Votes Needed to Help Two Fayette Teachers Win Makeovers

Your vote could make a huge difference in the lives of two teachers at Whitewater High.

Math teacher Jacqueline Mullen and healthcare science teacher Julie Wolf have been chosen to represent Whitewater in THE STYLE upGRADE challenge that is being sponsored by The Avenue and Cousins Properties. The two teachers are among 10 from metro-Atlanta participating.

As part of its ongoing Partners in Education initiatives, The Avenue partnered with Whitewater and four other high school marketing departments to treat two teachers to a style makeover valued at over $1,000.

A total of 21 students in Krystin Glover’s Advanced Marketing class have been working with the shopping center on the project. Teachers were asked to submit self-nomination applications, and then each one was interviewed by a panel of students from the class using pre-determined questions from The Avenue. In order to be considered for the competition, nominees had to be a teacher, administrator or counselor. The two finalists were chosen based on their dedication to students and the teaching profession, who was the most deserving, and their personal story (both suffer from debilitating diseases, Wolf with fibromyalgia and Mullen has phenylketonuria or PKU).

Now the real competition begins. The two winners will be chosen based on who receives the most community votes. The marketing students have started a grassroots marketing plan within the school system to secure online votes for the two teachers, but they need everyone’s help to ensure that both Mullen and Wolf emerge as the winners.

Voters can go to www.thestyleupgrade.com to vote as many times as they want from now until midnight September 20. Voters will also be entered to win their own STYLE upGRADE, a $250 gift card to The Avenue retailer of their choice. All winners will be announced the week of September 21 on The Avenue Facebook page, www.facebook.com/shoptheavenue.

The teachers are not the only ones who stand to benefit from this experience. The marketing students are getting an invaluable opportunity to practice their skills in a real world setting.

“This has put the students in the highest level of marketing by not only learning the information, but also having to implement their ideas in the real world,” says Glover, Advanced Marketing teacher.

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Public Input Sought on Proposed SPLOST

The Fayette County Board of Education is exploring the possibility of asking voters to approve a one percent SPLOST (Special Local Option Sales Tax) in November to help the school system maintain its high level of education while lowering property taxes.

A public input session will be held at the Fayette County Board of Education (210 Stonewall Avenue, Fayetteville) on July 31st at 7 p.m. Residents wishing to make comments on the proposal will need to sign up that evening prior to the beginning of the session. Each person will be limited to two minutes in order to ensure that everyone who wants to speak has an opportunity to do so. Doors will open at 6 p.m.; the sign-in sheets will be removed promptly at 7 p.m. Written and emailed comments are also welcome.

Austerity cuts over the last several years have resulted in a loss of approximately $21 million in state funding. That, coupled with rising fuel costs and increased prices for basic supplies, has forced the school system to make some tough funding decisions that could have a direct impact on students.

A one percent SPLOST would generate approximately $100-115 million over a five-year period to help fund needs that have been postponed as well as address future needs. Specifically, the SPLOST would fund debt service ($38 million), which will lower property taxes; technology ($35 million); security ($2.5 million); textbook adoption ($2.5 million); facilities five-year plan and warehouse relocation ($17 million); transportation ($10 million) and an aquatic facility ($10 million) for school swim teams and swimming lessons.

It is estimated that the SPLOST would lower property taxes through a reduction of the school system’s bond millage rate ranging between 0.83 mills to 1.59 mills during the time it is in place. This would lower the property tax bill on a $250,000 home between $83 and $159 each year.

The board of education has until August 4 to adopt a resolution for the SPLOST. If a resolution is adopted by the board and approved by voters in November, the new tax will take effect April 1, 2009.

Secretary of State Karen Handel Reminds Voters about the Conclusion of Advance Voting and Absentee Balloting for the General Primary Election

Secretary of State Karen Handel reminded voters today about the conclusion of advance voting and absentee balloting for the Tuesday, July 15, 2008 statewide General Primary Election.

Voters will have the opportunity to advance vote in-person through the close of business on Friday, July 11, 2008. Voters will be required to show photo identification prior to in-person advance voting.

Voters can request an absentee ballot through the close of business on Friday, July 11, 2008. Absentee ballots must be returned to the county registrar by Election Day, July 15, 2008. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail.

Voters will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID when voting in-person during advance voting or on Election Day:

A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
Valid U.S. passport;
Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
Valid tribal photo ID.

If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, they can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Anyone with additional questions about Georgia’s photo ID requirement can visit www.GAPhotoID.com or call toll free (877) 725-9797.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2008. Voters can find voter registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by visiting http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/locator.asp.