Dougherty County School System announces timeline for Southside closure
School closure is result of Phase II work for new 4C Academy
A Dougherty County School System spokesman said late Thursday afternoon that Southside Middle School would be closed at the end of the current school year to make way for Phase II work on the new 4C Academy. The DCSS also said an effort would be made to find fits within the system for 59 teachers and staffers whose jobs will be affected by the change. (Herald File Photo)
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — The Dougherty County School System has announced a closure time and has expressed the system’s intent to find fits within the district for the school’s 40 certified teachers and 19 uncertified staffers.
In a statement released late Thursday afternoon, DCSS spokesman J.D. Sumner said the changes would take place at the end of this school year.
“The creation of the Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy (4C Academy) has been one of the Dougherty County School System’s biggest achievements in the last several years,” Sumner said.”When the process to establish the 4C Academy started, Southside Middle School was identified as the best location, given its proximity to one of organization’s key partners, Albany Tech, and its location in conjunction to our four high schools.”
To make way for a fall 2017 opening of the 4C Academy, the DCSS will close Southside Middle School at the end of this school year. The building will reopen, with brand new applied learning labs, classrooms and meeting spaces in August as the 4C Academy.
“The DCSS has notified the staff at Southside of its intention to find the proper fit for them as the system makes this transition,” Sumner said. “Tenured teachers will be placed in positions available across the district. Non-tenured teachers and non-instructional staff will be placed as needed.”
Sumner said the system is also working on a plan for the students who are currently zoned to attend Southside in the fall, promising an announcement on that plan in the coming weeks.
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