Celebrating the year at the Convocation.

From BleckleyProgress.com

Community News
Celebrating the year at the Convocation.
By Dave Whitaker
May 26, 2017, 16:15

Normally, there's nothing unusual about an end of school convocation. While there often things to celebrate and take note of, much of it is speech and procedure. But this year for the Bleckley School District was far from normal.

Academic achievement for all schools. Athletic, academic, and extra curricular achievement by students. And for the first time in BCHS history, a GADA Director's Cup. Friday morning's convocation was as much of anything a celebration of the year.

Superintendent Steve Smith points to a chart showing CCRPI percentages for Middle Georgia schools.

Superintendent Steve Smith went over the year with a Power Point presentation. Highlights included: Bleckley Elementary being fifth in the state in CCRPI (Career and College Ready Performance Index.) Bleckley Primary, Elementary, and BCHS being tops in Heart of Georgia RESA CCRPI. Bleckley Elementary being named a Georgia Department of Education Title 1 School, Highest Performing in the state. Bleckley School District having the highest CCRPI percentage of all Middle Georgia schools.

Smith went over the many successes at BCMS including sports region titles and runners up as well as the Beta Club Special Talent Group placing second at state. For BCHS, it's been a history making year. Over 60 honor graduates will be participating in tomorrow's ceremony, the most in school history.

Debbie Caldwell speaks during retirement recognition. Others recognized were: Shirley Smith, Nancy Herrington, Karen Grantham, Georgia Anne Herrington, Cindi Wimberly, Doreen Leopold, and Benjy Rogers.

The four sports state titles in one year (girls and boys cross country, girls and boys tennis) are the first in school history. Thanks in part to that as well as success from other sports including girls basketball (region champion final four), boys track (four individual state titles, state runner up), baseball (region champion, elite eight), and girls golf (region champion, tied for fourth at state), BCHS won the Georgia Athletic Director's Association Director's Cup.

Other BCHS highlights included the Royal Singers accomplishments at OrlandoFest, the nine state Beta Club Individual State Champions, two from FCCLA, one from FFA, two from 4-H. Both BCMS and BCHS were named Beta Club Schools of Merit.

Shelly Cranford and Brad Sanders received "History Maker" awards for the cross country and tennis state title wins. Tennis assistants William "Flip" Basby, and Melissa Barker also received the awards.

Faculty retiring were recognized and had the opportunity to speak. Support Staff of the Year were recognized including those not present at the board meeting. The final presentation was District Teacher of the Year.

Winners from each school were called on stage. Smith then announced Millie Smith, a second-year teacher at Bleckley Elementary, had been named District Teacher of the Year by the outside advisory group hired to make the determination.

Millie Smith received several items for being name District Teacher of the Year including a Chromebook.