Several classrooms across the district are learning with a new type of instructor this year thanks to a contract with Proximity Learning, Inc. The company helps fill classroom vacancies with certified teachers that work in conjunction with a long-term substitute through an online livestream.

"I think they're getting the benefit of a certified teacher that can actually teach the lesson and know the content," said Weaver Middle School principal Dr. Sherri Flagg.

One of the classrooms with such an arrangement is a sixth-grade class at Weaver, where Shikesha Thornton serves as a long-term sub. Student Paul Ogoh said the class provides the students with opportunities to learn while also using technology to communicate live with the teacher based out of Texas.

"I really love technology a lot," said Ogoh.

Thornton said the class also held benefits for her. A U.S. military veteran working toward her own English certification, she said she's picked up classroom strategies during her time working with Proximity Learning.

"It's kind of giving me ideas about what I could do in the classroom," Thornton said.

Along with Macon-Bibb County, Macon Water Authority and the Macon Housing Authority, the district helped organize the 2016 Vendor Fair earlier this month. The event, held at the Robert J. Williams Complex on Anthony Road, was intended as a "networking" opportunity for subcontractors in the area.

"The main purpose was to give insight to our subcontractors and to link them with our general contractors," said Elaine Wilson, the district's procurement director.

The vendors who registered for the event also got to hear from keynote speaker Dorna Wederllin with the Georgia Department of Administrative Services. In addition, it served as an opportunity to connect with officials with the sponsoring agencies.

"We've all got projects that are coming up," Wilson said.

Dr. Shayan Zafrani visited the fourth-graders at Southfield Elementary last month. He talked to the students about the importance of diet and exercise, as well as all the medical issues that those practices can help control and even prevent.

Students in the Springdale Elementary School music program celebrated Christmas last week with the "Forever Christmas" dinner theater. The performance was a fundraiser that will help add a character education program to the music instruction the students are already receiving.

"This is just the beginning," said principal Donna Jackson, noting she expects more performances in the future.

Parents and friends in attendance were served dinner by volunteers from local high schools. Thank you to all who helped make the evening a success!

Senior AVID students at Howard High School enjoyed an informative and interactive session with Jasmine Carr, an admissions counselor at Fort Valley State University. Carr spoke with the AVID class about: Move On When Ready, GA Futures, Scholarships, and College Life. Her presentation helped the students realize the importance of organization, financial literacy, academics and how to cope with college living. Students also got an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas with other students in the classroom. AVID is a district wide program sponsored by GEAR UP.

The students at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School and other district schools have collected canned goods during the holiday season. At MLK, the students brought in more than 1,300 items to give to the Middle Georgia Regional Food Bank.

At the Winter Conference for the Georgia School Boards Association, the Bibb County Board of Education was recognized as a Distinguished Board. This honor reflects the second tier of GSBA recognition and is a step up from the board’s selection as an Quality board in 2015.

Boards chosen for this honor are selected based on their school governance and leadership practices that foster student development and achievement.

The 2016 Bibb County Board of Education comprised the following members: Board President Lester Miller, Vice President Jason Downey, Treasurer Daryl Morton, Ella Carter, Dr. Thelma Dillard, Tom Hudson, Sue Sipe and Dr. Wanda West.

Pre-K students across the district got a special treat earlier this month, as guest readers came to read them the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." Santa Claus and the Grinch came to Vineville Academy, and Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones Jr. read to the students at Ingram-Pye.

The book was a fun way to engage students while also teaching them important fundamental skills, said elementary coordinator Olena Floore. As a gift, each student was given the book after the reading session.

Pre-K registration will be held from Feb. 5 through 19. Visit www.bcsdk12.net for more details.

Westside High School had an “Apply to College and Financial Aid Day” last month. Seniors, parents and guardians had the unique opportunity to receive personalized assistance to complete colleges applications as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Wesleyan College and Central GA Tech partnered with Westside and GEAR UP by sending their admissions and financial aid representatives to assist students and parents with the process. A similar event is in the works for January.

Howard student Bailey Smith won the Georgia Career and Technical Instruction Math Quiz Bowl Competition recently. The competition, held in Stone Mountain, is for students across the state with special needs.

