Varnell Elementary Principal Lisa Jones on Tuesday discusses how teachers provide art instruction for students with guests touring the school. From left are Travis Loudermilk, field representative for Rep. Tom Graves; Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Judy Gilreath; Seth Coker, regional representative for Senator Saxby Chambliss; Denise Clopton, regional representative for Senator Johnny Isakson; and Ms. Jones.
Travis Loudermilk, field representative for Rep. Tom Graves, center, talks with Cohutta Elementary fifth-grader Cheyenne Spurlock about mentoring time with kindergartner, Allyssa Coran.
Seth Coker, regional representative for Senator Saxby Chambliss, reviews work with giggling Cohutta Elementary student Brandon Rivera, at right, and his friend Dylan Whaley.
Denise Clopton, regional representative for Senator Johnny Isakson, shares some reading time with Cohutta Elementary kindergartner Kalynn Cameron.
Cohutta Elementary kindergartener Teryn Blair, at left, shares her work with Travis Loudermilk, field representative for Rep. Tom Graves and her fifth-grade buddy Reece Cauthen.
Cohutta Elementary archery teacher Jennifer Brown leads instruction and shares the equipment with Travis Loudermilk, field representative for Rep. Tom Graves. Seth Coker, regional representative for Senator Saxby Chambliss, is in the background ready to fire at a target.
Cohutta Elementary Assistant Principal Tim Wright provides some archery guidance to Denise Clopton, regional representative for Senator Johnny Isakson, while others take aim. They are, from left Ms. Clopton, Mr. Wright, Travis Loudermilk, field representative for Rep. Tom Graves, and Seth Coker, regional representative for Senator Saxby Chambliss. Principal Cindy Dobbins watches in the background.
Three representatives from Georgia members of Congress enjoyed a learning tour as they visited several Whitfield County elementary schools Tuesday morning.
Superintendent Judy Gilreath and Georgia Board of Education member Larry Winter hosted Denise Clopton, regional representative for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, Seth Coker, regional representative for U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and Travis Loudermilk, field representative for U.S. Rep. Tom Graves. Winter represents Region 14, which covers all or part of 12 northwest Georgia counties including Whitfield.
Their tour took them to Varnell, Cohutta, Beaverdale, and Dawnville elementary schools.
Ms. Clopton worked with Superintendent Gilreath to arrange the tour. She said the senators (Isakson and Chambliss) and Rep. Graves are interested in education and want to know what is happening in Georgia's schools.
During the tour, they saw students perform The Jungle Book, learned about Reading Recovery and the community literacy initiative, visited classrooms, read with students, and even took some time out to hone their skills with a bow and arrow as students were finishing up their archery class at Cohutta Elementary.