Community Leaders Join in Commitment to Literacy, Education Investment

In a rare demonstration of unity, Dalton and Whitfield County government and education leaders on Thursday endorsed community literacy and pledged resources and support to help all area students read proficiently by third grade.

City of Dalton Mayor David Pennington, Dalton Public Schools Chair Danny Crutchfield,  Whitfield County Public Schools Chairman Louis Fordham, and Whitfield County Commission Chairman Mike Babb stand united as they discuss the importance of investing in public education and literacy. 

Mayor David Pennington and members of the Dalton City Council, Chairman Mike Babb and the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners, Chairman Danny Crutchfield and the members of the Dalton Board of Education, and Chairman Louis Fordham and members of the Whitfield County Board of Education agreed to sign a resolution “(to) provide resources and support to our city and county schools and families with the goal of improving early reading proficiency and helping all our children achieve grade-level reading status by the end of third grade.”

“There is clear and compelling evidence that children who are not proficient readers in third grade are already on the dropout track,” said Mayor Pennington in reading the Resolution to be adopted by each of the governing bodies at upcoming meetings. “Low achievement in reading has significant long-term consequences in terms of individual earning potential, global competitiveness, and general productivity.”

Dalton Mayor David Pennington commits to supporting the literacy initiative. 

County Commission Chairman Mike Babb, in supporting the initiative, noted that the quality of education has a profound impact on jobs and the ability to attract an educated workforce.  “We now understand how important this is to our economic future, and our children’s future,” Babb said. 

The commitment to early literacy was identified as a high leverage activity with considerable community benefit following more than two years of work by Archway Partnership work groups, said Rick Hooper, Chairman of the Archway Partnership Executive Committee.

Archway Chairman Rick Hooper speaks about the importance of education. 

“We are encouraging investment in education to ensure that our students are the best and most prepared in the state,” said Hooper. “As a community, we are committed to getting our children on grade level at an early age. Today we are here to celebrate and support our local school systems’ decisions to prioritize our children and invest in their education in tough financial times.”

Danny Crutchfield, chair of the Dalton Board of Education, pledged the city school system’s re-commitment to Literacy Collaborative, a comprehensive instructional framework to improve the reading and writing achievement of students from pre-K through eighth grade. 

City school leaders implemented the innovative Literacy Collaborative initially, Crutchfield said, because they wanted “a literacy program that would transform the way we taught reading, writing, language arts, comprehension, and digital literacy so that students in Dalton Public Schools would not only become strong readers, writers, and communicators, but so they would develop a lifelong love for reading and learning.”

The program has been reduced in scope due to budget cuts in recent years, but Crutchfield reported Thursday that it will be restored for the 2012-2013 school year.

Whitfield County Schools has adopted the Literacy Collaborative framework as well, hoping to replicate successes achieved in the city school system. “We believe this is the best chance to get our kids on track and reduce remediation on the back end,” said County School Board Chairman Louis Fordham. “Our two school boards feel it is our primary job to ensure our 20,500 students are prepared for life beyond high school. If we fail to get every student on grade level, if we fail to teach every student to read proficiently, if we fail to equip them with today’s skills, we fail our students.”

Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County Public Schools pledge to partner to implement a community-wide literacy program. 

“We hope that this will be the first of many announcements about how we are working together to make smart decisions for our students,” said Pennington.   

Pennington announced a community celebration of literacy is coming Thursday, July 19, 4-6 p.m., at the Dalton Community Center.  All are invited to celebrate and learn how to become more engaged in the community literacy initiative.

Chamber of Commerce Chairman Joe Yarbrough speaks in support of the initiative.

Community members listen to the announcement.

To view the announcement in its entirety, visit: http://www.wdnntv.com/?p=9109.

Additional coverage of the event is available at:

http://www.wdef.com/news/story/Improving-Literacy-in-Whitfield-County/__OKxa3gfEe4NDC35w_UDQ.cspx

http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x1254878656/Officials-

launch-literacy-initiative

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/22/whitfield-pledges-to-support-literacy/

UGA Student Presents Research on Successful Arts & Culture Councils

On June 6, 2012, UGA Masters in Public Administration student Megan Miller presented research to the Archway Partnership Executive Committee about the best practices of successful arts and culture councils.  The request for Megan’s research came from the Archway Arts and Culture Issue Work Group, which prioritized forming some type of collaborative or consortium to better market the arts.

