Ben Hill County School District

10 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 anonymous reporting systems. Additionally, they have invested in safety equipment such as metal detectors and communication devices to ensure a secure learning environment. Clement relays, “We got a grant last year for $50,000 through the state that let us change our door locks at our middle school and primary school, to be a lock where doors could lock from the inside as well. We just invested $52,000 along with a USDA grant into metal detectors for all of our schools and our sporting events. We put up fencing, we bought new radios, we’ve invested in new cameras.” With three SROs on campus currently, the district has applied for a grant through the Georgia Department of Education, to bring in two more officers. “We have made a concerted effort here in the last year to really ramp up our security. We have safety plans for all schools in our district, we made sure that we’re in compliance with any laws. We’ve invested a good amount of money in making our students and our staff safer,” she continues. Academic Excellence and Future Plans Clement highlights that Ben Hill County Schools’ top priorities moving forward include improving K-5 reading comprehension and math proficiency, as well as promoting writing across the curriculum. “Our number one priority is always the safety and security of our students and staff,” she asserts. “Our other important goal is getting our K through 5 readers to be able to comprehend what they read, to be able to not just call words, but to understand the science of reading, and to make our teachers the most effective teachers they can be when it comes to teaching reading in K- 5. Our other big initiative is making sure that our students do math at the top level.” By focusing on these key areas, BHCS will continue to elevate the academic performance of its students and provide them with a well-rounded education. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Fitzgerald Utilities www.fitzutilities.com Fitzgerald Utilities is your local hometown utilities provider. We are here at your service to provide you with comfort in your home. Our goal is to serve our customers through professionally trained employees providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity, water, sewer, and natural and propane gas services.