VALDOSTA — School consolidation has long been a topic of conversation in the community. Some are vehemently against the decision and others are passionately in support of consolidation.
At the crux of the issue are more than 20,000 students who are a part of both the Valdosta City and Lowndes County school systems.
Students who are striving to learn, succeeding in graduating and some who are struggling to comprehend and ultimately falling through the cracks.
In a two-part series, The Valdosta Daily Times will look into the issue of consolidation.
This week, we look at how the schools compare by the numbers.
Next week, we delve deeper, focusing on desegregation, the creation of the Lowndes County School System, and how the systems and the public feel about consolidation.
These numbers reflect the similarities and differences of both school systems: from annual budgets, the number of Title I schools, the ethnic demographics and graduation rate, etc.
These numbers reflect how we look as a community, to ourselves and to others.
---
Budget 2009/2010
$57.9 million: Lowndes County Schools, $57,984,439
$59.2 million: Valdosta City Schools, $59,269,681
Student Population
10,133 LCS total number of students
7,501 VCS total number of students
3,244 LCS total minority population of students
6,178 VCS total minority population of students
6,889 LCS total population of white students
1,329 VCS total population of white students
Number of schools
Lowndes County Schools
7 elementary
3 middle schools
1 high school
11 schools total
Valdosta City Schools
5 elementary
2 middle schools
1 high school
8 schools total
Certified Personnel
853 Lowndes County Schools
690 Valdosta City Schools
114 LCS certified minority personnel
222 VCS certified minority personnel
739 LCS certified white personnel
419 VCS certified white personnel
Average Class Size
16.5 LCS Kindergarten
20 VCS Kindergarten
17.5 LCS Primary (1-3)
19 VCS Primary (1-3)
21 LCS Elementary (4-5)
23 VCS Elementary (4-5)
22.2 LCS Middle School (6-8)
26 VCS Middle School (6-8)
18 LCS High School (9-12)
19 VCS High School (9-12)
Number of students transported daily
Lowndes County Schools
6,500 students
151 school buses
Valdosta City Schools
4,100 students
52 school buses
Average number of meals served daily
2,260 LCS Breakfast
2,963 VCS Breakfast
7,006 LCS Lunch
6,074 VCS Lunch
Local News
School by the numbers
A look at how Valdosta, Lowndes schools add up
- Local News
-
-
Berrien clinic director loses job
Speaking to The Valdosta Daily Times about the possible discontinuation of the Berrien Elementary School MED Clinic led to the program’s executive director losing her job Monday morning.
-
From the CIA to man about town
Meet Jack Pruden, former member of the Central Intelligence Agency.
-
Berrien school medical facility faces an uncertain future
A state-of-the-art medical facility that was introduced in Berrien County public schools in 2010 might be ending soon.
-
New TV listings section debuts in print edition
In Sunday editions of The Valdosta Daily Times, keep an eye out for the updated TV listings section.
-
Man shot in Valdosta; police car, ambulance collide
Response to a shooting Saturday afternoon led to a collision between a police vehicle and an ambulance.
-
Annual Father-Daughter Dance enters 16th year
Three-week-old Emmaline Taylor lay contentedly on dad Trey Taylor’s shoulder Friday night, completely oblivious to the sights and sounds of the Father-Daughter Valentine Dance.
Now in its 16th year, the popular annual event is sponsored by Valdosta’s First Presbyterian Church and held at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.
“We’ve been looking forward to this,” Trey Taylor said. “When we first got pregnant, (my wife Sheya and I) looked to see if she would be here in time for the Father-Daughter Dance.” -
VPD offers online citation payment
The Valdosta Police Department has implemented a new online service to assist traffic violators.
-
School system grades policy gets national exposure
Local radio personality Scott James of Talk 92.1 will be appearing on “Fox & Friends” today at 7:45 a.m. to share feedback about the new grading policy implemented by the Lowndes County School System.
-
Don Giovanni: VSU presents Mozart’s most famous opera
VALDOSTA — Editing Mozart isn’t for sissies.
It takes a certain knowledge, talent and sheer chutzpah to perform surgery on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Alas, in our age of short-attention spans, it is a challenge which many opera productions must consider, given that many of Mozart’s originals stretched as long as four hours. -
Traffic Unit coming to Hahira
HAHIRA — The Hahira City Council voted to allow the addition of a Traffic Enforcement Unit to the Hahira Police Department at Thursday night’s regular session council meeting.
The Traffic Enforcement Unit will patrol two miles of Interstate 75 and according to Hahira Police Chief Terry Davis, has nothing to do with making money and everything to do with the safety of Hahira’s citizens. - More Local News Headlines
-
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
