Category Archives: Uncategorized

Youth Empowerment for Success (YES) Program begins at Putnam County High School

  October 17, 2024 - 5:08 pm |
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Putnam County High School (PCHS) is offering a new program to students beginning in the 2014-2015 school year! PCHS was awarded a $2.4 million grant from the US Department of Labor last spring, and with the funding, PCHS developed the Youth Empowerment for Success (YES) Program. YES students will complete all requirements for achievement of a high school diploma, while earning college credit. YES Program courses include academic dual-enrollment as well as technical classes in the areas of healthcare, information technology, and welding. PCHS has partnered with colleges, community, and businesses in order to ensure meaningful and transferable experiences for program students. Within the YES Program, students will also learn the soft skills necessary for life after high school and have an assortment of ways to explore opportunities available to them post-graduation. Students will be able to explore the world of work through career fairs and employer site visits, as well as obtain on-the-job training during internships and job shadowing. They also will have a chance to look into institutions of higher education by recruitment visits, college fairs, and campus tours. Additionally, each YES Program student will be able to hear guest speakers from high-demand industries, participate in mentorships, and work on service learning projects. The YES Program was created with the main goal of providing students with the education, skills, and opportunities that will help them be successful when they leave PCHS!

Please join us for an informational luncheon meeting on Monday, October 27 at 12:00 p.m. or on Tuesday, October 28th at 6:00pm in the PCHS Café!

RSVP to Donna Silva: donna_silva@putnam.k12.ga.us .

 

 

Middle Georgia Digital Economy Summit in Macon October 28, 2024

  October 6, 2024 - 4:11 pm |
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The Middle Georgia Regional Commission, in partnership with Georgia Technology Authority (GTA), is hosting the inaugural Middle Georgia Digital Summit at the Middle Georgia State College Campus in Macon, Georgia on Tuesday, October 28, 2024 from 8:00am – 4:00pm. This first-of-its-kind event will bring together businesses, technology resources and government agencies to explore how all segments of middle Georgia are engaged in the Digital Economy. Local community partners in the Summit include TAG Middle Georgia Chapter and Middle Georgia State College.

Bill Price, administrator of the Digital Georgia Program at the Georgia Technology Authority, will be conducting a panel on Crowdfunding. See video: http://bit.ly/1yGCV9v

The Digital Georgia Program seeks to bring together and connect Georgia’s business, community, and government professionals to highlight examples, best practices, and the ways people can collaborate to benefit from Internet-age economic development, education, health care, and community innovation.

For more information http://middlegeorgiadigital.com/

View Agenda

Event Registration

Area Development Magazine Ranks Georgia the #1 Place in the US to do Business

  September 16, 2024 - 5:11 pm |
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Area Development, a leading executive magazine, covers corporate site selection and relocation. Georgia ranked 1st for labor climate and 2nd for business environment, overall infrastructure, and global access. This follows recent #1 rankings for “Most Competitive State” from Site Selection Magazine and the “#1 State for Business” by CNBC. These reports also ranked logistics/transportation in Georgia either number 1 or 2 and cited this as a major factor to the overall top rankings!

For full article go to: Area Development Magazine

Putnam County High School Helping PCHS Students be Successful!

  September 3, 2024 - 8:46 pm |
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The philosophy at Putnam County High School is that every student can be successful! Success can be measured in different ways, whether it is a job right out of high school, commitment to the Armed Forces or attending a technical school or a traditional 4-year college. Every student can find success and PCHS has many different programs to help them do just that!

There are several exciting programs that are available to all students at PCHS. They are Work-Based Learning (WBL), Youth Empowerment for Success (YES) and College Credit NOW – Academic and Occupational Dual Enrollment.

Work-Based Learning (WBL) Programs are structured experiences that connect the student’s career goals and classroom learning with a productive work environment. WBL allows for student placement in their chosen career that typically lasts for one semester or the entire school year. These placements may be paid or unpaid depending on their place of work. WBL allows for the program students to earn high school credit and leave early from school each day for their job.

Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, PCHS students can participate in the Youth Empowerment for Success (YES) Program which is funded by the Youth CareerConnect grant from the US Department of Labor. YES Program courses include academic dual-enrollment as well as technical classes related to healthcare, information technology, and welding. Students in the YES program will be able to explore the world of work through career fairs and employer site visits, as well as obtain on-the-job training during internships and job shadowing. They also will have a chance to look into institutions of higher education by recruitment visits, college fairs, and campus tours. Additionally, each YES Program student will be able to hear guest speakers from high-demand industries, participate in mentorships, and work on service learning projects.

College Credit NOW offers students the opportunity to take over 30 academic college courses on campus. Students can receive high school and college credit at the same time. This enables the student to get a jumpstart on college! Students can also take occupational courses that will allow them to receive technical college certificates or diplomas in Auto Mechanics, Criminal Justice, HVAC, Information Technology, Healthcare and Welding.

Students at Putnam County High School will also learn the soft skills necessary for life after high school and have an assortment of ways to explore opportunities available to them post-graduation. All programs aim to fully prepare students for their life after their graduation day by exposing them to as many different opportunities as possible! Call the school at 706-485-9971 if you are interested in learning more about the exciting programs available for PCHS students.

Water line shows ‘business friendly’ attitude in county

  July 24, 2024 - 7:44 pm |
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Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2024 12:00 am

Ron Bridgeman ron@msgr.com Smith Communications Inc.

A water line from Eatonton to Rock Eagle Technology Park is at least as significant for the support it demonstrates for new business as for the service itself, the chairman of the Putnam County Board of Commissioners says.

“I strongly believe that it is the obligation of the county to provide the resources needed to promote economic expansion in the county,” Steve Hersey said by email Monday.

“Those resources include: expansion of infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and natural gas), adequate support of the Putnam Development Authority, and, perhaps most importantly, demonstrating a ‘business friendly’ attitude.”

At the July 17 BOC meeting, Hersey said, “I would have much preferred that the water authority was in a position to take this on, but they’re not.”

He was referring to the Eatonton-Putnam Water & Sewer Authority.

Hersey said, “EPWSA is so heavily leveraged that (it) cannot take on the debt service” for the water line.

Getting an agreement between the county and EPWSA for a connection to the existing water line will help the utility, Hersey said, because “it will reduce the cost of water to EPWSA.”

Hersey added he expects the county and Piedmont Water Co. to meet within the next two weeks to “prepare a draft” of an agreement the BOC could approve.

He also said the county’s commitment to the line “should send a message to existing businesses and prospective new businesses that the county will support them.”

Hersey also emphasized the number of agencies involved in providing utility services.

“The waterline project cannot be taken in isolation since it represents the combined efforts of city council – natural gas line – Piedmont Water – sewer and water distribution – and the county to promote development in the north part of the county.

“The fact that several stakeholders have come together for the common good may be the most significant feature of this project,” he said.

Putnam County Will Have Boys & Girls Club This Fall

  July 24, 2024 - 7:27 pm |
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The Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Georgia will sponsor a club for kindergarten through eighth-grade students, beginning with a part-time program this fall and expanding to a “full-fledged Boys & Girls Club” in January, according to the group’s program director Karen Robertson.

“We are overly excited about the opportunity to expand the Boys & Girls Club into Putnam County,” Robertson said. “We just want to be a partner that collaborates with the great things that are already happening to improve outcomes for children and families in Putnam County.”

Robertson, CEO Steven Rice, and Region Development Committee Chairman Harris Warbington made their announcement at the Putnam County Board of Education meeting Monday, where Robertson said they were “ready to go to work to get the club going.”

The North Central Georgia organization, which sponsors the clubs in Morgan, Greene and Walton counties, learned Friday the Georgia Department of Education was awarding a Century Community Learning Center grant, providing approximately $300,000 a year for five years for Putnam’s club. The regional group will serve as the fiscal agent for the grant, which will be paid as expenditures are made.