Megan's research revealed that successful arts and culture councils use best practices commonly accepted by successful non-profits.  She noted that their boards are not made up of artists and art groups because those individuals and groups have an inherent conflict of interest.  Instead, successful councils are comprised of members of the business community with an interest and passion for advancing the arts for economic development.  She noted that the legal structure of arts and culture councils reflects their mission.  Megan's primary advice for the Archway Executive Committee was to reframe the purpose of an arts council from "doing arts better" to using the arts to advance economic development. 

University of Georgia Students Continue Work at Prater’s Mill

On June 6, 2012, UGA Masters in Landscape Architecture students Drew Cutright and Rachel Johnson, UGA Bachelors in Landscape Architecture student David Lucey, and UGA Masters in Historic Preservation student Nicholas Patrick met with representatives from Whitfield County, the Prater’s Mill Foundation, and the Conasauga River Alliance to discuss plans for the future of Prater’s Mill.  At the meeting, local representatives discussed the need for a plan that draws modern day visitors and produces revenue while at the same time respecting the history and the environmental integrity of the site.

The students will spend the next month developing multiple concepts for the area.  In July, they will present their work to local stakeholders.  The students' work will build upon the historical structures report developed over the last several months by student Nicholas Patrick. 
 

UGA students discuss plans for Prater's Mill with Judy Alderman and Gretchen Lugthart.

  

The Right Man for the Job

Nicholas Patrick Marries His Love for History, Construction in Historic Preservation Project at Prater’s Mill

By:  Patricia M. Holloway

Prater’s Mill is old by anyone’s standards. Built in 1855, the structure has seen the evolution of milling technology go from waterpower to electricity. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Though the Prater’s Mill Foundation still cranks up the mill annually for the Prater’s Mill Country Fair, it mostly serves as an important piece of history reminiscent of simpler times. Prater’s Mill stands as one of the community’s most prized possessions. But time takes its toll on buildings and the Prater’s Mill Foundation, who manages the mill, and Whitfield County, who owns the property, wanted to ensure that this important piece of history wasn’t lost. So they approached the Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership to use its university resources to complete a master plan to include a Historic Structures Report, a catalogue of the buildings, and a landscape plan.

 Archway found the perfect fit for the challenge in UGA graduate student Nicholas Patrick. He is currently working on his Master’s degree in Historic Preservation at the UGA College of Environment and Design.

 Patrick grew up in the construction business. The son of a successful architect who owned his own construction firm in Atlanta, he spent his free time working for his dad from the age of 12 to 24. Like a lot of high school graduates, Patrick wasn’t sure what he wanted to pursue as a career—he thought about attending electrical trade school or majoring in graphic design at the Savannah College of Arts and Design—but instead he left home to attend The University of Mississippi. Wanting to return to Georgia, he transferred to Georgia Perimeter College and then to the University of Georgia because of the high level of academics, in-state tuition and its proximity to home. He says he was always a history buff and enjoyed researching the past so he decided to major in history and possibly teach after graduation. But he took a couple of undergraduate Historic Preservation classes and was hooked. So after he received his Bachelor’s of Arts in History, Patrick enrolled in the graduate program in Historic Preservation as a great way to marry all of his past experience in construction and his love of history.

UGA Archway Operations Coordinator Matt Bishop approached Historic Preservation Program Coordinator Mark Reinberger about the Prater’s Mill project and finding a student who would be a good fit.  “UGA's College of Environment and Design has award-winning undergraduate and graduate degree programs,” said Bishop,  “including Historic Preservation, that are ranked among the very best in the nation.” His professors identified Patrick as a possible candidate because of his specific career interests and his level of expertise.

“I was told that they were looking for someone to assist two Landscape Architect master’s students who were devising a landscape plan,” said Patrick. “Mark Reinberger approached me because I have experience in writing Historic Structure Reports. I interviewed with Matt Bishop and jumped right in.”

