The technical college headquartered in nearby Griffin wants a closer working relationship with the Fayette County School System, but local school board members want more information.
The unused Fayette Intermediate School campus on Hood Avenue in Fayetteville might be where that partnership will evolve.
Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) was part of a potential partnership with the Fayette system for a Center of Innovation grant that was turned down by the Fayette County Board of Education on Oct. 20. SCTC President Randall Peters addressed the school board on Nov. 3 to let board members know SCTC is still interested in having a greater presence in Fayette.
Superintendent Jody Barrow is expected to bring a recommendation pertaining to SCTC for the board’s consideration at the Nov. 17 board meeting.
Peters during the Nov. 3 presentation described SCTC as “your technical college” and noted that SCTC has worked with local industry in non-credit contract training and in the adult education and English as a Second Language (ESL) areas.
Peters said SCTC has Georgia’s only approved film curriculum among technical colleges and will soon be expanding its film offerings to include as Associate of Applied Technology degree.
Noting that SCTC currently has only five dually-enrolled students in Fayette, Peters asked that the board consider working with SCTC to develop a credit presence in the county and asked that the board consider where and how to create that presence.
SCTC has an agreement with Ga. Military College to have its applied science coursework accepted in GMC’s new four-year applied science degree program.
Asked by board member Barry Marchman how many students it would take to make a presence in Fayette worthwhile, Peters said an analysis would be required, though the potential exists for an initial 10-12 students in a particular program with the idea of seeing if interest builds.
Marchman also asked if SCTC could use existing schools or if another space would be needed. Peters in response said he would take the lead from Barrow in terms of a proposed location.
Chairman Marion Key asked if SCTC would hold classes at the former Fayetteville Intermediate School (FIS). Barrow answered, saying that issue and others would be part of the upcoming discussion.
Barrow during the discussion said he would like to start formal discussions with SCTC, with the idea of starting slowly. With the board agreeing by consensus, Barrow said he would report back at the Nov. 17 regular meeting.
“Whether FIS or anywhere, they’ll pretty much be responsible for it,” Barrow added.
Asked by Marchman how soon a pilot project could be expected, Peters said such a project might be ready to start next fall.
“We’re excited about the potential, but we’re not going to out-punt our coverage,” Barrow said.
Board member Dan Colwell said he, too, liked the idea of exploring a partnership with SCTC and the idea of Fayette becoming a hub for education.
Board member Bob Todd in his comments noted that more than half of Fayette’s student body takes tech classes now though 90 percent go on to attend a four-year college or university.
“We need a concept that will support what we’re already doing, not take away from it,” Todd said. “I want a needs assessment on what our students say they want and not a preconceived notion.”
The school board on Oct. 20 voted 3-2 against applying for a $1.2 million state grant that, if received, would have established a Center of Innovation in the Fayette County School System.
As envisioned, the Center for Innovation would have focused on health sciences and digital media/animation pathways for high school students in the district. The program would have likely been housed at the closed FIS and would have included the school system partnering with SCTC.