Students at Southwest High School got a visit from Clayton State University to hear about the options there. The group even got to see the Lakers' mascot, Loch.

Two Bruce Elementary School students won competitions at the state Junior Beta Club Convention. Destiny Mangham won runner-up in Division I Poetry, while Trinity Williams won first place in Division I, Visual Arts for her color photography. With their wins, both girls are eligible for the national convention in Orlando in June.

For their annual celebration of a partnership with the Rotary Club of Macon, Burdell-Hunt students visited the Museum of Arts and Sciences earlier this month. After touring the museum's exhibits, the fifth-graders sat down for a Nu-Way lunch.

"Generally, this is the highlight of their year," said performance learning coach Pamela Montgomery. "They look forward to this."

After lunch, the students were given bookbags with their names embroidered on them.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Georgia donated boxes of supplies to Bernd Elementary School recently. The much-appreciated collection included notebooks, pencils, paper and coloring supplies.

The Westside High School forensic science classes got some real-world lessons earlier this month in the form of a visit from the Macon-Bibb Fire Department. Investigators Ben Gleaton and Steven Wesson delivered presentations regarding arson, a subject the students had studied in the classroom.

"It's taking something from school and making it relevant for them," teacher John Rollins said.

Gleaton and Wesson used YouTube via the classroom's interactive panel and other materials to show the students how to identify arson. They did so using terms the students were familiar with related to the pattern of the fire's start, and they also told students the career path necessary to investigate arson.

"These investigators can tell them what to look for," Rollins said.

Several Vineville Academy students notched perfect scores on their winter benchmark assessments. In the fifth grade, Asher Blames was perfect on the science test, while Carmen Duncan did the same in ELA. In the third grade, Oliver Jennings, Gracie Johnson, Robert Le, Joi Thompson and Kentrez Jordan were all perfect on the math test. Great job!

Students at Veterans Elementary have been earning Veterans Vouchers when displaying appropriate "Hero" behavior. Students that had earned 25 Veterans Vouchers were able to participate in Fall Festival activities. The activities included a Cake Walk, Bouncy Houses, Ring Toss, Fishing Game, Bean Bag Toss, Tug of War, and Hero Tattoos.

McKibben Lane Elementary students received a visit from three Mercer football players, JoJo Marshall, Tanner Brumby and Corey Lockett. Mercer football players have packed over 17,000 bags of food over the past five years to be handed out to students. Pictured also are Barbara Ricks, Claire Cox and Brenda Lambert who participate in the backpack ministry with Forest Hills United Methodist Church.

Northeast High School recently held a Senior Night. Katie Minich with the Georgia Student Finance Commission was the main speaker. Other representatives from Peyton Anderson Scholarship, Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Jostens, Legacy Builders and the Senior Class Advisor spoke briefly. After all presentations, students and parents were able to peruse tables of various college representatives and vendors.

Appling Middle School Counselor, Donna Turner, enjoyed a Christmas brunch this month with the Bibb County Chapter of Project Linus Organization. Project Linus has supported the counseling program at Appling Middle School for over six years by providing students with beautiful “Love Blankets” to help them through difficult times and experiences. Dr. Turner attended the brunch to express thanks and gratitude from Appling Middle School for all Project Linus has done for students in the Bibb County School District.

The following students were named Students of the Month at Lane Elementary in November: Hunter Hill, London Ross, Daisha Evans, Jeremiah Paniagua, Conner Enlow, De’yana Walker, Emmalee Mitchell, Harmoney Williams, Jessica Humphey, Ayanna Bascom, Ricardo Hughes, Jamisyn Manson, Noriyah PresenDieu, Shihab Alzokari, Camron Hoff, Alaysia Holloway, Jordan King, Makenzie Hugley, Nora Crook, Chance Williams, Peyton McDowell, Roman Nelson, Treyvon Faulks, Zarria Hardy, Hadassah Antoine, Cylys Milline, Adajah Jones, Javarous Standifer, Desiree Crowell, Keiland Miley, Zyinia McMillian, Fredric Persley, Sumayah Parham, Logan Varner, Taylor Reeves, Roderick Solomon, Nataly Davis, Justis Baxter, JaNiya Gardner, Hayden Axom, Denise Hines and Christopher Earley. The character word was Democracy.