Curriculum, tech, and sports at Lowndes Board of Education
Published 2:24 pm Wednesday, April 9, 2025
[L–R] Jodi Scruggs, Gina Tindall, Caroline White, Aarin Dave, Krista Pearson, and Sandra Wilcher at the April 7 Board of Education work session, where Caroline and Aarin were recognized as Mr. and Ms. CTAE. Both students have completed multiple pathways and are active in Career and Technical Student Organizations and other clubs. The pair submitted applications for consideration and were chosen.
VALDOSTA — The Lowndes Board of Education covered a wide range of discussions with no action items during Monday’s work session, from curriculum changes to new athletic programs for middle schoolers.
The meeting started with a discussion about updating the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for kindergarten through fifth grade. Assistant Superintendent LeAnne McCall emphasized the need to align with Georgia’s updated state standards and the Georgia Early Literacy Act.
After reviewing materials from several vendors, the district recommended a six-year contract that stood out for its long-term value and included ongoing support and updates. This will be the first major ELA curriculum overhaul since 2015.
Looking ahead to upcoming classroom additions at Dewar Elementary School, the board also went over furniture proposals. They are currently looking at the same vendor that previously outfitted the high school and earned high marks for reliability and customer support.
The board then shifted to some digital changes. They announced plans to partner with ClassLink, a secure platform designed to streamline account access and strengthen cybersecurity. The new system will streamline account creation for HR and IT departments and help protect student information by reducing how much data is shared across platforms.
The board moved on to plans to buy new Chromebooks and touchscreen models for use in math classes at Lowndes High School. The touchscreens aim to help students get more comfortable with doing math digitally—with the reasoning that this is how they will do it in college.
The board addressed custodial staffing issues at Lowndes Middle School. After several resignations left the school short-handed, they discussed the need to expand their current custodial contract with HES Facilities Management to include the middle school beginning June 1.
On the transportation front, the board is looking to purchase smaller activity buses that do not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL). These buses would be used for smaller groups, freeing up the regular bus fleet and reducing scheduling conflicts.
The board finished with discussions about introducing flag football at all three middle schools. The sport continues to gain momentum statewide, and nearby districts are on board for future matchups. The district has also applied for grants from the Atlanta Falcons to help cover startup costs.
