Volunteerism. Civility.

Honesty. Integrity. Hard work. Good listening skills. All

necessary ingredients for good role models for students,

said Fayette school superintendent Dr. John DeCotis.

Speaking to the Fayette

County Republicans at their First Saturday breakfast,

DeCotis focused on role models and the importance of the

community prior to giving an overview of upcoming issues

facing the local school system.

"The role of adults is

oftentimes forgotten. Good role models for children can

have a significant impact on children," he said.

"Schools reflect the community. We have a good

community, therefore we have good schools. The two go

hand in hand."

The Hope Scholarship has

resulted in positives and negatives according to DeCotis.

On the positive side, it has helped entice students to

attend Georgia colleges. Students who attend colleges in

other states often take jobs in the same area, thus

resulting in a "brain drain," he said.

The ready availability of

funding for college also has increased the number of

students and thus has increased academic requirements, he

added.

On the down side, less

people are now getting Hope Scholarships than before due

to increased competition, DeCotis said. Over the past

five years "graduation requirements have edged up as

they gradually raise the bar," he said.

The schools are challenged

to find ways to enable students to squeeze in more

courses to meet new graduation requirements, he said.

Additionally, there are now

only two main diploma programs in high schools - a

vocational tech program and college. Each has a

"higher level," the vocational tech plus and

the college plus, for students aiming for top schools in

each area.

In the past, students on

the college track who realized in their senior years that

they would be unable to meet all the requirements, or who

changed their minds, could opt for a general degree. That

degree no longer exists.

Students must now make a

choice in their freshman year as to which direction they

will go, DeCotis said. Students who choose incorrectly

may find they do not have sufficient requirements for

either diploma program, necessitating up to two

additional years of school to make up missing courses.

In Fayette County, DeCotis

said, approximately 95 percent declare they want to go to

college in their freshman year. "By the time they

are seniors, that has been whittled down."

"The challenge for the

Fayette County school system is to maintain high

standards yet not discourage students," he noted.

Some areas being explored

to address scheduling and increased academic requirements

include a partnership with Griffin Technical Institute to

offer vocational high school courses which will transfer

to Griffin Tech and other schools including Georgia Tech.

Internet courses from reputable schools are also being

explored, DeCotis noted.

Another major issue facing

schools is growth and space, he said. In August the

Fayette School System applied to the state for an $8

million "growth grant." Fayette County must

"come up with almost twice that in local dollars to

match the grant now," DeCotis said.

"Tax initiatives are

one way, a big way, of dealing with the dollars needed to

address growth issues. We are looking for ways to raise

money that will have the least impact on the taxpayer yet

will give them the most," he said

Questions were asked

regarding moral values in the schools, school vouchers,

what safeguards were in place to address school violence

and on the need for better communication between school

board members and elected officials making zoning

decisions that affect growth.

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