The club will be housed in two schools – the kindergarten through fifth-grade program will be at Putnam County Elementary School, with sixth- through eighth-graders served at Putnam County Middle School.

PCES Principal Raymond Braziel and PCMS Principal Susan Usry also spoke at the BOE meeting.

There was some good-natured ribbing as Braziel said it would be “a challenge” to find space for 110 children to participate at his school.

“It’s all exciting, and it’s worth it,” he added.

Usry quickly said she’d “be more than happy” to take some of his “slots” and increase the 65 allotted for the middle school.

“Never in my life did I think I’d refer to the learning cottages in a positive way, but I’m so glad to have them now,” she said of the modular units on the PCMS campus.

Once alternative classrooms, they now are used for storage, and will be refurbished for the club.

Timeline

Robertson said registration will take place at the open houses held at PCMS, PCES and Putnam County Primary School before school starts.

The program will have a “soft opening,” Robertson said, starting in September at both sites as a 21st Century Community Learning Center program for 2 ½ hours after school, Monday-Thursday.

Initially, participants will be chosen based on their need for academic support.

Plans are to expand in January “to a full-fledged” club, which will remain open until 7 p.m. and will include children without regard to academic need.

“Both 21st Century and Boys & Girls Club embody academic enrichment and youth development activities in a safe place for kids after school during those critical hours of 3 and 7 p.m. when most parents are working and not available for their children,” Robertson said.

Amenities

Braziel and Usry said the best thing they heard was that part of the grant includes transportation for participants.

Robertson confirmed that, saying primary school students will be taken by bus to the elementary school and then all students can ride the buses home at the end of the day.

Transportation also will be provided for extra activities sponsored by the club.

In addition to the 30-week after-school program, Robertson said organizers plan to have eight “Super Saturdays, which are high-intensity academic enrichment,” and a four-week, full-time summer program.

Braziel said he was most excited about parent workshops.

Robertson said, “because our program can only be stronger if the parents are engaged and the family, over all, is strengthened,” the Putnam County Boys & Girls Club will host workshops for parents on financial literacy; better ways to help children with homework; nutrition and meal planning; and fitness, exercise and stress-reduction.

“My school leaders and I are already looking at ways to partner with them to host a parents’ night,” Braziel said.

Adult support

Rice said the local club cannot operate without a steering committee.

“The Boys & Girls Club absolutely is something the community has to rally around and the community has to own it,” he said. “

The regional group “will continue to secure funding, but the community must be involved,” he said, and the corporate organization is looking to build a board of eight to 10 people from Putnam County.

Club representatives, with Putnam County school officials, will search for employees through a job fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. July 28 at the Putnam County campus of Central Georgia Technical College.

Robertson said the club is looking for “certified teachers and paraprofessionals, as well as youth development professionals,” and also will need some specialized instructors in art, dance, fitness and other areas.

“Hopefully, we will gain a great pool of candidates to choose from at the job fair,” she said.

After the program is established, volunteers will be needed to read with the children, help with homework, work on art projects and help with community service projects.

“We’d love to see retired teachers, civic club members, come in and work with the kids,” Robertson said.

Call the corporate office at 770-267-8034 for more information.

U.S. Congressman Broun to Host Grants & Small Business Workshop

  July 22, 2024 - 7:08 pm |
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Athens, GA – U.S. Representative Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) today announced that he will host a Grants and Small Business Workshop from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2024 at the Oconee County Civic Center. The workshop will give individuals seeking grant funding and business loans the opportunity to learn about strategies for grant writing, keys to small business success, and tips for navigating federal grants.

“This workshop is a great opportunity for individuals and organizations seeking grant funding or business loans to learn about the tools that will help them succeed,” said Congressman Paul Broun. “I encourage 10th district residents to take advantage of this free workshop and the opportunity to network and speak with state and federal representatives about the application process and their programs.”

