JOHNNY JORDAN          
The funeral services for Johnny Jordan, class of 1963, will be Saturday, October 27, 2012  at 11 AM at Corinth CME Church, McRae, GA.

Mae Jacqueline Hester Wilson, Class of 1957, Twin City High School, transitioned into Heaven Sunday, September 30, 2012. For 50 years she was the wife of former Telfair County teacher and subsequently administrator, Carnell Wilson. She was the daughter of Mrs. Teressa Hester Blackshear and the mother of 3 children, Pernell, SuJuana, and Jacques, a grandmother and had many other relatives and friends.
 
She joined Corinth Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of McRae, Georgia at an early age. Upon her marriage, she joined the Mayfield Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church of Alamo, Georgia. She was a faithful member, serving as a choir member, food service coordinator, Steward, and the Mother of the Church. Her services and sacrifice will be dearly missed. Mae Jacqueline attended the public schools of Telfair County and graduated from Twin City High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics from Fort Valley State College and taught in the Treutlen County School System (Treutlen High School) prior to being employed by the Telfair County School system where she retired in 1999 after 38 years of dedicated service.

She was the recipient of the Outstanding Layperson Award for her commitment, labor, faith and love to the Mayfield Zion AME Church, Telfair County High School Teacher of the Year, served as Grand Marshall of the Telfair Annual Parade and received numerous other educational, religious and community honors and awards. She was a member of the Earnest Chapter #17 Order of the Eastern Star, Women’s Missionary Society, Ladies of Profession Organization, member of the Telfair/Wheeler Retired Teachers’ Association, and was a life member of the Georgia and National Retired Teachers’ Association. She was also a member of the Telfair County Combined School Reunion Association where she attended this year’s activities with her husband.

Johnny Jordan, class of 1963 passed away on October 16, 2012.  Additional information will be forthcoming.

 By-Laws  

For

The Telfair County Schools Reunion Association (Effective 6/7/12)

Article 1: Identity

Section A: Name. This organization shall be known as the Telfair County Schools Reunion Association, hereafter known as the “Association”.

Section B: Domicile. The Association will maintain its principle place of operations in Telfair County, Georgia.

Article 2: Purpose

Section A: Purpose. The purpose of the Association shall be to promote the spirit of the alumni, enrich the various communities, and recognize the citizens of Telfair County, past and present, for their meritorious service. 

Article 3: Membership

Section A: Eligibility. Any individual who attended (whether graduated or not) any of the schools that make up the Association, taught at one of the schools, or their descendants, or who has significantly assisted the Association, is eligible to become a member.

Section B: Membership. Eligible individuals become members of the Association by paying dues in the amount of $5.00. Those who contribute to the Scholarship fund and\or pay their assessment for the Reunion shall have their dues waived.  The term of biennial membership shall run from July 15th of the current year through July 14^th, two years later.

Section C: Termination. Membership in the Association will terminate upon failure to pay annual dues.

Article 4: Officers

Section A: Officers. The elected officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Chaplain, and 3 Board Members at Large.  One Board Member must reside in Telfair County. 

Section B: Elections. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the members at the Biennial meeting. There are no limits on the number of terms an individual may serve in any office.

Section C: Term of Office. The term of office for each officer shall begin the Monday following the Reunion and run through the Sunday after the Reunion

Section D: Powers. The officers are vested with the powers appropriate to their elected office to accomplish the tasks necessary for the successful, day-to-day operations of the Association.

The President shall be the Chief Operating Officer of the Association, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and shall make all decisions concerning the Association’s day-to-day operations and shall direct the activities of the Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and various committee chairs.

The Vice President shall assist the President, and perform the duties of the President if the President is incapacitated or unavailable.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial operations of the Association.

The Secretary shall record and be custodian of the Association’s business records.

The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a data base and corresponding with the members.

Section E: Resignation. Any officer may resign by tendering a letter of resignation to the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Section F: Removal from Office. Any officer who fails to perform the duties of the office to which the individual has been elected may be removed from the office by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors.

Section G: Vacancies. If the President resigns or is removed from office, the Vice President will assume the Presidency for the balance of the existing term. If any of the other Officers resign or are removed from office, the President will nominate to the Board of Directors an individual to fill the vacant office for the balance of the existing term, and this individual will be seated in office upon a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Article 5: Board of Directors

Section A: Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of all 9 Officers and the Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President will serve in that capacity until a new person is elected.

Section B: Term of Office. The term of office of each director shall run concurrently with their position.

Section C: Operations. The Board of Directors shall conduct business at least once in an off year and twice in the year of the Biennial Meeting.  Meetings can either be in person or via telecommunications.  Because of the geographical dispersion of directors, business may also be conducted by e-mail, or some form of the Internet.

Article 6 Committees

Section A: Standing Committees. The Association will have the following permanent standing committees: Nominating and Elections, Locator, History, Reunion, Scholarship, and Publications

Section B: Ad Hoc Committees. The Chairman may establish Ad Hoc Committees as deemed necessary.

