Civil Municipal - June 2024

Although Lanier County Schools is still developing a comprehensive STEM program, efforts are underway to incorporate these activities into the elementary and middle school levels. “One of our lead gifted teachers that serves both elementary and middle school grades, has focused a lot of her efforts on STEM-type activities,” elaborates Superintendent Culpepper. “We don’t have a full-blown STEM program because we’re just getting started. But she has done several activities and projects that are STEM-based in the classrooms that she’s in.” EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS The district is also dedicated to providing accelerated learning opportunities for its older students. With both middle and high schools co-located on the same campus, students can take high school courses as early as seventh grade. “It happens with band, it happens with athletics, but it’s also happened with career technical and agricultural education, what some people would call vocational education years ago,” Culpepper expands. Additionally, dual enrollment opportunities are available for high school students, through partnerships with Georgia Military College, Valdosta State University, and Wiregrass Technical College. “We have several kids who have earned multiple college courses worth of credit before they graduate from high school,” he says. BUILDING A CLOSE-KNIT, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY Doyon, who chose Lanier County as a home for her family, underscores the district’s welcoming community atmosphere. “This is a place where we want to raise our daughter and a lot of it comes from the fact that it is close-knit and it’s a great place for kids,” she portrays. “We do have extremely high poverty rates, some of the highest in the state of Georgia. But we’re still keeping up with our counterparts that are in more affluent districts. We are supporting our kids holistically, we’re meeting their needs socioeconomically, in addition to their academics.” Culpepper recounts his involvement in community development during and after the pandemic when 192 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 06 BUSINESS VIEW AGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 01