The following agencies will be available with information about the services and resources they provide:

· Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

· Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)

· Georgia DCA Appalachian Regional Commission

· Georgia DCA Housing & Finance

· Georgia Emergency Management Agency

· Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

· Grants.gov

· The Environmental Protection Agency

· The Federal Emergency Management Agency

· The Foundation Center

· USDA Rural Development

· U.S. Department of Education

· U.S. Small Business Administration

· Office of Small Business Development Centers

The Grants and Small Business Workshop will take place at the Oconee County Civic Center at 2661 Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville, Georgia. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, please contact Beth Blalock at Beth.Blalock@mail.house.gov or 706-969-1461.

 

Putnam County schools soar above state on CRCT

  July 7, 2024 - 8:58 pm |
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The Georgia Department of Education released results of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) June 25 2014, and Putnam County students exceeded the state average in all 30 of the tests.

The CRCT is a state-required set of tests for all public school students in grades three through eight. There are separate tests in each of the six grades for five subjects – reading, English/language arts, math, science and social studies. Students must pass the tests to be promoted to the next grade.

Putnam County scored higher than the other six counties in the Oconee Regional Educational Service Agency and the surrounding counties on 17 of the 30 tests. The RESA serves Baldwin, Hancock, Johnson, Putnam, Washington and Wilkinson counties.

Among the RESA systems and neighbors Greene, Jones and Morgan counties, Putnam County scored higher in third-grade math, science and social studies; fourth-grade ELA, science and social studies; fifth-grade reading, ELA, math and science; sixth-grade reading, math and social studies; and seventh-grade reading, math, science and social studies.

The CRCT has been administered in Georgia since 2000. Although the state implemented new tests for reading, ELA and math in 2013 based on the Common Core Curriculum, Putnam’s scores did not drop as GDOE said was expected in many systems.

Common Core uses an open-ended question or requires the student to derive an answer rather than choosing from a short list of possibilities.

To meet the challenges, Putnam County school officials created their own practice assessments, and teachers changed methods to address the changes.

“We’re trying to be in front of the changes with the state by using open-ended questions and more rigor in our classes and assessments,” Arena said.

“We’re ratcheting up our expectations for our children. The state tests are just a part of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

This was the last year CRCTs will be given, according to information on the GDOE website. The state will begin using “Georgia’s Milestone Assessment System” in the 2014-2015 school year.

Putnam General Hospital Announces Partnership with Macon Health System

  July 7, 2024 - 2:34 pm |
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MACON, GA (Monday, July 7, 2024) – Putnam General Hospital (PGH) in Eatonton, along with Central Georgia Health System (CGHS) and The Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) in Macon, today announced their intent to enter a strategic partnership that will allow the two hospitals to create and expand healthcare services for Putnam County and the surrounding region.

Dr. Ninfa Saunders, President and CEO of CGHS and MCCG

“The primary goal of our partnership is to create a medical neighborhood for those who live in Georgia’s lake country, allowing us to recruit physicians and expand services to cover the continuum of care. The management arrangement will allow The Medical Center of Central Georgia, with the strength and leadership of Putnam General’s CEO Alan Horton, to bring resources directly to the community, develop new opportunities, and retain Putnam’s talented physicians while recruiting new talent as necessary. All of this is in an effort to keep healthcare local,” said Dr. Ninfa Saunders, President and CEO of CGHS and MCCG.

Dr. Eddie Richardson, Chief of Staff at PGH, agreed that expanded services will attract new physicians to the area.

“Our partnership with The Medical Center of Central Georgia will enable us to expand our service offerings, making Putnam more attractive to highly trained physicians and giving the community increased access to a plethora of specialists,” said Richardson.

Alan Horton, CEO of PGH

According to Alan Horton, CEO of PGH, the Putnam County hospital has been seeking a larger health system to partner with for some time.

“We’ve been exploring our options, and The Medical Center of Central Georgia is a good fit. The Medical Center is well respected and well recognized by the citizens of Putnam County. Furthermore, we have similar goals and a similar approach to healthcare – placing the patient at the center of all that we do. Management relationships such as these are a path to sustainability for rural hospitals,” said Horton.

