White County Schools meal plan for week of March 23-27
News March 23, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — The following is the meal plan for the week of March 23-27. Lunch and breakfast sacks will be provided for any White County School System student at any of the following locations and times:
Bryant Street Community Center 11:00AM
Kinsey Town Bus Route 11:00AM-11:45AM
Whitehall Commons Apartments 11:15AM
Oak Springs Community Center 11:15AM
Cleveland City Park 11:30AM
Shoal Creek Baptist Church 11:30AM
Lanier Ridge Apartments 11:35AM
Brookwood Village 11:45AM
Unicoi Hill Park 12:00PM
Sunny Ridge Apartments 12:00PM
White Street 12:00PM
Mossy Acres Mobile Home Park 12:15PM
*NEW* Linda’s Convenience Store 12:15PM-12:30PM *NEW* Located on Hwy. 129 North
White County Middle School will be operating a drive-thru at the front of the building where meals will be brought out to the cars from 11:30AM-12:30PM.
White County schools provide breakfast and lunch snacks
News March 17, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. The White County School System is providing lunch and breakfast sacks for any White County School System student at the following locations and times:
Bryant Street Community Center 11:00AM
Kinsey Town Bus Route 11:00AM-11:45AM
Whitehall Commons Apartments 11:15AM
Oak Springs Community Center 11:15AM
Cleveland City Park 11:30AM
Shoal Creek Baptist Church 11:30AM
Lanier Ridge Apartments 11:35AM
Brookwood Village 11:45AM
Unicoi Hill Park 12:00PM
Sunny Ridge Apartments 12:00PM
White Street 12:00PM
Mossy Acres Mobile Home Park 12:15PM
White County Middle School will be operating a drive-thru at the front of the building where meals will be brought out to the cars from 11:30AM-12:30PM.
‘Active shooter’ training exercise at White County Middle School April 4
News March 27, 2018CLEVELAND, Ga . — White County Public Safety Director David Murphy wants the public to be aware that an “active shooter training” exercise will take place at White County Middle School on Wednesday, April 4, from 7 a.m. until noon.
This is a joint exercise by the school system, Cleveland Police Department, White County Sheriff’s Office, White County Public Safety, Cleveland Fire Department and the Georgia Emergency Management-Homeland Security Agency.
Murphy said the exercise will evaluate the plans for both the system and first responders in the event an actual situation should occur. This exercise will include volunteer students and faculty from White County Schools and Truett – McConnell University.
The public should be aware of the increased presence of personnel on this date and not be alarmed as this is only an exercise of emergency response plans.
School systems and public safety personnel all across Georgia have conducted these exercises for some time, but the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 students and faculty Feb. 14, has led to a heightened awareness of the importance of such exercises.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Students in Dawson, White and Lumpkin counties stage walkout to honor those killed in Parkland, Fl.
News March 16, 2018
Dr. Rob Brown
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Students all across the nation staged a 17-minute walkout Wednesday organized by Empower, a youth branch of the Women’s March. National organizers say the walkout was staged to “demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence.”
However, in heavily Republican counties like Dawson, Lumpkin and White, the walkouts were more about a respectful memorial to the 17 students and faculty killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school last month and less about making a political statement.
Lumpkin County Schools
Lumpkin County School Superintendent Dr. Rob Brown said about 125 students at Lumpkin County High School and 25 at Lumpkin County Middle School participated.
“It was all about showing respect for the students and faculty involved in the Parkland tragedy,” Brown said.
While some Georgia school systems threatened to punish students who walked out of classes, that was not the case in Lumpkin, White or Dawson counties. “We believe First Amendment rights are just as important in schools as they are in the rest of society,” Brown said.
Students at both schools stood around the American flag in observance of the 17 minutes. “The principal encouraged the kids to work on their social skills by talking to students they don’t know and getting to know them,” Brown said.
White County Schools
Dr. Jeff Wilson
Students in White County schools were also welcome to join in the walkout. School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Wilson said 200 White County Middle School students participated along with about 50 at the high school and 15 at the Ninth Grade Academy.
“We respect their right to express themselves as long as it’s respectful and doesn’t disrupt the other students,” Wilson said.
The walkout had a very unique significance at WCMS thanks to a teacher, Melanie Lawhorn, and her students, who developed the “Warriors for Kindness” project. The project, which is posted on the school’s website states, “In order to honor the lives of the 17 individuals lost in Parkland, Florida, White County Middle School students are performing 17 random acts of kindness during the one-month anniversary week.” The acts of kindness are being logged and will be mailed to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as a sign of support and love for the community.
Dawson County Schools
Dr. Damon Gibbs
School Superintendent Dr. Damon Gibbs said the event in Dawson County was respectful and non-disruptive.
“We allowed our students to gather in remembrance of those killed in Parkland, Florida, as well as to express their desire to see an end to school violence of any kind,” Gibbs stated.
Staff was assigned to hold discussions with students and answer any questions that they had.
“We respect the right of our students to express their opinions in a respectful and non-disruptive way,” Gibbs said. “We are also seeking their opinions about how we can make our schools safer in the future.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
WCMS Student Arrested After Alleged Threats
News October 6, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – A White County Middle School seventh grader was arrested Thursday after a classmate told school officials the boy threatened to “shoot up the school and that she would be the first one he shot.”
Authorities declined to identify the boy because he is a juvenile but said he was arraigned Friday (Oct. 5) in White County Juvenile Court where Judge Jeremy D. Clough set a trial date for Friday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. He is charged with making terroristic threats. The judge also ordered the boy released to his parents’ custody and required him to wear an ankle monitor. He also ordered that no guns be present in the parents’ home.
