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Barrow schools awarded select Governor’s innovations grant

Posted by

Lorin Sinn-Clark

in Education Archives

Monday, August 8. 2011

Comments (19)

On Monday afternoon, Barrow County Schools Superintendent Wanda Creel received some top level good news. During a video-conference with Gov. Nathan Deal, Creel was informed that the Barrow school system was chosen as one of five schools or school systems in the state to receive a Governor’s Race to the Top Innovations Grant.

“We are really, really excited about this,” Creel said. “It is a very broad grant that will allow us to build and enhance math, science and arts education in all of our schools, grades K-12.”

There were 70 applicants for the five grants and Creel said Gov. Deal told her Barrow was chosen because the system submitted “one of the most progressive applications” received. He was also impressed with “what we already have in place,” Creel said, adding that the grant will place Barrow well on the way to becoming a model school system within the state.

Demonstrated and effective partnerships between the business and education communities were one of the criteria for the grant. The system’s partners in obtaining and utilizing the grant are Barrow County Schools (principal lead), Georgia Institute of Technology (partner), Apple Computer Inc. (partner), ArtsNow! (partner) and the Findings Group (partner).

For more on the grant, see the Aug. 10 print edition of The Barrow Journal.

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#1 Anon on 08/08/11 at 02:25 PM [Reply]

We bash the local schools as needed so we should also praise them when possible. Congrats to Superintendent Creel and all those responsible for achieving this grant.

#1.1 rac76 on 08/08/11 at 02:56 PM [Reply]

I agree with you that we should praise when we can. So I send a hearty 'Congratulations' to Dr. Creel and to the rest of the BOE on receiving the grant.

#2 Fortitude on 08/08/11 at 06:20 PM [Reply]

congrats to the BOE, it took a long time, but I hope they implement the grant in way's that will put our children in the 21st century regarding learning and use of technology

#3 I wonder on 08/09/11 at 07:30 AM [Reply]

I just wonder if they will actually use the money to get good teachers that can help us meet AYP or if they will just pocket the money, give themselves a raise and nothing change.....or better yet, open ANOTHER alternative school for those who do not want to obey the rules and need to be baby sat...

#3.1 Johnny Friendly on 08/09/11 at 10:18 AM [Reply]

Deal took time out from running his new porn business to funnel some dough to the stupid pimps who elected him. Think of the money that could be saved outright if they closed that dumb "alternative" school at County Line.

#3.1.1 Lisa on 08/09/11 at 12:45 PM [Reply]

Johnny your a idiot. Counties have had alternative schools for years. I went to and graduated from one in DeKalb County they called it "Open Campus" it was and still is a wonderful idea. These schools have nothing to do with not wanting to follow the rules as you put it. Theses schools do just the opposite. The young adults that go to these schools are held at a higher standard than regular schools. Classes are longer and taught at a quicker pace so they MUST be in class each and everyday. At open campus if you missed 3 classes then you were dropped from the class. No questions asked. It was it. There is no "extra activities" football, cheer-leading, basketball and such. Your there to learn.

#3.1.1.1 Fortitude on 08/10/11 at 07:42 AM [Reply]

Lisa, if you would put down your WIC or Foodstamps for a second and read the AYP results, you will find that the county failed AYP due to the "sub groups" not the "white kids", which really there are not alot of rich "white kids" in the system, they go to private schools. So yes, Im sorry to point out facts, but if the 'sub groups" do not improve themselves and want better, then as long as AYP is broken down and anylized that way, everyone suffers.

#4 Lorin Sinn-Clark on 08/09/11 at 08:37 AM [Reply]

It is a $1.7 million grant that will be used to expand math, science and arts education over the next three years.
More details to follow in the 8/10 edition.

#4.1 Jack Legg on 08/09/11 at 09:53 AM [Reply]

Finnaly something done right . Congratulations to our Board of Education and all of the administrators who got this for our kids!

