CLARKESVILLE, Ga. – The Habersham County Board of Education received updates Thursday on facilities improvements, technology upgrades, enrollment growth, and strategic planning during its January work session.
Facilities Director David Leenman told the board progress continues on long-discussed modifications to the weight training classroom. He said coaches have been visiting other schools to identify best practices and are working with district staff to determine what will fit local space and needs, with more details to come later.
Leenman also updated the board on baseball field improvements at Wilbanks Middle School, where new bleachers are expected to arrive in February. He said the previous bleachers were sold following Habersham’s successful season last year drew crowds larger than existing seating could accommodate.
Bandwidth Upgrade
IT Coordinator Jennifer Rider briefed the board on a planned bandwidth upgrade. She said the district placed a bid in October and awarded the contract to Habersham EMC/Trailwaves. The increased bandwidth is scheduled to go live July 1.
Rider said the district has already completed network upgrades at each school to support future growth and is aligning its two internet circuits to fully handle the expanded capacity. She added that the upgrades also include improvements to the district’s hard-wired phone and intercom systems, with those items expected to come before the board as a business item Monday night.
Technology Improvements
District Data Coordinator Calter Moore presented a strategic plan progress report focused on technology and professional development. Moore said the district recently launched a technology badging program that allows staff to complete virtual courses and earn credentials. He said 20 staff members have already completed Level One certification since the program began about a month ago.
Moore also highlighted a new monthly technology newsletter for staff, support for 22 instructional technology platforms, and a successful pilot of the ParentSquare communication tool at Habersham Central High School. He said student enrollment has grown from 7,015 before winter break to 7,054 this week, with additional growth expected.
Rider said the district has completed more than 3,600 technology support tickets since the start of the school year and repaired more than 800 Chromebooks. She said online testing has been successful and the district is preparing for spring testing, which will include video components requiring additional infrastructure and equipment.
Looking ahead, Moore said the district is forming a committee of teachers and staff to begin developing guidance around the use of artificial intelligence in schools, calling it an emerging priority tied to the strategic plan.
Superintendent Patrick Franklin said the various technology and facilities projects will be carried out over multiple years as part of a long-term plan to complete upgrades systemwide.
Franklin closed the presentation by praising Moore and Rider for their leadership.
“I’m going to just brag for a couple minutes on these two leaders,” Franklin said. “They’re doing an amazing job. I really see the service that they’re providing to our staff and our students, and that’s what we need.”
Franklin said their forward-thinking approach is helping keep Habersham County Schools ahead of the curve compared to many other districts and thanked them for their work.
