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Former Carver/Century Principal Now Coordinator For Millions In School District Stimulus Dollars
August 13, 2009
Former Carver/Century K-8 Principal Jeff Garthwaite has a new job — coordinating millions of federal stimulus dollars that are flowing into the Escambia County School District.
His official title is “stimulus programs coordinator” in the school district’s Title I department. As of Wednesday, he had been on the job just eight days, with the school board slated to officially approve his position at their meeting Tuesday night.
Over $10 million in federal stimulus money has already been awarded to Escambia County’s schools; now Garthwaite’s job will be to make sure that money is spent under federal and district guidelines.
“I’m here to make sure that the money is used in ways that get the best value for the district and the students,” he said. “We have goals and, as coordinator, I will work to make sure the goals are met.”
Most of the federal stimulus dollars will be used for Title I, special education and alternative education programs that might not otherwise be funded.
“A big aspect of the job will be the accountability for the dollars,” Garthwaite said. “I’m here to look at what the schools are doing.”
One program funded by the stimulus money will be three teachers on special assignment for parent and community involvement at schools in the district that have been part of closure and consolidation — including Bratt and Ernest Ward as they accept students from the closed Carver/Century.
The teacher on special assignment in North Escambia will have an office at Ernest Ward Middle School but also work with Bratt Elementary to assist faculty, staff, teachers and parents to make sure the consolidation of Carver/Century K-8 into the two schools goes as smoothly as possible for everyone involved.
Garthwaite said he missed Carver/Century, and he is still haunted by just one point. That one point caused the school to be ranked an “F” school by the Florida Department of Education during its final year. A point system is used determine the school grade, and Carver/Century’s score was 394. At 395, the school would have been a “D” during its final year.
“That still really bothers me,” he said. “The writing test, for instance, is so subjective. One person reads it and give a test a two, and a second person gives it a 3. The student gets a 2.5 as their grade. If one student had made a half point higher on any FCAT test, we would have that one point and we would have been a D school — so much better than finishing with the F.”
“I am going to miss the students and the staff,” Garthwaite said. “Carver/Century was a great place, and they were great people.”
Pictured top: Jeff Garthwaite hugs a student goodbye on the last day of school last May at Carver/Century K-8 School. Pictured inset: Garthwaite addresses the audience at the school’s final eighth grade graduation. NorthEsambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
2 Responses to “Former Carver/Century Principal Now Coordinator For Millions In School District Stimulus Dollars”
Agreed!!
I believe you are one of the few who still have your heart in the right place “children” so many are not anymore. Good luck to MR.Garthwaite in your newest task .