Horton said the arrangement will allow PGH to develop opportunities PGH otherwise would be unable to afford. Saunders agreed.

“Putnam General Hospital has been a pillar in the lake country community for almost 50 years. The hospital is foundational to the healthcare needs of the community. Strategic partnerships between community partners ensure the viability and longevity of healthcare providers, increasing a community hospital’s capabilities while keeping healthcare close to home,” said Starr Purdue, Chairperson of CGHS’s Board of Directors.

Due to recent changes in the healthcare industry, alliances among healthcare providers have become a positive and necessary national trend. In a statement released last August, Earl Rogers, President of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA), addressed the many challenges hospitals face today.

“When you combine the uncompensated care burden with continued reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals, there are several hospitals in the state facing great difficulty staying financially viable,” said Rogers.

According to GHA, a Georgia Department of Community Health Hospital Financial Survey found that 55 percent of Georgia’s rural hospitals lost money in 2011,

“We realized a partnership was necessary. Without a larger partner, Putnam General would not be able to survive current trends in healthcare, including decreased reimbursement. The Medical Center is our long time neighbor, and a wonderful choice for this partnership,” said Jerry Gregory, Chairperson of PGH’s Board of Directors.

CGHS, MCCG and PGH are members of Stratus Healthcare, a strategic non-equity network of health systems, hospitals and physicians that was formed in July 2013. Horton and Saunders recognize that this partnership may not have been realized without their connection through Stratus.

“The purpose of Stratus Healthcare is to permit members to strengthen one another. The partnership with Putnam General Hospital is very much Stratus based. The developing relationship between The Medical Center of Central Georgia and Putnam General Hospital will allow the two healthcare entities to work together in a more formalized manner,” said Saunders.

About Putnam General Hospital
Putnam General Hospital (PGH) has proudly provided community based healthcare to Putnam County and the surrounding lake country since 1968. Putnam General Hospital is a Joint Commission Accredited 25-bed Critical Access Hospital and offers a comprehensive range of services: acute and skilled care; a full range of outpatient diagnostic, rehabilitation and physical therapy services; occupational health care; outpatient and general, minimally invasive surgery; radiology services; and a state-of-the-art 24-hour emergency room. PGH has been recognized for achieving consistently high levels of patient safety and quality patient outcomes by the Georgia Hospital Association and other rating agencies and was named a Coverdell Champion Hospital for Stroke Prevention and Care by the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stork Registry. For more information, please visit www.putnamgeneral.com.

About Central Georgia Health System
Central Georgia Health System (CGHS) was incorporated on November 17, 2024 as a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to coordinate The Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) and other affiliated entities in their mission of providing a comprehensive range of high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare services to the central and south Georgia community. Currently, these other entities include Carlyle Place, Central Georgia Home Care Services, Central Georgia Rehabilitation Hospital, Health Services of Central Georgia, Medcen Community Health Foundation, Pine Pointe Hospice & Palliative Care and The Medical Center of Peach County.

About The Medical Center of Central Georgia
 The Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG), an entity of Central Georgia Health System (CGHS), is a tertiary regional teaching medical center, a designated Level I Trauma Center, a perinatal center, and is one of 42 twice-designated Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence nationwide. MCCG serves a primary and secondary service area of 30 counties and nearly 750,000 persons in central and south Georgia. It has over 4,600 employees and a medical staff of over 590 physicians. As the second largest hospital in Georgia, MCCG is licensed for 637 beds, including medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric, psychiatric, and specialized individual intensive care units for neurology, pediatric, neonatal, surgical trauma, cardiac and cardiac surgery. The Emergency Center, with helipad capability and three urgent care centers, treats over 120,000 visitors per year. MCCG provides a broad range of community-based, outpatient diagnostic, primary care, extensive home health and hospice care, and comprehensive rehabilitation services. MCCG is the primary teaching hospital for Mercer University School of Medicine, providing residency and fellowship programs for over 100 residents and fellows, and is affiliated with multiple universities as a clinical education site. Visit www.MCCG.org for more information.