quality of teaching I saw in the classroom. The teachers were obviously getting deep into the content of the course work, and the students were expected to know the material. I was pleased with the rigor of the classroom.

"Also, the lessons were fun and engaging, and the teachers used a variety of teaching methods," she continued. "I saw students working in pairs and in groups as well as teachers working together. I was very impressed."

Cox noted that LCHS seems to be working hard to implement the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and ensure that all students will be successful.

She likewise remarked on the climate of the school. "When I walk into a school, within five minutes I get a sense of the climate. The climate is very positive here. The kids and teachers are proud of their school. It feels like family."

Following the superintendent's tour of LCHS, she met with teachers and administrators in the school auditorium.

Cox was introduced to the group by LCHS junior Amanda Gay, who served as a member of the superintendent's Student Advisory Council during the 2005-2006 school year.

At the outset of her remarks, Superintendent Cox focused on the state's new graduation rule, which is more stringent than its current policy.

"The new graduation rule is designed to increase the state's graduation rate and give students a diploma that really means something," Cox explained. "We could lower the standards and give everybody a diploma, but that won't do any good if a student can't get a job or get into college or vocational school. We want a common set of core expectations for students - to lower the bar would not set our children up for success.

She went on to say that if the state does not raise the standards, "our rear ends will get kicked by foreign competition. There are more gifted students in China than we have students."

As a result of the new graduation rule, the need for science and math teachers will increase. "We are busy working on teacher recruitment," said Cox. "In three years, we plan to bring over 150 math, science, and language teachers from Vienna, Austria. Forty percent of our students want to go into the medical field, and we haven't been providing the science."

After answering a few questions from the faculty, the superintendent concluded her remarks by saying, "I saw fantastic teaching today - some wonderful collaborative teaching, and you have wonderful kids. They made me feel so welcome. Thank you."

During her visit to East Georgia, Superintendent Cox also visited schools in Wilkes, Jackson, Oglethorpe, Jasper, and Warren counties.

"These visits give me the opportu- nity to meet face-to-face with the people on the front lines of education in Georgia," said the superintendent. "I enjoy seeing what is working in their schools, and I likewise want to hear about the unique challenges these schools face and how they are working to overcome those challenges.

"What I learn on the road has a big impact on the work of the Georgia Department of Education and the State Board of Education."

Traveling to Georgia's schools and visiting with local educators is part of the state school superintendent's job description. However, Superintendent Cox has taken the mandate to a new level. Since taking office nearly five years ago, she has visited over 450 schools in more than 150 counties.