ATLANTA (August 18, 2023) | Yesterday, Senator Harold Jones II (D – Augusta) was awarded a $5,000 check by The Kroger Company to donate to charities of his choosing in the fight to eradicate food insecurity and food deserts across Georgia. The recipients of Sen. Jones’ donation include the Augusta Dream Center Inc. and Savannah Riverkeeper. The Kroger Company awarded the check to Sen. Jones during a tour of the new Kroger grocery store on Eisenhower Parkway, which is projected to open in the spring of 2024.
Continue reading “Kroger Partners with Senate Democratic Whip Harold Jones II to Support Food Insecurity Charities”Senators Serve on Georgia Council on Literacy, First Meeting Held
ATLANTA (August 9, 2023) | On Monday, the Georgia Council on Literacy held its inaugural in-person meeting and roundtable discussion at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Nearly 200 people were in attendance, including legislators, teachers, children’s literacy experts and members of the public. The Council, which operates under the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, is dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for Georgia students. The first meeting included an introduction of the Council’s purpose and its members, an overview of the science of reading, reports from the Georgia Literacy Coach, discussion of literacy initiatives in schools and public comment.
Continue reading “Senators Serve on Georgia Council on Literacy, First Meeting Held”First Meeting of the 2023 Senate Study Committee on Foster Care and Adoption to be Held at State Capitol
ATLANTA (August 8, 2023) | On Wednesday, August 9, the Senate Study Committee on Foster Care and Adoption, chaired by Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R – Marietta), will hold its first meeting of the year in room 450 of the State Capitol. This committee will examine current policies and regulations which address the conditions, needs, issues, and problems related to the safety and welfare of Georgia’s children.
WHO: Senate Study Committee on Foster Care and Adoption
WHAT: First Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday, August 9
10:00am
WHERE: 206 Washington Street
450 State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
The meeting agenda can be found here. The meeting will be livestreamed here.
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Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Children and Families. She represents Senate District 32 which includes portions of Cobb and Cherokee Counties. She may be reached at 404.656.3932 or at kay.kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov
First Meeting of 2023 Senate Study Committee on Occupational Licensing to be Held in Macon
ATLANTA (August 8, 2023) | On Thursday, August 10, the Senate Study Committee on Occupational Licensing will hold its first meeting of the year in Macon, Georgia. This committee, chaired by Senator Larry Walker III (R – Perry), will examine its current occupational licensing laws and requirements to determine if they should be modified or restructured to encourage, promote, and foster employment and healthy business growth in the state of Georgia.
WHO: Senate Study Committee on Occupational Licensing
WHAT: First Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, August 10 at 10:00am
WHERE: Office of the Secretary of State, Licensing Division
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217
The meeting agenda can be found here.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Senate Majority Caucus. He also serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents Senate District 20 which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Pulaski, Treutlen, and Wilcox Counties and a portion of Houston County. He can be reached at larry.walker@senate.ga.gov
Senate President Pro Tempore Celebrates Expansion of Leader in Me Model Across Georgia
ATLANTA (August 8, 2023) | Just in time for the “back-to-school” season, the Georgia Department of Education allocated $2.5 million during their June meeting for the expansion of the Leader in Me model under the Amended FY2023 Budget. As part of this initiative, instructional materials will be delivered to 11 school districts and 28 schools across the state in preparation for the 2023-2024 school year.
“Middle Georgia has set a remarkable example in improving children’s lives and outcomes through this educational content,” said President Pro Tempore Senator John F. Kennedy (R – Macon). “I cannot express how appreciative and excited I am for the Leader in Me model to expand across our state. During the 2023 Legislative Session, our team worked closely with both Macon’s Business Education Partnership and representatives from FranklinCovey Education to secure the necessary resources for statewide expansion. With these additional funds, the Leader in Me model will continue to empower students across Georgia, instilling in them the leadership skills and principles that will shape their future success. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Chairman Rep. Robert Dickey (R – Musella), Georgia Board of Education Chairman Jason Downey, House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Matt Hatchett (R – Dublin) and Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Sen. Blake Tillery (R – Vidalia) for their support in securing this funding.”
“I am delighted to see Middle Georgia leading the way in our children’s education” said Rep. Dickey. “What our community experienced in Bibb County was no accident. The success of this program was a direct result of public and private partners coming together to improve educational outcomes in our community. I am excited to see this funding go towards expanding these opportunities for Georgia’s children around the state. I want to extend a sincere thank you to House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett, Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery and President Pro-Tempore Kennedy for their support of this initiative.”
Sean Covey, President of FranklinCovey Education, said, “It’s been our honor to work with the Georgia Department of Education and the General Assembly to bring Leader in Me to schools throughout the State. We now look forward to partnering closely with these districts to bring the Leader in Me to their students to help them to build the leadership and life skills they need to thrive, adapt and contribute in today’s ever-changing world.”
Leader in Me is an evidence-based Pre-K-12 model, developed in partnership with educators, designed to build resilience and leadership in students, create a high-trust school culture, and help improve academic achievement.
The student-centric model aims to foster leadership skills, character development, and personal growth in students and is implemented in schools to empower students with the necessary tools to thrive academically and in their personal lives. It is designed to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and goal-setting skills. Students learn to take responsibility for their actions, set and work towards personal and academic goals, and develop a strong sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Now in more than 7,000 schools throughout the world, Leader in Me continues to have a significant, measurable impact in schools and in the lives of millions of students, parents, teachers and administrators.”
The model’s success in Macon-Bibb County began during the 2015-2016 school year when Macon’s Business Education Partnership raised funds to implement Leader in Me in two pilot schools. The positive outcomes and transformative impact led to its expansion countywide in 2018.
You can find out more about Leader in Me here.
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Sen. John F. Kennedy serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate. He represents the 18th Senate District which includes Upson, Monroe, Peach, Crawford, and portions of Bibb and Houston Counties. He may be reached at 404.656.6578 or by email at john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov
Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He represents Senate District 19, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler Counties and a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached at 404.656.5038 or by email at blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov