CLARKESVILLE — Habersham County Schools outlined summer facilities work, a districtwide playground replacement plan, expanded nutrition services, instructional changes under new literacy legislation and proposed policy updates during a Board of Education work session Thursday.
Assistant Superintendent David Leenman said summer operations are in full swing across the district, with custodial and maintenance crews completing routine work and ongoing improvements.
Summer facilities work underway across district
“Summer is off to a great start,” Leenman said. “Our custodian crews are getting after it.”
Leenman said painting is underway at North Habersham and is expected to be completed soon. He also praised work at Cornelia Elementary School, where staff and custodians are ahead of schedule on summer improvements.
He highlighted a visit to the school’s summer transition program, calling it a positive example of early student engagement.
ESPLOST playground project moves forward
Leenman also updated the board on plans for a districtwide playground replacement initiative approved by voters as part of the ESPLOST VII renewal.
The project calls for the installation of 24 new playgrounds across the district’s eight elementary schools. According to school officials, each campus would receive three playgrounds designed for different grade bands: kindergarten through first grade, second through third grade and fourth through fifth grade.
The initiative is tied in part to House Bill 371, signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2025. The legislation establishes minimum statewide standards for elementary school playgrounds, including requirements related to accessibility, shade and safety.
Leenman said the district plans to issue a request for proposals before Aug. 1 seeking a design-build firm to oversee both the design and installation of all playgrounds.
Rather than completing the work in phases, officials plan to award the project to a single vendor and complete all 24 playgrounds as one coordinated effort.
“We want to do them all in one chunk with one company and one vendor,” Leenman said.
District officials initially anticipated a shorter timeline, but after preliminary discussions with vendors now expect the project to take eight to 10 months from the date a contract is awarded.
A committee of district stakeholders and community representatives is expected to help evaluate proposals before a recommendation is brought to the Board of Education for approval.
Summer nutrition program serves thousands of meals
School Nutrition Director Jo Ann Greenway reported continued strong participation in the district’s summer feeding program, which operates at nine sites across the county.
Greenway said the district has distributed more than 23,000 individual breakfast and lunch meals and more than 6,000 meal boxes this summer through three feeding sessions.
“We’ve been fortunate the way our times are staggered,” Greenway said, noting that the district has not had to turn away participants.
She said the program continues to operate under a 100-meal site cap while the district awaits approval to increase capacity.
Greenway also said the district will continue participating in the Community Eligibility Provision program, which provides free breakfast and lunch for all students.
She said officials are also considering an increase in adult meal prices to better align with food costs, including a potential increase in lunch prices to about $5.35.
She added that the department is focused on maintaining participation, strengthening compliance ahead of a future state audit, and continuing customer service improvements.
Literacy instruction tied to new state law
Dr. Susan Davis briefed the board on the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which expands on earlier state literacy legislation.
She said the law includes expanded requirements for literacy coaches, universal and dyslexia screening, and first-grade readiness assessments.
Davis said districts must also develop a unified literacy plan and use state-approved instructional materials.
She highlighted a pilot program at Cornelia Elementary School using Benchmark Advance materials, which has received strong feedback from teachers.
Educators described increased vocabulary development, stronger engagement and improved alignment across grade levels.
Davis said the district may seek board approval to purchase the materials for continued use at Cornelia while allowing other schools to observe the pilot before broader implementation.
Policy updates reflect new state law
Leenman also presented proposed updates to several board policies to align with recent legislation.
He said revisions to the district’s bullying definition would clarify when incidents fall under school jurisdiction, particularly focusing on behavior that impacts the learning environment.
He said the update is intended to allow administrators to focus on school-related issues while aligning with state definitions.
Leenman also outlined revisions to the district’s public participation policy, including clarifications on allowable topics during public comment and minor wording adjustments.
He said all proposed policies are posted for public review prior to board action.
EMS training agreement proposed
Leenman also presented a proposed intergovernmental agreement with Habersham EMS that would allow use of the former Fairview Elementary School building for training purposes.
He said EMS officials requested access to the facility, and the agreement is expected to come before the board for approval Monday.
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