And to the idiot who posted as "iwonder", you must be one misarable p.o.s. to not be able to recognize when something goes right. ef you and the broke down mule that you rode in on.

#4.2 Ed Morrison on 08/10/11 at 08:44 AM [Reply]

Hi Lorin,

I just wanted to take a moment to correct the list of partners for the grant. While we did have preliminary discussions with E20/20, we were not able to integrate their technologies into this particular proposal.

The correct list of partners is:
Barrow County School (Principal Lead)
Georgia Institute of Technology (Partner)
Apple Computer Inc. (Partner)
ArtsNow! (Partner)
The Findings Group (Partner)

I wanted to make sure these fine companies are recognized for the wonderful support they are providing to our students.

Thanks Lorin,

Ed

#5 TickedOff on 08/09/11 at 10:18 AM [Reply]

Great. Now follow the money. And follow the test scores. Lets see if Barrow Co. knows how to use this hand out.

#6 Barrow momma on 08/09/11 at 10:48 AM [Reply]

Super awesome for our counties schools and children!! Hopefully Barrow County can allocate the funds properly to get the best bang for our bucks.

#7 fortitude on 08/09/11 at 10:53 AM [Reply]

Its sad to think money has something to do with AYP, its the parents. You can throw all the money at improving education, but when only the "sub groups (black,poor,spec ed)" fail and cost the entire system AYP, that goes to the children and their parents.
Congrats again to the BOE for taking the initiative to pursue this and hopefully we will see technology being used to prepare successful students for a successful future

#7.1 Lisa on 08/09/11 at 05:32 PM [Reply]

Where's your SIGN "fortitude" since when is being black, poor or a special-ed student the cause of poor scores. There are plenty of rich a$$ white kids that just plane don't care and there parents let it slide also. Yeas I do agree that the parents have a lot to do with it but when people like yourself want to drag race, income and disability's into it that just shows your ignorance on the subject.

#7.1.1 Upside Down on 08/09/11 at 08:12 PM [Reply]

Fortitude admits he is "stuck" in Barrow county owing to his past poor financial decisions. Yet he deigns to cast his pearls before swine about how best to run the whole shebang. It's really comic when you think about it.

#7.1.1.1 Fortitude on 08/10/11 at 07:46 AM [Reply]

The only poor financial decision was to "invest" in this county. Im sorry 12yrs ago I decided to buy a nice house, in a nice neighborhood instead of in Jackson County, only to have idiots like you and your buddies to inflate prices over the next 10yrs and then drop the values back down and not use the SPLOST correctly. And you say It's comic, I think it is when I earned everything I own and you probably sucked "mommy and daddy's" milk and never had to prove yourself. Its all good though, I promise as soon as the values go back up, you will see us "edu-mucated" folk leave and then Barra county will be alway's be a joke of the region

#7.2 Jess on 08/09/11 at 06:06 PM [Reply]

Thank you! You can have all the money in the world and if the "sub groups" or really any group chooses not to value their education and graduate from high school it won't matter. If the schools were to use it for making AYP it would have to be for mandatory parenting classes for the sub group parents. That is the ONLY way the scores will increase. The sad part is that when the only thing people value is a pay check at the end of the week then they won't mind cleaning up after chickens and cutting grass. Wasted potential in a lot of these students too.

#8 Ed Morrison on 08/10/11 at 08:31 AM [Reply]

Lorin,

The E20-20 group was not a partner in this grant. We did have early discussions with them and they make some wonderful products, but we were unable to integrate them into this particular proposal.

The correct list of partners is:
Barrow County Schools (Principal)
Georgia Tech - GTRI Division (Partner)
Apple Computer - (Partner)
The Findings Group - (Partner)
ArtsNow! - (Partner)

Thanks for allowing this correction. We want to be sure these wonderful agencies are recognized for their supportive efforts on behalf of our students.

Ed

#9 Lorin Sinn-Clark on 08/10/11 at 09:08 AM [Reply]

I have submitted the correction, Ed. Thanks.

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