On Monday, January 12, the Crisp County School System held its first regular meeting of the 2026 school year.
CCSS proudly recognized Catherine Melton, the first graduate of our Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program. While working full-time as a paraprofessional at Crisp County Primary School, Catherine earned her teaching certificate through grant funding that covers all degree-related costs, tuition, books, technology, and certification exams.
This milestone reflects our commitment to growing our own teachers, investing in dedicated employees who already serve our students and community. We are grateful for the support of our GaRTAP partners and the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Rural Education and Innovation, whose work makes opportunities like this possible for rural school systems.
The apprentices in the program are currently working at Crisp County Primary and Crisp County Middle School.
Director of Human Resources, Patricia Fachini, helped secure this funding.
"We are incredibly proud of Ms. Melton for this milestone achievement. As the first graduate of Crisp County Schools’ Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program, she represents exactly why we pursued the GaRTAP grant: to grow dedicated, high-quality educators from within our own community. We are deeply grateful for this grant opportunity, which removes financial barriers and allows talented paraprofessionals like Ms. Melton to earn their teaching certification while continuing to serve our students," Fachini said.
The board unanimously voted for Chairwoman Anna Granville and Vice Board Chairwoman Michelle Paul to continue in their distinctive roles for the 2026 calendar year.
The board also unanimously approved the 2026 Meeting Calendar for all work sessions and regular meetings through January 2027.
Presentations were also heard from Crisp County Pre-K Director Andrea Forrester and Family Engagement Coordinator Kathy Gill on exciting initiatives happening to keep students engaged in learning.
A reminder, the next Crisp County Work Session is scheduled for February 4, 2026, at 6:30 pm.