Jones New Principal Of Winston Dowdell Academy

Kevin Jones has started the new school year as principal of Winston Dowdell Academy, the school system’s high school alternative school.

Jones – who has been Assistant Principal at East Coweta High School for the past two years – was named by the Board of Education in August to the position.

Jones is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership in special education from Jacksonville State University, and his specialist degree in educational leadership from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.

Jones began his career in 1989, as a special education teacher and coach at Alps Road Middle School, in Athens, Georgia. He also worked as a teacher and coach at Central High School in Carrollton, Temple High School and Douglas County High School, and at Callaway High School in Hogansville, Georgia, where he also served as head baseball coach.


Jones’ administrative career began as the assistant principal of the New Horizons Alternative School in Carrollton, Georgia – a school which he helped open – from 2000 to 2004. He served as an assistant principal of Callaway High School from 2004 to 2007, and then as the school’s Principal from 2007 to 2011.

He also served as the assistant principal of the Hope Academy in LaGrange from 2011-12, before coming to Coweta County Schools as an assistant principal at East Coweta High School in 2012.

During his career, Jones has also served as a social worker with the Burwell Center, as an alcohol and drug prevention counselor (and as a West Georgia RESA workshop leader for alcohol and drug prevention in schools), as a GED instructor with Carroll Technical College (now West Georgia Technical College) and as an adjunct professor at LaGrange College. Jones has also owned and operated the Alliance DUI/Defensive Driving School in Newnan for 21 years.

Jones said that alternative education is his passion, and he is currently working towards his doctorate from Argosy University with that topic as his dissertation.

“Kids can make a mistake, but the question is how quickly they get up from that mistake,” he said. “Effective alternative schools can put students on the right path towards success in school and graduation.”

High standard of driver

George Davies, 12, will now progress to a national final in the 2014 Young Driver Challenge run by Young Driver. He will compete for the title of the UK’s Best Young Driver, aged under 17.

Forty finalists were chosen from more than 350 entries, and will compete at a national final tomorrow (Saturday September 13).

The challenge judged the ability of entrants based on a series of driving skills and manoeuvres, including parallel parking, figures of eight, a turn in the road, steering, judgement and positioning. Entrants also had to complete the Goodyear Driving Academy, an interactive online driving simulator.

George will take part in the 11-13 age category at the final. Up for grabs are prizes including 40 pre- and post-17 driving lessons provided by Goodyear, a Young Driver at School session for them and their classmates and £500 off a car insurance premium from sponsor Admiral.

George, who attends Hailsham Community College, said: “I am delighted to be the highest scorer in our area! I can’t believe it! I have had six Young Driver lessons and I think they will definitely help me be a safer driver when it comes to taking to the road for real. The instructors really help you to understand the responsibilities of driving. I am really looking forward to the final, and am keeping my fingers crossed I am crowned the overall winner! It would be great to let everyone in my class try out a lesson, which is one of the prizes.”s

Portsmouth school bus drivers to protest pay, safety

School bus drivers complain that low pay and a lack of support have created stressful working conditions that threaten job security and bus safety.

More than 50 bus drivers and monitors met during the past two months to compile a list of concerns shared with administrators and School Board members. They said they feel slighted in salary and respect, and they plan to protest at the Sept. 25 School Board meeting.

Drivers will ask for more money and to be paid even when off for school and seasonal holidays, a line-item nixed in this year's budget. Drivers in some other Hampton Roads school divisions don't get paid holidays, either. Drivers can have money deducted from their base monthly pay for distribution during breaks, but some drivers say they can't afford it. They also want more opportunities for additional pay, including extra bus runs such as field trips and athletic events.

According to The Pilot's 2013-14 school employee salary database, Portsmouth bus drivers make between $11,230 and $17,620.

Peggy Wilson, who has driven a school bus for about 40 years, said the demands stress her out. Wilson said drivers complete extra routes to cover for shortages but don't receive extra pay.

"I used to love to come to work," she said. "But I don't anymore. It's like we're not appreciated."

Along with pay concerns, drivers say they buy their own paper towels, disinfectant and other materials to clean buses. Division leaders say they are creating a plan to address that. Broken radio equipment hinders calls for help during student fights, and several buses need to be repaired or replaced, drivers said.

LaToria Smith, a driver who is organizing the effort, said some students challenge drivers' authority because conduct notices written by drivers fail to produce discipline from school administrators. Smith said drivers have complained about being threatened with physical harm and spit on, as well as students smoking marijuana and performing oral sex on buses. Smith said even repeated misbehavior fails to bar students from bus transportation, and parents accost drivers for reprimanding students.

Smith, who has been driving for five years, praised drivers' dedication but said morale has hit rock bottom. Drivers worry about retaliation for speaking out, so she has taken the lead.

"We really need a lot of help," she said. "Our department is broken."

Smith said division transportation officials hadn't done enough to address their concerns, so drivers organized their own meetings and alerted school leaders and School Board members.

"Now you know, so what are you going to do?" Smith said. "Are you going to allocate more money?"

Since the drivers began speaking up, interim Superintendent Patricia Fisher hosted two division-sponsored transportation meetings and is working on the concerns. The division also conducted a survey, and more than half of the 180 transportation workers responded, Assistant Superintendent Chris Steele said. The results will be used to create a transportation committee and a plan to address compensation and benefits, policy and management issues.

Board member Costella Williams attended one of the driver meetings at City Park and said she was appalled, especially by drivers' concerns about pay. Earlier this month, board members asked school administration to look into the drivers' concerns after Williams raised the issue. Board member Joseph Fleming, who also attended the drivers' meeting, said that drivers' and monitors' voices needed to be heard and valued. A tight budget makes pay increases difficult, he said, but the board should start now to look for money.

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