a message from Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones 

I am so proud of our Board of Education - so proud. Let me tell you why.

This week I attended the Georgia School Superintendents Association Fall Bootstrap Conference, where superintendents from across the state gather for a day and a half to be brought up to speed by the Georgia Department of Education as well as the Georgia School Boards Association. It is an opportunity to learn about current events across the state, to network, and to share best practices, so as we deal with dilemmas, we understand some potential solutions.

In a phrase, this is my Professional Learning Community.

It wasn't surprising that one of the sessions at Bootstrap focused on the Charter School Amendment since this issue has turned out to be the most hotly contested one on the Georgia ballot. (I think many have made their minds up about the Presidential election and other issues.)

Five of us were asked to make one to three minute presentations about educating our communities about the Amendment. I was actually the fourth person to speak on the panel. The first superintendent shared strategies being used to inform the public: board resolution, questions and answers on the web site, presentations to faculties, working with the PTA and other organizations.

After the first presenter finished, the second and third looked at me and said, "Well, he said everything, so what's left for us to say?" But, you know, there were some other ideas that went forward.

When my turn came, I said, "In Griffin-Spalding, it started when I wrote a letter to the editor of our local newspaper, and now three of our five board members have written letters. An assistant professor from one of the local colleges has written a letter, and we have requested that other individuals write letters as well. So far, there has been at least one letter to the editor every week. The entire community is involved. We hope to keep that up as we move toward November 6."

I said also our board passed a resolution, but our board members also recognized that they are community leaders. I had challenged them to inform their districts - the districts that elected them to office.

You should have seen faces light up in the audience.

Our board members had accepted the challenge. Yard signs are going up in board members' districts.

It was as if the mostly superintendents in attendance had thought they were in it alone - that their board members had expected them to do this by themselves.

Our board has gone even further than just informing their districts:

• Mr. Westbury has made presentations;
• Mr. Holmes has written an outstanding letter to the editor;
• Mr. Kendall not only wrote a letter to the editor, but he invited and debated Representative John Yates on his radio show.

It has truly been a team effort, and I wanted to share with you how proud I am of our board's stepping up to be a leader in the state in this effort.

So let me challenge you. We have 18 days to go. You have been asked to educate yourselves about the issue, and I hope you have. If you haven't, please talk to your principal, talk to me, talk to anyone who knows about the issue. And then go out and tell somebody.

Dialogue works. I stopped on the way home from this meeting at a store where a former teacher of mine commented on my letter to the editor. We engaged in a five minute conversation about the amendment and what it means. People are hungry to hear what the details are. Once they find out, I think they will be willing to vote their conscience. We just have an obligation to tell them.

This week-end I dare you

• to talk to five individuals about the Charter Amendment;
• to be proactive.
• to get the word out.

For those of you who are reading this blog, please, please, please, spread the word. I dare you.

Finally, for those of you who sent sympathy cards, made phone calls and gave other expressions of sympathy and empathy because of the death of my grandmother, I thank you. Truly her life was one to be marveled. She was an amazing lady and had an outstanding life. So thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Have a great week-end everybody.

COLDR