Patrick has visited the historic site twice thus far. His first visit was a general introduction to the property while his second visit involved conducting fieldwork to inspect the condition of the buildings on the site. He says he was surprised after his analysis of the structures, particularly of the mill itself. “The integrity of the building was surprising,” said Patrick,  “because many of the old mills have deteriorated because they are located on water, which can be highly destructive to wooden structures. But because Prater’s Mill had been used in milling through the 1960’s, it has been maintained.” Patrick says the Mill is the oldest structure on the property. “There is a store across Highway 2 that was built in the 1870’s or so, and the homestead was constructed in the 1910’s. Patrick adds that a couple of barns, a former doctor’s office, a cotton gin, and a caboose were added to the Prater’s Mill property in recent years.

Patrick’s master’s thesis is on Prater’s Mill and how it illustrates the socio-economic evolution of Northwest Georgia. In addition to completing the Historic Structures Report, he is also preparing a maintenance plan for use by Whitfield County so that the mill building can be properly maintained and not lost to the elements or to improper upkeep.  While his historic structures report will focus just on the mill itself, Archway will bring other UGA students to work on the landscaping of the site more generally.   

Patrick says another benefit of his work will be that the information will supplement the documentation on the National Register. “The site was named to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970’s which was before they required extensive documentation,” Patrick said. His complete report will provide historians and others interested in the Mill with important information that wasn’t available before.

Bishop says these types of projects are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. “The Prater's Mill project in Dalton-Whitfield County is a great “win-win” for the community and UGA,” Bishop said. “The community gets a product that will greatly enhance one of its most cherished historic assets, and the UGA student assigned to the project, Nick Patrick, has experienced a great learning opportunity outside the classroom with real-world application. “

Patrick expects to finish his report by the end of June. And the experience working with the historic Mill will certainly serve him well as he pursues his future goals. “I would like to be a preservation consultant or architectural historian,” Patrick adds. “At some point, I would like to build custom furniture and wood products, and I am also interested in becoming a historic illustrator.” Maybe the craftsmen of the past have rubbed off on Patrick.





Photo taken in Prater's Mill Country Store by UGA Photograpy Student Anna King in Summer 2009.





40 Students Graduate from Second Annual Design, Engineering, & Manufacturing Camp



From June 11 – 14, 40 local 5^th through 8^th grade students participated in the second annual Design, Engineering, and Manufacturing Camp at the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy. At the camp, students had the opportunity to build model race cars using Auto CAD professional software, learn soldering and other skills to create a siren, work on Photoshop to design carpet, tour local manufacturing and power facilities, and build teamwork skills.

 

Student wins award for carpet she designed during DEM Camp.

At the camp’s graduation ceremony on June 14, students had an opportunity to show off the carpets they designed, reflect on their experiences touring facilities, and race their model cars.  Students remarked at the diversity they saw in the carpet companies, the variety of opportunities that they didn’t know were available locally, and how much fun they had building their sirens.

Students race cars created during DEM Camp.

The idea for the Design, Engineering & Manufacturing Camp emerged during Archway’s Higher Education Issue Work Group sessions in spring 2011.  At the meetings, citizens talked about the need to expose students at an early age to the variety of career options available to them.  A Leadership-Dalton Whitfield survey conducted during fall 2010 revealed that students had very low perceptions of local opportunities and did not understand the highly-skilled nature of many jobs. 

The camp was sponsored by Shaw, Dalton Utilities, Mohawk, J&J, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, the Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority, Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Archway Partnership, the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce and Grow Greater Dalton.  To learn more about DEM Camp, click on the following link:  http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x1291708188/Day-camp-draws-budding-engineers-designers.

Cars students created during DEM Camp

*Special thanks to Eric Beavers for providing photographs.

Georgia Tech Hosts Business Incubator Kick-Off Meeting

On May 30, 2012, representatives from Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute hosted a kick-off meeting to talk about the feasibility of starting a business incubator in Whitfield County.  At the meeting, Georgia Tech faculty members described different types of business incubators, potential benefits of business incubators, and concerns to be aware of when launching a business incubator.  Georgia Tech then led community leaders in a facilitated discussion about the community’s current resources for entrepreneurs.

