The Gainesville City School Board approved a new calendar for the upcoming school year, and voted to memorialize a Gainesville educator by naming the first floor of a new building after her. The board also signed their Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest forms, as they do each January, approved a legislation amendment to provide more clarity on their operations, and got the latest on a recent Chromebook purchase.
School board adopts non-traditional calendar for '21-'22
Next year's calendar will look strikingly similar to this year's, the board decided in a unanimous vote.
"We have to be very realistic about the fact that COVID will not be entirely gone, so what we would like to do is instead of having a traditional calendar, as we've had in years past, is have a calendar with similarities to this year."
"If you recall in previous years, Open House would be three hours, we would have 800 kids and their families coming to the school for three hours. We can't do that now," he continued. "So this calendar breaks Open House up to three days, four days of pre-planning, and then it brings half of our students in for two days, and the remainder of those students in two days later."
The calendar still has 190 days and is for both teachers and students. Williams said they wanted to encourage students new in buildings to adjust and also to allow for teachers to get time to meet students and families.
Sammy Smith motioned for acceptance, and Heather Ramsey put forth a second.
First floor of Advanced Studies building named
Superintendent Williams made the motion to name the first floor of the Advanced Studies building after a notable Black educator in Gainesville-Hall County.
"As the Advanced Studies Center continues to be finalized, we thought what better way to honor or memorialize her legacy by naming that first floor after Ms. Beulah Rucker," said Williams. "
Beulah Rucker Oliver taught in a one-room school house on Athens Highway that is now a museum and on the National Register of Historic Places. She began dreaming of teaching at her own school in 1909, according to the museum's website, and created an industrial school that taught students a variety of topics, including brick masonry. She also established the first school for Black veterans in 1951. After consolidation mandates, the school closed in 1958. Rucker died in 1963, and her legacy continues at the museum and a foundation in her name.
The school system is working with the Rucker family to complete the dedication with photos and artifacts by the building's opening date of August.
Willie Mitchell made the motion and Smith seconded.
Kids to get new Chromebooks in March
At the end of the meeting, Technology Director Jill Hobson updated the board on the status of Chromebook laptops ordered for students. She said the initial purchase in May of 4,000 laptops have been distributed, but they have not yet received their October purchase. Hobson said they should be arriving in March.
