Candler County Retired Educators group met for their monthly meeting at the new First District Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) building here in Metter. Richard Smith, Executive Director of FDRESA, welcomed the group and gave a brief description of what RESA does for educators and our community.
Their program for September was Candler County School's Assistant Superintendents Dr. Cadeisha Cooper and Dr. John Jordan.
Dr. Cooper spoke on the SWIRL Community Initiative, where the School District is asking parents, businesses and community members to help boost literacy rates in Candler County. She explained how Candler County Schools have formed a Community Focus Group to spearhead the initiative, complete with internal staff but also with leaders from our community. This team is active and already making plans that the community will see very soon.
The community can help in a few ways: donating to FERST Readers Candler will provide a new book every month for registered children in our community from birth until their fifth birthday. Community members can sponsor a child for one year with a donation of only $42.00 (donate here: https://ferst-readers-inc.netw... or drop a check by the Metter Elementary School that designates it as a FERST Reader donation). There are several "Little Free Libraries" near the businesses that surround our downtown park.These boxes are a place for readers to borrow and leave books for others to read....donate to these little libraries. The schools are always looking for volunteer readers at school events, and the Literacy Council will host several community events over the next few months that promote literacy, including Music in the Park on October 12 from 6-7 pm.
Dr. Jordan gave the group an update on the new plans to build a new facility for the Metter College & Career Academy (MCCA), along with explaining how MCCA is a better fit for some students. He explained that MCCA has the intention of having a student be prepared for work and/or college. MCCA Students can graduate with less credits (less elective courses) and focus on getting students ready to go to work through partnerships with local and regional businesses, with a little more flexible school schedules, and more direct training (such as the Heavy Equipment Operator pathway and it's simulators.)
The new facility has been designed and we are awaiting approval from the state on these plans before we can break ground. Hopefully, the Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held in October/November. We will keep you updated on that date.
Group President, Felix Johnston, closed the meeting by asking everyone to take a look at the drawings of the new MCCA building and to be sure to attend the next monthly meeting in October.