                This meeting was the first public step in a Community Readiness Study that Georgia Tech is completing for the Dalton-Whitfield Community.  The need for the study was prioritized last year by Archway’s Diverse, Forward-Thinking Economy work group chaired by Dalton Utilities CEO Don Cope.  The study is made possible by a partnership between the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority and the University of Georgia Archway Partnership.

                Over the summer, Georgia Tech will continue its work by contacting local entrepreneurs and innovators and discussing their needs and challenges. 

Local participants at the meeting included:

·         Carolyn Coburn – Northwest Georgia Regional Commission

·         Tom Bojo – Georgia Northwestern Technical College

·         Barbara Ward – Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Celeste Creswell – Miller & Martin (law firm)

·         David Apple – Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute

·         David Aft – Northwest Georgia Community Foundation

·         David Pennington – Mayor, City of Dalton

·         Dustin Coker – Northwest Carpets

·         Mark Buckner – Dalton Utilities

·         Tangela Johnson – North Georgia Center for Educational Excellence

·         Theo Lu – Minor Bell & Neal

·         Veronica French – Dalton Downtown Development Authority

·         Bob Kinard – Kinard Realty

·         Kevin Harris – Arrowstar

·         Linda Blackman – Archway Partnership Executive Committee

·         Don Cope – Dalton Utilities

·         Jim Hawkins – Dalton Public Schools

·         Dixie Kinard – Kinard Realty; Archway Partnership Executive Committee

·         Melissa Lu – University of Georgia Archway Partnership

·         Ginger Mathis – Georgia Northwestern Technical College

·         Dr. John Schwenn – Dalton State College

·         Alex Stall – Dalton Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Andrew Carnes – Dalton Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Julie Meadows – Northwest Georgia Regional Commission

Archway Executive Committee Considers Intentional Community Conversations Process

Since its February half-day retreat, the Archway Executive Committee has been discussing how best to begin to engage the community and our local officials on hot topic issues. Using the resources available through UGA, the idea to facilitate community conversations began to take hold.

Louise Hill, with the University of Georgia's Fanning Leadership Institute, visited with the Archway Executive Committee at the May meeting and shared her expertise on hosting intentional community conversations.

Ms. Hill set the stage by asking key questions of the group regarding “What needed to be accomplished?,” “What would success look like?” and “Who should be involved?” She described the intentional community conversations as a magnification of “a friend telling a friend.” She provided a structured process for developing goals, identifying a coalition, preparing informational materials, piloting conversations, training facilitators, and recruiting participants. Mrs. Hill stated the process wasn’t about taking a vote or making a decision but rather to build trust and engage the community in difficult conversations.

 Ms. Hill’s presentation provided much food for thought for the committee members.  Discussion continues on how to best bring together local officials and the community to have a more cohesive and informed citizenry.

Archway: Laying the Foundation for Economic Development

Every so often, it is important to catalogue our progress.  The article below gives an overview of some of Dalton-Whitfield's "wins" in economic development over the past two years.  Pat yourself on the back!  You've been up to great things!

When the Archway Executive Committee commissioned a community visioning process in 2010, issues around the state of the economy and its impact on local industry topped the chart as the greatest concern in the area.  It was apparent that the major issues in Dalton included sustaining and supporting existing industry, diversifying the current economic base, and becoming a hub for knowledge-based innovation.  To accomplish these goals, two Archway work groups were established in 2010-2011: the Successful, Sustainable Industries Issue Work Group and the Diverse, Forward-Thinking Economy Issue Work Group.

With the help of University System of Georgia resources and under the leadership of Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority Director Elyse Cochran, Dalton Utilities CEO Don Cope, and Mohawk Engineer James Gordy, devoted community members have made the following accomplishments:

Rebranding the Floorcovering Industry 

            To support existing industry, UGA MBA student Charles Simpson teamed up with the Leadership Dalton Whitfield leadership program, community leaders, and existing industry representatives to develop a comprehensive rebranding campaign for the floorcovering industry.  Charles’s task was to measure existing perceptions of the industry and develop a comprehensive plan for attacking misperceptions in the minds of tomorrow’s workforce.  In December 2011, Charles presented his work to the community.  Local leaders are currently working to implement his suggestions and tactics. 