White County School Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Wilson said the boy is “suspended pending the outcome of the trial.”
A classmate of the suspect, also a juvenile, said she reported the threat Wednesday morning, first to a teacher then to the seventh grade support coordinator.
The girl’s mother, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution, said she was not notified of the incident until Wednesday evening around 7:30 p.m. when the support coordinator called her.
“I asked to meet with the school principal Kristi Gerrells Thursday morning and when I did, I was told that she wanted to wait until the School Resource Officer returned from vacation on Monday before contacting the police. I said that was unacceptable and I thought parents should be made aware of the threat immediately.
“I felt like the way she handled it was inappropriate. She made me feel like I was wasting my time. She also said she appreciated me not posting it on social media because we don’t need a bunch of stirred up parents. I felt like she just wanted to cover it up,” she said. “But I think this is something parents need to know.”
In March, a threat made on social media prompted White County School officials to request additional security at White County Middle School. At the time, Wilson said the threat was investigated it and determined not to be credible.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
WCMS Student Appears in Juvenile Court Friday
News October 12, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – A seventh-grade student at White County Middle School, who was arrested last week for making terrorist threats is scheduled to appear in White County Juvenile Court tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 13).
The student, who is not identified due to his age, allegedly told a classmate he planned to shoot up the school and that she would be the first one shot.
White County School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Wilson declined to answer questions regarding the incident but instead, issued the following prepared statement:
“On Wednesday afternoon last week, a threat was made by a White County Middle School student. The administration met with the students involved and addressed the issue. The student who made the threat was sent home while the incident was investigated further. After further investigation on Thursday morning, the school contacted law enforcement. WCMS students were safe throughout the process. The safety of our students is our number one priority and we work diligently to keep our teachers and students safe.”
According to a spokesman for the Cleveland Police Department, the boy was arrested then released to his parents but ordered to wear an ankle bracelet
The mother of the girl who reported the threat asked not to be identified for fear of retribution. She did say that she was upset with school officials because her daughter reported the threat to a teacher and a support coordinator Wednesday morning. But the mother said she wasn’t told of the incident until Wednesday evening when the coordinator called her.
“I asked to meet with the school Principal Kristi Gerrells Thursday morning,” the mother told Fetch Your News. “When I did, I was told that she wanted to wait until the School Resource Officer returned from vacation on Monday before contacting the police. I said that was unacceptable and I thought parents should be made aware of the threat immediately.”
The mother added, “I felt like the way she handled it was inappropriate. She made me feel like I was wasting my time. She also said she appreciated me not posting it on social media because we don’t need a bunch of stirred up parents. I felt like she just wanted to cover it up. But I think this is something parents need to know.”
This is the second time this year school officials reacted to a threat at the same school. A threat made on social media in March prompted a request for additional security. At the time, Wilson said the threat was investigated it and determined not to be credible.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Feeding, Shower Facility Open Today at WCMS
News September 17, 2017
David Murphy
CLEVELAND, Ga. – White County Public Safety Director David Murphy announced that the White County Middle School, 283 Old Blairsville Road, will be open again today as a feeding and shower facility from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
It will reopen from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Anyone without power and are in need of these services is welcome. Please bring your essential hygiene products, towels, and change of clothing. Bottled water and ICE will be distributed at the site during those hours as well.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Teacher Fired After Sexual Assault Allegation
News September 20, 2017
Leonard Jones
CLEVELAND, Ga. – In a called meeting Tuesday morning, the White County Board of Education officially terminated Leonard Jones, the White County Middle School teacher arrested last week for allegedly having inappropriate contact with a student at the school.
Jones, 54, has been charged with three counts of aggravated child molestation, three counts of sodomy, three counts of sexual assault and three counts of reckless conduct.
Jones was arrested and placed on leave without pay after the White County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a parent. Dr. Jeff Wilson, Superintendent of White County Schools, said at the time Jones would never be back in a White County School.
The board went into executive session Tuesday to discuss the issue then emerged and voted unanimously, with Commissioner Charlie Bryson absent, to terminate Jones.
In other action, the Board approved the appointments of Ann Brevard as Special Ed Teacher at White County Middle School and parapros Debbie Pruitt, Shelli Leslie and Tammy Fletter.
The Board also approved a pay as you go request (PAYG) request for renovations in the White County Middle School Special Education and Sensory Room and appointed Ann Brevard as Special Education teacher at the school.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Teen Airlifted to Hospital After Bicycle Accident
News August 9, 2016
CLEVELAND — A 15-year-old White County youth was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center Monday night with what appears to be serious head injuries following a bicycle accident behind White County Middle School.
Cleveland Police Chief John Foster said the cause of the accident is unknown.
Foster did not identify the injured teen, but said two boys who were passing by heard cries for help and discovered the teen in a creek around 7:30 p.m and called 9-1-1.
The accident remains under investigation by Cleveland Police Department.
Monday is Back to School Day for White Co. Students
News August 2, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The first day of the new school year in White County is Monday, Aug. 8. But there is still a lot to do before welcoming students back.
For example, there are a host of Open Houses scheduled this week.
White County High School and the Ninth Grade Academy will host Open House Wednesday Aug. 3 starting at 4 p.m.
On Thursday, Jack P. Nix, Mossy Creek and Tesnatee Gap Elementary Schools and White County Middle School will hold Open Houses on their campuses from 4-7 p.m. Jack P. Nix will hold a Governing Council Parent Election at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Last week, the school system welcomed 38 new employees and gave them an orientation. This week Open Houses are scheduled.