Article 7 Reunion Events

Section A:  The Association shall host a biennial reunion to which all Classes and members are invited.

Section B:  The time and place of the Reunion shall be communicated to the members no less than 120 days before the Reunion.

Section C:  There shall be a social affair on the Friday evening of the Reunion.

Section D:  There shall be a business meeting on the Saturday morning of the Reunion.

Section E:  There shall be a dinner/banquet on the Saturday evening of the Reunion.

Section F:  Members shall be encouraged to attend the religious venue of their choice on Sunday morning.

Article 8: Fiscal Policy

Section A: Fiscal year. The fiscal year of the Association shall be from July 15th of the current year through July 14^th, two years later.

Section B: Dues. The Association shall collect dues from each eligible individual as a requirement for membership.  Dues are included in the Reunion registration amount as well as those who contribute to the scholarship fund.

Section C: Allocation. All dues will be deposited in a general fund account and may be used to pay any or all approved expenses incurred by the Association.

Section D: Compensation. Officers, Directors, and Committee Members shall receive no compensation for their services. Compensation for expenses will be made only if the expenditures were approved in advance by the President or the Board of Directors.

Section F: Financial Report. Within 30 days of the end of each fiscal year, the Treasurer shall prepare financial statements, which shall include as a minimum a Balance Sheet, Income and Expense Statement.

 

Article 9: Elections

Section A: Timing. The Association will hold elections every other year for the Association Officers and Directors. Only current members of the Association are eligible to stand for election.

Section B: Management. The elections will be planned and executed by the Nominating and Elections Committee. Operating procedures for the Nominating and Elections Committee will be developed by that Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.  Election of Officers will be held at the business session on Saturday morning of the Association meeting.  The time and place will be provided in advance.

Article 10: Political Affiliation

The Association shall be non-partisan and shall not align itself, support, or endorse any political party or candidate.

Article 11: Scholarship

There shall be a Robert F. Jackson, Sr. United Scholarship given annually, to a deserving student who meets the criteria outlined by the Board of Directors.

Article 12: Awards

Section A: An award may be given to anyone who meets the criteria for membership in the Association.

Section B: Awards will be given without regard to specific areas of Telfair County.

Section C:  The following awards will be given at the Reunion.

·         Achievement

·         Outstanding Community Service

·         Outstanding Community Service in Telfair County

·         Outstanding Service in furthering the Legacy of the former African American Schools in Telfair County through the Association.

Section D: Nominations for the Awards should be received 60 days prior to the Association Reunion.

Article 13: Existence

Section A: Implementation. These By-laws shall be implemented on July 15th of the year following their approval. They shall be approved by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

Section B: Amendment. These By-laws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

 

The 2012 Telfair County Combined High Schools Reunion was a Great Success.  The participation was one of the best.  We had a wonderful weekend!   It was great seeing and talking with everybody.   If you were not able to attend, this year, we missed you and we look forward to seeing you in 2014.  Following are the 2013-2014 elected officers:

President……William Kenneth Jackson

Vice President……Samuel Hobbs

Recording Secretary……Cornelia Strickland Fountain

Corresponding Secretary……Inez Manoney  Alexander

Treasurer……Carolene Turnley Sanders

Assistant Treasurer……Irene Collins Fletcher

Chaplain……Debra McMillan Wilson

Board Members at Large:

Vergilene McDonald……Telfair County Representative

Veardlee Latimer Henderson

Carlynn Lawton Radden

Dr. Thomas Clark……Immediate Past President

The US Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s health-care reform law in its entirety on Thursday, ruling that Congress did not exceed its authority in passing key parts of the massive 2010 statute.

In a 5-to-4 vote, the justices defied expectations that they were poised to strike down at least a portion of thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Instead, the court – led by Chief Justice John Roberts – determined that the law was authorized under Congress’s power to raise and collect taxes.

In an unusual twist, five justices – including Chief Justice Roberts – determined that it was not within Congress’s power to enact the so-called individual mandate that requires every American to purchase a government-approved level of health insurance or pay a penalty.

But four justices joined Roberts in concluding that Congress was within its power to enact a tax as an encouragement for individuals to purchase the government-mandated level of health insurance.

“The individual mandate cannot be upheld as an exercise of Congress’s power under theCommerce Clause,” Roberts wrote. “That clause authorizes Congress to regulate interstate commerce, not to order individuals to engage in it.”

He added: “In this case, however, it is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go without health insurance. Such legislation is within Congress’s power to tax.”

Roberts was joined in that portion of the decision by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

In their dissent, four justices criticized Roberts for rewriting the health-care law to conform with the chief justice’s tax approach.

“The holding that the individual mandate is a tax raises a difficult constitutional question … that the court resolves with inadequate deliberation,” wrote the justices, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy,Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito.

