From STAFF REPORTS

ELLAVILLE — John Greene, executive director of Schley County Family Connection Collaborative, provided the following update.
• Angeli Smith, longtime Schley County Commissioner, teacher and associate pastor of New Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, died March 12. She was a great supporter of Schley County Family Connection. She founded “Enter into His Courts with Praise,” a basketball program for youth and was instrumental in establishing the Summer Cafe for youth.
• Construction of the roundabout at the intersection of U.S. Highway 19 and Ga. Highway 26 has been delayed due to a change in plan design by GDOT. Construction should begin within three months to a year. GDOT already owns the rights-of-way and land where the roundabout will be constructed.
• A second U.S. Highway 280 bridge will be built across Lake Blackshear within the next two years. The bridge is part of the Transportation Investment Act0funded projects. The bridge is expected to mitigate congestion, facilitate the flow of freight and connect the Cordele Intermodal Center to cities west. The bridge will be built south of the existing bridge at a cost of $30 million.
• The Schley County High School valedictorian, salutatorian, STAR Student and STAR Teacher will be honored at the May meeting of the Schley County Family Connection Collaborative at noon May 25 at the Ellaville City Center. Each student will receive a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for their outstanding achievement, service, and public distinction by Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr., a long-time supporter of Georgia Family Connection. The collaborative will award each student with a free laptop computer for college.
• Congratulations to Doug Goodin, 2017 STAR Student and Patti Wurtz, STAR Teacher. The valedictorian and salutatorian will be announced later.
• The FY18 Annual Plan for Schley County Schools has been submitted. The plan focuses on improved school success. The indicators include third-, fifth-, and eighth-grade ELA assessment, students who graduate high school on time, and GED graduates.
• We welcome NYU Hope 4 Ville (New Hope for Ellaville) to our collaborative as one of the programs providing support to youth in Schley County.
• The Schley County Community Foundation has obtained approximately $24,500 of the $27,000 needed to purchase playground equipment for new Schley Community Park at the Ellaville/Schley County Recreation Center. This includes approximately $19,500 in local donations and a $5,000 grant from the Flint Energies Foundation. Hopefully, construction will be completed before the end of the year.
• The Schley County Family Connection Collaborative is currently working on grants for Deep South Canine Rescue to purchase supplies and the Thomas E. Wall American Legion on initial plans for a memorial to honor Schley County veterans.