Volunteerism. Civility. Honesty. Integrity. Hard work. Good listening skills. All necessary ingredients for good role models for students, said Fayette school superintendent Dr. John DeCotis.

Speaking to the Fayette County Republicans at their First Saturday breakfast, DeCotis focused on role models and the importance of the community prior to giving an overview of upcoming issues facing the local school system.

“The role of adults is oftentimes forgotten. Good role models for children can have a significant impact on children,” he said. “Schools reflect the community. We have a good community, therefore we have good schools. The two go hand in hand.”

The Hope Scholarship has resulted in positives and negatives according to DeCotis. On the positive side, it has helped entice students to attend Georgia colleges. Students who attend colleges in other states often take jobs in the same area, thus resulting in a “brain drain,” he said.

The ready availability of funding for college also has increased the number of students and thus has increased academic requirements, he added.

On the down side, less people are now getting Hope Scholarships than before due to increased competition, DeCotis said. Over the past five years “graduation requirements have edged up as they gradually raise the bar,” he said.

The schools are challenged to find ways to enable students to squeeze in more courses to meet new graduation requirements, he said.

Additionally, there are now only two main diploma programs in high schools — a vocational tech program and college. Each has a “higher level,” the vocational tech plus and the college plus, for students aiming for top schools in each area.

In the past, students on the college track who realized in their senior years that they would be unable to meet all the requirements, or who changed their minds, could opt for a general degree. That degree no longer exists.

Students must now make a choice in their freshman year as to which direction they will go, DeCotis said. Students who choose incorrectly may find they do not have sufficient requirements for either diploma program, necessitating up to two additional years of school to make up missing courses.

In Fayette County, DeCotis said, approximately 95 percent declare they want to go to college in their freshman year. “By the time they are seniors, that has been whittled down.”

“The challenge for the Fayette County school system is to maintain high standards yet not discourage students,” he noted.

Some areas being explored to address scheduling and increased academic requirements include a partnership with Griffin Technical Institute to offer vocational high school courses which will transfer to Griffin Tech and other schools including Georgia Tech. Internet courses from reputable schools are also being explored, DeCotis noted.

Another major issue facing schools is growth and space, he said. In August the Fayette School System applied to the state for an $8 million “growth grant.” Fayette County must “come up with almost twice that in local dollars to match the grant now,” DeCotis said.

“Tax initiatives are one way, a big way, of dealing with the dollars needed to address growth issues. We are looking for ways to raise money that will have the least impact on the taxpayer yet will give them the most,” he said

Questions were asked regarding moral values in the schools, school vouchers, what safeguards were in place to address school violence and on the need for better communication between school board members and elected officials making zoning decisions that affect growth.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page