Enhancing the Carbondale Business Park Entrance

           One of the community’s greatest assets from an economic development standpoint is the designation of 187 acres of land in south Whitfield County as the Carbondale Business Park.  To ensure that the park is as inviting as possible to industrial prospects, the Archway Partnership sponsored two undergraduate students from UGA’s College of Environment and Design in 2010 to work with Whitfield County to develop a landscaping plan and new entrance for the Carbondale Business Park.  The students presented plans to Whitfield County at the conclusion of their internship.  Currently, the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority is implementing those plans. 

Market Street Inspiration 

          To make Dalton’s “front door” more attractive to visitors, prospects, and residents, Archway commissioned a graduate UGA Environment and Design student to develop plans for a formerly thriving outlet mall near Dalton’s most popular interstate exit.  Student Sam Keller, working under the direction of community leadership, developed a three phase concept for the area that enhances green space, provides housing options for students and the elderly, and capitalizes upon the area’s interstate access.  The Joint Development Authority is currently sharing these plans with existing property owners and developers.

Creating a new Dalton-Whitfield Brand

           UGA MBA student Charles Simpson spent 11 months working closely with the Dalton-Whitfield community to develop a rebranding campaign for the carpet industry.  Following his work with the industry, the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority commissioned Charles to help it rejuvenate its economic development message.  Using research gathered by the Archway Diverse, Forward-Thinking Economy Issue Work Group, Charles helped create the slogan “Dalton: Tomorrow’s Innovations. Daily,” to be featured on marketing and advertising materials to recruit businesses.  Charles designed a Georgia Trend magazine advertisement highlighting the low cost of doing business, available infrastructure, and amenities in Dalton.  Charles also created an ad that was featured in the Dalton Daily Citizen News 2012 Progress Edition.

Developing Innovative Messaging to Site Location Consultants

           UGA MBA student Charles Simpson also developed a Valentine’s Day direct mail piece for consultants who handle site acquisitions for companies looking to relocate or expand.  The piece featured a heart-shaped box that contained a sample of Godiva chocolates and “Valentines” that shared the benefits of locating a business in Dalton-Whitfield County.  The Joint Development Authority reports they have already had inquiries from consultants as a result of the mailer.

Developing a Small Business Network Website

         With the help of UGA Masters in Non-Profit Administration and Masters in Public Administration students, the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority was able to develop a framework for a website designed to provide information for small businesses and potential small businesses.  The website provides simple, basic information for businesses starting up, relocating or expanding.  Also available is a list of mentors in areas like banking or accounting who can provide support to new or expanding businesses.

Georgia Tech Incubator Study

         The idea of developing a business incubator to help start-ups successfully get off the ground evolved from discussions in the Diverse Forward-Thinking Economy Issue Workgroup.  After touring the business incubator in Chattanooga and entertaining guest speakers on the topic, the issue work group recommended to the Archway Executive Committee that it pursue a three-phase study by Georgia Tech to determine whether the community is ready for a business incubator.   With $15,000 in funding provided by the Archway Partnership, the Joint Development Authority entered into a contract in April with Georgia Tech to collaborate on the initial stages of this study.

Angel Investors

           Leaders in the Diverse, Forward-Thinking Economy Issue Work Group repeatedly heard that potential companies thinking of moving or expanding to Dalton-Whitfield County needed assistance with capital investment because of stringent banking regulations.  As a result of these discussions, the concept for Angel Investors—local individuals who can provide investment capital to bring new businesses to the area—was developed and potential candidates identified.  The Joint Development Authority is currently working with these Angel Investors to prepare applicants.   

             Economic development is an arduous, competitive process that does not always show immediate results.  Prior to 2008, Dalton-Whitfield County was not actively involved in recruiting businesses to the area.  Today, thanks to the support of the Archway Partnership and its higher education resources, the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, and local government and business entities, the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority is making progress on creating awareness and promoting the benefits of our local area.  All of the effort is starting to pay off. The number of inquiries into available properties in Dalton and Whitfield County has significantly increased.  It is only a matter of time until all the focus and dedication is rewarded with new developments and additional jobs.