Newton Citizen

COVINGTON -- Newton County Board of Education member Almond Turner attended a special conference in Washington, D.C., this week and delivered a letter to Georgia representatives.

Turner was nominated to attend the Federal Relations Network Conference in Washington, D.C., by Georgia School Board Association Fourth District Director Katrina Young; the nomination was approved by the GSBA District Directors.

Twenty-three school board members from Georgia's 13 congressional districts attended the conference this week.

Turner planned to speak to a group of Congress members and their staff concerning legislative issues that affect school board districts across the nation.

Issues included No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress and federal standards.

He also hand-delivered a letter concerning those issues and some pertinent to Newton County to Congressmen Austin Scott and Robert Woodall, who represent Newton County in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as both Georgia U.S. senators, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss.

"I feel it is very important that we have the opportunity for someone from our school district to play an active role in discussing the needs of Newton County with those at the state and federal levels," Turner said. "It is indeed an honor to be able to meet with other school districts across the country in an effort to have constructive dialogue and gain knowledge as to how federal legislation and policies impact our district. In addition, we will let the concerns of Newton County be heard in Washington."

Newton County School System Superintendent Gary Mathews said the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind and public school funding will be before Congress soon.

"It is important that our school system's voice be heard by our local legislative delegation at the federal level," Mathews said. "To do otherwise is to leave things to fate without offering a position."

NCSS will pay for Turner's three-day trip, but officials would not provide the cost yet since he hasn't returned and provided the receipts, according to Sherri Davis-Viniard, director of Public Relations at NCSS.