SAVANNAH – At its June meeting, the Savannah Technical College Local Board of Directors honored Dick Knowlton for eleven years of service to the college. Knowlton, who stepped in to complete the term of a departing member when he joined the board in 2000, served three successive 3-year terms.

“Dick always asked the tough questions and I appreciate that,” says College President Kathy Love, shown here presenting a certificate of appreciation to Dick Knowlton. “We all knew we could count on him to crystallize our thinking around whatever issue we were discussing and to present constructive solutions when needed.”

Also at the meeting, the Board selected Jimmy Burnsed, president of Bryan Bank & Trust as the incoming chair, succeeding Rev. Thurmond Tillman of First African Baptist Church. Donald Lovette, director of laboratory services, Liberty Regional Medical Center was named vice-chair. The officers assume their roles with the new fiscal year beginning in July.

Savannah Technical College serves Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties, with Board representation including business and community leaders from across the region.

Croquembouche: The Art and Technique will feature more than 250 photographs of pastry and dessert delights

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College Department Head and Instructor of Culinary Arts Chef Jean Yves Vendeville will be developing his first book, slated for publishing next year. The book, entitled Croquembouche: The Art and Technique will focus on pastry and desserts, done in traditional French technique. It will include some 250 color photographs and recipes of his creations. It will be published by Taylor and Francis of London and is slated for international distribution.

Earlier this year, Chef Jean presented a paper at Oxford Round Table at Lincoln College, University of Oxford in England.

Chef Vendeville has been with Savannah Technical College since December 2008 and has led student teams to two consecutive American Culinary Federation (ACF) Southeast Regional Championships – in 2010 in the Hot Food Team competition and in 2011 in the Knowledge Bowl competition. Vendeville recently achieved his ACF Lifetime Certification as an Executive Pastry Chef. He also holds a Lifetime Certification as an Executive Chef from the Chef Association of America.

Savannah Technical College offers ACF-accredited diploma and degree programs in culinary arts through the Culinary Institute of Savannah. The college currently enrolls 200 students in culinary arts programs. For information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.

ATLANTA – The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) approved a policy change during their June 7, 2011 meeting that will allow additional courses from the Technical College System of Georgia’s accredited colleges to transfer to all of the USG’s 35 degree-granting institutions.

Until now, credits in five core courses from the TCSG (mathematics, algebra, pre-calculus and two courses in English composition) were transferrable. The Regent’s vote allows the transfer of five additional TCSG courses in American literature, psychology, economics, sociology and public speaking.

To be eligible for the agreement the TCSG colleges must be accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Savannah Technical College holds this accreditation.

Says TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson, “The action by the Board of Regents to add five additional TCSG courses to our transfer agreement is another important move toward the goal of seamless education for Georgia students. The TCSG and the USG will continue to be focused on creating greater opportunities for all of our students by improving the articulation between our systems.”

Link to Board of Regents 6-7-11 press release regarding the agreement: http://www.usg.edu/news/release/regents_take_action_to_help_students_transfer_college_credits

HINESVILLE – A crowd of nearly 100 business and civic leaders from Liberty County gathered this morning at the Liberty County Board of Education to celebrate the County’s official designation as a Work Ready Community of Excellence. The designation means that the county has the skilled workforce needed to meet business demands and drive economic growth, as well as the educational foundation to build a pipeline of workers ready to create ongoing success.

Liberty County earned 2,901 Work Ready Certificates, 115 percent more than goal. It also increased the public high school graduation rate from 69.4 to 77.8.

Melvin Everson, director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development addressed the group and presented a check in the amount of $10,000 to support the community’s efforts in sustaining the momentum for Work Ready. “Liberty County is the 100^th county in Georgia to earn this designation,” he said. The Governor’s Office of Workforce Development was created by Governor Sonny Perdue in August 2006 to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia’s workforce and drive future economic growth for the state.

At the event, a number of Liberty-based organizations were presented with certificates indicating their participation. Among them was SNF Chemtall, represented by David Kaye and a team of employees. Chemtall was the first company in the county to require a Work Ready certification as a part of its employment processes. “It has made a tremendous difference for us,” said Recruiter Maria Mondragon.

Georgia Work Ready is administered through the Technical College System of Georgia. “Today we celebrate the partnerships that have made us successful in Liberty County,” said College President Kathy Love. “Workforce development is at the core of everything we do at Savannah Tech. We’re proud that Liberty County is the first county in our service area to become Work Ready certified.”

Members of the Liberty County Work Ready Team:

· Robert Stokes, Georgia Power (chair)

· Terrie Sellers (vice-chair), Ken Boyd and Julie Gerbsch, Savannah Technical College

· Leah Poole, Cathleen Thomas and Tony Mahan, Liberty Chamber of Commerce

· Bob Sprinkle and Carmella Orr, Liberty County

· Lisa Eason, Tom Alexander, and Sonja Duncan, Liberty County Schools

· Jessica Hood, Liberty County Development Authority

· P.J. Schneider, Department of Labor

· Billy Edwards, Holly Stevens-Brown, and Maureen Mobley, City of Hinesville

· DeLisa Espada, Strategic Business Solutions

· Janet Jones, Coastal Workforce Investment Board

 

For information call the WORK READY HOTLINE at 912.443.3014 or visit:

http://www.savannahtech.edu/cwo/Economic_Development/Georgia_Work_Ready

System’s state board holds cost decision until  2012, cites delay in development of computer-based test

Atlanta – The state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia and its Office of Adult Education (OAE) has voted to rescind a planned increase in the GED test fees for Georgia’s adult learners. The TCSG will wait until at least early next year to reconsider the cost.

The board’s action follows recommendations from both the OAE, which is the statewide provider of the test, and the GED Testing Service® in Washington, D.C., which is responsible for the design and delivery of the test.

In April, the TCSG announced that the test fees would more than double from the current $95, which would coincide with the launch in July of a first-ever, computer-based GED test by the GED Testing Service.

However, the GED Testing Service recently asked Georgia to postpone the cost increase citing the need to resolve all operational and technical matters involved in the development and delivery of the computer-based testing (CBT) model.

In a letter to TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson dated May 19, 2011, GED Testing Service Executive Vice President Nicole M. Chestang wrote, “We recommend that the planned CBT implementation date be delayed until we can provide the optimal operational solution and implementation approach for Georgia and ultimately the State’s GED test-takers.”

The current fee of $95 to take the full battery of GED tests that measure reading, writing, social studies, science and mathematics skills will remain in effect into early 2012, or however long it takes to begin the computer-based GED testing.

Both the GED Testing Service and the TCSG want ensure that the CBT is working flawlessly before anyone takes the new electronic version of the test.

“The computer-based GED testing is an excellent program with great promise, but it won’t be implemented in Georgia until we’re fully confident that every issue with the new model has been worked out,” said Beverly Smith, the TCSG assistant commissioner for adult education. “In the meantime, we’ll work to inform every adult learner that their test cost will not change in July as planned and encourage them to take full advantage of the test at the current fee level.”

It’s estimated that there are more than 1.3 million adult Georgians who are without a high school or GED diploma. Last year, almost 20,000 men and women in the state changed their lives for the better and improved their job opportunities by passing the test and obtaining their GED diploma.