“The values that should have determined our course today are caution, minimalism, and the understanding that the federal government is one of limited powers,” they wrote.

“But the court’s ruling undermines those values at every turn. In the name of restraint, it overreaches. In the name of constitutional avoidance, it creates new constitutional questions. In the name of cooperative federalism, it undermines state sovereignty.”

The dissenting justices said they would have invalidated the entire health-care reform statute. 

As part of their ruling, the chief justice and his liberal colleagues upheld the constitutionality of a section of the law authorizing a major expansion of the federal Medicaid program. But the chief justice warned the government that its actions would violate the Constitution if it attempted to punish states refusing to participate in the reform by taking away all their existing Medicaid funding.

The high-court action marks a significant election-year victory for Mr. Obama and one of his top legislative priorities – the achievement of near-universal health-insurance coverage in the United States.

But it is unlikely to end efforts by Republicans in Congress and other critics to limit or repeal the controversial health-care reform law. 

Administration lawyers defended the individual mandate as necessary to cover the extra cost of a broad package of generous health-insurance reforms, designed to make coverage more affordable to an additional 32 million Americans.

The mandate was deemed necessary by lawmakers to assemble a large enough risk pool to cover expensive provisions barring insurance companies from denying an individual coverage on the basis of a preexisting medical condition or charging higher premiums for the same reason.

Despite the endorsement of the high court, it remains unclear precisely how the expensive reforms will be funded and whether the law will ultimately reduce health-care costs in the country.

Kenneth Newkirk, a former Central High teacher, passed away on Monday, June 25th. His service will be held on Saturday, June 30th at 11AM in the Gressette Gymnasium on the campus of ABAC (Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College) in Tifton, GA.  Condolences may be forwarded to his wife, Mrs. Betty Newkirk, at 1580 Carpenter Road South, Tifton, Georgia  31793.  Her phone number is 229-386-1438.  Please remember the Newkirk family and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

NEW YORK SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF HAS A RISING STAR

Preschool/Elementary School Principal Barbara McRae Robinson Selected by the Business Council of Westchester as a Rising Star, One of the “Forty under Forty”

White Plains, NY May 2012 - The New York School for the Deaf is proud to announce that  Preschool/Elementary School Principal, Barbara McRae Robinson has been chosen as one of the”Forty under Forty,” Rising Stars by the Business Council of Westchester. Westchester’s “Forty under Forty” pays tribute to individuals in Westchester who are making their mark in their chosen profession at a young age. This innovative program is specifically designed to acknowledge individuals under the age of 40 who surpass expectations, raise the bar and set new standards for success. The award ceremony will be held at MasterCard Worldwide in Purchase on June 7 and is a ticketed event through the Business Council of Westchester.

“Within the next 10 years, I would like to see New York School for the Deaf in the forefront of deaf education.” says Barbara. She is a driving force in the school and has the credentials to prove it. She graduated at the top of her class from Gallaudet with an Ed.S in Leadership, an M.A. in Deaf Education and her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Georgia.  She has been a Principal at the New York School for the Deaf since 2011 and with the school since 2006 and currently supervises a staff of 36 people.

 “Barbara has passion paired with compassion. She puts 110% into everything she does and strives for excellence. We are lucky to have her!” said Dr. Janet Dickinson, Executive Director of the school and the person who nominated Principal McRae Robinson for the award. Recently, Principal McRae Robinson participated as a panel member at an NYU discussion on evaluation and assessment of students with hearing loss and other disabilities. She has also meaningfully contributed to the effort by the New York School for the Deaf to develop and implement a bilingual/bimodal program that successfully addresses the cognitive, language, and communication needs of deaf and hard of hearing children.  

Founded in 1817, the New York School for the Deaf, the second oldest school for the deaf in the United States, is a private non-profit charitable 501(c) 3 organization operated in cooperation with the New York Department of Education. Serving students from a 12-county area, encompassing more than 80 school districts, the New York School for the Deaf offers an educational curriculum that meets New York State SED standards. The school, also known as Fanwood, has a long-established tradition of providing excellence in education for deaf and hard of hearing students. 

From its inception, Fanwood has embraced innovative teaching techniques for deaf children, from the use of American Sign Language in the 19th century to the latest advances in technology teaching aids, including smart boards and laptop computers, in the 21st century. Additionally, our students learn robotics. At the New York School for the Deaf, we believe in a simple, but compelling vision: all deaf children deserve a chance to reach their maximum potential and become productive, contributing members of society.  

If you would like more information on this topic or to schedule an interview with Barbara McRae Robinson or Dr. Janet Dickinson, please contact Director of Development, Mary Rahe at 914-949-7310 x400 or mrahe@nysd.net.

NEW YORK SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

555 KNOLLWOOD ROAD 

WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK 10603

New York School for the Deaf Preschool/Elementary School Principal Barbara McRae Robinson, a “Forty under Forty” Rising Star. Selected by the Business Council of Westchester.